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Asset Retirement Obligations (Tables)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Asset Retirement Obligations [Abstract]  
Asset retirement obligation, roll forward analysis
A rollforward of NEE's and FPL's ARO is as follows:
 
FPL
 
NEER
 
NEE
 
 
 
(millions)
 
 
Balances, December 31, 2009
$
1,833

 
$
585

 
$
2,418

Liabilities incurred
—

 
3

 
3

Accretion expense
101

 
36

 
137

Liabilities settled
—

 
(1
)
 
(1
)
Revision in estimated cash flows - net
(851
)
(a) 
(67
)
(b) 
(918
)
Balances, December 31, 2010
1,083

 
556

 
1,639

Liabilities incurred
3

 
3

 
6

Accretion expense
58

 
31

 
89

Revision in estimated cash flows - net
—

 
(123
)
(c) 
(123
)
Balances, December 31, 2011
$
1,144

 
$
467

 
$
1,611

__________________________________
(a)
Primarily reflects the effect of a decrease in the escalation rates used to determine the ultimate projected costs of decommissioning FPL's nuclear units and lower costs due to the expected future reimbursement by the DOE of certain spent fuel storage costs as stipulated by a spent fuel settlement agreement.
(b)
Primarily reflects the effect of revised probability assessments regarding when assets will be retired and ultimately decommissioned and lower costs due to the expected future reimbursement by the DOE of certain spent fuel storage costs as stipulated by a spent fuel settlement agreement.
(c)
Primarily reflects the effect of revised cost estimates and probability assessments regarding when assets will be decommissioned.
Funds restricted for decommissioning included in special use funds
Restricted funds for the payment of future expenditures to decommission NEE's and FPL's nuclear units included in special use funds on NEE's and FPL's consolidated balance sheets are as follows (see Note 5):

 
FPL
 
NEER
 
NEE
 
 
 
(millions)
 
 
Balances, December 31, 2011
$
2,612

 
$
1,130

 
$
3,742

Balances, December 31, 2010
$
2,512

 
$
1,105

 
$
3,617