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Acquisitions, Development and Divestitures
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Business Combinations [Abstract]  
Mergers, Acquisitions and Dispositions Disclosures
8. Acquisitions, Development and Divestitures

(PPL)

Discontinued Operations

Sale of the U.K. Utility Business

On June 14, 2021, PPL WPD Limited completed the sale of PPL's utility business to National Grid Holdings One plc (National Grid U.K.), a subsidiary of National Grid plc. The transaction resulted in cash proceeds of $10.7 billion inclusive of foreign currency hedges executed by PPL. PPL received net proceeds, after taxes and fees, of $10.4 billion. PPL WPD Limited agreed to indemnify National Grid U.K. for certain tax related matters. See Note 10 for additional information. PPL has not had and will not have any significant involvement with the U.K. utility business since completion of the sale.

Summarized Results of Discontinued Operations

The operations of the U.K. utility business are included in "Loss from Discontinued Operations (net of income taxes)" on the Statement of Income for the period ended March 31, 2021 as follows:
Three Months
Operating Revenues$634 
Operating Expenses252 
Other Income (Expense) - net66 
Interest Expense (a)93 
Income before income taxes355 
Loss on sale(1,647)
Income taxes751 
Loss from Discontinued Operations (net of income taxes)$(2,043)

(a)No interest from corporate level debt was allocated to discontinued operations.

Acquisitions

Share Purchase Agreement to Acquire Narragansett Electric

On March 17, 2021, PPL and its subsidiary, PPL Energy Holdings, entered into a share purchase agreement (Narragansett SPA) with National Grid USA (National Grid U.S.), a subsidiary of National Grid plc to acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of common stock of Narragansett Electric for approximately $3.8 billion in cash. On May 3, 2021, an Assignment and Assumption Agreement was entered into by PPL, PPL Energy Holdings, PPL Rhode Island Holdings and National Grid U.S. whereby certain interests of PPL Energy Holdings in the Narragansett SPA were assigned to and assumed by PPL Rhode Island Holdings. Pursuant to that Assignment and Assumption Agreement, PPL Rhode Island Holdings became the purchasing entity under the Narragansett SPA. The acquisition is expected to be funded with proceeds from the sale of the U.K. utility business. PPL has agreed to guarantee all obligations of PPL Energy Holdings and PPL Rhode Island Holdings under the Narragansett SPA and the related Assignment and Assumption Agreement.

The closing of the acquisition is subject to the receipt of certain U.S. regulatory approvals or waivers, including, among others, authorizations or waivers from the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers (RIDPU), the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (MDPU), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the FERC, as well as review under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and other customary conditions to closing, including the execution and delivery of certain related transaction documents.

The waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, (HSR) with respect to the acquisition, expired on June 2, 2021. The HSR approval expires on June 2, 2022.
On July 14, 2021, the FCC consented to the Transfer of Control Application for the transfer of control of certain communications licenses held by Narragansett Electric from National Grid U.S. to PPL. The FCC consent was originally set to expire on January 17, 2022, but has been extended for 180 days and is currently set to expire on July 16, 2022.
On September 23, 2021, the FERC issued an order authorizing, as consistent with the public interest, the disposition of jurisdictional facilities that will result in PPL Rhode Island Holdings, LLC, acquiring 100% of the outstanding shares of common stock of Narragansett Electric.
On July 16, 2021, the MDPU granted a waiver of jurisdiction with respect to the acquisition, finding that the acquisition would not adversely impact Massachusetts ratepayers. On March 3, 2022, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) issued a stay of the waiver order. On March 25, 2022, National Grid and the Massachusetts Attorney General filed with the SJC a Joint Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal of Appeal and Motion to Lift the Court's March 3, 2022 Order of Stay, and on March 29, 2022, the SJC issued an order dismissing the appeal with prejudice and vacating the stay that it had previously entered.
On February 23, 2022, the RIDPU issued an order authorizing the disposition of jurisdictional facilities that will result in PPL Rhode Island acquiring 100% of the outstanding shares of common stock of Narragansett Electric. The Rhode Island Attorney General subsequently appealed the RIDPU order approving the transaction to the Rhode Island Superior Court and requested a stay of the RIDPU order pending resolution of the appeal. On April 1, 2022, the Rhode Island Superior Court granted a stay of the RIDPU order, and oral arguments on the appeal were held on April 26, 2022. Favorable resolution of the appeals process in Rhode Island is the final pending approval needed to close the transaction.

PPL Energy Holdings and PPL Rhode Island Holdings and National Grid U.S. have each made customary representations, warranties and covenants in the Narragansett SPA, including, among others, customary indemnification provisions and covenants by National Grid U.S. to conduct the Narragansett Electric business in the ordinary course between the execution of
the Narragansett SPA and the closing of the acquisition. The consummation of the transaction is not subject to a financing condition.

In connection with the acquisition, National Grid U.S. and one or more of its subsidiaries and Narragansett Electric will enter into a transition services agreement, pursuant to which National Grid U.S. and/or one or more of its affiliates will agree to provide certain transition services to Narragansett Electric and its affiliates to facilitate the operation of Narragansett Electric following the consummation of the acquisition and the transition of operations to PPL, as agreed upon in the Narragansett SPA.