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Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (All Registrants) Significant Accounting Policies (All Registrants)
Description of Business (All Registrants)
Exelon is a utility services holding company engaged in the generation, delivery and marketing of energy through Generation and the energy distribution and transmission businesses through ComEd, PECO, BGE, Pepco, DPL and ACE.
Name of Registrant
  
Business
  
Service Territories
Exelon Generation
Company, LLC
 
Generation, physical delivery and marketing of power across multiple geographical regions through its customer-facing business, Constellation, which sells electricity to both wholesale and retail customers. Generation also sells natural gas, renewable energy and other energy-related products and services.
 
Five reportable segments: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, New York, ERCOT and Other Power Regions
 
 
 
 
 
Commonwealth Edison Company
 
Purchase and regulated retail sale of electricity
 
Northern Illinois, including the City of Chicago
 
 
Transmission and distribution of electricity to retail customers
 
 
PECO Energy Company
 
Purchase and regulated retail sale of electricity and natural gas
 
Southeastern Pennsylvania, including the City of Philadelphia (electricity)
 
 
Transmission and distribution of electricity and distribution of natural gas to retail customers
 
Pennsylvania counties surrounding the City of Philadelphia (natural gas)
Baltimore Gas and Electric Company
 
Purchase and regulated retail sale of electricity and natural gas
 
Central Maryland, including the City of Baltimore (electricity and natural gas)
 
 
Transmission and distribution of electricity and distribution of natural gas to retail customers
 
 
Pepco Holdings LLC
 
Utility services holding company engaged, through its reportable segments Pepco, DPL and ACE
 
Service Territories of Pepco, DPL and ACE
 
 
 
 
 
Potomac Electric 
Power Company
  
Purchase and regulated retail sale of electricity
  
District of Columbia, and major portions of Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, Maryland.
 
 
Transmission and distribution of electricity to retail customers
 
 
Delmarva Power &  Light Company
 
Purchase and regulated retail sale of electricity and natural gas
 
Portions of Delaware and Maryland (electricity)
 
 
Transmission and distribution of electricity and distribution of natural gas to retail customers
 
Portions of New Castle County, Delaware (natural gas)
Atlantic City Electric Company
 
