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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Other Matters
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Other Matters Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Other Matters
Financial Instruments – Credit Losses
Adoption of New Standard
In January 2020, the Companies adopted ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” (CECL). The amendments replace the incurred loss impairment methodology which involved delayed recognition of credit losses. The amendments introduce an expected credit loss impairment model which requires immediate recognition of anticipated losses over the instrument’s life. A broader range of reasonable and supportable information must be considered in developing the credit loss estimates. The Companies' financial instruments subject to the amendments are included in the lines “Accounts receivable – customers” and “Other receivables.” Substantially all of these in-scope financial instruments are expected to be collected within one year of billing.

The Companies adopted the amendments using the modified retrospective method for all financial instruments measured at amortized costs. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2020 are presented under ASC 326 while prior period amounts continue to be reported in accordance with previously applicable GAAP. No prior period adjustment or charge to retained earnings for cumulative impact was required as a result of the Companies’ adoption of the amendments.

The Utilities’ “Account receivable – customers” balance consists of utility bills due (bills are generally due the month following billing) from customers who have energy delivered, generated, or services provided by the Utilities. The balance also reflects the Utilities’ purchase of receivables from energy service companies to support the retail choice programs.
“Other receivables” balance generally reflects costs billed by the Utilities for goods and services provided to external parties, such as accommodation work for private parties and certain governmental entities, real estate rental and pole attachments.
The Clean Energy Businesses’ accounts receivable balance generally reflects bills related to the sale of energy from renewable electric production projects, the management of energy supply assets, energy-efficiency services to government and commercial customers, and the engineering, procurement, and construction services of renewable energy projects. The Clean Energy Businesses calculate an allowance for uncollectible accounts related to their energy services customers based on an aging and customer-specific analysis. The amount of such reserves was not material at March 31, 2020.
The Companies develop expected loss estimates using past events data and consider current conditions and future reasonable and supportable forecasts. Changes to the Utilities’ reserve balances which result in write-offs of customer accounts receivable balances above existing rate allowances are not reflected in rates during the term of the current rate plans and are considered in a future rate proceeding. For the Utilities’ customer accounts receivable allowance for uncollectible accounts, past events considered include write-offs relative to total customer accounts receivable; current conditions include macro-and micro-economic conditions related to trends in the local economy and bankruptcy rates, among other factors; and forecasts about the future include assumptions related to the level of write-offs and recoveries.
Other receivables allowance for uncollectible accounts is calculated based on a historical average of collections relative to total other receivables, including current receivables. Current macro- and micro-economic conditions are also considered when calculating the current reserve. Probable outcomes of pending litigation, whether favorable or unfavorable to the Companies, are also included in the consideration.
During the first quarter of 2020, the potential economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was also considered in forward looking projections related to write-off and recovery rates, and resulted in increases to the allowance for uncollectible accounts of $5 million for Con Edison, substantially all of which related to CECONY.
Customer accounts receivable and the associated allowance for uncollectible accounts are included in the line “Accounts receivable – customers” on the Companies’ consolidated balance sheets. Other receivables and the associated allowance for uncollectible accounts are included in “Other receivables” on the consolidated balance sheets.
The table below presents a rollforward by major portfolio segment type for the three months ended March 31, 2020:

 
For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2020
 
Con Edison
CECONY
(Millions of Dollars)
Accounts receivable - customers
Other receivables
Accounts receivable - customers
Other receivables
Allowance for credit losses
 
 
 
 
Beginning Balance at January 1, 2020
$70
$4
$65
$3
Recoveries
2

2

Write-offs
(18)

(18)

Reserve adjustments
21
1
21

Ending Balance March 31, 2020
$75
$5
$70
$3


General Utility Plant
General utility plant of Con Edison and CECONY included $91 million and $87 million, respectively, at March 31, 2020 and $93 million and $88 million, respectively, at December 31, 2019, related to a May 2018 acquisition of software licenses. The estimated aggregate annual amortization expense related to the software licenses for Con Edison and CECONY is $7 million. The accumulated amortization for Con Edison and CECONY was $12 million and $11 million, respectively at March 31, 2020 and was $10 million at December 31, 2019.

Goodwill
The Companies test goodwill for impairment at least annually or whenever there is a triggering event, and test long-lived and intangible assets for recoverability when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of long-lived or intangible assets may not be recoverable. The Companies identified no triggering events or changes in circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic that would indicate that the carrying value of long-lived or intangible assets may not be recoverable at March 31, 2020.

