Leases

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Leases

Note J – Leases

Con Edison’s subsidiaries lease electric transmission facilities, gas distribution facilities, land, office buildings and equipment. In accordance with the accounting rules for leases, these leases are classified as either capital leases or operating leases. Most of the operating leases provide the option to renew at the fair rental value for future periods. Generally, it is expected that leases will be renewed or replaced in the normal course of business.

Capital leases: For ratemaking purposes capital leases are treated as operating leases; therefore, in accordance with the accounting rules for regulated operations, the amortization of the leased asset is based on the rental payments recovered from customers. The following assets under capital leases are included in the Companies’ consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2013 and 2012:

	Con Edison				CECONY
(Millions of Dollars)	2013		2012		2013		2012
UTILITY PLANT
Common	$	3	$	3	$	2	$	2

The accumulated amortization of the capital leases for Con Edison and CECONY was $1 million and $0.6 million, respectively at December 31, 2013, and $1 million and $0.4 million, respectively at December 31, 2012.

The future minimum lease commitments for the above assets are as follows:

(Millions of Dollars)	Con Edison			CECONY
2014	$	1		$	1
2015		1			1
2016		-			-
2017		-			-
2018		1			1
All years thereafter		-			-
Total		3			3
Less: amount representing interest		(1	)		(1	)
Present value of net minimum lease payment	$	2		$	2

Operating leases: The future minimum lease commitments under the Companies’ non-cancelable operating lease agreements are as follows:

(Millions of Dollars)	Con Edison		CECONY
2014	$	17	$	13
2015		17		13
2016		16		13
2017		16		12
2018		15		12
All years thereafter		90		61
Total	$	171	$	124

Lease In/Lease Out Transactions

In each of 1997 and 1999, Con Edison Development entered into transactions in which it leased property and then immediately subleased the properties back to the lessor (termed “Lease In/Lease Out,” or LILO transactions). The transactions respectively involved electric generating and gas distribution facilities in the Netherlands, with a total investment of $259 million. The transactions were financed with $93 million of equity and $166 million of non-recourse, long-term debt secured by the underlying assets. In accordance with the accounting rules for leases, Con Edison accounted for the two LILO transactions as leveraged leases. Accordingly, the company’s investment in these leases, net of non-recourse debt, was carried as a single amount in Con Edison’s consolidated balance sheet and income was recognized pursuant to a method that incorporated a level rate of return for those years when net investment in the lease was positive. At December 31, 2012, the company’s net investment in the LILO transactions was $(76) million, comprised of a $228 million gross investment less $304 million of deferred tax liabilities. During 2013, as discussed below, the company terminated its LILO transactions and at December 31, 2013 no longer had an investment recorded for these leases in its consolidated balance sheet.

On audit of Con Edison’s tax return for 1997, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) disallowed tax losses in connection with the 1997 LILO transaction and assessed the company a $0.3 million income tax deficiency. On audits of Con Edison’s 1998 through 2011 tax returns, the IRS disallowed $574 million of tax losses taken with respect to both LILO transactions. In December 2005, Con Edison paid the $0.3 million deficiency asserted by the IRS for the tax year 1997 with respect to the 1997 LILO transaction. In April 2006, the company paid interest of $0.2 million associated with the deficiency and commenced an action in the United States Court of Federal Claims, entitled Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. v. United States, to obtain a refund of tax and interest. A trial was completed in November 2007. In October 2009, the court issued a decision in favor of the company concluding that the 1997 LILO transaction was, in substance, a true lease that possessed economic substance, the loans relating to the lease constituted bona fide indebtedness, and the deductions for the 1997 LILO transactions claimed by the company in its 1997 federal income tax return are allowable. In January 2013, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed the October 2009 trial court decision and disallowed the tax losses claimed by the company relating to the 1997 LILO transaction. In March 2013, the Court of Appeals denied the company’s request to grant rehearing en banc of the January 2013 decision. In June 2013, Con Edison entered into a closing agreement with the IRS regarding the 1997 and 1999 LILO transactions.

As a result of the January 2013 Court of Appeals decision, Con Edison recorded an after-tax charge of $150 million to reflect, as required by the accounting rules for leveraged lease transactions, the recalculation of the accounting effect of the LILO transactions based on the revised after-tax cash flows projected from the inception of the leveraged leases as well as the interest on the potential tax liability resulting from the disallowance of federal and state income tax losses with respect to the LILO transactions (see “Uncertain Tax Positions” in Note L). In June 2013, the 1999 LILO transaction was terminated, as a result of which the company realized a $29 million gain (after-tax) and received net cash proceeds of $108 million. In August 2013, the 1997 LILO transaction was terminated, resulting in a $26 million gain (after-tax) and net cash proceeds of $92 million. The effect on Con Edison’s consolidated income statement is as follows:

(Millions of Dollars)	For the Year Ended December 31, 2013
Decrease to non-utility operating revenues	$(27)
Increase to other interest expense	(131)
Income tax benefit	63
Total decrease in net income	$(95)

The transactions did not impact earnings in 2012 or 2011.

In January 2013, to defray interest charges, the company deposited $447 million with federal and state tax agencies relating primarily to the potential tax liability from the LILO transactions in past tax years and interest thereon. During 2013, $125 million of the deposit was returned from the IRS at the company’s request. Also in 2013, the deposit balance was reduced by an additional $48 million, due to a $10 million refund from the IRS and the application of $38 million toward the settlement of tax and interest for certain tax years, primarily relating to tax liability from the LILO transactions. In 2014, the company expects to apply the remainder of its January 2013 deposit against its federal and state tax liabilities for other tax years.

