The Utility follows accounting principles for rate-regulated entities and collects rates from customers to recover “revenue requirements” that have been authorized by the CPUC or the FERC based on the Utility’s cost of providing service. The Utility’s ability to recover a significant portion of its authorized revenue requirements through rates is generally independent, or “decoupled,” from the volume of the Utility’s electricity and natural gas sales. The Utility records assets and liabilities that result from the regulated ratemaking process that would not be recorded under GAAP for nonregulated entities. The Utility capitalizes and records, as regulatory assets, costs that would otherwise be charged to expense if it is probable that the incurred costs will be recovered through future rates. Regulatory assets are amortized over the future periods in which the costs are recovered. If costs expected to be incurred in the future are currently being recovered through rates, the Utility records those expected future costs as regulatory liabilities. Amounts that are probable of being credited or refunded to customers in the future are also recorded as regulatory liabilities.

The Utility also records a regulatory balancing account asset or liability for differences between customer billings and authorized revenue requirements that are probable of recovery or refund. In addition, the Utility records a regulatory balancing account asset or liability for differences between incurred costs and customer billings or authorized revenue meant to recover those costs, to the extent that these differences are probable of recovery or refund. These differences have no impact on net income. See “Revenue Recognition” below.

Management continues to believe the use of regulatory accounting is applicable and that all regulatory assets and liabilities are recoverable or refundable. To the extent that portions of the Utility’s operations cease to be subject to cost of service rate regulation, or recovery is no longer probable as a result of changes in regulation or other reasons, the related regulatory assets and liabilities are written off.

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and short-term, highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. Cash equivalents are stated at fair value. As of December 31, 2020, the Utility also held restricted cash that primarily consisted of cash held in escrow to be used to pay bankruptcy related professional fees.

The Utility recognizes revenues when electricity and natural gas services are delivered. The Utility records unbilled revenues for the estimated amount of energy delivered to customers but not yet billed at the end of the period. Unbilled revenues are included in accounts receivable on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Rates charged to customers are based on CPUC and FERC authorized revenue requirements. Revenues can vary significantly from period to period because of seasonality, weather, and customer usage patterns.

The CPUC authorizes most of the Utility’s revenues in the Utility’s GRCs, which occur every four years. The Utility's ability to recover revenue requirements authorized by the CPUC in these rate cases is independent or “decoupled” from the volume of the Utility's sales of electricity and natural gas services. The Utility recognizes revenues that have been authorized for rate recovery, are objectively determinable and probable of recovery, and are expected to be collected within 24 months. Generally, electric and natural gas operating revenue is recognized ratably over the year. The Utility records a balancing account asset or liability for differences between customer billings and authorized revenue requirements that are probable of recovery or refund.

The Utility also collects additional revenue requirements to recover costs that the CPUC has authorized the Utility to pass on to customers, including costs to purchase electricity and natural gas, and to fund public purpose, demand response, and customer energy efficiency programs. In general, the revenue recognition criteria for pass-through costs billed to customers are met at the time the costs are incurred. The Utility records a regulatory balancing account asset or liability for differences between incurred costs and customer billings or authorized revenue meant to recover those costs, to the extent that these differences are probable of recovery or refund. As a result, these differences have no impact on net income.

The following table presents the Utility’s revenues disaggregated by type of customer:


	Year Ended
(in millions)	2021		2020
Electric
Revenue from contracts with customers
Residential	$	6,089	$	5,523
Commercial	5,042		4,722
Industrial	1,493		1,530
Agricultural	1,565		1,471
Public street and highway lighting	73		69
Other (1)	(84)		(130)
Total revenue from contracts with customers - electric	14,178		13,185
Regulatory balancing accounts (2)	953		673
Total electric operating revenue	$	15,131	$	13,858

Natural gas
Revenue from contracts with customers
Residential	$	2,759	$	2,517
Commercial	713		597
Transportation service only	1,346		1,211
Other (1)	140		61
Total revenue from contracts with customers - gas	4,958		4,386
Regulatory balancing accounts (2)	553		225
Total natural gas operating revenue	5,511		4,611
Total operating revenues	$	20,642	$	18,469

PG&E Corporation and the Utility use the current expected credit loss model to estimate the expected lifetime credit loss on financial assets measured at amortized cost. PG&E Corporation and the Utility evaluate credit risk in their portfolio of financial assets quarterly. As of December 31, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have identified the following significant categories of financial assets.

