Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

The Companies’ consolidated financial statements include the accounts of their respective majority-owned subsidiaries, and variable interest entities (see Note Q), as required. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Accounting Policies

The accounting policies of Con Edison and its subsidiaries conform to generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP). For the Utilities, these accounting principles include the accounting rules for regulated operations and the accounting requirements of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the state regulators having jurisdiction.

The accounting rules for regulated operations specify the economic effects that result from the causal relationship of costs and revenues in the rate-regulated environment and how these effects are to be accounted for by a regulated enterprise. Revenues intended to cover some costs may be recorded either before or after the costs are incurred. If regulation provides assurance that incurred costs will be recovered in the future, these costs would be recorded as deferred charges or “regulatory assets” under the accounting rules for regulated operations. If revenues are recorded for costs that are expected to be incurred in the future, these revenues would be recorded as deferred credits or “regulatory liabilities” under the accounting rules for regulated operations.

The Utilities’ principal regulatory assets and liabilities are detailed in Note B. The Utilities are receiving or being credited with a return on all of their regulatory assets for which a cash outflow has been made, and are paying or being charged with a return on all of their regulatory liabilities for which a cash inflow has been received. The Utilities’ regulatory assets and liabilities will be recovered from customers, or applied for customer benefit, in accordance with rate provisions approved by the applicable state regulators.

Other significant accounting policies of the Companies are referenced below in this Note A and in the notes that follow.

Plant and Depreciation

Utility Plant

Utility plant is stated at original cost. The cost of repairs and maintenance is charged to expense and the cost of betterments is capitalized. The capitalized cost of additions to utility plant includes indirect costs such as engineering, supervision, payroll taxes, pensions, other benefits and an allowance for funds used during construction (AFUDC). The original cost of property is charged to expense over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Upon retirement, the original cost of property is charged to accumulated depreciation. See Note R.

Rates used for AFUDC include the cost of borrowed funds and a reasonable rate of return on the Utilities’ own funds when so used, determined in accordance with regulations of the FERC or the state public utility regulatory authority having jurisdiction. The rate is compounded semiannually, and the amounts applicable to borrowed funds are treated as a reduction of interest charges, while the amounts applicable to the Utilities’ own funds are credited to other income (deductions). The AFUDC rates for CECONY were 5.5 percent, 4.7 percent and 4.4 percent for 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The AFUDC rates for O&R were 2.5 percent, 3.5 percent and 0.4 percent for 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

The Utilities generally compute annual charges for depreciation using the straight-line method for financial statement purposes, with rates based on average service lives and net salvage factors. The average depreciation rates for CECONY were 3.1 percent for 2017, 2016 and 2015. The average depreciation rates for O&R were 2.9 percent for 2017 and 2016 and 3.0 percent for 2015.

The estimated lives for utility plant for CECONY range from 5 to 95 years for electric, 5 to 100 years for gas, 5 to 80 years for steam and 5 to 55 years for general plant. For O&R, the estimated lives for utility plant range from 5 to 75 years for electric and gas and 5 to 50 years for general plant.

At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the capitalized cost of the Companies’ utility plant, net of accumulated depreciation, was as follows:



	Con Edison		CECONY
(Millions of Dollars)	2017	2016	2017	2016
Electric
Generation	$544	$479	$544	$479
Transmission	3,210	3,184	2,990	2,963
Distribution	18,959	18,150	17,996	17,234
Gas (a)	6,976	6,285	6,403	5,749
Steam	1,798	1,882	1,798	1,882
General	2,105	1,816	1,905	1,639
Held for future use	76	74	67	65
Construction work in progress	1,605	1,175	1,502	1,104
Net Utility Plant	$35,273	$33,045	$33,205	$31,115

(a) Primarily distribution.

Under the Utilities’ rate plans, the aggregate annual depreciation allowance for the period ended December 31, 2017 was $1,253 million, including $1,184 million under CECONY’s electric, gas and steam rate plans that have been approved by the New York State Public Service Commission (NYSPSC).

Non–Utility Plant

Non-utility plant is stated at original cost. For Con Edison, non–utility plant consists primarily of the Clean Energy Businesses’ renewable electric production and gas storage. For the Utilities, non–utility plant consists of land and conduit for telecommunication use. Depreciation on these assets is computed using the straight-line method for financial statement purposes over their estimated useful lives, which range from 3 to 30 years.

Goodwill

Con Edison tests goodwill for impairment at least annually or whenever there is a triggering event. There is an option to first make a qualitative assessment of whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount before applying a two–step, quantitative goodwill impairment test. Con Edison has elected to perform the qualitative assessment for substantially all of its goodwill and, if needed, applies the two-step quantitative approach. The first step of the quantitative goodwill impairment test compares the estimated fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying value, including goodwill. If the estimated fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, goodwill of the reporting unit is considered not impaired. If the carrying value exceeds the estimated fair value of the reporting unit, the second step is performed to measure the amount of impairment loss, if any. The second step requires a calculation of the implied fair value of goodwill. In 2017, Con Edison recorded no impairment charge on goodwill. See Note K.

