<PAGE>   1

      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 7, 2001
                                                      Registration No. 333-_____
================================================================================

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

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

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

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

                             RELIANT RESOURCES, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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

                  DELAWARE                                    76-0655566
    (State or other jurisdiction of                       (I.R.S. Employer
     incorporation or organization)                       Identification No

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

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

                             RELIANT RESOURCES, INC.
                            LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

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

                                 Hugh Rice Kelly
         Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
                                 1111 Louisiana
                              Houston, Texas 77002
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

   Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service: (713) 207-3000

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

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
===========================================================================================================================
                                                                  PROPOSED              PROPOSED
                                                                   MAXIMUM              MAXIMUM
                                                                  OFFERING             AGGREGATE            AMOUNT OF
          TITLE OF SECURITIES              AMOUNT TO BE             PRICE               OFFERING          REGISTRATION
           TO BE REGISTERED                 REGISTERED          PER SHARE (1)          PRICE (1)               FEE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                      <C>                       <C>                <C>                <C>
Common Stock, $.001 par value per
  share ...............................  16,000,000 shares         $33.40             $534,400,000          $133,600
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights(2).....  16,000,000 rights           (3)                  (3)                  (3)
===========================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in
     accordance with Rule 457(c) based upon the average of the high and low
     prices of the Common Stock of Reliant Resources, Inc. reported on the New
     York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on May 2, 2001.
(2)  Each share of Common Stock to be registered includes one associated
     Preferred Stock Purchase Right.
(3)  No separate consideration is payable for the Preferred Stock Purchase
     Rights.  Therefore, the registration fee for such securities is included
     in the registration fee for the Common Stock.
================================================================================
<PAGE>   2

                             INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

         Reliant Resources, Inc. (the "Registrant" or the "Company") is filing
this Registration Statement on Form S-8 relating to its Common Stock, par value
$.001 per share, and associated Rights to purchase its Series A Preferred
Stock, par value $.001 per share (such Common Stock and associated Rights
collectively, the "Common Stock"), issuable pursuant to the terms of the Reliant
Resources, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan.

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

         Note: The document(s) containing the plan information required by Item
1 of Form S-8 and the statement of availability of registrant information and
any other information required by Item 2 of Form S-8 will be sent or given to
participants as specified by Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"). In accordance with Rule 428 and the requirements
of Part I of Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") either as part of this Registration
Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424
under the Securities Act. The Registrant shall maintain a file of such documents
in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428. Upon request, the Registrant
shall furnish to the Commission or its staff a copy or copies of all of the
documents included in such file.

                                      I-1

<PAGE>   3

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

                  The following documents filed with the Commission by the
Company (File No. 001-16455) pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "Exchange Act"), or as otherwise indicated, are hereby incorporated
in this Registration Statement by reference:

                  (1) the Company's Prospectus dated April 30, 2001, as filed
         with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act on
         May 1, 2001; and

                  (2) the description of the Company's Common Stock contained in
         the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, as filed with the
         Commission on April 27, 2001 pursuant to the Exchange Act, as amended
         by Amendment No. 1 thereto on Form 8-A/A, as filed with the Commission
         on May 2, 2001.

                  All documents filed with the Commission by the Company
pursuant to sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to
the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold, or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.

                  Any statement contained herein or incorporated by reference
herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this
Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any
subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

                  Not applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

                  Not applicable.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

                  The Company is incorporated under the laws of the State of
Delaware. Section 145 ("Section 145") of Title 8 of the Delaware Code gives a
corporation power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened
to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than
an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the
person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or
is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer,
employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or
other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines
and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in
connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good
faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action
or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person's conduct was
unlawful.

                  Section 145 also gives a corporation power to indemnify any
person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the
corporation to procure a

<PAGE>   4

judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at
the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by
the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit
if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed
to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that
no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to
which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation
unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court
in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that,
despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of
the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such
expenses which the Delaware Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem
proper. Section 145 further provides that, to the extent that a present or
former director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or
otherwise in defense of any such action, suit or proceeding, or in defense of
any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against
expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such
person in connection therewith.

