Asset Retirement Obligations (All Registrants)

Nuclear Decommissioning Asset Retirement Obligations

Generation has a legal obligation to decommission its nuclear power plants following the expiration of their operating licenses. To estimate its decommissioning obligation related to its nuclear generating stations for financial accounting and reporting purposes, Generation uses a probability-weighted, discounted cash flow model which, on a unit-by-unit basis, considers multiple outcome scenarios that include significant estimates and assumptions, and are based on decommissioning cost studies, cost escalation rates, probabilistic cash flow models and discount rates. Generation updates its ARO annually unless circumstances warrant more frequent updates, based on its review of updated cost studies and its annual evaluation of cost escalation factors and probabilities assigned to various scenarios.

The following table provides a rollforward of the nuclear decommissioning ARO reflected in Exelon’s and Generation’s Consolidated Balance Sheets, from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018:



Nuclear decommissioning ARO at January 1, 2017	$	8,734
Accretion expense	458
Acquisition of FitzPatrick	444
Net increase due to changes in, and timing of, estimated future cash flows	34
Costs incurred related to decommissioning plants	(8		)
Nuclear decommissioning ARO at December 31, 2017^(a)	9,662
Accretion expense	478
Net decrease due to changes in, and timing of, estimated future cash flows	(77		)
Costs incurred related to decommissioning plants	(58		)
Nuclear decommissioning ARO at December 31, 2018^{(a) (b)}	$	10,005

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(a)	Includes $22 million and $13 million as the current portion of the ARO at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, which is included in Other current liabilities in Exelon’s and Generation’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.


(b)	Includes $772 million of ARO related to Oyster Creek which is classified as Liabilities held for sale in Exelon's and Generation's Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2018. See Note 5 — Mergers, Acquisitions and Dispositions for additional information.

The net $77 million decrease in the ARO during 2018 for changes in the amounts and timing of estimated decommissioning cash flows was driven by multiple adjustments throughout the year, some with offsetting impacts. These adjustments include a $203 million decrease primarily due to lower estimated costs for the construction of interim spent fuel storage at TMI and a net decrease in estimated costs to decommission Calvert Cliffs, FitzPatrick, Limerick, and Salem nuclear units resulting from the completion of updated cost studies. These adjustments also include a decrease due to changes in decommissioning scenarios and their probabilities. These decreases were partially offset by a $116 million increase for the impact of the early retirement and the announced pending sale of Oyster Creek and a $122 million increase for estimated cost escalation rates, primarily for labor, energy and waste burial costs. See Note 5 — Mergers, Acquisitions and Dispositions and Note 8—Early Plant Retirements for additional information regarding Oyster Creek.

The net $34 million increase in the ARO during 2017 for changes in the amounts and timing of estimated decommissioning cash flows was driven by multiple adjustments throughout the year, some with offsetting impacts. These adjustments include a $178 million increase due to higher assumed probabilities of early retirement of Salem and a $138 million increase in TMI’s ARO liability associated with the May 30, 2017 announcement to early retire the unit on September 30, 2019. The increase in TMI's ARO liability incorporates the early shutdown date, increases in the probabilities of longer term decommissioning scenarios, and an increase in the estimated costs to decommission based on an updated decommissioning cost study. See Note 8—Early Plant Retirements for additional information regarding Salem and TMI. These increases in the ARO were partially offset by a $180 million decrease for refinements in estimated fleet wide labor costs expected to be incurred for certain on-site personnel during decommissioning as well as net decreases resulting from updates to the cost studies of Clinton, Quad Cities and Dresden.

NDT Funds

NDT funds have been established for each generation station unit to satisfy Generation’s nuclear decommissioning obligations. Generally, NDT funds established for a particular unit may not be used to fund the decommissioning obligations of any other unit.

The NDT funds associated with Generation's nuclear units have been funded with amounts collected from the previous owners and their respective utility customers. PECO is authorized to collect funds, in revenues, for decommissioning the former PECO nuclear plants through regulated rates, and these collections are scheduled through the operating lives of the former PECO plants. The amounts collected from PECO customers are remitted to Generation and deposited into the NDT funds for the unit for which funds are collected. Every five years, PECO files a rate adjustment with the PAPUC that reflects PECO’s calculations of the estimated amount needed to decommission each of the former PECO units based on updated fund balances and estimated decommissioning costs. The rate adjustment is used to determine the amount collectible from PECO customers. On March 31, 2017, PECO filed its Nuclear Decommissioning Cost Adjustment with the PAPUC proposing an annual recovery from customers of approximately $4 million. This amount reflects a decrease from the previously approved annual collection of approximately $24 million primarily due to the removal of the collections for Limerick Units 1 and 2 as a result of the NRC approving the extension of the operating licenses for an additional 20 years. On August 8, 2017, the PAPUC approved the filing and the new rates became effective January 1, 2018.

