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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

This quarterly report on Form 10-Q is a combined report of PG&E Corporation and the Utility. PG&E Corporation’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of PG&E Corporation, the Utility, and other wholly owned and controlled subsidiaries. The Utility’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Utility and its wholly owned and controlled subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements apply to both PG&E Corporation and the Utility. PG&E Corporation and the Utility assess financial performance and allocate resources on a consolidated basis (i.e., the companies operate as one segment).The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP and in accordance with the interim period reporting requirements of Form 10-Q and reflect all adjustments that management believes are necessary for the fair presentation of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods presented. The information at December 31, 2018 in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets included in this quarterly report was derived from the audited Consolidated Balance Sheets in Item 8 of the 2018 Form 10-K. This quarterly report should be read in conjunction with the 2018 Form 10-K.

Use of Estimates and Assumptions

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the use of estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Some of the more significant estimates and assumptions relate to the Utility’s regulatory assets and liabilities, legal and regulatory contingencies, insurance recoveries, environmental remediation liabilities, AROs, pension and other post-retirement benefit plan obligations, and the valuation of LSTC. Management believes that its estimates and assumptions reflected in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are appropriate and reasonable. A change in management’s estimates or assumptions could result in an adjustment that would have a material impact on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition and results of operations during the period in which such change occurred

Variable Interest Entities

A VIE is an entity that does not have sufficient equity at risk to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties, or whose equity investors lack any characteristics of a controlling financial interest. An enterprise that has a controlling financial interest in a VIE is a primary beneficiary and is required to consolidate the VIE.

Some of the counterparties to the Utility’s power purchase agreements are considered VIEs. Each of these VIEs was designed to own a power plant that would generate electricity for sale to the Utility. To determine whether the Utility has a controlling interest or was the primary beneficiary of any of these VIEs at September 30, 2019, the Utility assessed whether it absorbs any of the VIE’s expected losses or receives any portion of the VIE’s expected residual returns under the terms of the power purchase agreement, analyzed the variability in the VIE’s gross margin, and considered whether it had any decision-making rights associated with the activities that are most significant to the VIE’s performance, such as dispatch rights and operating and maintenance activities. The Utility’s financial obligation is limited to the amount the Utility pays for delivered electricity and capacity. The Utility did not have any decision-making rights associated with any of the activities that are most significant to the economic performance of any of these VIEs. Since the Utility was not the primary beneficiary of any of these VIEs at September 30, 2019, it did not consolidate any of them.

Pension and Other Post-Retirement Benefits

PG&E Corporation and the Utility sponsor a non-contributory defined benefit pension plan and cash balance plan. Both plans are included in “Pension Benefits” below. Post-retirement medical and life insurance plans are included in “Other Benefits” below.

Pension and Other Postretirement Plans

Non-service costs are reflected in Other income, net on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. Service costs are reflected in Operating and maintenance on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

The Utility recognizes revenues when electricity and natural gas services are delivered. The Utility records unbilled revenues for the estimated amount of energy delivered to customers but not yet billed at the end of the period. Unbilled revenues are included in accounts receivable on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Rates charged to customers are based on CPUC and FERC authorized revenue requirements. Revenues can vary significantly from period to period because of seasonality, weather, and customer usage patterns.

Regulatory Balancing Account Revenue

The CPUC authorizes most of the Utility’s revenues in the Utility’s GRC and its GT&S rate case, which generally occur every three or four years. The Utility’s ability to recover revenue requirements authorized by the CPUC in these rate cases is independent, or “decoupled,” from the volume of the Utility’s sales of electricity and natural gas services. The Utility recognizes revenues that have been authorized for rate recovery, are objectively determinable and probable of recovery, and are expected to be collected within 24 months. Generally, electric and natural gas operating revenue is recognized ratably over the year. The Utility records a balancing account asset or liability for differences between customer billings and authorized revenue requirements that are probable of recovery or refund.

The CPUC also has authorized the Utility to collect additional revenue requirements to recover costs that the Utility has been authorized to pass on to customers, including costs to purchase electricity and natural gas, and to fund public purpose, demand response, and customer energy efficiency programs. In general, the revenue recognition criteria for pass-through costs billed to customers are met at the time the costs are incurred. The Utility records a regulatory balancing account asset or liability for differences between incurred costs and customer billings or authorized revenue meant to recover those costs, to the extent that these differences are probable of recovery or refund. As a result, these differences have no impact on net income.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards and Accounting Standards Issued But Not Yet Adopted

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

Recognition of Lease Assets and Liabilities

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which amended the guidance related to the definition of a lease, the recognition of lease assets and liabilities, and the disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements. Under the new standard, a lease exists when an arrangement allows the lessee to control the use of an identified asset for a stated period in exchange for payments. This determination is made at inception of the arrangement. All leases must be recognized as a ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet of the lessee. The ROU asset reflects the lessee’s right to use the underlying asset for the lease term and the lease liability reflects the obligation to make the lease payments. PG&E Corporation and the Utility adopted the ASU for leases on January 1, 2019.

