Accounts Receivable

9 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2017

Receivables [Abstract]

Accounts Receivable

Note 4.  Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable as of July 31, 2017 and October 31, 2016 consisted of the following:

	July 31,		October 31,
	2017		2016
Commercial Revenue:
Amount billed	$	3,494	$	5,411
Unbilled recoverable costs (2)		11,590		13,651
		15,084		19,062
Advanced Technology (including U.S. Government(1)):
Amount billed		2,231		2,463
Unbilled recoverable costs		9,001		3,068
		11,232		5,531
Accounts receivable, net	$	26,316	$	24,593

(1) Total U.S. Government accounts receivable outstanding as of July 31, 2017 and October 31, 2016 were $3.7 million and $2.2 million, respectively.

(2) Additional unbilled recoverable costs of $13.0 million and $5.7 million are included within “Other assets” as of July 31, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively.

We bill customers for power plant sales based on certain contractual milestones being reached.  We bill service agreements based on the contract price and billing terms of the contracts. Generally, our advanced technology contracts are billed based on actual recoverable costs incurred, typically in the month subsequent to incurring costs.  Some advanced technology contracts are billed based on contractual milestones or costs incurred.  Unbilled recoverable costs relate to revenue recognized on customer contracts that have not been billed.  Accounts receivable are presented net of an allowance for doubtful accounts of $0.1 million and $0.2 million as of July 31, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively.  Uncollectible accounts receivable are charged against the allowance for doubtful accounts when all collection efforts have failed and it is deemed unlikely that the amount will be recovered.

Accounts receivable from commercial customers (including unbilled recoverable costs) included amounts due from POSCO of $2.0 million and $5.0 million as of July 31, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively and amounts due from NRG and NRG Yield of $0.02 million and $0.1 million as of July 31, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively.