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Leases Leases
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Leases
LEASES (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)

Entergy implemented ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” effective January 1, 2019. The ASU’s core principle is that “a lessee should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases.” The ASU considers that “all leases create an asset and a liability,” and accordingly requires recording the assets and liabilities related to all leases with a term greater than 12 months. Concurrent with the implementation of ASU 2016-02, Entergy implemented ASU 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” which provided Entergy the option to elect not to evaluate existing land easements that are not currently accounted for under the previous lease standard, and ASU 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements,” which intended to simplify the transition requirement giving Entergy the option to apply the transition provisions of the new standard at the date of adoption instead of at the earliest comparative period. In implementing these ASUs, Entergy elected the options provided in both ASU 2018-01 and ASU 2018-11. This accounting was applied to all lease agreements using the modified retrospective method, which required an adjustment to retained earnings for the cumulative effect of adopting the standard as of the effective date, and when implemented with ASU 2018-11, allowed Entergy to recognize the leased assets and liabilities on its balance sheet beginning on January 1, 2019 without restating prior periods. In adopting the standard, in January 2019 Entergy recognized right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities totaling approximately $263 million, including $59 million for Entergy Arkansas, $51 million for Entergy Louisiana, $26 million for Entergy Mississippi, $7 million for Entergy New Orleans, and $16 million for Entergy Texas. Implementation of the standards had no material effect on consolidated net income; therefore, no adjustment to retained earnings was recorded. The adoption of the standards had no effect on cash flows.

General

As of March 31, 2019, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries held operating and financing leases for fleet vehicles used in operations, real estate, fuel storage facilities, and power purchase agreements. Excluded from this are power purchase agreements not meeting the definition of a lease, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale-leaseback which were determined not to be leases.

Leases have remaining terms of one year to 30 years. Real estate leases generally include at least one five-year renewal option; however, renewal is not typically considered certain unless Entergy or a Registrant Subsidiary makes significant leasehold improvements or other modifications which would hinder its ability to easily move. In certain of the lease agreements for fleet vehicles used in operations, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries provide residual value guarantees to the lessor; however, due to the nature of the agreements and Entergy’s continuing relationship with the lessor, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to renegotiate or refinance the leases prior to conclusion of the lease. As such, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries do not believe it is probable that they will be required to pay anything pertaining to the residual value guarantee, and the lease liabilities and right-of-use assets are measured accordingly.

Entergy incurred the following total lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost
 

$15,720

Financing lease cost:
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets
 

$2,912

Interest on lease liabilities
 

$753



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by Entergy for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.

The Registrant Subsidiaries incurred the following lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost

$3,295

 

$3,026

 

$1,753

 

$357

 

$1,085

Financing lease cost:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets

$629

 

$1,025

 

$348

 

$176

 

$306

Interest on lease liabilities

$105

 

$152

 

$59

 

$30

 

$46



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by the Registrant Subsidiaries for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the respective Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Entergy has elected to account for short-term leases in accordance with policy options provided by accounting guidance; therefore, there are no related lease liabilities or right-of-use assets for the costs recognized above by Entergy or by its Registrant Subsidiaries in the table below.

Included within Property, Plant, and Equipment on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2019 are $241 million related to operating leases and $60 million related to financing leases.

Included within Utility Plant on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019 are the following amounts:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating leases

$52,916

 

$36,066

 

$18,926

 

$4,961

 

$9,991

Financing leases

$11,317

 

$16,978

 

$6,358

 

$2,974

 

$5,076



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$53,121

Financing leases
 

$11,590

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$173,456

Financing leases
 

$53,065



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$11,321

 

$10,958

 

$6,461

 

$1,748

 

$3,071

Financing leases

$2,465

 

$4,052

 

$1,382

 

$678

 

$1,281

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$41,597

 

$25,144

 

$12,565

 

$3,218

 

$7,007

Financing leases

$8,851

 

$13,039

 

$4,975

 

$2,296

 

$3,708



The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of Entergy at March 31, 2019:
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
Operating leases
 
5.51

Financing leases
 
7.06

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
Operating leases
 
3.75
%
Financing leases
 
4.64
%


The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of the Registrant Subsidiaries at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
6.38

 
4.32

 
5.09

 
5.64

 
4.15

Financing leases
5.64

 
5.29

 
5.39

 
5.81

 
5.09

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
3.29
%
 
3.54
%
 
3.67
%
 
3.55
%
 
3.80
%
Financing leases
3.71
%
 
3.56
%
 
3.70
%
 
3.97
%
 
3.72
%


Maturity of the lease liabilities for Entergy as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:
Year
 
Operating Leases
 
Financing Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder for 2019
 

$44,143

 

$10,375

2020
 
52,905

 
12,489

2021
 
43,482

 
10,941

2022
 
34,768

 
9,743

2023
 
27,974

 
8,680

Years thereafter
 
45,259

 
26,744

Minimum lease payments
 
248,531

 
78,972

Less: amount representing interest
 
21,954

 
14,318

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$226,577

 

$64,654



Maturity of the lease liabilities for the Registrant Subsidiaries as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:

Operating Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$9,285

 

$8,316

 

$5,231

 

$1,036

 

$2,631

2020
 
11,085

 
9,795

 
5,845

 
1,216

 
2,961

2021
 
9,137

 
8,009

 
3,886

 
945

 
2,186

2022
 
6,763

 
5,137

 
2,505

 
622

 
1,196

2023
 
5,600

 
3,262

 
1,228

 
460

 
839

Years thereafter
 
15,713

 
3,346

 
2,313

 
999

 
1,104

Minimum lease payments
 
57,583

 
37,865

 
21,008

 
5,278

 
10,917

Less: amount representing interest
 
4,664

 
1,764

 
1,982

 
312

 
839

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$52,919

 

$36,101

 

$19,026

 

$4,966

 

$10,078


Financing Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$2,071

 

$3,302

 

$1,159

 

$592

 

$1,010

2020
 
2,464

 
3,843

 
1,431

 
616

 
1,165

2021
 
2,067

 
3,189

 
1,266

 
505

 
973

2022
 
1,778

 
2,749

 
1,073

 
454

 
766

2023
 
1,551

 
2,301

 
867

 
407

 
633

Years thereafter
 
2,476

 
5,414

 
1,154

 
748

 
796

Minimum lease payments
 
12,407

 
20,798

 
6,950

 
3,322

 
5,343

Less: amount representing interest
 
1,091

 
3,707

 
592

 
349

 
354

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$11,316

 

$17,091

 

$6,358

 

$2,973

 

$4,989



In allocating consideration in lease contracts to the lease and non-lease components, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries have made the accounting policy election to combine lease and non-lease components related to fleet vehicles used in operations, fuel storage agreements, and purchased power agreements and to allocate the contract consideration to both lease and non-lease components for real estate leases.

In accordance with ASU 2018-11, below is the lease disclosure from Note 10 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K.

General

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy had capital leases and non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transaction, all of which are discussed elsewhere):
 
Year
 
Operating
Leases
 
Capital
Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$94,043

 

$2,887

2020
 
82,191

 
2,887

2021
 
75,147

 
2,887

2022
 
60,808

 
2,887

2023
 
47,391

 
2,887

Years thereafter
 
88,004

 
16,117

Minimum lease payments
 
447,584

 
30,552

Less:  Amount representing interest
 

 
8,555

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$447,584

 

$21,997



Total rental expenses for all leases (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf and Waterford 3 sale and leaseback transactions) amounted to $47.8 million in 2018, $53.1 million in 2017, and $44.4 million in 2016.

As of December 31, 2018 the Registrant Subsidiaries had non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf lease obligation, all of which are discussed elsewhere):

Operating Leases
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$20,421

 

$25,970

 

$9,344

 

$2,493

 

$5,744

2020
 
13,918

 
21,681

 
8,763

 
2,349

 
4,431

2021
 
11,931

 
19,514

 
7,186

 
1,901

 
3,625

2022
 
9,458

 
15,756

 
5,675

 
1,314

 
2,218

2023
 
7,782

 
12,092

 
2,946

 
1,043

 
1,561

Years thereafter
 
23,297

 
22,003

 
4,417

 
2,323

 
2,726

Minimum lease payments
 

$86,807

 

$117,016

 

$38,331

 

$11,423

 

$20,305



Rental Expenses
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
System
Energy
 
 
(In Millions)
2018
 

$6.2

 

$20.2

 

$4.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.1

 

$1.9

2017
 

$7.5

 

$23.0

 

$5.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.4

 

$2.2

2016
 

$8.0

 

$17.8

 

$4.0

 

$0.9

 

$2.8

 

$1.6



In addition to the above rental expense, railcar operating lease payments and oil tank facilities lease payments are recorded in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment.  Railcar operating lease payments were $2.8 million in 2018, $4 million in 2017, and $3.4 million in 2016 for Entergy Arkansas and $0.4 million in 2018, $0.3 million in 2017, and $0.3 million in 2016 for Entergy Louisiana.  Oil tank facilities lease payments for Entergy Mississippi were $0.1 million in 2018, $1.6 million in 2017, and $1.6 million in 2016.

On January 1, 2019, Entergy implemented ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” along with the practical expedients provided by ASU No. 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” and ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements.”  See Note 1 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of ASU No. 2016-02.

Power Purchase Agreements

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy Texas had a power purchase agreement that is accounted for as an operating lease under the accounting standards. The lease payments are recovered in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment. The minimum lease payments under the power purchase agreement are as follows:
Year
 
Entergy Texas (a)
 
Entergy
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$31,159

 

$31,159

2020
 
31,876

 
31,876

2021
 
32,609

 
32,609

2022
 
10,180

 
10,180

Minimum lease payments
 

$105,824

 

$105,824


(a)
Amounts reflect 100% of minimum payments. Under a separate contract, which expires May 31, 2022, Entergy Louisiana purchases 50% of the capacity and energy from the power purchase agreement from Entergy Texas.

Total capacity expense under the power purchase agreement accounted for as an operating lease at Entergy Texas was $30.5 million in 2018, $34.1 million in 2017, and $26.1 million in 2016.

Sales and Leaseback Transactions

Waterford 3 Lease Obligation

In 1989, in three separate but substantially identical transactions, Entergy Louisiana sold and leased back undivided interests in Waterford 3 for the aggregate sum of $353.6 million.  The leases were scheduled to expire in July 2017.  Entergy Louisiana was required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.

In December 2015, Entergy Louisiana agreed to purchase the undivided interests in Waterford 3 that were previously being leased. The purchase was accomplished in a two-step transaction in which Entergy Louisiana first acquired the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets, followed by a termination of the leases and transfer of the leased assets to Entergy Louisiana when the outstanding lessor debt is paid.

In March 2016, Entergy Louisiana completed the first step in the two-step transaction by acquiring the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets. Entergy Louisiana paid $60 million in cash and $52 million through the issuance of a non-interest bearing collateral trust mortgage note, payable in installments through July 2017. Entergy Louisiana continued to make payments on the lessor debt that remained outstanding and which matured in January 2017. The combination of payments on the $52 million collateral trust mortgage note issued and the debt service on the lessor debt was equal in timing and amount to the remaining lease payments due from the closing of the transaction through the end of the lease term in July 2017.

Throughout the term of the lease, Entergy Louisiana had accrued a liability for the amount it expected to pay to retain the use of the undivided interests in Waterford 3 at the end of the lease term. Since the sale-leaseback transaction was accounted for as a financing transaction, the accrual of this liability was accounted for as additional interest expense. As of December 2015, the balance of this liability was $62.7 million. Upon entering into the agreement to purchase the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the undivided interests, Entergy Louisiana reduced the balance of the liability to $60 million, and recorded the $2.7 million difference as a credit to interest expense. The $60 million remaining liability was eliminated upon payment of the cash portion of the purchase price in 2016.

As of December 31, 2016, Entergy Louisiana, in connection with the Waterford 3 lease obligation, had a future minimum lease payment (reflecting an interest rate of 8.09%) of $57.5 million, including $2.3 million in interest, due January 2017 that was recorded as long-term debt.

In February 2017 the leases were terminated and the leased assets were conveyed to Entergy Louisiana.

