UNITED STATES
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549

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


                                 SCHEDULE 13G

                   Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                               (Amendment No. )

                             RELIANT ENERGY, INC.
                               (Name of Issuer)


                   Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share
                        (Title of Class of Securities)


                                   75952B105
                                (CUSIP Number)


                                April 25, 2005
            (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)


Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this
Schedule is filed:

                              [ ]  Rule 13d-1(b)

                              [X]  Rule 13d-1(c)

                              [ ]  Rule 13d-1(d)

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which
would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of
the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see
the Notes).


                         Continued on following pages
                              Page 1 of 10 Pages
                             Exhibit Index: Page 9






                                 SCHEDULE 13G

CUSIP No.: 75952B105                                         Page 2 of 10 Pages

...............................................................................
1.    Names of Reporting Persons.

      I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only).



      GLENVIEW CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC
...............................................................................
2.    Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group

      (a) [ ]

      (b) [X]
...............................................................................
3.    SEC Use Only
...............................................................................
4.    Citizenship or Place of Organization


      Delaware
...............................................................................
                   
Number of          5.     Sole Voting Power            None
Shares             ............................................................
Beneficially       6.     Shared Voting Power          15,336,351
Owned by Each      ............................................................
Reporting          7.     Sole Dispositive Power       None
Person With        ............................................................
                   8.     Shared Dispositive Power     15,336,351
...............................................................................
9.    Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

      15,336,351
...............................................................................
10.   Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See
      Instructions)

      [  ]
...............................................................................
11.   Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

      5.1% based on 300,356,819 shares outstanding as of March 1, 2005.
...............................................................................
12.   Type of Reporting Person:

      OO





CUSIP No.: 75952B105                                         Page 3 of 10 Pages

...............................................................................
1.    Names of Reporting Persons.

      I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only).


      GLENVIEW CAPITAL GP, LLC
...............................................................................
2.    Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group

      (a) [ ]

      (b) [X]
...............................................................................
3.    SEC Use Only
...............................................................................
4.    Citizenship or Place of Organization

      Delaware
...............................................................................

Number of          5.     Sole Voting Power            None
Shares             ............................................................
Beneficially       6.     Shared Voting Power          15,336,351
Owned by Each      ............................................................
Reporting          7.     Sole Dispositive Power       None
Person With        ............................................................
                   8.     Shared Dispositive Power     15,336,351
...............................................................................
9.    Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

      15,336,351
...............................................................................
10.   Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See
      Instructions)

      [  ]
...............................................................................
11.   Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

      5.1% based on 300,356,819 shares outstanding as of March 1, 2005.
...............................................................................
12.   Type of Reporting Person:

      OO






                                  SCHEDULE 13G

CUSIP No.: 75952B105                                         Page 4 of 10 Pages

...............................................................................
1.    Names of Reporting Persons.

      I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only).


      LAWRENCE M. ROBBINS
...............................................................................
2.    Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group

      (a) [ ]

      (b) [X]
...............................................................................
3.    SEC Use Only
...............................................................................
4.    Citizenship or Place of Organization

      United States of America
...............................................................................

Number of          5.     Sole Voting Power            None
Shares             ............................................................
Beneficially       6.     Shared Voting Power          15,336,351
Owned by Each      ............................................................
Reporting          7.     Sole Dispositive Power       None
Person With        ............................................................
                   8.     Shared Dispositive Power     15,336,351
...............................................................................
9.    Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

      15,336,351
...............................................................................
10.   Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See
      Instructions)

      [  ]
...............................................................................
11.   Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

      5.1% based on 300,356,819 shares outstanding as of March 1, 2005.
...............................................................................
12.   Type of Reporting Person:

      IA





                                                             Page 5 of 10 Pages


Item 1(a).   Name of Issuer:

             Reliant Energy, Inc. (the "Issuer)

Item 1(b).   Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

             1000 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002.

Item 2(a).   Name of Person Filing

             This Statement is filed on behalf of each of the following
persons (collectively, the "Reporting Persons"):

             i) Glenview Capital Management, LLC ("Glenview Capital
             Management");

             ii) Glenview Capital GP, LLC ("Glenview Capital GP"); and

             iii) Lawrence M. Robbins ("Mr. Robbins").

             This Statement relates to Shares (as defined herein) held for the
accounts of Glenview Capital Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
("Glenview Capital Partners"), Glenview Institutional Partners, L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership ("Glenview Institutional Partners"), Glenview
Capital Master Fund, Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company ("Glenview
Capital Master Fund"), GCM Little Arbor Master Fund, Ltd., a Cayman Islands
exempted company ("GCM Little Arbor Master Fund"), GCM Little Arbor
Institutional Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ("GCM Little
Arbor Institutional Partners"), and GCM Little Arbor Partners, L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership ("GCM Little Arbor Partners").

             Glenview Capital Management serves as investment manager to each
of Glenview Capital Partners, Glenview Institutional Partners, Glenview
Capital Master Fund, GCM Little Arbor Master Fund, GCM Little Arbor
Institutional Partners, and GCM Little Arbor Partners. In such capacity,
Glenview Capital Management may be deemed to have voting and dispositive power
over the Shares held for the accounts of each of Glenview Capital Partners,
Glenview Institutional Partners, Glenview Capital Master Fund, GCM Little
Arbor Master Fund, GCM Little Arbor Institutional Partners, and GCM Little
Arbor Partners. Glenview Capital GP is the general partner of Glenview Capital
Partners, Glenview Institutional Partners, GCM Little Arbor Institutional
Partners and GCM Little Arbor Partners. Glenview Capital GP also serves as the
sponsor of the Glenview Capital Master Fund and the GCM Little Arbor Master
Fund. In such capacities, Glenview Capital GP may be deemed to have voting and
dispositive power over the Shares held for the accounts of each of Glenview
Capital Partners, Glenview Institutional Partners, Glenview Capital Master
Fund, GCM Little Arbor Master Fund, GCM Little Arbor Institutional Partners,
and GCM Little Arbor Partners. Mr. Robbins is the Chief Executive Officer of
Glenview Capital Management and Glenview Capital GP.

