Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Early Plant Retirements [Abstract]

Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions

Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions and Impairments

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)). Each nuclear plant is receiving ZEC revenue for approximately three years, through May 2022.

In April 2021, PSEG Power’s Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek nuclear plants were awarded ZECs for the three-year eligibility period starting June 2022 at the same approximate $10 per MWh received during the current ZEC period through May 2022 referenced above. As a result, each nuclear plant is expected to receive ZEC revenue for an additional three years starting June 2022. The terms and conditions of this April 2021 ZEC award are the same as the current ZEC period as discussed above.

The award of ZECs attaches certain obligations, including an obligation to repay the ZECs in the event that a plant ceases operations during the period that it was awarded ZECs, subject to certain 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. Further, the ZEC payment may be adjusted by the BPU at any time to offset environmental or fuel diversity payments that a selected nuclear plant may receive from another source. For instance, the New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel (New Jersey Rate Counsel), in written comments filed with the BPU, has advocated for the BPU to offset market benefits resulting from New Jersey’s rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative from the ZEC payment. PSEG intends to vigorously defend against these arguments. Due to its preliminary nature, PSEG cannot predict the outcome of this matter.

In May 2021, the New Jersey Rate Counsel filed an appeal with the New Jersey Appellate Division of the BPU’s April 2021 decision. PSEG cannot predict the outcome of this matter.

In the event that (i) the ZEC program is overturned or is otherwise materially adversely modified through legal process; or (ii) any of the Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek plants is not sufficiently valued for its environmental, fuel diversity or resilience attributes in future periods and does not otherwise experience a material financial change that would remove the need for such attributes to be sufficiently valued, PSEG Power will take all necessary steps to cease to operate all of these plants. Alternatively, even with sufficient valuation of these attributes, if 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 (CWA) and related state regulations, or other factors, PSEG Power will take all necessary steps to cease to operate all of these plants and will incur associated costs and accounting charges. These may include, among other things, one-time impairment charges or accelerated Depreciation and Amortization Expense on the remaining carrying value of the plants, 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 Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Fund, which would result in a material adverse impact on PSEG’s results of operations.

Non-Nuclear

In August 2021, PSEG entered into two agreements to sell PSEG Power’s 6,750 MW fossil generating portfolio, one agreement for the sale of assets in New Jersey and Maryland and another agreement for the sale of assets located in New York and Connecticut, to newly formed subsidiaries of ArcLight Energy Partners Fund VII, L.P., a fund controlled by ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC for aggregate consideration of approximately $1,920 million. In February 2022, PSEG completed the sale of this fossil generating portfolio. PSEG Power has retained ownership of certain assets and liabilities excluded from the transactions primarily related to obligations under certain environmental regulations, including possible remediation obligations under the New Jersey Industrial Site Recovery Act and the Connecticut Transfer Act. The amounts for any such environmental remediation are not currently estimable, but may be material.

In 2021, PSEG had recorded a pre-tax impairment loss on sale of approximately $2,691 million as the purchase price was lower than the carrying value. As defined in each agreement, further adjustments were required as a result of purchase price and working capital adjustments, including an adjustment for positive or negative cash flow of the fossil generating assets based on actual performance starting after December 31, 2021 through the respective closing dates. As a result, in 2022, PSEG Power recorded an additional pre-tax impairment of approximately $43 million. Further amounts may be recorded as a result of any

additional purchase price or working capital adjustments as defined in each agreement; however, these adjustments are not expected to be material.