Grand Gulf Lease Obligations

In 1988, in two separate but substantially identical transactions, System Energy sold and leased back undivided ownership interests in Grand Gulf for the aggregate sum of $500 million.  The initial term of the leases expired in July 2015.  System Energy renewed the leases in December 2013 for fair market value with renewal terms expiring in July 2036. At the end of the new lease renewal terms, System Energy has the option to repurchase the leased interests in Grand Gulf or renew the leases at fair market value.  In the event that System Energy does not renew or purchase the interests, System Energy would surrender such interests and their associated entitlement of Grand Gulf’s capacity and energy.

System Energy is required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.  For financial reporting purposes, System Energy expenses the interest portion of the lease obligation and the plant depreciation.  However, operating revenues include the recovery of the lease payments because the transactions are accounted for as a sale and leaseback for ratemaking purposes.  Consistent with a recommendation contained in a FERC audit report, System Energy initially recorded as a net regulatory asset the difference between the recovery of the lease payments and the amounts expensed for interest and depreciation and continues to record this difference as a regulatory asset or liability on an ongoing basis, resulting in a zero net balance for the regulatory asset at the end of the lease term.  The amount was a net regulatory liability of $55.6 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017.

As of December 31, 2018, System Energy, in connection with the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transactions, had future minimum lease payments that are recorded as long-term debt, as follows, which reflects the effect of the December 2013 renewal:
 
Amount
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
2019

$17,188

2020
17,188

2021
17,188

2022
17,188

2023
17,188

Years thereafter
223,437

Total
309,377

Less: Amount representing interest
275,025

Present value of net minimum lease payments

$34,352

Entergy Arkansas [Member]  
Leases
LEASES (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)

Entergy implemented ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” effective January 1, 2019. The ASU’s core principle is that “a lessee should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases.” The ASU considers that “all leases create an asset and a liability,” and accordingly requires recording the assets and liabilities related to all leases with a term greater than 12 months. Concurrent with the implementation of ASU 2016-02, Entergy implemented ASU 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” which provided Entergy the option to elect not to evaluate existing land easements that are not currently accounted for under the previous lease standard, and ASU 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements,” which intended to simplify the transition requirement giving Entergy the option to apply the transition provisions of the new standard at the date of adoption instead of at the earliest comparative period. In implementing these ASUs, Entergy elected the options provided in both ASU 2018-01 and ASU 2018-11. This accounting was applied to all lease agreements using the modified retrospective method, which required an adjustment to retained earnings for the cumulative effect of adopting the standard as of the effective date, and when implemented with ASU 2018-11, allowed Entergy to recognize the leased assets and liabilities on its balance sheet beginning on January 1, 2019 without restating prior periods. In adopting the standard, in January 2019 Entergy recognized right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities totaling approximately $263 million, including $59 million for Entergy Arkansas, $51 million for Entergy Louisiana, $26 million for Entergy Mississippi, $7 million for Entergy New Orleans, and $16 million for Entergy Texas. Implementation of the standards had no material effect on consolidated net income; therefore, no adjustment to retained earnings was recorded. The adoption of the standards had no effect on cash flows.

General

As of March 31, 2019, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries held operating and financing leases for fleet vehicles used in operations, real estate, fuel storage facilities, and power purchase agreements. Excluded from this are power purchase agreements not meeting the definition of a lease, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale-leaseback which were determined not to be leases.

Leases have remaining terms of one year to 30 years. Real estate leases generally include at least one five-year renewal option; however, renewal is not typically considered certain unless Entergy or a Registrant Subsidiary makes significant leasehold improvements or other modifications which would hinder its ability to easily move. In certain of the lease agreements for fleet vehicles used in operations, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries provide residual value guarantees to the lessor; however, due to the nature of the agreements and Entergy’s continuing relationship with the lessor, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to renegotiate or refinance the leases prior to conclusion of the lease. As such, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries do not believe it is probable that they will be required to pay anything pertaining to the residual value guarantee, and the lease liabilities and right-of-use assets are measured accordingly.

Entergy incurred the following total lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost
 

$15,720

Financing lease cost:
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets
 

$2,912

Interest on lease liabilities
 

$753



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by Entergy for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.

The Registrant Subsidiaries incurred the following lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost

$3,295

 

$3,026

 

$1,753

 

$357

 

$1,085

Financing lease cost:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets

$629

 

$1,025

 

$348

 

$176

 

$306

Interest on lease liabilities

$105

 

$152

 

$59

 

$30

 

$46



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by the Registrant Subsidiaries for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the respective Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Entergy has elected to account for short-term leases in accordance with policy options provided by accounting guidance; therefore, there are no related lease liabilities or right-of-use assets for the costs recognized above by Entergy or by its Registrant Subsidiaries in the table below.

Included within Property, Plant, and Equipment on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2019 are $241 million related to operating leases and $60 million related to financing leases.

Included within Utility Plant on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019 are the following amounts:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating leases

$52,916

 

$36,066

 

$18,926

 

$4,961

 

$9,991

Financing leases

$11,317

 

$16,978

 

$6,358

 

$2,974

 

$5,076



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$53,121

Financing leases
 

$11,590

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$173,456

Financing leases
 

$53,065



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$11,321

 

$10,958

 

$6,461

 

$1,748

 

$3,071

Financing leases

$2,465

 

$4,052

 

$1,382

 

$678

 

$1,281

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$41,597

 

$25,144

 

$12,565

 

$3,218

 

$7,007

Financing leases

$8,851

 

$13,039

 

$4,975

 

$2,296

 

$3,708



The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of Entergy at March 31, 2019:
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
Operating leases
 
5.51

Financing leases
 
7.06

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
Operating leases
 
3.75
%
Financing leases
 
4.64
%


The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of the Registrant Subsidiaries at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
6.38

 
4.32

 
5.09

 
5.64

 
4.15

Financing leases
5.64

 
5.29

 
5.39

 
5.81

 
5.09

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
3.29
%
 
3.54
%
 
3.67
%
 
3.55
%
 
3.80
%
Financing leases
3.71
%
 
3.56
%
 
3.70
%
 
3.97
%
 
3.72
%


Maturity of the lease liabilities for Entergy as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:
Year
 
Operating Leases
 
Financing Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder for 2019
 

$44,143

 

$10,375

2020
 
52,905

 
12,489

2021
 
43,482

 
10,941

2022
 
34,768

 
9,743

2023
 
27,974

 
8,680

Years thereafter
 
45,259

 
26,744

Minimum lease payments
 
248,531

 
78,972

Less: amount representing interest
 
21,954

 
14,318

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$226,577

 

$64,654



Maturity of the lease liabilities for the Registrant Subsidiaries as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:

Operating Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$9,285

 

$8,316

 

$5,231

 

$1,036

 

$2,631

2020
 
11,085

 
9,795

 
5,845

 
1,216

 
2,961

2021
 
9,137

 
8,009

 
3,886

 
945

 
2,186

2022
 
6,763

 
5,137

 
2,505

 
622

 
1,196

2023
 
5,600

 
3,262

 
1,228

 
460

 
839

Years thereafter
 
15,713

 
3,346

 
2,313

 
999

 
1,104

Minimum lease payments
 
57,583

 
37,865

 
21,008

 
5,278

 
10,917

Less: amount representing interest
 
4,664

 
1,764

 
1,982

 
312

 
839

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$52,919

 

$36,101

 

$19,026

 

$4,966

 

$10,078


Financing Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$2,071

 

$3,302

 

$1,159

 

$592

 

$1,010

2020
 
2,464

 
3,843

 
1,431

 
616

 
1,165

2021
 
2,067

 
3,189

 
1,266

 
505

 
973

2022
 
1,778

 
2,749

 
1,073

 
454

 
766

2023
 
1,551

 
2,301

 
867

 
407

 
633

Years thereafter
 
2,476

 
5,414

 
1,154

 
748

 
796

Minimum lease payments
 
12,407

 
20,798

 
6,950

 
3,322

 
5,343

Less: amount representing interest
 
1,091

 
3,707

 
592

 
349

 
354

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$11,316

 

$17,091

 

$6,358

 

$2,973

 

$4,989



In allocating consideration in lease contracts to the lease and non-lease components, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries have made the accounting policy election to combine lease and non-lease components related to fleet vehicles used in operations, fuel storage agreements, and purchased power agreements and to allocate the contract consideration to both lease and non-lease components for real estate leases.

In accordance with ASU 2018-11, below is the lease disclosure from Note 10 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K.

General

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy had capital leases and non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transaction, all of which are discussed elsewhere):
 
Year
 
Operating
Leases
 
Capital
Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$94,043

 

$2,887

2020
 
82,191

 
2,887

2021
 
75,147

 
2,887

2022
 
60,808

 
2,887

2023
 
47,391

 
2,887

Years thereafter
 
88,004

 
16,117

Minimum lease payments
 
447,584

 
30,552

Less:  Amount representing interest
 

 
8,555

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$447,584

 

$21,997



Total rental expenses for all leases (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf and Waterford 3 sale and leaseback transactions) amounted to $47.8 million in 2018, $53.1 million in 2017, and $44.4 million in 2016.

As of December 31, 2018 the Registrant Subsidiaries had non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf lease obligation, all of which are discussed elsewhere):

Operating Leases
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$20,421

 

$25,970

 

$9,344

 

$2,493

 

$5,744

2020
 
13,918

 
21,681

 
8,763

 
2,349

 
4,431

2021
 
11,931

 
19,514

 
7,186

 
1,901

 
3,625

2022
 
9,458

 
15,756

 
5,675

 
1,314

 
2,218

2023
 
7,782

 
12,092

 
2,946

 
1,043

 
1,561

Years thereafter
 
23,297

 
22,003

 
4,417

 
2,323

 
2,726

Minimum lease payments
 

$86,807

 

$117,016

 

$38,331

 

$11,423

 

$20,305



Rental Expenses
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
System
Energy
 
 
(In Millions)
2018
 

$6.2

 

$20.2

 

$4.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.1

 

$1.9

2017
 

$7.5

 

$23.0

 

$5.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.4

 

$2.2

2016
 

$8.0

 

$17.8

 

$4.0

 

$0.9

 

$2.8

 

$1.6



In addition to the above rental expense, railcar operating lease payments and oil tank facilities lease payments are recorded in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment.  Railcar operating lease payments were $2.8 million in 2018, $4 million in 2017, and $3.4 million in 2016 for Entergy Arkansas and $0.4 million in 2018, $0.3 million in 2017, and $0.3 million in 2016 for Entergy Louisiana.  Oil tank facilities lease payments for Entergy Mississippi were $0.1 million in 2018, $1.6 million in 2017, and $1.6 million in 2016.

On January 1, 2019, Entergy implemented ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” along with the practical expedients provided by ASU No. 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” and ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements.”  See Note 1 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of ASU No. 2016-02.

Power Purchase Agreements

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy Texas had a power purchase agreement that is accounted for as an operating lease under the accounting standards. The lease payments are recovered in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment. The minimum lease payments under the power purchase agreement are as follows:
Year
 
Entergy Texas (a)
 
Entergy
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$31,159

 

$31,159

2020
 
31,876

 
31,876

2021
 
32,609

 
32,609

2022
 
10,180

 
10,180

Minimum lease payments
 

$105,824

 

$105,824


(a)
Amounts reflect 100% of minimum payments. Under a separate contract, which expires May 31, 2022, Entergy Louisiana purchases 50% of the capacity and energy from the power purchase agreement from Entergy Texas.

Total capacity expense under the power purchase agreement accounted for as an operating lease at Entergy Texas was $30.5 million in 2018, $34.1 million in 2017, and $26.1 million in 2016.

Sales and Leaseback Transactions

Waterford 3 Lease Obligation

In 1989, in three separate but substantially identical transactions, Entergy Louisiana sold and leased back undivided interests in Waterford 3 for the aggregate sum of $353.6 million.  The leases were scheduled to expire in July 2017.  Entergy Louisiana was required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.

In December 2015, Entergy Louisiana agreed to purchase the undivided interests in Waterford 3 that were previously being leased. The purchase was accomplished in a two-step transaction in which Entergy Louisiana first acquired the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets, followed by a termination of the leases and transfer of the leased assets to Entergy Louisiana when the outstanding lessor debt is paid.

