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New Accounting Guidance Pending Adoption
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]  
Description of New Accounting Pronouncements Not yet Adopted [Text Block]
18. New Accounting Guidance Pending Adoption

(All Registrants)

Accounting for Financial Instrument Credit Losses

In June 2016, the FASB issued accounting guidance that requires the use of a current expected credit loss (CECL) model for the measurement of credit losses on financial instruments within the scope of this guidance, which includes accounts receivable. The CECL model requires an entity to measure credit losses using historical information, current information and reasonable and supportable forecasts of future events, rather than the incurred loss impairment model required under current GAAP.

For public business entities, this guidance will be applied using a modified retrospective approach and is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those years. The Registrants will adopt this guidance on January 1, 2020. The Registrants are currently assessing the impact of adopting this guidance.

Accounting for Implementation Costs in a Cloud Computing Service Arrangement

In August 2018, the FASB issued accounting guidance that requires a customer in a cloud computing hosting arrangement that is a service contract to capitalize implementation costs consistent with internal-use software guidance for non-service arrangements. Prior guidance had not addressed these implementation costs. The guidance requires these capitalized implementation costs to be amortized over the term of the hosting arrangement to the statement of income line item where the service arrangement costs are recorded. The guidance also prescribes the financial statement classification of the capitalized implementation costs and cash flows associated with the arrangement. Additional quantitative and qualitative disclosures are also required.

For public business entities, this guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. This standard must be applied either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption.

The Registrants are currently assessing the impact of adopting this guidance and will adopt this standard as of the beginning of the period adopted, which will be January 1, 2020. Key implementation activities in process of being completed include assessing the population of cloud computing hosting arrangements in the scope of this guidance and identifying and evaluating industry issues.

(PPL, LKE, LG&E and KU)

Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment

In January 2017, the FASB issued accounting guidance that simplifies the test for goodwill impairment by eliminating the second step of the quantitative test. The second step of the quantitative test requires a calculation of the implied fair value of goodwill, which is determined in the same manner as the amount of goodwill in a business combination. Under this new guidance, an entity will now compare the estimated fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying value and recognize an impairment charge for the amount the carrying amount exceeds the fair value of the reporting unit.

For public business entities, this guidance will be applied prospectively and is effective for annual or any interim goodwill impairment tests for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The Registrants will adopt this guidance on January 1, 2020. The Registrants are currently assessing the impact of adopting this guidance.