Trade receivables are represented by customer accounts. PG&E Corporation and the Utility record an allowance for doubtful accounts to recognize an estimate of expected lifetime credit losses. The allowance is determined on a collective basis based on the historical amounts written-off and an assessment of customer collectability. Furthermore, economic conditions are evaluated as part of the estimate of expected lifetime credit losses using an analysis of regional unemployment rates.

As of December 31, 2021, the allowance also included the estimated impact of the CAPP which offers financial assistance from the State of California for eligible customers in the form of a credit to the customer’s bill. The Utility recorded a reduction to the allowance for doubtful accounts of approximately $207 million in the fourth quarter of 2021 as a result of the expected CAPP funding, which was received on January 27, 2022.

As of December 31, 2021, expected credit losses of $154 million were recorded in Operating and maintenance expense on the Consolidated Statements of Income for credit losses associated with trade and other receivables. The portion of expected credit losses that are deemed probable of recovery are deferred to the RUBA, CPPMA and a FERC regulatory asset. At December 31, 2021, the RUBA current balancing accounts receivable balance was $127 million, and CPPMA and FERC long-term regulatory asset balances were $30 million and $12 million, respectively.

Insurance receivables are related to the liability insurance policies PG&E Corporation and the Utility carry. Insurance receivable risk is related to each insurance carrier’s risk of defaulting on their individual policies. Wildfire fund receivables are the funds available from the statewide fund established under AB 1054 for payment of eligible claims related to the 2021 Dixie fire that exceed $1.0 billion and available insurance coverage. For more information, see Note 14 below. Wildfire fund receivables risk is related to the Wildfire Fund’s durability, which is a measurement of the claim-paying capacity. Lastly, PG&E Corporation and the Utility are required to determine if the fair value is below the amortized cost basis for its available-for-sale debt securities. An impairment may exist if there is an intent to sell or a requirement to sell before recovery of the amortized basis. If such an impairment exists, then PG&E Corporation and the Utility must determine whether a portion of the impairment is a result of expected credit loss.

Inventories are carried at weighted-average cost and include natural gas stored underground as well as materials and supplies. Natural gas stored underground is recorded to inventory when injected and then expensed as the gas is withdrawn for distribution to customers or to be used as fuel for electric generation. Materials and supplies are recorded to inventory when purchased and expensed or capitalized to plant, as appropriate, when consumed or installed.

The Utility purchases GHG emission allowances to satisfy its compliance obligations. Associated costs are recorded as inventory and included in current assets – other and other noncurrent assets – other on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Costs are carried at weighted-average and are recoverable through rates.

Property, plant, and equipment are reported at the lower of their historical cost less accumulated depreciation or fair value. Historical costs include labor and materials, construction overhead, and AFUDC. See “AFUDC” below. The Utility’s estimated service lives of its property, plant, and equipment were as follows:


	Estimated Service	Balance at December 31,
(in millions, except estimated service lives)	Lives (years)	2021		2020
Electricity generating facilities (1)	5 to 75	$	11,217	$	12,505
Electricity distribution facilities	10 to 70	37,723		34,902
Electricity transmission facilities	15 to 75	15,516		14,414
Natural gas distribution facilities	20 to 60	14,100		12,962
Natural gas transmission and storage facilities	5 to 66	9,067		8,293
Financing lease		18		18
Construction work in progress		3,480		2,757
General plant and other	5 to 50	7,838		8,041
Total property, plant, and equipment		98,959		93,892
Accumulated depreciation		(29,131)		(27,756)
Net property, plant, and equipment (2)		$	69,828	$	66,136