Long-Lived and Intangible Assets
In January 2019, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The output of certain of the Clean Energy Businesses' renewable electric production projects with an aggregate generating capacity of 680 MW (AC) (PG&E Projects) is sold to PG&E under long-term power purchase agreements (PG&E PPAs). Most of the PG&E PPAs have contract prices that are higher than estimated market prices. PG&E, as a debtor in possession, may assume or reject the PG&E PPAs, subject to review by the bankruptcy court.
In March 2020, PG&E and certain PG&E shareholders submitted a joint plan of reorganization to the bankruptcy court. The plan includes the assumption by PG&E of all of its power purchase agreements. The plan is subject to, among other things: confirmation by the bankruptcy court by June 30, 2020 (or any extension of the date by which PG&E’s bankruptcy must be resolved for PG&E to participate in the insurance fund described below); approval by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) of PG&E’s implementation of the plan and participation in the insurance fund; PG&E obtaining funding for distributions under the plan; and the continuation in full force and effect of the September 2019 subrogation claims restructuring support agreement, the December 2019 tort claimants restructuring support agreement and the January 2020 noteholder restructuring support agreement. The plan is supported by the parties to these restructuring support agreements, subject to their terms, and includes the assumption by PG&E of all of its power purchase agreements. A plan of reorganization can be revoked, amended, withdrawn or delayed prior to its confirmation by the bankruptcy court. The bankruptcy court has authorized PG&E to send the plan to creditors for consideration, and the current deadline for creditors to return ballots is May 15, 2020. The hearing to consider confirmation of the plan is scheduled to commence later in May 2020.
In January and May 2019, FERC issued orders (which PG&E is challenging) affirming its jurisdiction to review and approve the modification or abrogation of wholesale power contracts that are the subject of rejection in bankruptcy. In June 2019, the bankruptcy court ruled that FERC does not have concurrent jurisdiction with it and that FERC’s January and May 2019 orders are of no force and effect in the bankruptcy proceeding. FERC and additional parties, including the Clean Energy Businesses, are challenging the bankruptcy court’s June 2019 ruling in appeals that are pending in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
In July 2019, California enacted a law addressing future California wildfires. The law includes provisions for the establishment of wildfire liquidity and insurance funds and possible limitation of future wildfire liabilities for California utilities. PG&E, Southern California Edison Company and San Diego Gas & Electric Company have agreed to participate in the insurance fund. PG&E’s participation will require bankruptcy court approval and is conditioned on, among other things, resolution of PG&E’s bankruptcy by June 30, 2020, and a determination by the CPUC that PG&E’s bankruptcy reorganization plan is consistent with the state’s climate goals as required under the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program and related procurement requirements of the state. In April 2020, the CPUC issued for public comment a proposed decision that would approve with conditions PG&E’s proposed reorganization plan under the aforementioned law. The proposed decision is expected to be on the CPUC’s May 21, 2020 voting meeting agenda.
The PG&E bankruptcy is an event of default under the PG&E PPAs. Unless the lenders for the related project debt otherwise agree, distributions from the related projects to the Clean Energy Businesses will not be made during the pendency of the bankruptcy. See “Reconciliation of Cash, Temporary Cash Investments and Restricted Cash,” below.
At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, Con Edison’s consolidated balance sheet included $802 million and $819 million of net non-utility plant relating to the PG&E Projects, $1,039 million and $1,057 million of intangible assets relating to the PG&E PPAs, $274 million and $282 million of net non-utility plant of additional projects that secure the related project debt and $980 million and $1,001 million of non-recourse related project debt, respectively. See "Long-term Debt" in Note C. Con Edison has tested whether its net non-utility plant relating to the PG&E Projects and intangible assets relating to the PG&E PPAs have been impaired. The projected future cash flows used in the test reflected Con Edison’s expectation that the PG&E PPAs are not likely to be rejected. Based on the test, Con Edison has determined that there was no impairment. If, in the future, one or more of the PG&E PPAs is rejected or any such rejection becomes likely, there will be an impairment of the related intangible assets and could be an impairment of the related non-utility plant. The amount of any such impairment could be material.
Earnings Per Common Share
Con Edison presents basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS) on the face of its consolidated income statement. Basic EPS is calculated by dividing earnings available to common shareholders (“Net income for common stock” 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.

For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, basic and diluted EPS for Con Edison are calculated as follows:
 
 
For the Three Months Ended March 31,
(Millions of Dollars, except per share amounts/Shares in Millions)
2020
2019
Net income for common stock
$375
$424
Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic
333.6
322.5
Add: Incremental shares attributable to effect of potentially dilutive securities
1.0
0.9
Adjusted weighted average common shares outstanding – diluted
334.6
323.4
Net Income per common share – basic
$1.13
$1.31
Net Income per common share – diluted
$1.12
$1.31

The computation of diluted EPS for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 excludes immaterial amounts of performance share awards that were not included because of their anti-dilutive effect.

Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss) by Component
For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, changes to accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) (OCI) for Con Edison and CECONY are as follows:
 
 
For the Three Months Ended March 31,
 
Con Edison
CECONY
(Millions of Dollars)
2020
2019
2020

2019

Beginning balance, accumulated OCI, net of taxes (a)
$(19)
$(16)
$(6)
$(5)
OCI before reclassifications, net of tax of $(1) for Con Edison in 2020 and 2019
4
2


Amounts reclassified from accumulated OCI related to pension plan liabilities, net of tax of $(1) for Con Edison in 2020 (a)(b)
1
2
1

Current period OCI, net of taxes
5
4
1

Ending balance, accumulated OCI, net of taxes
$(14)
$(12)
$(5)
$(5)
(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 and liabilities 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.

Reconciliation of Cash, Temporary Cash Investments and Restricted Cash
Cash, temporary cash investments and restricted cash are presented on a combined basis in the Companies’ consolidated statements of cash flows. At March 31, 2020 and 2019, cash, temporary cash investments and restricted cash for Con Edison and CECONY were as follows:

 
At March 31,
 
Con Edison
CECONY
(Millions of Dollars)
2020
2019
2020

2019

Cash and temporary cash investments
$1,395
$406
$1,303
$352
Restricted cash (a)
179
68


Total cash, temporary cash investments and restricted cash
$1,574
$474
$1,303
$352
(a)
Restricted cash included cash of the Clean Energy Businesses' renewable electric production project subsidiaries ($179 million and $67 million at March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively) that, under the related project debt agreements, is either restricted until the various maturity dates of the project debt to being used for normal operating expenses and capital expenditures, debt service, and required reserves or restricted as a result of the PG&E bankruptcy. During the pendency of the PG&E bankruptcy, unless the lenders for the related project debt otherwise agree, cash may not be distributed from the related projects to the Clean Energy Businesses. See “Long-Lived and Intangible Assets,” above, and Note C. In addition, restricted cash included O&R's New Jersey utility subsidiary, Rockland Electric Company transition bond charge collections, net of principal, interest, trustee and service fees ($1 million at March 31, 2019).