Variable Interest Entities

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

A VIE is defined as a legal entity that meets one of two conditions: (1) the equity owners do not have sufficient equity at risk, or (2) the holders of the equity investment at risk, as a group, lack any of the following three characteristics: decision-making rights, the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive the expected residual returns of the entity. The primary beneficiary is identified as the variable interest holder that has both the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The primary beneficiary is required to consolidate the VIE. Commercial and operating activities are generally the factors that most significantly impact the economic performance of such VIEs. Commercial and operating activities include construction, operation and maintenance, fuel procurement, dispatch and compliance with regulatory and contractual requirements.

Variable Interest in VIEs that are not Consolidated

Power Purchase Agreements ("PPAs")

SCE has PPAs that are classified as variable interests in VIEs, including tolling agreements through which SCE provides the natural gas to fuel the plants, contracts with qualifying facilities ("QF") and combined heat and power facilities that contain variable pricing provisions based on the price of natural gas and fixed price contracts for renewable energy. SCE has concluded that it is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs since it does not control the commercial and operating activities of these entities. Since payments for capacity are the primary source of income, the most significant economic activity for these VIEs is the operation and maintenance of the power plants.

As of the balance sheet date, the carrying amount of assets and liabilities in SCE's consolidated balance sheet that relate to involvement with VIEs result from amounts due under the PPAs. Under these contracts, SCE recovers the costs incurred through demonstration of compliance with its CPUC-approved long-term power procurement plans. SCE has no residual interest in the entities and has not provided or guaranteed any debt or equity support, liquidity arrangements, performance guarantees, or other commitments associated with these contracts other than the purchase commitments described in Note 12 of the 2019 Form 10-K. As a result, there is no significant potential exposure to loss to SCE from its variable interest in these VIEs. The aggregate contracted capacity dedicated to SCE from these VIE projects was 5,356 megawatts ("MW") and 4,894 MW at September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and the amounts that SCE paid to these projects were $360 million and $353 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $661 million and $628 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. These amounts are recoverable in customer rates, subject to reasonableness review.

Unconsolidated Trusts of SCE

SCE Trust II, Trust III, Trust IV, Trust V, and Trust VI were formed in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively, for the exclusive purpose of issuing the 5.10%, 5.75%, 5.375%, 5.45%, and 5.00% trust preference securities, respectively ("trust securities"). The trusts are VIEs. SCE has concluded that it is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs as it does not have the obligation to absorb the expected losses or the right to receive the expected residual returns of the trusts. SCE Trust II, Trust III, Trust IV, Trust V and Trust VI issued trust securities to the public in the face amounts of $400 million, $275 million, $325 million, $300 million, and $475 million (cumulative, liquidation amounts of $25 per share), respectively, and $10,000 of common stock each to SCE. The trusts invested the proceeds of these trust securities in Series G, Series H, Series J, Series K, and Series L Preference Stock issued by SCE in the principal amounts of $400 million, $275 million, $325 million, $300 million, and $475 million (cumulative, $2,500 per share liquidation values), respectively, which have substantially the same payment terms as the respective trust securities.

The Series G, Series H, Series J, Series K, and Series L Preference Stock and the corresponding trust securities do not have a maturity date. Upon any redemption of any shares of the Series G, Series H, Series J, Series K, or Series L Preference Stock, a corresponding dollar amount of trust securities will be redeemed by the applicable trust. The applicable trust will make distributions at the same rate and on the same dates on the applicable series of trust securities if and when the SCE Board of Directors declares and makes dividend payments on the related Preference Stock. The applicable trust will use any dividends it receives on the related Preference Stock to make its corresponding distributions on the applicable series of trust securities. If SCE does not make a dividend payment to any of these trusts, SCE would be prohibited from paying dividends on its common stock. SCE has fully and unconditionally guaranteed the payment of the trust securities and trust distributions, if and when SCE pays dividends on the related Preference Stock.

In September 2020, SCE Trust II redeemed $180 million of its trust securities from the public. The Trust II balance sheets as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 consisted of investments of $220 million and $400 million in the Series G Preference Stock, respectively, $220 million and $400 million of trust securities, respectively, and $10,000 each of common stock. The Trust III, Trust IV, Trust V and Trust VI balance sheets as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 consisted of investments of $275 million, $325 million, $300 million, and $475 million in the Series H, Series J, Series K and Series L Preference Stock, respectively, $275 million, $325 million, $300 million, and $475 million of trust securities, respectively, and $10,000 each of common stock.

The following table provides a summary of the trusts' income statements:


	Three months ended September 30,
(in millions)	Trust II		Trust III		Trust IV		Trust V		Trust VI
2020
Dividend income	$	5	$	4	$	4	$	4	$	6
Dividend distributions	5		4		4		4		6
2019
Dividend income	$	5	$	4	$	4	$	4	$	6
Dividend distributions	5		4		4		4		6


	Nine months ended September 30,
(in millions)	Trust II		Trust III		Trust IV		Trust V		Trust VI
2020
Dividend income	$	15	$	12	$	13	$	12	$	18
Dividend distributions	15		12		13		12		18
2019
Dividend income	$	15	$	12	$	13	$	12	$	18
Dividend distributions	15		12		13		12		18