The Utility depreciates property, plant, and equipment using the composite, or group, method of depreciation, in which a single depreciation rate is applied to the gross investment balance in a particular class of property, with the exception of its securitized property, plant and equipment, which is depreciated over the life of the bond and a pattern consistent with principal payments. This method approximates the straight-line method of depreciation over the useful lives of property, plant, and equipment. The Utility’s composite depreciation rates were 3.82% in 2021, 3.76% in 2020, and 3.80% in 2019. The useful lives of the Utility’s property, plant, and equipment are authorized by the CPUC and the FERC, and the depreciation expense is recovered through rates charged to customers. Depreciation expense includes a component for the original cost of assets and a component for estimated cost of future removal, net of any salvage value at retirement. Upon retirement, the original cost of the retired assets, net of salvage value, is charged against accumulated depreciation. The cost of repairs and maintenance, including planned major maintenance activities and minor replacements of property, is charged to operating and maintenance expense as incurred.

AFUDC represents the estimated costs of debt (i.e., interest) and equity funds used to finance regulated plant additions before they go into service and is capitalized as part of the cost of construction. AFUDC is recoverable through rates over the life of the related property once the property is placed in service. AFUDC related to the cost of debt is recorded as a reduction to interest expense. AFUDC related to the cost of equity is recorded in other income. The Utility recorded AFUDC related to debt and equity, respectively, of $56 million and $133 million during 2021, $35 million and $140 million during 2020, and $55 million and $79 million during 2019.

The following table summarizes the changes in ARO liability during 2021 and 2020, including nuclear decommissioning obligations:


(in millions)	2021		2020
ARO liability at beginning of year	$	6,412	$	5,854
Liabilities incurred in the current period	—		268
Revision in estimated cash flows	(1,378)		53
Accretion	287		265
Liabilities settled	(23)		(28)
ARO liability at end of year	$	5,298	$	6,412

The Utility has not recorded a liability related to certain AROs for assets that are expected to operate in perpetuity. As the Utility cannot estimate a settlement date or range of potential settlement dates for these assets, reasonable estimates of fair value cannot be made. As such, ARO liabilities are not recorded for retirement activities associated with substations, certain hydroelectric facilities; removal of lead-based paint in some facilities and certain communications equipment from leased property; and restoration of land to the conditions under certain agreements.

Detailed studies of the cost to decommission the Utility’s nuclear generation facilities are generally conducted every three years in conjunction with the Nuclear Decommissioning Cost Triennial Proceeding. In December 2021, the Utility submitted its updated decommissioning cost estimate to the CPUC and correspondingly decreased its ARO liabilities by $1.4 billion. The adjustment was a result of a decrease in estimated costs based on refinements to the site-specific decommissioning analysis. The decommissioning cost estimates are based on the plant location and cost characteristics for the Utility's nuclear power plants. Actual decommissioning costs may vary from these estimates as a result of changes in assumptions such as decommissioning dates; regulatory requirements; technology; and costs of labor, materials, and equipment. The Utility recovers its revenue requirements for decommissioning costs through rates through a non-bypassable charge that the Utility expects will continue until those costs are fully recovered.

The total nuclear decommissioning obligation accrued was $3.9 billion and $5.1 billion at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The estimated undiscounted nuclear decommissioning cost for the Utility’s nuclear power plants was $7.6 billion and $10.6 billion at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

The Utility’s nuclear generation facilities consist of two units at Diablo Canyon and one retired facility at Humboldt Bay. Nuclear decommissioning requires the safe removal of a nuclear generation facility from service and the reduction of residual radioactivity to a level that permits termination of the NRC license and release of the property for unrestricted use. The Utility's nuclear decommissioning costs are recovered through rates and are held in trusts until authorized for release by the CPUC.

The Utility classifies its debt investments held in the nuclear decommissioning trusts as available-for-sale. Since the Utility’s nuclear decommissioning trust assets are managed by external investment managers, the Utility does not have the ability to sell its investments at its discretion. Therefore, all unrealized losses are considered other-than-temporary impairments. Gains or losses on the nuclear decommissioning trust investments are refundable or recoverable, respectively, from customers through rates. Therefore, trust earnings are deferred and included in the regulatory liability for recoveries in excess of the ARO. There is no impact on the Utility’s earnings or accumulated other comprehensive income. The cost of debt and equity securities sold by the trust is determined by specific identification.

