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Pension and Other Postemployment Benefits
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
PENSIONS AND OTHER POSTEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS PENSION AND OTHER POSTEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
The components of the consolidated net periodic costs (credits) for pension and OPEB were as follows:
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs (Credits)
 
Pension
OPEB
For the Three Months Ended September 30,
 
2019
 
2018
 
2019
 
2018
 
 
(In millions)
Service costs (1)
 
$
48

 
$
56

 
$
1

 
$
1

Interest costs (2)
 
93

 
93

 
6

 
6

Expected return on plan assets (2)
 
(135
)
 
(144
)
 
(7
)
 
(7
)
Amortization of prior service costs (credits) (2)
 
2

 
2

 
(9
)
 
(20
)
Special termination costs (2) (3)
 
—

 
21

 
—

 
6

Net periodic costs (credits), including amounts capitalized
 
$
8

 
$
28

 
$
(9
)
 
$
(14
)
Net periodic costs (credits), recognized in earnings
 
$
(11
)
 
$
5

 
$
(10
)
 
$
(15
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs (Credits)
 
Pension
OPEB
For the Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2019
 
2018
 
2019
 
2018
 
 
(In millions)
Service costs (1)
 
$
144

 
$
168

 
$
3

 
$
3

Interest costs (2)
 
279

 
279

 
16

 
18

Expected return on plan assets (2)
 
(405
)
 
(432
)
 
(21
)
 
(22
)
Amortization of prior service costs (credits) (2)
 
6

 
6

 
(27
)
 
(60
)
Special termination costs (2) (3)
 
14

 
21

 
—

 
6

Net periodic costs (credits), including amounts capitalized
 
$
38

 
$
42

 
$
(29
)
 
$
(55
)
Net periodic credits, recognized in earnings
 
$
(19
)
 
$
(27
)
 
$
(30
)
 
$
(57
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

(1) Service costs, net of capitalization, are reported within Other operating expenses on FirstEnergy’s Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss).
(2) Non-service costs are reported within Miscellaneous income, net, within Other Income (Expense) on FirstEnergy’s Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss).
(3) Subject to a cap, FirstEnergy has agreed to fund a pension enhancement through its pension plan, for voluntary enhanced retirement packages offered to certain FES employees, as well as offer certain other employee benefits (approximately $14 million recognized in the first nine months of 2019).  

Amounts in the tables above include the FES Debtors’ share of the net periodic pension and OPEB costs (credits) of $12 million and $(14) million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2019, and $34 million and $(16) million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2019. The FES Debtors’ share of the net periodic pension and OPEB costs (credits) were $12 million and $(11) million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2018, and $38 million and $(31) million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. The 2019 special termination costs associated with FES’ voluntary enhanced retirement package are a component of Discontinued operations in FirstEnergy’s Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss). Following the FES Debtors’ voluntary bankruptcy filing, FE has billed the FES Debtors approximately $9 million and $28 million for their share of pension and OPEB service costs for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively.
On February 1, 2019, FirstEnergy made a $500 million voluntary cash contribution to the qualified pension plan. As a result of this contribution, FirstEnergy expects no required contributions through 2021.