Variable Interest Entities (VIEs)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]
Variable Interest Entities (VIEs)	Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) At September 30, 2018, NEE had twenty-seven VIEs which it consolidated and had interests in certain other VIEs which it did not consolidate. FPL - FPL is considered the primary beneficiary of, and therefore consolidates, a VIE that is a wholly owned bankruptcy remote special purpose subsidiary that it formed in 2007 for the sole purpose of issuing storm-recovery bonds pursuant to the securitization provisions of the Florida Statutes and a financing order of the FPSC. FPL is considered the primary beneficiary because FPL has the power to direct the significant activities of the VIE, and its equity investment, which is subordinate to the bondholder's interest in the VIE, is at risk. Storm restoration costs incurred by FPL during 2005 and 2004 exceeded the amount in FPL's funded storm and property insurance reserve, resulting in a storm reserve deficiency. In 2007, the VIE issued $652 million aggregate principal amount of senior secured bonds (storm-recovery bonds), primarily for the after-tax equivalent of the total of FPL's unrecovered balance of the 2004 storm restoration costs, the 2005 storm restoration costs and to reestablish FPL's storm and property insurance reserve. In connection with this financing, net proceeds, after debt issuance costs, to the VIE (approximately $644 million) were used to acquire the storm-recovery property, which includes the right to impose, collect and receive a storm-recovery charge from all customers receiving electric transmission or distribution service from FPL under rate schedules approved by the FPSC or under special contracts, certain other rights and interests that arise under the financing order issued by the FPSC and certain other collateral pledged by the VIE that issued the bonds. The storm-recovery bonds are payable only from and are secured by the storm-recovery property. The bondholders have no recourse to the general credit of FPL. The assets of the VIE were approximately $73 million and $148 million at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively, and consisted primarily of storm-recovery property, which are included in both current and noncurrent regulatory assets on NEE's and FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets. The liabilities of the VIE were approximately $75 million and $147 million at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively, and consisted primarily of storm-recovery bonds, which are included in current maturities of long-term debt and long-term debt on NEE's and FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets. NEER - NEE consolidates twenty-six NEER VIEs. NEER is considered the primary beneficiary of these VIEs since NEER controls the most significant activities of these VIEs, including operations and maintenance, and has the obligation to absorb expected losses of these VIEs. Prior to January 1, 2018, a subsidiary of NEER was the primary beneficiary of, and therefore consolidated NEP, which consolidated NEP OpCo because of NEP’s controlling interest as the general partner of NEP OpCo. At December 31, 2017, NEE owned a controlling non-economic general partner interest in NEP and a limited partner interest in NEP OpCo, and presented limited partner interests in NEP and NEP OpCo as noncontrolling interests in NEE's consolidated financial statements. At December 31, 2017, NEE owned common units of NEP OpCo representing a noncontrolling interest in NEP's operating projects of approximately 65.1%. The assets and liabilities of NEP were approximately $8.4 billion and $6.2 billion, respectively, at December 31, 2017, and primarily consisted of property, plant and equipment and long-term debt. During the third quarter of 2017, changes to NEP's governance structure were made that, among other things, enhanced NEP unitholder governance rights. As a result of these governance changes, NEP is no longer a VIE and NEP was deconsolidated from NEE in January 2018 (see Note 2) resulting in NEE no longer indirectly consolidating NEP OpCo. NEP OpCo continues to be a VIE and NEE records its noncontrolling interest in NEP OpCo as an equity method investment (See Other below). A NEER VIE consolidates two entities which own and operate natural gas/oil electric generation facilities with the capability of producing 110 MW. These entities sell their electric output under power sales contracts to a third party, with expiration dates in 2018 and 2020. The power sales contracts provide the offtaker the ability to dispatch the facilities and require the offtaker to absorb the cost of fuel. The entities have third-party debt which is secured by liens against the generation facilities and the other assets of these entities. The debt holders have no recourse to the general credit of NEER for the repayment of debt. The assets and liabilities of the VIE were approximately $64 million and $18 million, respectively, at September 30, 2018 and $89 million and $29 million, respectively, at December 31, 2017, and consisted primarily of property, plant and equipment and long-term debt. Two indirect subsidiaries of NEER each contributed, to a NEP subsidiary, an approximately 50% ownership interest in three entities which own and operate solar PV facilities with the