XML 52 R14.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.24.2.u1
Retirement And Other Postretirement Benefits
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Retirement Benefits [Text Block] RETIREMENT AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)
Components of Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$23,370 $25,366 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation65,961 74,033 
Expected return on assets(89,506)(95,752)
Recognized net loss14,854 21,307 
Settlement charges325,253 7,246 
Net pension costs$339,932 $32,200 
Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$46,746 $51,044 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation136,587 149,734 
Expected return on assets(185,486)(193,885)
Recognized net loss29,974 43,654 
Settlement charges325,253 145,674 
Net pension cost$353,074 $196,221 

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,100 $5,551 $1,284 $440 $962 $1,383 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,217 13,961 3,521 1,569 2,831 3,386 
Expected return on assets(18,155)(19,447)(5,113)(2,203)(4,077)(4,633)
Recognized net loss5,746 2,602 1,140 470 393 1,162 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$4,908 $2,667 $832 $276 $109 $1,909 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,661 $6,199 $1,456 $487 $1,090 $1,445 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,917 14,944 3,824 1,669 3,162 3,435 
Expected return on assets(17,878)(18,766)(4,635)(2,310)(4,023)(4,501)
Recognized net loss5,763 4,992 1,627 484 1,059 1,274 
Settlement charges1,784 2,232 88 592 490 
Net pension cost$8,247 $9,601 $2,360 $337 $1,880 $2,143 
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$8,199 $11,102 $2,568 $880 $1,923 $2,767 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation26,434 27,922 7,042 3,138 5,662 6,777 
Expected return on assets(36,310)(38,894)(10,226)(4,407)(8,154)(9,281)
Recognized net loss11,492 5,204 2,280 940 786 2,327 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$9,815 $5,334 $1,664 $551 $217 $3,201 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$9,410 $12,479 $2,938 $978 $2,197 $2,912 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation28,197 30,323 7,754 3,384 6,404 6,963 
Expected return on assets(35,954)(37,999)(9,519)(4,577)(8,175)(9,039)
Recognized net loss12,732 9,956 3,392 997 2,049 2,735 
Settlement charges23,958 38,230 11,743 1,700 10,270 5,290 
Net pension cost$38,343 $52,989 $16,308 $2,482 $12,745 $8,861 

Non-Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy recognized $2.7 million and $8.8 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the second quarter of 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost for non-qualified pension plans for the second quarter of 2023 were settlement charges of $4.6 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans. Entergy recognized $5.4 million and $18 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2023 were settlement charges of $9.3 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans.

The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$68 $51 $83 $31 $62 
2023$63 $25 $87 $33 $63 
The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$136 $102 $166 $61 $124 
2023$513 $52 $639 $66 $126 

For the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, there were settlement charges of $379 thousand and $453 thousand for Entergy Arkansas and Entergy Mississippi, respectively, included in the non-qualified pension costs above related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan.

Components of Net Other Postretirement Benefits Cost (Income)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$3,126 $3,664 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)9,852 10,568 
Expected return on assets(10,569)(9,183)
Amortization of prior service credit(5,720)(5,640)
Recognized net gain(2,761)(2,862)
Net other postretirement benefits income($6,072)($3,453)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
 20242023
 (In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$6,252 $7,328 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)19,704 21,136 
Expected return on assets(21,138)(18,366)
Amortization of prior service credit(11,440)(11,280)
Recognized net gain(5,522)(5,724)
Net other postretirement benefits income($12,144)($6,906)
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$642 $700 $184 $51 $168 $175 
Interest cost on APBO1,833 1,999 486 253 603 398 
Expected return on assets(4,384)— (1,372)(1,479)(2,539)(728)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (1,136)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (1,738)15 19 148 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($1,385)($175)($926)($1,385)($2,713)($228)

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$741 $845 $220 $59 $202 $189 
Interest cost on APBO2,001 2,233 543 290 649 432 
Expected return on assets(3,778)— (1,179)(1,316)(2,194)(634)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (951)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss43 (1,764)21 117 229 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($469)$363 ($634)($1,079)($2,207)($86)

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,284 $1,400 $368 $102 $336 $350 
Interest cost on APBO3,666 3,998 972 506 1,206 796 
Expected return on assets(8,768)— (2,744)(2,958)(5,078)(1,456)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (2,272)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (3,476)30 38 296 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($2,770)($350)($1,852)($2,770)($5,426)($456)
2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,482 $1,690 $440 $118 $404 $378 
Interest cost on APBO4,002 4,466 1,086 580 1,298 864 
Expected return on assets(7,556)— (2,358)(2,632)(4,388)(1,268)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (1,902)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss86 (3,528)42 234 458 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($938)$726 ($1,268)($2,158)($4,414)($172)

Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,513 ($40)$3,473 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(894)2,615 (80)1,641 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($317,868)$6,128 ($120)($311,860)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,136 $— $1,136 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(104)1,738 (2)1,632 
($104)$2,874 ($2)$2,768 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,510 ($112)$3,398 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(1,104)2,897 (160)1,633 
Settlement loss(310)— (364)(674)
($1,414)$6,407 ($636)$4,357 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $951 $— $951 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(200)1,764 — 1,564 
Settlement loss(89)— — (89)
($289)$2,715 $— $2,426 
Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,026 ($80)$6,946 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,033)5,230 (160)3,037 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($319,007)$12,256 ($240)($306,991)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $2,272 $— $2,272 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(208)3,476 (2)3,266 
($208)$5,748 ($2)$5,538 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,020 ($225)$6,795 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,144)5,796 (357)3,295 
Settlement loss(6,957)— (1,533)(8,490)
($9,101)$12,816 ($2,115)$1,600 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,902 $— $1,902 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(398)3,528 (1)3,129 
Settlement loss(1,529)— — (1,529)
($1,927)$5,430 ($1)$3,502 

Accounting for Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

In accordance with accounting standards, the other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of income from operations and are presented by Entergy in miscellaneous - net in other income.

Qualified Pension Settlement Costs

In May 2024, Entergy Corporation entered into a commitment agreement by and between Entergy Corporation, Newport Trust Company, LLC, as independent fiduciary of Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Non-Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan III, and Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan IV for Bargaining Employees (the Pension Plans), and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife), under which the Pension Plans purchased a nonparticipating single premium group annuity contract from MetLife to settle approximately $1.157 billion of benefit liabilities of the Pension Plans.
The group annuity contract primarily covers a population that includes approximately 3,400 non-utility business retirees, joint annuitants, beneficiaries, and alternate payees who commenced benefit payments from the Pension Plans on or before March 1, 2024 (Transferred Participants). MetLife irrevocably guarantees and assumes the sole obligation to make future monthly pension benefit payments to the Transferred Participants as provided under its group annuity contract, with direct payments beginning September 1, 2024. The aggregate amount of each Transferred Participant’s payment under the group annuity contract will be equal to the amount of each individual’s payment under the Pension Plans.

The purchase of the group annuity contract was funded directly by assets of the Pension Plans. The transferred pension liability required no additional funding prior to transfer, as the liability was fully funded. As a result of the transaction, Entergy recognized a one-time non-cash pension settlement charge in the second quarter of 2024 of $325 million, of which $8 million was recorded at Utility, as described below, and $317 million was recorded at Parent & Other. The $317 million settlement charge at Parent & Other is reflected in Miscellaneous - net in Other income (deductions) on the consolidated income statements.

For the six months ended June 30, 2023, lump sum benefit payments from the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees exceeded the sum of the Plans’ 2023 service and interest cost, resulting in settlement costs. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy each participate in one or both of the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees and incurred settlement costs.

In accordance with accounting standards, settlement accounting requires immediate recognition of the portion of previously unrecognized losses associated with the settled portion of the plan’s pension liability. Similar to other pension costs, the settlement costs were included with employee labor costs and charged to expense and capital in the same manner that labor costs were charged. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans each received regulatory approval to defer the expense portion of the settlement costs, with future amortization of the deferred settlement expense over the period in which the expense otherwise would be recorded had the immediate recognition not occurred.

