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Employee Benefits
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Employee Benefits [Abstract]  
Employee Benefits EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Pension and Other Postretirement Plans

Defined Benefit Pension Plan—PGE sponsors a non-contributory defined benefit pension plan, which is closed to new employees.

The assets of the pension plan are held in a trust and are comprised of equity and debt instruments, all of which are recorded at fair value. Pension plan calculations include several assumptions that are reviewed annually and updated as appropriate.

As expected, PGE contributed no additional funds to the pension plan in 2020 after contributing $62 million in 2019. PGE does not expect to contribute to the pension plan in 2021.

Other Postretirement Benefits—PGE offers non-contributory postretirement health and life insurance plans, and provides health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) to its employees (collectively, “Other Postretirement Benefits” in the following tables). PGE’s obligation pursuant to the postretirement health plan is limited by establishing a maximum benefit per employee with any additional cost the responsibility of the employee.

The assets of these plans are held in voluntary employees’ beneficiary association trusts and are comprised of money market funds, equity securities, common and collective trust funds, partnerships/joint ventures, and registered investment companies, all of which are recorded at fair value. Postretirement health and life insurance benefit plan calculations include several assumptions that are reviewed annually by PGE and updated as appropriate, with measurement dates of December 31.

Non-Qualified Benefit Plan—The NQBP in the following tables include obligations for a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan and a directors pension plan, both of which were closed to new participants in 1997. The NQBP also includes pension make-up benefits for employees that participate in the unfunded Management Deferred Compensation Plan (MDCP). Investments in the NQBP trust, consisting of trust-owned life insurance policies and marketable securities, provide funding for the future requirements of these plans. The assets of such trust are included in the accompanying tables for informational purposes only and are not considered segregated and restricted under current accounting standards. The investments in marketable securities, consisting of money market, bonds, and equity mutual funds, are classified as equity or trading debt securities and recorded at fair value. The measurement date for the NQBP is December 31. For further information regarding these trust investments, see Note 5, Fair Value of Financial Instruments.

Other NQBP—In addition to the NQBP discussed above, PGE provides certain employees and outside directors with deferred compensation plans, whereby participants may defer a portion of their earned compensation. PGE holds investments in a NQBP trust that are intended to be a funding source for these plans.

Trust assets and plan liabilities related to the NQBP included in PGE’s consolidated balance sheets are as follows as of December 31 (in millions):
 20202019
  NQBPOther NQBPTotalNQBPOther NQBPTotal
Non-qualified benefit plan trust$19 $23 $42 $17 $21 $38 
Non-qualified benefit plan liabilities *26 75 101 24 79 103 
*    For the NQBP, excludes the current portion of $2 million in 2020 and in 2019, which are classified in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.
Investment Policy and Asset Allocation—The Board of Directors of PGE appoints an Investment Committee, which is comprised of certain members of management from the Company, and establishes the Company’s asset allocation. The Investment Committee is then responsible for the implementation of the asset allocation and oversight of the benefit plan investments. The Company’s investment strategy for its pension and other postretirement plans is to balance risk and return through a diversified portfolio of equity securities, fixed income securities, and other alternative investments. Asset classes are regularly rebalanced to ensure asset allocations remain within prescribed parameters.
 
The asset allocations for the plans, and the target allocation, are as follows: 
 As of December 31,
  20202019
ActualTarget *ActualTarget *
Defined Benefit Pension Plan:
Equity securities67 %65 %64 %65 %
Debt securities33 35 36 35 
Total100 %100 %100 %100 %
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans:
Equity securities60 %57 %61 %59 %
Debt securities40 43 39 41 
Total100 %100 %100 %100 %
Non-Qualified Benefits Plans:
Equity securities17 %12 %17 %12 %
Debt securities6 11 7 12 
Insurance contracts77 77 76 76 
Total100 %100 %100 %100 %
*    The target for the Defined Benefit Pension Plan represents the mid-point of the investment target range. Due to the nature of the investment vehicles in both the Other Postretirement Benefit Plans and the NQBP, these targets are the weighted average of the mid-point of the respective investment target ranges approved by the Investment Committee. Due to the method used to calculate the weighted average targets for the Other Postretirement Benefit Plans and NQBP, reported percentages are affected by the fair market values of the investments within the pools.

