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Early Plant Retirements Early Plant Retirements
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]  
Early Plant Retirements [Text Block] Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions
Nuclear
In April 2019, PSEG Power’s Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek nuclear plants were awarded ZECs by the BPU. Pursuant to a process established by the BPU, ZECs are purchased from selected nuclear plants and recovered through a non-bypassable distribution charge in the amount of $0.004 per kilowatt-hour (KWh) used (which is equivalent to approximately $10 per megawatt hour (MWh) generated in payments to selected nuclear plants (ZEC payment)). These nuclear plants are expected to receive ZEC revenue for approximately three years, through May 2022, and will be obligated to maintain operations during that period, subject to exceptions specified in the ZEC legislation. PSEG Power has and will continue to recognize revenue monthly as the nuclear plants generate electricity and satisfy their performance obligations. The ZEC legislation requires nuclear plants to reapply for any subsequent three year periods. The ZEC payment may be adjusted by the BPU (a) at any time to offset environmental or fuel diversity payments that a selected nuclear plant may receive from another source or (b) at certain times specified in the ZEC legislation if the BPU determines that the purposes of the ZEC legislation can be achieved through a reduced charge that will nonetheless be sufficient to achieve the state’s air quality and other environmental objectives by
preventing the retirement of nuclear plants. The BPU’s decision awarding ZECs has been appealed by the Division of Rate Counsel. PSEG cannot predict the outcome of this matter. In the event that (i) the ZEC program is overturned or otherwise materially adversely modified through legal process, (ii) the terms and conditions of the subsequent period under the ZEC program, including the amount of ZEC payments that may be awarded, materially differ from those of the current ZEC period, or (iii) any of the Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek plants is not awarded ZEC payments by the BPU and does not otherwise experience a material financial change, PSEG Power will take all necessary steps to retire all of these plants subsequent to the initial ZEC period at or prior to a scheduled refueling outage. Alternatively, if all of the Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek plants are selected to continue to receive ZEC payments but the financial condition of the plants is materially adversely impacted by changes in commodity prices, FERC’s changes to the capacity market construct (absent sufficient capacity revenues provided under a program approved by the BPU in accordance with a FERC-authorized capacity mechanism), or, in the case of the Salem nuclear plants, decisions by the EPA and state environmental regulators regarding the implementation of Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act and related state regulations, or other factors, PSEG Power would still take all necessary steps to retire all of these plants. The costs and accounting charges associated with any such retirement, which may include, among other things, accelerated D&A, impairment charges, potential penalties associated with the early termination of capacity obligations and fuel contracts, accelerated asset retirement costs, severance costs, environmental remediation costs and, in certain circumstances potential additional funding of the NDT Fund, would be material to both PSEG and PSEG Power.
Fossil
In June 2017, PSEG Power completed its retirement of the generation operations of the existing coal/gas units at the Hudson and Mercer generating stations.
During the year ended December 31, 2017, PSEG Power recognized total D&A of $964 million for the Hudson and Mercer units to reflect the significant shortening of their expected economic useful lives. In December 2018, PSEG Power completed the sale of the sites of the retired Hudson and Mercer units. PSEG Power transferred all land rights and structures on the sites to a third-party purchaser, along with the assumption of the environmental liabilities for the sites. As a result of the sale and transfer of liabilities, PSEG Power recorded a pre-tax gain in 2018 of $54 million.
In September 2019, PSEG Power completed the sale of its ownership interests in the Keystone and Conemaugh generation plants and related assets and liabilities. PSEG Power recorded a pre-tax loss on disposition of approximately $400 million in the second quarter of 2019 as the sale price was less than book value.
On February 23, 2020, PSEG Fossil LLC (Fossil), a direct wholly owned subsidiary of PSEG Power, entered into a Purchase Agreement with Yards Creek Energy, LLC (Yards Creek Energy), an affiliate of LS Power, relating to the sale by Fossil of its ownership interests in the Yards Creek generation facility and related assets, including the assumption by Yards Creek Energy of related liabilities. The transaction is targeted to close during the second half of 2020, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. As a result, in the fourth quarter of 2019, $28 million of Property, Plant and Equipment was reclassified as Assets Held for Sale on PSEG’s and PSEG Power’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.
