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SIGNIFCANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements Disclosure Text Block

A.       Basis of Presentation

NU is a public utility holding company primarily engaged through its wholly owned regulated utility subsidiaries in the energy delivery business. NU's wholly owned regulated utility subsidiaries consist of CL&P, NSTAR Electric, PSNH, WMECO, Yankee Gas and NSTAR Gas. NU provides energy delivery service to approximately 3.6 million electric and natural gas customers through these six regulated utilities in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

 

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of NU, NSTAR Electric and PSNH include the accounts of each of their respective subsidiaries. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of NU, NSTAR Electric and PSNH and the unaudited condensed financial statements of CL&P and WMECO are herein collectively referred to as the "financial statements."

 

The combined notes to the financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. Certain information and footnote disclosures included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. The accompanying financial statements should be read in conjunction with the entirety of this combined Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the first and second quarter 2014 combined Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and the 2013 combined Annual Report on Form 10-K of NU, CL&P, NSTAR Electric, PSNH and WMECO, which were filed with the SEC. The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

The financial statements contain, in the opinion of management, all adjustments (including normal, recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly NU's, CL&P's, NSTAR Electric's, PSNH's and WMECO's financial position as of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the results of operations and comprehensive income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, and the cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013. The results of operations and comprehensive income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, and the cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for a full year.

 

NU consolidates CYAPC and YAEC because CL&P's, NSTAR Electric's, PSNH's and WMECO's combined ownership interest in each of these entities is greater than 50 percent. Intercompany transactions between CL&P, NSTAR Electric, PSNH and WMECO and the CYAPC and YAEC companies have been eliminated in consolidation of the NU financial statements. For CL&P, NSTAR Electric, PSNH and WMECO, the investments in CYAPC and YAEC continue to be accounted for under the equity method.

 

NU's utility subsidiaries are subject to the application of accounting guidance for entities with rate-regulated operations that considers the effect of regulation resulting from differences in the timing of the recognition of certain revenues and expenses from those of other businesses and industries. NU's utility subsidiaries' energy delivery business is subject to rate-regulation that is based on cost recovery and meets the criteria for application of rate-regulated accounting. See Note 2, "Regulatory Accounting," for further information.

 

Certain reclassifications of prior period data were made in the accompanying balance sheets for NU, CL&P, NSTAR Electric and PSNH, and in the statements of income for NU, NSTAR Electric, PSNH and WMECO. These reclassifications were made to conform to the current period presentation.

Receivables Policy Text Block

NU, including CL&P, NSTAR Electric, PSNH and WMECO, presents its receivables at estimated net realizable value by maintaining a provision for uncollectible accounts. This provision is determined based upon a variety of factors, including the application of an estimated uncollectible percentage to each receivable aging category. The estimate is based upon historical collection and write-off experience and management's assessment of collectibility from individual customers. Management continuously assesses the collectibility of receivables, and adjusts collectibility estimates based on actual experience. Receivable balances are written off against the provision for uncollectible accounts when the accounts are terminated and these balances are deemed to be uncollectible.

Fair Value Of Financial Instruments Policy

Fair value measurement guidance is applied to derivative contracts that are not elected or designated as "normal purchases or normal sales" (normal) and to the marketable securities held in trusts. Fair value measurement guidance is also applied to investment valuations used to calculate the funded status of pension and PBOP plans and nonrecurring fair value measurements of nonfinancial assets such as goodwill and AROs, and is also used to estimate the fair value of preferred stock and long-term debt.

 

Fair Value Hierarchy: In measuring fair value, NU uses observable market data when available and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs. Inputs used in fair value measurements are categorized into three fair value hierarchy levels for disclosure purposes. The entire fair value measurement is categorized based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. NU evaluates the classification of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a quarterly basis, and NU's policy is to recognize transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy as of the end of the reporting period. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:

 

Level 1 - Inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date.  Active markets are those in which transactions for the asset or liability occur in sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.

 

Level 2 - Inputs are quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active, and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs are observable.

