Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

Note 9. Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments

Fuel Supply Contracts

At June 30, 2011, Midwest Generation and EME Homer City Generation L.P. (Homer City) had commitments to purchase coal from third-party suppliers at fixed prices, subject to adjustment clauses. These commitments are estimated to aggregate $634 million, summarized as follows: $277 million for the remainder of 2011, $304 million in 2012 and $53 million in 2013. In July 2011, Midwest Generation entered into additional contractual agreements for the purchase of coal. These commitments are estimated to be $6 million for the remainder of 2011, $28 million for 2012, $145 million for 2013, and $150 million for 2014.

Turbine Commitments

At June 30, 2011, EME had commitments to purchase wind turbines of $45 million due in 2011 and $8 million due in 2012. Based on a June 2011 contract amendment, EME's failure to schedule turbine delivery by September 2011 would result in a termination obligation equal to its turbine deposit, which would result in a $29 million charge against earnings. EME has identified a project in which to place these turbines. However, there is no assurance that development will be completed and the turbines will be used for this project.

On October 8, 2010, an agreement was reached to settle disputes included in the complaint filed by EME against Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas, Inc. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. with respect to a wind turbine generator supply agreement. As a result of this agreement, EME may elect to deploy up to 60 additional wind turbines (aggregating 144 MW) that were part of the original contract, or may be obligated to make a payment of up to $30 million following the end of the three-year period if it has not elected to deploy the additional turbines and if certain other criteria apply.

Capital Expenditures

At June 30, 2011, EME's subsidiaries had firm commitments to spend approximately $242 million during the remainder of 2011, $205 million in 2012 and $19 million in 2013 on capital and construction expenditures. These expenditures primarily relate to the Walnut Creek project, selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) equipment at the Midwest Generation plants, and the construction of wind projects. EME intends to fund these expenditures through project level financing, U.S. Treasury grants, Midwest Generation and EME lines of credit, if available, cash on hand and cash generated from operations.

Guarantees and Indemnities

EME and certain of its subsidiaries have various financial and performance guarantees and indemnity agreements which are issued in the normal course of business. The contracts discussed below included performance guarantees.

Environmental Indemnities Related to the Midwest Generation Plants

In connection with the acquisition of the Midwest Generation plants, EME agreed to indemnify Commonwealth Edison Company (Commonwealth Edison) with respect to specified environmental liabilities before and after December 15, 1999, the date of sale. The indemnification obligations are reduced by any insurance proceeds and tax benefits related to such indemnified claims and are subject to a requirement that Commonwealth Edison takes all reasonable steps to mitigate losses related to any such indemnification claim. Also, in connection with the sale-leaseback transaction related to the Powerton and Joliet Stations in Illinois, EME agreed to indemnify the lessors for specified environmental liabilities. These indemnities are not limited in term or amount. Due to the nature of the obligations under these indemnities, a maximum potential liability cannot be determined. Commonwealth Edison has advised EME that Commonwealth Edison believes it is entitled to indemnification for all liabilities, costs, and expenses that it may be required to bear as a result of the litigation discussed below under "—Contingencies—Midwest Generation New Source Review and Other Litigation." Except as discussed below, EME has not recorded a liability related to these environmental indemnities.

Midwest Generation entered into a supplemental agreement with Commonwealth Edison and Exelon Generation Company LLC on February 20, 2003 to resolve a dispute regarding interpretation of Midwest Generation's reimbursement obligation for asbestos claims under the environmental indemnities set forth in the Asset Sale Agreement. Under this supplemental agreement, Midwest Generation agreed to reimburse Commonwealth Edison and Exelon Generation for 50% of specific asbestos claims pending as of February 2003 and related expenses less recovery of insurance costs, and agreed to a sharing arrangement for liabilities and expenses associated with future asbestos-related claims as specified in the agreement. The obligations under this agreement are not subject to a maximum liability. The supplemental agreement had an initial five-year term with an automatic renewal provision for subsequent one-year terms (subject to the right of either party to terminate); pursuant to the automatic renewal provision, it has been extended until February 2012. There were approximately 222 cases for which Midwest Generation was potentially liable that had not been settled and dismissed at June 30, 2011. Midwest Generation had recorded a liability of $55 million at June 30, 2011 related to this contractual indemnity.

