Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments And Contingencies

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

ENVIRONMENTAL

The Duke Energy Registrants are subject to federal, state and local regulations regarding air and water quality, hazardous and solid waste disposal, coal ash and other environmental matters. These regulations can be changed from time to time, imposing new obligations on the Duke Energy Registrants. The following environmental matters impact all Duke Energy Registrants.

Remediation Activities

In addition to AROs recorded as a result of various environmental regulations, the Duke Energy Registrants are responsible for environmental remediation at various sites. These include certain properties that are part of ongoing operations and sites formerly owned or used by Duke Energy entities. These sites are in various stages of investigation, remediation and monitoring. Managed in conjunction with relevant federal, state and local agencies, remediation activities vary based upon site conditions and location, remediation requirements, complexity and sharing of responsibility. If remediation activities involve joint and several liability provisions, strict liability, or cost recovery or contribution actions, the Duke Energy Registrants could potentially be held responsible for environmental impacts caused by other potentially responsible parties and may also benefit from insurance policies or contractual indemnities that cover some or all cleanup costs. Liabilities are recorded when losses become probable and are reasonably estimable. The total costs that may be incurred cannot be estimated because the extent of environmental impact, allocation among potentially responsible parties, remediation alternatives and/or regulatory decisions have not yet been determined at all sites. Additional costs associated with remediation activities are likely to be incurred in the future and could be significant. Costs are typically expensed as Operation, maintenance and other on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations unless regulatory recovery of the costs is deemed probable.

The following table contains information regarding reserves for probable and estimable costs related to the various environmental sites. These reserves are recorded in Accounts Payable within Current Liabilities and Other within Other Noncurrent Liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

	Three Months Ended March 31, 2020
				Duke						Duke		Duke		Duke			Duke
	Duke			Energy			Progress			Energy		Energy		Energy			Energy
(in millions)	Energy			Carolinas			Energy			Progress		Florida		Ohio			Indiana		Piedmont
Balance at beginning of period	$	58		$	11		$	16		$	4	$	9	$	19		$	4	$	8
Provisions/adjustments	3			—			—			1		—		1			1		—
Cash reductions	(3		)	(1		)	(1		)	—		—		(1		)	—		—
Balance at end of period	$	58		$	10		$	15		$	5	$	9	$	19		$	5	$	8

Additional losses in excess of recorded reserves that could be incurred for the stages of investigation, remediation and monitoring for environmental sites that have been evaluated at this time are not material except as presented in the table below.

(in millions)
Duke Energy	$	58
Duke Energy Carolinas	11
Duke Energy Ohio	41
Piedmont	2

LITIGATION

Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress

Coal Ash Insurance Coverage Litigation

In March 2017, Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress filed a civil action in North Carolina Superior Court against various insurance providers. The lawsuit seeks payment for coal ash-related liabilities covered by third-party liability insurance policies. The insurance policies were issued between 1971 and 1986 and provide third-party liability insurance for property damage. The civil action seeks damages for breach of contract and indemnification for costs arising from the Coal Ash Act and the EPA CCR rule at 15 coal-fired plants in North Carolina and South Carolina. Despite a stay of the litigation from May 2019 through September 2019 to allow the parties to discuss potential resolution, no resolution was reached, and litigation resumed. In February and March 2020, the court heard arguments on numerous cross motions filed by the parties to seek legal determinations concerning several insurance related defenses raised by the insurance providers. Trial is scheduled for February 2021. Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress cannot predict the outcome of this matter.

Duke Energy Carolinas

Asbestos-related Injuries and Damages Claims

Duke Energy Carolinas has experienced numerous claims for indemnification and medical cost reimbursement related to asbestos exposure. These claims relate to damages for bodily injuries alleged to have arisen from exposure to or use of asbestos in connection with construction and maintenance activities conducted on its electric generation plants prior to 1985. As of March 31, 2020, there were 118 asserted claims for non-malignant cases with cumulative relief sought of up to $30 million, and 51 asserted claims for malignant cases with cumulative relief sought of up to $17 million. Based on Duke Energy Carolinas’ experience, it is expected that the ultimate resolution of most of these claims likely will be less than the amount claimed.

Duke Energy Carolinas has recognized asbestos-related reserves of $596 million at March 31, 2020, and $604 million at December 31, 2019. These reserves are classified in Other within Other Noncurrent Liabilities and Other within Current Liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. These reserves are based upon Duke Energy Carolinas' best estimate for current and future asbestos claims through 2039 and are recorded on an undiscounted basis. In light of the uncertainties inherent in a longer-term forecast, management does not believe they can reasonably estimate the indemnity and medical costs that might be incurred after 2039 related to such potential claims. It is possible Duke Energy Carolinas may incur asbestos liabilities in excess of the recorded reserves.