The Company’s overall investment strategy is to meet the goals and objectives of the individual plans through a wide diversification of asset types, fund strategies, and fund managers.
The fair values of the Company’s pension plan assets and other postretirement benefit plan assets by asset category are as follows (in millions):
 Level 1Level 2Level 3Other *Total
As of December 31, 2020:
Defined Benefit Pension Plan assets:
Equity securities—Domestic$49 $— $— $— $49 
Investments measured at NAV:
Money market funds— — — 6 6 
Collective trust funds— — — 692 692 
Private equity funds— — — 6 6 
$49 $— $— $704 $753 
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans assets:
Money market funds$4 $— $— $— $4 
Equity securities:
Domestic— 3 — — 3 
International9 — — — 9 
Debt securities—Domestic— 5 — — 5 
Investments measured at NAV:
Money market funds— — — 5 5 
Collective trust funds— — — 9 9 
$13 $8 $— $14 $35 
As of December 31, 2019:
Defined Benefit Pension Plan assets:
Equity securities—Domestic$49 $— $— $— $49 
Investments measured at NAV:
Money market funds— — — 5 5 
Collective trust funds— — — 632 632 
Private equity funds— — — 9 9 
$49 $— $— $646 $695 
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans assets:
Money market funds$4 $— $— $— $4 
Equity securities:
Domestic— 3 — — 3 
International9 — — — 9 
Debt securities—Domestic government— 5 — — 5 
Investments measured at NAV:
Money market funds— — — 5 5 
Collective trust funds— — — 8 8 
$13 $8 $— $13 $34 
*Assets are measured at NAV as a practical expedient and not subject to hierarchy level classification disclosure. These assets are listed in the totals of the fair value hierarchy to permit the reconciliation to amounts presented in the financial statements.

An overview of the identification of Level 1, 2, and 3 financial instruments is provided in Note 5, Fair Value of Financial Instruments. The following discussion provides information regarding the methods used in valuation of the various asset class investments held in the pension and other postretirement benefit plan trusts.
Money market funds—PGE invests in money market funds that seek to maintain a stable NAV. These funds invest in high-quality, short-term, diversified money market instruments, short-term treasury bills, federal agency securities, or certificates of deposit. Some of the money market funds held in the trusts are classified as Level 1 instruments as pricing inputs are based on unadjusted prices in an active market. The remaining money market funds are valued at NAV as a practical expedient and are not classified in the fair value hierarchy.

Equity securities—Equity mutual fund and common stock securities are classified as Level 1 securities as pricing inputs are based on unadjusted prices in an active market. Principal markets for equity prices include published exchanges such as NASDAQ and NYSE. Mutual fund assets included in separately managed accounts are classified as Level 2 securities due to pricing inputs that are directly or indirectly observable in the marketplace.

Debt Securities—Debt security investment funds are classified as Level 2 securities as pricing for underlying securities are determined by evaluating pricing data, such as broker quotes for similar securities, adjusted for observable differences. Significant inputs used in valuation models generally include benchmark yield and issuer spreads. The external credit rating, coupon rate, and maturity of each security are considered in the valuation, if applicable.

Collective trust funds—Domestic and international mutual fund assets and debt security assets, including municipal debt and corporate credit securities, mortgage-backed securities, and asset back securities assets, are included in commingled trusts or separately managed accounts. The Company believes the redemption value of the collective trust funds are likely to be the fair value, which is represent by the net asset value as a practical expedient. The funds are valued at NAV as a practical expedient and are not classified in the fair value hierarchy.

Private equity funds—PGE invests in a combination of primary and secondary fund-of-funds, which hold ownership positions in privately held companies across the major domestic and international private equity sectors, including but not limited to, partnerships, joint ventures, venture capital, buyout, and special situations. Private equity investments are valued at NAV as a practical expedient and are not classified in the fair value hierarchy.
The following tables provide certain information with respect to the Company’s defined benefit pension plan, other postretirement benefits, and NQBP as of and for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. Information related to the Other NQBP is not included in the following tables (dollars in millions):

 Defined Benefit Pension PlanOther Postretirement BenefitsNon-Qualified
Benefit Plans
  202020192020201920202019
Benefit obligation:
As of January 1$905 $811 $71 $72 $26 $24 
Service cost17 16 2 2 — — 
Interest cost31 34 2 3 1 1 
Participants’ contributions— — — 2 — — 
Actuarial loss (gain)104 88 4 8 3 3 
Benefit payments(44)(42)(4)(6)(2)(2)
Administrative expenses(3)(2)— — — — 
Plan amendment— — 1 (9)— — 
Curtailment gain— — — (1)— — 
As of December 31$1,010 $905 $76 $71 $28 $26 
Fair value of plan assets:
As of January 1$695 $546 $34 $30 $17 $16 
Actual return on plan assets105 131 2 5 1 1 
Company contributions— 62 3 3 3 2 
Participants’ contributions— — — 2 — — 
Benefit payments(44)(42)(4)(6)(2)(2)
Administrative expenses(3)(2)— — — — 
As of December 31$753 $695 $35 $34 $19 $17 
Unfunded position as of December 31$(257)$(210)$(41)$(37)$(9)$(9)
Accumulated benefit plan obligation as of December 31$907 $813 N/AN/A$24 $26 
Classification in consolidated balance sheet:
Noncurrent asset$— $— $— $— $19 $17 
Current liability— — — — (2)(2)
Noncurrent liability(257)(210)(41)(37)(26)(24)
Net liability$(257)$(210)$(41)$(37)$(9)$(9)
Amounts included in comprehensive income:
Net actuarial loss (gain)$43 $(3)$4 $5 $3 $3 
Net prior service credit1 — — (9)— — 
Amortization of net actuarial loss(17)(10)— — (1)(1)
Amortization of prior service credit— — 1 — — — 
$27 $(13)$5 $(4)$2 $2 
Amounts included in AOCL:*
Net actuarial loss (gain)$239 $213 $5 $1 $15 $13 
Prior service cost1 — (8)(9)— — 
$240 $213 $(3)$(8)$15 $13 
* Amounts included in AOCL related to the Company’s defined benefit pension plan and other postretirement benefits are classified as Regulatory assets or liabilities as future recoverability is expected from retail customers.

