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Income Taxes
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Income Taxes  
Income Taxes

Note 7. Income Taxes

Effective Tax Rate

The table below provides a reconciliation of income tax expense (benefit) computed at the federal statutory income tax rate to the income tax provision (benefit):

 
  Three Months Ended
June 30,
  Six Months Ended
June 30,
 
(in millions)
  2011
  2010
  2011
  2010
 
   

Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes

  $ (88 ) $ (90 ) $ (151 ) $ 8  
       

Provision (benefit) for income taxes at federal statutory rate of 35%

  $ (30 ) $ (31 ) $ (53 ) $ 3  

Increase (decrease) in income tax from:

                         
 

State tax-net of federal provision (benefit) (excludes state tax settlement)

    (4 )   (6 )   (9 )   (2 )
 

Production tax credits, net

    (18 )   (19 )   (36 )   (33 )
 

Resolution of 1986-2002 state tax issues

        (20 )       (20 )
 

Other

    (5 )   6     (4 )   5  
       

Total benefit for income taxes from continuing operations

  $ (57 ) $ (70 ) $ (102 ) $ (47 )
       

Effective tax rate

    65%     78%     68%     nm*  
   
*
Not meaningful.


Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes

Authoritative guidance related to accounting for uncertainty in income taxes requires an enterprise to recognize, in its financial statements, the best estimate of the impact of a tax position by determining if the weight of the available evidence indicates it is more likely than not, based solely on the technical merits, that the position will be sustained upon examination. The guidance requires the disclosure of all unrecognized tax benefits, which includes both the reserves recorded for tax positions on filed tax returns and the unrecognized portion of affirmative claims.


Unrecognized Tax Benefits

There was no change in unrecognized tax benefits from December 31, 2010. As of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, $148 million of the unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate.

Edison International's federal income tax returns and California combined franchise tax returns are currently open for years subsequent to 2002. In addition, specific California refund claims made by Edison International for years 1991 through 2002 remain subject to audit.

The Internal Revenue Service examination phase of tax years 2003 through 2006 was completed in the fourth quarter of 2010, which included a proposed adjustment related to EME. The EME-related proposed adjustment increases the taxable gain on the 2004 sale of EME's international assets, which if sustained, would result in a federal tax payment of approximately $189 million, including interest and penalties through June 30, 2011 (the Internal Revenue Service has asserted a 40% penalty for understatement of tax liability related to this matter). Edison International disagrees with the proposed adjustment and filed a protest with the Internal Revenue Service in the first quarter of 2011. The disputed tax matter is currently being considered in appeals.


Accrued Interest and Penalties

The total amount of accrued interest and penalties related to EME's income tax liabilities was $36 million and $32 million as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.

The net after-tax interest expense (income) and penalties recognized in income tax expense was $2 million and $(8) million for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and $3 million and $(6) million for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.


Bonus Depreciation Impact on EME

The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 and the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 (2010 Tax Relief Act) extended 50% bonus depreciation for qualifying property through 2012 and created a new 100% bonus depreciation for qualifying property placed in service between September 9, 2010 and December 31, 2011. These provisions are expected to result in a consolidated Edison International net operating loss for federal income tax purposes for 2011, and delay tax-allocation payments to EME until tax benefits are fully utilized by Edison International on a consolidated basis, which may take several years. EME expects to receive tax-allocation payments in 2011 as a result of the carryback of Edison International consolidated net operating losses for 2010 and subsequently make tax-allocation payments in 2012 as a result of reallocation of tax obligations from the expected Edison International consolidated net operating tax loss during 2011.