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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
A.    Basis of Presentation
Eversource Energy is a public utility holding company primarily engaged, through its wholly-owned regulated utility subsidiaries, in the energy delivery business.  Eversource Energy's wholly-owned regulated utility subsidiaries consist of CL&P, NSTAR Electric and PSNH (electric utilities), Yankee Gas, NSTAR Gas and EGMA (natural gas utilities), and Aquarion (water utilities). Eversource provides energy delivery and/or water service to approximately 4.4 million electric, natural gas and water customers through twelve regulated utilities in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Eversource, NSTAR Electric and PSNH include the accounts of each of their respective subsidiaries.  Intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.  The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Eversource, NSTAR Electric and PSNH and the unaudited condensed financial statements of CL&P are herein collectively referred to as the "financial statements."

The combined notes to the financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.  Certain information and footnote disclosures included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations.  The accompanying financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Combined Notes to Financial Statements included in Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data," of the Eversource 2023 Form 10-K, which was filed with the SEC on February 14, 2024. The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The financial statements contain, in the opinion of management, all adjustments (including normal, recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly Eversource's, CL&P's, NSTAR Electric's and PSNH's financial position as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, and the results of operations, comprehensive income, common shareholders' equity and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023. The results of operations, comprehensive income and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for a full year.

CYAPC and YAEC are inactive regional nuclear power companies engaged in the long-term storage of their spent nuclear fuel. Eversource consolidates the operations of CYAPC and YAEC because CL&P's, NSTAR Electric's and PSNH's combined ownership and voting interests in each of these entities is greater than 50 percent.  Intercompany transactions between CL&P, NSTAR Electric, PSNH and the CYAPC and YAEC companies have been eliminated in consolidation of the Eversource financial statements.

Eversource holds several equity ownership interests that are not consolidated and are accounted for under the equity method, including 50 percent ownership interests in three offshore wind projects and a tax equity investment in one of the projects. See Note 1E, "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies – Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates," for further information on Eversource’s equity method investments.

Eversource's utility subsidiaries' electric, natural gas and water distribution and transmission businesses are subject to rate-regulation that is based on cost recovery and meets the criteria for application of accounting guidance for entities with rate-regulated operations, which considers the effect of regulation on the differences in the timing of the recognition of certain revenues and expenses from those of other businesses and industries. See Note 2, "Regulatory Accounting," for further information.

Certain reclassifications of prior period data were made in the accompanying financial statements to conform to the current period presentation.

B.    Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts
Receivables, Net on the balance sheets primarily includes trade receivables from retail customers and customers related to wholesale transmission contracts, wholesale market sales, sales of RECs, and property rentals. Receivables, Net also includes customer receivables for the purchase of electricity from a competitive third party supplier, the current portion of customer energy efficiency loans, property damage receivables and other miscellaneous receivables. There is no material concentration of receivables.

Receivables are recorded at amortized cost, net of a credit loss provision (or allowance for uncollectible accounts). The current expected credit loss (CECL) model is applied to receivables for purposes of calculating the allowance for uncollectible accounts. This model is based on expected losses and results in the recognition of estimated expected credit losses, including uncollectible amounts for both billed and unbilled revenues, over the life of the receivable at the time a receivable is recorded.
The allowance for uncollectible accounts is determined based upon a variety of judgments and factors, including an aging-based quantitative assessment that applies an estimated uncollectible percentage to each receivable aging category.  Factors in determining credit loss include historical collection, write-off experience, analysis of delinquency statistics, and management's assessment of collectability from customers, including current economic conditions, customer payment trends, the impact on customer bills because of energy usage trends and changes in rates, flexible payment plans and financial hardship arrearage management programs offered to customers, reasonable forecasts, and expectations of future collectability and collection efforts. Management continuously assesses the collectability of receivables and adjusts estimates based on actual experience and future expectations based on economic conditions, collection efforts and other factors.  Management also monitors the aging analysis of receivables to determine if there are changes in the collections of accounts receivable. Receivable balances are written off against the allowance for uncollectible accounts when the customer accounts are no longer in service and these balances are deemed to be uncollectible. Management concluded that the reserve balance as of March 31, 2024 adequately reflected the collection risk and net realizable value for its receivables.