The amounts recorded by Midwest Generation for the asbestos-related liability are based upon a number of assumptions. Future events, such as the number of new claims to be filed each year, the average cost of disposing of claims, as well as the numerous uncertainties surrounding asbestos litigation in the United States, could cause the actual costs to be higher or lower than projected.

Environmental Indemnity Related to the Homer City Plant

In connection with the acquisition of the Homer City plant, Homer City agreed to indemnify the sellers with respect to specified environmental liabilities before and after the date of sale. EME guaranteed this obligation of Homer City. Also, in connection with the sale-leaseback transaction related to the Homer City plant, Homer City agreed to indemnify the lessors for specified environmental liabilities. Due to the nature of the obligations under these indemnity provisions, they are not subject to a maximum potential liability and do not have expiration dates. EME has not recorded a liability related to this indemnity. For discussion of the New Source Review lawsuit filed against Homer City, see "—Contingencies—Homer City New Source Review and Other Litigation."

Indemnities Provided under Asset Sale and Sale-Leaseback Agreements

The asset sale agreements for the sale of EME's international assets contain indemnities from EME to the purchasers, including indemnification for taxes imposed with respect to operations of the assets prior to the sale and for pre-closing environmental liabilities. Not all indemnities under the asset sale agreements have specific expiration dates. At June 30, 2011, EME had recorded a liability of $45 million related to these matters.

In connection with the sale of various domestic assets, EME has from time to time provided indemnities to the purchasers for taxes imposed with respect to operations of the assets prior to the sale. EME has also provided indemnities to purchasers for items specified in each agreement (for example, specific pre-existing litigation matters and/or environmental conditions). Not all indemnities under the asset sale agreements have specific expiration dates. Due to the nature of these potential obligations, a maximum potential liability cannot be determined and has not been recorded as a liability related to these indemnities.

In connection with the sale-leaseback transactions related to the Homer City plant in Pennsylvania, the Powerton and Joliet Stations in Illinois and, previously, the Collins Station in Illinois, EME and several of its subsidiaries entered into tax indemnity agreements. Although the Collins Station lease terminated in April 2004, Midwest Generation's tax indemnity agreement with the former lease equity investor is still in effect. Under these tax indemnity agreements, these entities agreed to indemnify the lessors in the sale-leaseback transactions for specified adverse tax consequences that could result in certain situations set forth in each tax indemnity agreement, including specified defaults under the respective leases. The potential indemnity obligations under these tax indemnity agreements could be significant. Due to the nature of these potential obligations, EME cannot determine a maximum potential liability which would be triggered by a valid claim from the lessors. EME has not recorded a liability for these matters.

Other Indemnities

EME provides other indemnifications through contracts entered into in the normal course of business. These include, among other things, indemnities for specified environmental liabilities and for income taxes with respect to assets sold. EME's obligations under these agreements may or may not be limited in terms of time and/or amount, and in some instances EME may have recourse against third parties. EME has not recorded a liability related to these indemnities. The overall maximum amount of the obligations under these indemnifications cannot be reasonably estimated.

Contingencies

In addition to the matters disclosed in these notes, EME is involved in other legal, tax and regulatory proceedings before various courts and governmental agencies regarding matters arising in the ordinary course of business. EME believes the outcome of these other proceedings will not materially affect its results of operations or liquidity.

Midwest Generation New Source Review and Other Litigation

In August 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the State of Illinois filed a complaint in the Northern District of Illinois alleging that Midwest Generation or Commonwealth Edison performed repair or replacement projects at six Illinois coal-fired electric generating stations in violation of the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) requirements and of the New Source Performance Standards of the Clean Air Act (CAA), including alleged requirements to obtain a construction permit and to install controls sufficient to meet best available control technology (BACT) emission rates. The US EPA also alleged that Midwest Generation and Commonwealth Edison violated certain operating permit requirements under Title V of the CAA. Finally, the US EPA alleged violations of certain opacity and particulate matter standards at the Midwest Generation plants. In addition to seeking penalties ranging from $25,000 to $37,500 per violation, per day, the complaint calls for an injunction ordering Midwest Generation to install controls sufficient to meet BACT emission rates at all units subject to the complaint; to obtain new PSD or New Source Review permits for those units; to amend its applications under Title V of the CAA; to conduct audits of its operations to determine whether any additional modifications have occurred; and to offset and mitigate the harm to public health and the environment caused by the alleged CAA violations. The remedies sought by the plaintiffs in the lawsuit could go well beyond the requirements of the Combined Pollutant Standard (CPS). Several Chicago-based environmental action groups have intervened in the case.

