INCOME TAXES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES

INCOME TAXES

The components of income tax expense are as follows:

Eversource (Millions of Dollars)	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2023		2022		2021
Current Income Taxes:
Federal	$	75.8	$	95.8	$	21.5
State	0.6		13.6		(21.6)
Total Current	76.4		109.4		(0.1)
Deferred Income Taxes, Net:
Federal	(0.9)		198.8		199.7
State	86.3		148.0		147.4
Total Deferred	85.4		346.8		347.1
Investment Tax Credits, Net	(2.1)		(2.6)		(2.8)
Income Tax Expense	$	159.7	$	453.6	$	344.2

	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2023						2022						2021
(Millions of Dollars)	CL&P		NSTAR Electric		PSNH		CL&P		NSTAR Electric		PSNH		CL&P		NSTAR Electric		PSNH
Current Income Taxes:
Federal	$	(10.8)	$	50.7	$	(40.0)	$	106.2	$	55.0	$	29.6	$	15.0	$	52.3	$	43.1
State	(2.3)		7.8		(20.0)		20.1		8.7		5.9		(7.0)		6.2		10.8
Total Current	(13.1)		58.5		(60.0)		126.3		63.7		35.5		8.0		58.5		53.9
Deferred Income Taxes, Net:
Federal	130.3		50.1		81.2		17.2		35.6		5.9		76.3		16.3		(14.9)
State	53.7		46.1		37.8		28.2		42.4		9.9		47.6		41.2		0.4
Total Deferred	184.0		96.2		119.0		45.4		78.0		15.8		123.9		57.5		(14.5)
Investment Tax Credits, Net	—		(1.7)		—		(0.5)		(1.7)		—		(0.6)		(1.7)		—
Income Tax Expense	$	170.9	$	153.0	$	59.0	$	171.2	$	140.0	$	51.3	$	131.3	$	114.3	$	39.4

A reconciliation between income tax expense and the expected tax expense at the statutory rate is as follows:

Eversource (Millions of Dollars, except percentages)	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2023			2022			2021
(Loss)/Income Before Income Tax Expense	$	(275.0)		$	1,866.0		$	1,572.3
Statutory Federal Income Tax Expense at 21%	(57.7)			391.9			330.2
Tax Effect of Differences:
Depreciation	(25.8)			(17.1)			(18.1)
Investment Tax Credit Amortization	(2.1)			(2.6)			(2.8)
State Income Taxes, Net of Federal Impact	(11.4)			75.9			54.4
Dividends on ESOP	(5.3)			(5.1)			(5.1)
Tax Asset Valuation Allowance/Reserve Adjustments	295.8			51.6			44.6
Tax Deficiency/(Excess Stock Benefit)	0.5			(2.1)			(4.0)
EDIT Amortization	(51.5)			(49.1)			(69.1)
Other, Net	17.2			10.2			14.1
Income Tax Expense	$	159.7		$	453.6		$	344.2
Effective Tax Rate	(58.1)		%	24.3		%	21.9		%

.

	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2023									2022									2021
(Millions of Dollars, except percentages)	CL&P			NSTAR Electric			PSNH			CL&P			NSTAR Electric			PSNH			CL&P			NSTAR Electric			PSNH
Income Before Income Tax Expense	$	689.6		$	697.5		$	254.7		$	704.1		$	632.4		$	222.9		$	533.0		$	590.9		$	189.8
Statutory Federal Income Tax Expense at 21%	144.9			146.5			53.5			147.9			132.8			46.8			111.9			124.1			39.9
Tax Effect of Differences:
Depreciation	(5.6)			(8.8)			(1.0)			(3.7)			(4.2)			0.9			(6.4)			(3.4)			(0.2)
Investment Tax Credit Amortization	—			(1.7)			—			(0.5)			(1.7)			—			(0.6)			(1.7)			—
State Income Taxes, Net of Federal Impact	(10.7)			42.5			14.1			(6.6)			40.3			12.5			(4.6)			37.5			8.9
Tax Asset Valuation   Allowance/Reserve Adjustments	51.3			—			—			44.7			—			—			36.7			—			—
Tax Deficiency/(Excess Stock Benefit)	0.2			0.2			0.1			(0.7)			(0.8)			(0.3)			(1.5)			(1.4)			(0.5)
EDIT Amortization	(10.5)			(28.4)			(6.8)			(9.2)			(29.2)			(7.7)			(9.8)			(43.2)			(10.5)
Other, Net	1.3			2.7			(0.9)			(0.7)			2.8			(0.9)			5.6			2.4			1.8
Income Tax Expense	$	170.9		$	153.0		$	59.0		$	171.2		$	140.0		$	51.3		$	131.3		$	114.3		$	39.4
Effective Tax Rate	24.8		%	21.9		%	23.2		%	24.3		%	22.1		%	23.0		%	24.6		%	19.3		%	20.8		%