                  Section 145 also authorizes a corporation to purchase and
maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the
corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability
asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, arising out of
his status as such, whether or not the corporation would otherwise have the
power to indemnify him under Section 145.

                  The Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation and
Amended and Restated Bylaws provide for the indemnification of officers and
directors to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law.

                  All of the Company's directors and officers will be covered by
insurance policies maintained by the Company against certain liabilities for
actions taken in their capacities as such, including liabilities under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

                  Not Applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

                  The following documents are filed as a part of this
Registration Statement or incorporated by reference herein:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             Report or            SEC File or
Exhibit                                                     Registration          Registration          Exhibit
Number                 Document Description                   Statement               Number           Reference
-------                --------------------                 ------------          ------------         ---------
<S>          <C>                                        <C>
4.1* -       Restated Certificate of Incorporation      Registration               333-48038              3.1
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

4.2* -       Bylaws of the Company                      Registration               333-48038              3.2
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

4.3* -       Specimen Stock Certificate                 Registration               333-48038              4.1
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

4.4* -       Form of Rights Agreement effective as of   Registration               333-48038              4.2
             January 15, 2001 between the Company and   Statement on Form
             The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Rights        S-1
             Agent, including a Form of Rights
             Certificate

</TABLE>

<PAGE>   5
<TABLE>
<S>          <C>                                        <C>                        <C>                  <C>

4.5*  -      Form of Long-Term Incentive Plan           Registration               333-48038             10.10
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

5.1   -      Opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P.

23.1  -      Independent Auditors' Consent of
             Deloitte & Touche Accountants

23.2  -      Consent of Independent Public
             Accountants of PricewaterhouseCoopers
             N.V.

23.3  -      Consent of Baker Botts L.L.P. (included
             in Exhibit 5.1)

24.1  -      Power of Attorney (included on the
             signature page to this Registration
             Statement)

</TABLE>
---------------

*        Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.


ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

         (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
         being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                           (i) To include any prospectus required by section
                  10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

                           (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                  arising after the effective date of the registration statement
                  (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
                  individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental
                  change in the information set forth in the registration
                  statement;

                           (iii) To include any material information with
                  respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed
                  in the registration statement or any material change to such
                  information in the registration statement;

                  Provided, however, that the undertakings set forth in
         paragraphs (i) and (ii) above do not apply if the information required
         to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
         contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to
         Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated
         by reference in the registration statement.

                  (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under
         the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
         to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
         therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
         deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
         amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at
         the termination of the offering.
<PAGE>   6


         (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the registrant pursuant to the provisions described under Item 6 above, or
otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.


<PAGE>   7

                                   SIGNATURES


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Houston, the State of Texas, on May 3, 2001.

                                         RELIANT RESOURCES, INC.
                                         (Registrant)



                                         By:  /s/ R. Steve Letbetter
                                            ------------------------------------
                                                  R. Steve Letbetter,
                                                Chairman, President and
                                                Chief Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints R. Steve Letbetter, Stephen W. Naeve and
Hugh Rice Kelly, and each of them severally, his or her true and lawful attorney
or attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power to act with or without the
others and with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to execute in his
or her name place and stead, in any and all capacities, any or all amendments
(including pre-effective and post-effective amendments) to this Registration
Statement and any registration statement for the same offering filed pursuant to
Rule 462 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same,
with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents and each of them full power and authority, to do and perform in the name
and on behalf of the undersigned, in any and all capacities, each and every act
and thing necessary or desirable to be done in and about the premises, to all
intents and purposes and as fully as they might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or their
substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             Signature                               Title                               Date
<S>                                                                  <C>                             <C>


