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Asset Retirement Obligations (Tables)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Abstract]  
Schedule of Asset Retirement Obligations by Category
The following table presents the AROs recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
 
December 31, 2019
 
 
 
Duke

 
 
 
Duke

 
Duke

 
Duke

 
Duke

 
 
 
Duke

 
Energy

 
Progress

 
Energy

 
Energy

 
Energy

 
Energy

 
 
(in millions)
Energy

 
Carolinas

 
Energy

 
Progress

 
Florida

 
Ohio

 
Indiana

 
Piedmont

Decommissioning of nuclear power facilities(a)
$
6,633

 
$
2,551

 
$
4,028

 
$
3,499

 
$
529

 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
—

Closure of ash impoundments
6,333

 
3,118

 
2,368

 
2,352

 
16

 
41

 
805

 
—

Other
352

 
65

 
75

 
42

 
33

 
39

 
27

 
17

Total asset retirement obligation
$
13,318

 
$
5,734

 
$
6,471

 
$
5,893

 
$
578

 
$
80

 
$
832


$
17

Less: current portion
881

 
206

 
485

 
485

 
—

 
1

 
189

 
—

Total noncurrent asset retirement obligation
$
12,437

 
$
5,528

 
$
5,986

 
$
5,408

 
$
578

 
$
79

 
$
643


$
17

(a)
Duke Energy amount includes purchase accounting adjustments related to the merger with Progress Energy.
Public Utilities General Disclosures The following table includes the current expiration of nuclear operating licenses.
Unit
Year of Expiration
Duke Energy Carolinas
 
Catawba Units 1 and 2
2043
McGuire Unit 1
2041
McGuire Unit 2
2043
Oconee Units 1 and 2
2033
Oconee Unit 3
2034
Duke Energy Progress
 
Brunswick Unit 1
2036
Brunswick Unit 2
2034
Harris
2046
Robinson
2030

The following table presents the fair value of NDTF assets legally restricted for purposes of settling AROs associated with nuclear decommissioning. Duke Energy Florida is actively decommissioning Crystal River Unit 3 and was granted an exemption from the NRC, which allows for use of the NDTF for all aspects of nuclear decommissioning. The entire balance of Duke Energy Florida's NDTF may be applied toward license termination, spent fuel and site restoration costs incurred to decommission Crystal River Unit 3 and is excluded from the table below. See Note 17 for additional information related to the fair value of the Duke Energy Registrants' NDTFs.
 
December 31,
(in millions)
2019
 
2018
Duke Energy
$
6,766

 
$
5,579

Duke Energy Carolinas
3,837

 
3,133

Duke Energy Progress
2,929

 
2,446


The following table summarizes information about the most recent site-specific nuclear decommissioning cost studies. Decommissioning costs are stated in 2018 or 2019 dollars, depending on the year of the cost study, and include costs to decommission plant components not subject to radioactive contamination.
 
Annual Funding

 
Decommissioning

 
 
(in millions)
Requirement(a)

 
Costs(a)

 
Year of Cost Study
Duke Energy
$
24

 
$
9,152


2018 and 2019
Duke Energy Carolinas(b)(c)
—

 
4,365


2018
Duke Energy Progress(d)
24

 
4,181


2019
Duke Energy Florida(e)
—

 
606


2019
(a)
Amounts for Progress Energy equal the sum of Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Florida.
(b)
Decommissioning cost for Duke Energy Carolinas reflects its ownership interest in jointly owned reactors. Other joint owners are responsible for decommissioning costs related to their interest in the reactors.
(c)
Duke Energy Carolinas' site-specific nuclear decommissioning cost study completed in 2018 was filed with the NCUC and PSCSC in 2019. A new funding study was also completed and filed with the NCUC and PSCSC in 2019.
(d)
Duke Energy Progress' site-specific nuclear decommissioning cost study completed in 2019 is expected to be filed with the NCUC and PSCSC during the first quarter 2020. Duke Energy Progress will also complete a new funding study, which will be completed and filed with the NCUC and PSCSC in July 2020.
(e)
During 2019, Duke Energy Florida reached an agreement to transfer decommissioning work for Crystal River Unit 3 to a third party. The agreement requires regulatory approval from the NRC and the FPSC.
Rollforward Schedule of Asset Retirement Obligations
The following tables present changes in the liability associated with AROs.
 
 
 
Duke

 
 
 
Duke

 
Duke

 
Duke

 
Duke

 
 
 
Duke

 
Energy

 
Progress

 
Energy

 
Energy

 
Energy

 
Energy

 
 
(in millions)
Energy

 
Carolinas

 
Energy

 
Progress

 
Florida

 
Ohio

 
Indiana

 
Piedmont

Balance at December 31, 2017
$
10,175

 
$
3,610

 
$
5,414

 
$
4,673

 
$
742

 
$
84

 
$
781

 
$
15

Accretion expense(a)
427

 
179

 
225

 
196

 
29

 
4

 
29

 
1

Liabilities settled(b)  
(638
)
 
(281
)
 
(272
)
 
(227
)
 
(45
)
 
(5
)
 
(79
)
 
—

Liabilities incurred in the current year(c)
39

 
8

 
5

 
—

 
5

 
—

 
25

 
—

Revisions in estimates of cash flows
464

 
433

 
39

 
178

 
(140
)
 
10

 
(34
)
 
3

Balance at December 31, 2018
10,467


3,949


5,411


4,820


591


93


722

 
19

Accretion expense(a)
508

 
235

 
252

 
227

 
25

 
3

 
28

 
1

Liabilities settled(b)  
(895
)
 
(329
)
 
(499
)
 
(460
)
 
(39
)
 
(12
)
 
(54
)
 
—

Liabilities incurred in the current year
25

 
18

 
7

 
—

 
7

 
—

 
—

 
—

Revisions in estimates of cash flows(d)
3,213

 
1,861

 
1,300

 
1,306

 
(6
)
 
(4
)
 
136

 
(3
)
Balance at December 31, 2019
$
13,318


$
5,734


$
6,471


$
5,893


$
578


$
80


$
832

 
$
17

(a)
Substantially all accretion expense for the years ended December 31, 2019, and 2018, relates to Duke Energy’s regulated operations and has been deferred in accordance with regulatory accounting treatment.
(b)
Amounts primarily relate to ash impoundment closures and nuclear decommissioning of Crystal River Unit 3.
(c)
Amounts primarily relate to AROs recorded as a result of state agency closure requirements at Duke Energy Indiana.
(d)
Amounts primarily relate to increases in closure estimates for certain ash impoundments as a result of the NCDEQ's April 1 Order and the related settlement agreement dated December 31, 2019. See Note 5 for more information. The amount recorded in the fourth quarter of 2019 for coal ash closures as a result of the settlement was not material.