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Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 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 received ZEC revenue for approximately three years, through May 2022. That first eligibility period related to the award of ZECs from the April 2019 BPU Order has concluded.
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 prior ZEC period through May 2022 referenced above. As a result, each nuclear plant is receiving 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 ZEC period through May 2022. In May 2021, the New Jersey Division of 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.
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.
In August 2022, the IRA was signed into law expanding incentives promoting carbon-free generation. The enacted legislation established the PTC for electricity generation using nuclear energy set to begin in 2024 through 2032. The expected PTC rate is up to $15/MWh subject to adjustment based upon a facility’s gross receipts. The PTC rate and the gross receipts cap are subject to annual inflation adjustments. The U.S. Treasury is expected to clarify the definition of gross receipts prior to when the eligibility period begins in 2024. We are continuing to analyze the impact of the IRA on our nuclear units, including additional future guidance from the U.S. Treasury and the interactions with PTCs on expected ZEC payments.
PSEG Power may take all necessary steps to cease to operate all of these plants and will incur associated costs and accounting charges in the event that the financial condition of the plants is materially adversely impacted in the future. This decision may be based upon market conditions, including energy and capacity revenues, insufficient government financial support, 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. The associated costs and accounting charges 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 May 2021, Power Ventures, a direct wholly owned subsidiary of PSEG Power, entered into a purchase agreement with Quattro Solar, LLC, an affiliate of LS Power, relating to the sale by Power Ventures of 100% of its ownership interest in Solar Source including its related assets and liabilities. The transaction closed in June 2021. As a result of the sale, PSEG Power recorded a pre-tax gain on sale of approximately $63 million, which is inclusive of the recognition of previously deferred unamortized investment tax credits (ITC) of $185 million, and income tax expense of approximately $62 million primarily due to the recapture of ITC on units that operated for less than five years.
In June 2021, as a result of the review of PSEG Power’s fossil generating assets and the launch in the fourth quarter of 2020 of an associated marketing process for their disposition, PSEG Power performed an impairment assessment of its PJM, NYISO
and ISO NE asset groupings. It demonstrated that neither the ISO NE asset grouping’s probability weighted aggregation of undiscounted cash flows nor its fair value exceeded its carrying value as of June 30, 2021. This indicated that an impairment existed and PSEG Power recorded a pre-tax charge of approximately $519 million.
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. Accordingly, PSEG Power’s fossil generating assets and liabilities to be disposed were reclassified to Assets and Liabilities Held for Sale and PSEG Power ceased recording depreciation expense. PSEG Power recorded a pre-tax impairment loss on sale of $2,162 million as the purchase price was lower than the carrying value. 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 recorded a pre-tax impairment loss on sale of approximately $2,691 million (inclusive of the $519 million and $2,162 million recorded in June and August 2021, respectively). 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.
In September 2022, Energy Holdings recorded a $53 million pre-tax impairment related to one of its domestic energy generating facilities.