/s/ Steve Letbetter                                                  Chairman, President, Chief       May 3, 2001
------------------------------------------------------------         Executive Officer and
                        (Steve Letbetter)                            Director (Principal
                                                                     Executive Officer and
                                                                     Director)

/s/ Stephen W. Naeve                                                 Executive Vice President         May 3, 2001
------------------------------------------------------------         and Chief Financial
                       (Stephen W. Naeve)                            Officer (Principal
                                                                     Financial Officer)

/s/ Mary P. Ricciardello                                             Senior Vice President and        May 3, 2001
------------------------------------------------------------         Chief Accounting Officer
                     (Mary P. Ricciardello)                          (Principal Accounting
                                                                     Officer)

</TABLE>


<PAGE>   8


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             Report or            SEC File or
Exhibit                                                     Registration          Registration          Exhibit
Number                 Document Description                   Statement               Number           Reference
------                 --------------------                 ------------          ------------         ---------
<S>          <C>                                        <C>                        <C>                   <C>
4.1* -       Restated Certificate of Incorporation      Registration               333-48038              3.1
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

4.2* -       Bylaws of the Company                      Registration               333-48038              3.2
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

4.3* -       Specimen Stock Certificate                 Registration               333-48038              4.1
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

4.4* -       Rights Agreement effective as of January   Registration               333-48038              4.2
             15, 2001 between the Company and The       Statement on Form
             Chase Manhattan Bank, as Rights Agent,     S-1
             including a Form of Rights Certificate

4.5*  -      Form of Long-Term Incentive Plan           Registration               333-48038             10.10
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

5.1   -      Opinion of Baker Botts, L.L.P.

23.1  -      Independent Auditors' Consent of
             Deloitte & Touche Accountants

23.2  -      Consent of Independent Public
             Accountants of PricewaterhouseCoopers
             N.V.

23.3  -      Consent of Baker Botts L.L.P. (included
             in Exhibit 5.1)

24.1  -      Power of Attorney (included on the
             signature page to this Registration
             Statement)

</TABLE>

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

* Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "RELIANT RESOURCES INC", "cik": "0001126294", "assigned-sic": "4911", "irs-number": "760655566", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-60328", "film-number": "1624063"}, "business-address": {"street1": "RELIANT ENERGY INC", "street2": "1111 LOUISIANA STREET", "city": "HOUSTON", "state": "TX", "zip": "77002", "phone": "7132073000"}}
1

      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 7, 2001
                                                      Registration No. 333-_____
================================================================================

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

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

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

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

                             RELIANT RESOURCES, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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

                  DELAWARE                                    76-0655566
    (State or other jurisdiction of                       (I.R.S. Employer
     incorporation or organization)                       Identification No

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

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

                             RELIANT RESOURCES, INC.
                            LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

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

                                 Hugh Rice Kelly
         Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
                                 1111 Louisiana
                              Houston, Texas 77002
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

   Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service: (713) 207-3000

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

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===========================================================================================================================
                                                                  PROPOSED              PROPOSED
                                                                   MAXIMUM              MAXIMUM
                                                                  OFFERING             AGGREGATE            AMOUNT OF
          TITLE OF SECURITIES              AMOUNT TO BE             PRICE               OFFERING          REGISTRATION
           TO BE REGISTERED                 REGISTERED          PER SHARE (1)          PRICE (1)               FEE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, $.001 par value per
  share ...............................  16,000,000 shares         $33.40             $534,400,000          $133,600
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights(2).....  16,000,000 rights           (3)                  (3)                  (3)
===========================================================================================================================
(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in
     accordance with Rule 457(c) based upon the average of the high and low
     prices of the Common Stock of Reliant Resources, Inc. reported on the New
     York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on May 2, 2001.
(2)  Each share of Common Stock to be registered includes one associated
     Preferred Stock Purchase Right.
(3)  No separate consideration is payable for the Preferred Stock Purchase
     Rights.  Therefore, the registration fee for such securities is included
     in the registration fee for the Common Stock.
================================================================================
2

                             INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

         Reliant Resources, Inc. (the "Registrant" or the "Company") is filing
this Registration Statement on Form S-8 relating to its Common Stock, par value
$.001 per share, and associated Rights to purchase its Series A Preferred
Stock, par value $.001 per share (such Common Stock and associated Rights
collectively, the "Common Stock"), issuable pursuant to the terms of the Reliant
Resources, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan.