Long–Lived and Intangible Assets

Con Edison evaluates the impairment of long-lived assets and intangible assets with definite lives, based on projections of undiscounted future cash flows, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts of such assets may not be recoverable. In the event an evaluation indicates that such cash flows cannot be expected to be sufficient to fully recover the assets, the assets are written down to their estimated fair value. In 2015, Con Edison recorded a $5 million impairment charge on the assets held for sale of Pike County Light & Power Company (Pike), a former O&R subsidiary that was sold in August 2016 (see Note U). No impairment charges on long-lived assets were recognized in 2017 or 2016. No impairment charges on intangible assets with definite lives were recognized in 2017, 2016, or 2015. For information about the Companies' intangible assets, see Note K.

Revenues

The Utilities and Con Edison Solutions, until the sale of its retail electric supply business in September 2016 (see Note U), recognize revenues as energy is delivered to customers. The Utilities accrue and Con Edison Solutions accrued revenues at the end of each month for estimated energy not yet billed to customers. The Utilities defer over a 12–month period net interruptible gas revenues, other than those authorized by the NYSPSC to be retained by the Utilities, for refund to firm gas sales and transportation customers. Con Edison Development recognizes revenue for the sale of energy from renewable electric production projects as energy is generated and billed to counterparties. Con Edison Development accrues revenues at the end of each month for energy not yet billed to counterparties. Con Edison Energy recognizes revenue as energy is delivered and services are provided for managing energy supply assets leased from others and managing the dispatch, fuel requirements and risk management activities for generating plants and merchant transmission in the northeastern United States. Con Edison Solutions recognizes revenue for providing energy-efficiency services to government and commercial customers, and Con Edison Development recognizes revenue for the engineering, procurement and construction of Upton 2, under the percentage-of-completion method of revenue recognition.

Sales and profits on each percentage-of-completion contract are recorded based on the ratio of actual cumulative costs incurred to the total estimated costs at completion of the contract, multiplied by the total estimated contract revenue, less cumulative sales recognized in prior periods (the ‘‘cost-to-cost’’ method). The impact of revisions of contract estimates, which may result from contract modifications, performance or other reasons, are recognized on a cumulative catch-up basis in the period in which the revisions are made. Unbilled contract revenues were $58 million and $21 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and represent accumulated incurred costs and earned profits on contracts (revenue arrangements), which have been recorded as revenues, but have not yet been billed to customers. Substantially all unbilled contract revenues are expected to be collected within one year. Unbilled contract revenues arise from the cost-to-cost method of revenue recognition. Unbilled contract revenues from fixed-price type contracts are converted to billed receivables when amounts are invoiced to customers according to contractual billing terms, which generally occur when deliveries or other performance milestones are completed. Unearned revenue, which reflects a liability for billings to customers in excess of earned revenue was $87 million and $2 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Revenues recorded as energy is delivered, generated or services provided and billed to customers are recorded in accounts receivable – customers. Con Edison's and the Utilities' accounts receivable – customers balance also reflects the Utilities' purchase of receivables from energy service companies to support retail choice programs. Accrued revenues not yet billed to customers are recorded as accrued unbilled revenues.

CECONY’s electric and gas rate plans and O&R’s New York electric and gas rate plans each contain a revenue decoupling mechanism under which the company’s actual energy delivery revenues are compared with the authorized delivery revenues and the difference accrued, with interest, for refund to, or recovery from, customers, as applicable. See “Rate Plans” in Note B.

The NYSPSC requires utilities to record gross receipts tax revenues and expenses on a gross income statement presentation basis (i.e., included in both revenue and expense). The recovery of these taxes is generally provided for in the revenue requirement within each of the respective NYSPSC approved rate plans. Total excise taxes (inclusive of gross receipts taxes) recorded in operating revenues were as follows:



	For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars)	2017	2016	2015
Con Edison	$302	$336	$354
CECONY	292	316	331

For information about changes to the accounting rules for revenue recognition, see Note T.

Recoverable Energy Costs

The Utilities generally recover all of their prudently incurred fuel, purchased power and gas costs, including hedging gains and losses, in accordance with rate provisions approved by the applicable state public utility regulators. If the actual energy supply costs for a given month are more or less than the amounts billed to customers for that month, the difference in most cases is recoverable from or refundable to customers. Differences between actual and billed electric and steam supply costs and costs of its electric demand management programs are generally deferred for charge or refund to customers during the next billing cycle (normally within one or two months). For the Utilities’ gas costs, differences between actual and billed gas costs during the 12–month period ending each August are charged or refunded to customers during a subsequent 12–month period.

