NRG Energy to Acquire Green Mountain Energy Company, the Leading Retail Provider of Clean Energy Products and Services

PRINCETON, NJ - September 17, 2010: NRG Energy, Inc. announced yesterday a definitive agreement to acquire Green Mountain Energy Company, the nation's leading retail provider of clean energy products and services, for $350 million in cash.

"A permanent and fast-growing portion of the American population is seeking to live sustainably across all key phases of their lifestyle, including the energy they use in their homes, at work and in their personal transportation. Green Mountain understands that customer base and serves it better than any other retail energy provider," said David Crane, NRG President and Chief Executive Officer. "Increasingly NRG, with our expanding portfolio of wind, solar and biomass initiatives, working with and through Green Mountain, is poised to become the clean energy provider of choice for Americans who want to make a difference for the environment."

Aligning Green Mountain's green retail franchise with NRG's growing portfolio of renewable power assets and development pipeline creates the foundation for what will be the preeminent platform of clean energy solutions in Texas, New York and ultimately, other core markets served by Green Mountain and NRG. Green Mountain will be run as a standalone business within NRG. This acquisition, with an anticipated annual EBITDA contribution of $70 million, is immediately accretive to EBITDA and free cash flow. NRG anticipates funding the transaction with cash on hand upon transaction close, which is expected by mid-November.

Our acquisition by NRG strengthens Green Mountain's ability to provide the clean energy products that our customers value, while allowing us to reach new markets and offer greater consumer choice—all while preserving our founding ideals," said Paul Thomas, Green Mountain President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our customers will continue to be Green Mountain customers."

Green Mountain ranked highest in J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Texas Business Retail Electric Provider Satisfaction Study. Austin-based Green Mountain has residential and commercial customers primarily in Texas and the New York metro region. Green Mountain also delivers green products and services to select utilities, including Portland General Electric - ranked as the number one green utility program by the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory - as well as providers in New York and New Jersey.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, including Department of Justice (Hart Scott Rodino) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as well as other regulatory notices.

About NRG
NRG Energy, Inc., a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 Index company, owns and operates one of the country's largest and most diverse power generation portfolios. Headquartered in Princeton, NJ, the Company's power plants provide more than 24,000 megawatts of generation capacity - enough to supply more than 20 million homes. NRG's retail business, Reliant Energy, serves nearly 1.6 million residential, business, commercial and industrial customers in Texas. A past recipient of the energy industry's highest honors - Platts Industry Leadership and Energy Company of the Year awards, NRG is a member of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), a group of business and environmental organizations calling for mandatory legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

About Green Mountain Energy Company
Green Mountain, the nation's leading competitive retail provider of cleaner energy and carbon offset solutions, was founded in 1997 "to change the way power is made." The company is the longest serving green power marketer in the U.S. and in 2009 was ranked the "Highest in Texas Business Customer Satisfaction with Retail Electric Service" by J.D. Power and Associates. Green Mountain offers consumers and businesses the choice of clean electricity products from renewable sources such as wind and water, as well as a variety of carbon offset products. Green Mountain customers have collectively helped avoid over 11.3 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.