In September 2020, Entergy Texas elected to establish a reserve, in accordance with PUCT regulations, to track the surplus or deficit in the annual amount of actuarially determined pension and other postretirement benefits chargeable to Entergy Texas’s expense. The reserve amounts recorded are evaluated in each rate case filed by Entergy Texas and an amortization period is determined at that time.

See Note 11 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of pension and other postretirement benefits costs.
Employer Contributions

Based on current assumptions, Entergy expects to contribute $270 million to its qualified pension plans in 2024.  As of June 30, 2024, Entergy had contributed $111.4 million to its pension plans.  Based on current assumptions, the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to contribute the following to qualified pension plans for their current and former employees in 2024:
Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Expected 2024 pension contributions$55,112 $48,401 $14,980 $4,931 $8,272 $16,650 
Pension contributions made through June 2024$22,784 $19,862 $7,240 $1,499 $3,037 $6,666 
Remaining estimated pension contributions to be made in 2024$32,328 $28,539 $7,740 $3,432 $5,235 $9,984 
Entergy Arkansas [Member]  
Retirement Benefits [Text Block] RETIREMENT AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)
Components of Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$23,370 $25,366 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation65,961 74,033 
Expected return on assets(89,506)(95,752)
Recognized net loss14,854 21,307 
Settlement charges325,253 7,246 
Net pension costs$339,932 $32,200 
Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$46,746 $51,044 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation136,587 149,734 
Expected return on assets(185,486)(193,885)
Recognized net loss29,974 43,654 
Settlement charges325,253 145,674 
Net pension cost$353,074 $196,221 

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,100 $5,551 $1,284 $440 $962 $1,383 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,217 13,961 3,521 1,569 2,831 3,386 
Expected return on assets(18,155)(19,447)(5,113)(2,203)(4,077)(4,633)
Recognized net loss5,746 2,602 1,140 470 393 1,162 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$4,908 $2,667 $832 $276 $109 $1,909 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,661 $6,199 $1,456 $487 $1,090 $1,445 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,917 14,944 3,824 1,669 3,162 3,435 
Expected return on assets(17,878)(18,766)(4,635)(2,310)(4,023)(4,501)
Recognized net loss5,763 4,992 1,627 484 1,059 1,274 
Settlement charges1,784 2,232 88 592 490 
Net pension cost$8,247 $9,601 $2,360 $337 $1,880 $2,143 
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$8,199 $11,102 $2,568 $880 $1,923 $2,767 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation26,434 27,922 7,042 3,138 5,662 6,777 
Expected return on assets(36,310)(38,894)(10,226)(4,407)(8,154)(9,281)
Recognized net loss11,492 5,204 2,280 940 786 2,327 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$9,815 $5,334 $1,664 $551 $217 $3,201 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$9,410 $12,479 $2,938 $978 $2,197 $2,912 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation28,197 30,323 7,754 3,384 6,404 6,963 
Expected return on assets(35,954)(37,999)(9,519)(4,577)(8,175)(9,039)
Recognized net loss12,732 9,956 3,392 997 2,049 2,735 
Settlement charges23,958 38,230 11,743 1,700 10,270 5,290 
Net pension cost$38,343 $52,989 $16,308 $2,482 $12,745 $8,861 

Non-Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy recognized $2.7 million and $8.8 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the second quarter of 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost for non-qualified pension plans for the second quarter of 2023 were settlement charges of $4.6 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans. Entergy recognized $5.4 million and $18 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2023 were settlement charges of $9.3 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans.

The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$68 $51 $83 $31 $62 
2023$63 $25 $87 $33 $63 
The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$136 $102 $166 $61 $124 
2023$513 $52 $639 $66 $126 

For the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, there were settlement charges of $379 thousand and $453 thousand for Entergy Arkansas and Entergy Mississippi, respectively, included in the non-qualified pension costs above related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan.

Components of Net Other Postretirement Benefits Cost (Income)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$3,126 $3,664 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)9,852 10,568 
Expected return on assets(10,569)(9,183)
Amortization of prior service credit(5,720)(5,640)
Recognized net gain(2,761)(2,862)
Net other postretirement benefits income($6,072)($3,453)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
 20242023
 (In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$6,252 $7,328 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)19,704 21,136 
Expected return on assets(21,138)(18,366)
Amortization of prior service credit(11,440)(11,280)
Recognized net gain(5,522)(5,724)
Net other postretirement benefits income($12,144)($6,906)
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$642 $700 $184 $51 $168 $175 
Interest cost on APBO1,833 1,999 486 253 603 398 
Expected return on assets(4,384)— (1,372)(1,479)(2,539)(728)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (1,136)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (1,738)15 19 148 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($1,385)($175)($926)($1,385)($2,713)($228)

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$741 $845 $220 $59 $202 $189 
Interest cost on APBO2,001 2,233 543 290 649 432 
Expected return on assets(3,778)— (1,179)(1,316)(2,194)(634)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (951)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss43 (1,764)21 117 229 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($469)$363 ($634)($1,079)($2,207)($86)

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,284 $1,400 $368 $102 $336 $350 
Interest cost on APBO3,666 3,998 972 506 1,206 796 
Expected return on assets(8,768)— (2,744)(2,958)(5,078)(1,456)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (2,272)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (3,476)30 38 296 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($2,770)($350)($1,852)($2,770)($5,426)($456)
2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,482 $1,690 $440 $118 $404 $378 
Interest cost on APBO4,002 4,466 1,086 580 1,298 864 
Expected return on assets(7,556)— (2,358)(2,632)(4,388)(1,268)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (1,902)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss86 (3,528)42 234 458 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($938)$726 ($1,268)($2,158)($4,414)($172)

Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,513 ($40)$3,473 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(894)2,615 (80)1,641 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($317,868)$6,128 ($120)($311,860)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,136 $— $1,136 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(104)1,738 (2)1,632 
($104)$2,874 ($2)$2,768 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,510 ($112)$3,398 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(1,104)2,897 (160)1,633 
Settlement loss(310)— (364)(674)
($1,414)$6,407 ($636)$4,357 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $951 $— $951 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(200)1,764 — 1,564 
Settlement loss(89)— — (89)
($289)$2,715 $— $2,426 
Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,026 ($80)$6,946 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,033)5,230 (160)3,037 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($319,007)$12,256 ($240)($306,991)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $2,272 $— $2,272 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(208)3,476 (2)3,266 
($208)$5,748 ($2)$5,538 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,020 ($225)$6,795 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,144)5,796 (357)3,295 
Settlement loss(6,957)— (1,533)(8,490)
($9,101)$12,816 ($2,115)$1,600 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,902 $— $1,902 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(398)3,528 (1)3,129 
Settlement loss(1,529)— — (1,529)
($1,927)$5,430 ($1)$3,502 

Accounting for Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

In accordance with accounting standards, the other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of income from operations and are presented by Entergy in miscellaneous - net in other income.

Qualified Pension Settlement Costs

In May 2024, Entergy Corporation entered into a commitment agreement by and between Entergy Corporation, Newport Trust Company, LLC, as independent fiduciary of Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Non-Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan III, and Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan IV for Bargaining Employees (the Pension Plans), and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife), under which the Pension Plans purchased a nonparticipating single premium group annuity contract from MetLife to settle approximately $1.157 billion of benefit liabilities of the Pension Plans.
The group annuity contract primarily covers a population that includes approximately 3,400 non-utility business retirees, joint annuitants, beneficiaries, and alternate payees who commenced benefit payments from the Pension Plans on or before March 1, 2024 (Transferred Participants). MetLife irrevocably guarantees and assumes the sole obligation to make future monthly pension benefit payments to the Transferred Participants as provided under its group annuity contract, with direct payments beginning September 1, 2024. The aggregate amount of each Transferred Participant’s payment under the group annuity contract will be equal to the amount of each individual’s payment under the Pension Plans.

The purchase of the group annuity contract was funded directly by assets of the Pension Plans. The transferred pension liability required no additional funding prior to transfer, as the liability was fully funded. As a result of the transaction, Entergy recognized a one-time non-cash pension settlement charge in the second quarter of 2024 of $325 million, of which $8 million was recorded at Utility, as described below, and $317 million was recorded at Parent & Other. The $317 million settlement charge at Parent & Other is reflected in Miscellaneous - net in Other income (deductions) on the consolidated income statements.

