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Variable Interest Entities
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Variable Interest Entities

(16) VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

PHI is required to consolidate a variable interest entity (VIE) in accordance with FASB ASC 810 if PHI or a subsidiary is the primary beneficiary of the VIE. The primary beneficiary of a VIE is typically the entity with both the power to direct activities most significantly impacting economic performance of the VIE and the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. PHI performs a qualitative analysis to determine whether a variable interest provides a controlling financial interest in any of the VIEs in which PHI or its subsidiaries have an interest. Set forth below are the relationships with respect to which PHI conducted a VIE analysis as of September 30, 2014:

DPL Renewable Energy Transactions

DPL is subject to Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (RPS) in the state of Delaware that require it to obtain renewable energy credits (RECs) for energy delivered to its customers. DPL’s costs associated with obtaining RECs to fulfill its RPS obligations are recoverable from its customers by law. As of September 30, 2014, PHI, through its DPL subsidiary, is a party to three land-based wind power purchase agreements (PPAs) in the aggregate amount of 128 MWs, one solar PPA with a 10 MW facility, and a PPA with the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility (DSEU) to purchase solar renewable energy credits (SREC). Each of the facilities associated with these PPAs is operational, and DPL is obligated to purchase energy and RECs in amounts generated and delivered by the wind facilities and SRECs from the solar facility and DSEU, up to certain amounts (as set forth below) at rates that are primarily fixed under the respective agreements. PHI and DPL have concluded that while VIEs exist under these contracts, consolidation is not required under the FASB guidance on the consolidation of variable interest entities as DPL is not the primary beneficiary. DPL has not provided financial or other support under these arrangements that it was not previously contractually required to provide during the periods presented, nor does DPL have any intention to provide such additional support.

Because DPL has no equity or debt interest in these renewable energy transactions, the maximum exposure to loss relates primarily to any above-market costs incurred for power, RECs or SRECs. Due to unpredictability in the amount of MWs ultimately purchased under the agreements for purchased renewable energy, RECs and SRECs, PHI and DPL are unable to quantify the maximum exposure to loss. The power purchase, REC and SREC costs are recoverable from DPL’s customers through regulated rates.

DPL is obligated to purchase energy and RECs from one of the wind facilities through 2024 in amounts not to exceed 50 MWs, from the second wind facility through 2031 in amounts not to exceed 40 MWs, and from the third wind facility through 2031 in amounts not to exceed 38 MWs. DPL’s aggregate purchases under the three wind PPAs totaled $5 million and $4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively. DPL’s aggregate purchases under the three wind PPAs totaled $21 million for each of the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013.

The term of the PPA with the solar facility is through 2030 and DPL is obligated to purchase SRECs in an amount up to 70 percent of the energy output at a fixed price. The DSEU may enter into 20-year contracts with solar facilities to purchase SRECs for resale to DPL. Under the DSEU PPA, DPL is obligated to purchase SRECs in amounts not to exceed 19 MWs at annually determined auction rates. DPL’s purchases under these solar PPAs totaled $1 million for each of three months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013. DPL’s purchases under these solar PPAs totaled $3 million and $2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

On October 18, 2011, the DPSC approved a tariff submitted by DPL in accordance with the requirements of the RPS specific to fuel cell facilities totaling 30 MWs to be constructed by a qualified fuel cell provider. The tariff and the RPS establish that DPL would be an agent to collect payments in advance from its distribution customers and remit them to the qualified fuel cell provider for each MW hour of energy produced by the fuel cell facilities through 2033. DPL has no obligation to the qualified fuel cell provider other than to remit payments collected from its distribution customers pursuant to the tariff. The RPS provides for a reduction in DPL’s REC requirements based upon the actual energy output of the facilities. At September 30, 2014 and 2013, 30 MWs and 15 MWs of capacity were available from fuel cell facilities placed in service under the tariff, respectively. DPL billed $8 million and $7 million to distribution customers for the three months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively. DPL billed $26 million and $13 million to distribution customers for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively. PHI and DPL have concluded that while a VIE exists under this arrangement, consolidation is not required for this arrangement under the FASB guidance on consolidation of variable interest entities as DPL is not the primary beneficiary.

 

ACE Power Purchase Agreements

PHI, through its ACE subsidiary, is a party to three PPAs with unaffiliated NUGs totaling 459 MWs. One of the agreements ends in 2016 and the other two end in 2024. PHI and ACE have no equity or debt invested in these entities. In performing its VIE analysis, PHI has been unable to obtain sufficient information to determine whether these three entities were variable interest entities or if ACE was the primary beneficiary. As a result, PHI has applied the scope exemption from the consolidation guidance.

