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Asset Impairment Expense
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Impairment or Disposal of Tangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]  
ASSET IMPAIRMENT EXPENSE ASSET IMPAIRMENT EXPENSE
Year ended December 31, (in millions)
 
2018
 
2017
 
2016
Shady Point
 
$
157

 
$

 
$

Nejapa
 
37

 

 

DPL
 

 
175

 
859

Laurel Mountain
 

 
121

 

Kazakhstan Hydroelectric
 

 
92

 

Kazakhstan CHPs
 

 
94

 

Kilroot
 

 
37

 

Buffalo Gap II
 

 

 
159

Buffalo Gap I
 

 

 
77

Other
 
14

 
18

 
1

Total
 
$
208

 
$
537

 
$
1,096


Shady Point — In December 2018, the Company entered into an agreement to sell Shady Point, a coal-fired generation facility in the U.S. Due first to the uncertainty around future cash flows, and then upon meeting the held-for-sale criteria, the Company performed an impairment analysis of the Shady Point asset group in the second, third and fourth quarter of 2018, resulting in the recognition of total asset impairment expense of $157 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. Using the market approach, the asset group was determined to have a fair value of $30 million as of December 31, 2018. The sale is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close during the second half of 2019. See Note 23Held-for-Sale and Dispositions for further information. Shady Point is reported in the US and Utilities SBU reportable segment.
Nejapa — During the fourth quarter of 2018, the Company tested the recoverability of its long-lived assets at Nejapa, a landfill gas plant in El Salvador. Decreased production as a result of the landfill owner´s failure to perform improvements necessary to continue extracting gas from the landfill was identified as an impairment indicator. The Company determined that the carrying amount was not recoverable. The asset group, consisting of property, plant,
and equipment and intangible assets, was determined to have a fair value of $5 million using the income approach. As a result, the Company recognized an asset impairment expense of $37 million as of December 31, 2018. Nejapa is reported in the US and Utilities SBU reportable segment.
DPL — In March 2017, the Board of Directors of DPL approved the retirement of the DPL operated and co-owned Stuart coal-fired and diesel-fired generating units, and the Killen coal-fired generating unit and combustion turbine on or before June 1, 2018. The Company performed an impairment analysis and determined that the carrying amounts of the facilities were not recoverable. The Stuart and Killen asset groups were determined to have fair values of $3 million and $8 million, respectively, using the income approach. As a result, the Company recognized total asset impairment expense of $66 million. The Stuart and Killen units were retired in May 2018. Prior to their retirement, Stuart and Killen were reported in the US and Utilities SBU reportable segment.
In December 2017, DPL entered into an agreement for the sale of six of its combustion turbine and diesel-fired generation facilities and related assets ("DPL peaker assets"). Upon meeting the held-for-sale criteria, the Company performed an impairment analysis and determined that the carrying value of the asset group of $346 million was greater than its fair value less costs to sell of $237 million. As a result, the Company recognized asset impairment expense of $109 million. DPL completed the sale of the peaker assets in March 2018. Prior to their sale, the DPL peaker assets were reported in the US and Utilities SBU reportable segment. See Note 23Held-for-Sale and Dispositions for further information.
During the second quarter of 2016, the Company tested the recoverability of its long-lived generation assets at DPL. Uncertainty created by the Supreme Court of Ohio’s June 20, 2016 opinion regarding ESP 2, lower expectations of future revenue resulting from the most recent PJM capacity auction and higher anticipated environmental compliance costs resulting from third party studies were collectively determined to be an impairment indicator for these assets. The Company performed an impairment analysis and determined that the carrying amount of Killen, a coal-fired generation facility, and certain DPL peaking generation facilities were not recoverable. The Killen and DPL peaking generation asset groups were determined to have a fair value of $84 million and $5 million, respectively, using the income approach. As a result, the Company recognized total asset impairment expense of $235 million. DPL is reported in the US and Utilities SBU reportable segment.