The PURA allows CL&P and Yankee Gas to accelerate the recovery of accounts receivable balances attributable to qualified customers under financial or medical duress (uncollectible hardship accounts receivable) outstanding for greater than 180 days and 90 days, respectively.  The DPU allows NSTAR Electric, NSTAR Gas and EGMA to recover in rates amounts associated with certain uncollectible hardship accounts receivable. These uncollectible hardship customer account balances are included in Regulatory Assets or Other Long-Term Assets on the balance sheets. Hardship customers are protected from shut-off in certain circumstances, and historical collection experience has reflected a higher default risk as compared to the rest of the receivable population. Management uses a higher credit risk profile for this pool of trade receivables as compared to non-hardship receivables. The allowance for uncollectible hardship accounts is included in the total uncollectible allowance balance.

The total allowance for uncollectible accounts is included in Receivables, Net on the balance sheets. The activity in the allowance for uncollectible accounts by portfolio segment as of March 31st is as follows:
EversourceCL&PNSTAR ElectricPSNH
(Millions of Dollars)Hardship AccountsRetail (Non-Hardship),
Wholesale, and Other
Total AllowanceHardship AccountsRetail (Non-Hardship),
Wholesale, and Other
Total AllowanceHardship AccountsRetail (Non-Hardship),
Wholesale, and Other
Total AllowanceTotal Allowance
Three Months Ended 2024
Beginning Balance$366.8 $187.7 $554.5 $259.7 $36.3 $296.0 $43.6 $53.4 $97.0 $14.3 
Uncollectible Expense— 16.4 16.4 — 3.5 3.5 — 6.1 6.1 1.2 
Uncollectible Costs Deferred (1)
27.5 11.4 38.9 22.7 2.7 25.4 (0.8)4.4 3.6 1.3 
Write-Offs(15.1)(28.5)(43.6)(10.8)(7.7)(18.5)(1.0)(9.2)(10.2)(3.2)
Recoveries Collected0.2 3.7 3.9 0.2 1.2 1.4 — 1.2 1.2 0.2 
Ending Balance$379.4 $190.7 $570.1 $271.8 $36.0 $307.8 $41.8 $55.9 $97.7 $13.8 
EversourceCL&PNSTAR ElectricPSNH
(Millions of Dollars)Hardship AccountsRetail (Non-Hardship),
Wholesale, and Other
Total AllowanceHardship AccountsRetail (Non-Hardship),
Wholesale, and Other
Total AllowanceHardship AccountsRetail (Non-Hardship),
Wholesale, and Other
Total AllowanceTotal Allowance
Three Months Ended 2023
Beginning Balance$284.4 $201.9 $486.3 $188.9 $36.4 $225.3 $43.7 $51.3 $95.0 $29.2 
Uncollectible Expense— 22.8 22.8 — 3.9 3.9 — 4.7 4.7 5.1 
Uncollectible Costs Deferred (1)
43.7 14.3 58.0 34.3 2.7 37.0 (1.3)5.4 4.1 1.2 
Write-Offs(9.7)(26.3)(36.0)(7.3)(7.0)(14.3)(0.4)(10.3)(10.7)(2.2)
Recoveries Collected0.3 3.7 4.0 0.3 1.2 1.5 — 1.5 1.5 0.2 
Ending Balance$318.7 $216.4 $535.1 $216.2 $37.2 $253.4 $42.0 $52.6 $94.6 $33.5 

(1) These expected credit losses are deferred as regulatory costs on the balance sheets, as these amounts are ultimately recovered in rates. Amounts include uncollectible costs for hardship accounts and other customer receivables, including uncollectible amounts related to uncollectible energy supply costs and COVID-19.

C.    Fair Value Measurements
Fair value measurement guidance is applied to derivative contracts that are not elected or designated as "normal purchases" or "normal sales" (normal) and to marketable securities held in trusts.  Fair value measurement guidance is also applied to valuations of the investments used to calculate the funded status of pension and PBOP plans, the nonrecurring fair value measurements of nonfinancial assets such as goodwill, long-lived assets, equity method investments, AROs, and in the valuation of business combinations and asset acquisitions. The fair value measurement guidance was also applied in estimating the fair value of preferred stock, long-term debt and RRBs.

Fair Value Hierarchy:  In measuring fair value, Eversource uses observable market data when available in order to minimize the use of unobservable inputs.  Inputs used in fair value measurements are categorized into three fair value hierarchy levels for disclosure purposes.  The entire fair value measurement is categorized based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.  Eversource evaluates the classification of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a quarterly basis. 
The levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:

Level 1 - Inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date.  Active markets are those in which transactions for the asset or liability occur in sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.  

Level 2 - Inputs are quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active, and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs are observable.

