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Variable Interest Entities
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Variable Interest Entities  
Variable Interest Entities

Note 3.Variable Interest Entities

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, plant dispatch and compliance with regulatory and contractual requirements.

Variable Interest in VIEs that are Consolidated

SCE Recovery Funding LLC is a bankruptcy remote, wholly owned special purpose subsidiary, consolidated by SCE. SCE Recovery Funding LLC is a VIE and SCE is the primary beneficiary. SCE Recovery Funding LLC was formed in 2021 for the purpose of issuing and servicing securitized bonds related to SCE's AB 1054 Excluded Capital Expenditures.

SCE Recovery Funding LLC has issued a total of $1.6 billion of securitized bonds. The proceeds were used to acquire SCE's right, title and interest in and to non-bypassable rates and other charges to be collected from certain existing and future customers in SCE's service territory ("Recovery Property"), associated with the AB 1054 Excluded Capital Expenditures, until the bonds are paid in full, and all financing costs have been recovered. The securitized bonds are secured by the Recovery Property and cash collections from the non-bypassable rates and other charges are the sole source of funds to satisfy the debt obligation. The bondholders have no recourse to SCE.

The following table summarizes the impact of SCE Recovery Funding LLC on SCE's and Edison International's consolidated balance sheets.

March 31, 

December 31, 

(in millions)

    

2024

2023

Other current assets

$

77

$

53

Regulatory assets: non-current

1,547

1,558

Regulatory liabilities: current

32

34

Current portion of long-term debt1

47

47

Other current liabilities

20

6

Long-term debt1

 

1,516

1,515

1The bondholders have no recourse to SCE. The long-term debt balance is net of unamortized debt issuance costs.

Variable Interest in VIEs that are not Consolidated

Power Purchase Agreements

SCE has PPAs that are classified as variable interests in VIEs, including agreements through which SCE provides the natural gas to fuel the plants, fixed price contracts for renewable energy, and resource adequacy agreements that, upon the seller's election, include the purchase of energy at fixed prices. 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, which SCE does not perform.

As of the balance sheet date, the carrying amount of assets and liabilities included in SCE's consolidated balance sheet that relate to involvement with VIEs that are not consolidated, 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 2023 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 4,642 MW and 3,844 MW at March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The amounts that SCE paid to these projects were $157 million and $170 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, 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, Trust VI and Trust VII were utilized in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2023 respectively, for the exclusive purpose of issuing the 5.10%, 5.75%, 5.375%, 5.45%, 5.00% and 7.50% 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, Trust VI and Trust VII issued to the public trust securities in the face amounts of $400 million, $275 million, $325 million, $300 million, $475 million and $550 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, Series L and Series M Preference Stock issued by SCE in the principal amounts of $400 million, $275 million, $325 million, $300 million, $475 million and $550 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, Series L and Series M 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, Series L or Series M 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.

The Trust II, Trust III, Trust IV, Trust V, Trust VI and Trust VII balance sheets as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 consisted of investments of $220 million, $275 million, $325 million, $300 million, $475 million and $550 million in the Series G, Series H, Series J, Series K, Series L and Series M Preference Stock, respectively, $220 million, $275 million, $325 million, $300 million, $475 million and $550 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 March 31, 

(in millions)

    

Trust II

    

Trust III

    

Trust IV

    

Trust V

    

Trust VI

    

Trust VII

2024

 

 

Dividend income

$

3

$

4

$

4

$

4

$

6

$

10

Dividend distributions

 

3

4

4

4

6

 

10

2023

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

Dividend income

$

3

$

4

$

4

$

4

$

6

$

Dividend distributions

 

3

4

4

4

6