During the fourth quarter of 2016, the Company tested the recoverability of its long-lived coal-fired generation assets and one gas-fired peaking plant at DPL. Uncertainty around the useful life of Stuart and Killen related to the Company’s ESP proceedings and lower forward dark spreads and capacity prices were collectively determined to be an impairment indicator for these assets. Market information indicating a significant decrease in the fair value of Zimmer and Miami Fort was determined to be an indicator of impairment for these assets. The lower forward dark spreads and capacity prices, along with the indicators at the other coal-fired facilities, collectively, resulted in an indicator of impairment for the Conesville asset group. For the gas-fired peaking plant, significant incremental capital expenditures relative to its fair value, and an impairment charge taken at this facility in the second quarter of 2016, were collectively determined to be impairment indicators for this asset. The Company performed an impairment analysis for each of these asset groups and determined that their carrying amounts were not recoverable. The Stuart, Killen, Miami Fort, Zimmer, Conesville and the gas-fired peaking plant asset groups were determined to have fair values of $57 million, $43 million, $36 million, $24 million$1 million and $2 million, respectively, using the market approach for Miami Fort and Zimmer and the income approach for the remaining asset groups. As a result, the Company recognized total asset impairment expense of $624 million. DPL is reported in the US and Utilities SBU reportable segment.
Laurel Mountain — During the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company tested the recoverability of its long-lived assets at Laurel Mountain, a wind farm in the U.S. Impairment indicators were identified based on a decline in forward pricing. The Company determined that the carrying amount was not recoverable. The Laurel Mountain asset group was determined to have a fair value of $33 million using the income approach. As a result, the Company recognized an asset impairment expense of $121 million. Laurel Mountain is reported in the US and Utilities SBU reportable segment.
Kilroot — During the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company tested the recoverability of its long-lived assets at Kilroot, a coal and oil-fired plant in Northern Ireland, as Kilroot was not successful in bidding its coal units into the December 2017 capacity auction for the newly implemented I-SEM market. The Company determined that the carrying amount of the asset group was not recoverable. The Kilroot asset group was determined to have a fair value of $20 million using the income approach. As a result, the Company recognized an asset impairment expense
of $37 million, which was limited to the carrying value of the coal units. Kilroot is reported in the Eurasia SBU reportable segment.
Kazakhstan Hydroelectric — In April 2017, the Republic of Kazakhstan stated the concession agreements would not be extended for Shulbinsk HPP and Ust-Kamenogorsk HPP, two hydroelectric plants in Kazakhstan, and initiated the process to transfer these plants back to the government. Upon meeting the held-for-sale criteria in the second quarter of 2017, the Company performed an impairment analysis and determined the carrying value of the asset group of $190 million, which included cumulative translation losses of $100 million, was greater than its fair value less costs to sell of $92 million. As a result, the Company recognized asset impairment expense of $92 million limited to the carrying value of the long-lived assets. The Company completed the transfer of the plants in October 2017. Prior to their transfer, the Kazakhstan hydroelectric plants were reported in the Eurasia SBU reportable segment. See Note 23Held-for-Sale and Dispositions for further information.
Kazakhstan CHPs — In January 2017, the Company entered into an agreement for the sale of Ust-Kamenogorsk CHP and Sogrinsk CHP, its combined heating and power coal plants in Kazakhstan. Upon meeting the held-for-sale criteria in the first quarter of 2017, the Company performed an impairment analysis and determined that the carrying value of the asset group of $171 million, which included cumulative translation losses of $92 million, was greater than its fair value less costs to sell of $29 million. As a result, the Company recognized asset impairment expense of $94 million limited to the carrying value of the long-lived assets. The Company completed the sale of its interest in the Kazakhstan CHP plants in April 2017. Prior to their sale, the plants were reported in the Eurasia SBU reportable segment. See Note 23Held-for-Sale and Dispositions for further information.
Buffalo Gap I — During 2016, the Company tested the recoverability of its long-lived assets at Buffalo Gap I. Low wind production during 2016 resulted in management lowering future expectations of production and therefore future forecasted revenues. As such this was determined to be an impairment indicator. The Company determined that the carrying amount of the asset group was not recoverable. The Buffalo Gap I asset group was determined to have a fair value of $36 million using the income approach. As a result, the Company recognized asset impairment expense of $77 million ($23 million attributable to AES). Buffalo Gap I is reported in the US and Utilities SBU reportable segment.
Buffalo Gap II — During 2016, the Company tested the recoverability of its long-lived assets at Buffalo Gap II. Impairment indicators were identified based on a decline in forward power curves. The Company determined that the carrying amount was not recoverable. The Buffalo Gap II asset group was determined to have a fair value of $92 million using the income approach. As a result, the Company recognized asset impairment expense of $159 million ($49 million attributable to AES). Buffalo Gap II is reported in the US and Utilities SBU reportable segment.