Significant actuarial gains (losses) experienced that resulted in changes in projected benefit obligation included the following:
•For the defined benefit pension plan, actuarial losses due to demographic experience, including assumption changes, were losses of $104 million and $88 million, and the changes between actual and expected return on plan assets were gains of $61 million and $94 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
•For the other postretirement benefits, actuarial losses due to demographic experience, including assumption changes, were losses of $5 million and $2 million, and the changes between actual and expected return on plan assets were gains of $1 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Net periodic benefit cost consists of the following for the years ended December 31 (in millions):
 Defined Benefit
Pension Plan		Other Postretirement
Benefits		Non-Qualified
Benefit Plans
  202020192018202020192018202020192018
Service cost$17 $16 $19 $2 $2 $2 $— $— $— 
Interest cost on benefit obligation31 34 32 2 3 3 1 1 1 
Expected return on plan assets(44)(40)(42)(2)(2)(1)— — — 
Amortization of prior service credit— — — (1)— — — — — 
Amortization of net actuarial loss17 10 17 — — — 1 1 1 
Curtailment gain— — — — (2)— — — — 
Net periodic benefit cost$21 $20 $26 $1 $1 $4 $2 $2 $2 
The portion of non-service costs attributable to expense related to the pension and other postretirement benefit plans, is classified as Miscellaneous income (expense), net within Other income on the Company’s consolidated statements of income. Amounts related to the pension and other postretirement benefits are offset with the amortization of the corresponding regulatory asset.

The following assumptions were used in determining benefit obligations and net period benefit costs:
Defined Benefit Pension PlanOther Postretirement BenefitsNon-Qualified
Benefit Plans
202020192020201920202019
Assumptions used to determine benefit obligations: 
Discount rate2.64 %3.43 %2.22% -3.19% -2.64 %3.43 %
2.92 %3.47 %
Rate of compensation increase3.65 %3.65 %4.58 %4.58 %4.10 %N/A
Assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost:
Discount rate3.43 %4.25 %3.19% -3.11% -3.43 %3.43 %
3.47 %4.26 %
Rate of compensation increase 3.65 %3.65 %4.58 %4.58 %4.10 %N/A
Long-term rate of return on plan assets7.00 %7.00 %5.02 %5.88 %N/AN/A

As of December 31, 2020, there are no liabilities with sensitivity to health care cost trend rates.
Changes in actuarial assumptions can also have a material effect on net periodic pension expense. A 0.25% reduction in the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets, or a 0.25% reduction in the discount rate, would have the effect of increasing the 2020 net periodic pension expense by approximately $2 million and $3 million, respectively.

The following table summarizes the benefits expected to be paid to participants in each of the next five years and in the aggregate for the five years thereafter (in millions):
 Payments Due
  202120222023202420252026 - 2030
Defined benefit pension plan$45 $45 $46 $47 $47 $243 
Other postretirement benefits5 5 5 6 5 19 
Non-qualified benefit plans2 2 3 2 2 11 
Total$52 $52 $54 $55 $54 $273 

All of the plans develop expected long-term rates of return for the major asset classes using long-term historical returns, with adjustments based on current levels and forecasts of inflation, interest rates, and economic growth. Also included are incremental rates of return provided by investment managers whose returns are expected to be greater than the markets in which they invest.

401(k) Retirement Savings Plan

PGE sponsors a 401(k) Plan that covers substantially all employees. For eligible employees who are covered by PGE’s defined benefit pension plan, the Company matches employee contributions to the 401(k) Plan up to 6% of the employee’s base pay. For eligible employees who are not covered by PGE’s defined benefit pension plan, the Company contributes 5% of the employee’s base salary, whether or not the employee contributes to the 401(k) Plan, and also matches employee contributions up to 5% of the employee’s base pay.

For the majority of bargaining employees who are subject to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 125 agreements the Company contributes an additional 1% of the employee’s base salary, whether or not the employee contributes to the 401(k) Plan.

All contributions are invested in accordance with employees’ elections, limited to investment options available under the 401(k) Plan. PGE made contributions to employee accounts of $26 million in 2020, $25 million in 2019, and $23 million in 2018.