Any shortfall of funds necessary for decommissioning, determined for each generating station unit, is ultimately required to be funded by Generation, with the exception of a shortfall for the current decommissioning activities at Zion Station, where certain decommissioning activities have been transferred to a third-party (see Zion Station Decommissioning below) and the CENG units, where any shortfall is required to be funded by both Generation and EDF. Generation, through PECO, has recourse to collect additional amounts from PECO customers related to a shortfall of NDT funds for the former PECO units, subject to certain limitations and thresholds, as prescribed by an order from the PAPUC. Generally, PECO, and likewise Generation will not be allowed to collect amounts associated with the first $50 million of any shortfall of trust funds compared to decommissioning costs, as well as 5% of any additional shortfalls, on an aggregate basis for all former PECO units. The initial $50 million and up to 5% of any additional shortfalls would be borne by Generation. No recourse exists to collect additional amounts from utility customers for any of Generation's other nuclear units. With respect to the former ComEd and PECO units, any funds remaining in the NDTs after all decommissioning has been completed are required to be refunded to ComEd’s or PECO’s customers, subject to certain limitations that allow sharing of excess funds with Generation related to the former PECO units. With respect to Generation's other nuclear units, Generation retains any funds remaining after decommissioning. However, in connection with CENG's acquisition of the Nine Mile Point and Ginna plants and settlements with certain regulatory agencies, CENG is subject to certain conditions pertaining to NDT funds that, if met, could possibly result in obligations to make payments to certain third parties (clawbacks). For Nine Mile Point and Ginna, the clawback provisions are triggered only in the event that the required decommissioning activities are discontinued or not started or completed in a timely manner. In the event that the clawback provisions are triggered for Nine Mile Point, then, depending upon the triggering event, an amount equal to 50% of the total amount withdrawn from the funds for non-decommissioning activities or 50% of any excess funds in the trust funds above the amounts required for decommissioning (including spent fuel management and decommissioning) is to be paid to the Nine Mile Point sellers. In the event that the clawback provisions are triggered for Ginna, then an amount equal to any estimated cost savings realized by not completing any of the required decommissioning activities is to be paid to the Ginna sellers. Generation expects to comply with applicable regulations and timely commence and complete all required decommissioning activities.

At December 31, 2018 and 2017, Exelon and Generation had NDT funds totaling $12,695 million and $13,349 million, respectively. Included within the December 31, 2018 balance is the $890 million reclassification of Oyster Creek NDT as Assets held for sale in Exelon's and Generation's Consolidated Balance Sheets. See Note 5 — Mergers, Acquisitions and Dispositions for additional information regarding the announced pending sale of Oyster Creek. The NDT funds include $144 million and $77 million for the current portion of the NDT at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, which are included in Other current assets in Exelon's and Generation's Consolidated Balance Sheets. See Note 11—Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities for additional information related to the NDT funds.

The following table provides unrealized (losses) gains on NDT funds of Exelon and Generation for the years ended 2018, 2017 and 2016:



	2018			2017		2016
Net unrealized (losses) gains on NDT funds—Regulatory Agreement Units ^(a)	$	(715	)	$	455	$	216
Net unrealized (losses) gains on NDT funds—Non-Regulatory Agreement Units ^(b)	(483		)	521		194

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(a)	Net unrealized (losses) gains related to Generation’s NDT funds associated with Regulatory Agreement Units are included in Regulatory liabilities in Exelon’s Consolidated Balance Sheets and Noncurrent payables to affiliates in Generation’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.


(b)	Net unrealized (losses) gains related to Generation’s NDT funds with Non-Regulatory Agreement Units are included within Other, net in Exelon’s and Generation’s Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income.

Realized earnings, including interest and dividends on the NDT funds, for the non-Regulatory Agreement Units investments are recognized when earned and are included in Other, net in Exelon’s and Generation’s Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income whereas the Regulatory Agreement Units are eliminated within Other, net.

