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Acquisitions, Development and Divestitures
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Acquisitions Development And Divestitures [Abstract]  
Acquisitions, Development and Divestitures

8. Acquisitions, Development and Divestitures

 

(PPL, PPL Energy Supply, PPL Electric, LKE, LG&E and KU)

 

The Registrants periodically evaluate opportunities for potential acquisitions, divestitures and development projects. Development projects are periodically reexamined based on market conditions and other factors to determine whether to proceed with the projects, sell, cancel or expand them, execute tolling agreements or pursue other options. Any resulting transactions may impact future financial results.

 

Acquisitions

 

Ironwood Acquisition (PPL and PPL Energy Supply)

 

On April 13, 2012, an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of PPL Energy Supply completed the acquisition from a subsidiary of The AES Corporation of all of the equity interests of AES Ironwood, L.L.C. (subsequently renamed PPL Ironwood, LLC) and AES Prescott, L.L.C. (subsequently renamed PPL Prescott, LLC), which own and operate, respectively, the Ironwood Facility. The Ironwood Facility began operation in 2001 and, since 2008, PPL EnergyPlus has supplied natural gas for the operation of the Ironwood Facility and received the facility's full electricity output and capacity value pursuant to a tolling agreement that expires in 2021. See Note 11 in PPL's and PPL Energy Supply's 2011 Form 10-K for additional information on the tolling agreement. The acquisition provides PPL Energy Supply, through its subsidiaries, operational control of additional combined-cycle gas generation in PJM.

 

The consideration paid for this acquisition, subject to finalization of working capital, net indebtedness and fair value adjustments, was as follows.

Aggregate enterprise consideration $326
Less: Estimated fair value of long-term debt outstanding assumed through consolidation (a)  258
Plus: Restricted cash debt service reserves  17
Cash consideration paid for equity interests (including estimated working capital adjustments) $85

(a)       The estimated long-term debt assumed through consolidation consisted of $226 million aggregate principal amount of 8.857% senior secured bonds to be fully repaid by 2025, plus $8 million of debt service reserve loans, and a $24 million estimated fair value adjustment.

 

Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation

 

The following table summarizes the preliminary allocation of the purchase price to the estimated fair value of the major classes of assets acquired and liabilities assumed through consolidation, and the effective settlement of the tolling agreement through consolidation.

PP&E $ 505
Long-term debt (current and noncurrent) (a)   (258)
Tolling agreement assets eliminated (b)   (170)
Other net assets   8
Net identifiable assets acquired (c) $ 85

(a)       Represents non-cash activity excluded from the Statement of Cash Flows for the six months ended June 30, 2012.

(b)       Represents PPL EnergyPlus' existing assets, primarily an intangible asset, which represented PPL EnergyPlus' rights to and the related accounting for the tolling agreement with PPL Ironwood, LLC prior to the acquisition. On the acquisition date, PPL Ironwood, LLC recorded a liability, recognized at estimated fair value, for its obligation to PPL EnergyPlus. The tolling agreement assets of PPL EnergyPlus and the tolling agreement liability of PPL Ironwood, LLC eliminate in consolidation for PPL and PPL Energy Supply as a result of the acquisition, and therefore the agreement is considered effectively settled. Any difference between the tolling agreement assets and liability will result in a gain or loss on the effective settlement of the agreement. That amount is currently estimated to be insignificant.

(c)       Goodwill is currently estimated to be insignificant.

 

At the date of acquisition, total future minimum lease payments to be made by PPL EnergyPlus to PPL Ironwood, LLC under the tolling agreement were $270 million. These payments, which were included in the total minimum lease payments disclosed in Note 11 of PPL's and PPL Energy Supply's 2011 Form 10-K, will continue to be made by PPL EnergyPlus to PPL Ironwood, LLC following the acquisition, but will eliminate in consolidation.

 

In addition, Note 20 of PPL's and PPL Energy Supply's 2011 Form 10-K included annual forecasted amortization expense of $15 million for each of the years 2012 through 2016 related to the PPL EnergyPlus tolling agreement intangible asset. This amortization will eliminate in consolidation for PPL and PPL Energy Supply as PPL Ironwood, LLC is now a subsidiary of PPL Energy Supply as a result of the acquisition.