For the six months ended June 30, 2023, lump sum benefit payments from the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees exceeded the sum of the Plans’ 2023 service and interest cost, resulting in settlement costs. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy each participate in one or both of the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees and incurred settlement costs.

In accordance with accounting standards, settlement accounting requires immediate recognition of the portion of previously unrecognized losses associated with the settled portion of the plan’s pension liability. Similar to other pension costs, the settlement costs were included with employee labor costs and charged to expense and capital in the same manner that labor costs were charged. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans each received regulatory approval to defer the expense portion of the settlement costs, with future amortization of the deferred settlement expense over the period in which the expense otherwise would be recorded had the immediate recognition not occurred.

In September 2020, Entergy Texas elected to establish a reserve, in accordance with PUCT regulations, to track the surplus or deficit in the annual amount of actuarially determined pension and other postretirement benefits chargeable to Entergy Texas’s expense. The reserve amounts recorded are evaluated in each rate case filed by Entergy Texas and an amortization period is determined at that time.

See Note 11 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of pension and other postretirement benefits costs.
Employer Contributions

Based on current assumptions, Entergy expects to contribute $270 million to its qualified pension plans in 2024.  As of June 30, 2024, Entergy had contributed $111.4 million to its pension plans.  Based on current assumptions, the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to contribute the following to qualified pension plans for their current and former employees in 2024:
Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Expected 2024 pension contributions$55,112 $48,401 $14,980 $4,931 $8,272 $16,650 
Pension contributions made through June 2024$22,784 $19,862 $7,240 $1,499 $3,037 $6,666 
Remaining estimated pension contributions to be made in 2024$32,328 $28,539 $7,740 $3,432 $5,235 $9,984 
Entergy Louisiana [Member]  
Retirement Benefits [Text Block] RETIREMENT AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)
Components of Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$23,370 $25,366 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation65,961 74,033 
Expected return on assets(89,506)(95,752)
Recognized net loss14,854 21,307 
Settlement charges325,253 7,246 
Net pension costs$339,932 $32,200 
Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$46,746 $51,044 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation136,587 149,734 
Expected return on assets(185,486)(193,885)
Recognized net loss29,974 43,654 
Settlement charges325,253 145,674 
Net pension cost$353,074 $196,221 

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,100 $5,551 $1,284 $440 $962 $1,383 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,217 13,961 3,521 1,569 2,831 3,386 
Expected return on assets(18,155)(19,447)(5,113)(2,203)(4,077)(4,633)
Recognized net loss5,746 2,602 1,140 470 393 1,162 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$4,908 $2,667 $832 $276 $109 $1,909 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,661 $6,199 $1,456 $487 $1,090 $1,445 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,917 14,944 3,824 1,669 3,162 3,435 
Expected return on assets(17,878)(18,766)(4,635)(2,310)(4,023)(4,501)
Recognized net loss5,763 4,992 1,627 484 1,059 1,274 
Settlement charges1,784 2,232 88 592 490 
Net pension cost$8,247 $9,601 $2,360 $337 $1,880 $2,143 
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$8,199 $11,102 $2,568 $880 $1,923 $2,767 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation26,434 27,922 7,042 3,138 5,662 6,777 
Expected return on assets(36,310)(38,894)(10,226)(4,407)(8,154)(9,281)
Recognized net loss11,492 5,204 2,280 940 786 2,327 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$9,815 $5,334 $1,664 $551 $217 $3,201 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$9,410 $12,479 $2,938 $978 $2,197 $2,912 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation28,197 30,323 7,754 3,384 6,404 6,963 
Expected return on assets(35,954)(37,999)(9,519)(4,577)(8,175)(9,039)
Recognized net loss12,732 9,956 3,392 997 2,049 2,735 
Settlement charges23,958 38,230 11,743 1,700 10,270 5,290 
Net pension cost$38,343 $52,989 $16,308 $2,482 $12,745 $8,861 

Non-Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy recognized $2.7 million and $8.8 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the second quarter of 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost for non-qualified pension plans for the second quarter of 2023 were settlement charges of $4.6 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans. Entergy recognized $5.4 million and $18 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2023 were settlement charges of $9.3 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans.

The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$68 $51 $83 $31 $62 
2023$63 $25 $87 $33 $63 
The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$136 $102 $166 $61 $124 
2023$513 $52 $639 $66 $126 

For the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, there were settlement charges of $379 thousand and $453 thousand for Entergy Arkansas and Entergy Mississippi, respectively, included in the non-qualified pension costs above related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan.

Components of Net Other Postretirement Benefits Cost (Income)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$3,126 $3,664 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)9,852 10,568 
Expected return on assets(10,569)(9,183)
Amortization of prior service credit(5,720)(5,640)
Recognized net gain(2,761)(2,862)
Net other postretirement benefits income($6,072)($3,453)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
 20242023
 (In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$6,252 $7,328 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)19,704 21,136 
Expected return on assets(21,138)(18,366)
Amortization of prior service credit(11,440)(11,280)
Recognized net gain(5,522)(5,724)
Net other postretirement benefits income($12,144)($6,906)
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$642 $700 $184 $51 $168 $175 
Interest cost on APBO1,833 1,999 486 253 603 398 
Expected return on assets(4,384)— (1,372)(1,479)(2,539)(728)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (1,136)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (1,738)15 19 148 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($1,385)($175)($926)($1,385)($2,713)($228)

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$741 $845 $220 $59 $202 $189 
Interest cost on APBO2,001 2,233 543 290 649 432 
Expected return on assets(3,778)— (1,179)(1,316)(2,194)(634)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (951)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss43 (1,764)21 117 229 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($469)$363 ($634)($1,079)($2,207)($86)

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,284 $1,400 $368 $102 $336 $350 
Interest cost on APBO3,666 3,998 972 506 1,206 796 
Expected return on assets(8,768)— (2,744)(2,958)(5,078)(1,456)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (2,272)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (3,476)30 38 296 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($2,770)($350)($1,852)($2,770)($5,426)($456)
2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,482 $1,690 $440 $118 $404 $378 
Interest cost on APBO4,002 4,466 1,086 580 1,298 864 
Expected return on assets(7,556)— (2,358)(2,632)(4,388)(1,268)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (1,902)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss86 (3,528)42 234 458 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($938)$726 ($1,268)($2,158)($4,414)($172)

Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,513 ($40)$3,473 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(894)2,615 (80)1,641 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($317,868)$6,128 ($120)($311,860)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,136 $— $1,136 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(104)1,738 (2)1,632 
($104)$2,874 ($2)$2,768 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,510 ($112)$3,398 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(1,104)2,897 (160)1,633 
Settlement loss(310)— (364)(674)
($1,414)$6,407 ($636)$4,357 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $951 $— $951 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(200)1,764 — 1,564 
Settlement loss(89)— — (89)
($289)$2,715 $— $2,426 
Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,026 ($80)$6,946 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,033)5,230 (160)3,037 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($319,007)$12,256 ($240)($306,991)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $2,272 $— $2,272 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(208)3,476 (2)3,266 
($208)$5,748 ($2)$5,538 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,020 ($225)$6,795 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,144)5,796 (357)3,295 
Settlement loss(6,957)— (1,533)(8,490)
($9,101)$12,816 ($2,115)$1,600 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,902 $— $1,902 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(398)3,528 (1)3,129 
Settlement loss(1,529)— — (1,529)
($1,927)$5,430 ($1)$3,502 

Accounting for Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

In accordance with accounting standards, the other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of income from operations and are presented by Entergy in miscellaneous - net in other income.