Item 2(b).   Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence

             The address of the principal business office of each of Glenview
Capital Management, Glenview Capital GP, and Mr. Robbins is 399 Park Avenue,
Floor 39, New York, New York 10022.





                                                             Page 6 of 10 Pages


Item 2(c).   Citizenship

             i) Glenview Capital Management is a Delaware limited liability
             company;

             ii) Glenview Capital GP is a Delaware limited liability company;
             and

             iii) Mr. Robbins is a citizen of the United States of America.

Item 2(d).   Title of Class of Securities:

             Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share par value per share (the
             "Shares")

Item 2(e).   CUSIP Number:

             75952B105

Item 3.      If This Statement is Filed Pursuant to ss.ss.240.13d-1(b) or
             240.13d-2(b) or (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a:

             This Item 3 is not applicable.

Item 4.      Ownership:

Item 4(a).   Amount Beneficially Owned:

             As of May 2, 2005, each of the Reporting Persons may be deemed to
be the beneficial owner of 15,336,351 Shares. This amount consists of: (A)
1,244,300 Shares held for the account of Glenview Capital Partners; (B)
9,191,000 Shares held for the account of Glenview Capital Master Fund; (C)
4,450,200 Shares held for the account of Glenview Institutional Partners; (D)
361,973 Shares held for the account of GCM Little Arbor Master Fund, (E)
76,564 Shares held for the account of GCM Little Arbor Institutional Partners,
and (F) 12,314 Shares held for the account of GCM Little Arbor Partners.

Item 4(b).   Percent of Class:

             The number of Shares of which each of the Reporting Persons may
be deemed to be the beneficial owner constitutes approximately 5.1% of the
total number of Shares outstanding (based upon information provided by the
Issuer in its most recently-filed annual report on Form 10-K, there were
approximately 300,356,819 Shares outstanding as of March 1, 2005).

Item 4(c).   Number of Shares of which such person has:

Glenview Capital Management, Glenview Capital GP, and Mr. Robbins:
------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Sole power to vote or direct the vote:                                    0
                                                                 
(ii) Shared power to vote or direct the vote:                        15,336,351
                                                                 
(iii) Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of:                     0
                                                                 
(iv) Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of:           15,336,351
                                                             






                                                             Page 7 of 10 Pages


Item 5.      Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:

             This Item 5 is not applicable

Item 6.      Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person:

             This Item 6 is not applicable

Item 7.      Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
             Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding
             Company:

             This Item 7 is not applicable.

Item 8.      Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
             
             This Item 8 is not applicable.

Item 9.      Notice of Dissolution of Group:

             This Item 9 is not applicable.

Item 10.     Certification:

             By signing below each of the Reporting Persons certifies that, to
the best of their knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were
not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of
changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were
not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any
transaction having that purpose or effect.






                                                             Page 8 of 10 Pages


                                   SIGNATURE

             After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true,
complete and correct.

Date: May 2, 2005                            GLENVIEW CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC


                                             By:    /s/ Lawrence M. Robbins
                                             ----------------------------------
                                             Name:  Lawrence M. Robbins
                                             Title: Chief Executive Officer

Date: May 2, 2005                            GLENVIEW CAPITAL GP, LLC


                                             By:    /s/ Lawrence M. Robbins
                                             ----------------------------------
                                             Name:  Lawrence M. Robbins
                                             Title: Chief Executive Officer

Date: May 2, 2005                            LAWRENCE M. ROBBINS


                                             By:    /s/ Lawrence M. Robbins
                                             ----------------------------------






                                                             Page 9 of 10 Pages


                                 EXHIBIT INDEX


Ex.                                                                  Page No.
---                                                                  --------

A.   Joint Filing Agreement, dated May 2, 2005, by and
     among Glenview Capital Management, LLC, Glenview
     Capital GP, LLC, and Lawrence M. Robbins..................         10






                                                            Page 10 of 10 Pages


                                   EXHIBIT A

                            JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

             The undersigned hereby agree that the statement on Schedule 13G
with respect to the Common Stock of Reliant Energy, Inc. dated as of May 2,
2005 is, and any amendments thereto (including amendments on Schedule 13D)
signed by each of the undersigned shall be, filed on behalf of each of us
pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Rule 13d-1(k) under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Date: May 2, 2005                            GLENVIEW CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC


                                             By:    /s/ Lawrence M. Robbins
                                             ----------------------------------
                                             Name:  Lawrence M. Robbins
                                             Title: Chief Executive Officer

Date: May 2, 2005                            GLENVIEW CAPITAL GP, LLC


                                             By:    /s/ Lawrence M. Robbins
                                             ----------------------------------
                                             Name:  Lawrence M. Robbins
                                             Title: Chief Executive Officer

Date: May 2, 2005                            LAWRENCE M. ROBBINS


                                             By:    /s/ Lawrence M. Robbins
                                             ----------------------------------