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ACCRUED WARRANTY EXPENSE
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Product Warranties Disclosures [Abstract]  
ACCRUED WARRANTY EXPENSE
ACCRUED WARRANTY EXPENSE

We may offer assurance type warranties on products and services we sell. Changes in the carrying amount of our accrued warranty expense are as follows:
 
Nine months ended September 30,
(in thousands)
2020
2019
Balance at beginning of period
$
33,376

$
45,117

Additions
4,508

4,793

Expirations and other changes
(3,523
)
(5,172
)
Payments
(8,410
)
(7,848
)
Translation and other
852

(1,292
)
Balance at end of period
$
26,803

$
35,598



We accrue estimated expense included in cost of operations on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations to satisfy contractual warranty requirements when we recognize the associated revenues on the related contracts, or in the case of a loss contract, the full amount of the estimated warranty costs is accrued when the contract becomes a loss contract. In addition, we record specific provisions or reductions where we expect the actual warranty costs to significantly differ from the accrued estimates. Such changes could have a material effect on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Warranty expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 includes $3.9 million of warranty reversal related to developments in the quarter stemming from the March 29, 2019 settlement agreement for the B&W Renewable EPC loss contracts described in Note 4.