Accounting Implications of the Regulatory Agreements with ComEd and PECO

Based on the regulatory agreements with the ICC and PAPUC that dictate Generation’s obligations related to the shortfall or excess of NDT funds necessary for decommissioning the former ComEd units on a unit-by-unit basis and the former PECO units in total, decommissioning-related activities, including realized and unrealized gains and losses on the NDT funds and accretion of the decommissioning obligation, are generally offset within Exelon’s and Generation’s Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income. For the former ComEd units, decommissioning-related activities are generally offset within Exelon’s and Generation’s Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income as long as the NDT funds are expected to exceed the total estimated decommissioning obligation. For the former PECO units, decommissioning-related activities are generally offset within Exelon’s and Generation’s Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income regardless of whether the NDT funds are expected to exceed or fall short of the total estimated decommissioning obligation. The offset of decommissioning-related activities within the Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income results in an equal adjustment to the noncurrent payables to affiliates at Generation. ComEd and PECO have recorded an equal noncurrent affiliate receivable from Generation and corresponding regulatory liability.

Should the expected value of the NDT fund for any former ComEd unit fall below the amount of the expected decommissioning obligation for that unit, the accounting to offset decommissioning-related activities in the Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income for that unit would be discontinued, the decommissioning-related activities would be recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income and the adverse impact to Exelon’s and Generation’s financial statements could be material. As of December 31, 2018, the NDT funds of each of the former ComEd units, except for Zion (see Zion Station Decommissioning below), are expected to exceed the related decommissioning obligation for each of the units. For the purposes of making this determination, the decommissioning obligation referred to is different, as described below, from the calculation used in the NRC minimum funding obligation filings based on NRC guidelines.

Any changes to the PECO regulatory agreements could impact Exelon’s and Generation’s ability to offset decommissioning-related activities within the Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income, and the impact to Exelon’s and Generation’s financial statements could be material.

The decommissioning-related activities related to the Non-Regulatory Agreement Units are reflected in Exelon’s and Generation’s Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income.

See Note 4—Regulatory Matters and Note 25—Related Party Transactions for additional information regarding regulatory liabilities at ComEd and PECO and intercompany balances between Generation, ComEd and PECO reflecting the obligation to refund to customers any decommissioning-related assets in excess of the related decommissioning obligations.

Zion Station Decommissioning

In 2010, Generation completed an Asset Sale Agreement (ASA) under which ZionSolutions assumed responsibility for decommissioning Zion Station and Generation transferred to ZionSolutions substantially all the Zion Station’s assets, including the related NDT funds. Pursuant to the ASA, ZionSolutions will periodically request reimbursement, subject to certain restrictions, from the Zion Station-related NDT funds for costs incurred related to its decommissioning efforts at Zion Station. As the transfer of the Zion Station assets did not qualify for asset sale accounting treatment, the related NDT funds were reclassified as pledged assets for Zion Station decommissioning, which are recorded within Other current assets within Generation’s and Exelon’s Consolidated Balance Sheets and will continue to be measured in the same manner as prior to the completion of the transaction, and the transferred ARO for decommissioning was replaced with a payable for Zion Station decommissioning, which is recorded in Other current liabilities in Exelon’s and Generation’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. Changes in the value of the Zion Station NDT fund assets, net of applicable taxes, are recorded as a change in the payable to ZionSolutions. At no point will the payable to ZionSolutions exceed the project budget of the costs remaining to decommission Zion Station.

Generation has retained its obligation for the SNF. Following ZionSolutions' completion of its contractual obligations and transfer of the NRC license to Generation, Generation will store the SNF at Zion Station until it is transferred to the DOE for ultimate disposal, and will complete all remaining decommissioning activities associated with the SNF dry storage facility. Generation has a liability of $120 million, which is included within the nuclear decommissioning ARO at December 31, 2018. Generation also has retained NDT assets to fund its obligation to maintain the SNF at Zion Station until transfer to the DOE and to complete all remaining decommissioning activities for the SNF storage facility. Any shortage of funds necessary to maintain the SNF and decommission the SNF storage facility is ultimately required to be funded by Generation. Any Zion Station NDT funds remaining after the completion of all decommissioning activities will be returned to ComEd customers in accordance with the applicable orders.

The following table provides Exelon's and Generation's pledged assets and payables to ZionSolutions, and withdrawals by ZionSolutions at December 31, 2018 and 2017:



	2018		2017
Carrying value of Zion Station pledged assets	$	9	$	39
Current payable to ZionSolutions ^(a)	9		37
Cumulative withdrawals by ZionSolutions to pay decommissioning costs ^(b)	965		942

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(a)	Included in Other current liabilities within Exelon's and Generation's Consolidated Balance Sheets. Excludes a liability recorded within Exelon’s and Generation’s Consolidated Balance Sheets related to the tax obligation on the unrealized gains and losses associated with the Zion Station NDT funds. The NDT funds will be utilized to satisfy the tax obligations as gains and losses are realized.


