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Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Principles of Consolidation: CMS Energy and Consumers prepare their consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP. CMS Energy’s consolidated financial statements comprise CMS Energy, Consumers, CMS Enterprises, and all other entities in which CMS Energy has a controlling financial interest or is the primary beneficiary. Consumers’ consolidated financial statements comprise Consumers and all other entities in which it has a controlling financial interest or is the primary beneficiary. CMS Energy uses the equity method of accounting for investments in companies and partnerships that are not consolidated, where they have significant influence over operations and financial policies but are not the primary beneficiary. CMS Energy and Consumers eliminate intercompany transactions and balances.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates: CMS Energy and Consumers are required to make estimates using assumptions that may affect reported amounts and disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Revenue Recognition Policy - General

Revenue Recognition Policy: CMS Energy and Consumers recognize revenue from deliveries of electricity and natural gas, and from the transportation, processing, and storage of natural gas, when services are provided. CMS Energy and Consumers record unbilled revenue for the estimated amount of energy delivered to customers but not yet billed. CMS Energy and Consumers record sales tax net and exclude it from revenue. CMS Energy recognizes revenue on sales of marketed electricity, natural gas, and other energy products at delivery.

Revenue Recognition Policy - Alternative-Revenue Programs

Alternative-Revenue Program: In 2009, the MPSC approved an energy optimization incentive mechanism that provides a financial incentive if the energy savings of Consumers’ customers exceed annual targets established by the MPSC. The maximum incentive that Consumers may earn under this mechanism is 15 percent of the amount it spends on energy optimization programs, which is limited to two percent of Consumers’ retail revenue. Consumers accounts for this program as an alternative-revenue program that meets the criteria for recognizing revenue related to the incentive as soon as energy savings exceed the annual targets established by the MPSC.

Revenue Recognition Policy - Self-Implemented Rates

Self-Implemented Rates: Unless prohibited by the MPSC upon a showing of good cause, Consumers is allowed to self-implement new energy rates six months after a new rate case filing if the MPSC has not issued an order in the case. The MPSC then has another six months to issue a final order. If the MPSC does not issue a final order within that period, the filed rates are considered approved. If the MPSC issues a final order within that period, the rates that Consumers self-implemented may be subject to refund, with interest. Consumers recognizes revenue associated with self-implemented rates. If Consumers considers it probable that it will be required to refund a portion of its self-implemented rates, then Consumers records a provision for revenue subject to refund.

Revenue Recognition Policy - EnerBank

EnerBank: EnerBank provides four types of unsecured consumer installment loans: same-as-cash, zero interest, reduced interest, and traditional. Under EnerBank’s same-as-cash programs, authorized contractors pay EnerBank a fee to provide a borrower with the option to pay off the loan interest-free during the same-as-cash period. EnerBank recognizes the fee on a straight-line basis over the same-as-cash period, which typically ranges from three to 24 months. If a borrower does not exercise its option to pay off its loan interest-free during the same-as-cash period, EnerBank charges the borrower accrued interest at the loan’s contractual rate on the outstanding balance from the origination date. Under the zero interest and reduced interest programs, authorized contractors pay EnerBank a fee to provide a borrower with no interest or reduced rates of interest for the entire term of the loan. EnerBank recognizes the fee using the interest method over the term of the loan, which ranges from one to 12 years. Unearned income associated with the fees, which is recorded as a reduction to notes receivable on CMS Energy’s consolidated balance sheets, was $82 million at December 31, 2015 and $62 million at December 31, 2014.

EnerBank recognizes interest income using the interest method and amortizes loan origination fees, net of certain direct origination costs, over the loan term. EnerBank ceases recognizing interest income when a loan loss is confirmed or when a loan becomes 120 days past due, at which time the loan principal is charged against the allowance for loan losses. At that time, EnerBank recognizes any interest accrued but not received for such loan losses as a reversal of interest income.