Nine of ten PSD claims have been dismissed, along with claims related to alleged violations of Title V of the CAA to the extent based on the dismissed PSD claims. The court has also dismissed all claims asserted against Commonwealth Edison and EME. The court denied a motion to dismiss a claim by the Chicago-based environmental action groups for civil penalties in the remaining PSD claim, but noted that the plaintiffs will be required to convince the court that the statute of limitations should be equitably tolled. The court did not address other counts in the complaint that allege violations of opacity and particulate matter limitations under the Illinois State Implementation Plan and Title V of the CAA. Trial of the liability portion of the case is scheduled to commence June 3, 2013.

In May 2011, two complaints were filed against Midwest Generation in the Northern District of Illinois by residents living near the Crawford and Fisk facilities on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, each asserting claims of nuisance, negligence, trespass, and strict liability. The plaintiffs seek to have their suits certified as a class action and request injunctive relief, as well as compensatory and punitive damages.

Adverse decisions in these cases could involve penalties and remedial actions that could have a material impact on the financial condition and results of operations of Midwest Generation and EME. EME cannot predict the outcome of these matters or estimate the impact on the Midwest Generation plants, or its and Midwest Generation's results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

Homer City New Source Review and Other Litigation

In January 2011, the US EPA filed a complaint in the Western District of Pennsylvania against Homer City, the sale-leaseback owner participants of the Homer City plant, and two prior owners of the Homer City plant. The complaint alleges violations of the PSD and Title V provisions of the CAA, as a result of projects in the 1990s performed by prior owners without PSD permits and the subsequent failure to incorporate emissions limitations that meet BACT into the station's Title V operating permit. In addition to seeking penalties ranging from $32,500 to $37,500 per violation, per day, the complaint calls for an injunction ordering Homer City to install controls sufficient to meet BACT emission rates at all units subject to the complaint; to obtain new PSD or New Source Review permits for those units; to amend its applications under Title V of the CAA; to conduct audits of its operations to determine whether any additional modifications have occurred; and to offset and mitigate the harm to public health and the environment caused by the alleged CAA violations. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the State of New York and the State of New Jersey have intervened in the lawsuit.

Also in January 2011, two residents filed a complaint in the Western District of Pennsylvania, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, against Homer City, the sale-leaseback owner participants of the Homer City plant, two prior owners of the Homer City plant, EME, and Edison International, claiming that emissions from the Homer City plant had adversely affected their health and property values. The plaintiffs seek to have their suit certified as a class action and request injunctive relief, the funding of a health assessment study and medical monitoring, as well as compensatory and punitive damages.

In April 2011, Homer City filed motions to dismiss both complaints. Adverse decisions in these cases could involve penalties, remedial actions and damages that could have a material impact on the financial condition and results of operations of Homer City and EME. EME cannot predict the outcome of these matters or estimate the impact on the Homer City plant, or its and Homer City's results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

Environmental Remediation

Legislative and regulatory activities by federal, state and local authorities in the United States relating to energy and the environment impose numerous restrictions and requirements with respect to the operation of EME subsidiaries' existing facilities and affect the timing, cost, location, design, construction, and operation of new facilities by EME's subsidiaries, as well as the cost of mitigating the environmental impacts of past operations.

With respect to potential liabilities arising under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, commonly referred to as CERCLA, or similar laws for the investigation and remediation of contaminated property, EME accrues a liability to the extent the costs are probable and can be reasonably estimated. Midwest Generation had accrued approximately $7 million at June 30, 2011 for estimated environmental investigation and remediation costs for the Midwest Generation plants. This estimate is based upon the number of sites, the scope of work and the estimated costs for investigation and/or remediation where such expenditures could be reasonably estimated. Future estimated costs may vary based on changes in regulations or requirements of federal, state or local governmental agencies, changes in technology, and actual costs of disposal. In addition, future remediation costs will be affected by the nature and extent of contamination discovered at the sites that require remediation. Given the prior history of the operations at its facilities, EME cannot be certain that the existence or extent of all contamination at its sites has been fully identified.