(b)	Includes project expenses to decommission Zion Station and estimated tax payments on Zion Station NDT fund earnings.

ZionSolutions leased the land associated with Zion Station from Generation pursuant to a Lease Agreement. Under the Lease Agreement, ZionSolutions has committed to complete the required decommissioning work according to an established schedule and constructed a dry cask storage facility on the land and has loaded the SNF from the SNF pools onto the dry cask storage facility at Zion Station. Rent payable under the Lease Agreement is $1.00 per year, although the Lease Agreement requires ZionSolutions to pay property taxes associated with Zion Station and penalty rents may accrue if there are unexcused delays in the progress of decommissioning work at Zion Station or the construction of the dry cask SNF storage facility. To reduce the risk of default by ZionSolutions, EnergySolutions provided a $200 million letter of credit to be used to fund decommissioning costs in the event the NDT assets are insufficient. In accordance with the terms of the ASA, the letter of credit was reduced to $45 million in May 2018 due to the completion of key decommissioning milestones. EnergySolutions and its parent company have also provided a performance guarantee and EnergySolutions has entered into other agreements that will provide rights and remedies for Generation and the NRC in the case of other specified events of default, including a special purpose easement for disposal capacity at the EnergySolutions site in Clive, Utah, for all LLRW volume of Zion Station.

NRC Minimum Funding Requirements

NRC regulations require that licensees of nuclear generating facilities demonstrate reasonable assurance that funds will be available in specified minimum amounts to decommission the facility at the end of its life. The estimated decommissioning obligations as calculated using the NRC methodology differ from the ARO recorded in Generation’s and Exelon’s Consolidated Balance Sheets primarily due to differences in the type of costs included in the estimates, the basis for estimating such costs, and assumptions regarding the decommissioning alternatives to be used, potential license renewals, decommissioning cost escalation, and the growth rate in the NDT funds. Under NRC regulations, if the minimum funding requirements calculated under the NRC methodology are less than the future value of the NDT funds, also calculated under the NRC methodology, then the NRC requires either further funding or other financial guarantees.

Key assumptions used in the minimum funding calculation using the NRC methodology at December 31, 2018 include: (1) consideration of costs only for the removal of radiological contamination at each unit; (2) the option on a unit-by-unit basis to use generic, non-site specific cost estimates; (3) consideration of only one decommissioning scenario for each unit; (4) the plants cease operation at the end of their current license lives (with no assumed license renewals for those units that have not already received renewals and with an assumed end-of-operations date of 2019 for TMI); (5) the assumption of current nominal dollar cost estimates that are neither escalated through the anticipated period of decommissioning, nor discounted using the CARFR; and (6) assumed annual after-tax returns on the NDT funds of 2% (3% for the former PECO units, as specified by the PAPUC).

In contrast, the key criteria and assumptions used by Generation to determine the ARO and to forecast the target growth in the NDT funds at December 31, 2018 include: (1) the use of site specific cost estimates that are updated at least once every five years; (2) the inclusion in the ARO estimate of all legally unavoidable costs required to decommission the unit (e.g., radiological decommissioning and full site restoration for certain units, on-site spent fuel maintenance and storage subsequent to ceasing operations and until DOE acceptance, and disposal of certain low-level radioactive waste); (3) the consideration of multiple scenarios where decommissioning and site restoration activities, as applicable, are completed under possible scenarios ranging from 10 to 70 years after the cessation of plant operations; (4) the consideration of multiple end of life scenarios; (5) the measurement of the obligation at the present value of the future estimated costs and an annual average accretion of the ARO of approximately 5% through a period of approximately 30 years after the end of the extended lives of the units; and (6) an estimated targeted annual pre-tax return on the NDT funds of 5.0% to 6.2% (as compared to a historical 5-year annual average pre-tax return of approximately 4.9%).

Generation is required to provide to the NRC a biennial report by unit (annually for units that have been retired or are within five years of the current approved license life), based on values as of December 31, addressing Generation’s ability to meet the NRC minimum funding levels. Depending on the value of the trust funds, Generation may be required to take steps, such as providing financial guarantees through letters of credit or parent company guarantees or making additional contributions to the trusts, which could be significant, to ensure that the trusts are adequately funded and that NRC minimum funding requirements are met. As a result, Exelon’s and Generation’s cash flows and financial positions may be significantly adversely affected.

