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Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Authoritative accounting guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. This hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 measurements and the lowest priority to Level 3 measurements. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy and a description of the valuation techniques are as follows:



Level 1	-	Quoted prices for identical instruments in active market

Level 2	-	Quoted prices for similar instruments in active market
	-	Quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active
	-	Model-derived valuations for which all significant inputs are observable market data

Models are primarily industry-standard models that consider various assumptions, including quoted forward prices for commodities, time value, volatility factors and current market and contractual prices for the underlying instruments, as well as other relevant economic measures.



Level 3	-	Valuation inputs are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement

FirstEnergy produces a long-term power and capacity price forecast annually with periodic updates as market conditions change. When underlying prices are not observable, prices from the long-term price forecast are used to measure fair value.

FTRs are financial instruments that entitle the holder to a stream of revenues (or charges) based on the hourly day-ahead congestion price differences across transmission paths. FTRs are acquired by FirstEnergy in the annual, monthly and long-term PJM auctions and are initially recorded using the auction clearing price less cost. After initial recognition, FTRs' carrying values are periodically adjusted to fair value using a mark-to-model methodology, which approximates market. The primary inputs into the model, which are generally less observable than objective sources, are the most recent PJM auction clearing prices and the FTRs' remaining hours. The model calculates the fair value by multiplying the most recent auction clearing price by the remaining FTR hours less the prorated FTR cost. Significant increases or decreases in inputs in isolation may have resulted in a higher or lower fair value measurement.

NUG contracts represent PPAs with third-party non-utility generators that are transacted to satisfy certain obligations under PURPA. NUG contract carrying values are recorded at fair value and adjusted periodically using a mark-to-model methodology, which approximates market. The primary unobservable inputs into the model are regional power prices and generation MWH. Pricing for the NUG contracts is a combination of market prices for the current year and next two years based on observable data and internal models using historical trends and market data for the remaining years under contract. The internal models use forecasted energy purchase prices as an input when prices are not defined by the contract. Forecasted market prices are based on Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. quotes and management assumptions. Generation MWH reflects data provided by contractual arrangements and historical trends. The model calculates the fair value by multiplying the prices by the generation MWH. Significant increases or decreases in inputs in isolation may have resulted in a higher or lower fair value measurement.

For investments reported at NAV where there is no readily determinable fair value, a practical expedient is available that allows the NAV to approximate fair value. Investments that use NAV as a practical expedient are excluded from the requirement to be categorized within the fair value hierarchy tables. Instead, these investments are reported outside of the fair value hierarchy tables to assist in the reconciliation of investment balances reported in the tables to the balance sheet. FirstEnergy has elected the NAV practical expedient for investments in private equity funds, insurance-linked securities, hedge funds (absolute return) and real estate funds held within the pension plan. See Note 5, "Pension And Other Postemployment Benefits" for the pension financial assets accounted for at fair value by level within the fair value hierarchy.

FirstEnergy primarily applies the market approach for recurring fair value measurements using the best information available. Accordingly, FirstEnergy maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs. There were no changes in valuation methodologies used as of December 31, 2019, from those used as of December 31, 2018. The determination of the fair value measures takes into consideration various factors, including but not limited to, nonperformance risk, counterparty credit risk and the impact of credit enhancements (such as cash deposits, LOCs and priority interests). The impact of these forms of risk was not significant to the fair value measurements.

The following tables set forth the recurring assets and liabilities that are accounted for at fair value by level within the fair value hierarchy:



	December 31, 2019										December 31, 2018
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3			Total			Level 1		Level 2		Level 3			Total
Assets	(In millions)
Corporate debt securities	$	—	$	135	$	—		$	135		$	—	$	405	$	—		$	405
Derivative assets FTRs⁽¹⁾	—		—		4			4			—		—		10			10
Equity securities⁽²⁾	2		—		—			2			339		—		—			339
Foreign government debt securities	—		—		—			—			—		13		—			13
U.S. government debt securities	—		—		—			—			—		20		—			20
U.S. state debt securities	—		271		—			271			—		250		—			250
Other⁽³⁾	627		789		—			1,416			367		34		—			401
Total assets	$	629	$	1,195	$	4		$	1,828		$	706	$	722	$	10		$	1,438

Liabilities
Derivative liabilities FTRs⁽¹⁾	$	—	$	—	$	(1	)	$	(1	)	$	—	$	—	$	(1	)	$	(1	)
Derivative liabilities NUG contracts⁽¹⁾	—		—		(16		)	(16		)	—		—		(44		)	(44		)
Total liabilities	$	—	$	—	$	(17	)	$	(17	)	$	—	$	—	$	(45	)	$	(45	)

Net assets (liabilities)⁽⁴⁾	$	629	$	1,195	$	(13	)	$	1,811		$	706	$	722	$	(35	)	$	1,393


⁽¹⁾	Contracts are subject to regulatory accounting treatment and changes in market values do not impact earnings.


⁽²⁾	NDT funds hold equity portfolios whose performance is benchmarked against the S&P 500 Low Volatility High Dividend Index, S&P 500 Index, MSCI World Index and MSCI AC World IMI Index.


⁽³⁾	Primarily consists of short-term cash investments.


⁽⁴⁾	Excludes $(16) million and $4 million as of December 31, 2019, and December 31, 2018, respectively, of receivables, payables, taxes and accrued income associated with financial instruments reflected within the fair value table.

