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Derivative Instruments (Policies)
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Derivatives, Policy [Policy Text Block]
NEE and FPL use derivative instruments (primarily swaps, options, futures and forwards) to manage the commodity price risk inherent in the purchase and sale of fuel and electricity, as well as interest rate and foreign currency exchange rate risk associated primarily with outstanding and expected future debt issuances and borrowings, and to optimize the value of NEER's power generation and gas infrastructure assets.

With respect to commodities related to NEE's competitive energy business, NEER employs risk management procedures to conduct its activities related to optimizing the value of its power generation and gas infrastructure assets, providing full energy and capacity requirements services primarily to distribution utilities, and engaging in power and gas marketing and trading activities to take advantage of expected future favorable price movements and changes in the expected volatility of prices in the energy markets. These risk management activities involve the use of derivative instruments executed within prescribed limits to manage the risk associated with fluctuating commodity prices. Transactions in derivative instruments are executed on recognized exchanges or via the OTC markets, depending on the most favorable credit terms and market execution factors. For NEER's power generation and gas infrastructure assets, derivative instruments are used to hedge the commodity price risk associated with the fuel requirements of the assets, where applicable, as well as to hedge all or a portion of the expected output of these assets. These hedges are designed to reduce the effect of adverse changes in the wholesale forward commodity markets associated with NEER's power generation and gas infrastructure assets. With regard to full energy and capacity requirements services, NEER is required to vary the quantity of energy and related services based on the load demands of the customers served. For this type of transaction, derivative instruments are used to hedge the anticipated electricity quantities required to serve these customers and reduce the effect of unfavorable changes in the forward energy markets. Additionally, NEER takes positions in the energy markets based on differences between actual forward market levels and management's view of fundamental market conditions, including supply/demand imbalances, changes in traditional flows of energy, changes in short- and long-term weather patterns and anticipated regulatory and legislative outcomes. NEER uses derivative instruments to realize value from these market dislocations, subject to strict risk management limits around market, operational and credit exposure.

Derivative instruments, when required to be marked to market, are recorded on NEE's and FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets as either an asset or liability measured at fair value. At FPL, substantially all changes in the derivatives' fair value are deferred as a regulatory asset or liability until the contracts are settled, and, upon settlement, any gains or losses are passed through the fuel clause. For NEE's non-rate regulated operations, predominantly NEER, essentially all changes in the derivatives' fair value for power purchases and sales, fuel sales and trading activities are recognized on a net basis in operating revenues; fuel purchases used in the production of electricity are recognized in fuel, purchased power and interchange expense; and the equity method investees' related activity is recognized in equity in earnings of equity method investees in NEE's condensed consolidated statements of income. Settlement gains and losses are included within the line items in the condensed consolidated statements of income to which they relate. Transactions for which physical delivery is deemed not to have occurred are presented on a net basis in the condensed consolidated statements of income. For commodity derivatives, NEE believes that, where offsetting positions exist at the same location for the same time, the transactions are considered to have been netted and therefore physical delivery has been deemed not to have occurred for financial reporting purposes. Settlements related to derivative instruments are primarily recognized in net cash provided by operating activities in NEE's and FPL's condensed consolidated statements of cash flows.

In January 2016, NEE discontinued hedge accounting for its cash flow and fair value hedges related to interest rate and foreign currency derivative instruments and, therefore, all changes in the derivatives' fair value, as well as the transaction gain or loss on foreign denominated debt, are recognized in interest expense in NEE's condensed consolidated statements of income.