 

The purchase price allocation is preliminary and could change in subsequent periods. The preliminary purchase price allocation was based on PPL Energy Supply's best estimates using information obtained as of the reporting date. Any changes to the purchase price allocation that result in material changes to the consolidated financial results will be adjusted retrospectively. The final purchase price allocation is expected to be completed by the end of 2012. The items pending finalization include, but are not limited to, the valuation of PP&E, long-term debt, certain contractual liabilities, including the tolling agreement, the resulting gain (loss) and goodwill.

Acquisition of WPD Midlands (PPL)

 

See Notes 1 and 10 in PPL's 2011 Form 10-K for information on PPL's April 1, 2011 acquisition of WPD Midlands.

 

Separation Benefits - U.K. Regulated Segment

 

In connection with the 2011 acquisition, PPL completed a reorganization designed to transition WPD Midlands from a functional operating structure to a regional operating structure requiring a smaller combined support structure, reducing duplication and implementing more efficient procedures. More than 700 employees of WPD Midlands will have received separation benefits as a result of the reorganization by the end of 2012.

 

Separation benefits totaling $104 million, pre-tax, were associated with the reorganization, of which $93 million was recorded in the second half of 2011. Additional severance compensation was recorded during the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, as shown in the table below. The additional severance compensation is included in "Other operation and maintenance" on the Statement of Income.

 

The changes in the carrying amounts of accrued severance for the periods ended June 30, 2012 was as follows:

  Three Months Six Months
       
Accrued severance at the beginning of period $19 $21
Severance compensation    4   10
Severance paid   (15)   (23)
Accrued severance at the end of period $ 8 $ 8

In addition, during the second quarter of 2011, WPD recognized $6 million of separation costs associated with the dismissal of eight senior executives of WPD Midlands, which is included in "Other operation and maintenance" on the Statements of Income and were not part of the reorganization discussed above. Of these costs, $2 million relates to early retirement deficiency costs payable under applicable pension plans and $4 million relates to severance compensation.

 

Pro forma Information

 

The pro forma operating revenues and net income attributable to PPL for the periods ended June 30, 2011, which includes WPD Midlands as if the acquisition had occurred January 1, 2010, are as follows.

       Three Months Six Months
             
Operating Revenues - PPL consolidated pro forma        $ 2,587 $ 5,802
Net Income Attributable to PPL - PPL consolidated pro forma          288   814

The pro forma financial information presented above has been derived from the historical consolidated financial statements of PPL and from the historical combined financial statements of WPD Midlands. Income (loss) from discontinued operations (net of income taxes), which was not significant, was excluded from the pro forma amounts above.

 

The pro forma adjustments include adjustments to depreciation, net periodic pension costs, interest expense, nonrecurring adjustments and the related income tax effects. Nonrecurring adjustments for the periods ended June 30, 2011 include the following pre-tax credits (expenses):

    Income Statement      
    Line Item Three Months Six Months
           
 2011 Bridge Facility costs Interest Expense $ (36) $ (43)
 Foreign currency loss on 2011 Bridge Facility Other Income (Expense) - net   (58)   (58)
 Net hedge gains associated with the 2011 Bridge Facility Other Income (Expense) - net   63   56
 Hedge ineffectiveness Interest Expense   (12)   (12)
 U.K. stamp duty tax Other Income (Expense) - net   (21)   (21)
 Other acquisition-related adjustments (a)   (42)   (52)

(a)       Primarily includes advisory, accounting and legal fees recorded to "Other Income (Expense) - net" and certain separation benefits recognized during the second quarter of 2011 as noted above recorded in "Other operation and maintenance" on the Statement of Income.