New York Independent System Operator (NYISO)

The Utilities purchase electricity through the wholesale electricity market administered by the NYISO. The difference between purchased power and related costs initially billed to the Utilities by the NYISO and the actual cost of power subsequently calculated by the NYISO is refunded by the NYISO to the Utilities, or paid to the NYISO by the Utilities. The reconciliation payments or receipts are recoverable from or refundable to the Utilities’ customers.

Certain other payments to or receipts from the NYISO are also subject to reconciliation, with shortfalls or amounts in excess of specified rate allowances recoverable from or refundable to customers. These include proceeds from the sale through the NYISO of transmission rights on CECONY’s transmission system (transmission congestion contracts or TCCs).

Temporary Cash Investments

Temporary cash investments are short-term, highly–liquid investments that generally have maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase. They are stated at cost, which approximates market. The Companies consider temporary cash investments to be cash equivalents.

Investments

Investments consist primarily of the investments of Con Edison Transmission and the Clean Energy Businesses that are accounted for under the equity method, and the fair value of the Utilities’ supplemental retirement income plan and deferred income plan assets. The following investment assets are included in the Companies' consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2017 and 2016:



	Con Edison		CECONY
(Millions of Dollars)	2017	2016	2017		2016
CET Gas investment in Stagecoach Gas Services, LLC (a)	$971	$992		$—		$—
Con Edison Development equity method investments (b)	467	488	—		—
Supplemental retirement income plan assets (c)	330	273	301		246
CET Gas investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC (a)	98	48	—		—
Deferred income plan assets	73	60	73		60
CET Electric investment in New York Transco, LLC (a)	53	51	—		—
Other	9	9	9		9
Total investments	$2,001	$1,921	$383		$315


(a)	See Note U.


(b)	See Note Q.


(c)	See Note E.

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

The accounting rules for retirement benefits require an employer to recognize an asset or liability for the overfunded or underfunded status of its pension and other postretirement benefit plans. For a pension plan, the asset or liability is the difference between the fair value of the plan’s assets and the projected benefit obligation. For any other postretirement benefit plan, the asset or liability is the difference between the fair value of the plan’s assets and the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation. The accounting rules generally require employers to recognize all unrecognized prior service costs and credits and unrecognized actuarial gains and losses in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) (OCI), net of tax. Such amounts will be adjusted as they are subsequently recognized as components of total periodic benefit cost or income pursuant to the current recognition and amortization provisions.

For the Utilities’ pension and other postretirement benefit plans, regulatory accounting treatment is generally applied in accordance with the accounting rules for regulated operations. Unrecognized prior service costs or credits and unrecognized actuarial gains and losses are recorded to regulatory assets or liabilities, rather than OCI. See Notes E and F.

The total periodic benefit costs are recognized in accordance with the accounting rules for retirement benefits. Investment gains and losses are recognized in expense over a 15–year period and other actuarial gains and losses are recognized in expense over a 10–year period, subject to the deferral provisions in the rate plans.

In accordance with the Statement of Policy issued by the NYSPSC and its current electric, gas and steam rate plans, CECONY defers for payment to or recovery from customers the difference between such expenses and the amounts for such expenses reflected in rates. Generally, O&R also defers such difference pursuant to its rate plans. See Note B.

The Companies calculate the expected return on pension and other postretirement benefit plan assets by multiplying the expected rate of return on plan assets by the market-related value (MRV) of plan assets at the beginning of the year, taking into consideration anticipated contributions and benefit payments that are to be made during the year. The accounting rules allow the MRV of plan assets to be either fair value or a calculated value that recognizes changes in fair value in a systematic and rational manner over not more than five years. The Companies use a calculated value when determining the MRV of the plan assets that adjusts for 20 percent of the difference between fair value and expected MRV of plan assets. This calculated value has the effect of stabilizing variability in assets to which the Companies apply the expected return.

Federal Income Tax

In accordance with accounting rules for income taxes, the Companies have recorded an accumulated deferred federal income tax liability at current tax rates for temporary differences between the book and tax basis of assets and liabilities. In accordance with rate plans, the Utilities have recovered amounts from customers for a portion of the tax liability they will pay in the future as a result of the reversal or “turn-around” of these temporary differences. As to the remaining deferred tax liability, the Utilities had established regulatory assets for the net revenue requirements to be recovered from customers for the related future tax expense pursuant to the NYSPSC's 1993 Policy Statement approving accounting procedures consistent with accounting rules for income taxes and providing assurances that these future increases in taxes will be recoverable in rates. Upon enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 on December 22, 2017 (the TCJA), the Companies re-measured their deferred tax assets and liabilities based upon the 21 percent corporate income tax rate under the TCJA. As a result, Con Edison decreased its net deferred tax liabilities by $5,312 million (including $4,781 million for CECONY), recognized net income of $259 million, decreased its regulatory asset for future income tax by $1,250 million (including $1,182 million for CECONY), decreased its regulatory asset for revenue taxes by $90 million (including $86 million for CECONY), and accrued a regulatory liability for future income tax of $3,713 million (including $3,513 million for CECONY). See “Other Regulatory Matters” and “Regulatory Assets and Liabilities” in Note B and Note L.