capability of producing a total of approximately 277 MW. Each of the two indirect subsidiaries of NEER is considered a VIE since the non-managing members have no substantive rights over the managing members, and is consolidated by NEER. These three entities sell their electric output to third parties under power sales contracts with expiration dates in 2035 and 2036. The three entities have third-party debt which is secured by liens against the assets of the entities. The debt holders have no recourse to the general credit of NEER for the repayment of debt. The assets and liabilities of these VIEs were approximately $549 million and $554 million, respectively, at September 30, 2018 and $548 million and $594 million, respectively, at December 31, 2017, and consisted primarily of property, plant and equipment and long-term debt. In February 2018, NEER sold a special purpose entity for net cash proceeds of approximately $71 million. In connection with the sale and the related consolidating state income tax effects, a gain of approximately $50 million (approximately $37 million after tax) was recorded in gains on disposal of investments and other property - net in NEE's condensed consolidated statements of income during the nine months ended September 30, 2018. Prior to the sale, the special purpose entity had insufficient equity at risk and was considered a VIE. The entity provided a loan in the form of a note receivable (see Note 5 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments Recorded at Other than Fair Value) to an unrelated third party, and also issued senior secured bonds which were collateralized by the note receivable. The assets and liabilities of the VIE were approximately $490 million and $502 million, respectively, at December 31, 2017, and consisted primarily of the note receivable (included in noncurrent other assets and classified as held for sale) and long-term debt. The other twenty-three NEER VIEs that are consolidated relate to certain subsidiaries which have sold differential membership interests in entities which own and operate wind electric generation and solar PV facilities with the capability of producing a total of approximately 6,035 MW and 374 MW, respectively. These entities sell their electric output either under power sales contracts to third parties with expiration dates ranging from 2018 through 2051 or in the spot market. These entities are considered VIEs because the holders of differential membership interests do not have substantive rights over the significant activities of these entities. Certain entities have third-party debt which is secured by liens against the generation facilities and the other assets of these entities or by pledges of NEER's ownership interest in these entities. The debt holders have no recourse to the general credit of NEER for the repayment of debt. The assets and liabilities of these VIEs totaled approximately $9.5 billion and $1.1 billion, respectively, at September 30, 2018, including amounts classified as held for sale (see Note 11 - Assets and Liabilities Associated with Assets Held for Sale). There were thirty-one consolidated VIEs at December 31, 2017 which included seven NEP-owned projects prior to the NEP deconsolidation; the assets and liabilities of those VIEs totaled approximately $13.1 billion and $6.9 billion, respectively. At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the assets and liabilities of the VIEs consisted primarily of property, plant and equipment and long-term debt, and also deferral related to differential membership interests at December 31, 2017. Other - At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, several NEE subsidiaries had investments totaling approximately $2,883 million ($2,390 million at FPL) and $2,634 million ($2,195 million at FPL), respectively, which are included in special use funds and noncurrent other assets on NEE's condensed consolidated balance sheets and in special use funds on FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets. These investments represented primarily commingled funds and mortgage-backed securities. NEE subsidiaries, including FPL, are not the primary beneficiaries and therefore do not consolidate any of these entities because they do not control any of the ongoing activities of these entities, were not involved in the initial design of these entities and do not have a controlling financial interest in these entities. Certain subsidiaries of NEE have noncontrolling interests in entities accounted for under the equity method. These entities are limited partnerships or similar entity structures in which the limited partners or nonmanaging members do not have substantive rights, and therefore are considered VIEs. NEE is not the primary beneficiary because it does not have a controlling financial interest in these entities, and therefore does not consolidate any of these entities. Beginning in January 2018, as a result of the deconsolidation of NEP, NEE records its noncontrolling interest in NEP OpCo as an equity method investment. NEE’s investment in these entities totaled approximately $4,782 million and $248 million at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. Subsidiaries of NEE had committed to invest an additional approximately $60 million and $75 million in three of these entities at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