PG&E Corporation and the Utility elected certain practical expedients and will carry forward historical conclusions related to (1) contracts that contain leases, (2) existing lease and easement classification, and (3) initial direct costs. After adoption of the new standard, PG&E Corporation and Utility elected not to separate lease and non-lease components. Additionally, PG&E Corporation and the Utility will not restate comparative reporting periods.

The Utility estimates the ROU assets and lease liabilities at net present value using its incremental secured borrowing rates, unless the implicit discount rate in the leasing arrangement can be ascertained. The incremental secured borrowing rate is based on observed market data and other information available at the lease commencement date. The ROU assets and lease liabilities only include the fixed lease payments for arrangements with terms greater than 12 months. Renewal and termination options only impact the lease term if it is reasonably certain that they will be exercised. PG&E Corporation recognizes lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Utility recognizes lease expense in conformity with ratemaking.

Operating leases are included in operating lease ROU assets and current and noncurrent operating lease liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Finance leases are included in property, plant, and equipment, other current liabilities, and other noncurrent liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Financing leases were immaterial for the nine months ended September 30, 2019.

On January 1, 2019, PG&E Corporation and the Utility recorded ROU assets and lease liabilities of $2.8 billion, representing the net present value of only the fixed lease payments. This amount is presented within the supplemental disclosures of noncash activities. For the nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Utility made total cash payments, including fixed and variable, of $1.79 billion for operating leases which are presented within operating activities on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. The fixed cash payments for the principal portion of the financing lease liabilities are immaterial and continue to be included within financing activities on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Any variable lease payments for financing leases are included in operating activities on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.

The majority of the Utility’s ROU assets and lease liabilities relate to various power purchase agreements. These power purchase agreements primarily consist of generation plants leased to meet customer demand plus applicable reserve margins. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have also recorded ROU assets and lease liabilities related to property and land arrangements.

At September 30, 2019, the Utility’s leases had a weighted average remaining lease term of 6.1 years and a weighted average discount rate of 6.1%.

The following table shows the lease expense recognized for the fixed and variable component of the Utility’s lease obligations:


(in millions)	Three Months Ended September 30, 2019		Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019
Operating lease fixed cost	$	266	$	502
Operating lease variable cost	669		1,468
Total operating lease costs	$	935	$	1,970

The following table shows the Utility’s future expected operating lease payments:


(in millions)	September 30, 2019
2019⁽¹⁾	$	184
2020	679
2021	623
2022	548
2023	255
2024	96
Thereafter	596
Total lease payments	2,981
Less imputed interest	(554)
Total	$	2,427

⁽¹⁾Represents the remaining expected operating lease payments from October 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019.

The following table shows the Utility’s future expected obligations for power purchase and other lease commitments:


(in millions)	December 31, 2018
2019	$	684
2020	677
2021	621
2022	546
2023	252
Thereafter	581
Total lease commitments	$	3,361

Accounting Standards Issued But Not Yet Adopted

Fair Value Measurement

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements, which amends the existing guidance relating to the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The ASU will be effective for PG&E Corporation and the Utility on January 1, 2020 with early adoption permitted. PG&E Corporation and the Utility are currently evaluating the impact the guidance will have on their Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures.

Intangibles—Goodwill and Other

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other – Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement that is a Service Contract. This ASU will be effective for PG&E Corporation and the Utility on January 1, 2020 with early adoption permitted. PG&E Corporation and the Utility are currently evaluating the impact of the guidance on their Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures.

Financial Instruments—Credit Losses

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), which provides a model, known as the current expected credit loss model, to estimate the expected lifetime credit loss on financial assets, including trade and other receivables, rather than incurred losses over the remaining life of most financial assets measured at amortized cost. The guidance also requires use of an allowance to record estimated credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities. This ASU will be effective for PG&E Corporation and the Utility on January 1, 2020. PG&E Corporation and the Utility are currently evaluating the impact of the guidance on their Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures.

Earnings Per Share

PG&E Corporation’s basic EPS are calculated by dividing the income available for common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. PG&E Corporation applies the treasury stock method of reflecting the dilutive effect of outstanding share-based compensation in the calculation of diluted EPS.

Use of Derivative Instruments

The Utility is exposed to commodity price risk as a result of its electricity and natural gas procurement activities. Procurement costs are recovered through customer rates. The Utility uses both derivative and non-derivative contracts to manage volatility in customer rates due to fluctuating commodity prices. Derivatives include contracts, such as power purchase agreements, forwards, futures, swaps, options, and CRRs that are traded either on an exchange or over-the-counter. By order dated April 8, 2019, the Bankruptcy Court authorized the Utility to continue these programs in the ordinary course of business in a manner consistent with its pre-petition practices.

Derivatives are presented in the Utility’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets recorded at fair value and on a net basis in accordance with master netting arrangements for each counter-party. The fair value of derivative instruments is further offset by cash collateral paid or received where the right of offset and the intention to offset exist.