Qualified Pension Settlement Costs

In May 2024, Entergy Corporation entered into a commitment agreement by and between Entergy Corporation, Newport Trust Company, LLC, as independent fiduciary of Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Non-Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan III, and Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan IV for Bargaining Employees (the Pension Plans), and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife), under which the Pension Plans purchased a nonparticipating single premium group annuity contract from MetLife to settle approximately $1.157 billion of benefit liabilities of the Pension Plans.
The group annuity contract primarily covers a population that includes approximately 3,400 non-utility business retirees, joint annuitants, beneficiaries, and alternate payees who commenced benefit payments from the Pension Plans on or before March 1, 2024 (Transferred Participants). MetLife irrevocably guarantees and assumes the sole obligation to make future monthly pension benefit payments to the Transferred Participants as provided under its group annuity contract, with direct payments beginning September 1, 2024. The aggregate amount of each Transferred Participant’s payment under the group annuity contract will be equal to the amount of each individual’s payment under the Pension Plans.

The purchase of the group annuity contract was funded directly by assets of the Pension Plans. The transferred pension liability required no additional funding prior to transfer, as the liability was fully funded. As a result of the transaction, Entergy recognized a one-time non-cash pension settlement charge in the second quarter of 2024 of $325 million, of which $8 million was recorded at Utility, as described below, and $317 million was recorded at Parent & Other. The $317 million settlement charge at Parent & Other is reflected in Miscellaneous - net in Other income (deductions) on the consolidated income statements.

For the six months ended June 30, 2023, lump sum benefit payments from the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees exceeded the sum of the Plans’ 2023 service and interest cost, resulting in settlement costs. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy each participate in one or both of the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees and incurred settlement costs.

In accordance with accounting standards, settlement accounting requires immediate recognition of the portion of previously unrecognized losses associated with the settled portion of the plan’s pension liability. Similar to other pension costs, the settlement costs were included with employee labor costs and charged to expense and capital in the same manner that labor costs were charged. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans each received regulatory approval to defer the expense portion of the settlement costs, with future amortization of the deferred settlement expense over the period in which the expense otherwise would be recorded had the immediate recognition not occurred.

In September 2020, Entergy Texas elected to establish a reserve, in accordance with PUCT regulations, to track the surplus or deficit in the annual amount of actuarially determined pension and other postretirement benefits chargeable to Entergy Texas’s expense. The reserve amounts recorded are evaluated in each rate case filed by Entergy Texas and an amortization period is determined at that time.

See Note 11 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of pension and other postretirement benefits costs.
Employer Contributions

Based on current assumptions, Entergy expects to contribute $270 million to its qualified pension plans in 2024.  As of June 30, 2024, Entergy had contributed $111.4 million to its pension plans.  Based on current assumptions, the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to contribute the following to qualified pension plans for their current and former employees in 2024:
Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Expected 2024 pension contributions$55,112 $48,401 $14,980 $4,931 $8,272 $16,650 
Pension contributions made through June 2024$22,784 $19,862 $7,240 $1,499 $3,037 $6,666 
Remaining estimated pension contributions to be made in 2024$32,328 $28,539 $7,740 $3,432 $5,235 $9,984 
Entergy Mississippi [Member]  
Retirement Benefits [Text Block] RETIREMENT AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)
Components of Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$23,370 $25,366 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation65,961 74,033 
Expected return on assets(89,506)(95,752)
Recognized net loss14,854 21,307 
Settlement charges325,253 7,246 
Net pension costs$339,932 $32,200 
Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$46,746 $51,044 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation136,587 149,734 
Expected return on assets(185,486)(193,885)
Recognized net loss29,974 43,654 
Settlement charges325,253 145,674 
Net pension cost$353,074 $196,221 

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,100 $5,551 $1,284 $440 $962 $1,383 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,217 13,961 3,521 1,569 2,831 3,386 
Expected return on assets(18,155)(19,447)(5,113)(2,203)(4,077)(4,633)
Recognized net loss5,746 2,602 1,140 470 393 1,162 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$4,908 $2,667 $832 $276 $109 $1,909 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,661 $6,199 $1,456 $487 $1,090 $1,445 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,917 14,944 3,824 1,669 3,162 3,435 
Expected return on assets(17,878)(18,766)(4,635)(2,310)(4,023)(4,501)
Recognized net loss5,763 4,992 1,627 484 1,059 1,274 
Settlement charges1,784 2,232 88 592 490 
Net pension cost$8,247 $9,601 $2,360 $337 $1,880 $2,143 
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$8,199 $11,102 $2,568 $880 $1,923 $2,767 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation26,434 27,922 7,042 3,138 5,662 6,777 
Expected return on assets(36,310)(38,894)(10,226)(4,407)(8,154)(9,281)
Recognized net loss11,492 5,204 2,280 940 786 2,327 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$9,815 $5,334 $1,664 $551 $217 $3,201 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$9,410 $12,479 $2,938 $978 $2,197 $2,912 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation28,197 30,323 7,754 3,384 6,404 6,963 
Expected return on assets(35,954)(37,999)(9,519)(4,577)(8,175)(9,039)
Recognized net loss12,732 9,956 3,392 997 2,049 2,735 
Settlement charges23,958 38,230 11,743 1,700 10,270 5,290 
Net pension cost$38,343 $52,989 $16,308 $2,482 $12,745 $8,861 

Non-Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy recognized $2.7 million and $8.8 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the second quarter of 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost for non-qualified pension plans for the second quarter of 2023 were settlement charges of $4.6 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans. Entergy recognized $5.4 million and $18 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2023 were settlement charges of $9.3 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans.

The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$68 $51 $83 $31 $62 
2023$63 $25 $87 $33 $63 
The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$136 $102 $166 $61 $124 
2023$513 $52 $639 $66 $126 

For the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, there were settlement charges of $379 thousand and $453 thousand for Entergy Arkansas and Entergy Mississippi, respectively, included in the non-qualified pension costs above related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan.

Components of Net Other Postretirement Benefits Cost (Income)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$3,126 $3,664 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)9,852 10,568 
Expected return on assets(10,569)(9,183)
Amortization of prior service credit(5,720)(5,640)
Recognized net gain(2,761)(2,862)
Net other postretirement benefits income($6,072)($3,453)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
 20242023
 (In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$6,252 $7,328 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)19,704 21,136 
Expected return on assets(21,138)(18,366)
Amortization of prior service credit(11,440)(11,280)
Recognized net gain(5,522)(5,724)
Net other postretirement benefits income($12,144)($6,906)
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$642 $700 $184 $51 $168 $175 
Interest cost on APBO1,833 1,999 486 253 603 398 
Expected return on assets(4,384)— (1,372)(1,479)(2,539)(728)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (1,136)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (1,738)15 19 148 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($1,385)($175)($926)($1,385)($2,713)($228)

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$741 $845 $220 $59 $202 $189 
Interest cost on APBO2,001 2,233 543 290 649 432 
Expected return on assets(3,778)— (1,179)(1,316)(2,194)(634)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (951)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss43 (1,764)21 117 229 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($469)$363 ($634)($1,079)($2,207)($86)

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,284 $1,400 $368 $102 $336 $350 
Interest cost on APBO3,666 3,998 972 506 1,206 796 
Expected return on assets(8,768)— (2,744)(2,958)(5,078)(1,456)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (2,272)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (3,476)30 38 296 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($2,770)($350)($1,852)($2,770)($5,426)($456)
2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,482 $1,690 $440 $118 $404 $378 
Interest cost on APBO4,002 4,466 1,086 580 1,298 864 
Expected return on assets(7,556)— (2,358)(2,632)(4,388)(1,268)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (1,902)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss86 (3,528)42 234 458 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($938)$726 ($1,268)($2,158)($4,414)($172)

Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,513 ($40)$3,473 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(894)2,615 (80)1,641 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($317,868)$6,128 ($120)($311,860)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,136 $— $1,136 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(104)1,738 (2)1,632 
($104)$2,874 ($2)$2,768 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,510 ($112)$3,398 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(1,104)2,897 (160)1,633 
Settlement loss(310)— (364)(674)
($1,414)$6,407 ($636)$4,357 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $951 $— $951 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(200)1,764 — 1,564 
Settlement loss(89)— — (89)
($289)$2,715 $— $2,426 
Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,026 ($80)$6,946 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,033)5,230 (160)3,037 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($319,007)$12,256 ($240)($306,991)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $2,272 $— $2,272 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(208)3,476 (2)3,266 
($208)$5,748 ($2)$5,538 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,020 ($225)$6,795 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,144)5,796 (357)3,295 
Settlement loss(6,957)— (1,533)(8,490)
($9,101)$12,816 ($2,115)$1,600 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,902 $— $1,902 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(398)3,528 (1)3,129 
Settlement loss(1,529)— — (1,529)
($1,927)$5,430 ($1)$3,502 

Accounting for Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

In accordance with accounting standards, the other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of income from operations and are presented by Entergy in miscellaneous - net in other income.