Level 3 - Quoted market prices are not available.  Fair value is derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or assumptions are unobservable.  Where possible, valuation techniques incorporate observable market inputs that can be validated to external sources such as industry exchanges, including prices of energy and energy-related products.  

Uncategorized - Investments that are measured at net asset value are not categorized within the fair value hierarchy.

Determination of Fair Value:  The valuation techniques and inputs used in Eversource's fair value measurements are described in Note 4, "Derivative Instruments," Note 5, "Marketable Securities," and Note 10, "Fair Value of Financial Instruments," to the financial statements.

D.    Other Income, Net
The components of Other Income, Net on the statements of income were as follows:
 For the Three Months Ended
 March 31, 2024March 31, 2023
(Millions of Dollars)EversourceCL&PNSTAR ElectricPSNHEversourceCL&PNSTAR ElectricPSNH
Pension, SERP and PBOP Non-Service
   Income Components, Net of Deferred Portion
$27.8 $6.5 $12.3 $3.6 $34.8 $9.5 $14.7 $4.2 
AFUDC Equity26.8 6.0 16.2 1.9 15.5 4.1 9.5 0.7 
Equity in Earnings of Unconsolidated Affiliates7.8 — 0.2 — 3.8 — 0.1 — 
Investment (Loss)/Income(0.8)(0.7)0.4 (0.2)(1.7)(0.6)(0.5)(0.1)
Interest Income30.0 4.7 18.0 1.8 23.1 1.9 16.0 0.9 
Other (1)
(0.6)— — — 13.5 — 0.1 — 
Total Other Income, Net$91.0 $16.5 $47.1 $7.1 $89.0 $14.9 $39.9 $5.7 

(1)    Eversource’s equity method investment in a renewable energy fund was liquidated in March 2023. Liquidation proceeds in excess of the carrying value were recorded in 2023 within Other in the table above. See Note 1E, "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates," for further information.    
    
E.    Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates
Investments in entities that are not consolidated are included in long-term assets on the balance sheets and earnings impacts from these equity investments are included in Other Income, Net on the statements of income.  Eversource's investments included the following:
Investment Balance
(Millions of Dollars)Ownership InterestAs of March 31, 2024As of December 31, 2023
Offshore Wind Business50%-100%$596.4 $515.5 
Natural Gas Pipeline - Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC15%115.9 116.0 
Other various29.4 29.0 
Total Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates$741.7 $660.5 

Offshore Wind Business: Eversource’s offshore wind business includes 50 percent ownership interests in each of North East Offshore and South Fork Class B Member, LLC, which collectively hold three offshore wind projects. North East Offshore holds the Revolution Wind project and the Sunrise Wind project. South Fork Class B Member, LLC holds the South Fork Wind project. Eversource’s offshore wind business also includes a noncontrolling tax equity investment in South Fork Wind through a 100 percent ownership in South Fork Wind Holdings, LLC Class A shares. The offshore wind projects are being developed and constructed through joint and equal partnerships with Ørsted.

On May 25, 2023, Eversource announced that it had completed a strategic review of its offshore wind investments and determined that it would pursue the sale of its offshore wind investments. On September 7, 2023, Eversource completed the sale of its 50 percent interest in an uncommitted lease area consisting of approximately 175,000 developable acres located 25 miles off the south coast of Massachusetts to Ørsted for $625 million in an all-cash transaction.

In September of 2023, Eversource made a contribution of $528 million using the proceeds from the lease area sale to invest in a tax equity interest for South Fork Wind. South Fork Wind was restructured as a tax equity investment, with Eversource purchasing 100 percent ownership of a new Class A tax equity membership interest. As a result of this investment, Eversource expects to receive approximately $400 million of investment tax credits (ITC) after the turbines are placed in service for South Fork Wind and meet the requirements to qualify for the ITC, in addition to other expected future cash flow benefits that aggregate to approximately $100 million. These investment tax credits will be utilized to reduce
Eversource’s federal tax liability or generate tax refunds in future periods through 2026. As of March 31, 2024, six South Fork Wind turbines met the requirements to qualify for the investment tax credits. As a result, $193 million of expected investment tax credits were reclassified from the South Fork Wind tax equity investment balance reported in Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates as a reduction in current taxes payable of $54 million and an increase in deferred tax assets of $139 million on the Eversource balance sheet as of March 31, 2024. An additional $37 million deferred tax asset was established through a reduction of the tax equity investment balance due to a temporary difference on the related depreciable property as of March 31, 2024. These balance sheet reclassifications represent non-cash transactions.

