SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of NV Energy, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, NPC, SPPC, Sierra Pacific Communications, Lands of Sierra, Inc., NVE Insurance Company, Inc. and Sierra Gas Holding Company.  All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of certain assets and liabilities.  These estimates and assumptions also affect the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of certain revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from these estimates.

In the opinion of the management of NVE, NPC and SPPC, the accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements contain normal and recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown.  These consolidated financial statements do not contain the complete detail concerning accounting policies and other matters, which are included in full year financial statements; therefore, they should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements included in the 2010 Form 10-K.

During the third quarter 2010, NPC terminated a long term service agreement for one of its generating stations.  The estimated termination payment was not material to the third quarter but would have been material to the fourth quarter of 2010. Therefore, management determined it more appropriate to revise third quarter 2010 for the estimated termination payment.  As disclosed in our 2010 Form 10-K, Note 18, Quarterly Financial Data, of the Notes to Financial Statements, operating income, net income and earnings per share were reduced by $8.0 million, $5.2 million (net of taxes)  and $0.02 per share (net of taxes), share respectively.

The results of operations and cash flows of NVE, NPC and SPPC for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

Consolidations of VIEs

Consolidations of VIEs

In June 2009, the FASB amended existing guidance related to the Consolidation of VIEs.  NVE and the Utilities adopted this amendment on January 1, 2010.  The amendment no longer allows the scope exception for contracts which an entity was unable to obtain financial information from to be excluded from the primary beneficiary determination.  As a result, NVE and the Utilities will continually perform an analysis to determine whether their variable interests give it controlling financial interest in a VIE; which would require consolidation.  This analysis identifies the primary beneficiary of a VIE as the enterprise that has both the following characteristics: a) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance, and b) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE.  To identify potential variable interests, management reviewed contracts under leases, long-term purchase power contracts, tolling contracts and jointly owned facilities.  The Utilities identified certain long-term purchase power contracts that could be defined as variable interests.  However, the Utilities are not the primary beneficiary as defined above, as they primarily lacked the power to direct the activities of the entity, including the ability to operate the generating facilities and make management decisions.  The Utilities' maximum exposure to loss is limited to the cost of replacing these purchase power contracts if the providers are unable to deliver power.  However, the Utilities believe their exposure is mitigated as they would likely recover these costs through their deferred energy accounting mechanism.  As of September 30, 2011, the carrying amount of assets and liabilities in the Utilities' balance sheets that relate to their involvement with VIEs are predominately related to working capital accounts and generally represent the amounts owed by the Utilities for the deliveries associated with the current billing cycle under the contracts.

Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures

Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures

In January 2010, the FASB amended the Fair Value Measurements and Disclosure Topic as reflected in the FASB Accounting Standards Codification for recurring and nonrecurring fair value measurements. NVE and the Utilities adopted this amendment on January 1, 2010.  The new accounting guidance adds requirements for disclosures about transfers into and out Levels 1 and 2 and separate disclosures about purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements relating to Level 3 measurements.  It also clarifies existing fair value disclosures about the level of disaggregation and about inputs and valuation techniques used to measure fair value. In addition, the accounting update amends guidance on employers' disclosures about postretirement benefit plan assets to require disclosures by classes of assets instead of by major categories of assets.  The amendment is effective for NVE and the Utilities as of January 1, 2010, except for the disclosures about purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements in the roll forward activity in Level 3 fair value measurements. Those disclosures are effective for NVE and the Utilities as of January 1, 2011.  The adoption of this guidance did not have, nor is it expected to have, a significant impact on the disclosure requirements for NVE and the Utilities.