Qualified Pension Settlement Costs

In May 2024, Entergy Corporation entered into a commitment agreement by and between Entergy Corporation, Newport Trust Company, LLC, as independent fiduciary of Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Non-Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan III, and Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan IV for Bargaining Employees (the Pension Plans), and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife), under which the Pension Plans purchased a nonparticipating single premium group annuity contract from MetLife to settle approximately $1.157 billion of benefit liabilities of the Pension Plans.
The group annuity contract primarily covers a population that includes approximately 3,400 non-utility business retirees, joint annuitants, beneficiaries, and alternate payees who commenced benefit payments from the Pension Plans on or before March 1, 2024 (Transferred Participants). MetLife irrevocably guarantees and assumes the sole obligation to make future monthly pension benefit payments to the Transferred Participants as provided under its group annuity contract, with direct payments beginning September 1, 2024. The aggregate amount of each Transferred Participant’s payment under the group annuity contract will be equal to the amount of each individual’s payment under the Pension Plans.

The purchase of the group annuity contract was funded directly by assets of the Pension Plans. The transferred pension liability required no additional funding prior to transfer, as the liability was fully funded. As a result of the transaction, Entergy recognized a one-time non-cash pension settlement charge in the second quarter of 2024 of $325 million, of which $8 million was recorded at Utility, as described below, and $317 million was recorded at Parent & Other. The $317 million settlement charge at Parent & Other is reflected in Miscellaneous - net in Other income (deductions) on the consolidated income statements.

For the six months ended June 30, 2023, lump sum benefit payments from the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees exceeded the sum of the Plans’ 2023 service and interest cost, resulting in settlement costs. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy each participate in one or both of the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees and incurred settlement costs.

In accordance with accounting standards, settlement accounting requires immediate recognition of the portion of previously unrecognized losses associated with the settled portion of the plan’s pension liability. Similar to other pension costs, the settlement costs were included with employee labor costs and charged to expense and capital in the same manner that labor costs were charged. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans each received regulatory approval to defer the expense portion of the settlement costs, with future amortization of the deferred settlement expense over the period in which the expense otherwise would be recorded had the immediate recognition not occurred.

In September 2020, Entergy Texas elected to establish a reserve, in accordance with PUCT regulations, to track the surplus or deficit in the annual amount of actuarially determined pension and other postretirement benefits chargeable to Entergy Texas’s expense. The reserve amounts recorded are evaluated in each rate case filed by Entergy Texas and an amortization period is determined at that time.

See Note 11 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of pension and other postretirement benefits costs.
Employer Contributions

Based on current assumptions, Entergy expects to contribute $270 million to its qualified pension plans in 2024.  As of June 30, 2024, Entergy had contributed $111.4 million to its pension plans.  Based on current assumptions, the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to contribute the following to qualified pension plans for their current and former employees in 2024:
Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Expected 2024 pension contributions$55,112 $48,401 $14,980 $4,931 $8,272 $16,650 
Pension contributions made through June 2024$22,784 $19,862 $7,240 $1,499 $3,037 $6,666 
Remaining estimated pension contributions to be made in 2024$32,328 $28,539 $7,740 $3,432 $5,235 $9,984 
Entergy New Orleans [Member]  
Retirement Benefits [Text Block] RETIREMENT AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)
Components of Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$23,370 $25,366 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation65,961 74,033 
Expected return on assets(89,506)(95,752)
Recognized net loss14,854 21,307 
Settlement charges325,253 7,246 
Net pension costs$339,932 $32,200 
Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$46,746 $51,044 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation136,587 149,734 
Expected return on assets(185,486)(193,885)
Recognized net loss29,974 43,654 
Settlement charges325,253 145,674 
Net pension cost$353,074 $196,221 

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,100 $5,551 $1,284 $440 $962 $1,383 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,217 13,961 3,521 1,569 2,831 3,386 
Expected return on assets(18,155)(19,447)(5,113)(2,203)(4,077)(4,633)
Recognized net loss5,746 2,602 1,140 470 393 1,162 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$4,908 $2,667 $832 $276 $109 $1,909 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,661 $6,199 $1,456 $487 $1,090 $1,445 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,917 14,944 3,824 1,669 3,162 3,435 
Expected return on assets(17,878)(18,766)(4,635)(2,310)(4,023)(4,501)
Recognized net loss5,763 4,992 1,627 484 1,059 1,274 
Settlement charges1,784 2,232 88 592 490 
Net pension cost$8,247 $9,601 $2,360 $337 $1,880 $2,143 
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$8,199 $11,102 $2,568 $880 $1,923 $2,767 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation26,434 27,922 7,042 3,138 5,662 6,777 
Expected return on assets(36,310)(38,894)(10,226)(4,407)(8,154)(9,281)
Recognized net loss11,492 5,204 2,280 940 786 2,327 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$9,815 $5,334 $1,664 $551 $217 $3,201 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$9,410 $12,479 $2,938 $978 $2,197 $2,912 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation28,197 30,323 7,754 3,384 6,404 6,963 
Expected return on assets(35,954)(37,999)(9,519)(4,577)(8,175)(9,039)
Recognized net loss12,732 9,956 3,392 997 2,049 2,735 
Settlement charges23,958 38,230 11,743 1,700 10,270 5,290 
Net pension cost$38,343 $52,989 $16,308 $2,482 $12,745 $8,861 

Non-Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy recognized $2.7 million and $8.8 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the second quarter of 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost for non-qualified pension plans for the second quarter of 2023 were settlement charges of $4.6 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans. Entergy recognized $5.4 million and $18 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2023 were settlement charges of $9.3 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans.

The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$68 $51 $83 $31 $62 
2023$63 $25 $87 $33 $63 
The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$136 $102 $166 $61 $124 
2023$513 $52 $639 $66 $126 

For the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, there were settlement charges of $379 thousand and $453 thousand for Entergy Arkansas and Entergy Mississippi, respectively, included in the non-qualified pension costs above related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan.

Components of Net Other Postretirement Benefits Cost (Income)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$3,126 $3,664 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)9,852 10,568 
Expected return on assets(10,569)(9,183)
Amortization of prior service credit(5,720)(5,640)
Recognized net gain(2,761)(2,862)
Net other postretirement benefits income($6,072)($3,453)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
 20242023
 (In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$6,252 $7,328 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)19,704 21,136 
Expected return on assets(21,138)(18,366)
Amortization of prior service credit(11,440)(11,280)
Recognized net gain(5,522)(5,724)
Net other postretirement benefits income($12,144)($6,906)
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$642 $700 $184 $51 $168 $175 
Interest cost on APBO1,833 1,999 486 253 603 398 
Expected return on assets(4,384)— (1,372)(1,479)(2,539)(728)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (1,136)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (1,738)15 19 148 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($1,385)($175)($926)($1,385)($2,713)($228)

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$741 $845 $220 $59 $202 $189 
Interest cost on APBO2,001 2,233 543 290 649 432 
Expected return on assets(3,778)— (1,179)(1,316)(2,194)(634)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (951)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss43 (1,764)21 117 229 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($469)$363 ($634)($1,079)($2,207)($86)

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,284 $1,400 $368 $102 $336 $350 
Interest cost on APBO3,666 3,998 972 506 1,206 796 
Expected return on assets(8,768)— (2,744)(2,958)(5,078)(1,456)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (2,272)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (3,476)30 38 296 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($2,770)($350)($1,852)($2,770)($5,426)($456)
2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,482 $1,690 $440 $118 $404 $378 
Interest cost on APBO4,002 4,466 1,086 580 1,298 864 
Expected return on assets(7,556)— (2,358)(2,632)(4,388)(1,268)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (1,902)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss86 (3,528)42 234 458 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($938)$726 ($1,268)($2,158)($4,414)($172)

Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,513 ($40)$3,473 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(894)2,615 (80)1,641 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($317,868)$6,128 ($120)($311,860)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,136 $— $1,136 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(104)1,738 (2)1,632 
($104)$2,874 ($2)$2,768 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,510 ($112)$3,398 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(1,104)2,897 (160)1,633 
Settlement loss(310)— (364)(674)
($1,414)$6,407 ($636)$4,357 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $951 $— $951 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(200)1,764 — 1,564 
Settlement loss(89)— — (89)
($289)$2,715 $— $2,426 
Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,026 ($80)$6,946 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,033)5,230 (160)3,037 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($319,007)$12,256 ($240)($306,991)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $2,272 $— $2,272 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(208)3,476 (2)3,266 
($208)$5,748 ($2)$5,538 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,020 ($225)$6,795 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,144)5,796 (357)3,295 
Settlement loss(6,957)— (1,533)(8,490)
($9,101)$12,816 ($2,115)$1,600 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,902 $— $1,902 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(398)3,528 (1)3,129 
Settlement loss(1,529)— — (1,529)
($1,927)$5,430 ($1)$3,502 

Accounting for Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

In accordance with accounting standards, the other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of income from operations and are presented by Entergy in miscellaneous - net in other income.

Qualified Pension Settlement Costs

In May 2024, Entergy Corporation entered into a commitment agreement by and between Entergy Corporation, Newport Trust Company, LLC, as independent fiduciary of Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Non-Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan III, and Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan IV for Bargaining Employees (the Pension Plans), and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife), under which the Pension Plans purchased a nonparticipating single premium group annuity contract from MetLife to settle approximately $1.157 billion of benefit liabilities of the Pension Plans.
The group annuity contract primarily covers a population that includes approximately 3,400 non-utility business retirees, joint annuitants, beneficiaries, and alternate payees who commenced benefit payments from the Pension Plans on or before March 1, 2024 (Transferred Participants). MetLife irrevocably guarantees and assumes the sole obligation to make future monthly pension benefit payments to the Transferred Participants as provided under its group annuity contract, with direct payments beginning September 1, 2024. The aggregate amount of each Transferred Participant’s payment under the group annuity contract will be equal to the amount of each individual’s payment under the Pension Plans.

The purchase of the group annuity contract was funded directly by assets of the Pension Plans. The transferred pension liability required no additional funding prior to transfer, as the liability was fully funded. As a result of the transaction, Entergy recognized a one-time non-cash pension settlement charge in the second quarter of 2024 of $325 million, of which $8 million was recorded at Utility, as described below, and $317 million was recorded at Parent & Other. The $317 million settlement charge at Parent & Other is reflected in Miscellaneous - net in Other income (deductions) on the consolidated income statements.

For the six months ended June 30, 2023, lump sum benefit payments from the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees exceeded the sum of the Plans’ 2023 service and interest cost, resulting in settlement costs. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy each participate in one or both of the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees and incurred settlement costs.

In accordance with accounting standards, settlement accounting requires immediate recognition of the portion of previously unrecognized losses associated with the settled portion of the plan’s pension liability. Similar to other pension costs, the settlement costs were included with employee labor costs and charged to expense and capital in the same manner that labor costs were charged. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans each received regulatory approval to defer the expense portion of the settlement costs, with future amortization of the deferred settlement expense over the period in which the expense otherwise would be recorded had the immediate recognition not occurred.

In September 2020, Entergy Texas elected to establish a reserve, in accordance with PUCT regulations, to track the surplus or deficit in the annual amount of actuarially determined pension and other postretirement benefits chargeable to Entergy Texas’s expense. The reserve amounts recorded are evaluated in each rate case filed by Entergy Texas and an amortization period is determined at that time.

See Note 11 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of pension and other postretirement benefits costs.
Employer Contributions

Based on current assumptions, Entergy expects to contribute $270 million to its qualified pension plans in 2024.  As of June 30, 2024, Entergy had contributed $111.4 million to its pension plans.  Based on current assumptions, the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to contribute the following to qualified pension plans for their current and former employees in 2024:
Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Expected 2024 pension contributions$55,112 $48,401 $14,980 $4,931 $8,272 $16,650 
Pension contributions made through June 2024$22,784 $19,862 $7,240 $1,499 $3,037 $6,666 
Remaining estimated pension contributions to be made in 2024$32,328 $28,539 $7,740 $3,432 $5,235 $9,984 
Entergy Texas [Member]  
Retirement Benefits [Text Block] RETIREMENT AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)
Components of Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$23,370 $25,366 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation65,961 74,033 
Expected return on assets(89,506)(95,752)
Recognized net loss14,854 21,307 
Settlement charges325,253 7,246 
Net pension costs$339,932 $32,200 
Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$46,746 $51,044 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation136,587 149,734 
Expected return on assets(185,486)(193,885)
Recognized net loss29,974 43,654 
Settlement charges325,253 145,674 
Net pension cost$353,074 $196,221 

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,100 $5,551 $1,284 $440 $962 $1,383 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,217 13,961 3,521 1,569 2,831 3,386 
Expected return on assets(18,155)(19,447)(5,113)(2,203)(4,077)(4,633)
Recognized net loss5,746 2,602 1,140 470 393 1,162 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$4,908 $2,667 $832 $276 $109 $1,909 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,661 $6,199 $1,456 $487 $1,090 $1,445 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,917 14,944 3,824 1,669 3,162 3,435 
Expected return on assets(17,878)(18,766)(4,635)(2,310)(4,023)(4,501)
Recognized net loss5,763 4,992 1,627 484 1,059 1,274 
Settlement charges1,784 2,232 88 592 490 
Net pension cost$8,247 $9,601 $2,360 $337 $1,880 $2,143 
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$8,199 $11,102 $2,568 $880 $1,923 $2,767 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation26,434 27,922 7,042 3,138 5,662 6,777 
Expected return on assets(36,310)(38,894)(10,226)(4,407)(8,154)(9,281)
Recognized net loss11,492 5,204 2,280 940 786 2,327 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$9,815 $5,334 $1,664 $551 $217 $3,201 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$9,410 $12,479 $2,938 $978 $2,197 $2,912 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation28,197 30,323 7,754 3,384 6,404 6,963 
Expected return on assets(35,954)(37,999)(9,519)(4,577)(8,175)(9,039)
Recognized net loss12,732 9,956 3,392 997 2,049 2,735 
Settlement charges23,958 38,230 11,743 1,700 10,270 5,290 
Net pension cost$38,343 $52,989 $16,308 $2,482 $12,745 $8,861 

Non-Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy recognized $2.7 million and $8.8 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the second quarter of 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost for non-qualified pension plans for the second quarter of 2023 were settlement charges of $4.6 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans. Entergy recognized $5.4 million and $18 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2023 were settlement charges of $9.3 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans.

The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$68 $51 $83 $31 $62 
2023$63 $25 $87 $33 $63 
The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$136 $102 $166 $61 $124 
2023$513 $52 $639 $66 $126 

For the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, there were settlement charges of $379 thousand and $453 thousand for Entergy Arkansas and Entergy Mississippi, respectively, included in the non-qualified pension costs above related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan.

