ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Abstract]

Eversource, including CL&P, NSTAR Electric and PSNH, recognizes a liability for the fair value of an ARO on the obligation date if the liability's fair value can be reasonably estimated, even if it is conditional on a future event. Settlement dates and future costs are reasonably estimated when sufficient information becomes available. Management has identified various categories of AROs, primarily CYAPC's and YAEC's obligation to dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high level waste, and also certain assets containing asbestos and hazardous contamination. Management has performed fair value calculations reflecting expected probabilities for settlement scenarios.

The fair value of an ARO is recorded as a liability in Other Long-Term Liabilities with a corresponding amount included in Property, Plant and Equipment, Net on the balance sheets. The ARO assets are depreciated, and the ARO liabilities are accreted over the estimated life of the obligation and the corresponding credits are recorded as accumulated depreciation and ARO liabilities, respectively. As the electric and natural gas companies are rate-regulated on a cost-of-service basis, these companies apply regulatory accounting guidance and both the depreciation and accretion costs associated with these companies' AROs are recorded as increases to Regulatory Assets on the balance sheets.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending carrying amounts of ARO liabilities is as follows:



	As of December 31,
	2019											2018
(Millions of Dollars)	Eversource			CL&P			NSTAR Electric			PSNH		Eversource			CL&P		NSTAR Electric		PSNH
Balance as of Beginning of Year	$	466.2		$	33.5		$	72.4		$	4.0	$	419.1		$	31.5	$	44.6	$	25.0
Liabilities Incurred During the Year	30.3			—			30.3			—		11.3			—		11.3		—
Liabilities Settled During the Year	(21.3		)	(3.6		)	—			—		(36.6		)	—		—		(21.5		)
Accretion	27.1			2.2			3.5			0.2		25.5			2.0		2.2		0.5
Revisions in Estimated Cash Flows	(12.8		)	(0.1		)	(8.7		)	—		46.9			—		14.3		—
Balance as of End of Year	$	489.5		$	32.0		$	97.5		$	4.2	$	466.2		$	33.5	$	72.4	$	4.0

The ARO balance includes the current portion of $1.0 million for Eversource and NSTAR Electric as of December 31, 2019, which is included in Other Current Liabilities on the balance sheets.

Eversource's amounts include CYAPC and YAEC's AROs of $337.7 million and $339.9 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The fair value of the ARO for CYAPC and YAEC includes uncertainties of the fuel off-load dates related to the DOE's timing of performance regarding its obligation to dispose of the spent nuclear fuel and high level waste and other assumptions, including discount rates. The incremental asset recorded as an offset to the ARO liability was fully depreciated since the plants have no remaining useful life. Any changes in the ARO liability are recorded with a corresponding offset to the related regulatory asset. The assets held in the CYAPC and YAEC spent nuclear fuel trusts

are restricted for settling the ARO and all other nuclear fuel storage obligations. For further information on the assets held in the spent nuclear fuel trusts, see Note 5, "Marketable Securities," to the financial statements.

The increase in the ARO balance at NSTAR Electric for the year ended December 31, 2019 was due to the recording of a new liability associated with the installation of a 115kV distribution cable across Boston Harbor to Deer Island that was placed into service in 2019. See Note 13F, "Commitments and Contingencies - Eversource and NSTAR Electric Boston Harbor Civil Action," to the financial statements for further information on the HEEC distribution cable.