NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

The disclosures in this note apply to all Registrants unless indicated otherwise.

During FASB’s standard-setting process and upon issuance of final pronouncements, management reviews the new accounting literature to determine its relevance, if any, to the Registrants’ business. The following pronouncements will impact the financial statements.

ASU 2014-09 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (ASU 2014-09)

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 changing the method used to determine the timing and requirements for revenue recognition on the statements of income. Under the new standard, an entity must identify the performance obligations in a contract, determine the transaction price and allocate the price to specific performance obligations to recognize the revenue when the obligation is completed. The amendments in this update also require disclosure of sufficient information to allow users to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flow arising from contracts.

The FASB deferred implementation of ASU 2014-09 under the terms in ASU 2015-14, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic: 606): Deferral of the Effective Date.” The new accounting guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted.

Management analyzed the impact of the new revenue standard and related ASUs. During 2016 and 2017, revenue contract assessments were completed. Material revenue streams were identified within the AEP System and representative contract/transaction types were sampled. Performance obligations identified within each material revenue stream were evaluated to determine whether the obligations were satisfied at a point in time or over time. Contracts determined to be satisfied over time generally qualified for the invoicing practical expedient since the invoiced amounts reasonably represented the value to customers of performance obligations fulfilled to date. Additionally, the new standard did not give rise to any changes in current accounting systems. Management continues to develop disclosures to comply with the requirements of ASU 2014-09, including disclosures of significant disaggregated revenue streams, and information about fixed performance obligations that are unsatisfied (or partially unsatisfied) as of the end of a reporting period.

Management adopted ASU 2014-09 effective January 1, 2018, by means of the modified retrospective approach. The adoption of ASU 2014-09 did not have a material impact on results of operations, financial position or cash flows. Management will continue to actively participate in informal industry forums throughout the period of initial adoption.

ASU 2016-01 “Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities” (ASU 2016-01)

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01 revising the reporting model for financial instruments. Under the new standard, equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting or those that result in consolidation of the investee) are required to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income. For equity investments that do not have a readily determinable fair value, entities are permitted to elect a practicality exception and measure the investment at cost, less impairment, plus or minus observable price changes. The new standard also amends disclosure requirements and requires separate presentation of financial assets and liabilities by measurement category and form of financial asset (that is, securities or loans and receivables) on the balance sheets or the accompanying notes to the financial statements. The amendments also clarify that an entity should evaluate the need for a valuation allowance on a deferred tax asset related to available-for-sale securities in combination with the entity’s other deferred tax assets.

The new accounting guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted for certain provisions. Management adopted ASU 2016-01 effective January 1, 2018, by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to the balance sheet. The adoption of ASU 2016-01 resulted in an immaterial impact on results of operations and financial position of AEP, and no impact to results of operations or financial position of the Registrant Subsidiaries. There was no impact on cash flows of the Registrants.

ASU 2016-02 “Accounting for Leases” (ASU 2016-02)

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02 increasing the transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheets and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. Under the new standard, an entity must recognize an asset and liability for operating leases on the balance sheets. Additionally, a capital lease will be known as a finance lease going forward. Leases with lease terms of 12 months or longer will be subject to the new requirements. Fundamentally, the criteria used to determine lease classification will remain the same, but will be more subjective under the new standard.

The new accounting guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The guidance will be applied by means of a modified retrospective approach. The modified retrospective approach will require lessees and lessors to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented; however, the FASB is currently evaluating whether to provide reporting entities with an additional expedient to adopt the new lease requirements through a cumulative-effect adjustment in the period of adoption. Accordingly, management continues to monitor these standard-setting activities that may impact the transition requirements of the lease standard.

Management continues to analyze the impact of the new lease standard. During 2016 and 2017, lease contract assessments were completed. The AEP System lease population was identified and representative lease contracts were sampled. Based upon the completed assessments, management prepared a system gap analysis to outline new disclosure compliance requirements compared to current system capabilities. Multiple lease system options were also evaluated. Management plans to elect certain of the following practical expedients upon adoption:



Practical Expedient		Description
Overall Expedients (for leases commenced prior to adoption date and must be adopted as a package)		Do not need to reassess whether any expired or existing contracts are/or contain leases, do not need to reassess the lease classification for any expired or existing leases and do not need to reassess initial direct costs for any existing leases.
Lease and Non-lease Components (elect by class of underlying asset)		Elect as an accounting policy to not separate non-lease components from lease components and instead account for each lease and associated non-lease component as a single lease component.
Short-term Lease (elect by class of underlying asset)		Elect as an accounting policy to not apply the recognition requirements to short-term leases.
Lease term		Elect to use hindsight to determine the lease term.

Evaluation of new lease contracts continues and the process of implementing a compliant lease system solution began in the third quarter of 2017. Management expects the new standard to impact financial position and, at this time, cannot estimate the impact. Management expects no impact to results of operations or cash flows.