Terminated Bluegrass CTs Acquisition (PPL, LKE, LG&E and KU)

 

In September 2011, LG&E and KU entered into an asset purchase agreement with Bluegrass Generation for the purchase of the Bluegrass CTs, aggregating approximately 495 MW, plus limited associated contractual arrangements required for operation of the units, for a purchase price of $110 million, pending receipt of applicable regulatory approvals. In May 2012, the KPSC issued an order approving the request to purchase the Bluegrass CTs. Also in May 2012, the FERC issued an order conditionally authorizing the acquisition of the Bluegrass CTs, subject to approval by the FERC of satisfactory mitigation measures to address market-power concerns. After a review of potentially available mitigation options, LG&E and KU determined that the options were not commercially justifiable. In June 2012, LG&E and KU terminated the asset purchase agreement for the Bluegrass CTs in accordance with its terms and made applicable filings with the KPSC and FERC. LG&E and KU are currently assessing the impact of the Bluegrass contract termination and potential future generation capacity options.

 

Development

 

NGCC Construction (PPL, LKE, LG&E and KU)

 

In September 2011, LG&E and KU filed a CPCN with the KPSC requesting approval to build a 640 MW NGCC at the existing Cane Run plant site in Kentucky. In May 2012, the KPSC issued an order approving the request. Subject to finalizing contracting agreements and permitting activities, construction is expected to begin in 2012 and be completed during 2015. The project, which includes building a natural gas supply pipeline and related transmission projects, has an estimated cost of approximately $600 million ($130 million for LG&E and $470 million for KU).

 

In conjunction with this construction and to meet new, stricter federal EPA regulations with a 2015 compliance date, LG&E and KU anticipate retiring six older coal-fired electric generating units at the Cane Run, Green River and Tyrone plants, which have a combined summer capacity rating of 797 MW. The Cane Run and Green River coal units are anticipated to remain operational until the NGCC generation and associated transmission project is completed. See Note 6 for additional information.

(PPL and PPL Energy Supply)

 

Bell Bend COLA

 

The NRC continues to review the COLA submitted by a PPL Energy Supply subsidiary, PPL Bell Bend, LLC (PPL Bell Bend) for the proposed Bell Bend nuclear generating unit (Bell Bend) to be built adjacent to the Susquehanna plant. PPL Bell Bend has made no decision to proceed with construction of Bell Bend and expects that such decision will not be made for several years given the anticipated lengthy NRC license approval process. Additionally, PPL Bell Bend has announced that it does not expect to proceed with construction absent favorable economics, a joint arrangement with other interested parties and a federal loan guarantee or other acceptable financing. PPL Bell Bend is currently authorized to spend up to $162 million through 2012 on the COLA and other permitting costs (including land costs) necessary for construction. At June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, $142 million and $131 million of costs, which includes capitalized interest, associated with the licensing application were capitalized and are included on the Balance Sheets in noncurrent "Other intangibles." PPL Bell Bend believes that the estimated fair value of the COLA currently exceeds the costs expected to be capitalized associated with the licensing application. PPL Bell Bend remains active in the DOE loan guarantee application process. See Note 8 in PPL's and PPL Energy Supply's 2011 Form 10-K for additional information.

 

Susquehanna-Roseland Transmission Line (PPL and PPL Electric)

 

PPL Electric has experienced delays in obtaining necessary National Park Service (NPS) approvals for the Susquehanna-Roseland transmission line and anticipates a delay of the line's in-service date to 2015. In March 2012, the NPS announced that the route proposed by PPL Electric and PSE&G, previously approved by the Pennsylvania and New Jersey public utility commissions, is the preferred route for the line under the NPS's National Environmental Policy Act review. The NPS has stated that it expects to issue its record of decision in October 2012. An appeal of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approval of the line is pending before the New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division. PPL Electric cannot predict the ultimate outcome or timing of the NPS approval or any further legal challenges to the project. PJM has developed a strategy to manage potential reliability problems until the line is built. PPL Electric cannot predict what additional actions, if any, PJM might take in the event of a further delay to its scheduled in-service date for the new line.

 

At June 30, 2012, PPL Electric's estimated share of the project cost has increased to $560 million from approximately $500 million at December 31, 2011, mainly due to increased material costs. In July 2012, PPL Electric began pre-construction activities including tree and vegetation removal from the transmission line's right of way and construction of access roads.

 

See Note 8 in PPL's and PPL Electric's 2011 Form 10-K for additional information.