Expected Sales of Offshore Wind Investments: On January 24, 2024, Ørsted signed an agreement with Eversource to acquire Eversource’s 50 percent share of Sunrise Wind, subject to the successful selection of Sunrise Wind in the New York fourth solicitation for offshore wind capacity, signing of an OREC contract with NYSERDA, finalization of agreements including the equity and asset purchase agreement, receipt of the final approval by BOEM of the Sunrise Wind Construction and Operations Plan (COP), and relevant regulatory approvals. On January 25, 2024, Sunrise Wind submitted a proposal in the New York fourth offshore wind solicitation and was selected by NYSERDA on February 29, 2024 for contract negotiation. Sunrise Wind is currently negotiating an OREC contract with NYSERDA that will include the price proposed by Sunrise Wind in the solicitation. We expect the OREC contract to be finalized in the second quarter of 2024.

On April 18, 2024, Eversource and Ørsted executed the equity and asset purchase agreement to sell Eversource’s 50 percent interest in Sunrise Wind to Ørsted, and upon closing, Ørsted will become the sole owner of Sunrise Wind. Eversource will remain contracted to manage Sunrise Wind’s onshore construction through completion. In accordance with the equity and asset purchase agreement, Ørsted will pay Eversource 50 percent of the negotiated purchase price upon closing the sale transaction, with the remaining 50 percent paid after onshore construction is completed and certain other milestones are achieved. Upon the closing of the transaction, Eversource will not have any ongoing ownership interest in the project, nor any ongoing financial or credit support obligations associated with project costs. The impact of the purchase price from the sale of Sunrise Wind to Ørsted, as compared to the current carrying value of the investment which had assumed an abandonment of the project, will be reflected when the sale of Sunrise Wind is completed. In accordance with accounting guidance, the impairment loss recognized on the Sunrise Wind investment cannot subsequently be reversed for increases in estimated fair value, and therefore the impact will be recognized when the sale occurs. Eversource expects the sale of Sunrise Wind to Ørsted will be completed later this year.

On February 13, 2024, Eversource announced that it executed an agreement to sell its existing 50 percent interests in the South Fork Wind and Revolution Wind projects to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). As part of this transaction, Eversource expects to receive approximately $1.1 billion of cash proceeds upon closing, which includes the sales value related to the 10 percent energy community ITC adder of approximately $170 million related to Revolution Wind, and to exit these projects while retaining certain cost sharing obligations for the construction of Revolution Wind. The purchase price is subject to future post-closing adjustment payments based on, among other things, the progress, timing and expense of construction of each project. The cost sharing obligations provide that Eversource would share equally with GIP in GIP’s funding obligations for up to approximately $240 million of incremental capital expenditure overruns incurred during the construction phase for the Revolution Wind project, after which obligations for any additional capital expenditure overruns would be shared equally by Eversource and Ørsted. Additionally, Eversource’s financial exposure will be adjusted by certain purchase price adjustments to be made following commercial operation of the Revolution Wind project and closing of South Fork as a result of final project economics, which includes Eversource’s obligation to maintain GIP’s internal rate of return for each project as specified in the agreement. South Fork Wind construction has been completed and Eversource does not expect any material cost sharing or other purchase price adjustment payments for South Fork Wind.

Factors that could result in Eversource’s total net proceeds from the transaction to be lower or higher include Revolution Wind’s eligibility for federal investment tax credits at other than the anticipated 40 percent level; the ultimate cost of construction and extent of cost overruns for Revolution Wind; delays in constructing Revolution Wind, which would impact the economics associated with the purchase price adjustment; and a benefit due to Eversource if there are lower operation costs or higher availability of the projects through the period that is four years following the commercial operation date of the Revolution Wind project.

Closing the transaction with GIP is subject to customary conditions, including certain regulatory approvals by the New York Public Service Commission, the FERC, and a review under the Hart Scott Rodino Act, as well as other conditions, among which is the completion and execution of the partnership agreements between GIP and Ørsted that will govern GIP’s new ownership interest in those projects following Eversource’s divestiture. The review period under the Hart Scott Rodino Act has expired. Closing of this transaction is currently expected to occur later this year. If closing of the sale is delayed, additional capital contributions made by Eversource would be recovered in the sales price. Under this agreement with GIP, Eversource’s existing credit support obligations are expected to roll off for each project around the time that each project completes its expected capital spend.

