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Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Asset Retirement Obligation [Line Items]  
Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs) Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs)
PSEG and PSE&G recognize liabilities for the expected cost of retiring long-lived assets for which a legal obligation exists to remove or dispose of an asset or some component of an asset at retirement. These AROs are recorded at fair value in the period in which they are incurred and are capitalized as part of the carrying amount of the related long-lived assets. PSEG’s subsidiaries, except for PSE&G, accrete the ARO liability to reflect the passage of time with the corresponding expense recorded in O&M. PSE&G, as a rate-regulated entity, recognizes Regulatory Assets or Liabilities as a result of timing differences between the recording of costs and costs recovered through the rate-making process.
PSE&G has conditional AROs primarily for legal obligations related to the removal of treated wood poles and the requirement to seal natural gas pipelines at all sources of gas when the pipelines are no longer in service. PSE&G does not record an ARO for its protected steel and poly-based natural gas lines, as management believes that these categories of gas lines have an indeterminable life.
PSEG’s other ARO liability primarily relates to decommissioning of its nuclear power plants in accordance with NRC requirements. PSEG has an independent external trust that is intended to fund decommissioning of its nuclear facilities upon termination of operation. For additional information, see Note 11. Trust Investments. PSEG also identified conditional AROs related to PSEG’s retained fossil generation sites primarily related to liabilities for removal of asbestos. To estimate the fair value of its other AROs, PSEG 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 third-party decommissioning cost estimates, cost escalation rates, inflation rates and discount rates.
Updated nuclear cost studies are obtained triennially unless new information necessitates more frequent updates. The most recent cost study was done in 2021. When assumptions are revised to calculate fair values of existing AROs, generally, the ARO balance and corresponding long-lived asset are adjusted which impact the amount of accretion and depreciation expense recognized in future periods. For PSE&G, Regulatory Assets and Regulatory Liabilities result when accretion and amortization are adjusted to match rates established by regulators resulting in the regulatory deferral of any gain or loss.
The changes to the ARO liabilities for PSEG and PSE&G during 2021 and 2022 are presented in the following table:
PSEGPSE&GPSEG Power & Other
 Millions
ARO Liability as of January 1, 2021$1,212 $314 $898 
Liabilities Settled(15)(14)(1)
Adjustments (B)(37)— (37)
Accretion Expense44 — 44 
Accretion Expense Deferred and Recovered in Rate Base (A)16 16 — 
Revision to Present Values of Estimated Cash Flows 353 47 306 
ARO Liability as of December 31, 2021$1,573 $363 $1,210 
Liabilities Settled$(15)$(15)$— 
Accretion Expense50 — 50 
Accretion Expense Deferred and Recovered in Rate Base (A)17 17 — 
Revision to Present Values of Estimated Cash Flows (126)19 (145)
ARO Liability as of December 31, 2022
$1,499 $384 $1,115 
(A)Not reflected as expense in Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(B)Represents amounts related to the sale of the solar plants and the fossil generating assets classified as Held for Sale.
In February 2022, the NRC issued an order related to its review of the subsequent license renewal (SLR) application for the Peach Bottom nuclear units. While the NRC had previously granted the SLR to the Peach Bottom units, the NRC was responding to pending motions that had not previously been adjudicated. In its decision, the NRC concluded that the previous environmental review required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was incomplete because it did not adequately address environmental impacts resulting from extending the units’ licenses by 20 years. As a result, at the direction of the NRC, the NRC staff changed the expiration dates for the licenses back to 2033 and 2034, until the completion of the NEPA analysis. The NRC directed, however, that the subsequently renewed licenses themselves remain in effect. The NRC also stated that it
fully expects that the staff will complete its update of the NEPA analysis before 2033. As such, at this time, PSEG has not adjusted the useful lives or the assumed shutdown probabilities assigned to the ARO of the units as PSEG believes that the licenses will be updated to reflect the approved 2053 and 2054 expiration dates within the current license period. PSEG will continue to monitor this matter for further developments and any change to the estimated useful lives and ARO probabilities could have an adverse financial statement impact, which may be material.
In August 2022, the IRA was signed into law expanding incentives promoting carbon-free generation. The enacted legislation established a PTC for electricity generation using nuclear energy set to begin in 2024 through 2032. As a result, PSEG reassessed the Asset Retirement Cost (ARC) and ARO assumptions related to its nuclear units. This resulted in a decrease to the ARC asset and ARO liability of $145 million primarily due to an adjustment in the assumed estimated timing of cash flows associated with decommissioning the units. See Note 4. Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions and Impairments for additional information on PTCs.
During 2021, PSE&G recorded an increase to its ARO liabilities primarily due to the impact of increases in labor rates and other costs, partially offset by decreases from changes in inflation and discount rate assumptions. Those changes had no impact on PSE&G’s Consolidated Statement of Operations.
In April 2021, the BPU awarded ZECs to PSEG Power’s Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek nuclear plants for an additional three years through May 2025. Concurrent with the BPU’s decision, PSEG reassessed the ARC and ARO assumptions related to the Salem and Hope Creek units. This resulted in an increase to the ARC asset and ARO liability of $51 million, primarily due to lower discount rates and higher inflation. See Note 4. Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions and Impairments for additional information on ZECs.
In December 2021, PSEG recorded an additional increase to its ARO liabilities primarily due to changes in decommissioning assumptions related to its nuclear units of $255 million. The changes in the decommissioning assumptions relate to the inclusion of certain spent fuel costs and previously assumed levels of reimbursement by the federal government as prescribed under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. These changes had an immaterial impact on PSEG’s Consolidated Statement of Operations. In addition, PSEG reviewed its probabilities of early retirement on its nuclear units and concluded that no adjustments were necessary as of December 31, 2021.
