XML 36 R21.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.22.2
Commitments and Contingencies
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments – NEE and its subsidiaries have made commitments in connection with a portion of their projected capital expenditures. Capital expenditures at FPL include, among other things, the cost for construction of additional facilities and equipment to meet customer demand, as well as capital improvements to and maintenance of existing facilities. At NEER, capital expenditures include, among other things, the cost, including capitalized interest, for development, construction and maintenance of its competitive energy businesses. Also see Note 3 – Contingent Consideration.

At June 30, 2022, estimated capital expenditures, on an accrual basis, for the remainder of 2022 through 2026 were as follows:

 Remainder of 20222023202420252026Total
 (millions)
FPL:
Generation:(a)
New(b)
$1,375 $1,705 $1,695 $920 $1,020 $6,715 
Existing1,0901,5251,3151,0901,2956,315 
Transmission and distribution(c)
2,0054,1604,1455,1254,91520,350 
Nuclear fuel115125160200200800 
General and other4707006106506203,050 
Total$5,055 $8,215 $7,925 $7,985 $8,050 $37,230 
NEER:(d)
      
Wind(e)
$1,705 $230 $390 $30 $20 $2,375 
Solar(f)
1,780 2,315 645 — — 4,740 
Battery storage
265 390 — — 5 660 
Nuclear, including nuclear fuel
150 160 220 225 230 985 
Rate-regulated transmission
75 120 45 25 10 275 
Other
650 325 150 100 75 1,300 
Total$4,625 $3,540 $1,450 $380 $340 $10,335 
———————————————
(a)Includes AFUDC of approximately $35 million, $70 million, $50 million, $30 million and $25 million for the remainder of 2022 through 2026, respectively.
(b)Includes land, generation structures, transmission interconnection and integration and licensing.
(c)Includes AFUDC of approximately $25 million, $45 million, $45 million, $30 million and $60 million for the remainder of 2022 through 2026, respectively.
(d)Represents capital expenditures for which applicable internal approvals and also, if required, regulatory approvals have been received.
(e)Consists of capital expenditures for new wind projects and repowering of existing wind projects totaling approximately 3,723 MW, and related transmission.
(f)Includes capital expenditures for new solar projects (including solar plus battery storage projects) totaling approximately 5,943 MW and related transmission.

The above estimates are subject to continuing review and adjustment and actual capital expenditures may vary significantly from these estimates. For example, the timing and ultimate cost associated with solar and battery storage capital expenditures may vary due to supply chain disruptions caused by the U.S. Department of Commerce's investigation into an antidumping and countervailing duties circumvention claim.

In addition to guarantees noted in Note 6 with regards to NEP, NEECH has guaranteed or provided indemnifications or letters of credit related to third parties, including certain obligations of investments in joint ventures accounted for under the equity method, totaling approximately $484 million at June 30, 2022. These obligations primarily related to guaranteeing the residual value of certain financing leases. Payment guarantees and related contracts with respect to unconsolidated entities for which NEE or one of its subsidiaries are the guarantor are recorded at fair value and are included in noncurrent other liabilities on NEE’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. Management believes that the exposure associated with these guarantees is not material.

Contracts – In addition to the commitments made in connection with the estimated capital expenditures included in the table in Commitments above, FPL has firm commitments under long-term contracts primarily for the transportation of natural gas with expiration dates through 2042.