The loan fees and interest income earned by EnerBank are reported as operating revenue on CMS Energy’s consolidated statements of income.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable: Accounts receivable comprise trade receivables and unbilled receivables. CMS Energy and Consumers record their accounts receivable at cost, which approximates fair value. CMS Energy and Consumers establish an allowance for uncollectible accounts based on historical losses, management’s assessment of existing economic conditions, customer trends, and other factors. CMS Energy and Consumers assess late payment fees on trade receivables based on contractual past-due terms established with customers. CMS Energy and Consumers charge off accounts deemed uncollectible to operating expense.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents: Cash and cash equivalents include short-term, highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less.

Contingencies

Contingencies: CMS Energy and Consumers record estimated liabilities for contingencies on their consolidated financial statements when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and when the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. CMS Energy and Consumers expense legal fees as incurred; fees incurred but not yet billed are accrued based on estimates of work performed.

Debt Issuance Costs, Discounts, Premiums, and Refinancing Costs

Debt Issuance Costs, Discounts, Premiums, and Refinancing Costs: Upon the issuance of long-term debt, CMS Energy and Consumers defer issuance costs, discounts, and premiums and amortize those amounts over the terms of the associated debt. Upon the refinancing of long-term debt, Consumers, as a regulated entity, defers any remaining unamortized issuance costs, discounts, and premiums associated with the refinanced debt and amortizes those amounts over the term of the newly issued debt. For the non‑regulated portions of CMS Energy’s business, any remaining unamortized issuance costs, discounts, and premiums associated with extinguished debt are charged to earnings.

Derivative Instruments

Derivative Instruments: In order to support ongoing operations, CMS Energy and Consumers enter into contracts for the future purchase and sale of various commodities, such as electricity, natural gas, and coal. These forward contracts are generally long-term in nature and result in physical delivery of the commodity at a contracted price. Most of these contracts are not subject to derivative accounting because:

they do not have a notional amount (that is, a number of units specified in a derivative instrument, such as MWh of electricity or bcf of natural gas)

they qualify for the normal purchases and sales exception

there is not an active market for the commodity

Consumers’ coal purchase contracts are not derivatives because there is not an active market for the coal it purchases. If an active market for coal develops in the future, some of these contracts may qualify as derivatives. Since Consumers is subject to regulatory accounting, the resulting fair value gains and losses would be deferred as regulatory assets or liabilities and would not affect net income.

Consumers also uses FTRs to manage price risk related to electricity transmission congestion. An FTR is a financial instrument that entitles its holder to receive compensation or requires its holder to remit payment for congestion-related transmission charges. Consumers accounts for FTRs as derivatives. All changes in fair value associated with FTRs are deferred as regulatory assets and liabilities until the instruments are settled.

CMS Energy and Consumers record derivative contracts that do not qualify for the normal purchases and sales exception at fair value on their consolidated balance sheets. Each reporting period, the resulting asset or liability is adjusted to reflect any change in the fair value of the contract. Since none of CMS Energy’s or Consumers’ derivatives has been designated as an accounting hedge, all changes in fair value are either reported in earnings or deferred as regulatory assets or liabilities. CMS Energy and Consumers did not have significant amounts recorded as derivative assets or liabilities at December 31, 2015 or 2014. Additionally, the gains and losses recognized in earnings were insignificant for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013.

Determination of Pension and OPEB MRV of Plan Assets

Determination of MRV of Plan Assets for DB Pension Plan and OPEB Plan: CMS Energy and Consumers determine the MRV for DB Pension Plan assets as the fair value of plan assets on the measurement date, adjusted by the gains or losses that will not be admitted into the MRV until future years. CMS Energy and Consumers reflect each year’s gain or loss in the MRV in equal amounts over a five-year period beginning on the date the original amount was determined. CMS Energy and Consumers determine the MRV for OPEB Plan assets as the fair value of assets on the measurement date. CMS Energy and Consumers use the MRV in the calculation of net DB Pension Plan and OPEB Plan costs. For further details, see Note 12, Retirement Benefits.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings Per Share: CMS Energy calculates basic and diluted EPS using the weighted-average number of shares of common stock and dilutive potential common stock outstanding during the period. Potential common stock, for purposes of determining diluted EPS, includes the effects of nonvested stock awards and contingently convertible securities. CMS Energy computes the effect on potential common stock using the treasury stock method or the if‑converted method, as applicable. Diluted EPS excludes the impact of antidilutive securities, which are those securities resulting in an increase in EPS or a decrease in loss per share. For EPS computations, see Note 15, Earnings Per Share—CMS Energy.

