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POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS
NOTE 13. POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS

We sponsor a number of pension and retiree health and life insurance benefit plans. Principal pension plans are the GE Pension Plan and the GE Supplementary Pension Plan. Principal retiree benefit plans provide health and life insurance benefits to certain eligible participants and these participants share in the cost of the healthcare benefits. Other pension plans include the U.S. and non-U.S. pension plans with pension assets or obligations greater than $50 million. Smaller pension plans and other retiree benefit plans are not material individually or in the aggregate.
EFFECT ON OPERATIONS OF PENSION PLANS
 
 
 
 
 
Principal pension plans
 
 
Three months ended March 31
 
(In millions)
2018

 
2017

 
 
 
 
 
 
Service cost for benefits earned
$
232

 
$
289

 
Prior service cost amortization
36

 
73

 
Expected return on plan assets
(820
)
 
(849
)
 
Interest cost on benefit obligations
666

 
717

 
Net actuarial loss amortization
951

 
710

 
Curtailment loss

 
43

(a)
Pension plans cost
$
1,065

 
$
983

 
(a)
Curtailment loss resulting from our intent to sell the Industrial Solutions business within our Power segment.
 
Other pension plans
 
 
Three months ended March 31
 
(In millions)
2018
 
2017
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service cost for benefits earned
$
95

 
$
151

 
Prior service credit amortization

 
(1
)
 
Expected return on plan assets
(358
)
 
(294
)
 
Interest cost on benefit obligations
156

 
142

 
Net actuarial loss amortization
82

 
103

 
Pension plans cost (income)
$
(25
)
 
$
101

 

EFFECT ON OPERATIONS OF PRINCIPAL RETIREE BENEFIT PLANS
 
 
 
 
 
Principal retiree benefit plans
 
 
Three months ended March 31
 
(In millions)
2018

 
2017

 
 
 
 
 
 
Service cost for benefits earned
$
13

 
$
26

 
Prior service credit amortization
(56
)
 
(43
)
 
Expected return on plan assets
(7
)
 
(9
)
 
Interest cost on benefit obligations
49

 
57

 
Net actuarial gain amortization
(20
)
 
(21
)
 
Curtailment loss

 
3

(a)
Retiree benefit plans cost (income)
$
(21
)
 
$
13

 

(a)
Curtailment loss resulting from our intent to sell the Industrial Solutions business within our Power segment.

The components of net periodic benefit costs other than the service cost component are included in the line item "non-operating benefit costs" in our consolidated Statement of Earnings (Loss).