Purchase and regulated retail sale of electricity
 
Portions of Southern New Jersey
 
 
Transmission and distribution of electricity to retail customers
 
 
Basis of Presentation (All Registrants)
This is a combined annual report of all Registrants. The Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements apply to the Registrants as indicated above in the Index to Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and parenthetically next to each corresponding disclosure. When appropriate, the Registrants are named specifically for their related activities and disclosures. Each of the Registrant’s Consolidated Financial Statements includes the accounts of its subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated.
Through its business services subsidiary, BSC, Exelon provides its subsidiaries with a variety of support services at cost, including legal, human resources, financial, information technology and supply management services. PHI also has a business services subsidiary, PHISCO, which provides a variety of support services at cost, including legal, accounting, engineering, customer operations, distribution and transmission planning, asset management, system operations, and power procurement, to PHI operating companies. The costs of BSC and PHISCO are directly charged or allocated to the applicable subsidiaries. The results of Exelon’s corporate operations are presented as “Other” within the consolidated financial statements and include intercompany eliminations unless otherwise disclosed.
Exelon owns 100% of Generation, PECO, BGE and PHI and more than 99% of ComEd. PHI owns 100% of Pepco, DPL and ACE. Generation owns 100% of its significant consolidated subsidiaries, either directly or indirectly, except for certain consolidated VIEs, including CENG and EGRP, of which Generation holds a 50.01% and 51% interest, respectively. The remaining interests in these consolidated VIEs are included in noncontrolling interests on Exelon’s and Generation’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. See Note 22Variable Interest Entities for additional information of Exelon’s and Generation’s consolidated VIEs.
The Registrants consolidate the accounts of entities in which a Registrant has a controlling financial interest, after the elimination of intercompany transactions. Where the Registrants do not have a controlling financial interest in an entity, proportionate consolidation, equity method accounting or accounting for investments in equity securities without readily determinable fair value is applied. The Registrants apply proportionate consolidation when they have an undivided interest in an asset and are proportionately liable for their share of each liability associated with the asset. The Registrants proportionately consolidate their undivided ownership interests in jointly owned electric plants and transmission facilities. Under proportionate consolidation, the Registrants separately record their proportionate share of the assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses related to the undivided interest in the asset. The Registrants apply equity method accounting when they have significant influence over an investee through an ownership in common stock, which generally approximates a 20% to 50% voting interest. The Registrants apply equity method accounting to certain investments and joint ventures, including certain financing trusts of ComEd and PECO. Under equity method accounting, the Registrants report their interest in the entity as an investment and the Registrants’ percentage share of the earnings from the entity as single line items in their financial statements. The Registrants use accounting for investments in equity securities without readily determinable fair values if they lack significant influence, which generally results when they hold less than 20% of the common stock of an entity. Under accounting for investments in equity securities without readily determinable fair values, the Registrants report their investments at cost adjusted for changes from observable transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer, less impairment. Changes in measurement are reported in earnings.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP for annual financial statements and in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-K and Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC.
Use of Estimates (All Registrants)
The preparation of financial statements of each of the Registrants in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Areas in which significant estimates have been made include, but are not limited to, the accounting for nuclear decommissioning costs and other AROs, pension and OPEB, the application of purchase accounting, inventory reserves, allowance for uncollectible accounts, goodwill and asset impairments, derivative instruments, unamortized energy contracts, fixed asset depreciation, environmental costs and other loss contingencies, taxes and unbilled energy revenues. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Prior Period Adjustments and Reclassifications (Exelon, PHI and Pepco)
In the fourth quarter 2019, management identified an error related to an overstatement of the regulatory asset associated with Pepco’s decoupling mechanism for Maryland that originated in 2007 upon the inception of the program. Management has concluded that the error was not material to previously issued consolidated financial statements and the error was corrected through a revision to Exelon’s, PHI’s and Pepco’s consolidated financial statements contained herein for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017. The impact of the error correction was an $11 million reduction to Exelon’s, PHI’s and Pepco’s opening Retained earnings as of January 1, 2017 with a corresponding reduction to current Regulatory assets of $18 million and Deferred income taxes and unamortized investment tax credits of $7 million. In addition, Exelon’s, PHI’s and Pepco’s Total operating revenues decreased by $7 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 and Net income decreased by $5 million and $7 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, from originally reported amounts. The error did not impact net cash flows provided by operating activities, net cash flows used in investing activities or net cash flows provided by financing activities for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 for Exelon, PHI and Pepco. Exelon’s diluted earnings per share of common stock remained unchanged from the originally reported amount for the year ended December 31, 2018. Exelon’s basic earnings per share of common stock for the year ended December 31, 2018 and basic and diluted earnings per share of common stock for the year ended December 31, 2017 decreased by $0.01 from the originally reported amount.
Accounting for the Effects of Regulation (Exelon and the Utility Registrants)