Eversource will continue to make future cash expenditures for required cash contributions to its offshore wind investments up to the time of disposition of each of the offshore wind projects. Capital contributions are expected until the sales are completed and changes in the timing and amounts of these contributions would be adjusted in the sales prices and therefore not result in an additional impairment charge. Proceeds from the transactions will be used to pay off parent company debt.
Impairment: Equity method investments are assessed for impairment when conditions exist as of the balance sheet date that indicate that the fair value of the investment may be less than book value. Eversource continually monitors and evaluates its equity method investments to determine if there are indicators of an other-than-temporary impairment. If the decline in value is considered to be other-than-temporary, the investment is written down to its estimated fair value, which establishes a new cost basis in the investment. Subsequent declines or recoveries after the reporting date are not considered in the impairment recognized. Investments that are other-than-temporarily impaired and written down to their estimated fair value cannot subsequently be written back up for increases in estimated fair value. Impairment evaluations involve a significant degree of judgment and estimation, including identifying circumstances that indicate an impairment may exist at the equity method investment level, selecting discount rates used to determine fair values, and developing an estimate of discounted future cash flows expected from investment operations or the sale of the investment. In the first quarter of 2024, there were no indicators of an other-than-temporary impairment in Eversource’s equity method investment balance.

2023 Liquidation of Renewable Energy Investment Fund: On March 21, 2023, Eversource’s equity method investment in a renewable energy investment fund was liquidated by the fund’s general partner in accordance with the partnership agreement. Proceeds received from the liquidation of $123.4 million were received in the first quarter of 2023 and were included in Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates within investing activities on the statement of cash flows. A portion of the proceeds was used to make a charitable contribution to the Eversource Energy Foundation (a related party) of $20.0 million in the first quarter of 2023. The liquidation benefit received in excess of the investment’s carrying value and the charitable contribution are included in Other Income, Net on the statement of income.

F.    Other Taxes
Eversource's companies that serve customers in Connecticut collect gross receipts taxes levied by the state of Connecticut from their customers. These gross receipts taxes are recorded separately with collections in Operating Revenues and with payments in Taxes Other Than Income Taxes on the statements of income as follows:
 For the Three Months Ended
(Millions of Dollars)March 31, 2024March 31, 2023
Eversource$53.3 $55.0 
CL&P43.9 43.1

As agents for state and local governments, Eversource's companies that serve customers in Connecticut and Massachusetts collect certain sales taxes that are recorded on a net basis with no impact on the statements of income. 

G.    Supplemental Cash Flow Information
Non-cash investing activities include plant additions included in Accounts Payable as follows:
(Millions of Dollars)As of March 31, 2024As of March 31, 2023
Eversource$453.6 $400.8 
CL&P112.8 101.9 
NSTAR Electric132.7 117.4 
PSNH75.2 54.6 

The following table reconciles cash as reported on the balance sheets to the cash and restricted cash balance as reported on the statements of cash flows:
 As of March 31, 2024As of December 31, 2023
(Millions of Dollars)EversourceCL&PNSTAR ElectricPSNHEversourceCL&PNSTAR ElectricPSNH
Cash as reported on the Balance Sheets$259.2 $29.0 $20.2 $14.1 $53.9 $10.2 $6.7 $0.2 
Restricted cash included in:
Special Deposits68.7 2.1 16.3 17.0 81.5 2.0 16.1 31.6 
Marketable Securities16.0 — — — 13.7 — — — 
Other Long-Term Assets16.5 — — 3.2 17.3 — — 3.2 
Cash and Restricted Cash as reported on the Statements of Cash Flows$360.4 $31.1 $36.5 $34.3 $166.4 $12.2 $22.8 $35.0 

Special Deposits represent cash collections related to the PSNH RRB customer charges that are held in trust, required ISO-NE cash deposits, cash held in escrow accounts, and CYAPC and YAEC cash balances. Special Deposits are included in Current Assets on the balance sheets. As of both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, restricted cash included in Marketable Securities represented money market funds held in restricted trusts to fund CYAPC and YAEC's spent nuclear fuel storage obligations.

Eversource’s restricted cash includes an Energy Relief Fund for energy efficiency and clean energy measures in the Merrimack Valley established under the terms of the EGMA 2020 settlement agreement. This restricted cash held in escrow accounts included $20.0 million recorded as short-term in Special Deposits as of both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, and $13.3 million and $14.1 million recorded in Other Long-Term Assets on the balance sheets as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.