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

         Note: The document(s) containing the plan information required by Item
1 of Form S-8 and the statement of availability of registrant information and
any other information required by Item 2 of Form S-8 will be sent or given to
participants as specified by Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"). In accordance with Rule 428 and the requirements
of Part I of Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") either as part of this Registration
Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424
under the Securities Act. The Registrant shall maintain a file of such documents
in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428. Upon request, the Registrant
shall furnish to the Commission or its staff a copy or copies of all of the
documents included in such file.

                                      I-1
3

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

                  The following documents filed with the Commission by the
Company (File No. 001-16455) pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "Exchange Act"), or as otherwise indicated, are hereby incorporated
in this Registration Statement by reference:

                  (1) the Company's Prospectus dated April 30, 2001, as filed
         with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act on
         May 1, 2001; and

                  (2) the description of the Company's Common Stock contained in
         the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, as filed with the
         Commission on April 27, 2001 pursuant to the Exchange Act, as amended
         by Amendment No. 1 thereto on Form 8-A/A, as filed with the Commission
         on May 2, 2001.

                  All documents filed with the Commission by the Company
pursuant to sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to
the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold, or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.

                  Any statement contained herein or incorporated by reference
herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this
Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any
subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

                  Not applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

                  Not applicable.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

                  The Company is incorporated under the laws of the State of
Delaware. Section 145 ("Section 145") of Title 8 of the Delaware Code gives a
corporation power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened
to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than
an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the
person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or
is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer,
employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or
other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines
and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in
connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good
faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action
or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person's conduct was
unlawful.

                  Section 145 also gives a corporation power to indemnify any
person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the
corporation to procure a
4

judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at
the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by
the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit
if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed
to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that
no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to
which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation
unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court
in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that,
despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of
the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such
expenses which the Delaware Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem
proper. Section 145 further provides that, to the extent that a present or
former director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or
otherwise in defense of any such action, suit or proceeding, or in defense of
any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against
expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such
person in connection therewith.

                  Section 145 also authorizes a corporation to purchase and
maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the
corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability
asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, arising out of
his status as such, whether or not the corporation would otherwise have the
power to indemnify him under Section 145.

                  The Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation and
Amended and Restated Bylaws provide for the indemnification of officers and
directors to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law.

                  All of the Company's directors and officers will be covered by
insurance policies maintained by the Company against certain liabilities for
actions taken in their capacities as such, including liabilities under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

                  Not Applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

                  The following documents are filed as a part of this
Registration Statement or incorporated by reference herein:
Report or            SEC File or
Exhibit                                                     Registration          Registration          Exhibit
Number                 Document Description                   Statement               Number           Reference
-------                --------------------                 ------------          ------------         ---------
4.1* -       Restated Certificate of Incorporation      Registration               333-48038              3.1
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

4.2* -       Bylaws of the Company                      Registration               333-48038              3.2
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

4.3* -       Specimen Stock Certificate                 Registration               333-48038              4.1
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

4.4* -       Form of Rights Agreement effective as of   Registration               333-48038              4.2
             January 15, 2001 between the Company and   Statement on Form
             The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Rights        S-1
             Agent, including a Form of Rights
             Certificate
5
4.5*  -      Form of Long-Term Incentive Plan           Registration               333-48038             10.10
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

5.1   -      Opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P.

23.1  -      Independent Auditors' Consent of
             Deloitte & Touche Accountants

23.2  -      Consent of Independent Public
             Accountants of PricewaterhouseCoopers
             N.V.

