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Other Material Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Other Material Contingencies

Note H — Other Material Contingencies

Manhattan Steam Main Rupture

In July 2007, a CECONY steam main located in midtown Manhattan ruptured. It has been reported that one person died and others were injured as a result of the incident. Several buildings in the area were damaged. Debris from the incident included dirt and mud containing asbestos. The response to the incident required the closing of several buildings and streets for various periods. Approximately 90 suits are pending against the company seeking generally unspecified compensatory and, in some cases, punitive damages, for personal injury, property damage and business interruption. The company has notified its insurers of the incident and believes that the policies in force at the time of the incident will cover the company’s costs to satisfy its liability to others in connection with the suits. At December 31, 2013, the company has accrued its estimated liability for the suits of $50 million and an insurance receivable in the same amount.

Other Contingencies

See “Other Regulatory Matters” in Note B.

Guarantees

Con Edison and its subsidiaries enter into various agreements providing financial or performance assurance primarily to third parties on behalf of their subsidiaries. Maximum amounts guaranteed by Con Edison totaled $1,331 million and $859 million at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

A summary, by type and term, of Con Edison’s total guarantees at December 31, 2013 is as follows:

 

Guarantee Type   0 – 3
years
    4 – 10
years
    > 10
years
    Total  
    (Millions of Dollars)  

Energy transactions

  $ 753      $ 30      $ 58      $ 841   

Solar energy projects

    445        14        -        459   

Other

    31        -        -        31   

Total

  $ 1,229      $ 44      $ 58      $ 1,331   

Energy Transactions — Con Edison guarantees payments on behalf of its competitive energy businesses in order to facilitate physical and financial transactions in gas, pipeline capacity, transportation, oil, electricity, renewable energy credits and energy services. To the extent that liabilities exist under the contracts subject to these guarantees, such liabilities are included in Con Edison’s consolidated balance sheet.

Solar Energy Projects — Con Edison and Con Edison Development guarantee payments associated with the investment in solar energy facilities on behalf of their wholly-owned subsidiaries. In addition, Con Edison Development has entered into a guarantee ($80 million maximum) on behalf of an entity in which it has a 50 percent interest (see Note Q) in connection with the construction of solar energy facilities. Con Edison Development also provided $3 million in guarantees to Travelers Insurance Company for indemnity agreements for surety bonds in connection with the construction and operation of solar energy facilities performed by its subsidiaries.

Other — Other guarantees primarily relate to guarantees provided by Con Edison to Travelers Insurance Company for indemnity agreements for surety bonds in connection with energy service projects performed by Con Edison Solutions ($25 million). In addition, Con Edison issued a guarantee to the Public Utility Commission of Texas covering obligations of Con Edison Solutions as a retail electric provider. Con Edison’s estimate of the maximum potential obligation for this guarantee is $5 million as of December 31, 2013.

CECONY [Member]
 
Other Material Contingencies

Note H — Other Material Contingencies

Manhattan Steam Main Rupture

In July 2007, a CECONY steam main located in midtown Manhattan ruptured. It has been reported that one person died and others were injured as a result of the incident. Several buildings in the area were damaged. Debris from the incident included dirt and mud containing asbestos. The response to the incident required the closing of several buildings and streets for various periods. Approximately 90 suits are pending against the company seeking generally unspecified compensatory and, in some cases, punitive damages, for personal injury, property damage and business interruption. The company has notified its insurers of the incident and believes that the policies in force at the time of the incident will cover the company’s costs to satisfy its liability to others in connection with the suits. At December 31, 2013, the company has accrued its estimated liability for the suits of $50 million and an insurance receivable in the same amount.

Other Contingencies

See “Other Regulatory Matters” in Note B.

Guarantees

Con Edison and its subsidiaries enter into various agreements providing financial or performance assurance primarily to third parties on behalf of their subsidiaries. Maximum amounts guaranteed by Con Edison totaled $1,331 million and $859 million at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

A summary, by type and term, of Con Edison’s total guarantees at December 31, 2013 is as follows:

 

Guarantee Type   0 – 3
years
    4 – 10
years
    > 10
years
    Total  
    (Millions of Dollars)  

Energy transactions

  $ 753      $ 30      $ 58      $ 841   

Solar energy projects

    445        14        -        459   

Other

    31        -        -        31   

Total

  $ 1,229      $ 44      $ 58      $ 1,331   

Energy Transactions — Con Edison guarantees payments on behalf of its competitive energy businesses in order to facilitate physical and financial transactions in gas, pipeline capacity, transportation, oil, electricity, renewable energy credits and energy services. To the extent that liabilities exist under the contracts subject to these guarantees, such liabilities are included in Con Edison’s consolidated balance sheet.

Solar Energy Projects — Con Edison and Con Edison Development guarantee payments associated with the investment in solar energy facilities on behalf of their wholly-owned subsidiaries. In addition, Con Edison Development has entered into a guarantee ($80 million maximum) on behalf of an entity in which it has a 50 percent interest (see Note Q) in connection with the construction of solar energy facilities. Con Edison Development also provided $3 million in guarantees to Travelers Insurance Company for indemnity agreements for surety bonds in connection with the construction and operation of solar energy facilities performed by its subsidiaries.

Other — Other guarantees primarily relate to guarantees provided by Con Edison to Travelers Insurance Company for indemnity agreements for surety bonds in connection with energy service projects performed by Con Edison Solutions ($25 million). In addition, Con Edison issued a guarantee to the Public Utility Commission of Texas covering obligations of Con Edison Solutions as a retail electric provider. Con Edison’s estimate of the maximum potential obligation for this guarantee is $5 million as of December 31, 2013.