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Acquisitions, Dispositions and Impairments
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Mergers, Acquisitions and Dispositions Disclosures ACQUISITIONS, DISPOSITIONS AND IMPAIRMENTS
The disclosures in this note apply to AEP unless indicated otherwise.

ACQUISITIONS

Dry Lake Solar Project (Generation & Marketing Segment) (Applies to AEP)

In March 2021, AEP acquired a 75% ownership interest in the Dry Lake Solar Project located in southern Nevada for approximately $114 million and the project was placed in-service in May 2021. In August 2023, Dry Lake was included in the sale of the competitive contracted renewables portfolio. See the “Disposition of the Competitive Contracted Renewables Portfolio” section below and Note 17 - Variable Interest Entities and Equity Method Investments for additional information.

North Central Wind Energy Facilities (Vertically Integrated Utilities Segment) (Applies to AEP, PSO and SWEPCo)

In 2020, PSO and SWEPCo received regulatory approvals to acquire the NCWF, comprised of three Oklahoma wind facilities totaling 1,484 MWs, on a fixed cost turn-key basis. PSO and SWEPCo own undivided interests of 45.5% and 54.5% of the NCWF, respectively. In total, the three wind facilities cost approximately $2 billion and consist of Traverse (998 MW), Maverick (287 MW) and Sundance (199 MW). Output from the NCWF serves retail load in PSO’s Oklahoma service territory and both retail and FERC wholesale load in SWEPCo’s service territories in Arkansas and Louisiana. The Oklahoma and Louisiana portions of the NCWF revenue requirement, net of PTC benefit, are recoverable through authorized riders until the amounts are reflected in base rates. Recovery of the Arkansas portion of the NCWF revenue requirement through base rates was approved by the APSC in May 2022. The NCWF are subject to various regulatory performance requirements. If these performance requirements are not met, PSO and SWEPCo would recognize a regulatory liability to refund retail customers.

In April 2021, PSO and SWEPCo acquired respective undivided ownership interests in the entity that owned Sundance during its development and construction for $270 million. Sundance was placed in-service in April 2021. In September 2021, PSO and SWEPCo acquired respective undivided ownership interests in the entity that owned Maverick during its development and construction for $383 million. Maverick was placed in-service in September 2021. In March 2022, PSO and SWEPCo acquired respective undivided ownership interests in the entity that owned Traverse during its development and construction for $1.2 billion. Traverse was placed in-service in March 2022. Immediately following the acquisitions, PSO and SWEPCo liquidated the entities and simultaneously distributed the assets in proportion to their undivided ownership interests. PSO and SWEPCo apply the joint plant accounting model to account for their respective undivided interests in the assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of the NCWF projects.

Rock Falls Wind Facility (Vertically Integrated Utilities Segment) (Applies to AEP and PSO)

In November 2022, PSO entered into an agreement to acquire the Rock Falls Wind Facility. In February 2023, the FERC approved PSO’s acquisition of the Rock Falls Wind Facility under Section 203 of the Federal Power Act. In March 2023, PSO acquired an ownership interest in the entity that owned Rock Falls during its development and construction for $146 million. In accordance with the guidance for “Business Combinations,” AEP management determined that the acquisition of the Rock Falls Wind Facility represents an asset acquisition. The lease obligations related to Rock Falls were not material at the time of acquisition. See the “2022 Oklahoma Base Rate Case” section of Note 4 for additional information.

DISPOSITIONS

Termination of Planned Disposition of KPCo and KTCo (Vertically Integrated Utilities and AEP Transmission Holdco Segments) (Applies to AEP and AEPTCo)

In October 2021, AEP entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (SPA) to sell KPCo and KTCo to Liberty Utilities Co., a subsidiary of Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. (Liberty), for approximately a $2.85 billion enterprise value. The SPA was subsequently amended in September 2022 to reduce the purchase price to approximately $2.646 billion. The sale required approval from the KPSC and from the FERC under Section 203 of the Federal Power Act. The SPA contained certain termination rights if the closing of the sale did not occur by April 26, 2023.

In May 2022, the KPSC approved the sale of KPCo to Liberty subject to certain conditions contingent upon the closing of the sale. In December 2022, the FERC issued an order denying, without prejudice, authorization of the proposed sale stating the applicants failed to demonstrate the proposed transaction will not have an adverse effect on rates. In February 2023, a new filing for approval under Section 203 of the Federal Power Act was submitted. In March 2023, the KPSC and other intervenors made filings recommending the FERC reject AEP and Liberty’s new Section 203 application seeking approval of the sale.
As a result of delays in the anticipated timing of the closing of the transaction and other factors, AEP recorded a $363 million pretax loss on the expected sale of the Kentucky Operations for the year ended December 31, 2022. In April 2023, AEP, AEPTCo and Liberty entered into a Mutual Termination Agreement (Termination Agreement) terminating the SPA. The parties entered into the Termination Agreement as all of the conditions precedent to closing the sale could not be satisfied prior to April 26, 2023. Upon termination of the sale and reverting to a held and used model, in the first quarter of 2023, AEP reversed $28 million of expected transaction costs included in the $363 million pretax loss and was required to present its investment in the Kentucky Operations at the lower of fair value or historical carrying value which resulted in a $335 million reduction recorded in Property, Plant and Equipment. The reduced investment in KPCo’s assets is being amortized over the 30-year average useful life of the KPCo assets.