Eversource, CL&P, NSTAR Electric and PSNH file a consolidated federal income tax return and unitary, combined and separate state income tax returns.  These entities are also parties to a tax allocation agreement under which taxable subsidiaries do not pay any more taxes than they would have otherwise paid had they filed a separate company tax return, and subsidiaries generating tax losses, if any, are paid for their losses when utilized.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities.  The tax effect of temporary differences is accounted for in accordance with the rate-making treatment of the applicable regulatory commissions and relevant accounting authoritative literature.  The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to the net accumulated deferred income tax obligations are as follows:

	As of December 31,
	2023								2022
(Millions of Dollars)	Eversource		CL&P		NSTAR Electric		PSNH		Eversource		CL&P		NSTAR Electric		PSNH
Deferred Tax Assets:
Employee Benefits	$	244.5	$	29.9	$	66.8	$	13.0	$	228.9	$	25.3	$	57.4	$	11.6
Derivative Liabilities	33.0		33.0		—		—		53.8		53.8		—		—
Regulatory Deferrals - Liabilities	452.0		94.4		291.5		23.8		529.5		146.6		285.7		42.1
Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts	143.8		79.6		21.5		3.9		125.5		60.5		20.7		7.9
Tax Effect - Tax Regulatory Liabilities	739.0		320.7		227.1		95.5		762.9		324.6		241.8		97.8
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards	13.8		—		—		—		16.7		—		—		—
Purchase Accounting Adjustment	56.7		—		—		—		62.0		—		—		—
Equity Method Wind Investments	584.9		—		—		—		—		—		—		—
Other	200.1		125.3		25.0		23.4		176.6		109.5		20.5		21.3
Total Deferred Tax Assets	2,467.8		682.9		631.9		159.6		1,955.9		720.3		626.1		180.7
Less:  Valuation Allowance (1)	328.1		80.6		—		—		82.8		63.3		—		—
Net Deferred Tax Assets	$	2,139.7	$	602.3	$	631.9	$	159.6	$	1,873.1	$	657.0	$	626.1	$	180.7
Deferred Tax Liabilities:
Accelerated Depreciation and Other   Plant-Related Differences	$	5,103.3	$	1,703.4	$	1,728.6	$	566.5	$	4,793.7	$	1,602.0	$	1,643.7	$	523.8
Property Tax Accruals	95.0		42.0		39.8		6.3		95.3		40.7		41.3		6.7
Regulatory Amounts:
Regulatory Deferrals - Assets	1,512.3		470.0		474.5		250.3		1,251.9		406.4		407.9		165.2
Tax Effect - Tax Regulatory Assets	284.0		191.9		10.5		8.3		271.7		185.6		10.7		7.9
Goodwill-related Regulatory Asset - 1999 Merger	72.2		—		61.9		—		76.8		—		65.9		—
Employee Benefits	282.0		38.8		146.7		16.8		305.5		45.0		140.8		18.7
Derivative Assets	6.4		6.4		—		—		10.5		10.5		—		—
Other	88.2		9.9		19.5		2.9		135.6		6.8		16.7		21.2
Total Deferred Tax Liabilities	$	7,443.4	$	2,462.4	$	2,481.5	$	851.1	$	6,941.0	$	2,297.0	$	2,327.0	$	743.5

(1)    As of December 31, 2023, the Eversource Valuation Allowance of $328.1 million includes $224.0 million related to the impairment of Eversource’s offshore wind investments.

