Sec Form 4 Filing - SCHADE CHRISTIAN S @ NRG ENERGY, INC. - 2011-03-29

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person SCHADE CHRISTIAN S 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol NRG ENERGY, INC. [ NRG] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner X __ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Exec VP & Chief Financial Ofc (Last) (First) (Middle) NRG ENERGY, INC., 211 CARNEGIE CENTER 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 03/29/2011 (Street) PRINCETON, NJ08540 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock, par value $.01 per share 03/29/2011 F 4,884 ( 1 ) D $ 21.6 34,916 D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other SCHADE CHRISTIAN S NRG ENERGY, INC. 211 CARNEGIE CENTER PRINCETON, NJ08540 Exec VP & Chief Financial Ofc Signatures /s/ Christian S. Schade 03/30/2011 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )On March 29, 2010, Mr. Schade was issued 22,800 Restricted Stock Units ("RSUs") by NRG Energy, Inc. under NRG Energy, Inc.'s Long Term Incentive Plan (the "LTIP"). Each RSU is equivalent in value to one share of NRG's Common Stock, par value $0.01. On March 29, 2011, 14,600 of the RSUs vested. Pursuant to the LTIP, Mr. Schade elected to satisfy his tax witholding obligation upon the exchange of common stock for RSUs by surrendering a number of shares of common stock having a value on the date of the exchange equal to the tax witholding obligation. This form is being filed to reflect the surrender of 4,884 shares of common stock to satisfy the grantee's tax witholding obligation.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

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