For their regulated electric and gas operations, Exelon and the Utility Registrants reflect the effects of cost-based rate regulation in their financial statements, which is required for entities with regulated operations that meet the following criteria: 1) rates are established or approved by a third-party regulator; (2) rates are designed to recover the entities’ cost of providing services or products; and (3) there is a reasonable expectation that rates designed to recover costs can be charged to and collected from customers. Exelon and the Utility Registrants account for their regulated operations in accordance with regulatory and legislative guidance from the regulatory authorities having jurisdiction, principally the ICC, PAPUC, MDPSC, DCPSC, DPSC and NJBPU, under state public utility laws and the FERC under various Federal laws. Regulatory assets and liabilities are amortized and the related expense or revenue is recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations consistent with the recovery or refund included in customer rates. Exelon's regulatory assets and liabilities as of the balance sheet date are probable of being recovered or settled in future rates. If a separable portion of the Registrants' business was no longer able to meet the criteria discussed above, the affected entities would be required to eliminate from their consolidated financial statements the effects of regulation for that portion, which could have a material impact on their financial statements. See Note 3Regulatory Matters for additional information.
With the exception of income tax-related regulatory assets and liabilities, Exelon and the Utility Registrants classify regulatory assets and liabilities with a recovery or settlement period greater than one year as both current and non-current in their Consolidated Balance Sheets, with the current portion representing the amount expected to be recovered from or settled to customers over the next twelve-month period as of the balance sheet date.  Income tax-related regulatory assets and liabilities are classified entirely as non-current in Exelon's and the Utility Registrants’ Consolidated Balance Sheets to align with the classification of the related deferred income tax balances.
Exelon and the Utility Registrants treat the impacts of a final rate order received after the balance sheet date but prior to the issuance of the financial statements as a non-recognized subsequent event, as the receipt of a final rate order is a separate and distinct event that has future impacts on the parties affected by the order.
Revenues (All Registrants)
Operating Revenues. The Registrants’ operating revenues generally consist of revenues from contracts with customers involving the sale and delivery of energy commodities and related products and services, utility revenues from ARP, and realized and unrealized revenues recognized under mark-to-market energy commodity derivative contracts. The Registrants recognize revenue from contracts with customers to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that the entities expect to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. Generation’s primary sources of revenue include competitive sales of power, natural gas, and other energy-related products and services. The Utility Registrants’ primary sources of revenue include regulated electric and natural gas tariff sales, distribution and transmission services. At the end of each month, the Registrants accrue an estimate for the unbilled amount of energy delivered or services provided to customers.
ComEd records ARP revenue for its best estimate of the electric distribution, energy efficiency, and transmission revenue impacts resulting from future changes in rates that ComEd believes are probable of approval by the ICC and FERC in accordance with its formula rate mechanisms. BGE, Pepco and DPL record ARP revenue for their best estimate of the electric and natural gas distribution revenue impacts resulting from future changes in rates that they believe are probable of approval by the MDPSC and/or DCPSC in accordance with their revenue decoupling mechanisms. PECO, BGE, Pepco, DPL and ACE record ARP revenue for their best estimate of the transmission revenue impacts resulting from future changes in rates that they believe are probable of approval by FERC in accordance with their formula rate mechanisms. See Note 3Regulatory Matters for additional information.
Option Contracts, Swaps and Commodity Derivatives. Certain option contracts and swap arrangements that meet the definition of derivative instruments are recorded at fair value with subsequent changes in fair value recognized as revenue or expense. The classification of revenue or expense is based on the intent of the transaction. To the extent a Utility Registrant receives full cost recovery for energy procurement and related costs from retail customers, it records the fair value of its energy swap contracts with unaffiliated suppliers as well as an offsetting regulatory asset or liability in its Consolidated Balance Sheets. See Note 3Regulatory Matters and Note 15Derivative Financial Instruments for additional information.
Taxes Directly Imposed on Revenue-Producing Transactions. The Registrants collect certain taxes from customers such as sales and gross receipts taxes, along with other taxes, surcharges and fees, that are levied by
state or local governments on the sale or distribution of gas and electricity. Some of these taxes are imposed on the customer, but paid by the Registrants, while others are imposed on the Registrants. Where these taxes are imposed on the customer, such as sales taxes, they are reported on a net basis with no impact to the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income. However, where these taxes are imposed on the Registrants, such as gross receipts taxes or other surcharges or fees, they are reported on a gross basis. Accordingly, revenues are recognized for the taxes collected from customers along with an offsetting expense. See Note 23Supplemental Financial Information for Generation’s, ComEd’s, PECO’s, BGE’s, Pepco's, DPL's and ACE's utility taxes that are presented on a gross basis.
Leases (All Registrants)
The Registrants recognize a ROU asset and lease liability for operating leases with a term of greater than one year. The ROU asset is included in Other deferred debits and other assets and the lease liability is included in Other current liabilities and Other deferred credits and other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The ROU asset is measured as the sum of (1) the present value of all remaining fixed and in-substance fixed payments using each Registrant’s incremental borrowing rate, (2) any lease payments made at or before the commencement date (less any lease incentives received) and (3) any initial direct costs incurred. The lease liability is measured the same as the ROU asset, but excludes any payments made before the commencement date and initial direct costs incurred. Lease terms include options to extend or terminate the lease if it is reasonably certain they will be exercised. The Registrants include non-lease components for most asset classes, which are service-related costs that are not integral to the use of the asset, in the measurement of the ROU asset and lease liability.