Public Service Electric and Gas Company  
Asset Retirement Obligation [Line Items]  
Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs) Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs)
PSEG and PSE&G recognize liabilities for the expected cost of retiring long-lived assets for which a legal obligation exists to remove or dispose of an asset or some component of an asset at retirement. These AROs are recorded at fair value in the period in which they are incurred and are capitalized as part of the carrying amount of the related long-lived assets. PSEG’s subsidiaries, except for PSE&G, accrete the ARO liability to reflect the passage of time with the corresponding expense recorded in O&M. PSE&G, as a rate-regulated entity, recognizes Regulatory Assets or Liabilities as a result of timing differences between the recording of costs and costs recovered through the rate-making process.
PSE&G has conditional AROs primarily for legal obligations related to the removal of treated wood poles and the requirement to seal natural gas pipelines at all sources of gas when the pipelines are no longer in service. PSE&G does not record an ARO for its protected steel and poly-based natural gas lines, as management believes that these categories of gas lines have an indeterminable life.
PSEG’s other ARO liability primarily relates to decommissioning of its nuclear power plants in accordance with NRC requirements. PSEG has an independent external trust that is intended to fund decommissioning of its nuclear facilities upon termination of operation. For additional information, see Note 11. Trust Investments. PSEG also identified conditional AROs related to PSEG’s retained fossil generation sites primarily related to liabilities for removal of asbestos. To estimate the fair value of its other AROs, PSEG 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 third-party decommissioning cost estimates, cost escalation rates, inflation rates and discount rates.
Updated nuclear cost studies are obtained triennially unless new information necessitates more frequent updates. The most recent cost study was done in 2021. When assumptions are revised to calculate fair values of existing AROs, generally, the ARO balance and corresponding long-lived asset are adjusted which impact the amount of accretion and depreciation expense recognized in future periods. For PSE&G, Regulatory Assets and Regulatory Liabilities result when accretion and amortization are adjusted to match rates established by regulators resulting in the regulatory deferral of any gain or loss.
The changes to the ARO liabilities for PSEG and PSE&G during 2021 and 2022 are presented in the following table:
PSEGPSE&GPSEG Power & Other
 Millions
ARO Liability as of January 1, 2021$1,212 $314 $898 
Liabilities Settled(15)(14)(1)
Adjustments (B)(37)— (37)
Accretion Expense44 — 44 
Accretion Expense Deferred and Recovered in Rate Base (A)16 16 — 
Revision to Present Values of Estimated Cash Flows 353 47 306 
ARO Liability as of December 31, 2021$1,573 $363 $1,210 
Liabilities Settled$(15)$(15)$— 
Accretion Expense50 — 50 
Accretion Expense Deferred and Recovered in Rate Base (A)17 17 — 
Revision to Present Values of Estimated Cash Flows (126)19 (145)
ARO Liability as of December 31, 2022
$1,499 $384 $1,115 
(A)Not reflected as expense in Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(B)Represents amounts related to the sale of the solar plants and the fossil generating assets classified as Held for Sale.
In February 2022, the NRC issued an order related to its review of the subsequent license renewal (SLR) application for the Peach Bottom nuclear units. While the NRC had previously granted the SLR to the Peach Bottom units, the NRC was responding to pending motions that had not previously been adjudicated. In its decision, the NRC concluded that the previous environmental review required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was incomplete because it did not adequately address environmental impacts resulting from extending the units’ licenses by 20 years. As a result, at the direction of the NRC, the NRC staff changed the expiration dates for the licenses back to 2033 and 2034, until the completion of the NEPA analysis. The NRC directed, however, that the subsequently renewed licenses themselves remain in effect. The NRC also stated that it
fully expects that the staff will complete its update of the NEPA analysis before 2033. As such, at this time, PSEG has not adjusted the useful lives or the assumed shutdown probabilities assigned to the ARO of the units as PSEG believes that the licenses will be updated to reflect the approved 2053 and 2054 expiration dates within the current license period. PSEG will continue to monitor this matter for further developments and any change to the estimated useful lives and ARO probabilities could have an adverse financial statement impact, which may be material.
In August 2022, the IRA was signed into law expanding incentives promoting carbon-free generation. The enacted legislation established a PTC for electricity generation using nuclear energy set to begin in 2024 through 2032. As a result, PSEG reassessed the Asset Retirement Cost (ARC) and ARO assumptions related to its nuclear units. This resulted in a decrease to the ARC asset and ARO liability of $145 million primarily due to an adjustment in the assumed estimated timing of cash flows associated with decommissioning the units. See Note 4. Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions and Impairments for additional information on PTCs.
During 2021, PSE&G recorded an increase to its ARO liabilities primarily due to the impact of increases in labor rates and other costs, partially offset by decreases from changes in inflation and discount rate assumptions. Those changes had no impact on PSE&G’s Consolidated Statement of Operations.
In April 2021, the BPU awarded ZECs to PSEG Power’s Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek nuclear plants for an additional three years through May 2025. Concurrent with the BPU’s decision, PSEG reassessed the ARC and ARO assumptions related to the Salem and Hope Creek units. This resulted in an increase to the ARC asset and ARO liability of $51 million, primarily due to lower discount rates and higher inflation. See Note 4. Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions and Impairments for additional information on ZECs.
In December 2021, PSEG recorded an additional increase to its ARO liabilities primarily due to changes in decommissioning assumptions related to its nuclear units of $255 million. The changes in the decommissioning assumptions relate to the inclusion of certain spent fuel costs and previously assumed levels of reimbursement by the federal government as prescribed under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. These changes had an immaterial impact on PSEG’s Consolidated Statement of Operations. In addition, PSEG reviewed its probabilities of early retirement on its nuclear units and concluded that no adjustments were necessary as of December 31, 2021.