23.3  -      Consent of Baker Botts L.L.P. (included
             in Exhibit 5.1)

24.1  -      Power of Attorney (included on the
             signature page to this Registration
             Statement)
---------------

*        Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

         (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
         being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                           (i) To include any prospectus required by section
                  10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

                           (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                  arising after the effective date of the registration statement
                  (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
                  individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental
                  change in the information set forth in the registration
                  statement;

                           (iii) To include any material information with
                  respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed
                  in the registration statement or any material change to such
                  information in the registration statement;

                  Provided, however, that the undertakings set forth in
         paragraphs (i) and (ii) above do not apply if the information required
         to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
         contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to
         Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated
         by reference in the registration statement.

                  (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under
         the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
         to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
         therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
         deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
         amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at
         the termination of the offering.
6

         (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the registrant pursuant to the provisions described under Item 6 above, or
otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
7

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Houston, the State of Texas, on May 3, 2001.

                                         RELIANT RESOURCES, INC.
                                         (Registrant)

                                         By:  /s/ R. Steve Letbetter
                                            ------------------------------------
                                                  R. Steve Letbetter,
                                                Chairman, President and
                                                Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints R. Steve Letbetter, Stephen W. Naeve and
Hugh Rice Kelly, and each of them severally, his or her true and lawful attorney
or attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power to act with or without the
others and with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to execute in his
or her name place and stead, in any and all capacities, any or all amendments
(including pre-effective and post-effective amendments) to this Registration
Statement and any registration statement for the same offering filed pursuant to
Rule 462 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same,
with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents and each of them full power and authority, to do and perform in the name
and on behalf of the undersigned, in any and all capacities, each and every act
and thing necessary or desirable to be done in and about the premises, to all
intents and purposes and as fully as they might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or their
substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature                               Title                               Date
/s/ Steve Letbetter                                                  Chairman, President, Chief       May 3, 2001
------------------------------------------------------------         Executive Officer and
                        (Steve Letbetter)                            Director (Principal
                                                                     Executive Officer and
                                                                     Director)

/s/ Stephen W. Naeve                                                 Executive Vice President         May 3, 2001
------------------------------------------------------------         and Chief Financial
                       (Stephen W. Naeve)                            Officer (Principal
                                                                     Financial Officer)

/s/ Mary P. Ricciardello                                             Senior Vice President and        May 3, 2001
------------------------------------------------------------         Chief Accounting Officer
                     (Mary P. Ricciardello)                          (Principal Accounting
                                                                     Officer)
8

                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Report or            SEC File or
Exhibit                                                     Registration          Registration          Exhibit
Number                 Document Description                   Statement               Number           Reference
------                 --------------------                 ------------          ------------         ---------
4.1* -       Restated Certificate of Incorporation      Registration               333-48038              3.1
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

4.2* -       Bylaws of the Company                      Registration               333-48038              3.2
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

4.3* -       Specimen Stock Certificate                 Registration               333-48038              4.1
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

4.4* -       Rights Agreement effective as of January   Registration               333-48038              4.2
             15, 2001 between the Company and The       Statement on Form
             Chase Manhattan Bank, as Rights Agent,     S-1
             including a Form of Rights Certificate

4.5*  -      Form of Long-Term Incentive Plan           Registration               333-48038             10.10
                                                        Statement on Form
                                                        S-1

5.1   -      Opinion of Baker Botts, L.L.P.

23.1  -      Independent Auditors' Consent of
             Deloitte & Touche Accountants

23.2  -      Consent of Independent Public
             Accountants of PricewaterhouseCoopers
             N.V.

23.3  -      Consent of Baker Botts L.L.P. (included
             in Exhibit 5.1)

24.1  -      Power of Attorney (included on the
             signature page to this Registration
             Statement)
----------------

* Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.