Variable Interest Entities

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]

NorthStar Clean Energy holds a Class B membership interest in NWO Holdco, which owns 100 percent of Northwest Ohio Wind, LLC, a 100‑MW wind generation project in Paulding County, Ohio. The Class A membership interest in NWO Holdco is held by a tax equity investor.

NorthStar Clean Energy has a 51‑percent ownership interest in Aviator Wind Equity Holdings, which holds a Class B membership interest in Aviator Wind, the holding company of a 525‑MW wind generation project in Coke County, Texas. The Class A membership interest in Aviator Wind is held by a tax equity investor.

Earnings, tax attributes, and cash flows generated by NWO Holdco and Aviator Wind are allocated among and distributed to the membership classes in accordance with the ratios specified in the associated limited liability company agreements; these ratios change over time and are not representative of the ownership interest percentages of each membership class. Since NWO Holdco’s and Aviator Wind’s income and cash flows are not distributed among their investors based on ownership interest percentages,

NorthStar Clean Energy allocates the entities’ income (loss) among the investors by applying the hypothetical liquidation at book value method. This method calculates each investor’s earnings based on a hypothetical liquidation of the entities at the net book value of underlying assets as of the balance sheet date. The liquidation tax gain (loss) is allocated to each investor’s capital account, resulting in income (loss) equal to the period change in the investor’s capital account balance.

NWO Holdco, Aviator Wind Equity Holdings, and Aviator Wind are VIEs. In accordance with the associated limited liability company agreements, the tax equity investors are guaranteed preferred returns from NWO Holdco and Aviator Wind. However, NorthStar Clean Energy manages and controls the operating activities of NWO Holdco and Aviator Wind Equity Holdings (and, thereby, Aviator Wind). As a result, NorthStar Clean Energy is the primary beneficiary, as it has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the companies, as well as the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the companies. NorthStar Clean Energy consolidates NWO Holdco, Aviator Wind Equity Holdings, and Aviator Wind and presents the Class A membership interests and 49 percent of the Class B membership interest in Aviator Wind as noncontrolling interests.

Presented in the following table are the carrying values of the VIEs’ assets and liabilities included on CMS Energy’s consolidated balance sheets:


In Millions
	March 31, 2023			December 31, 2022
Current
Cash and cash equivalents		$	21		$	28

Accounts receivable		3			7
Prepayments and other current assets		4			3
Non-current
Plant, property, and equipment, net		818			825
Total assets1		$	846		$	863
Current
Accounts payable		$	4		$	15

Non-current
Asset retirement obligations		24			24

Total liabilities		$	28		$	39

1Assets may be used only to meet VIEs’ obligations and commitments.

NorthStar Clean Energy is obligated under certain indemnities that protect the tax equity investors against losses incurred as a result of breaches of representations and warranties under the associated limited liability company agreements. For additional details on these indemnity obligations, see Note 2, Contingencies and Commitments—Guarantees.

Other VIEs: CMS Energy has variable interests in T.E.S. Filer City, Grayling, Genesee, and Craven. While CMS Energy owns 50 percent of each partnership, it is not the primary beneficiary of any of these partnerships because decision making is shared among unrelated parties, and no one party has the ability to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entities’ economic performance, such as operations and maintenance, plant dispatch, and fuel strategy. The partners must agree on all major decisions for each of the partnerships.

Presented in the following table is information about these partnerships:


Name	Nature of the Entity	Nature of CMS Energy’s Involvement
T.E.S. Filer City	Coal-fueled power generator	Long-term PPA between partnership and Consumers
		Employee assignment agreement

Grayling	Wood waste-fueled power generator	Long-term PPA between partnership and Consumers
		Reduced dispatch agreement with Consumers1
		Operating and management contract

Genesee	Wood waste-fueled power generator	Long-term PPA between partnership and Consumers
		Reduced dispatch agreement with Consumers1
		Operating and management contract

Craven	Wood waste-fueled power generator	Operating and management contract

1Reduced dispatch agreements allow the facilities to be dispatched based on the market price of power compared with the cost of production of the plants. This results in fuel cost savings that each partnership shares with Consumers’ customers.

The creditors of these partnerships do not have recourse to the general credit of CMS Energy or Consumers. CMS Energy’s maximum risk exposure to these partnerships is generally limited to its investment in the partnerships, which is included in investments on its consolidated balance sheets in the amount of $72 million at March 31, 2023 and $71 million at December 31, 2022.