CECONY [Member]

Leases

Note J – Leases

Con Edison’s subsidiaries lease electric transmission facilities, gas distribution facilities, land, office buildings and equipment. In accordance with the accounting rules for leases, these leases are classified as either capital leases or operating leases. Most of the operating leases provide the option to renew at the fair rental value for future periods. Generally, it is expected that leases will be renewed or replaced in the normal course of business.

Capital leases: For ratemaking purposes capital leases are treated as operating leases; therefore, in accordance with the accounting rules for regulated operations, the amortization of the leased asset is based on the rental payments recovered from customers. The following assets under capital leases are included in the Companies’ consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2013 and 2012:

	Con Edison				CECONY
(Millions of Dollars)	2013		2012		2013		2012
UTILITY PLANT
Common	$	3	$	3	$	2	$	2

The accumulated amortization of the capital leases for Con Edison and CECONY was $1 million and $0.6 million, respectively at December 31, 2013, and $1 million and $0.4 million, respectively at December 31, 2012.

The future minimum lease commitments for the above assets are as follows:

(Millions of Dollars)	Con Edison			CECONY
2014	$	1		$	1
2015		1			1
2016		-			-
2017		-			-
2018		1			1
All years thereafter		-			-
Total		3			3
Less: amount representing interest		(1	)		(1	)
Present value of net minimum lease payment	$	2		$	2

Operating leases: The future minimum lease commitments under the Companies’ non-cancelable operating lease agreements are as follows:

(Millions of Dollars)	Con Edison		CECONY
2014	$	17	$	13
2015		17		13
2016		16		13
2017		16		12
2018		15		12
All years thereafter		90		61
Total	$	171	$	124

Lease In/Lease Out Transactions

In each of 1997 and 1999, Con Edison Development entered into transactions in which it leased property and then immediately subleased the properties back to the lessor (termed “Lease In/Lease Out,” or LILO transactions). The transactions respectively involved electric generating and gas distribution facilities in the Netherlands, with a total investment of $259 million. The transactions were financed with $93 million of equity and $166 million of non-recourse, long-term debt secured by the underlying assets. In accordance with the accounting rules for leases, Con Edison accounted for the two LILO transactions as leveraged leases. Accordingly, the company’s investment in these leases, net of non-recourse debt, was carried as a single amount in Con Edison’s consolidated balance sheet and income was recognized pursuant to a method that incorporated a level rate of return for those years when net investment in the lease was positive. At December 31, 2012, the company’s net investment in the LILO transactions was $(76) million, comprised of a $228 million gross investment less $304 million of deferred tax liabilities. During 2013, as discussed below, the company terminated its LILO transactions and at December 31, 2013 no longer had an investment recorded for these leases in its consolidated balance sheet.

On audit of Con Edison’s tax return for 1997, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) disallowed tax losses in connection with the 1997 LILO transaction and assessed the company a $0.3 million income tax deficiency. On audits of Con Edison’s 1998 through 2011 tax returns, the IRS disallowed $574 million of tax losses taken with respect to both LILO transactions. In December 2005, Con Edison paid the $0.3 million deficiency asserted by the IRS for the tax year 1997 with respect to the 1997 LILO transaction. In April 2006, the company paid interest of $0.2 million associated with the deficiency and commenced an action in the United States Court of Federal Claims, entitled Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. v. United States, to obtain a refund of tax and interest. A trial was completed in November 2007. In October 2009, the court issued a decision in favor of the company concluding that the 1997 LILO transaction was, in substance, a true lease that possessed economic substance, the loans relating to the lease constituted bona fide indebtedness, and the deductions for the 1997 LILO transactions claimed by the company in its 1997 federal income tax return are allowable. In January 2013, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed the October 2009 trial court decision and disallowed the tax losses claimed by the company relating to the 1997 LILO transaction. In March 2013, the Court of Appeals denied the company’s request to grant rehearing en banc of the January 2013 decision. In June 2013, Con Edison entered into a closing agreement with the IRS regarding the 1997 and 1999 LILO transactions.

As a result of the January 2013 Court of Appeals decision, Con Edison recorded an after-tax charge of $150 million to reflect, as required by the accounting rules for leveraged lease transactions, the recalculation of the accounting effect of the LILO transactions based on the revised after-tax cash flows projected from the inception of the leveraged leases as well as the interest on the potential tax liability resulting from the disallowance of federal and state income tax losses with respect to the LILO transactions (see “Uncertain Tax Positions” in Note L). In June 2013, the 1999 LILO transaction was terminated, as a result of which the company realized a $29 million gain (after-tax) and received net cash proceeds of $108 million. In August 2013, the 1997 LILO transaction was terminated, resulting in a $26 million gain (after-tax) and net cash proceeds of $92 million. The effect on Con Edison’s consolidated income statement is as follows:

(Millions of Dollars)	For the Year Ended December 31, 2013
Decrease to non-utility operating revenues	$(27)
Increase to other interest expense	(131)
Income tax benefit	63
Total decrease in net income	$(95)

The transactions did not impact earnings in 2012 or 2011.

In January 2013, to defray interest charges, the company deposited $447 million with federal and state tax agencies relating primarily to the potential tax liability from the LILO transactions in past tax years and interest thereon. During 2013, $125 million of the deposit was returned from the IRS at the company’s request. Also in 2013, the deposit balance was reduced by an additional $48 million, due to a $10 million refund from the IRS and the application of $38 million toward the settlement of tax and interest for certain tax years, primarily relating to tax liability from the LILO transactions. In 2014, the company expects to apply the remainder of its January 2013 deposit against its federal and state tax liabilities for other tax years.