Asset Sales and Exit Activities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]

Asset Sales and Exit Activities

Asset Sale and Exit Activities

Asset Sale: In October 2020, Consumers completed a sale of the electric utility’s remaining transmission equipment to METC. In December 2020, Consumers filed an application with the MPSC requesting approval to share voluntarily half of the gain from the sale with electric utility customers; this application was approved by the MPSC in February 2021. As a result, during 2020, Consumers recorded a regulatory liability of $14 million and recognized a pre-tax gain of $14 million within maintenance and other operating expenses on its consolidated statements of income. For additional details on the sharing of the gain with customers, see Note 3, Regulatory Matters.

Exit Activities: Under its Clean Energy Plan, Consumers plans to retire the D.E. Karn 1 & 2 coal-fueled electric generating units in 2023. For additional details on Consumers’ plans to recover the remaining book value of the two units upon their retirement, see Note 3, Regulatory Matters.

In October 2019, Consumers announced a retention incentive program to ensure necessary staffing at the D.E. Karn generating complex through the anticipated retirement of the coal-fueled generating units. Based on the number of employees that have chosen to participate, the aggregate cost of the program through 2023 is estimated to be $35 million. In its order in Consumers’ 2020 electric rate case, the MPSC approved deferred accounting treatment for these costs; Consumers will begin deferring these costs as a regulatory asset in 2021.

As of December 31, 2020, the cumulative cost incurred and charged to expense related to this program was $16 million; an amount of $3 million has been capitalized as a cost of plant, property, and equipment. Presented in the following table is a reconciliation of the retention benefit liability recorded in other liabilities on Consumers’ consolidated balance sheets:

In Millions
Years Ended December 31	2020			2019
Retention benefit liability at beginning of period		$	4		$	—
Costs incurred and charged to maintenance and other operating expenses		13			3
Costs incurred and capitalized		2			1
Costs paid or settled		(8)			—
Retention benefit liability at the end of the period1		$	11		$	4

1Includes current portion of other liabilities of $3 million at December 31, 2020 and $2 million at December 31, 2019.

Consumers Energy Company

Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]

Asset Sales and Exit Activities

Asset Sale and Exit Activities

Asset Sale: In October 2020, Consumers completed a sale of the electric utility’s remaining transmission equipment to METC. In December 2020, Consumers filed an application with the MPSC requesting approval to share voluntarily half of the gain from the sale with electric utility customers; this application was approved by the MPSC in February 2021. As a result, during 2020, Consumers recorded a regulatory liability of $14 million and recognized a pre-tax gain of $14 million within maintenance and other operating expenses on its consolidated statements of income. For additional details on the sharing of the gain with customers, see Note 3, Regulatory Matters.

Exit Activities: Under its Clean Energy Plan, Consumers plans to retire the D.E. Karn 1 & 2 coal-fueled electric generating units in 2023. For additional details on Consumers’ plans to recover the remaining book value of the two units upon their retirement, see Note 3, Regulatory Matters.

In October 2019, Consumers announced a retention incentive program to ensure necessary staffing at the D.E. Karn generating complex through the anticipated retirement of the coal-fueled generating units. Based on the number of employees that have chosen to participate, the aggregate cost of the program through 2023 is estimated to be $35 million. In its order in Consumers’ 2020 electric rate case, the MPSC approved deferred accounting treatment for these costs; Consumers will begin deferring these costs as a regulatory asset in 2021.

As of December 31, 2020, the cumulative cost incurred and charged to expense related to this program was $16 million; an amount of $3 million has been capitalized as a cost of plant, property, and equipment. Presented in the following table is a reconciliation of the retention benefit liability recorded in other liabilities on Consumers’ consolidated balance sheets:

In Millions
Years Ended December 31	2020			2019
Retention benefit liability at beginning of period		$	4		$	—
Costs incurred and charged to maintenance and other operating expenses		13			3
Costs incurred and capitalized		2			1
Costs paid or settled		(8)			—
Retention benefit liability at the end of the period1		$	11		$	4

1Includes current portion of other liabilities of $3 million at December 31, 2020 and $2 million at December 31, 2019.