XML 153 R19.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.6
Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs)

Note 11. Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs)

PSEG, Power and PSE&G have recorded various AROs which represent legal obligations to remove or dispose of an asset or some component of an asset at retirement.

Power's ARO liability primarily relates to the decommissioning of its nuclear power plants. Power has an independent external trust that is intended to fund decommissioning of its nuclear facilities upon termination of operation. For additional information, see Note 9. Available-for-Sale Securities. Power also identified conditional AROs primarily related to Power's fossil generation units, including liabilities for

 

 

removal of asbestos, stored hazardous liquid material and underground storage tanks from industrial power sites,

 

 

restoration of leased office space to rentable condition upon lease termination,

 

 

permits and authorizations,

 

 

restoration of an area occupied by a reservoir when the reservoir is no longer needed, and

 

 

demolition of certain plants, and the restoration of the sites at which they reside when the plants are no longer in service.

PSE&G has a conditional ARO for legal obligations related to the removal of asbestos and underground storage tanks at certain industrial establishments, removal of wood poles, leases and licenses, removal of solar panels from leased property and the requirement to seal natural gas pipelines at all sources of gas when the pipelines are no longer in service. PSE&G did not record an ARO for its protected steel and poly-based natural gas transmission lines, as management believes that these categories of transmission lines have an indeterminable life.

The changes to the ARO liabilities for PSEG, Power and PSE&G during 2011 are presented in the following table:

 

Power [Member]
 
Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs)

Note 11. Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs)

PSEG, Power and PSE&G have recorded various AROs which represent legal obligations to remove or dispose of an asset or some component of an asset at retirement.

Power's ARO liability primarily relates to the decommissioning of its nuclear power plants. Power has an independent external trust that is intended to fund decommissioning of its nuclear facilities upon termination of operation. For additional information, see Note 9. Available-for-Sale Securities. Power also identified conditional AROs primarily related to Power's fossil generation units, including liabilities for

 

 

removal of asbestos, stored hazardous liquid material and underground storage tanks from industrial power sites,

 

 

restoration of leased office space to rentable condition upon lease termination,

 

 

permits and authorizations,

 

 

restoration of an area occupied by a reservoir when the reservoir is no longer needed, and

 

 

demolition of certain plants, and the restoration of the sites at which they reside when the plants are no longer in service.

PSE&G has a conditional ARO for legal obligations related to the removal of asbestos and underground storage tanks at certain industrial establishments, removal of wood poles, leases and licenses, removal of solar panels from leased property and the requirement to seal natural gas pipelines at all sources of gas when the pipelines are no longer in service. PSE&G did not record an ARO for its protected steel and poly-based natural gas transmission lines, as management believes that these categories of transmission lines have an indeterminable life.

The changes to the ARO liabilities for PSEG, Power and PSE&G during 2011 are presented in the following table:

 

    

PSEG

   

Power

   

PSE&G

   

Other

 
     Millions  

ARO Liability as of January 1, 2011

   $ 461      $ 242      $ 216      $ 3   

Liabilities Settled

     (6     (1     (5     0   

Liabilities Incurred

     3        0        2        1   

Accretion Expense

     18        18        0        0   

Accretion Expense Deferred and Recovered in Rate Base (A)

     13        0        13        0   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

ARO Liability as of December 31, 2011

   $ 489      $ 259      $ 226      $ 4   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(A) Not reflected as expense in Consolidated Statements of Operations
PSE&G [Member]
 
Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs)

Note 11. Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs)

PSEG, Power and PSE&G have recorded various AROs which represent legal obligations to remove or dispose of an asset or some component of an asset at retirement.

Power's ARO liability primarily relates to the decommissioning of its nuclear power plants. Power has an independent external trust that is intended to fund decommissioning of its nuclear facilities upon termination of operation. For additional information, see Note 9. Available-for-Sale Securities. Power also identified conditional AROs primarily related to Power's fossil generation units, including liabilities for

 

 

removal of asbestos, stored hazardous liquid material and underground storage tanks from industrial power sites,

 

 

restoration of leased office space to rentable condition upon lease termination,

 

 

permits and authorizations,

 

 

restoration of an area occupied by a reservoir when the reservoir is no longer needed, and

 

 

demolition of certain plants, and the restoration of the sites at which they reside when the plants are no longer in service.

PSE&G has a conditional ARO for legal obligations related to the removal of asbestos and underground storage tanks at certain industrial establishments, removal of wood poles, leases and licenses, removal of solar panels from leased property and the requirement to seal natural gas pipelines at all sources of gas when the pipelines are no longer in service. PSE&G did not record an ARO for its protected steel and poly-based natural gas transmission lines, as management believes that these categories of transmission lines have an indeterminable life.

The changes to the ARO liabilities for PSEG, Power and PSE&G during 2011 are presented in the following table:

 

    

PSEG

   

Power

   

PSE&G

   

Other

 
     Millions  

ARO Liability as of January 1, 2011

   $ 461      $ 242      $ 216      $ 3   

Liabilities Settled

     (6     (1     (5     0   

Liabilities Incurred

     3        0        2        1   

Accretion Expense

     18        18        0        0   

Accretion Expense Deferred and Recovered in Rate Base (A)

     13        0        13        0   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

ARO Liability as of December 31, 2011

   $ 489      $ 259      $ 226      $ 4   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(A) Not reflected as expense in Consolidated Statements of Operations