Price risk management activities that meet the definition of derivatives are recorded at fair value on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. These instruments are not held for speculative purposes and are subject to certain regulatory requirements. The Utility expects to fully recover in rates all costs related to derivatives under the applicable ratemaking mechanism in place as long as the Utility’s price risk management activities are carried out in accordance with CPUC directives. Therefore, all unrealized gains and losses associated with the change in fair value of these derivatives are deferred and recorded within the Utility’s regulatory assets and liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Net realized gains or losses on commodity derivatives are recorded in the cost of electricity or the cost of natural gas with corresponding increases or decreases to regulatory balancing accounts for recovery from or refund to customers.

The Utility elects the normal purchase and sale exception for eligible derivatives. Eligible derivatives are those that require physical delivery in quantities that are expected to be used by the Utility over a reasonable period in the normal course of business, and do not contain pricing provisions unrelated to the commodity delivered. These items are not reflected in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value.

Fair Value Measurements

PG&E Corporation and the Utility measure their cash equivalents, trust assets, and price risk management instruments at fair value. A three-tier fair value hierarchy is established that prioritizes the inputs to valuation methodologies used to measure fair value:

•Level 1 – Observable inputs that reflect quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.

•Level 2 – Other inputs that are directly or indirectly observable in the marketplace.

•Level 3 – Unobservable inputs which are supported by little or no market activities.

The fair value hierarchy requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.

Valuation Techniques

The following describes the valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the assets and liabilities shown in the tables above. There are no restrictions on the terms and conditions upon which the investments may be redeemed. Transfers between levels in the fair value hierarchy are recognized as of the end of the reporting period. There were no material transfers between any levels for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.

Trust Assets

Assets Measured at Fair Value

In general, investments held in the trusts are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate, credit, and market volatility risks. Nuclear decommissioning trust assets and other trust assets are composed primarily of equity and fixed-income securities and also include short-term investments that are money market funds valued at Level 1.

Global equity securities primarily include investments in common stock that are valued based on quoted prices in active markets and are classified as Level 1.

Fixed-income securities are primarily composed of U.S. government and agency securities, municipal securities, and other fixed-income securities, including corporate debt securities. U.S. government and agency securities primarily consist of U.S. Treasury securities that are classified as Level 1 because the fair value is determined by observable market prices in active markets. A market approach is generally used to estimate the fair value of fixed-income securities classified as Level 2 using evaluated pricing data such as broker quotes, for similar securities adjusted for observable differences. Significant inputs used in the valuation model generally include benchmark yield curves and issuer spreads. The external credit ratings, coupon rate, and maturity of each security are considered in the valuation model, as applicable.

Assets Measured at NAV Using Practical Expedient

Investments in the nuclear decommissioning trusts and the long-term disability trust that are measured at fair value using the NAV per share practical expedient have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy tables above. The fair value amounts are included in the tables above in order to reconcile to the amounts presented in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. These investments include commingled funds that are composed of equity securities traded publicly on exchanges as well as fixed-income securities that are composed primarily of U.S. government securities and asset-backed securities.

Price Risk Management Instruments

Price risk management instruments include physical and financial derivative contracts, such as power purchase agreements, forwards, futures, swaps, options, and CRRs that are traded either on an exchange or over-the-counter.

Power purchase agreements, forwards, and swaps are valued using a discounted cash flow model. Exchange-traded futures that are valued using observable market forward prices for the underlying commodity are classified as Level 1. Over-the-counter forwards and swaps that are identical to exchange-traded futures, or are valued using forward prices from broker quotes that are corroborated with market data are classified as Level 2. Exchange-traded options are valued using observable market data and market-corroborated data and are classified as Level 2.

Long-dated power purchase agreements that are valued using significant unobservable data are classified as Level 3. These Level 3 contracts are valued using either estimated basis adjustments from liquid trading points or techniques, including extrapolation from observable prices, when a contract term extends beyond a period for which market data is available. Market and credit risk management utilizes models to derive pricing inputs for the valuation of the Utility’s Level 3 instruments using pricing inputs from brokers and historical data.

The Utility holds CRRs to hedge the financial risk of CAISO-imposed congestion charges in the day-ahead market. Limited market data is available in the CAISO auction and between auction dates; therefore, the Utility utilizes historical prices to forecast forward prices. CRRs are classified as Level 3

Contingencies and Commitments

PG&E Corporation and the Utility have significant contingencies arising from their operations, including contingencies related to enforcement and litigation matters and environmental remediation. A provision for a loss contingency is recorded when it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can reasonably be estimated. PG&E Corporation and the Utility evaluate which potential liabilities are probable and the related range of reasonably estimated losses and record a charge that reflects their best estimate or the lower end of the range, if there is no better estimate. The assessment of whether a loss is probable or reasonably possible, and whether the loss or a range of losses is estimable, often involves a series of complex judgments about future events. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s provision for loss and expense excludes anticipated legal costs, which are expensed as incurred.

The Utility also has substantial financial commitments in connection with agreements entered into to support its operating activities.

PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows may be materially affected by the outcome of the following matters.