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  <xs:element id="nrg_CapacityContractsMember" abstract="true" name="CapacityContractsMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_DebtCollateralExclusionEquityInterestsExceedsPercentageOfTotalOutstandingVotingEquityInterestsOfCertainForeignSubsidiaries" abstract="false" name="DebtCollateralExclusionEquityInterestsExceedsPercentageOfTotalOutstandingVotingEquityInterestsOfCertainForeignSubsidiaries" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="instant" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:percentItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_AssetRetirementObligationsAxis" abstract="true" name="AssetRetirementObligationsAxis" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrldt:dimensionItem" type="xbrli:stringItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_CostOfServicesEnergyServicesUnbilled" abstract="false" name="CostOfServicesEnergyServicesUnbilled" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" xbrli:balance="debit" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_FinancingProviderLoansLiabilityForCustomerLostPrincipleBalancesPercentage" abstract="false" name="FinancingProviderLoansLiabilityForCustomerLostPrincipleBalancesPercentage" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:percentItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentLiabilitiesCollateralFundsDepositsReceived" abstract="false" name="BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentLiabilitiesCollateralFundsDepositsReceived" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="instant" xbrli:balance="credit" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_EmergingMarketEquitiesMember" abstract="true" name="EmergingMarketEquitiesMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_DecommissioningFundInvestmentsUnrealizedGains" abstract="false" name="DecommissioningFundInvestmentsUnrealizedGains" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" xbrli:balance="credit" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_RedemptionPeriodFebruary152027ToFebruary142028Member" abstract="true" name="RedemptionPeriodFebruary152027ToFebruary142028Member" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_ScheduleOfShareBasedPaymentAwardsMarketUnitValuationAssumptionsTableTextBlock" abstract="false" name="ScheduleOfShareBasedPaymentAwardsMarketUnitValuationAssumptionsTableTextBlock" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:textBlockItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_FailureToPayFacilityFeeCurePeriod" abstract="false" name="FailureToPayFacilityFeeCurePeriod" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:durationItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_SeniorSecuredFirstLienNotesDue202420252027And2029Member" abstract="true" name="SeniorSecuredFirstLienNotesDue202420252027And2029Member" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposalStatementOfIncomeExtensibleListNotDisclosedFlag" abstract="false" name="DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposalStatementOfIncomeExtensibleListNotDisclosedFlag" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:stringItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_EstimatedCounterpartyCreditRiskExposureToCertainCounterparties" abstract="false" name="EstimatedCounterpartyCreditRiskExposureToCertainCounterparties" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" xbrli:balance="credit" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_FinancialTransmissionRightsMember" abstract="true" name="FinancialTransmissionRightsMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_A12MonthsBeginningFebruary152030AndThereafterMember" abstract="true" name="A12MonthsBeginningFebruary152030AndThereafterMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_CedarBayouUnit4Member" abstract="true" name="CedarBayouUnit4Member" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_GregoryMember" abstract="true" name="GregoryMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_EstimatedCounterpartyCreditRiskExposureToCertainCounterpartiesPeriod" abstract="false" name="EstimatedCounterpartyCreditRiskExposureToCertainCounterpartiesPeriod" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:durationItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedNumberRollForward" abstract="true" name="ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedNumberRollForward" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:stringItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_NumberOfCustomers" abstract="false" name="NumberOfCustomers" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:integerItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_OperatingRevenuesMember" abstract="true" name="OperatingRevenuesMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_ContractWithCustomerPaymentTermPeriod" abstract="false" name="ContractWithCustomerPaymentTermPeriod" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:durationItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_CoalMember" abstract="true" name="CoalMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_HomeCustomerMember" abstract="true" name="HomeCustomerMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_AonHewittAboveMedianYieldCurveDiscountRateYears" abstract="false" name="AonHewittAboveMedianYieldCurveDiscountRateYears" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:durationItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_DerivativeUnrealizedGainsOnOpenPositionsRelatedToTradingActivityNet" abstract="false" name="DerivativeUnrealizedGainsOnOpenPositionsRelatedToTradingActivityNet" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" xbrli:balance="credit" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_ProductsAndServicesOtherDerivativeRevenueMember" abstract="true" name="ProductsAndServicesOtherDerivativeRevenueMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_ContractWithCustomerCustomerShortTermFinancingTerm" abstract="false" name="ContractWithCustomerCustomerShortTermFinancingTerm" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:durationItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_EmissionsMember" abstract="true" name="EmissionsMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_CommonStockQuarterlyDividendsPerShareCashPaid" abstract="false" name="CommonStockQuarterlyDividendsPerShareCashPaid" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:perShareItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_DeferredStockUnitsMember" abstract="true" name="DeferredStockUnitsMember" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_A3625SeniorUnsecuredNotesDueFebruary2031Member" abstract="true" name="A3625SeniorUnsecuredNotesDueFebruary2031Member" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
  <xs:element id="nrg_RedemptionPeriodFrom15January2025to14January2026Member" abstract="true" name="RedemptionPeriodFrom15January2025to14January2026Member" nillable="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="dtr-types1:domainItemType"/>
</xs:schema>