Accumulated deferred investment tax credits are amortized ratably over the lives of the related properties and applied as a reduction to future federal income tax expense.

Con Edison and its subsidiaries file a consolidated federal income tax return. The consolidated income tax liability is allocated to each member of the consolidated group using the separate return method. Each member pays or receives an amount based on its own taxable income or loss in accordance with a consolidated tax allocation agreement. Tax loss and tax credit carryforwards are allocated among members in accordance with consolidated tax return regulations.

State Income Tax

Con Edison and its subsidiaries file a combined New York State Corporation Business Franchise Tax Return. Similar to a federal consolidated income tax return, the income of all entities in the combined group is subject to New York State taxation, after adjustments for differences between federal and New York law and apportionment of income among the states in which the company does business. Each member’s share of the New York State tax is based on its own New York State taxable income or loss.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs are charged to operating expenses as incurred. Research and development costs were as follows:



	For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars)	2017	2016	2015
Con Edison	$24	$24	$23
CECONY	23	22	22

Reclassification

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current year presentation.

Earnings Per Common Share

Con Edison presents basic and diluted earnings per share on the face of its consolidated income statement. Basic earnings per share (EPS) are calculated by dividing earnings available to common shareholders (“Net income” on Con Edison’s consolidated income statement) by the weighted average number of Con Edison common shares outstanding during the period. In the calculation of diluted EPS, weighted average shares outstanding are increased for additional shares that would be outstanding if potentially dilutive securities were converted to common stock.

Potentially dilutive securities for Con Edison consist of restricted stock units and deferred stock units for which the average market price of the common shares for the period was greater than the exercise price. See Note M.

Basic and diluted EPS for Con Edison are calculated as follows:



	For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars, except per share amounts/Shares in Millions)	2017	2016	2015
Net income	$1,525	$1,245	$1,193
Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic	307.1	300.4	293.0
Add: Incremental shares attributable to effect of potentially dilutive securities	1.7	1.5	1.4
Adjusted weighted average common shares outstanding – diluted	308.8	301.9	294.4
Net Income per common share – basic	$4.97	$4.15	$4.07
Net Income per common share – diluted	$4.94	$4.12	$4.05

Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and contingent assets and liabilities at 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.

Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss) by Component

Changes to accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) (OCI) for Con Edison and CECONY are as follows:



(Millions of Dollars)	Con Edison	CECONY
Accumulated OCI, net of taxes, at December 31, 2014 (a)	$(45)	$(11)
OCI before reclassifications, net of tax of $(3) for Con Edison	5	1
Amounts reclassified from accumulated OCI related to pension plan liabilities, net of tax of $(4) and $(1) for Con Edison and CECONY, respectively(a)(b)	6	1
Total OCI, net of taxes, at December 31, 2015	11	2
Accumulated OCI, net of taxes, at December 31, 2015 (a)	$(34)	$(9)
OCI before reclassifications, net of tax of $(1) for Con Edison and CECONY	2	1
Amounts reclassified from accumulated OCI related to pension plan liabilities, net of tax of $(3) and $(1) for Con Edison and CECONY, respectively(a)(b)	5	1
Total OCI, net of taxes, at December 31, 2016	7	2
Accumulated OCI, net of taxes, at December 31, 2016 (a)	$(27)	$(7)
OCI before reclassifications, net of tax of $3 and $1 for Con Edison and CECONY, respectively	(4)	—
Amounts reclassified from accumulated OCI related to pension plan liabilities, net of tax of $(3) and $(1) for Con Edison and CECONY, respectively(a)(b)	5	1
Total OCI, net of taxes, at December 31, 2017	1	1
Accumulated OCI, net of taxes, at December 31, 2017 (a)	$(26)	$(6)

(a) Tax reclassified from accumulated OCI is reported in the income tax expense line item of the consolidated income statement.

(b) For the portion of unrecognized pension and other postretirement benefit costs relating to the Utilities, costs are recorded into, and amortized out of, regulatory assets instead of OCI. The net actuarial losses and prior service costs recognized during the period are included in the computation of total periodic pension and other postretirement benefit cost. See Notes E and F.