Disposition of the Competitive Contracted Renewables Portfolio (Generation & Marketing Segment) (Applies to AEP)

In February 2022, AEP management announced the initiation of a process to sell all or a portion of AEP Renewables’ competitive contracted renewables portfolio (the portfolio) within the Generation & Marketing segment. In late January 2023, AEP received final bids from interested parties. In February 2023, AEP’s Board of Directors approved management’s plan to sell the portfolio and AEP signed an agreement with a nonaffiliated party.

In August 2023, AEP completed the sale of the entire portfolio to the nonaffiliated party and received cash proceeds of approximately $1.2 billion, net of taxes and transaction costs. AEP recorded a pretax loss of $93 million ($73 million after-tax) for the year ended December 31, 2023 related to the sale.

Disposition of Mineral Rights (Generation & Marketing Segment) (Applies to AEP)

In June 2022, AEP closed on the sale of certain mineral rights to a nonaffiliated third-party and received $120 million of proceeds. The sale resulted in a pretax gain of $116 million in the second quarter of 2022.

IMPAIRMENTS

2012 Texas Base Rate Case (Vertically Integrated Utilities Segment) (Applies to AEP and SWEPCo)

In December 2023, SWEPCo recorded a pretax, non-cash disallowance of $86 million in Asset Impairments and Other Related Charges on the statements of income due to regulatory disallowance of recovery of AFUDC on Turk Plant in the 2012 Texas Base Rate case. See the “2012 Texas Base Rate Case” section of Note 4 for additional information.

NMRD (Generation & Marketing Segment) (Applies to AEP)

In December 2023, as a result of sale negotiations AEP determined a decline in the fair value of AEP’s investment in New Mexico Renewable Development (NMRD) was other than temporary. In accordance with the accounting guidance for “Investment - Equity Method and Joint Ventures”, in the fourth quarter of 2023 AEP recorded a pretax other than temporary impairment charge of $19 million which is presented in Equity Earnings (Losses) of Unconsolidated Subsidiaries on AEP’s Statement of Income. AEP’s determination of fair value utilized the accounting guidance for Fair Value Measurement market approach to valuation and was based on negotiations to sell the investment to a non-affiliate. The carrying value of the investment in NMRD was not material to AEP as of December 31, 2023.

Flat Ridge 2 Wind LLC (Generation & Marketing Segment) (Applies to AEP)

In 2019, AEP acquired a 50% ownership interest in five non-consolidated joint ventures, including Flat Ridge 2 Wind LLC (Flat Ridge 2), and two tax equity partnerships. The five non-consolidated joint ventures are jointly owned and operated by BP Wind Energy. Flat Ridge 2 sells electricity to three counterparties through long-term PPAs.

Regarding AEP’s investment in Flat Ridge 2, in June 2022, as a result of Flat Ridge 2’s deteriorating financial performance, sale negotiations and AEP’s ongoing evaluation and ultimate decision to exit the investment in the near term, AEP determined a decline in the fair value of AEP’s investment in Flat Ridge 2 was other than temporary. In accordance with the accounting guidance for “Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures”, in the second quarter of 2022 AEP recorded a pretax other than temporary impairment charge of $186 million which is presented in Equity Earnings (Losses) of Unconsolidated Subsidiaries on AEP’s Statement of Income. AEP’s determination of fair value utilized the accounting guidance for Fair Value Measurement market approach to valuation and was based on negotiations to sell the investment to a non-affiliate. In the third quarter of 2022, AEP recorded an additional $2 million pretax other than temporary impairment charge which is presented in Equity Earnings (Losses) of Unconsolidated Subsidiaries on AEP’s Statement of Income. In September 2022, AEP signed a Purchase and Sale Agreement with a nonaffiliate for AEP’s interest in Flat Ridge 2. The transaction closed in the fourth quarter of 2022 and had an immaterial impact on the financial statements at closing.
2020 Texas Base Rate Case (Vertically Integrated Utilities Segment) (Applies to AEP and SWEPCo)

In January 2022, the PUCT issued a final order which included a return of investment only for the recovery of the Dolet Hills Power Station. As a result of the final order, SWEPCo recorded a disallowance of $12 million associated with the lack of return on the Dolet Hills Power Station. In February 2022, SWEPCo filed a motion for rehearing with the PUCT challenging denial of a reasonable return or carrying costs on the Dolet Hills Power Station among other items. In April 2022, the PUCT denied the motion for rehearing. In May 2022, SWEPCo filed a petition for review with the Texas District Court seeking a judicial review of the several errors challenged in the PUCT’s final order. See “2020 Texas Base Rate Case” section of Note 4 for additional information.