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Defined Benefits
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]  
Defined Benefits
8. Defined Benefits
 
(PPL, LKE and LG&E)
 
Certain net periodic defined benefit costs are applied to accounts that are further distributed among capital, expense and regulatory assets, including certain costs allocated to applicable subsidiaries for plans sponsored by PPL Services and LKE. Following are the net periodic defined benefit costs (credits) of the plans sponsored by PPL and its subsidiaries, LKE and its subsidiaries and LG&E for the periods ended March 31:
 
Pension Benefits
 
Three Months
 
U.S.
 
U.K.
 
2017
 
2016
 
2017
 
2016
PPL
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service cost
$
17

 
$
17

 
$
19

 
$
18

Interest cost
42

 
43

 
43

 
62

Expected return on plan assets
(57
)
 
(56
)
 
(125
)
 
(133
)
Amortization of:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Prior service cost
2

 
1

 
—

 
—

Actuarial loss
20

 
15

 
35

 
37

Net periodic defined benefit costs (credits) before special termination benefits
24

 
20

 
(28
)
 
(16
)
Special termination benefits (a)
2

 
—

 
—

 
—

Net periodic defined benefit costs (credits)
$
26

 
$
20

 
$
(28
)
 
$
(16
)

(a)
Enhanced pension benefits offered to certain PPL Electric bargaining unit employees under a one-time voluntary retirement window offered as part of the new five year IBEW contract ratified in March 2017.
 
Pension Benefits
 
Three Months
 
2017
 
2016
LKE
 
 
 
Service cost
$
7

 
$
6

Interest cost
16

 
17

Expected return on plan assets
(22
)
 
(21
)
Amortization of:
 
 
 
Prior service cost
2

 
1

Actuarial loss
11

 
5

Net periodic defined benefit costs
$
14

 
$
8

 
 
 
 
LG&E
 
 
 
Interest cost
$
3

 
$
3

Expected return on plan assets
(5
)
 
(5
)
Amortization of:
 
 
 
Prior service cost
1

 
1

Actuarial loss
3

 
2

Net periodic defined benefit costs
$
2

 
$
1


 
Other Postretirement Benefits
 
Three Months
 
2017
 
2016
PPL
 
 
 
Service cost
$
2

 
$
2

Interest cost
6

 
6

Expected return on plan assets
(6
)
 
(5
)
Net periodic defined benefit costs
$
2

 
$
3

 
 
 
 
LKE
 
 
 
Service cost
$
1

 
$
1

Interest cost
2

 
2

Expected return on plan assets
(1
)
 
(2
)
Amortization of prior service cost
—

 
1

Net periodic defined benefit costs
$
2

 
$
2


   
(PPL Electric, LG&E and KU)
 
In addition to the specific plans it sponsors, LG&E is allocated costs of defined benefit plans sponsored by LKE. PPL Electric and KU do not directly sponsor any defined benefit plans. PPL Electric is allocated costs of defined benefit plans sponsored by PPL Services and KU is allocated costs of defined benefit plans sponsored by LKE. These allocations are based on participation in those plans, which management believes are reasonable. For the periods ended March 31, PPL Services allocated the following net periodic defined benefit costs to PPL Electric, and LKE allocated the following net periodic defined benefit costs to LG&E and KU:
 
Three Months
 
2017
 
2016
PPL Electric
$
8

 
$
6

LG&E
3

 
2

KU
4

 
3



Expected Cash Flows - U.K. Pension Plans

(PPL)

For the three months ended March 31, 2017, WPD contributed $462 million to its U.K. pension plans. WPD made additional contributions in the second quarter of 2017 of $23 million. These accelerated contributions fund all 2017 required contributions and a portion of 2018 required contributions. WPD does not expect to make additional contributions in 2017.