Because ACE has no equity or debt invested in the NUGs, the maximum exposure to loss relates primarily to any above-market costs incurred for power. Due to unpredictability in the pricing for purchased energy under the PPAs, PHI and ACE are unable to quantify the maximum exposure to loss. The power purchase costs are recoverable from ACE’s customers through regulated rates. Purchase activities with the NUGs, including excess power purchases not covered by the PPAs, for the three months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, were approximately $56 million and $61 million, respectively, of which approximately $52 million and $54 million, respectively, consisted of power purchases under the PPAs. Purchase activities with the NUGs, including excess power purchases not covered by the PPAs, for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, were approximately $182 million and $168 million, respectively, of which approximately $159 million and $157 million, respectively, consisted of power purchases under the PPAs.

ACE Funding

In 2001, ACE established ACE Funding solely for the purpose of securitizing authorized portions of ACE’s recoverable stranded costs through the issuance and sale of Transition Bonds. The proceeds of the sale of each series of Transition Bonds were transferred to ACE in exchange for the transfer by ACE to ACE Funding of the right to collect a non-bypassable Transition Bond Charge (representing revenue ACE receives, and pays to ACE Funding, to fund the principal and interest payments on Transition Bonds and related taxes, expenses and fees) from ACE customers pursuant to bondable stranded costs rate orders issued by the NJBPU in an amount sufficient to fund the principal and interest payments on the Transition Bonds and related taxes, expenses and fees (Bondable Transition Property). The assets of ACE Funding, including the Bondable Transition Property, and the Transition Bond Charges collected from ACE’s customers, are not available to creditors of ACE. The holders of Transition Bonds have recourse only to the assets of ACE Funding. ACE owns 100 percent of the equity of ACE Funding, and PHI and ACE consolidate ACE Funding in their consolidated financial statements as ACE is the primary beneficiary of ACE Funding under the variable interest entity consolidation guidance.

Delmarva Power & Light Co/De [Member]
 
Variable Interest Entities

(15) VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

DPL is required to consolidate a variable interest entity (VIE) in accordance with FASB ASC 810 if DPL is the primary beneficiary of the VIE. The primary beneficiary of a VIE is typically the entity with both the power to direct activities most significantly impacting economic performance of the VIE and the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. DPL performed a qualitative analysis to determine whether a variable interest provided a controlling financial interest in any of the VIEs in which DPL has an interest at September 30, 2014, as described below.

DPL is subject to Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (RPS) in the state of Delaware that require it to obtain renewable energy credits (RECs) for energy delivered to its customers. DPL’s costs associated with obtaining RECs to fulfill its RPS obligations are recoverable from its customers by law. As of September 30, 2014, DPL is a party to three land-based wind power purchase agreements (PPAs) in the aggregate amount of 128 MWs, one solar PPA with a 10 MW facility and a PPA with the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility (DSEU) to purchase solar renewable energy credits (SREC). Each of the facilities associated with these PPAs is operational, and DPL is obligated to purchase energy and RECs in amounts generated and delivered by the wind facilities and SRECs from the solar facility and DSEU, up to certain amounts (as set forth below) at rates that are primarily fixed under the respective agreements. DPL has concluded that while VIEs exist under these contracts, consolidation is not required under the FASB guidance on the consolidation of variable interest entities as DPL is not the primary beneficiary. DPL has not provided financial or other support under these arrangements that it was not previously contractually required to provide during the periods presented, nor does DPL have any intention to provide such additional support.

Because DPL has no equity or debt interest in these renewable energy transactions, the maximum exposure to loss relates primarily to any above-market costs incurred for power, RECs or SRECs. Due to unpredictability in the amount of MWs ultimately purchased under the agreements for purchased renewable energy, RECs and SRECs, DPL is unable to quantify the maximum exposure to loss. The power purchase, REC and SREC costs are recoverable from DPL’s customers through regulated rates.

DPL is obligated to purchase energy and RECs from one of the wind facilities through 2024 in amounts not to exceed 50 MWs, from the second wind facility through 2031 in amounts not to exceed 40 MWs, and from the third wind facility through 2031 in amounts not to exceed 38 MWs. DPL’s aggregate purchases under the three wind PPAs totaled $5 million and $4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively. DPL’s aggregate purchases under the three wind PPAs totaled $21 million for each of the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013.