Financial Instruments

Financial Instruments: CMS Energy and Consumers record debt and equity securities classified as available for sale at fair value as determined from quoted market prices or other observable, market-based inputs. Unrealized gains and losses resulting from changes in fair value of these securities are determined on a specific-identification basis. CMS Energy and Consumers report unrealized gains and losses on these securities, net of tax, in equity as part of AOCI, except that unrealized losses determined to be other than temporary are reported in earnings. For additional details regarding financial instruments, see Note 7, Financial Instruments.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and Equity Method Investments: CMS Energy and Consumers perform tests of impairment if certain triggering events occur or if there has been a decline in value that may be other than temporary.

CMS Energy and Consumers evaluate long-lived assets held in use for impairment by calculating the undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition. If the undiscounted future cash flows are less than the carrying amount, CMS Energy and Consumers recognize an impairment loss equal to the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value. CMS Energy and Consumers estimate the fair value of the asset using quoted market prices, market prices of similar assets, or discounted future cash flow analyses.

Impairment of Equity Method Investments

CMS Energy also assesses equity method investments for impairment whenever there has been a decline in value that is other than temporary. This assessment requires CMS Energy to determine the fair value of the equity method investment. CMS Energy determines fair value using valuation methodologies, including discounted cash flows, and assesses the ability of the investee to sustain an earnings capacity that justifies the carrying amount of the investment. CMS Energy records an impairment if the fair value is less than the carrying amount and the decline in value is considered to be other than temporary.

Inventory - Gas and Coal

Inventory: CMS Energy and Consumers use the weighted-average cost method for valuing working gas, recoverable base gas in underground storage facilities, and materials and supplies inventory. CMS Energy and Consumers also use this method for valuing coal inventory, and they classify these amounts as generating plant fuel stock on their consolidated balance sheets.

Inventory - RECs and Emission Allowances

CMS Energy and Consumers account for RECs and emission allowances as inventory and use the weighted-average cost method to remove amounts from inventory. RECs and emission allowances are used to satisfy compliance obligations related to the generation of power.

Inventory - Impairment

CMS Energy and Consumers use the lower-of-cost-or-market method to evaluate inventory for impairment.

Accounting for MISO Transactions

MISO Transactions: MISO requires the submission of hourly day-ahead and real-time bids and offers for energy at locations across the MISO region. CMS Energy and Consumers account for MISO transactions on a net hourly basis in each of the real-time and day-ahead markets, netted across all MISO energy market locations. CMS Energy and Consumers record net hourly purchases in purchased and interchange power and net hourly sales in operating revenue on their consolidated statements of income. They record net billing adjustments upon receipt of settlement statements, record accruals for future net purchases and sales adjustments based on historical experience, and reconcile accruals to actual expenses and sales upon receipt of settlement statements.

Property Taxes

Property Taxes: Property taxes are based on the taxable value of Consumers’ real and personal property assessed by local taxing authorities. Consumers records property tax expense over the fiscal year of the taxing authority for which the taxes are levied based on Consumers’ budgeted customer sales. The deferred property tax balance represents the amount of Consumers’ accrued property tax that will be recognized over future governmental fiscal periods.

Renewable Energy Grant

Renewable Energy Grant: In 2013, Consumers received a renewable energy cash grant for Lake Winds® Energy Park under Section 1603 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009. Upon receipt of the grant, Consumers recorded a regulatory liability, which Consumers is amortizing over the life of Lake Winds® Energy Park. Consumers presents the amortization as a reduction to maintenance and other operating expenses. Consumers recorded the deferred income taxes related to the grant as a reduction of the book basis of Lake Winds® Energy Park.

Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents

Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents: CMS Energy and Consumers have restricted cash and cash equivalents dedicated for repayment of Securitization bonds and for payment under performance guarantees. CMS Energy and Consumers classify these amounts as a current asset if they relate to payments that could or will occur within one year. Changes in restricted cash and cash equivalents are presented as investing activities on the consolidated statements of cash flows.

Consumers Energy Company [Member]

Principles of Consolidation