In March 2016, Entergy Louisiana completed the first step in the two-step transaction by acquiring the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets. Entergy Louisiana paid $60 million in cash and $52 million through the issuance of a non-interest bearing collateral trust mortgage note, payable in installments through July 2017. Entergy Louisiana continued to make payments on the lessor debt that remained outstanding and which matured in January 2017. The combination of payments on the $52 million collateral trust mortgage note issued and the debt service on the lessor debt was equal in timing and amount to the remaining lease payments due from the closing of the transaction through the end of the lease term in July 2017.

Throughout the term of the lease, Entergy Louisiana had accrued a liability for the amount it expected to pay to retain the use of the undivided interests in Waterford 3 at the end of the lease term. Since the sale-leaseback transaction was accounted for as a financing transaction, the accrual of this liability was accounted for as additional interest expense. As of December 2015, the balance of this liability was $62.7 million. Upon entering into the agreement to purchase the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the undivided interests, Entergy Louisiana reduced the balance of the liability to $60 million, and recorded the $2.7 million difference as a credit to interest expense. The $60 million remaining liability was eliminated upon payment of the cash portion of the purchase price in 2016.

As of December 31, 2016, Entergy Louisiana, in connection with the Waterford 3 lease obligation, had a future minimum lease payment (reflecting an interest rate of 8.09%) of $57.5 million, including $2.3 million in interest, due January 2017 that was recorded as long-term debt.

In February 2017 the leases were terminated and the leased assets were conveyed to Entergy Louisiana.

Grand Gulf Lease Obligations

In 1988, in two separate but substantially identical transactions, System Energy sold and leased back undivided ownership interests in Grand Gulf for the aggregate sum of $500 million.  The initial term of the leases expired in July 2015.  System Energy renewed the leases in December 2013 for fair market value with renewal terms expiring in July 2036. At the end of the new lease renewal terms, System Energy has the option to repurchase the leased interests in Grand Gulf or renew the leases at fair market value.  In the event that System Energy does not renew or purchase the interests, System Energy would surrender such interests and their associated entitlement of Grand Gulf’s capacity and energy.

System Energy is required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.  For financial reporting purposes, System Energy expenses the interest portion of the lease obligation and the plant depreciation.  However, operating revenues include the recovery of the lease payments because the transactions are accounted for as a sale and leaseback for ratemaking purposes.  Consistent with a recommendation contained in a FERC audit report, System Energy initially recorded as a net regulatory asset the difference between the recovery of the lease payments and the amounts expensed for interest and depreciation and continues to record this difference as a regulatory asset or liability on an ongoing basis, resulting in a zero net balance for the regulatory asset at the end of the lease term.  The amount was a net regulatory liability of $55.6 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017.

As of December 31, 2018, System Energy, in connection with the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transactions, had future minimum lease payments that are recorded as long-term debt, as follows, which reflects the effect of the December 2013 renewal:
 
Amount
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
2019

$17,188

2020
17,188

2021
17,188

2022
17,188

2023
17,188

Years thereafter
223,437

Total
309,377

Less: Amount representing interest
275,025

Present value of net minimum lease payments

$34,352

Entergy Louisiana [Member]  
Leases
LEASES (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)

Entergy implemented ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” effective January 1, 2019. The ASU’s core principle is that “a lessee should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases.” The ASU considers that “all leases create an asset and a liability,” and accordingly requires recording the assets and liabilities related to all leases with a term greater than 12 months. Concurrent with the implementation of ASU 2016-02, Entergy implemented ASU 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” which provided Entergy the option to elect not to evaluate existing land easements that are not currently accounted for under the previous lease standard, and ASU 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements,” which intended to simplify the transition requirement giving Entergy the option to apply the transition provisions of the new standard at the date of adoption instead of at the earliest comparative period. In implementing these ASUs, Entergy elected the options provided in both ASU 2018-01 and ASU 2018-11. This accounting was applied to all lease agreements using the modified retrospective method, which required an adjustment to retained earnings for the cumulative effect of adopting the standard as of the effective date, and when implemented with ASU 2018-11, allowed Entergy to recognize the leased assets and liabilities on its balance sheet beginning on January 1, 2019 without restating prior periods. In adopting the standard, in January 2019 Entergy recognized right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities totaling approximately $263 million, including $59 million for Entergy Arkansas, $51 million for Entergy Louisiana, $26 million for Entergy Mississippi, $7 million for Entergy New Orleans, and $16 million for Entergy Texas. Implementation of the standards had no material effect on consolidated net income; therefore, no adjustment to retained earnings was recorded. The adoption of the standards had no effect on cash flows.

General

As of March 31, 2019, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries held operating and financing leases for fleet vehicles used in operations, real estate, fuel storage facilities, and power purchase agreements. Excluded from this are power purchase agreements not meeting the definition of a lease, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale-leaseback which were determined not to be leases.

Leases have remaining terms of one year to 30 years. Real estate leases generally include at least one five-year renewal option; however, renewal is not typically considered certain unless Entergy or a Registrant Subsidiary makes significant leasehold improvements or other modifications which would hinder its ability to easily move. In certain of the lease agreements for fleet vehicles used in operations, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries provide residual value guarantees to the lessor; however, due to the nature of the agreements and Entergy’s continuing relationship with the lessor, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to renegotiate or refinance the leases prior to conclusion of the lease. As such, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries do not believe it is probable that they will be required to pay anything pertaining to the residual value guarantee, and the lease liabilities and right-of-use assets are measured accordingly.

Entergy incurred the following total lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost
 

$15,720

Financing lease cost:
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets
 

$2,912

Interest on lease liabilities
 

$753



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by Entergy for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.

The Registrant Subsidiaries incurred the following lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost

$3,295

 

$3,026

 

$1,753

 

$357

 

$1,085

Financing lease cost:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets

$629

 

$1,025

 

$348

 

$176

 

$306

Interest on lease liabilities

$105

 

$152

 

$59

 

$30

 

$46



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by the Registrant Subsidiaries for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the respective Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Entergy has elected to account for short-term leases in accordance with policy options provided by accounting guidance; therefore, there are no related lease liabilities or right-of-use assets for the costs recognized above by Entergy or by its Registrant Subsidiaries in the table below.

Included within Property, Plant, and Equipment on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2019 are $241 million related to operating leases and $60 million related to financing leases.

Included within Utility Plant on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019 are the following amounts:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating leases

$52,916

 

$36,066

 

$18,926

 

$4,961

 

$9,991

Financing leases

$11,317

 

$16,978

 

$6,358

 

$2,974

 

$5,076



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$53,121

Financing leases
 

$11,590

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$173,456

Financing leases
 

$53,065



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$11,321

 

$10,958

 

$6,461

 

$1,748

 

$3,071

Financing leases

$2,465

 

$4,052

 

$1,382

 

$678

 

$1,281

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$41,597

 

$25,144

 

$12,565

 

$3,218

 

$7,007

Financing leases

$8,851

 

$13,039

 

$4,975

 

$2,296

 

$3,708



The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of Entergy at March 31, 2019:
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
Operating leases
 
5.51

Financing leases
 
7.06

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
Operating leases
 
3.75
%
Financing leases
 
4.64
%


The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of the Registrant Subsidiaries at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
6.38

 
4.32

 
5.09

 
5.64

 
4.15

Financing leases
5.64

 
5.29

 
5.39

 
5.81

 
5.09

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
3.29
%
 
3.54
%
 
3.67
%
 
3.55
%
 
3.80
%
Financing leases
3.71
%
 
3.56
%
 
3.70
%
 
3.97
%
 
3.72
%


Maturity of the lease liabilities for Entergy as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:
Year
 
Operating Leases
 
Financing Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder for 2019
 

$44,143

 

$10,375

2020
 
52,905

 
12,489

2021
 
43,482

 
10,941

2022
 
34,768

 
9,743

2023
 
27,974

 
8,680

Years thereafter
 
45,259

 
26,744

Minimum lease payments
 
248,531

 
78,972

Less: amount representing interest
 
21,954

 
14,318

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$226,577

 

$64,654



Maturity of the lease liabilities for the Registrant Subsidiaries as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:

Operating Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$9,285

 

$8,316

 

$5,231

 

$1,036

 

$2,631

2020
 
11,085

 
9,795

 
5,845

 
1,216

 
2,961

2021
 
9,137

 
8,009

 
3,886

 
945

 
2,186

2022
 
6,763

 
5,137

 
2,505

 
622

 
1,196

2023
 
5,600

 
3,262

 
1,228

 
460

 
839

Years thereafter
 
15,713

 
3,346

 
2,313

 
999

 
1,104

Minimum lease payments
 
57,583

 
37,865

 
21,008

 
5,278

 
10,917

Less: amount representing interest
 
4,664

 
1,764

 
1,982

 
312

 
839

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$52,919

 

$36,101

 

$19,026

 

$4,966

 

$10,078


Financing Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$2,071

 

$3,302

 

$1,159

 

$592

 

$1,010

2020
 
2,464

 
3,843

 
1,431

 
616

 
1,165

2021
 
2,067

 
3,189

 
1,266

 
505

 
973

2022
 
1,778

 
2,749

 
1,073

 
454

 
766

2023
 
1,551

 
2,301

 
867

 
407

 
633

Years thereafter
 
2,476

 
5,414

 
1,154

 
748

 
796

Minimum lease payments
 
12,407

 
20,798

 
6,950

 
3,322

 
5,343

Less: amount representing interest
 
1,091

 
3,707

 
592

 
349

 
354

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$11,316

 

$17,091

 

$6,358

 

$2,973

 

$4,989



In allocating consideration in lease contracts to the lease and non-lease components, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries have made the accounting policy election to combine lease and non-lease components related to fleet vehicles used in operations, fuel storage agreements, and purchased power agreements and to allocate the contract consideration to both lease and non-lease components for real estate leases.

In accordance with ASU 2018-11, below is the lease disclosure from Note 10 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K.

General

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy had capital leases and non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transaction, all of which are discussed elsewhere):
 
Year
 
Operating
Leases
 
Capital
Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$94,043

 

$2,887

2020
 
82,191

 
2,887

2021
 
75,147

 
2,887

2022
 
60,808

 
2,887

2023
 
47,391

 
2,887

Years thereafter
 
88,004

 
16,117

Minimum lease payments
 
447,584

 
30,552

Less:  Amount representing interest
 

 
8,555

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$447,584

 

$21,997



Total rental expenses for all leases (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf and Waterford 3 sale and leaseback transactions) amounted to $47.8 million in 2018, $53.1 million in 2017, and $44.4 million in 2016.

As of December 31, 2018 the Registrant Subsidiaries had non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf lease obligation, all of which are discussed elsewhere):

Operating Leases
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$20,421

 

$25,970

 

$9,344

 

$2,493

 

$5,744

2020
 
13,918

 
21,681

 
8,763

 
2,349

 
4,431

2021
 
11,931

 
19,514

 
7,186

 
1,901

 
3,625

2022
 
9,458

 
15,756

 
5,675

 
1,314

 
2,218

2023
 
7,782

 
12,092

 
2,946

 
1,043

 
1,561

Years thereafter
 
23,297

 
22,003

 
4,417

 
2,323

 
2,726

Minimum lease payments
 

$86,807

 

$117,016

 

$38,331

 

$11,423

 

$20,305



Rental Expenses
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
System
Energy
 
 
(In Millions)
2018
 

$6.2

 

$20.2

 

$4.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.1

 

$1.9

2017
 

$7.5

 

$23.0

 

$5.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.4

 

$2.2

2016
 

$8.0

 

$17.8

 

$4.0

 

$0.9

 

$2.8

 

$1.6



In addition to the above rental expense, railcar operating lease payments and oil tank facilities lease payments are recorded in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment.  Railcar operating lease payments were $2.8 million in 2018, $4 million in 2017, and $3.4 million in 2016 for Entergy Arkansas and $0.4 million in 2018, $0.3 million in 2017, and $0.3 million in 2016 for Entergy Louisiana.  Oil tank facilities lease payments for Entergy Mississippi were $0.1 million in 2018, $1.6 million in 2017, and $1.6 million in 2016.