A VIE is an entity that does not have sufficient equity at risk to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties, or whose equity investors lack any characteristics of a controlling financial interest. An enterprise that has a controlling financial interest in a VIE is a primary beneficiary and is required to consolidate the VIE.

The SPV created in connection with the Receivables Securitization Program (as defined below in Note 5 below) in October 2020 is a bankruptcy remote, limited liability company wholly owned by the Utility, and its assets are not available to creditors of PG&E Corporation or the Utility. Pursuant to the Receivables Securitization Program, the Utility sells certain of its receivables and certain related rights to payment and obligations of the Utility with respect to such receivables, and certain other related rights to the SPV, which, in turn, obtains loans secured by the receivables from financial institutions (the “Lenders”). Amounts received from the Lenders, the pledged receivables and the corresponding debt are included in Accounts receivable, Other noncurrent assets, and Long-term debt, respectively, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2021, the aggregate principal amount of the loans made by the Lenders cannot exceed $1.0 billion outstanding at any time. On September 15, 2021, the Receivables Securitization Program was amended and extended to September 15, 2023.

The SPV is considered a VIE because its equity capitalization is insufficient to support its activities. The most significant activities that impact the economic performance of the SPV are decisions made to manage receivables. The Utility is considered the primary beneficiary and consolidates the SPV as it makes these decisions. No additional financial support was provided to the SPV during the year ended December 31, 2021 or is expected to be provided in the future that was not previously contractually required. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the SPV had net accounts receivable of $3.3 billion and $2.6 billion, respectively, and outstanding borrowings of $974 million and $1.0 billion, respectively, under the Receivables Securitization Program.

PG&E Recovery Funding LLC is a bankruptcy remote, limited liability company wholly owned by the Utility, and its assets are not available to creditors of PG&E Corporation or the Utility. Pursuant to the Financing Order for AB 1054, the Utility sold its right to receive revenues from the non-bypassable wildfire hardening fixed recovery charge (“Recovery Property”) to PG&E Recovery Funding LLC, which, in turn, issued recovery bonds secured by the Recovery Property. On November 12, 2021, PG&E Recovery Funding LLC issued approximately $860 million of senior secured recovery bonds. The recovery bonds were issued in three tranches: (1) approximately $266 million with an interest rate of 1.46% and is due July 15, 2033, (2) approximately $160 million with an interest rate of 2.28% and is due January 15, 2038, and (3) approximately $434 million with an interest rate of 2.82% and is due July 15, 2048. The recovery bonds are scheduled to pay principal and interest semi-annually on January 15 and July 15 of each year. The final scheduled payment date is July 15, 2046. Amounts owed to bond-holders are included in Long-term debt and Long-term debt, classified as current, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

PG&E Recovery Funding LLC is considered a VIE because its equity capitalization is insufficient to support its operations. The most significant activities that impact the economic performance of PG&E Recovery Funding LLC are decisions made by the servicer of the Recovery Property. The Utility is considered the primary beneficiary and consolidates PG&E Recovery Funding LLC as it acts in this role as servicer. No additional financial support was provided to PG&E Recovery Funding LLC during the year ended December 31, 2021 or is expected to be provided in the future that was not previously contractually required. As of December 31, 2021, PG&E Recovery Funding LLC has outstanding borrowings of $860 million.

Some of the counterparties to the Utility’s power purchase agreements are considered VIEs. Each of these VIEs was designed to own a power plant that would generate electricity for sale to the Utility. To determine whether the Utility was the primary beneficiary of any of these VIEs at December 31, 2021, it assessed whether it absorbs any of the VIE’s expected losses or receives any portion of the VIE’s expected residual returns under the terms of the power purchase agreement, analyzed the variability in the VIE’s gross margin, and considered whether it had any decision-making rights associated with the activities that are most significant to the VIE’s performance, such as dispatch rights and operating and maintenance activities. The Utility’s financial obligation is limited to the amount the Utility pays for delivered electricity and capacity. The Utility did not have any decision-making rights associated with any of the activities that are most significant to the economic performance of any of these VIEs. Since the Utility was not the primary beneficiary of any of these VIEs at December 31, 2021, it did not consolidate any of them.