PSEG Power LLC  
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]  
Early Plant Retirements [Text Block] Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions
Nuclear
In April 2019, PSEG Power’s Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek nuclear plants were awarded ZECs by the BPU. Pursuant to a process established by the BPU, ZECs are purchased from selected nuclear plants and recovered through a non-bypassable distribution charge in the amount of $0.004 per kilowatt-hour (KWh) used (which is equivalent to approximately $10 per megawatt hour (MWh) generated in payments to selected nuclear plants (ZEC payment)). These nuclear plants are expected to receive ZEC revenue for approximately three years, through May 2022, and will be obligated to maintain operations during that period, subject to exceptions specified in the ZEC legislation. PSEG Power has and will continue to recognize revenue monthly as the nuclear plants generate electricity and satisfy their performance obligations. The ZEC legislation requires nuclear plants to reapply for any subsequent three year periods. The ZEC payment may be adjusted by the BPU (a) at any time to offset environmental or fuel diversity payments that a selected nuclear plant may receive from another source or (b) at certain times specified in the ZEC legislation if the BPU determines that the purposes of the ZEC legislation can be achieved through a reduced charge that will nonetheless be sufficient to achieve the state’s air quality and other environmental objectives by
preventing the retirement of nuclear plants. The BPU’s decision awarding ZECs has been appealed by the Division of Rate Counsel. PSEG cannot predict the outcome of this matter. In the event that (i) the ZEC program is overturned or otherwise materially adversely modified through legal process, (ii) the terms and conditions of the subsequent period under the ZEC program, including the amount of ZEC payments that may be awarded, materially differ from those of the current ZEC period, or (iii) any of the Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek plants is not awarded ZEC payments by the BPU and does not otherwise experience a material financial change, PSEG Power will take all necessary steps to retire all of these plants subsequent to the initial ZEC period at or prior to a scheduled refueling outage. Alternatively, if all of the Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek plants are selected to continue to receive ZEC payments but the financial condition of the plants is materially adversely impacted by changes in commodity prices, FERC’s changes to the capacity market construct (absent sufficient capacity revenues provided under a program approved by the BPU in accordance with a FERC-authorized capacity mechanism), or, in the case of the Salem nuclear plants, decisions by the EPA and state environmental regulators regarding the implementation of Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act and related state regulations, or other factors, PSEG Power would still take all necessary steps to retire all of these plants. The costs and accounting charges associated with any such retirement, which may include, among other things, accelerated D&A, impairment charges, potential penalties associated with the early termination of capacity obligations and fuel contracts, accelerated asset retirement costs, severance costs, environmental remediation costs and, in certain circumstances potential additional funding of the NDT Fund, would be material to both PSEG and PSEG Power.
Fossil
In June 2017, PSEG Power completed its retirement of the generation operations of the existing coal/gas units at the Hudson and Mercer generating stations.
During the year ended December 31, 2017, PSEG Power recognized total D&A of $964 million for the Hudson and Mercer units to reflect the significant shortening of their expected economic useful lives. In December 2018, PSEG Power completed the sale of the sites of the retired Hudson and Mercer units. PSEG Power transferred all land rights and structures on the sites to a third-party purchaser, along with the assumption of the environmental liabilities for the sites. As a result of the sale and transfer of liabilities, PSEG Power recorded a pre-tax gain in 2018 of $54 million.
In September 2019, PSEG Power completed the sale of its ownership interests in the Keystone and Conemaugh generation plants and related assets and liabilities. PSEG Power recorded a pre-tax loss on disposition of approximately $400 million in the second quarter of 2019 as the sale price was less than book value.
On February 23, 2020, PSEG Fossil LLC (Fossil), a direct wholly owned subsidiary of PSEG Power, entered into a Purchase Agreement with Yards Creek Energy, LLC (Yards Creek Energy), an affiliate of LS Power, relating to the sale by Fossil of its ownership interests in the Yards Creek generation facility and related assets, including the assumption by Yards Creek Energy of related liabilities. The transaction is targeted to close during the second half of 2020, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. As a result, in the fourth quarter of 2019, $28 million of Property, Plant and Equipment was reclassified as Assets Held for Sale on PSEG’s and PSEG Power’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.