Variable Interest Entities (VIEs)

At September 30, 2018, NEE had twenty-seven VIEs which it consolidated and had interests in certain other VIEs which it did not consolidate.

FPL - FPL is considered the primary beneficiary of, and therefore consolidates, a VIE that is a wholly owned bankruptcy remote special purpose subsidiary that it formed in 2007 for the sole purpose of issuing storm-recovery bonds pursuant to the securitization provisions of the Florida Statutes and a financing order of the FPSC. FPL is considered the primary beneficiary because FPL has the power to direct the significant activities of the VIE, and its equity investment, which is subordinate to the bondholder's interest in the VIE, is at risk. Storm restoration costs incurred by FPL during 2005 and 2004 exceeded the amount in FPL's funded storm and property insurance reserve, resulting in a storm reserve deficiency. In 2007, the VIE issued $652 million aggregate principal amount of senior secured bonds (storm-recovery bonds), primarily for the after-tax equivalent of the total of FPL's unrecovered balance of the 2004 storm restoration costs, the 2005 storm restoration costs and to reestablish FPL's storm and property insurance reserve. In connection with this financing, net proceeds, after debt issuance costs, to the VIE (approximately $644 million) were used to acquire the storm-recovery property, which includes the right to impose, collect and receive a storm-recovery charge from all customers receiving electric transmission or distribution service from FPL under rate schedules approved by the FPSC or under special contracts, certain other rights and interests that arise under the financing order issued by the FPSC and certain other collateral pledged by the VIE that issued the bonds. The storm-recovery bonds are payable only from and are secured by the storm-recovery property. The bondholders have no recourse to the general credit of FPL. The assets of the VIE were approximately $73 million and $148 million at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively, and consisted primarily of storm-recovery property, which are included in both current and noncurrent regulatory assets on NEE's and FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets. The liabilities of the VIE were approximately $75 million and $147 million at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively, and consisted primarily of storm-recovery bonds, which are included in current maturities of long-term debt and long-term debt on NEE's and FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets.

NEER - NEE consolidates twenty-six NEER VIEs. NEER is considered the primary beneficiary of these VIEs since NEER controls the most significant activities of these VIEs, including operations and maintenance, and has the obligation to absorb expected losses of these VIEs.

Prior to January 1, 2018, a subsidiary of NEER was the primary beneficiary of, and therefore consolidated NEP, which consolidated NEP OpCo because of NEP’s controlling interest as the general partner of NEP OpCo. At December 31, 2017, NEE owned a controlling non-economic general partner interest in NEP and a limited partner interest in NEP OpCo, and presented limited partner interests in NEP and NEP OpCo as noncontrolling interests in NEE's consolidated financial statements. At December 31, 2017, NEE owned common units of NEP OpCo representing a noncontrolling interest in NEP's operating projects of approximately 65.1%. The assets and liabilities of NEP were approximately $8.4 billion and $6.2 billion, respectively, at December 31, 2017, and primarily consisted of property, plant and equipment and long-term debt. During the third quarter of 2017, changes to NEP's governance structure were made that, among other things, enhanced NEP unitholder governance rights. As a result of these governance changes, NEP is no longer a VIE and NEP was deconsolidated from NEE in January 2018 (see Note 2) resulting in NEE no longer indirectly consolidating NEP OpCo. NEP OpCo continues to be a VIE and NEE records its noncontrolling interest in NEP OpCo as an equity method investment (See Other below).

A NEER VIE consolidates two entities which own and operate natural gas/oil electric generation facilities with the capability of producing 110 MW. These entities sell their electric output under power sales contracts to a third party, with expiration dates in 2018 and 2020. The power sales contracts provide the offtaker the ability to dispatch the facilities and require the offtaker to absorb the cost of fuel. The entities have third-party debt which is secured by liens against the generation facilities and the other assets of these entities. The debt holders have no recourse to the general credit of NEER for the repayment of debt. The assets and liabilities of the VIE were approximately $64 million and $18 million, respectively, at September 30, 2018 and $89 million and $29 million, respectively, at December 31, 2017, and consisted primarily of property, plant and equipment and long-term debt.