Generation filed its biennial decommissioning funding status report with the NRC on March 30, 2017 for all units except for Zion Station which is included in a separate report to the NRC submitted by ZionSolutions (see Zion Station Decommissioning above) and FitzPatrick which is still owned by Entergy as of the NRC reporting period. This status report demonstrated adequate decommissioning funding assurance for all units except for Peach Bottom Unit 1. As a former PECO plant, financial assurance for decommissioning Peach Bottom Unit 1 is provided by the NDT fund in addition to collections from PECO ratepayers. See NDT Funds section above for additional information.

On March 28, 2018, Generation submitted its annual decommissioning funding status report with the NRC for shutdown reactors, reactors within five years of shutdown except for Zion Station which is included in a separate report to the NRC submitted by EnergySolutions (see Zion Station Decommissioning above), and reactor involved in an acquisition. This report reflected the status of decommissioning funding assurance as of December 31, 2017 and included an update for the acquisition of FitzPatrick on March 31, 2017, the early retirement of TMI announced on May 30, 2017, an adjustment for the February 2, 2018 announced retirement date of Oyster Creek and the updated status of Peach Bottom Unit 1 based on the new collections rate described above. As of December 31, 2017, Generation provided adequate decommissioning funding assurance for all of its shutdown reactors, reactors within five years of shutdown, and reactor involved in an acquisition.

Generation will file its next decommissioning funding status report for all units with the NRC by March 31, 2019. This report will reflect the status of decommissioning funding assurance as of December 31, 2018. A shortfall at any unit could necessitate that Generation address the shortfall by, among other things, obtaining a parental guarantee for Generation's share of the funding assurance. However, the amount of any guarantee or other assurance will ultimately depend on the decommissioning approach, the associated level of costs, and the decommissioning trust fund investment performance going forward.

As the future values of trust funds change due to market conditions, the NRC minimum funding status of Generation’s units will change. In addition, if changes occur to the regulatory agreement with the PAPUC that currently allows amounts to be collected from PECO customers for decommissioning the former PECO units, the NRC minimum funding status of those plants could change at subsequent NRC filing dates.

Non-Nuclear Asset Retirement Obligations (All Registrants)

Generation has AROs for plant closure costs associated with its fossil and renewable generating facilities, including asbestos abatement, removal of certain storage tanks, restoring leased land to the condition it was in prior to construction of renewable generating stations and other decommissioning-related activities. The Utility Registrants have AROs primarily associated with the abatement and disposal of equipment and buildings contaminated with asbestos and PCBs. See Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies for additional information on the Registrants’ accounting policy for AROs.

The following table provides a rollforward of the non-nuclear AROs reflected in the Registrants’ Consolidated Balance Sheets from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018:



	Exelon			Generation			ComEd			PECO			BGE			PHI		Pepco		DPL		ACE
Non-nuclear AROs at January 1, 2017	$	393		$	199		$	121		$	28		$	24		$	14	$	2	$	9	$	3
Net (decrease) increase due to changes in, and timing of, estimated future cash flows	(11		)	(1		)	(13		)	(1		)	2			2		1		1		—
Development projects	1			1			—			—			—			—		—		—		—
Accretion expense^(a)	18			10			7			1			—			—		—		—		—
Deconsolidation of EGTP	(7		)	(7		)	—			—			—			—		—		—		—
Payments	(10		)	(5		)	(2		)	(1		)	(2		)	—		—		—		—
Non-nuclear AROs at December 31, 2017	384			197			113			27			24			16		3		10		3
Net increase due to changes in, and timing of, estimated future cash flows^(b)	80			35			7			—			2			36		34		1		1
Accretion expense^(a)	16			10			4			1			1			—		—		—		—
Asset divestitures	(3		)	(3		)	—			—			—			—		—		—		—
Payments	(6		)	(1		)	(3		)	—			(2		)	—		—		—		—
Non-nuclear AROs at December 31, 2018	$	471		$	238		$	121		$	28		$	25		$	52	$	37	$	11	$	4

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(a)	For ComEd and PECO, the majority of the accretion is recorded as an increase to a regulatory asset due to the associated regulatory treatment.


(b)	In 2018, Pepco recorded an increase of $22 million in Operating and maintenance expense primarily related to asbestos identified at its Buzzard Point property as part of an annual ARO study. Buzzard Point is a waterfront property in the District of Columbia occupied by an active substation and former Pepco operated steam plant building, which Pepco retired and closed in 1981.