On January 1, 2019, Entergy implemented ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” along with the practical expedients provided by ASU No. 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” and ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements.”  See Note 1 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of ASU No. 2016-02.

Power Purchase Agreements

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy Texas had a power purchase agreement that is accounted for as an operating lease under the accounting standards. The lease payments are recovered in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment. The minimum lease payments under the power purchase agreement are as follows:
Year
 
Entergy Texas (a)
 
Entergy
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$31,159

 

$31,159

2020
 
31,876

 
31,876

2021
 
32,609

 
32,609

2022
 
10,180

 
10,180

Minimum lease payments
 

$105,824

 

$105,824


(a)
Amounts reflect 100% of minimum payments. Under a separate contract, which expires May 31, 2022, Entergy Louisiana purchases 50% of the capacity and energy from the power purchase agreement from Entergy Texas.

Total capacity expense under the power purchase agreement accounted for as an operating lease at Entergy Texas was $30.5 million in 2018, $34.1 million in 2017, and $26.1 million in 2016.

Sales and Leaseback Transactions

Waterford 3 Lease Obligation

In 1989, in three separate but substantially identical transactions, Entergy Louisiana sold and leased back undivided interests in Waterford 3 for the aggregate sum of $353.6 million.  The leases were scheduled to expire in July 2017.  Entergy Louisiana was required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.

In December 2015, Entergy Louisiana agreed to purchase the undivided interests in Waterford 3 that were previously being leased. The purchase was accomplished in a two-step transaction in which Entergy Louisiana first acquired the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets, followed by a termination of the leases and transfer of the leased assets to Entergy Louisiana when the outstanding lessor debt is paid.

In March 2016, Entergy Louisiana completed the first step in the two-step transaction by acquiring the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets. Entergy Louisiana paid $60 million in cash and $52 million through the issuance of a non-interest bearing collateral trust mortgage note, payable in installments through July 2017. Entergy Louisiana continued to make payments on the lessor debt that remained outstanding and which matured in January 2017. The combination of payments on the $52 million collateral trust mortgage note issued and the debt service on the lessor debt was equal in timing and amount to the remaining lease payments due from the closing of the transaction through the end of the lease term in July 2017.

Throughout the term of the lease, Entergy Louisiana had accrued a liability for the amount it expected to pay to retain the use of the undivided interests in Waterford 3 at the end of the lease term. Since the sale-leaseback transaction was accounted for as a financing transaction, the accrual of this liability was accounted for as additional interest expense. As of December 2015, the balance of this liability was $62.7 million. Upon entering into the agreement to purchase the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the undivided interests, Entergy Louisiana reduced the balance of the liability to $60 million, and recorded the $2.7 million difference as a credit to interest expense. The $60 million remaining liability was eliminated upon payment of the cash portion of the purchase price in 2016.

As of December 31, 2016, Entergy Louisiana, in connection with the Waterford 3 lease obligation, had a future minimum lease payment (reflecting an interest rate of 8.09%) of $57.5 million, including $2.3 million in interest, due January 2017 that was recorded as long-term debt.

In February 2017 the leases were terminated and the leased assets were conveyed to Entergy Louisiana.

Grand Gulf Lease Obligations

In 1988, in two separate but substantially identical transactions, System Energy sold and leased back undivided ownership interests in Grand Gulf for the aggregate sum of $500 million.  The initial term of the leases expired in July 2015.  System Energy renewed the leases in December 2013 for fair market value with renewal terms expiring in July 2036. At the end of the new lease renewal terms, System Energy has the option to repurchase the leased interests in Grand Gulf or renew the leases at fair market value.  In the event that System Energy does not renew or purchase the interests, System Energy would surrender such interests and their associated entitlement of Grand Gulf’s capacity and energy.

System Energy is required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.  For financial reporting purposes, System Energy expenses the interest portion of the lease obligation and the plant depreciation.  However, operating revenues include the recovery of the lease payments because the transactions are accounted for as a sale and leaseback for ratemaking purposes.  Consistent with a recommendation contained in a FERC audit report, System Energy initially recorded as a net regulatory asset the difference between the recovery of the lease payments and the amounts expensed for interest and depreciation and continues to record this difference as a regulatory asset or liability on an ongoing basis, resulting in a zero net balance for the regulatory asset at the end of the lease term.  The amount was a net regulatory liability of $55.6 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017.

As of December 31, 2018, System Energy, in connection with the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transactions, had future minimum lease payments that are recorded as long-term debt, as follows, which reflects the effect of the December 2013 renewal:
 
Amount
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
2019

$17,188

2020
17,188

2021
17,188

2022
17,188

2023
17,188

Years thereafter
223,437

Total
309,377

Less: Amount representing interest
275,025

Present value of net minimum lease payments

$34,352

Entergy Mississippi [Member]  
Leases
LEASES (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)

Entergy implemented ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” effective January 1, 2019. The ASU’s core principle is that “a lessee should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases.” The ASU considers that “all leases create an asset and a liability,” and accordingly requires recording the assets and liabilities related to all leases with a term greater than 12 months. Concurrent with the implementation of ASU 2016-02, Entergy implemented ASU 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” which provided Entergy the option to elect not to evaluate existing land easements that are not currently accounted for under the previous lease standard, and ASU 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements,” which intended to simplify the transition requirement giving Entergy the option to apply the transition provisions of the new standard at the date of adoption instead of at the earliest comparative period. In implementing these ASUs, Entergy elected the options provided in both ASU 2018-01 and ASU 2018-11. This accounting was applied to all lease agreements using the modified retrospective method, which required an adjustment to retained earnings for the cumulative effect of adopting the standard as of the effective date, and when implemented with ASU 2018-11, allowed Entergy to recognize the leased assets and liabilities on its balance sheet beginning on January 1, 2019 without restating prior periods. In adopting the standard, in January 2019 Entergy recognized right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities totaling approximately $263 million, including $59 million for Entergy Arkansas, $51 million for Entergy Louisiana, $26 million for Entergy Mississippi, $7 million for Entergy New Orleans, and $16 million for Entergy Texas. Implementation of the standards had no material effect on consolidated net income; therefore, no adjustment to retained earnings was recorded. The adoption of the standards had no effect on cash flows.

General

As of March 31, 2019, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries held operating and financing leases for fleet vehicles used in operations, real estate, fuel storage facilities, and power purchase agreements. Excluded from this are power purchase agreements not meeting the definition of a lease, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale-leaseback which were determined not to be leases.

Leases have remaining terms of one year to 30 years. Real estate leases generally include at least one five-year renewal option; however, renewal is not typically considered certain unless Entergy or a Registrant Subsidiary makes significant leasehold improvements or other modifications which would hinder its ability to easily move. In certain of the lease agreements for fleet vehicles used in operations, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries provide residual value guarantees to the lessor; however, due to the nature of the agreements and Entergy’s continuing relationship with the lessor, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to renegotiate or refinance the leases prior to conclusion of the lease. As such, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries do not believe it is probable that they will be required to pay anything pertaining to the residual value guarantee, and the lease liabilities and right-of-use assets are measured accordingly.

Entergy incurred the following total lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost
 

$15,720

Financing lease cost:
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets
 

$2,912

Interest on lease liabilities
 

$753



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by Entergy for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.

The Registrant Subsidiaries incurred the following lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost

$3,295

 

$3,026

 

$1,753

 

$357

 

$1,085

Financing lease cost:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets

$629

 

$1,025

 

$348

 

$176

 

$306

Interest on lease liabilities

$105

 

$152

 

$59

 

$30

 

$46



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by the Registrant Subsidiaries for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the respective Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Entergy has elected to account for short-term leases in accordance with policy options provided by accounting guidance; therefore, there are no related lease liabilities or right-of-use assets for the costs recognized above by Entergy or by its Registrant Subsidiaries in the table below.

Included within Property, Plant, and Equipment on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2019 are $241 million related to operating leases and $60 million related to financing leases.

Included within Utility Plant on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019 are the following amounts:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating leases

$52,916

 

$36,066

 

$18,926

 

$4,961

 

$9,991

Financing leases

$11,317

 

$16,978

 

$6,358

 

$2,974

 

$5,076



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$53,121

Financing leases
 

$11,590

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$173,456

Financing leases
 

$53,065



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$11,321

 

$10,958

 

$6,461

 

$1,748

 

$3,071

Financing leases

$2,465

 

$4,052

 

$1,382

 

$678

 

$1,281

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$41,597

 

$25,144

 

$12,565

 

$3,218

 

$7,007

Financing leases

$8,851

 

$13,039

 

$4,975

 

$2,296

 

$3,708



The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of Entergy at March 31, 2019:
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
Operating leases
 
5.51

Financing leases
 
7.06

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
Operating leases
 
3.75
%
Financing leases
 
4.64
%


The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of the Registrant Subsidiaries at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
6.38

 
4.32

 
5.09

 
5.64

 
4.15

Financing leases
5.64

 
5.29

 
5.39

 
5.81

 
5.09

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
3.29
%
 
3.54
%
 
3.67
%
 
3.55
%
 
3.80
%
Financing leases
3.71
%
 
3.56
%
 
3.70
%
 
3.97
%
 
3.72
%


Maturity of the lease liabilities for Entergy as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:
Year
 
Operating Leases
 
Financing Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder for 2019
 

$44,143

 

$10,375

2020
 
52,905

 
12,489

2021
 
43,482

 
10,941

2022
 
34,768

 
9,743

2023
 
27,974

 
8,680

Years thereafter
 
45,259

 
26,744

Minimum lease payments
 
248,531

 
78,972

Less: amount representing interest
 
21,954

 
14,318

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$226,577

 

$64,654



Maturity of the lease liabilities for the Registrant Subsidiaries as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:

Operating Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$9,285

 

$8,316

 

$5,231

 

$1,036

 

$2,631

2020
 
11,085

 
9,795

 
5,845

 
1,216

 
2,961

2021
 
9,137

 
8,009

 
3,886

 
945

 
2,186

2022
 
6,763

 
5,137

 
2,505

 
622

 
1,196

2023
 
5,600

 
3,262

 
1,228

 
460

 
839

Years thereafter
 
15,713

 
3,346

 
2,313

 
999

 
1,104

Minimum lease payments
 
57,583

 
37,865

 
21,008

 
5,278

 
10,917

Less: amount representing interest
 
4,664

 
1,764

 
1,982

 
312

 
839

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$52,919

 

$36,101

 

$19,026

 

$4,966

 

$10,078


Financing Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$2,071

 

$3,302

 

$1,159

 

$592

 

$1,010

2020
 
2,464

 
3,843

 
1,431

 
616

 
1,165

2021
 
2,067

 
3,189

 
1,266

 
505

 
973

2022
 
1,778

 
2,749

 
1,073

 
454

 
766

2023
 
1,551

 
2,301

 
867

 
407

 
633

Years thereafter
 
2,476

 
5,414

 
1,154

 
748

 
796

Minimum lease payments
 
12,407

 
20,798

 
6,950

 
3,322

 
5,343

Less: amount representing interest
 
1,091

 
3,707

 
592

 
349

 
354

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$11,316

 

$17,091

 

$6,358

 

$2,973

 

$4,989



In allocating consideration in lease contracts to the lease and non-lease components, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries have made the accounting policy election to combine lease and non-lease components related to fleet vehicles used in operations, fuel storage agreements, and purchased power agreements and to allocate the contract consideration to both lease and non-lease components for real estate leases.

In accordance with ASU 2018-11, below is the lease disclosure from Note 10 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K.

General

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy had capital leases and non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transaction, all of which are discussed elsewhere):
 
Year
 
Operating
Leases
 
Capital
Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$94,043

 

$2,887

2020
 
82,191

 
2,887

2021
 
75,147

 
2,887

2022
 
60,808

 
2,887

2023
 
47,391

 
2,887

Years thereafter
 
88,004

 
16,117

Minimum lease payments
 
447,584

 
30,552

Less:  Amount representing interest
 

 
8,555

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$447,584

 

$21,997



Total rental expenses for all leases (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf and Waterford 3 sale and leaseback transactions) amounted to $47.8 million in 2018, $53.1 million in 2017, and $44.4 million in 2016.