Management continues to monitor unresolved industry implementation issues, including items related to easements and right-of-ways, and will analyze the related impacts to lease accounting. In this regard, to address stakeholder concerns about the costs and complexity of complying with the transition provisions of the new lease standard, the FASB issued ASU 2018-01 in January 2018. This ASU provides an optional transition practical expedient that allows companies to exclude in their evaluation of Topic 842 existing or expired land easements that were not previously accounted for as leases under Topic 840, which reduces the volume of contracts requiring evaluation. Management intends to elect this practical expedient upon adoption of ASU 2016-02.

Management continues to monitor FASB’s ongoing standard-setting activities that may result in the issuance of additional targeted improvements to the new lease guidance. Management plans to adopt ASU 2016-02 effective January 1, 2019.

ASU 2016-09 “Compensation – Stock Compensation” (ASU 2016-09)

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09 simplifying the accounting for share-based payment transactions including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities and classification on the statements of cash flows. Under the new standard, all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies (including tax benefits of dividends on share-based payment awards) should be recognized as income tax expense or benefit on the statements of income. Under previous GAAP, excess tax benefits are recognized in additional paid-in capital while tax deficiencies are recognized either as an offset to accumulated excess tax benefits, if any, or on the statements of income.

Management adopted ASU 2016-09 effective January 1, 2017. As a result of the adoption of this guidance, management made an accounting policy election to recognize the effect of forfeitures in compensation cost when they occur. There was an immaterial impact on results of operations and financial position and no impact on cash flows at adoption.

ASU 2016-13 “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” (ASU 2016-13)

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 requiring an allowance to be recorded for all expected credit losses for financial assets. The allowance for credit losses is based on historical information, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The new standard also makes revisions to the other than temporary impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities. Disclosures of credit quality indicators in relation to the amortized cost of financing receivables are further disaggregated by year of origination.

The new accounting guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The amendments will be applied through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. Management is analyzing the impact of this new standard and, at this time, cannot estimate the impact of adoption on net income. Management plans to adopt ASU 2016-13 effective January 1, 2020.

ASU 2016-18 “Restricted Cash” (ASU 2016-18)

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18 clarifying the treatment of restricted cash on the statements of cash flows. Under the new standard, amounts considered restricted cash will be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts on the statements of cash flows.

The new accounting guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted in any interim or annual period. Management adopted ASU 2016-18 for the 2017 Annual Report and applied the new standard retrospectively for all periods presented. See the “Restricted Cash” section of Note 1 for the effect of adoption on cash flows for each Registrant.

ASU 2017-07 “Compensation - Retirement Benefits” (ASU 2017-07)

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07 requiring that an employer report the service cost component of pension and postretirement benefits in the same line item or items as other compensation costs. The other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented in the statements of income separately from the service cost component and outside of a subtotal of income from operations. In addition, only the service cost component will be eligible for capitalization as applicable following labor. For 2017, AEP’s actual non-service cost components were a credit of $72 million, of which approximately 41% was capitalized.

The new accounting guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an annual period for which financial statements have not been issued or made available for issuance. Management adopted ASU 2017-07 effective January 1, 2018.

ASU 2017-12 “Derivatives and Hedging” (ASU 2017-12)

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12 amending the recognition and presentation requirements for hedge accounting activities. The objectives are to improve the financial reporting of hedging relationships to better portray the economic results of an entity’s risk management activities in its financial statements and reduce the complexity of applying hedge accounting. Under the new standard, the concept of recognizing hedge ineffectiveness within the statements of income for cash flow hedges, which has historically been immaterial to AEP, will be eliminated. In addition, certain required tabular disclosures relating to fair value and cash flow hedges will be modified.

The new accounting guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted for any interim or annual period after August 2017. Management is analyzing the impact of this new standard, including the possibility of early adoption, and at this time, cannot estimate the impact of adoption on results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

ASU 2018-02 “Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from AOCI” (ASU 2018-02)

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02 allowing a reclassification from AOCI to Retained Earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from Tax Reform. Under existing accounting guidance for “Income Taxes”, deferred tax assets and liabilities must be adjusted for the effect of a change in tax laws or rates with the effect included in income from continuing operations in the reporting period that includes the enactment date. This guidance is applicable for the tax effects of items in AOCI that were originally recognized in Other Comprehensive Income. As a result and absent the new guidance in this ASU, the tax effects of items within AOCI do not reflect the newly enacted corporate tax rate. While the reclassification between AOCI and Retained Earnings is optional under the new guidance, the ASU also requires certain new disclosure requirements regardless of whether the reclassification is made.

The new accounting guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The new guidance must be applied either retrospectively to each period (or periods) in which the income tax effects of Tax Reform related to items remaining in AOCI are recognized, or at the beginning of the period of adoption. Management is analyzing the impact of this new standard, including the possibility of early adoption.