2022 Federal Legislation: On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) was signed into law. This is a broad package of legislation that includes incentives and support for clean energy resource development. Most notable for Eversource, the investment tax credit (ITC) on offshore wind projects increases from 30 percent to 40 percent if certain requirements for labor and domestic content are met. The act also re-establishes the production tax credit for solar and wind energy projects, gives increased credit for projects in certain communities, and sets credits for qualifying clean energy generation and energy storage projects. The tax provisions of the IRA provide additional incentives for offshore wind projects and could reduce retail electricity costs for our customers related to those clean energy investments. The IRA includes other tax provisions focused on implementing a 15 percent minimum tax on adjusted financial statement income and a one percent excise tax on corporate share repurchases. The Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service issued some guidance during 2023; however, they are expected to issue additional needed guidance with respect to the application of the newly enacted IRA provisions in the future. We will continue to monitor and evaluate impacts on our consolidated financial statements. We currently do not expect the alternative minimum tax change to have a material impact on our earnings, financial condition or cash flows.

Carryforwards:  The following table provides the amounts and expiration dates of state tax credit and loss carryforwards and federal tax credit and net operating loss carryforwards:

	As of December 31,
	2023									2022
(Millions of Dollars)	Eversource		CL&P		NSTAR Electric		PSNH		Expiration Range	Eversource		CL&P		NSTAR Electric		PSNH		Expiration Range
State Net Operating Loss	$	243.4	$	—	$	—	$	—	2023 - 2041	$	288.1	$	—	$	—	$	—	2022 - 2041
State Tax Credit	228.5		157.5		—		—		2023 - 2028	204.5		137.7		—		—		2022 - 2027
State Charitable Contribution	7.9		—		—		—		2023 - 2027	20.1		—		—		—		2022 - 2026

In 2023, the Company increased its valuation allowance reserve for state credits by $21.3 million ($17.3 million for CL&P), net of tax, to reflect an update for expiring tax credits. In 2022, the Company increased its valuation allowance reserve for state credits by $21.3 million ($18.8 million for CL&P), net of tax, to reflect an update for expiring tax credits.

For 2023, state credit and state loss carryforwards have been partially reserved by a valuation allowance of $104.1 million (net of tax) and for 2022, state credit and state loss carryforwards were partially reserved by a valuation allowance of $82.8 million (net of tax).    

Unrecognized Tax Benefits:  A reconciliation of the activity in unrecognized tax benefits, all of which would impact the effective tax rate if recognized, is as follows:

(Millions of Dollars)	Eversource		CL&P
Balance as of January 1, 2021	$	61.8	$	25.8
Gross Increases - Current Year	11.3		3.8
Gross Decreases - Prior Year	(0.3)		(0.6)
Lapse of Statute of Limitations	(7.0)		(2.8)
Balance as of December 31, 2021	65.8		26.2
Gross Increases - Current Year	11.5		3.5
Gross Decreases - Prior Year	(2.4)		(0.9)
Lapse of Statute of Limitations	(7.8)		(3.3)
Balance as of December 31, 2022	67.1		25.5
Gross Increases - Current Year	23.4		4.0
Gross Increases - Prior Year	0.1		0.1
Gross Decreases - Prior Year	(0.1)		—
Lapse of Statute of Limitations	(9.2)		(3.8)
Balance as of December 31, 2023	$	81.3	$	25.8

Interest and Penalties:  Interest on uncertain tax positions is recorded and generally classified as a component of Other Interest Expense on the statements of income.  However, when resolution of uncertainties results in the Company receiving interest income, any related interest benefit is recorded in Other Income, Net on the statements of income.  No penalties have been recorded. The amount of interest expense recognized on uncertain tax positions was $0.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. There was no interest expense/(income) recognized on uncertain tax positions for the years ended December 31, 2022 or 2021. Accrued interest payable was $0.4 million and $0.1 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Tax Positions:  During 2023 and 2022, Eversource did not resolve any of its uncertain tax positions.

Open Tax Years:  The following table summarizes Eversource, CL&P, NSTAR Electric, and PSNH's tax years that remain subject to examination by major tax jurisdictions as of December 31, 2023:

Description	Tax Years
Federal	2023
Connecticut	2020 - 2023
Massachusetts	2020 - 2023
New Hampshire	2020 - 2023

Eversource does not estimate to have an earnings impact related to unrecognized tax benefits during the next twelve months.