Duke Energy Carolinas has third-party insurance to cover certain losses related to asbestos-related injuries and damages above an aggregate self-insured retention. Duke Energy Carolinas’ cumulative payments began to exceed the self-insured retention in 2008. Future payments up to the policy limit will be reimbursed by the third-party insurance carrier. The insurance policy limit for potential future insurance recoveries indemnification and medical cost claim payments is $747 million in excess of the self-insured retention. Receivables for insurance recoveries were $742 million at March 31, 2020, and $742 million at December 31, 2019. These amounts are classified in Other within Other Noncurrent Assets and Receivables within Current Assets on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Duke Energy Carolinas is not aware of any uncertainties regarding the legal sufficiency of insurance claims. Duke Energy Carolinas believes the insurance recovery asset is probable of recovery as the insurance carrier continues to have a strong financial strength rating.

Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Florida

Spent Nuclear Fuel Matters

On June 18, 2018, Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Florida sued the U.S. in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims for damages incurred for the period 2014 through 2018. The lawsuit claimed the Department of Energy breached a contract in failing to accept spent nuclear fuel under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 and asserted damages for the cost of on-site storage in the amount of $100 million and $203 million for Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Florida, respectively. Discovery is ongoing and a trial is expected to occur in early 2021.

Duke Energy Indiana

Coal Ash Basin Closure Plan Appeal

On January 27, 2020, Hoosier Environmental Council filed a Petition for Administrative Review with the Indiana Office of Environmental Adjudication (the court) challenging the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s December 10, 2019, partial approval of Duke Energy Indiana’s ash pond closure plan. On March 11, 2020, Duke Energy Indiana filed a Motion to Dismiss. On May 5, 2020, the court entered an order denying that motion. The court will schedule a trial on the merits for a future date. Duke Energy Indiana cannot predict the outcome of this matter.

Other Litigation and Legal Proceedings

The Duke Energy Registrants are involved in other legal, tax and regulatory proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business, some of which involve significant amounts. The Duke Energy Registrants believe the final disposition of these proceedings will not have a material effect on their results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

The table below presents recorded reserves based on management’s best estimate of probable loss for legal matters, excluding asbestos-related reserves discussed above. Reserves are classified on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets in Other within Other Noncurrent Liabilities and Other within Current Liabilities. The reasonably possible range of loss in excess of recorded reserves is not material, other than as described above.

(in millions)	March 31, 2020		December 31, 2019
Reserves for Legal Matters
Duke Energy	$	61	$	62
Duke Energy Carolinas	3		2
Progress Energy	52		55
Duke Energy Progress	9		12
Duke Energy Florida	23		22
Piedmont	1		1

OTHER COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

General

As part of their normal business, the Duke Energy Registrants are party to various financial guarantees, performance guarantees and other contractual commitments to extend guarantees of credit and other assistance to various subsidiaries, investees and other third parties. These guarantees involve elements of performance and credit risk, which are not fully recognized on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and have uncapped maximum potential payments. However, the Duke Energy Registrants do not believe these guarantees will have a material effect on their results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

In addition, the Duke Energy Registrants enter into various fixed-price, noncancelable commitments to purchase or sell power or natural gas, take-or-pay arrangements, transportation, or throughput agreements and other contracts that may or may not be recognized on their respective Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Some of these arrangements may be recognized at fair value on their respective Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets if such contracts meet the definition of a derivative and the NPNS exception does not apply. In most cases, the Duke Energy Registrants’ purchase obligation contracts contain provisions for price adjustments, minimum purchase levels and other financial commitments.

As described in Note 1, Duke Energy adopted the new guidance for credit losses effective January 1, 2020, using the modified retrospective method of adoption, which does not require restatement of prior year reported results. The reserve for credit losses for insurance receivables based on adoption of the new standard is $15 million for Duke Energy and Duke Energy Carolinas. Insurance receivables are evaluated based on the risk of default and the historical losses, current conditions and expected conditions around collectability. Management evaluates the risk of default annually based on payment history, credit rating and changes in the risk of default from credit agencies.

The reserve for credit losses for financial guarantees based on adoption of the new standard is $99 million for Duke Energy. Management considers financial guarantees for evaluation under this standard based on the anticipated amount outstanding at the time of default. The reserve for credit losses is based on the evaluation of the contingent components of financial guarantees. Management evaluates the risk of default, exposure and length of time remaining in the period for each contract.