The Wildfire Fund is expected to be capitalized with (i) $10.5 billion of proceeds of bonds supported by a 15-year extension of the Department of Water Resources charge to customers, (ii) $7.5 billion in initial contributions from California’s three large electric IOUs and (iii) $300 million in annual contributions paid by California’s three large electric IOUs for a 10-year period. The contributions from the IOUs will be effectively borne by their respective shareholders, as they will not be permitted to recover these costs through rates. The costs of the initial and annual contributions are allocated among the IOUs pursuant to a “Wildfire Fund allocation metric” set forth in AB 1054 based on land area in the applicable IOU’s service territory classified as HFTDs and adjusted to account for risk mitigation efforts. The Utility’s Wildfire Fund allocation metric is 64.2% (representing an initial contribution of approximately $4.8 billion and annual contributions of approximately $193 million).

On the Emergence Date, PG&E Corporation and the Utility contributed, in accordance with AB 1054, an initial contribution of approximately $4.8 billion and first annual contribution of approximately $193 million to the Wildfire Fund to secure participation of the Utility therein. San Diego Gas & Electric Company and Southern California Edison made their initial contributions to the Wildfire Fund in September 2019. On December 30, 2020 and 2021, the Utility made its second and third annual contributions of $193 million each to the Wildfire Fund. As of December 31, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have seven remaining annual contributions of $193 million (based on the current Wildfire Fund allocation metric). PG&E Corporation and the Utility account for the contributions to the Wildfire Fund similarly to prepaid insurance with expense being allocated to periods ratably based on an estimated period of coverage.

As of December 31, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility recorded $193 million in Other current liabilities, $1.1 billion in Other non-current liabilities, $461 million in current assets - Wildfire fund asset, and $5.3 billion in non-current assets - Wildfire fund asset in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Utility recorded amortization and accretion expense of $517 million and $413 million, respectively. The amortization of the asset, accretion of the liability, and acceleration of the amortization of the asset is reflected in Wildfire Fund expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Expected contributions recorded in Wildfire Fund asset on the Consolidated Balance Sheets are discounted to the present value using the 10-year U.S. treasury rate at the date PG&E Corporation and the Utility satisfied all the eligibility requirements to participate in the Wildfire Fund. A useful life of 15 years is being used to amortize the Wildfire Fund asset.

AB 1054 did not specify a period of coverage; therefore, this accounting treatment is subject to significant accounting judgments and estimates. In estimating the period of coverage, PG&E Corporation and the Utility use a Monte Carlo simulation that began with 12 years of historical, publicly available fire-loss data from wildfires caused by electrical equipment, and subsequently plan to add an additional year of data each following year. The period of historic fire-loss data and the effectiveness of mitigation efforts by the California electric utility companies are significant assumptions used to estimate the useful life. These assumptions along with the other assumptions below create a high degree of uncertainty related to the estimated useful life of the Wildfire Fund. The simulation creates annual distributions of potential losses due to fires that could be attributed to the participating electric utilities. Starting with a five-year period of historical data, with average annual statewide claims or settlements of approximately $6.5 billion, compared to approximately $2.9 billion for the 12-year historical data, would have decreased the amortization period to six years. As of December 31, 2021, a 10% change to the assumption around current and future mitigation effort effectiveness would increase the amortization period by three years assuming greater effectiveness and would decrease the amortization period by two years assuming less effectiveness.

Other assumptions used to estimate the useful life include the estimated cost of wildfires caused by other electric utilities, the amount at which wildfire claims would be settled, the likely adjudication of the CPUC in cases of electric utility-caused wildfires and determination of any amounts required to be reimbursed to the Wildfire Fund, the impacts of climate change, the level of future insurance coverage held by the electric utilities, the FERC-allocable portion of loss recovery, and the future transmission and distribution equity rate base growth of other electric utilities. Significant changes in any of these estimates could materially impact the amortization period.