 

Level 3 - Quoted market prices are not available. Fair value is derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or assumptions are unobservable. Where possible, valuation techniques incorporate observable market inputs that can be validated to external sources such as industry exchanges, including prices of energy and energy-related products.

 

 

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each of the following financial instruments:

 

Preferred Stock and Long-Term Debt: The fair value of CL&P's and NSTAR Electric's preferred stock is based upon pricing models that incorporate interest rates and other market factors, valuations or trades of similar securities and cash flow projections. The fair value of long-term debt securities is based upon pricing models that incorporate quoted market prices for those issues or similar issues adjusted for market conditions, credit ratings of the respective companies and treasury benchmark yields. The fair values provided in the tables below are classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy.

Other Taxes Policy Gross receipts taxes levied by the state of Connecticut are collected by CL&P and Yankee Gas from their respective customers. These gross receipts taxes are shown on a gross basis with collections in Operating Revenues and payments in Taxes Other Than Income Taxes on the statements of income Certain sales taxes are also collected by NU's companies that serve customers in Connecticut and Massachusetts as agents for state and local governments and are recorded on a net basis with no impact on the statements of income.
Public Utilities Policy Text Block

The rates charged to the customers of NU's Regulated companies are designed to collect each company's costs to provide service, including a return on investment. Therefore, the accounting policies of the Regulated companies follow the application of accounting guidance for entities with rate-regulated operations and reflect the effects of the rate-making process.

 

Management believes it is probable that each of the Regulated companies will recover their respective investments in long-lived assets, including regulatory assets. If management were to determine that it could no longer apply the accounting guidance applicable to rate-regulated enterprises to any of the Regulated companies' operations, or that management could not conclude it is probable that costs would be recovered from customers in future rates, the costs would be charged to net income in the period in which the determination is made.

 

Derivatives Policy Text Block

4.       DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS

 

The Regulated companies purchase and procure energy and energy-related products, which are subject to price volatility, for their customers. The costs associated with supplying energy to customers are recoverable through customer rates. The Regulated companies manage the risks associated with the price volatility of energy and energy-related products through the use of derivative and nonderivative contracts.

 

Many of the derivative contracts meet the definition of, and are designated as, normal and qualify for accrual accounting under the applicable accounting guidance. The costs and benefits of derivative contracts that meet the definition of normal are recognized in Operating Expenses or Operating Revenues on the statements of income, as applicable, as electricity or natural gas is delivered.

 

Derivative contracts that are not designated as normal are recorded at fair value as current or long-term Derivative Assets or Derivative Liabilities on the balance sheets. For the Regulated companies, regulatory assets or regulatory liabilities are recorded to offset the fair values of derivatives, as costs are recovered from, or refunded to, customers in their respective energy supply rates. For NU's unregulated wholesale marketing contracts that expired on December 31, 2013, changes in fair values of derivatives were included in Net Income.

 

The gross fair values of derivative assets and liabilities with the same counterparty are offset and reported as net Derivative Assets or Derivative Liabilities, with current and long-term portions, on the balance sheets. The following tables present the gross fair values of contracts categorized by risk type and the net amount recorded as current or long-term derivative asset or liability:

Marketable Securities Policy

5.       MARKETABLE SECURITIES

 

NU maintains trusts to fund certain non-qualified executive benefits and WMECO maintains a spent nuclear fuel trust to fund WMECO's prior period spent nuclear fuel liability. These trusts hold marketable securities. These trusts are not subject to regulatory oversight by state or federal agencies. In addition, CYAPC and YAEC maintain legally restricted trusts, each of which holds marketable securities, for settling the decommissioning obligations of their nuclear power plants.

 

In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, the Company elected to record mutual funds designated as available-for-sale at fair value and certain other equity investments as trading securities, with the changes in fair values recorded in Other Income, Net on the statements of income. As of September 30, 2014, the mutual funds and equity investments were classified as Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy and totaled $58.2 million and $24.4 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2013, the mutual funds were classified as Level 1 and totaled $57.2 million. For the three months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, net losses of $1.9 million and net gains of $3 million, respectively, were recorded in Other Income, Net. For the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, net gains of $1.9 million and $7.3 million, respectively, were recorded in Other Income, Net. Dividend income is recorded in Other Income, Net on the statements of income when dividends are declared. All other marketable securities are accounted for as available-for-sale.