As of December 31, 2018 the Registrant Subsidiaries had non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf lease obligation, all of which are discussed elsewhere):

Operating Leases
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$20,421

 

$25,970

 

$9,344

 

$2,493

 

$5,744

2020
 
13,918

 
21,681

 
8,763

 
2,349

 
4,431

2021
 
11,931

 
19,514

 
7,186

 
1,901

 
3,625

2022
 
9,458

 
15,756

 
5,675

 
1,314

 
2,218

2023
 
7,782

 
12,092

 
2,946

 
1,043

 
1,561

Years thereafter
 
23,297

 
22,003

 
4,417

 
2,323

 
2,726

Minimum lease payments
 

$86,807

 

$117,016

 

$38,331

 

$11,423

 

$20,305



Rental Expenses
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
System
Energy
 
 
(In Millions)
2018
 

$6.2

 

$20.2

 

$4.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.1

 

$1.9

2017
 

$7.5

 

$23.0

 

$5.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.4

 

$2.2

2016
 

$8.0

 

$17.8

 

$4.0

 

$0.9

 

$2.8

 

$1.6



In addition to the above rental expense, railcar operating lease payments and oil tank facilities lease payments are recorded in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment.  Railcar operating lease payments were $2.8 million in 2018, $4 million in 2017, and $3.4 million in 2016 for Entergy Arkansas and $0.4 million in 2018, $0.3 million in 2017, and $0.3 million in 2016 for Entergy Louisiana.  Oil tank facilities lease payments for Entergy Mississippi were $0.1 million in 2018, $1.6 million in 2017, and $1.6 million in 2016.

On January 1, 2019, Entergy implemented ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” along with the practical expedients provided by ASU No. 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” and ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements.”  See Note 1 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of ASU No. 2016-02.

Power Purchase Agreements

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy Texas had a power purchase agreement that is accounted for as an operating lease under the accounting standards. The lease payments are recovered in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment. The minimum lease payments under the power purchase agreement are as follows:
Year
 
Entergy Texas (a)
 
Entergy
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$31,159

 

$31,159

2020
 
31,876

 
31,876

2021
 
32,609

 
32,609

2022
 
10,180

 
10,180

Minimum lease payments
 

$105,824

 

$105,824


(a)
Amounts reflect 100% of minimum payments. Under a separate contract, which expires May 31, 2022, Entergy Louisiana purchases 50% of the capacity and energy from the power purchase agreement from Entergy Texas.

Total capacity expense under the power purchase agreement accounted for as an operating lease at Entergy Texas was $30.5 million in 2018, $34.1 million in 2017, and $26.1 million in 2016.

Sales and Leaseback Transactions

Waterford 3 Lease Obligation

In 1989, in three separate but substantially identical transactions, Entergy Louisiana sold and leased back undivided interests in Waterford 3 for the aggregate sum of $353.6 million.  The leases were scheduled to expire in July 2017.  Entergy Louisiana was required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.

In December 2015, Entergy Louisiana agreed to purchase the undivided interests in Waterford 3 that were previously being leased. The purchase was accomplished in a two-step transaction in which Entergy Louisiana first acquired the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets, followed by a termination of the leases and transfer of the leased assets to Entergy Louisiana when the outstanding lessor debt is paid.

In March 2016, Entergy Louisiana completed the first step in the two-step transaction by acquiring the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets. Entergy Louisiana paid $60 million in cash and $52 million through the issuance of a non-interest bearing collateral trust mortgage note, payable in installments through July 2017. Entergy Louisiana continued to make payments on the lessor debt that remained outstanding and which matured in January 2017. The combination of payments on the $52 million collateral trust mortgage note issued and the debt service on the lessor debt was equal in timing and amount to the remaining lease payments due from the closing of the transaction through the end of the lease term in July 2017.

Throughout the term of the lease, Entergy Louisiana had accrued a liability for the amount it expected to pay to retain the use of the undivided interests in Waterford 3 at the end of the lease term. Since the sale-leaseback transaction was accounted for as a financing transaction, the accrual of this liability was accounted for as additional interest expense. As of December 2015, the balance of this liability was $62.7 million. Upon entering into the agreement to purchase the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the undivided interests, Entergy Louisiana reduced the balance of the liability to $60 million, and recorded the $2.7 million difference as a credit to interest expense. The $60 million remaining liability was eliminated upon payment of the cash portion of the purchase price in 2016.

As of December 31, 2016, Entergy Louisiana, in connection with the Waterford 3 lease obligation, had a future minimum lease payment (reflecting an interest rate of 8.09%) of $57.5 million, including $2.3 million in interest, due January 2017 that was recorded as long-term debt.

In February 2017 the leases were terminated and the leased assets were conveyed to Entergy Louisiana.

Grand Gulf Lease Obligations

In 1988, in two separate but substantially identical transactions, System Energy sold and leased back undivided ownership interests in Grand Gulf for the aggregate sum of $500 million.  The initial term of the leases expired in July 2015.  System Energy renewed the leases in December 2013 for fair market value with renewal terms expiring in July 2036. At the end of the new lease renewal terms, System Energy has the option to repurchase the leased interests in Grand Gulf or renew the leases at fair market value.  In the event that System Energy does not renew or purchase the interests, System Energy would surrender such interests and their associated entitlement of Grand Gulf’s capacity and energy.

System Energy is required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.  For financial reporting purposes, System Energy expenses the interest portion of the lease obligation and the plant depreciation.  However, operating revenues include the recovery of the lease payments because the transactions are accounted for as a sale and leaseback for ratemaking purposes.  Consistent with a recommendation contained in a FERC audit report, System Energy initially recorded as a net regulatory asset the difference between the recovery of the lease payments and the amounts expensed for interest and depreciation and continues to record this difference as a regulatory asset or liability on an ongoing basis, resulting in a zero net balance for the regulatory asset at the end of the lease term.  The amount was a net regulatory liability of $55.6 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017.

As of December 31, 2018, System Energy, in connection with the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transactions, had future minimum lease payments that are recorded as long-term debt, as follows, which reflects the effect of the December 2013 renewal:
 
Amount
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
2019

$17,188

2020
17,188

2021
17,188

2022
17,188

2023
17,188

Years thereafter
223,437

Total
309,377

Less: Amount representing interest
275,025

Present value of net minimum lease payments

$34,352

Entergy New Orleans [Member]  
Leases
LEASES (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)

Entergy implemented ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” effective January 1, 2019. The ASU’s core principle is that “a lessee should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases.” The ASU considers that “all leases create an asset and a liability,” and accordingly requires recording the assets and liabilities related to all leases with a term greater than 12 months. Concurrent with the implementation of ASU 2016-02, Entergy implemented ASU 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” which provided Entergy the option to elect not to evaluate existing land easements that are not currently accounted for under the previous lease standard, and ASU 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements,” which intended to simplify the transition requirement giving Entergy the option to apply the transition provisions of the new standard at the date of adoption instead of at the earliest comparative period. In implementing these ASUs, Entergy elected the options provided in both ASU 2018-01 and ASU 2018-11. This accounting was applied to all lease agreements using the modified retrospective method, which required an adjustment to retained earnings for the cumulative effect of adopting the standard as of the effective date, and when implemented with ASU 2018-11, allowed Entergy to recognize the leased assets and liabilities on its balance sheet beginning on January 1, 2019 without restating prior periods. In adopting the standard, in January 2019 Entergy recognized right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities totaling approximately $263 million, including $59 million for Entergy Arkansas, $51 million for Entergy Louisiana, $26 million for Entergy Mississippi, $7 million for Entergy New Orleans, and $16 million for Entergy Texas. Implementation of the standards had no material effect on consolidated net income; therefore, no adjustment to retained earnings was recorded. The adoption of the standards had no effect on cash flows.

General

As of March 31, 2019, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries held operating and financing leases for fleet vehicles used in operations, real estate, fuel storage facilities, and power purchase agreements. Excluded from this are power purchase agreements not meeting the definition of a lease, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale-leaseback which were determined not to be leases.

Leases have remaining terms of one year to 30 years. Real estate leases generally include at least one five-year renewal option; however, renewal is not typically considered certain unless Entergy or a Registrant Subsidiary makes significant leasehold improvements or other modifications which would hinder its ability to easily move. In certain of the lease agreements for fleet vehicles used in operations, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries provide residual value guarantees to the lessor; however, due to the nature of the agreements and Entergy’s continuing relationship with the lessor, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to renegotiate or refinance the leases prior to conclusion of the lease. As such, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries do not believe it is probable that they will be required to pay anything pertaining to the residual value guarantee, and the lease liabilities and right-of-use assets are measured accordingly.

Entergy incurred the following total lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost
 

$15,720

Financing lease cost:
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets
 

$2,912

Interest on lease liabilities
 

$753



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by Entergy for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.

The Registrant Subsidiaries incurred the following lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost

$3,295

 

$3,026

 

$1,753

 

$357

 

$1,085

Financing lease cost:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets

$629

 

$1,025

 

$348

 

$176

 

$306

Interest on lease liabilities

$105

 

$152

 

$59

 

$30

 

$46



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by the Registrant Subsidiaries for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the respective Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Entergy has elected to account for short-term leases in accordance with policy options provided by accounting guidance; therefore, there are no related lease liabilities or right-of-use assets for the costs recognized above by Entergy or by its Registrant Subsidiaries in the table below.

Included within Property, Plant, and Equipment on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2019 are $241 million related to operating leases and $60 million related to financing leases.

Included within Utility Plant on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019 are the following amounts:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating leases

$52,916

 

$36,066

 

$18,926

 

$4,961

 

$9,991

Financing leases

$11,317

 

$16,978

 

$6,358

 

$2,974

 

$5,076



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$53,121

Financing leases
 

$11,590

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$173,456

Financing leases
 

$53,065



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$11,321

 

$10,958

 

$6,461

 

$1,748

 

$3,071

Financing leases

$2,465

 

$4,052

 

$1,382

 

$678

 

$1,281

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$41,597

 

$25,144

 

$12,565

 

$3,218

 

$7,007

Financing leases

$8,851

 

$13,039

 

$4,975

 

$2,296

 

$3,708



The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of Entergy at March 31, 2019:
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
Operating leases
 
5.51

Financing leases
 
7.06

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
Operating leases
 
3.75
%
Financing leases
 
4.64
%


The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of the Registrant Subsidiaries at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
6.38

 
4.32

 
5.09

 
5.64

 
4.15

Financing leases
5.64

 
5.29

 
5.39

 
5.81

 
5.09

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
3.29
%
 
3.54
%
 
3.67
%
 
3.55
%
 
3.80
%
Financing leases
3.71
%
 
3.56
%
 
3.70
%
 
3.97
%
 
3.72
%


Maturity of the lease liabilities for Entergy as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:
Year
 
Operating Leases
 
Financing Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder for 2019
 

$44,143

 

$10,375

2020
 
52,905

 
12,489

2021
 
43,482

 
10,941

2022
 
34,768

 
9,743

2023
 
27,974

 
8,680

Years thereafter
 
45,259

 
26,744

Minimum lease payments
 
248,531

 
78,972

Less: amount representing interest
 
21,954

 
14,318

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$226,577

 

$64,654



Maturity of the lease liabilities for the Registrant Subsidiaries as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:

Operating Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$9,285

 

$8,316

 

$5,231

 

$1,036

 

$2,631

2020
 
11,085

 
9,795

 
5,845

 
1,216

 
2,961

2021
 
9,137

 
8,009

 
3,886

 
945

 
2,186

2022
 
6,763

 
5,137

 
2,505

 
622

 
1,196

2023
 
5,600

 
3,262

 
1,228

 
460

 
839

Years thereafter
 
15,713

 
3,346

 
2,313

 
999

 
1,104

Minimum lease payments
 
57,583

 
37,865

 
21,008

 
5,278

 
10,917

Less: amount representing interest
 
4,664

 
1,764

 
1,982

 
312

 
839

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$52,919

 

$36,101

 

$19,026

 

$4,966

 

$10,078


Financing Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$2,071

 

$3,302

 

$1,159

 

$592

 

$1,010

2020
 
2,464

 
3,843

 
1,431

 
616

 
1,165

2021
 
2,067

 
3,189

 
1,266

 
505

 
973

2022
 
1,778

 
2,749

 
1,073

 
454

 
766

2023
 
1,551

 
2,301

 
867

 
407

 
633

Years thereafter
 
2,476

 
5,414

 
1,154

 
748

 
796

Minimum lease payments
 
12,407

 
20,798

 
6,950

 
3,322

 
5,343

Less: amount representing interest
 
1,091

 
3,707

 
592

 
349

 
354

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$11,316

 

$17,091

 

$6,358

 

$2,973

 

$4,989



In allocating consideration in lease contracts to the lease and non-lease components, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries have made the accounting policy election to combine lease and non-lease components related to fleet vehicles used in operations, fuel storage agreements, and purchased power agreements and to allocate the contract consideration to both lease and non-lease components for real estate leases.