The term of the PPA with the solar facility is through 2030 and DPL is obligated to purchase SRECs in an amount up to 70 percent of the energy output at a fixed price. The DSEU may enter into 20-year contracts with solar facilities to purchase SRECs for resale to DPL. Under the DSEU PPA, DPL is obligated to purchase SRECs in amounts not to exceed 19 MWs at annually determined auction rates. DPL’s purchases under these solar PPAs totaled $1 million for each of the three months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013. DPL’s purchases under these solar PPAs totaled $3 million and $2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

 

On October 18, 2011, the DPSC approved a tariff submitted by DPL in accordance with the requirements of the RPS specific to fuel cell facilities totaling 30 MWs to be constructed by a qualified fuel cell provider. The tariff and the RPS establish that DPL would be an agent to collect payments in advance from its distribution customers and remit them to the qualified fuel cell provider for each MW hour of energy produced by the fuel cell facilities through 2033. DPL has no obligation to the qualified fuel cell provider other than to remit payments collected from its distribution customers pursuant to the tariff. The RPS provides for a reduction in DPL’s REC requirements based upon the actual energy output of the facilities. At September 30, 2014 and 2013, 30 MWs and 15 MWs of capacity were available from fuel cell facilities placed in service under the tariff, respectively. DPL billed $8 million and $7 million to distribution customers for the three months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively. DPL billed $26 million and $13 million to distribution customers for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively. DPL has concluded that while a VIE exists under this arrangement, consolidation is not required for this arrangement under the FASB guidance on consolidation of variable interest entities as DPL is not the primary beneficiary.

Atlantic City Electric Co [Member]
 
Variable Interest Entities

(13) VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

ACE is required to consolidate a variable interest entity (VIE) in accordance with FASB ASC 810 if ACE or a subsidiary is the primary beneficiary of the VIE. The primary beneficiary of a VIE is typically the entity with both the power to direct activities most significantly impacting economic performance of the VIE and the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. ACE performed a qualitative analysis to determine whether a variable interest provided a controlling financial interest in any of the VIEs in which ACE has an interest at September 30, 2014, as described below.

 

ACE Power Purchase Agreements

ACE is a party to three power purchase agreements (PPAs) with unaffiliated NUGs totaling 459 megawatts. One of the agreements ends in 2016 and the other two end in 2024. ACE has no equity or debt invested in these entities. In performing its VIE analysis, ACE has been unable to obtain sufficient information to determine whether these three entities were variable interest entities or if ACE was the primary beneficiary. As a result, ACE has applied the scope exemption from the consolidation guidance.

Because ACE has no equity or debt invested in the NUGs, the maximum exposure to loss relates primarily to any above-market costs incurred for power. Due to unpredictability in the pricing for purchased energy under the PPAs, ACE is unable to quantify the maximum exposure to loss. The power purchase costs are recoverable from ACE’s customers through regulated rates. Purchase activities with the NUGs, including excess power purchases not covered by the PPAs, for the three months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, were approximately $56 million and $61 million, respectively, of which approximately $52 million and $54 million, respectively, consisted of power purchases under the PPAs. Purchase activities with the NUGs, including excess power purchases not covered by the PPAs, for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, were approximately $182 million and $168 million, respectively, of which approximately $159 million and $157 million, respectively, consisted of power purchases under the PPAs.

ACE Funding

In 2001, ACE established ACE Funding solely for the purpose of securitizing authorized portions of ACE’s recoverable stranded costs through the issuance and sale of Transition Bonds. The proceeds of the sale of each series of Transition Bonds were transferred to ACE in exchange for the transfer by ACE to ACE Funding of the right to collect a non-bypassable Transition Bond Charge (representing revenue ACE receives, and pays to ACE Funding, to fund the principal and interest payments on Transition Bonds and related taxes, expenses and fees) from ACE customers pursuant to bondable stranded costs rate orders issued by the NJBPU in an amount sufficient to fund the principal and interest payments on the Transition Bonds and related taxes, expenses and fees (Bondable Transition Property). The assets of ACE Funding, including the Bondable Transition Property, and the Transition Bond Charges collected from ACE’s customers, are not available to creditors of ACE. The holders of Transition Bonds have recourse only to the assets of ACE Funding. ACE owns 100 percent of the equity of ACE Funding, and PHI and ACE consolidate ACE Funding in their consolidated financial statements as ACE is the primary beneficiary of ACE Funding under the variable interest entity consolidation guidance.