Core Idea - NRG Energy has formed a multi-year partnership with Sunrun to offer solar-plus-storage systems to Texas homeowners through its retail brand, Reliant [1][5] Partnership Objectives - The partnership aims to connect home battery storage systems to create a virtual power plant, supplying excess clean power back to the grid and enhancing grid reliability during peak demand [2][4] Benefits to NRG Energy - This strategic alliance allows NRG to meet rising electricity demand driven by economic and population growth without the need for costly new power plants, leveraging existing home battery systems instead [3][8] - The partnership is expected to contribute to NRG's goal of establishing a 1-gigawatt virtual power plant by 2035, providing flexible energy capacity [5][8] Market Context - There is a growing demand for reliable clean energy due to economic developments, investments in AI-based data centers, electric vehicle usage, and weather variations [6] - Millions of U.S. households can contribute to grid stability by sending small amounts of electricity back to the grid [6] Performance Metrics - Over the past year, NRG's shares have increased by 70.9%, outperforming the industry growth of 20.5% [7]