In accordance with ASU 2018-11, below is the lease disclosure from Note 10 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K.

General

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy had capital leases and non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transaction, all of which are discussed elsewhere):
 
Year
 
Operating
Leases
 
Capital
Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$94,043

 

$2,887

2020
 
82,191

 
2,887

2021
 
75,147

 
2,887

2022
 
60,808

 
2,887

2023
 
47,391

 
2,887

Years thereafter
 
88,004

 
16,117

Minimum lease payments
 
447,584

 
30,552

Less:  Amount representing interest
 

 
8,555

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$447,584

 

$21,997



Total rental expenses for all leases (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf and Waterford 3 sale and leaseback transactions) amounted to $47.8 million in 2018, $53.1 million in 2017, and $44.4 million in 2016.

As of December 31, 2018 the Registrant Subsidiaries had non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf lease obligation, all of which are discussed elsewhere):

Operating Leases
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$20,421

 

$25,970

 

$9,344

 

$2,493

 

$5,744

2020
 
13,918

 
21,681

 
8,763

 
2,349

 
4,431

2021
 
11,931

 
19,514

 
7,186

 
1,901

 
3,625

2022
 
9,458

 
15,756

 
5,675

 
1,314

 
2,218

2023
 
7,782

 
12,092

 
2,946

 
1,043

 
1,561

Years thereafter
 
23,297

 
22,003

 
4,417

 
2,323

 
2,726

Minimum lease payments
 

$86,807

 

$117,016

 

$38,331

 

$11,423

 

$20,305



Rental Expenses
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
System
Energy
 
 
(In Millions)
2018
 

$6.2

 

$20.2

 

$4.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.1

 

$1.9

2017
 

$7.5

 

$23.0

 

$5.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.4

 

$2.2

2016
 

$8.0

 

$17.8

 

$4.0

 

$0.9

 

$2.8

 

$1.6



In addition to the above rental expense, railcar operating lease payments and oil tank facilities lease payments are recorded in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment.  Railcar operating lease payments were $2.8 million in 2018, $4 million in 2017, and $3.4 million in 2016 for Entergy Arkansas and $0.4 million in 2018, $0.3 million in 2017, and $0.3 million in 2016 for Entergy Louisiana.  Oil tank facilities lease payments for Entergy Mississippi were $0.1 million in 2018, $1.6 million in 2017, and $1.6 million in 2016.

On January 1, 2019, Entergy implemented ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” along with the practical expedients provided by ASU No. 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” and ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements.”  See Note 1 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of ASU No. 2016-02.

Power Purchase Agreements

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy Texas had a power purchase agreement that is accounted for as an operating lease under the accounting standards. The lease payments are recovered in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment. The minimum lease payments under the power purchase agreement are as follows:
Year
 
Entergy Texas (a)
 
Entergy
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$31,159

 

$31,159

2020
 
31,876

 
31,876

2021
 
32,609

 
32,609

2022
 
10,180

 
10,180

Minimum lease payments
 

$105,824

 

$105,824


(a)
Amounts reflect 100% of minimum payments. Under a separate contract, which expires May 31, 2022, Entergy Louisiana purchases 50% of the capacity and energy from the power purchase agreement from Entergy Texas.

Total capacity expense under the power purchase agreement accounted for as an operating lease at Entergy Texas was $30.5 million in 2018, $34.1 million in 2017, and $26.1 million in 2016.

Sales and Leaseback Transactions

Waterford 3 Lease Obligation

In 1989, in three separate but substantially identical transactions, Entergy Louisiana sold and leased back undivided interests in Waterford 3 for the aggregate sum of $353.6 million.  The leases were scheduled to expire in July 2017.  Entergy Louisiana was required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.

In December 2015, Entergy Louisiana agreed to purchase the undivided interests in Waterford 3 that were previously being leased. The purchase was accomplished in a two-step transaction in which Entergy Louisiana first acquired the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets, followed by a termination of the leases and transfer of the leased assets to Entergy Louisiana when the outstanding lessor debt is paid.

In March 2016, Entergy Louisiana completed the first step in the two-step transaction by acquiring the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets. Entergy Louisiana paid $60 million in cash and $52 million through the issuance of a non-interest bearing collateral trust mortgage note, payable in installments through July 2017. Entergy Louisiana continued to make payments on the lessor debt that remained outstanding and which matured in January 2017. The combination of payments on the $52 million collateral trust mortgage note issued and the debt service on the lessor debt was equal in timing and amount to the remaining lease payments due from the closing of the transaction through the end of the lease term in July 2017.

Throughout the term of the lease, Entergy Louisiana had accrued a liability for the amount it expected to pay to retain the use of the undivided interests in Waterford 3 at the end of the lease term. Since the sale-leaseback transaction was accounted for as a financing transaction, the accrual of this liability was accounted for as additional interest expense. As of December 2015, the balance of this liability was $62.7 million. Upon entering into the agreement to purchase the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the undivided interests, Entergy Louisiana reduced the balance of the liability to $60 million, and recorded the $2.7 million difference as a credit to interest expense. The $60 million remaining liability was eliminated upon payment of the cash portion of the purchase price in 2016.

As of December 31, 2016, Entergy Louisiana, in connection with the Waterford 3 lease obligation, had a future minimum lease payment (reflecting an interest rate of 8.09%) of $57.5 million, including $2.3 million in interest, due January 2017 that was recorded as long-term debt.

In February 2017 the leases were terminated and the leased assets were conveyed to Entergy Louisiana.

Grand Gulf Lease Obligations

In 1988, in two separate but substantially identical transactions, System Energy sold and leased back undivided ownership interests in Grand Gulf for the aggregate sum of $500 million.  The initial term of the leases expired in July 2015.  System Energy renewed the leases in December 2013 for fair market value with renewal terms expiring in July 2036. At the end of the new lease renewal terms, System Energy has the option to repurchase the leased interests in Grand Gulf or renew the leases at fair market value.  In the event that System Energy does not renew or purchase the interests, System Energy would surrender such interests and their associated entitlement of Grand Gulf’s capacity and energy.

System Energy is required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.  For financial reporting purposes, System Energy expenses the interest portion of the lease obligation and the plant depreciation.  However, operating revenues include the recovery of the lease payments because the transactions are accounted for as a sale and leaseback for ratemaking purposes.  Consistent with a recommendation contained in a FERC audit report, System Energy initially recorded as a net regulatory asset the difference between the recovery of the lease payments and the amounts expensed for interest and depreciation and continues to record this difference as a regulatory asset or liability on an ongoing basis, resulting in a zero net balance for the regulatory asset at the end of the lease term.  The amount was a net regulatory liability of $55.6 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017.

As of December 31, 2018, System Energy, in connection with the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transactions, had future minimum lease payments that are recorded as long-term debt, as follows, which reflects the effect of the December 2013 renewal:
 
Amount
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
2019

$17,188

2020
17,188

2021
17,188

2022
17,188

2023
17,188

Years thereafter
223,437

Total
309,377

Less: Amount representing interest
275,025

Present value of net minimum lease payments

$34,352

Entergy Texas [Member]  
Leases
LEASES (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)

Entergy implemented ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” effective January 1, 2019. The ASU’s core principle is that “a lessee should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases.” The ASU considers that “all leases create an asset and a liability,” and accordingly requires recording the assets and liabilities related to all leases with a term greater than 12 months. Concurrent with the implementation of ASU 2016-02, Entergy implemented ASU 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” which provided Entergy the option to elect not to evaluate existing land easements that are not currently accounted for under the previous lease standard, and ASU 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements,” which intended to simplify the transition requirement giving Entergy the option to apply the transition provisions of the new standard at the date of adoption instead of at the earliest comparative period. In implementing these ASUs, Entergy elected the options provided in both ASU 2018-01 and ASU 2018-11. This accounting was applied to all lease agreements using the modified retrospective method, which required an adjustment to retained earnings for the cumulative effect of adopting the standard as of the effective date, and when implemented with ASU 2018-11, allowed Entergy to recognize the leased assets and liabilities on its balance sheet beginning on January 1, 2019 without restating prior periods. In adopting the standard, in January 2019 Entergy recognized right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities totaling approximately $263 million, including $59 million for Entergy Arkansas, $51 million for Entergy Louisiana, $26 million for Entergy Mississippi, $7 million for Entergy New Orleans, and $16 million for Entergy Texas. Implementation of the standards had no material effect on consolidated net income; therefore, no adjustment to retained earnings was recorded. The adoption of the standards had no effect on cash flows.

General

As of March 31, 2019, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries held operating and financing leases for fleet vehicles used in operations, real estate, fuel storage facilities, and power purchase agreements. Excluded from this are power purchase agreements not meeting the definition of a lease, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale-leaseback which were determined not to be leases.

Leases have remaining terms of one year to 30 years. Real estate leases generally include at least one five-year renewal option; however, renewal is not typically considered certain unless Entergy or a Registrant Subsidiary makes significant leasehold improvements or other modifications which would hinder its ability to easily move. In certain of the lease agreements for fleet vehicles used in operations, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries provide residual value guarantees to the lessor; however, due to the nature of the agreements and Entergy’s continuing relationship with the lessor, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to renegotiate or refinance the leases prior to conclusion of the lease. As such, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries do not believe it is probable that they will be required to pay anything pertaining to the residual value guarantee, and the lease liabilities and right-of-use assets are measured accordingly.

Entergy incurred the following total lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost
 

$15,720

Financing lease cost:
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets
 

$2,912

Interest on lease liabilities
 

$753



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by Entergy for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.

The Registrant Subsidiaries incurred the following lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost

$3,295

 

$3,026

 

$1,753

 

$357

 

$1,085

Financing lease cost:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets

$629

 

$1,025

 

$348

 

$176

 

$306

Interest on lease liabilities

$105

 

$152

 

$59

 

$30

 

$46



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by the Registrant Subsidiaries for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the respective Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Entergy has elected to account for short-term leases in accordance with policy options provided by accounting guidance; therefore, there are no related lease liabilities or right-of-use assets for the costs recognized above by Entergy or by its Registrant Subsidiaries in the table below.

Included within Property, Plant, and Equipment on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2019 are $241 million related to operating leases and $60 million related to financing leases.