At June 30, 2022, NEER has entered into contracts with expiration dates through 2033 primarily for the purchase of wind turbines, wind towers and solar modules and related construction and development activities, as well as for the supply of uranium, and the conversion, enrichment and fabrication of nuclear fuel. Approximately $4.1 billion of related commitments are included in the estimated capital expenditures table in Commitments above. In addition, NEER has contracts primarily for the transportation and storage of natural gas with expiration dates through 2040.
The required capacity and/or minimum payments under contracts, including those discussed above, at June 30, 2022 were estimated as follows:
Remainder of 20222023202420252026Thereafter
(millions)
FPL(a)
$510 $1,010 $985 $915 $840 $8,625 
NEER(b)(c)(d)
$3,460 $890 $210 $105 $65 $535 
———————————————
(a)Includes approximately $205 million, $410 million, $410 million, $405 million, $400 million and $5,960 million for the remainder of 2022 through 2026 and thereafter, respectively, of firm commitments related to the natural gas transportation agreements with Sabal Trail and Florida Southeast Connection. The charges associated with these agreements are recoverable through the fuel clause. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, the charges associated with these agreements totaled approximately $107 million and $209 million, respectively, of which $26 million and $51 million, respectively, were eliminated in consolidation at NEE. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2021, the charges associated with these agreements totaled approximately $105 million and $209 million, respectively, of which $26 million and $53 million, respectively, were eliminated in consolidation at NEE.
(b)Excludes commitments related to equity contributions and a 20-year natural gas transportation agreement (approximately $70 million per year) with a joint venture, in which NEER has a 31.9% equity investment, that is constructing a natural gas pipeline. These commitments are subject to the completion of construction of the pipeline which has a very low probability of completion. See Note 3 – Nonrecurring Fair Value Measurements.
(c)Includes approximately $240 million of commitments to invest in technology and other investments through 2031. See Note 7 – Other.
(d)Includes approximately $875 million, $335 million, $5 million, $5 million, $0 million and $5 million for the remainder of 2022 through 2026 and thereafter, respectively, of joint obligations of NEECH and NEER.

Insurance – Liability for accidents at nuclear power plants is governed by the Price-Anderson Act, which limits the liability of nuclear reactor owners to the amount of insurance available from both private sources and an industry retrospective payment plan. In accordance with this Act, NEE maintains $450 million of private liability insurance per site, which is the maximum obtainable, except at Duane Arnold which obtained an exemption from the NRC and maintains a $100 million private liability insurance limit. Each site, except Duane Arnold, participates in a secondary financial protection system, which provides up to $13.1 billion of liability insurance coverage per incident at any nuclear reactor in the U.S. Under the secondary financial protection system, NEE is subject to retrospective assessments of up to $963 million ($550 million for FPL), plus any applicable taxes, per incident at any nuclear reactor in the U.S., payable at a rate not to exceed $143 million ($82 million for FPL) per incident per year. NextEra Energy Resources and FPL are contractually entitled to recover a proportionate share of such assessments from the owners of minority interests in Seabrook and St. Lucie Unit No. 2, which approximates $16 million and $20 million, plus any applicable taxes, per incident, respectively.

NEE participates in a nuclear insurance mutual company that provides $2.75 billion of limited insurance coverage per occurrence per site for property damage, decontamination and premature decommissioning risks at its nuclear plants and a sublimit of $1.5 billion for non-nuclear perils, except for Duane Arnold which has a limit of $50 million for property damage, decontamination risks and non-nuclear perils. NEE participates in co-insurance of 10% of the first $400 million of losses per site per occurrence, except at Duane Arnold. The proceeds from such insurance, however, must first be used for reactor stabilization and site decontamination before they can be used for plant repair. NEE also participates in an insurance program that provides limited coverage for replacement power costs if a nuclear plant is out of service for an extended period of time because of an accident. In the event of an accident at one of NEE's or another participating insured's nuclear plants, NEE could be assessed up to $158 million ($101 million for FPL), plus any applicable taxes, in retrospective premiums in a policy year. NextEra Energy Resources and FPL are contractually entitled to recover a proportionate share of such assessments from the owners of minority interests in Seabrook, Duane Arnold and St. Lucie Unit No. 2, which approximates $2 million, $2 million and $4 million, plus any applicable taxes, respectively.

Due to the high cost and limited coverage available from third-party insurers, NEE does not have property insurance coverage for a substantial portion of either its transmission and distribution property or natural gas pipeline assets. If FPL's future storm restoration costs exceed the storm and property insurance reserve, such storm restoration costs may be recovered, subject to prudence review by the FPSC, through surcharges approved by the FPSC or through securitization provisions pursuant to Florida law.
In the event of a loss, the amount of insurance available might not be adequate to cover property damage and other expenses incurred. Uninsured losses and other expenses, to the extent not recovered from customers in the case of FPL, would be borne by NEE and FPL, and could have a material adverse effect on NEE's and FPL's financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.