The changes, net of income tax, in PG&E Corporation’s accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2021 consisted of the following:


(in millions, net of income tax)	Pension Benefits		Other Benefits		Total
Beginning balance	$	(39)	$	17	$	(22)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications:
Unrecognized net actuarial gain (net of taxes of $391 and $53, respectively)	1,007		137		1,144
Regulatory account transfer (net of taxes of $390 and $53, respectively)	(1,003)		(136)		(1,139)
Amounts reclassified from other comprehensive income:
Amortization of prior service cost (net of taxes of $2 and $4, respectively) (1)	(4)		10		6
Amortization of net actuarial (gain) loss (net of taxes of $2 and $9, respectively) (1)	4		(24)		(20)
Regulatory account transfer (net of taxes of $1 and $5, respectively) (1)	2		14		16
Net current period other comprehensive income	6		1		7
Ending balance	$	(33)	$	18	$	(15)

The changes, net of income tax, in PG&E Corporation’s accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2020 consisted of the following:


(in millions, net of income tax)	Pension Benefits		Other Benefits		Total
Beginning balance	$	(22)	$	17	$	(5)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications:
Unrecognized net actuarial gain (loss) (net of taxes of $162 and $66, respectively)	(417)		170		(247)
Regulatory account transfer (net of taxes of $155 and $66, respectively)	400		(170)		230
Amounts reclassified from other comprehensive income:
Amortization of prior service cost (net of taxes of $2 and $4, respectively) (1)	(4)		10		6
Amortization of net actuarial (gain) loss (net of taxes of $1 and $6, respectively)(1)	2		(15)		(13)
Regulatory account transfer (net of taxes of $1 and $2, respectively) (1)	2		5		7
Net current period other comprehensive loss	(17)		—		(17)
Ending balance	$	(39)	$	17	$	(22)

A lease exists when an arrangement allows the lessee to control the use of an identified asset for a stated period in exchange for payments. This determination is made at inception of the arrangement. All leases must be recognized as a ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet of the lessee. The ROU asset reflects the lessee’s right to use the underlying asset for the lease term and the lease liability reflects the obligation to make the lease payments. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have elected not to separate lease and non-lease components.

The Utility estimates the ROU assets and lease liabilities at net present value using its incremental secured borrowing rates, unless the implicit discount rate in the leasing arrangement can be ascertained. The incremental secured borrowing rate is based on observed market data and other information available at the lease commencement date. The ROU assets and lease liabilities only include the fixed lease payments for arrangements with terms greater than 12 months. These amounts are presented within the supplemental disclosures of noncash activities on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Renewal and termination options only impact the lease term if it is reasonably certain that they will be exercised. PG&E Corporation recognizes lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Utility recognizes lease expense in conformity with ratemaking.

Operating leases are included in operating lease ROU assets and current and noncurrent operating lease liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Financing leases are included in property, plant, and equipment, other current liabilities, and other noncurrent liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Financing leases were immaterial for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Utility made total cash payments, including fixed and variable, of $2.4 billion and $2.5 billion, respectively, for operating leases which are presented within operating activities on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. The fixed cash payments for the principal portion of the financing lease liabilities are immaterial and continue to be included within financing activities on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Any variable lease payments for financing leases are included in operating activities on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.

The majority of the Utility’s ROU assets and lease liabilities relate to various power purchase agreements. These power purchase agreements primarily consist of generation plants leased to meet customer demand plus applicable reserve margins. Operating lease variable costs include amounts from renewable energy power purchase agreements where payments are based on certain contingent external factors such as wind, hydro, solar, biogas, and biomass power generation. See “Third-Party Power Purchase Agreements” in Note 15 below. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have also recorded ROU assets and lease liabilities related to property and land arrangements.