Two indirect subsidiaries of NEER each contributed, to a NEP subsidiary, an approximately 50% ownership interest in three entities which own and operate solar PV facilities with the capability of producing a total of approximately 277 MW. Each of the two indirect subsidiaries of NEER is considered a VIE since the non-managing members have no substantive rights over the managing members, and is consolidated by NEER. These three entities sell their electric output to third parties under power sales contracts with expiration dates in 2035 and 2036. The three entities have third-party debt which is secured by liens against the assets of the entities. The debt holders have no recourse to the general credit of NEER for the repayment of debt. The assets and liabilities of these VIEs were approximately $549 million and $554 million, respectively, at September 30, 2018 and $548 million and $594 million, respectively, at December 31, 2017, and consisted primarily of property, plant and equipment and long-term debt.

In February 2018, NEER sold a special purpose entity for net cash proceeds of approximately $71 million. In connection with the sale and the related consolidating state income tax effects, a gain of approximately $50 million (approximately $37 million after tax) was recorded in gains on disposal of investments and other property - net in NEE's condensed consolidated statements of income during the nine months ended September 30, 2018. Prior to the sale, the special purpose entity had insufficient equity at risk and was considered a VIE. The entity provided a loan in the form of a note receivable (see Note 5 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments Recorded at Other than Fair Value) to an unrelated third party, and also issued senior secured bonds which were collateralized by the note receivable. The assets and liabilities of the VIE were approximately $490 million and $502 million, respectively, at December 31, 2017, and consisted primarily of the note receivable (included in noncurrent other assets and classified as held for sale) and long-term debt.

The other twenty-three NEER VIEs that are consolidated relate to certain subsidiaries which have sold differential membership interests in entities which own and operate wind electric generation and solar PV facilities with the capability of producing a total of approximately 6,035 MW and 374 MW, respectively. These entities sell their electric output either under power sales contracts to third parties with expiration dates ranging from 2018 through 2051 or in the spot market. These entities are considered VIEs because the holders of differential membership interests do not have substantive rights over the significant activities of these entities. Certain entities have third-party debt which is secured by liens against the generation facilities and the other assets of these entities or by pledges of NEER's ownership interest in these entities. The debt holders have no recourse to the general credit of NEER for the repayment of debt. The assets and liabilities of these VIEs totaled approximately $9.5 billion and $1.1 billion, respectively, at September 30, 2018, including amounts classified as held for sale (see Note 11 - Assets and Liabilities Associated with Assets Held for Sale). There were thirty-one consolidated VIEs at December 31, 2017 which included seven NEP-owned projects prior to the NEP deconsolidation; the assets and liabilities of those VIEs totaled approximately $13.1 billion and $6.9 billion, respectively. At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the assets and liabilities of the VIEs consisted primarily of property, plant and equipment and long-term debt, and also deferral related to differential membership interests at December 31, 2017.

Other - At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, several NEE subsidiaries had investments totaling approximately $2,883 million ($2,390 million at FPL) and $2,634 million ($2,195 million at FPL), respectively, which are included in special use funds and noncurrent other assets on NEE's condensed consolidated balance sheets and in special use funds on FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets. These investments represented primarily commingled funds and mortgage-backed securities. NEE subsidiaries, including FPL, are not the primary beneficiaries and therefore do not consolidate any of these entities because they do not control any of the ongoing activities of these entities, were not involved in the initial design of these entities and do not have a controlling financial interest in these entities.

Certain subsidiaries of NEE have noncontrolling interests in entities accounted for under the equity method. These entities are limited partnerships or similar entity structures in which the limited partners or nonmanaging members do not have substantive rights, and therefore are considered VIEs. NEE is not the primary beneficiary because it does not have a controlling financial interest in these entities, and therefore does not consolidate any of these entities. Beginning in January 2018, as a result of the deconsolidation of NEP, NEE records its noncontrolling interest in NEP OpCo as an equity method investment. NEE’s investment in these entities totaled approximately $4,782 million and $248 million at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. Subsidiaries of NEE had committed to invest an additional approximately $60 million and $75 million in three of these entities at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.