SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): APRIL 5, 2002

                         ------------------------------

                          RELIANT ENERGY, INCORPORATED
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


           TEXAS                         1-3187                   74-0694415
(State or other jurisdiction     (Commission File Number)       (IRS Employer
    of incorporation)                                        Identification No.)


          1111 LOUISIANA
           HOUSTON, TEXAS                                           77002
  (Address of principal executive offices)                       (Zip Code)



       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (713) 207-3000

                         ------------------------------



ITEM 5.     OTHER EVENTS.

SEC INVESTIGATION

         On April 5, 2002, Reliant Resources, Inc. (Reliant Resources), an 83%
owned subsidiary of Reliant Energy, Incorporated, announced that it has been
advised by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that the SEC was
conducting an informal inquiry of the facts and circumstances surrounding
Reliant Resources' recent restatement of earnings for the second and third
quarters of 2001. For additional information regarding the SEC's inquiry, please
see Reliant Resources' press release attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, which is
incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 7.     FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

                  (c)      Exhibits.

                  The following exhibits are filed herewith:

   Exhibit 99.1   Reliant Resources' Press Release issued April 5, 2002
                  regarding the SEC's inquiry



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                                    SIGNATURE

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       RELIANT ENERGY, INCORPORATED



    Date:  April 5, 2002               By: /s/ HUGH RICE KELLY
                                          --------------------------
                                           Hugh Rice Kelly
                                           Executive Vice President,
                                           General Counsel and
                                           Corporate Secretary




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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                    EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION
- -------                   -------------------

 99.1             Reliant Resources' Press Release issued April 5, 2002
                  regarding the SEC's inquiry.

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                April 5, 2002

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:              Sandy Fruhman (Media) - (713) 207-3123
                                      Dennis Barber (Investors) - (713) 207-3042


               RELIANT RESOURCES COOPERATING WITH INFORMAL INQUIRY


         HOUSTON, TX. - Reliant Resources, Inc. (NYSE: RRI) has been advised
that the Securities and Exchange Commission is conducting an informal inquiry of
the facts and circumstances surrounding the company's recent restatement of
earnings for the second and third quarters of 2001. Reliant Resources is a
majority-owned subsidiary of Reliant Energy, Incorporated (NYSE: REI).

         Before releasing its fiscal year 2001 earnings, Reliant Resources
received concurrence from the SEC staff on the accounting treatment of the
restatement, which increased its earnings for the two quarters by a total of
$134 million. The restatement resulted from Reliant Resources' determination
that certain derivative transactions previously accounted for as cash flow
hedges in its conventional accrual accounts should have been marked to market.
The restatement changed the timing of earnings recognition for the transactions.

         Reliant Resources will cooperate fully in the informal inquiry. At this
time, Reliant Energy cannot predict what effect this informal inquiry may have
on its pending application to restructure under the Public Utility Holding
Company Act. Reliant Energy remains committed to completing the restructuring
and distributing its shares of Reliant Resources to Reliant Energy shareholders
at the earliest possible date.


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