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Variable Interest Entities
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]  
Variable Interest Entities Variable Interest Entities
The accounting rules for consolidation address the consolidation of a variable interest entity (VIE) by a business enterprise that is the primary beneficiary. A VIE is an entity that does not have a sufficient equity investment at risk to permit it to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support, or whose equity investors lack the characteristics of a controlling financial interest. The primary beneficiary is the business enterprise that has the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and either absorbs a significant amount of the VIE’s losses or has the right to receive benefits that could be significant to the VIE.
The Companies enter into arrangements including leases, partnerships and electricity purchase agreements, with various entities. As a result of these arrangements, the Companies retain or may retain a variable interest in these entities.
CECONY
CECONY has an ongoing long-term electricity purchase agreement with Brooklyn Navy Yard Cogeneration Partners, LP, a potential VIE. In 2021, a request was made of this counterparty for information necessary to determine whether the entity was a VIE and whether CECONY is the primary beneficiary; however, the information was not made available. The payments for this contract constitute CECONY’s maximum exposure to loss with respect to the potential VIE.

Clean Energy Businesses
In June 2021, a subsidiary of the Clean Energy Businesses sold substantially all of its membership interest in a renewable electric project, and retained an equity interest of $11 million in the project which is accounted for as an equity method investment. See Note S. The earnings of the project are determined using the hypothetical liquidation at book value (HLBV) method of accounting, and such earnings were not material for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021. Con Edison is not the primary beneficiary since the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economics of the renewable electric project is not held by the Clean Energy Businesses.

HLBV Accounting
Con Edison has determined that the use of HLBV accounting is reasonable and appropriate to attribute income and loss to the tax equity investors. Using the HLBV method, the company's earnings from the projects are adjusted to reflect the income or loss allocable to the tax equity investors calculated based on how the project would allocate and distribute its cash if it were to sell all of its assets for their carrying amounts and liquidate at a particular point in
time. Under the HLBV method, the company calculates the liquidation value allocable to the tax equity investors at the beginning and end of each period based on the contractual liquidation waterfall and adjusts its income for the period to reflect the change in the liquidation value allocable to the tax equity investors.

CED Nevada Virginia
In February 2021, a subsidiary of the Clean Energy Businesses entered into an agreement relating to certain projects (CED Nevada Virginia) with a noncontrolling tax equity investor to which a percentage of earnings, tax attributes and cash flows will be allocated. CED Nevada Virginia is a consolidated entity in which Con Edison has less than a 100 percent membership interest. Con Edison is the primary beneficiary since the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economics of CED Nevada Virginia is held by the Clean Energy Businesses. The HLBV method of accounting resulted in income/(loss) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 as follows:


For the Three Months Ended September 30,For the Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Millions of Dollars)2022202120222021
Tax equity investor$6$(74)$(36)$(127)
   After tax5(56)(27)(96)
Con Edison(7)7432127
   After tax(5)562496

Tax Equity Projects
In 2018, the Clean Energy Businesses completed its acquisition of Sempra Solar Holdings, LLC. Included in the acquisition were certain operating projects (Tax Equity Projects) with a noncontrolling tax equity investor to which a percentage of earnings, tax attributes and cash flows are allocated. The Tax Equity Projects are consolidated entities in which Con Edison has less than a 100 percent membership interest. Con Edison is the primary beneficiary since the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economics of the Tax Equity Projects is held by the Clean Energy Businesses. Electricity generated by the Tax Equity Projects is sold to utilities and municipalities pursuant to long-term power purchase agreements. The HLBV method of accounting resulted in income/(loss) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 as follows:


For the Three Months Ended September 30,For the Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Millions of Dollars)2022202120222021
Tax equity investor$—$—$(7)$8
   After tax——(5)6
Con Edison16144427
  After tax12113320

At September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, Con Edison’s consolidated balance sheet included the following amounts associated with its VIEs:
Tax Equity Projects
Great Valley Solar
(c)(d)		Copper Mountain - Mesquite Solar
 (c)(e)		CED Nevada Virginia (c)(h)
(Millions of Dollars)202220212022202120222021
Non-utility property, less accumulated depreciation (f)(g) $269$275$420$431$627$643
Other assets40371681676155
Total assets (a)$309$312$588$598$688$698
Other liabilities19148374325315
Total liabilities (b)$19$14$83$74$325$315
(a)The assets of the Tax Equity Projects and CED Nevada Virginia represent assets of a consolidated VIE that can be used only to settle obligations of the consolidated VIE.
(b)The liabilities of the Tax Equity Projects and CED Nevada Virginia represent liabilities of a consolidated VIE for which creditors do not have recourse to the general credit of the primary beneficiary.
(c)Con Edison did not provide any financial or other support during the year that was not previously contractually required.
(d)Great Valley Solar consists of the Great Valley Solar 1, Great Valley Solar 2, Great Valley Solar 3 and Great Valley Solar 4 projects, for which the noncontrolling interest of the tax equity investor was $71 million and $84 million at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively.
(e)Copper Mountain - Mesquite Solar consists of the Copper Mountain Solar 4, Mesquite Solar 2 and Mesquite Solar 3 projects for which the noncontrolling interest of the tax equity investor was $100 million and $118 million at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively.
(f)Non-utility property is reduced by accumulated depreciation of $33 million for Great Valley Solar, $55 million for Copper Mountain - Mesquite Solar, and $24 million for CED Nevada Virginia at September 30, 2022.
(g)Non-utility property is reduced by accumulated depreciation of $26 million for Great Valley Solar, $44 million for Copper Mountain - Mesquite Solar, and $10 million for CED Nevada Virginia at December 31, 2021.
(h)CED Nevada Virginia consists of the Copper Mountain Solar 5, Battle Mountain Solar and Water Strider Solar projects for which the noncontrolling interest of the tax equity investor was $54 million and $95 million at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively.