Significant Accounting Policies (Significant Accounting Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Significant accounting policies

Basis of presentation

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for annual financial statements. The December 31, 2011 condensed balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. Because the accompanying interim financial statements do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for annual financial statements, they should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto included in the Progress Registrants' annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 (2011 Form 10-K).

The amounts included in these financial statements are unaudited but, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments necessary to fairly present the Progress Registrants' financial position and results of operations for the interim periods. Unless otherwise noted, all adjustments are normal and recurring in nature. Due to seasonal weather variations, the impact of regulatory orders received, and the timing of outages of electric generating units, especially nuclear-fueled units, the results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of amounts expected for the entire year or future periods.

Use of estimates and assumptions

In preparing financial statements that conform to GAAP, management must make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the reported amounts of revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Excise taxes

The Utilities collect from customers certain excise taxes levied by the state or local government upon the customers. The Utilities account for sales and use tax on a net basis and gross receipts tax, franchise taxes and other excise taxes on a gross basis.