Included within Utility Plant on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019 are the following amounts:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating leases

$52,916

 

$36,066

 

$18,926

 

$4,961

 

$9,991

Financing leases

$11,317

 

$16,978

 

$6,358

 

$2,974

 

$5,076



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$53,121

Financing leases
 

$11,590

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$173,456

Financing leases
 

$53,065



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$11,321

 

$10,958

 

$6,461

 

$1,748

 

$3,071

Financing leases

$2,465

 

$4,052

 

$1,382

 

$678

 

$1,281

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$41,597

 

$25,144

 

$12,565

 

$3,218

 

$7,007

Financing leases

$8,851

 

$13,039

 

$4,975

 

$2,296

 

$3,708



The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of Entergy at March 31, 2019:
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
Operating leases
 
5.51

Financing leases
 
7.06

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
Operating leases
 
3.75
%
Financing leases
 
4.64
%


The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of the Registrant Subsidiaries at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
6.38

 
4.32

 
5.09

 
5.64

 
4.15

Financing leases
5.64

 
5.29

 
5.39

 
5.81

 
5.09

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
3.29
%
 
3.54
%
 
3.67
%
 
3.55
%
 
3.80
%
Financing leases
3.71
%
 
3.56
%
 
3.70
%
 
3.97
%
 
3.72
%


Maturity of the lease liabilities for Entergy as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:
Year
 
Operating Leases
 
Financing Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder for 2019
 

$44,143

 

$10,375

2020
 
52,905

 
12,489

2021
 
43,482

 
10,941

2022
 
34,768

 
9,743

2023
 
27,974

 
8,680

Years thereafter
 
45,259

 
26,744

Minimum lease payments
 
248,531

 
78,972

Less: amount representing interest
 
21,954

 
14,318

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$226,577

 

$64,654



Maturity of the lease liabilities for the Registrant Subsidiaries as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:

Operating Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$9,285

 

$8,316

 

$5,231

 

$1,036

 

$2,631

2020
 
11,085

 
9,795

 
5,845

 
1,216

 
2,961

2021
 
9,137

 
8,009

 
3,886

 
945

 
2,186

2022
 
6,763

 
5,137

 
2,505

 
622

 
1,196

2023
 
5,600

 
3,262

 
1,228

 
460

 
839

Years thereafter
 
15,713

 
3,346

 
2,313

 
999

 
1,104

Minimum lease payments
 
57,583

 
37,865

 
21,008

 
5,278

 
10,917

Less: amount representing interest
 
4,664

 
1,764

 
1,982

 
312

 
839

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$52,919

 

$36,101

 

$19,026

 

$4,966

 

$10,078


Financing Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$2,071

 

$3,302

 

$1,159

 

$592

 

$1,010

2020
 
2,464

 
3,843

 
1,431

 
616

 
1,165

2021
 
2,067

 
3,189

 
1,266

 
505

 
973

2022
 
1,778

 
2,749

 
1,073

 
454

 
766

2023
 
1,551

 
2,301

 
867

 
407

 
633

Years thereafter
 
2,476

 
5,414

 
1,154

 
748

 
796

Minimum lease payments
 
12,407

 
20,798

 
6,950

 
3,322

 
5,343

Less: amount representing interest
 
1,091

 
3,707

 
592

 
349

 
354

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$11,316

 

$17,091

 

$6,358

 

$2,973

 

$4,989



In allocating consideration in lease contracts to the lease and non-lease components, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries have made the accounting policy election to combine lease and non-lease components related to fleet vehicles used in operations, fuel storage agreements, and purchased power agreements and to allocate the contract consideration to both lease and non-lease components for real estate leases.

In accordance with ASU 2018-11, below is the lease disclosure from Note 10 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K.

General

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy had capital leases and non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transaction, all of which are discussed elsewhere):
 
Year
 
Operating
Leases
 
Capital
Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$94,043

 

$2,887

2020
 
82,191

 
2,887

2021
 
75,147

 
2,887

2022
 
60,808

 
2,887

2023
 
47,391

 
2,887

Years thereafter
 
88,004

 
16,117

Minimum lease payments
 
447,584

 
30,552

Less:  Amount representing interest
 

 
8,555

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$447,584

 

$21,997



Total rental expenses for all leases (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf and Waterford 3 sale and leaseback transactions) amounted to $47.8 million in 2018, $53.1 million in 2017, and $44.4 million in 2016.

As of December 31, 2018 the Registrant Subsidiaries had non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf lease obligation, all of which are discussed elsewhere):

Operating Leases
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$20,421

 

$25,970

 

$9,344

 

$2,493

 

$5,744

2020
 
13,918

 
21,681

 
8,763

 
2,349

 
4,431

2021
 
11,931

 
19,514

 
7,186

 
1,901

 
3,625

2022
 
9,458

 
15,756

 
5,675

 
1,314

 
2,218

2023
 
7,782

 
12,092

 
2,946

 
1,043

 
1,561

Years thereafter
 
23,297

 
22,003

 
4,417

 
2,323

 
2,726

Minimum lease payments
 

$86,807

 

$117,016

 

$38,331

 

$11,423

 

$20,305



Rental Expenses
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
System
Energy
 
 
(In Millions)
2018
 

$6.2

 

$20.2

 

$4.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.1

 

$1.9

2017
 

$7.5

 

$23.0

 

$5.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.4

 

$2.2

2016
 

$8.0

 

$17.8

 

$4.0

 

$0.9

 

$2.8

 

$1.6



In addition to the above rental expense, railcar operating lease payments and oil tank facilities lease payments are recorded in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment.  Railcar operating lease payments were $2.8 million in 2018, $4 million in 2017, and $3.4 million in 2016 for Entergy Arkansas and $0.4 million in 2018, $0.3 million in 2017, and $0.3 million in 2016 for Entergy Louisiana.  Oil tank facilities lease payments for Entergy Mississippi were $0.1 million in 2018, $1.6 million in 2017, and $1.6 million in 2016.

On January 1, 2019, Entergy implemented ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” along with the practical expedients provided by ASU No. 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” and ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements.”  See Note 1 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of ASU No. 2016-02.

Power Purchase Agreements

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy Texas had a power purchase agreement that is accounted for as an operating lease under the accounting standards. The lease payments are recovered in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment. The minimum lease payments under the power purchase agreement are as follows:
Year
 
Entergy Texas (a)
 
Entergy
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$31,159

 

$31,159

2020
 
31,876

 
31,876

2021
 
32,609

 
32,609

2022
 
10,180

 
10,180

Minimum lease payments
 

$105,824

 

$105,824


(a)
Amounts reflect 100% of minimum payments. Under a separate contract, which expires May 31, 2022, Entergy Louisiana purchases 50% of the capacity and energy from the power purchase agreement from Entergy Texas.

Total capacity expense under the power purchase agreement accounted for as an operating lease at Entergy Texas was $30.5 million in 2018, $34.1 million in 2017, and $26.1 million in 2016.

Sales and Leaseback Transactions

Waterford 3 Lease Obligation

In 1989, in three separate but substantially identical transactions, Entergy Louisiana sold and leased back undivided interests in Waterford 3 for the aggregate sum of $353.6 million.  The leases were scheduled to expire in July 2017.  Entergy Louisiana was required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.

In December 2015, Entergy Louisiana agreed to purchase the undivided interests in Waterford 3 that were previously being leased. The purchase was accomplished in a two-step transaction in which Entergy Louisiana first acquired the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets, followed by a termination of the leases and transfer of the leased assets to Entergy Louisiana when the outstanding lessor debt is paid.

In March 2016, Entergy Louisiana completed the first step in the two-step transaction by acquiring the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets. Entergy Louisiana paid $60 million in cash and $52 million through the issuance of a non-interest bearing collateral trust mortgage note, payable in installments through July 2017. Entergy Louisiana continued to make payments on the lessor debt that remained outstanding and which matured in January 2017. The combination of payments on the $52 million collateral trust mortgage note issued and the debt service on the lessor debt was equal in timing and amount to the remaining lease payments due from the closing of the transaction through the end of the lease term in July 2017.

Throughout the term of the lease, Entergy Louisiana had accrued a liability for the amount it expected to pay to retain the use of the undivided interests in Waterford 3 at the end of the lease term. Since the sale-leaseback transaction was accounted for as a financing transaction, the accrual of this liability was accounted for as additional interest expense. As of December 2015, the balance of this liability was $62.7 million. Upon entering into the agreement to purchase the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the undivided interests, Entergy Louisiana reduced the balance of the liability to $60 million, and recorded the $2.7 million difference as a credit to interest expense. The $60 million remaining liability was eliminated upon payment of the cash portion of the purchase price in 2016.

As of December 31, 2016, Entergy Louisiana, in connection with the Waterford 3 lease obligation, had a future minimum lease payment (reflecting an interest rate of 8.09%) of $57.5 million, including $2.3 million in interest, due January 2017 that was recorded as long-term debt.

In February 2017 the leases were terminated and the leased assets were conveyed to Entergy Louisiana.

Grand Gulf Lease Obligations

In 1988, in two separate but substantially identical transactions, System Energy sold and leased back undivided ownership interests in Grand Gulf for the aggregate sum of $500 million.  The initial term of the leases expired in July 2015.  System Energy renewed the leases in December 2013 for fair market value with renewal terms expiring in July 2036. At the end of the new lease renewal terms, System Energy has the option to repurchase the leased interests in Grand Gulf or renew the leases at fair market value.  In the event that System Energy does not renew or purchase the interests, System Energy would surrender such interests and their associated entitlement of Grand Gulf’s capacity and energy.

System Energy is required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.  For financial reporting purposes, System Energy expenses the interest portion of the lease obligation and the plant depreciation.  However, operating revenues include the recovery of the lease payments because the transactions are accounted for as a sale and leaseback for ratemaking purposes.  Consistent with a recommendation contained in a FERC audit report, System Energy initially recorded as a net regulatory asset the difference between the recovery of the lease payments and the amounts expensed for interest and depreciation and continues to record this difference as a regulatory asset or liability on an ongoing basis, resulting in a zero net balance for the regulatory asset at the end of the lease term.  The amount was a net regulatory liability of $55.6 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017.

As of December 31, 2018, System Energy, in connection with the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transactions, had future minimum lease payments that are recorded as long-term debt, as follows, which reflects the effect of the December 2013 renewal:
 
Amount
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
2019

$17,188

2020
17,188

2021
17,188

2022
17,188

2023
17,188

Years thereafter
223,437

Total
309,377

Less: Amount representing interest
275,025

Present value of net minimum lease payments

$34,352

System Energy [Member]  
Leases
LEASES (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)

Entergy implemented ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” effective January 1, 2019. The ASU’s core principle is that “a lessee should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases.” The ASU considers that “all leases create an asset and a liability,” and accordingly requires recording the assets and liabilities related to all leases with a term greater than 12 months. Concurrent with the implementation of ASU 2016-02, Entergy implemented ASU 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” which provided Entergy the option to elect not to evaluate existing land easements that are not currently accounted for under the previous lease standard, and ASU 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements,” which intended to simplify the transition requirement giving Entergy the option to apply the transition provisions of the new standard at the date of adoption instead of at the earliest comparative period. In implementing these ASUs, Entergy elected the options provided in both ASU 2018-01 and ASU 2018-11. This accounting was applied to all lease agreements using the modified retrospective method, which required an adjustment to retained earnings for the cumulative effect of adopting the standard as of the effective date, and when implemented with ASU 2018-11, allowed Entergy to recognize the leased assets and liabilities on its balance sheet beginning on January 1, 2019 without restating prior periods. In adopting the standard, in January 2019 Entergy recognized right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities totaling approximately $263 million, including $59 million for Entergy Arkansas, $51 million for Entergy Louisiana, $26 million for Entergy Mississippi, $7 million for Entergy New Orleans, and $16 million for Entergy Texas. Implementation of the standards had no material effect on consolidated net income; therefore, no adjustment to retained earnings was recorded. The adoption of the standards had no effect on cash flows.

General

As of March 31, 2019, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries held operating and financing leases for fleet vehicles used in operations, real estate, fuel storage facilities, and power purchase agreements. Excluded from this are power purchase agreements not meeting the definition of a lease, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale-leaseback which were determined not to be leases.

Leases have remaining terms of one year to 30 years. Real estate leases generally include at least one five-year renewal option; however, renewal is not typically considered certain unless Entergy or a Registrant Subsidiary makes significant leasehold improvements or other modifications which would hinder its ability to easily move. In certain of the lease agreements for fleet vehicles used in operations, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries provide residual value guarantees to the lessor; however, due to the nature of the agreements and Entergy’s continuing relationship with the lessor, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to renegotiate or refinance the leases prior to conclusion of the lease. As such, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries do not believe it is probable that they will be required to pay anything pertaining to the residual value guarantee, and the lease liabilities and right-of-use assets are measured accordingly.

Entergy incurred the following total lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost
 

$15,720

Financing lease cost:
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets
 

$2,912

Interest on lease liabilities
 

$753



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by Entergy for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.

The Registrant Subsidiaries incurred the following lease costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating lease cost

$3,295

 

$3,026

 

$1,753

 

$357

 

$1,085

Financing lease cost:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets

$629

 

$1,025

 

$348

 

$176

 

$306

Interest on lease liabilities

$105

 

$152

 

$59

 

$30

 

$46



The lease costs disclosed above materially approximate the cash flows used by the Registrant Subsidiaries for leases with all costs included within operating activities on the respective Statements of Cash Flows, except for the financing lease costs which are included in financing activities.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Entergy has elected to account for short-term leases in accordance with policy options provided by accounting guidance; therefore, there are no related lease liabilities or right-of-use assets for the costs recognized above by Entergy or by its Registrant Subsidiaries in the table below.