Rollforward of Level 3 Measurements

The following table provides a reconciliation of changes in the fair value of NUG contracts and FTRs that are classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy for the years ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018:



	NUG Contracts⁽¹⁾								FTRs⁽¹⁾
	Derivative Assets		Derivative Liabilities			Net			Derivative Assets			Derivative Liabilities			Net
	(In millions)
January 1, 2018 Balance	$	—	$	(79	)	$	(79	)	$	3		$	—		$	3
Unrealized gain (loss)	—		2			2			8			1			9
Purchases	—		—			—			5			(5		)	—
Settlements	—		33			33			(6		)	3			(3		)
December 31, 2018 Balance	$	—	$	(44	)	$	(44	)	$	10		$	(1	)	$	9
Unrealized gain (loss)	—		(11		)	(11		)	(1		)	—			(1		)
Purchases	—		—			—			6			(4		)	2
Settlements	—		39			39			(11		)	4			(7		)
December 31, 2019 Balance	$	—	$	(16	)	$	(16	)	$	4		$	(1	)	$	3

(1)Contracts are subject to regulatory accounting treatment and changes in market values do not impact earnings.

Level 3 Quantitative Information

The following table provides quantitative information for FTRs and NUG contracts that are classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy for the year ended December 31, 2019:

Fair Value, Net (In millions)

Valuation
Technique

Significant Input

Range

Weighted Average

Units

FTRs

Model

RTO auction clearing prices

$0.70 to $3.40

$1.30

Dollars/MWH

NUG Contracts

(16

)

Model

Generation
Regional electricity prices

400 to 330,000

$25.30 to $35.20

115,000

$26.30

MWH
Dollars/MWH

INVESTMENTS

All temporary cash investments purchased with an initial maturity of three months or less are reported as cash equivalents on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at cost, which approximates their fair market value. Investments other than cash and cash equivalents include equity securities, AFS debt securities and other investments. FirstEnergy has no debt securities held for trading purposes.

Generally, unrealized gains and losses on equity securities are recognized in income whereas unrealized gains and losses on AFS debt securities are recognized in AOCI. However, the NDTs of JCP&L, ME and PN are subject to regulatory accounting with all gains and losses on equity and AFS debt securities offset against regulatory assets.

The investment policy for the NDT funds restricts or limits the trusts' ability to hold certain types of assets including private or direct placements, warrants, securities of FirstEnergy, investments in companies owning nuclear power plants, financial derivatives, securities convertible into common stock and securities of the trust funds' custodian or managers and their parents or subsidiaries.

Nuclear Decommissioning and Nuclear Fuel Disposal Trusts

JCP&L, ME and PN hold debt and equity securities within their respective NDT and nuclear fuel disposal trusts. The debt securities are classified as AFS securities, recognized at fair market value. As further discussed in Note 15, "Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies", assets and liabilities held for sale on the FirstEnergy Consolidated Balance Sheets associated with the TMI-2 transaction consist of an ARO of $691 million , NDTs of $882 million, as well as property, plant and equipment with a net book value of zero, which are included in the regulated distribution segment.

The following table summarizes the amortized cost basis, unrealized gains, unrealized losses and fair values of investments held in NDT and nuclear fuel disposal trusts as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018:



	December 31, 2019⁽¹⁾									December 31, 2018⁽²⁾
	Cost Basis		Unrealized Gains		Unrealized Losses			Fair Value⁽³⁾		Cost Basis		Unrealized Gains		Unrealized Losses			Fair Value
	(In millions)

Debt securities	$	403	$	9	$	(11	)	$	401	$	714	$	2	$	(28	)	$	688
Equity securities	$	—	$	—	$	—		$	—	$	339	$	15	$	(16	)	$	338


⁽¹⁾	Excludes short-term cash investments of $751 million, of which $747 million is classified as held for sale.


⁽²⁾	Excludes short-term cash investments of $20 million.


⁽³⁾	Includes $135 million classified as held for sale.

Proceeds from the sale of investments in equity and AFS debt securities, realized gains and losses on those sales and interest and dividend income for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, were as follows:



	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2019			2018⁽¹⁾			2017⁽¹⁾
	(In millions)
Sale Proceeds	$	1,637		$	800		$	1,230
Realized Gains	98			41			74
Realized Losses	(31		)	(48		)	(58		)
Interest and Dividend Income	38			41			39

⁽¹⁾ Excludes amounts classified as discontinued operations.

Other Investments

Other investments include employee benefit trusts, which are primarily invested in corporate-owned life insurance policies, and equity method investments. Other investments were $299 million and $253 million as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, and are excluded from the amounts reported above.

LONG-TERM DEBT AND OTHER LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS

All borrowings with initial maturities of less than one year are defined as short-term financial instruments under GAAP and are reported as Short-term borrowings on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at cost. Since these borrowings are short-term in nature, FirstEnergy believes that their costs approximate their fair market value. The following table provides the approximate fair value and related carrying amounts of long-term debt, which excludes finance lease obligations and net unamortized debt issuance costs, premiums and discounts as of December 31, 2019 and 2018:



	As of December 31,
	2019		2018
	(In millions)
Carrying Value ⁽¹⁾	$	20,074	$	18,315
Fair Value	22,928		19,266

⁽¹⁾The carrying value as of December 31, 2019, includes $2.3 billion of debt issuances and $789 million of redemptions that occurred during 2019.

The fair values of long-term debt and other long-term obligations reflect the present value of the cash outflows relating to those securities based on the current call price, the yield to maturity or the yield to call, as deemed appropriate at the end of each respective period. The yields assumed were based on securities with similar characteristics offered by corporations with credit ratings similar to those of FirstEnergy. FirstEnergy classified short-term borrowings, long-term debt and other long-term obligations as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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