The following table shows the lease expense recognized for the fixed and variable component of the Utility’s lease obligations:


	Year Ended December 31,
(in millions)	2021		2020
Operating lease fixed cost	$	578	$	679
Operating lease variable cost	1,782		1,852
Total operating lease costs	$	2,360	$	2,531

On February 16, 2021, the Utility granted to a subsidiary of SBA Communications Corporation (such subsidiary, “SBA”) an exclusive license enabling SBA to sublicense and market wireless communications equipment attachment locations (“Cell Sites”) on more than 700 of the Utility’s electric transmission towers, telecommunications towers, monopoles, buildings or other structures (collectively, the “Effective Date Towers”) to wireless telecommunication carriers (“Carriers”) for attachment of wireless communications equipment, as contemplated by a Master Transaction Agreement (the “Transaction Agreement”) dated February 2, 2021, between the Utility and SBA. Pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, the Utility also assigned to SBA license agreements between the Utility and Carriers for substantially all of the existing Cell Sites on the Effective Date Towers.

The exclusive license was granted pursuant to a Master Multi-Site License Agreement (the “License Agreement”) between the Utility and SBA. The term of the License Agreement is for 100 years. The Utility has the right to terminate the license for individual Cell Sites for certain regulatory or utility operational reasons, with a corresponding payment to SBA. Pursuant to the License Agreement, SBA is entitled to the sublicensing revenue generated by new sublicenses of Cell Sites on the Effective Date Towers, subject to the Utility’s right to a percentage of such sublicensing revenue.

The Utility and SBA also entered into a Master Transmission Tower Site License Agreement (the “Tower Site Agreement”), pursuant to which SBA received the exclusive rights to sublicense and market additional attachment locations on up to 28,000 of the Utility’s other electric transmission towers to Carriers for attachment of wireless communications equipment. The Tower Site Agreement provides for a split of license fees from Carriers between the Utility and SBA. The Tower Site Agreement has a licensing period of up to 15 years, depending on SBA’s achievement of certain performance metrics, and any sites licensed during such licensing period will continue to be subject to the Tower Site Agreement for the same term as the License Agreement.

In addition, the Utility and SBA entered into a Pipeline Cell Site Transaction Agreement pursuant to which the Utility and SBA established terms and conditions for adding additional cell sites under the License Agreement. Pipeline Cell Sites are locations where the Utility was in the process of locating a new Cell Site for a wireless carrier at the close of the transaction.

In exchange for the exclusive license and entry into the License Agreement, SBA paid the Utility $946 million of the purchase price at the closing. On August 15, 2021, the post-closing period ended, and the final purchase price was $947 million, pursuant to the terms of the Transaction Agreement.

The Utility recorded approximately $370 million of the $947 million sales proceeds as a financing obligation, as this portion of the proceeds for existing Cell Sites represents a sale of future revenues. The Utility recorded approximately $106 million of the $947 million sales proceeds as a contract liability (deferred revenue), as a portion of proceeds with respect to the sublicensing of Cell Sites, as well as the Tower Site Agreement, represents an upfront payment for access to space on the Utility’s assets. The Utility utilized a third-party discounted cash flow model based on business assumptions and estimates to determine the allocation of the purchase price between the financing obligation and deferred revenue. The financing obligation and deferred revenue are included in Other noncurrent liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes, which amends the existing guidance to reduce complexity relating to Income Tax disclosures. PG&E Corporation and the Utility adopted this ASU on January 1, 2021. There was no material impact on PG&E Corporation’s or the Utility’s Consolidated Financial Statements and the related disclosures resulting from the adoption of this ASU.

In November 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-10, Government Assistance (Topic 832): Disclosures by Business Entities about Government Assistance, which increases the transparency of government assistance including the disclosure of (1) the types of assistance, (2) an entity’s accounting for the assistance, and (3) the effect of the assistance on an entity’s financial statements. PG&E Corporation and the Utility adopted this ASU as of December 31, 2021. There was no material impact on PG&E Corporation’s or the Utility’s Consolidated Financial Statements and the related disclosures resulting from the adoption of this ASU.