Included within Property, Plant, and Equipment on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2019 are $241 million related to operating leases and $60 million related to financing leases.

Included within Utility Plant on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019 are the following amounts:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Operating leases

$52,916

 

$36,066

 

$18,926

 

$4,961

 

$9,991

Financing leases

$11,317

 

$16,978

 

$6,358

 

$2,974

 

$5,076



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on Entergy’s consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2019:
 
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$53,121

Financing leases
 

$11,590

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
Operating leases
 

$173,456

Financing leases
 

$53,065



The following lease-related liabilities are recorded within the respective Other lines on the Registrant Subsidiaries’ respective balance sheets at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
(In Thousands)
Current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$11,321

 

$10,958

 

$6,461

 

$1,748

 

$3,071

Financing leases

$2,465

 

$4,052

 

$1,382

 

$678

 

$1,281

Non-current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases

$41,597

 

$25,144

 

$12,565

 

$3,218

 

$7,007

Financing leases

$8,851

 

$13,039

 

$4,975

 

$2,296

 

$3,708



The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of Entergy at March 31, 2019:
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
Operating leases
 
5.51

Financing leases
 
7.06

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
Operating leases
 
3.75
%
Financing leases
 
4.64
%


The following information contains the weighted average remaining lease term in years and the weighted average discount rate for the operating and financing leases of the Registrant Subsidiaries at March 31, 2019:
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
Weighted average remaining lease terms:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
6.38

 
4.32

 
5.09

 
5.64

 
4.15

Financing leases
5.64

 
5.29

 
5.39

 
5.81

 
5.09

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
3.29
%
 
3.54
%
 
3.67
%
 
3.55
%
 
3.80
%
Financing leases
3.71
%
 
3.56
%
 
3.70
%
 
3.97
%
 
3.72
%


Maturity of the lease liabilities for Entergy as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:
Year
 
Operating Leases
 
Financing Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder for 2019
 

$44,143

 

$10,375

2020
 
52,905

 
12,489

2021
 
43,482

 
10,941

2022
 
34,768

 
9,743

2023
 
27,974

 
8,680

Years thereafter
 
45,259

 
26,744

Minimum lease payments
 
248,531

 
78,972

Less: amount representing interest
 
21,954

 
14,318

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$226,577

 

$64,654



Maturity of the lease liabilities for the Registrant Subsidiaries as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:

Operating Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$9,285

 

$8,316

 

$5,231

 

$1,036

 

$2,631

2020
 
11,085

 
9,795

 
5,845

 
1,216

 
2,961

2021
 
9,137

 
8,009

 
3,886

 
945

 
2,186

2022
 
6,763

 
5,137

 
2,505

 
622

 
1,196

2023
 
5,600

 
3,262

 
1,228

 
460

 
839

Years thereafter
 
15,713

 
3,346

 
2,313

 
999

 
1,104

Minimum lease payments
 
57,583

 
37,865

 
21,008

 
5,278

 
10,917

Less: amount representing interest
 
4,664

 
1,764

 
1,982

 
312

 
839

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$52,919

 

$36,101

 

$19,026

 

$4,966

 

$10,078


Financing Leases
Year
 
Entergy Arkansas
 
Entergy Louisiana
 
Entergy Mississippi
 
Entergy New Orleans
 
Entergy Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remainder of 2019
 

$2,071

 

$3,302

 

$1,159

 

$592

 

$1,010

2020
 
2,464

 
3,843

 
1,431

 
616

 
1,165

2021
 
2,067

 
3,189

 
1,266

 
505

 
973

2022
 
1,778

 
2,749

 
1,073

 
454

 
766

2023
 
1,551

 
2,301

 
867

 
407

 
633

Years thereafter
 
2,476

 
5,414

 
1,154

 
748

 
796

Minimum lease payments
 
12,407

 
20,798

 
6,950

 
3,322

 
5,343

Less: amount representing interest
 
1,091

 
3,707

 
592

 
349

 
354

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$11,316

 

$17,091

 

$6,358

 

$2,973

 

$4,989



In allocating consideration in lease contracts to the lease and non-lease components, Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries have made the accounting policy election to combine lease and non-lease components related to fleet vehicles used in operations, fuel storage agreements, and purchased power agreements and to allocate the contract consideration to both lease and non-lease components for real estate leases.

In accordance with ASU 2018-11, below is the lease disclosure from Note 10 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K.

General

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy had capital leases and non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transaction, all of which are discussed elsewhere):
 
Year
 
Operating
Leases
 
Capital
Leases
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$94,043

 

$2,887

2020
 
82,191

 
2,887

2021
 
75,147

 
2,887

2022
 
60,808

 
2,887

2023
 
47,391

 
2,887

Years thereafter
 
88,004

 
16,117

Minimum lease payments
 
447,584

 
30,552

Less:  Amount representing interest
 

 
8,555

Present value of net minimum lease payments
 

$447,584

 

$21,997



Total rental expenses for all leases (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf and Waterford 3 sale and leaseback transactions) amounted to $47.8 million in 2018, $53.1 million in 2017, and $44.4 million in 2016.

As of December 31, 2018 the Registrant Subsidiaries had non-cancelable operating leases for equipment, buildings, vehicles, and fuel storage facilities with minimum lease payments as follows (excluding power purchase agreement operating leases, nuclear fuel leases, and the Grand Gulf lease obligation, all of which are discussed elsewhere):

Operating Leases
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$20,421

 

$25,970

 

$9,344

 

$2,493

 

$5,744

2020
 
13,918

 
21,681

 
8,763

 
2,349

 
4,431

2021
 
11,931

 
19,514

 
7,186

 
1,901

 
3,625

2022
 
9,458

 
15,756

 
5,675

 
1,314

 
2,218

2023
 
7,782

 
12,092

 
2,946

 
1,043

 
1,561

Years thereafter
 
23,297

 
22,003

 
4,417

 
2,323

 
2,726

Minimum lease payments
 

$86,807

 

$117,016

 

$38,331

 

$11,423

 

$20,305



Rental Expenses
 
 
Year
 
 
Entergy
Arkansas
 
 
Entergy
Louisiana
 
 
Entergy
Mississippi
 
Entergy
New Orleans
 
 
Entergy
Texas
 
 
System
Energy
 
 
(In Millions)
2018
 

$6.2

 

$20.2

 

$4.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.1

 

$1.9

2017
 

$7.5

 

$23.0

 

$5.6

 

$2.5

 

$3.4

 

$2.2

2016
 

$8.0

 

$17.8

 

$4.0

 

$0.9

 

$2.8

 

$1.6



In addition to the above rental expense, railcar operating lease payments and oil tank facilities lease payments are recorded in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment.  Railcar operating lease payments were $2.8 million in 2018, $4 million in 2017, and $3.4 million in 2016 for Entergy Arkansas and $0.4 million in 2018, $0.3 million in 2017, and $0.3 million in 2016 for Entergy Louisiana.  Oil tank facilities lease payments for Entergy Mississippi were $0.1 million in 2018, $1.6 million in 2017, and $1.6 million in 2016.

On January 1, 2019, Entergy implemented ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” along with the practical expedients provided by ASU No. 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” and ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements.”  See Note 1 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of ASU No. 2016-02.

Power Purchase Agreements

As of December 31, 2018, Entergy Texas had a power purchase agreement that is accounted for as an operating lease under the accounting standards. The lease payments are recovered in fuel expense in accordance with regulatory treatment. The minimum lease payments under the power purchase agreement are as follows:
Year
 
Entergy Texas (a)
 
Entergy
 
 
(In Thousands)
2019
 

$31,159

 

$31,159

2020
 
31,876

 
31,876

2021
 
32,609

 
32,609

2022
 
10,180

 
10,180

Minimum lease payments
 

$105,824

 

$105,824


(a)
Amounts reflect 100% of minimum payments. Under a separate contract, which expires May 31, 2022, Entergy Louisiana purchases 50% of the capacity and energy from the power purchase agreement from Entergy Texas.

Total capacity expense under the power purchase agreement accounted for as an operating lease at Entergy Texas was $30.5 million in 2018, $34.1 million in 2017, and $26.1 million in 2016.

Sales and Leaseback Transactions

Waterford 3 Lease Obligation

In 1989, in three separate but substantially identical transactions, Entergy Louisiana sold and leased back undivided interests in Waterford 3 for the aggregate sum of $353.6 million.  The leases were scheduled to expire in July 2017.  Entergy Louisiana was required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.

In December 2015, Entergy Louisiana agreed to purchase the undivided interests in Waterford 3 that were previously being leased. The purchase was accomplished in a two-step transaction in which Entergy Louisiana first acquired the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets, followed by a termination of the leases and transfer of the leased assets to Entergy Louisiana when the outstanding lessor debt is paid.

In March 2016, Entergy Louisiana completed the first step in the two-step transaction by acquiring the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the leased assets. Entergy Louisiana paid $60 million in cash and $52 million through the issuance of a non-interest bearing collateral trust mortgage note, payable in installments through July 2017. Entergy Louisiana continued to make payments on the lessor debt that remained outstanding and which matured in January 2017. The combination of payments on the $52 million collateral trust mortgage note issued and the debt service on the lessor debt was equal in timing and amount to the remaining lease payments due from the closing of the transaction through the end of the lease term in July 2017.

Throughout the term of the lease, Entergy Louisiana had accrued a liability for the amount it expected to pay to retain the use of the undivided interests in Waterford 3 at the end of the lease term. Since the sale-leaseback transaction was accounted for as a financing transaction, the accrual of this liability was accounted for as additional interest expense. As of December 2015, the balance of this liability was $62.7 million. Upon entering into the agreement to purchase the equity participant’s beneficial interest in the undivided interests, Entergy Louisiana reduced the balance of the liability to $60 million, and recorded the $2.7 million difference as a credit to interest expense. The $60 million remaining liability was eliminated upon payment of the cash portion of the purchase price in 2016.

As of December 31, 2016, Entergy Louisiana, in connection with the Waterford 3 lease obligation, had a future minimum lease payment (reflecting an interest rate of 8.09%) of $57.5 million, including $2.3 million in interest, due January 2017 that was recorded as long-term debt.

In February 2017 the leases were terminated and the leased assets were conveyed to Entergy Louisiana.

Grand Gulf Lease Obligations

In 1988, in two separate but substantially identical transactions, System Energy sold and leased back undivided ownership interests in Grand Gulf for the aggregate sum of $500 million.  The initial term of the leases expired in July 2015.  System Energy renewed the leases in December 2013 for fair market value with renewal terms expiring in July 2036. At the end of the new lease renewal terms, System Energy has the option to repurchase the leased interests in Grand Gulf or renew the leases at fair market value.  In the event that System Energy does not renew or purchase the interests, System Energy would surrender such interests and their associated entitlement of Grand Gulf’s capacity and energy.

System Energy is required to report the sale-leaseback as a financing transaction in its financial statements.  For financial reporting purposes, System Energy expenses the interest portion of the lease obligation and the plant depreciation.  However, operating revenues include the recovery of the lease payments because the transactions are accounted for as a sale and leaseback for ratemaking purposes.  Consistent with a recommendation contained in a FERC audit report, System Energy initially recorded as a net regulatory asset the difference between the recovery of the lease payments and the amounts expensed for interest and depreciation and continues to record this difference as a regulatory asset or liability on an ongoing basis, resulting in a zero net balance for the regulatory asset at the end of the lease term.  The amount was a net regulatory liability of $55.6 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017.

As of December 31, 2018, System Energy, in connection with the Grand Gulf sale and leaseback transactions, had future minimum lease payments that are recorded as long-term debt, as follows, which reflects the effect of the December 2013 renewal:
 
Amount
 
(In Thousands)
 
 
2019

$17,188

2020
17,188

2021
17,188

2022
17,188

2023
17,188

Years thereafter
223,437

Total
309,377

Less: Amount representing interest
275,025

Present value of net minimum lease payments

$34,352