 

Available-for-Sale Securities: The following is a summary of NU's and WMECO's available-for-sale securities. These securities are recorded at fair value and included in current and long-term Marketable Securities on the balance sheets.

U.S. government issued debt securities are valued using market approaches that incorporate transactions for the same or similar bonds and adjustments for yields and maturity dates. Corporate debt securities are valued using a market approach, utilizing recent trades of the same or similar instrument and also incorporating yield curves, credit spreads and specific bond terms and conditions. Asset-backed debt securities include collateralized mortgage obligations, commercial mortgage backed securities, and securities collateralized by auto loans, credit card loans or receivables. Asset-backed debt securities are valued using recent trades of similar instruments, prepayment assumptions, yield curves, issuance and maturity dates and tranche information. Municipal bonds are valued using a market approach that incorporates reported trades and benchmark yields. Other fixed income securities are valued using pricing models, quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics, and discounted cash flows.

Environmental Costs Policy

Environmental Matters

General: NU, CL&P, NSTAR Electric, PSNH and WMECO are subject to environmental laws and regulations intended to mitigate or remove the effect of past operations and improve or maintain the quality of the environment. These laws and regulations require the removal or the remedy of the effect on the environment of the disposal or release of certain specified hazardous substances at current and former operating sites. NU, CL&P, NSTAR Electric, PSNH and WMECO have an active environmental auditing and training program and believe that they are substantially in compliance with all enacted laws and regulations.

 

Earnings Per Share Policy Text Block

Basic EPS is computed based upon the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during each period. Diluted EPS is computed on the basis of the weighted average number of common shares outstanding plus the potential dilutive effect of certain share-based compensation awards as if they were converted into common shares.

RSUs and performance shares are included in basic weighted average common shares outstanding as of the date that all necessary vesting conditions have been satisfied. The dilutive effect of unvested RSUs and performance shares is calculated using the treasury stock method. Assumed proceeds of these units under the treasury stock method consist of the remaining compensation cost to be recognized and a theoretical tax benefit. The theoretical tax benefit is calculated as the tax impact of the intrinsic value of the units (the difference between the market value of the average units outstanding for the period, using the average market price during the period, and the grant date market value).

 

The dilutive effect of stock options to purchase common shares is also calculated using the treasury stock method. Assumed proceeds for stock options consist of cash proceeds that would be received upon exercise, and a theoretical tax benefit. The theoretical tax benefit is calculated as the tax impact of the intrinsic value of the stock options (the difference between the market value of the average stock options outstanding for the period, using the average market price during the period, and the exercise price).

Segment Reporting Policy Policy Text Block

SEGMENT INFORMATION

 

Presentation: NU is organized between the Electric Distribution, Electric Transmission and Natural Gas Distribution reportable segments and Other based on a combination of factors, including the characteristics of each segments' products and services, the sources of operating revenues and expenses and the regulatory environment in which each segment operates. These reportable segments represented substantially all of NU's total consolidated revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013. Revenues from the sale of electricity and natural gas primarily are derived from residential, commercial and industrial customers and are not dependent on any single customer. The Electric Distribution reportable segment includes the generation activities of PSNH and WMECO.

 

The remainder of NU's operations is presented as Other in the tables below and primarily consists of 1) the equity in earnings of NU parent from its subsidiaries and intercompany interest income, both of which are eliminated in consolidation, and interest expense related to the debt of NU parent, 2) the revenues and expenses of NU's service company, most of which are eliminated in consolidation, 3) the operations of CYAPC and YAEC, and 4) the results of other unregulated subsidiaries, which are not part of its core business.

 

Cash flows used for investments in plant included in the segment information below are cash capital expenditures that do not include amounts incurred but not paid, cost of removal, AFUDC related to equity funds, and the capitalized portions of pension expense.