Components of Net Other Postretirement Benefits Cost (Income)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$3,126 $3,664 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)9,852 10,568 
Expected return on assets(10,569)(9,183)
Amortization of prior service credit(5,720)(5,640)
Recognized net gain(2,761)(2,862)
Net other postretirement benefits income($6,072)($3,453)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
 20242023
 (In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$6,252 $7,328 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)19,704 21,136 
Expected return on assets(21,138)(18,366)
Amortization of prior service credit(11,440)(11,280)
Recognized net gain(5,522)(5,724)
Net other postretirement benefits income($12,144)($6,906)
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$642 $700 $184 $51 $168 $175 
Interest cost on APBO1,833 1,999 486 253 603 398 
Expected return on assets(4,384)— (1,372)(1,479)(2,539)(728)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (1,136)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (1,738)15 19 148 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($1,385)($175)($926)($1,385)($2,713)($228)

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$741 $845 $220 $59 $202 $189 
Interest cost on APBO2,001 2,233 543 290 649 432 
Expected return on assets(3,778)— (1,179)(1,316)(2,194)(634)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (951)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss43 (1,764)21 117 229 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($469)$363 ($634)($1,079)($2,207)($86)

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,284 $1,400 $368 $102 $336 $350 
Interest cost on APBO3,666 3,998 972 506 1,206 796 
Expected return on assets(8,768)— (2,744)(2,958)(5,078)(1,456)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (2,272)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (3,476)30 38 296 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($2,770)($350)($1,852)($2,770)($5,426)($456)
2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,482 $1,690 $440 $118 $404 $378 
Interest cost on APBO4,002 4,466 1,086 580 1,298 864 
Expected return on assets(7,556)— (2,358)(2,632)(4,388)(1,268)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (1,902)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss86 (3,528)42 234 458 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($938)$726 ($1,268)($2,158)($4,414)($172)

Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,513 ($40)$3,473 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(894)2,615 (80)1,641 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($317,868)$6,128 ($120)($311,860)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,136 $— $1,136 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(104)1,738 (2)1,632 
($104)$2,874 ($2)$2,768 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,510 ($112)$3,398 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(1,104)2,897 (160)1,633 
Settlement loss(310)— (364)(674)
($1,414)$6,407 ($636)$4,357 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $951 $— $951 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(200)1,764 — 1,564 
Settlement loss(89)— — (89)
($289)$2,715 $— $2,426 
Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,026 ($80)$6,946 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,033)5,230 (160)3,037 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($319,007)$12,256 ($240)($306,991)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $2,272 $— $2,272 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(208)3,476 (2)3,266 
($208)$5,748 ($2)$5,538 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,020 ($225)$6,795 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,144)5,796 (357)3,295 
Settlement loss(6,957)— (1,533)(8,490)
($9,101)$12,816 ($2,115)$1,600 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,902 $— $1,902 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(398)3,528 (1)3,129 
Settlement loss(1,529)— — (1,529)
($1,927)$5,430 ($1)$3,502 

Accounting for Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

In accordance with accounting standards, the other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of income from operations and are presented by Entergy in miscellaneous - net in other income.

Qualified Pension Settlement Costs

In May 2024, Entergy Corporation entered into a commitment agreement by and between Entergy Corporation, Newport Trust Company, LLC, as independent fiduciary of Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Non-Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan III, and Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan IV for Bargaining Employees (the Pension Plans), and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife), under which the Pension Plans purchased a nonparticipating single premium group annuity contract from MetLife to settle approximately $1.157 billion of benefit liabilities of the Pension Plans.
The group annuity contract primarily covers a population that includes approximately 3,400 non-utility business retirees, joint annuitants, beneficiaries, and alternate payees who commenced benefit payments from the Pension Plans on or before March 1, 2024 (Transferred Participants). MetLife irrevocably guarantees and assumes the sole obligation to make future monthly pension benefit payments to the Transferred Participants as provided under its group annuity contract, with direct payments beginning September 1, 2024. The aggregate amount of each Transferred Participant’s payment under the group annuity contract will be equal to the amount of each individual’s payment under the Pension Plans.

The purchase of the group annuity contract was funded directly by assets of the Pension Plans. The transferred pension liability required no additional funding prior to transfer, as the liability was fully funded. As a result of the transaction, Entergy recognized a one-time non-cash pension settlement charge in the second quarter of 2024 of $325 million, of which $8 million was recorded at Utility, as described below, and $317 million was recorded at Parent & Other. The $317 million settlement charge at Parent & Other is reflected in Miscellaneous - net in Other income (deductions) on the consolidated income statements.

For the six months ended June 30, 2023, lump sum benefit payments from the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees exceeded the sum of the Plans’ 2023 service and interest cost, resulting in settlement costs. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy each participate in one or both of the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees and incurred settlement costs.

In accordance with accounting standards, settlement accounting requires immediate recognition of the portion of previously unrecognized losses associated with the settled portion of the plan’s pension liability. Similar to other pension costs, the settlement costs were included with employee labor costs and charged to expense and capital in the same manner that labor costs were charged. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans each received regulatory approval to defer the expense portion of the settlement costs, with future amortization of the deferred settlement expense over the period in which the expense otherwise would be recorded had the immediate recognition not occurred.

In September 2020, Entergy Texas elected to establish a reserve, in accordance with PUCT regulations, to track the surplus or deficit in the annual amount of actuarially determined pension and other postretirement benefits chargeable to Entergy Texas’s expense. The reserve amounts recorded are evaluated in each rate case filed by Entergy Texas and an amortization period is determined at that time.

See Note 11 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of pension and other postretirement benefits costs.
Employer Contributions

Based on current assumptions, Entergy expects to contribute $270 million to its qualified pension plans in 2024.  As of June 30, 2024, Entergy had contributed $111.4 million to its pension plans.  Based on current assumptions, the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to contribute the following to qualified pension plans for their current and former employees in 2024:
Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Expected 2024 pension contributions$55,112 $48,401 $14,980 $4,931 $8,272 $16,650 
Pension contributions made through June 2024$22,784 $19,862 $7,240 $1,499 $3,037 $6,666 
Remaining estimated pension contributions to be made in 2024$32,328 $28,539 $7,740 $3,432 $5,235 $9,984 
System Energy [Member]  
Retirement Benefits [Text Block] RETIREMENT AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)
Components of Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$23,370 $25,366 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation65,961 74,033 
Expected return on assets(89,506)(95,752)
Recognized net loss14,854 21,307 
Settlement charges325,253 7,246 
Net pension costs$339,932 $32,200 
Entergy’s qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$46,746 $51,044 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation136,587 149,734 
Expected return on assets(185,486)(193,885)
Recognized net loss29,974 43,654 
Settlement charges325,253 145,674 
Net pension cost$353,074 $196,221 

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,100 $5,551 $1,284 $440 $962 $1,383 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,217 13,961 3,521 1,569 2,831 3,386 
Expected return on assets(18,155)(19,447)(5,113)(2,203)(4,077)(4,633)
Recognized net loss5,746 2,602 1,140 470 393 1,162 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$4,908 $2,667 $832 $276 $109 $1,909 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$4,661 $6,199 $1,456 $487 $1,090 $1,445 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation13,917 14,944 3,824 1,669 3,162 3,435 
Expected return on assets(17,878)(18,766)(4,635)(2,310)(4,023)(4,501)
Recognized net loss5,763 4,992 1,627 484 1,059 1,274 
Settlement charges1,784 2,232 88 592 490 
Net pension cost$8,247 $9,601 $2,360 $337 $1,880 $2,143 
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ qualified pension costs, including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$8,199 $11,102 $2,568 $880 $1,923 $2,767 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation26,434 27,922 7,042 3,138 5,662 6,777 
Expected return on assets(36,310)(38,894)(10,226)(4,407)(8,154)(9,281)
Recognized net loss11,492 5,204 2,280 940 786 2,327 
Settlement charges— — — — — 611 
Net pension cost$9,815 $5,334 $1,664 $551 $217 $3,201 

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
 Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$9,410 $12,479 $2,938 $978 $2,197 $2,912 
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation28,197 30,323 7,754 3,384 6,404 6,963 
Expected return on assets(35,954)(37,999)(9,519)(4,577)(8,175)(9,039)
Recognized net loss12,732 9,956 3,392 997 2,049 2,735 
Settlement charges23,958 38,230 11,743 1,700 10,270 5,290 
Net pension cost$38,343 $52,989 $16,308 $2,482 $12,745 $8,861 

Non-Qualified Net Pension Cost

Entergy recognized $2.7 million and $8.8 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the second quarter of 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost for non-qualified pension plans for the second quarter of 2023 were settlement charges of $4.6 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans. Entergy recognized $5.4 million and $18 million in pension cost for its non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. Included in the pension cost non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2023 were settlement charges of $9.3 million related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plans.

