Filed pursuant to Rule No. 424(b)(3)
                                                          File Number 333-107295


                           PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT NO. 5
                             RELIANT ENERGY, INC.
                       (formerly Reliant Resources, Inc.)

                                  $275,000,000
              5.00% CONVERTIBLE SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2010
        AND SHARES OF COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THE NOTES


         This prospectus supplement supplements the prospectus, dated December
11, 2003, of Reliant Energy, Inc., relating to the sale by certain of our
securityholders (including their pledgees, donees, assignees, transferees,
successors and others who later hold any of the securityholders' interests) of
up to $275,000,000 aggregate principal amount at maturity of notes and the
shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes. You should read
this prospectus supplement in conjunction with the prospectus, and this
prospectus supplement is qualified by reference to the prospectus, except to the
extent that the information in this prospectus supplement supersedes the
information contained in the prospectus.

         The table of selling securityholders contained in the prospectus is
hereby modified to add as follows.





                                Aggregate Principal
                                    Amount at                           Number of Shares      Percentage of
                                 Maturity of the       Percentage of    of Common Stock          Shares of
                                      Notes                Notes            that may           Common Stock
Name                             that may be Sold       Outstanding        be Sold (1)        Outstanding (2)
----                             ----------------      --------------   -----------------     ---------------
                                                                                       
Deutsche Bank Securities........... $5,160,000            1.88%               540,824               *


 *   Less than one percent (1%).

(1)  Assumes conversion of all of the holder's notes at a conversion rate of
     104.8108 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount at maturity of
     the notes. This conversion rate is subject to adjustment, however, as
     described under "Description of the Notes - Conversion of the Notes." As a
     result, the number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of
     the notes may increase or decrease in the future.

(2)  Calculated based on Rule 13d-3(d)(i) of the Exchange Act, using common
     stock outstanding as of March 31, 2004. In calculating this amount for each
     holder, we treated as outstanding the number of shares of common stock
     issuable upon conversion of all that holder's notes, but we did not assume
     conversion of any other holder's notes.

         Investing in the notes or shares of common stock involves risks that
are described in the "Risk Factors" section beginning on page 14 of the
prospectus.

         NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES
COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE
CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

         The date of this prospectus supplement is April 30, 2004.