The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$68 $51 $83 $31 $62 
2023$63 $25 $87 $33 $63 
The Registrant Subsidiaries recognized the following pension cost for their current and former employees for their non-qualified pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
(In Thousands)
2024$136 $102 $166 $61 $124 
2023$513 $52 $639 $66 $126 

For the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, there were no settlement charges for the Registrant Subsidiaries related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, there were settlement charges of $379 thousand and $453 thousand for Entergy Arkansas and Entergy Mississippi, respectively, included in the non-qualified pension costs above related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan.

Components of Net Other Postretirement Benefits Cost (Income)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
20242023
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$3,126 $3,664 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)9,852 10,568 
Expected return on assets(10,569)(9,183)
Amortization of prior service credit(5,720)(5,640)
Recognized net gain(2,761)(2,862)
Net other postretirement benefits income($6,072)($3,453)

Entergy’s other postretirement benefits income, including amounts capitalized, for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
 20242023
 (In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$6,252 $7,328 
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (APBO)19,704 21,136 
Expected return on assets(21,138)(18,366)
Amortization of prior service credit(11,440)(11,280)
Recognized net gain(5,522)(5,724)
Net other postretirement benefits income($12,144)($6,906)
The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, included the following components:

2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$642 $700 $184 $51 $168 $175 
Interest cost on APBO1,833 1,999 486 253 603 398 
Expected return on assets(4,384)— (1,372)(1,479)(2,539)(728)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (1,136)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (1,738)15 19 148 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($1,385)($175)($926)($1,385)($2,713)($228)

2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$741 $845 $220 $59 $202 $189 
Interest cost on APBO2,001 2,233 543 290 649 432 
Expected return on assets(3,778)— (1,179)(1,316)(2,194)(634)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)524 (951)(239)(229)(1,093)(73)
Recognized net (gain) loss43 (1,764)21 117 229 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($469)$363 ($634)($1,079)($2,207)($86)

The Registrant Subsidiaries’ other postretirement benefits cost (income), including amounts capitalized, for their current and former employees for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, included the following components:
2024Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,284 $1,400 $368 $102 $336 $350 
Interest cost on APBO3,666 3,998 972 506 1,206 796 
Expected return on assets(8,768)— (2,744)(2,958)(5,078)(1,456)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (2,272)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss— (3,476)30 38 296 — 
Net other postretirement benefits income($2,770)($350)($1,852)($2,770)($5,426)($456)
2023Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Service cost - benefits earned during the period$1,482 $1,690 $440 $118 $404 $378 
Interest cost on APBO4,002 4,466 1,086 580 1,298 864 
Expected return on assets(7,556)— (2,358)(2,632)(4,388)(1,268)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)1,048 (1,902)(478)(458)(2,186)(146)
Recognized net (gain) loss86 (3,528)42 234 458 — 
Net other postretirement benefits (income) cost($938)$726 ($1,268)($2,158)($4,414)($172)

Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the second quarters of 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,513 ($40)$3,473 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(894)2,615 (80)1,641 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($317,868)$6,128 ($120)($311,860)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,136 $— $1,136 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(104)1,738 (2)1,632 
($104)$2,874 ($2)$2,768 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $3,510 ($112)$3,398 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(1,104)2,897 (160)1,633 
Settlement loss(310)— (364)(674)
($1,414)$6,407 ($636)$4,357 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $951 $— $951 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(200)1,764 — 1,564 
Settlement loss(89)— — (89)
($289)$2,715 $— $2,426 
Entergy and Entergy Louisiana reclassified the following costs out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (before taxes and including amounts capitalized) for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

2024Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,026 ($80)$6,946 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,033)5,230 (160)3,037 
Settlement loss(316,974)— — (316,974)
($319,007)$12,256 ($240)($306,991)
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $2,272 $— $2,272 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(208)3,476 (2)3,266 
($208)$5,748 ($2)$5,538 

2023Qualified
Pension
Costs
Other
Postretirement
Costs
Non-Qualified
Pension Costs
Total
(In Thousands)
Entergy
Amortization of prior service credit (cost)$— $7,020 ($225)$6,795 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(2,144)5,796 (357)3,295 
Settlement loss(6,957)— (1,533)(8,490)
($9,101)$12,816 ($2,115)$1,600 
Entergy Louisiana
Amortization of prior service credit$— $1,902 $— $1,902 
Amortization of net gain (loss)(398)3,528 (1)3,129 
Settlement loss(1,529)— — (1,529)
($1,927)$5,430 ($1)$3,502 

Accounting for Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

In accordance with accounting standards, the other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of income from operations and are presented by Entergy in miscellaneous - net in other income.

Qualified Pension Settlement Costs

In May 2024, Entergy Corporation entered into a commitment agreement by and between Entergy Corporation, Newport Trust Company, LLC, as independent fiduciary of Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Non-Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan II for Bargaining Employees, Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan III, and Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan IV for Bargaining Employees (the Pension Plans), and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife), under which the Pension Plans purchased a nonparticipating single premium group annuity contract from MetLife to settle approximately $1.157 billion of benefit liabilities of the Pension Plans.
The group annuity contract primarily covers a population that includes approximately 3,400 non-utility business retirees, joint annuitants, beneficiaries, and alternate payees who commenced benefit payments from the Pension Plans on or before March 1, 2024 (Transferred Participants). MetLife irrevocably guarantees and assumes the sole obligation to make future monthly pension benefit payments to the Transferred Participants as provided under its group annuity contract, with direct payments beginning September 1, 2024. The aggregate amount of each Transferred Participant’s payment under the group annuity contract will be equal to the amount of each individual’s payment under the Pension Plans.

The purchase of the group annuity contract was funded directly by assets of the Pension Plans. The transferred pension liability required no additional funding prior to transfer, as the liability was fully funded. As a result of the transaction, Entergy recognized a one-time non-cash pension settlement charge in the second quarter of 2024 of $325 million, of which $8 million was recorded at Utility, as described below, and $317 million was recorded at Parent & Other. The $317 million settlement charge at Parent & Other is reflected in Miscellaneous - net in Other income (deductions) on the consolidated income statements.

For the six months ended June 30, 2023, lump sum benefit payments from the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees exceeded the sum of the Plans’ 2023 service and interest cost, resulting in settlement costs. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy each participate in one or both of the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Bargaining Employees and the Entergy Corporation Retirement Plan for Non-Bargaining Employees and incurred settlement costs.

In accordance with accounting standards, settlement accounting requires immediate recognition of the portion of previously unrecognized losses associated with the settled portion of the plan’s pension liability. Similar to other pension costs, the settlement costs were included with employee labor costs and charged to expense and capital in the same manner that labor costs were charged. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans each received regulatory approval to defer the expense portion of the settlement costs, with future amortization of the deferred settlement expense over the period in which the expense otherwise would be recorded had the immediate recognition not occurred.

In September 2020, Entergy Texas elected to establish a reserve, in accordance with PUCT regulations, to track the surplus or deficit in the annual amount of actuarially determined pension and other postretirement benefits chargeable to Entergy Texas’s expense. The reserve amounts recorded are evaluated in each rate case filed by Entergy Texas and an amortization period is determined at that time.

See Note 11 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for further discussion of pension and other postretirement benefits costs.
Employer Contributions

Based on current assumptions, Entergy expects to contribute $270 million to its qualified pension plans in 2024.  As of June 30, 2024, Entergy had contributed $111.4 million to its pension plans.  Based on current assumptions, the Registrant Subsidiaries expect to contribute the following to qualified pension plans for their current and former employees in 2024:
Entergy
Arkansas
Entergy
Louisiana
Entergy
Mississippi
Entergy
New Orleans
Entergy
Texas
System
Energy
(In Thousands)
Expected 2024 pension contributions$55,112 $48,401 $14,980 $4,931 $8,272 $16,650 
Pension contributions made through June 2024$22,784 $19,862 $7,240 $1,499 $3,037 $6,666 
Remaining estimated pension contributions to be made in 2024$32,328 $28,539 $7,740 $3,432 $5,235 $9,984