Expense for operating leases and leases with a term of one year or less is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease, unless another systematic and rational basis is more representative of the derivation of benefit from use of the leased property. Variable lease payments are recognized in the period in which the related obligation is incurred and consist primarily of payments for purchases of electricity under contracted generation and are based on the electricity produced by those generating assets. Operating lease expense and variable lease payments are recorded to Purchased power and fuel expense for contracted generation or Operating and maintenance expense for all other lease agreements on the Registrants’ Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income.
Income from operating leases, including subleases, is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease, unless another systematic and rational basis is more representative of the pattern in which income is earned over the term of the lease. Variable lease payments are recognized in the period in which the related obligation is performed and consist primarily of payments received from sales of electricity under contracted generation and are based on the electricity produced by those generating assets. Operating lease income and variable lease payments are recorded to Operating revenues on the Registrants’ Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income.
The Registrants’ operating leases consist primarily of contracted generation, real estate including office buildings, and vehicles and equipment. The Registrants generally account for contracted generation in which the generating asset is not renewable as a lease if the customer has dispatch rights and obtains substantially all of the economic benefits. For new agreements entered after January 1, 2019, the Registrants generally do not account for contracted generation in which the generating asset is renewable as a lease if the customer does not design the generating asset. The Registrants account for land right arrangements that provide for exclusive use as leases while shared use land arrangements are generally not leases. The Registrants do not account for secondary use pole attachments as leases.
See Note 10Leases for additional information.
Income Taxes (All Registrants)
Deferred Federal and state income taxes are recorded on significant temporary differences between the book and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for tax benefits carried forward. Investment tax credits have been deferred in the Registrants’ Consolidated Balance Sheets and are recognized in book income over the life of the related property. The Registrants account for uncertain income tax positions using a benefit recognition model with a two-step approach; a more-likely-than-not recognition criterion; and a measurement approach that measures the position as the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. If it is not more-likely-than-not that the benefit of the tax position will be sustained on its technical merits, no benefit is recorded. Uncertain tax positions that relate only to timing of when an item is included on a tax return are considered to have met the recognition threshold. The Registrants recognize accrued interest related to unrecognized tax
benefits in Interest expense or Other income and deductions (interest income) and recognize penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in Other, net in their Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income.
Cash and Cash Equivalents (All Registrants)
The Registrants consider investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents (All Registrants)
Restricted cash and cash equivalents represent funds that are restricted to satisfy designated current liabilities. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Registrants' restricted cash and cash equivalents primarily represented the following items:
Registrant
Description
Exelon
Payment of medical, dental, vision and long-term disability benefits, in addition to the items listed for Generation and the Utility Registrants.
Generation
Project-specific nonrecourse financing structures for debt service and financing of operations of the underlying entities.
ComEd
Collateral held from suppliers associated with energy and REC procurement contracts, any over-recovered RPS costs and alternative compliance payments received from RES pursuant to FEJA and costs for the remediation of an MGP site.
PECO
Proceeds from the sales of assets that were subject to PECO’s mortgage indenture.
BGE
Proceeds from the loan program for the completion of certain energy efficiency measures and collateral held from energy suppliers.
PHI
Payment of merger commitments, collateral held from its energy suppliers associated with procurement contracts and repayment of transition bonds.
Pepco
Payment of merger commitments and collateral held from energy suppliers.
DPL
Collateral held from energy suppliers.
ACE
Repayment of transition bonds and collateral held from energy suppliers.
Restricted cash and cash equivalents not available to satisfy current liabilities are classified as noncurrent assets. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Registrants' noncurrent restricted cash and cash equivalents primarily represented ComEd’s over-recovered RPS costs and alternative compliance payments received from RES pursuant to FEJA and costs for the remediation of an MGP site, and ACE’s repayment of transition bonds.
See Note 23Supplemental Financial Information for additional information.
Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts (All Registrants)
The allowance for uncollectible accounts reflects the Registrants’ best estimates of losses on the customers' accounts receivable balances. For Generation, the allowance is based on accounts receivable aging historical experience and other currently available information. Utility Registrants estimate the allowance by applying loss rates developed specifically for each company to the outstanding receivable balance by customer risk segment. Utility Registrants' customer accounts are written off consistent with approved regulatory requirements. See Note 3Regulatory Matters for additional information regarding the regulatory recovery of uncollectible accounts receivable at ComEd and ACE.
Variable Interest Entities (Exelon, Generation, PHI and ACE)
Exelon accounts for its investments in and arrangements with VIEs based on the following specific requirements:
requires an entity to qualitatively assess whether it should consolidate a VIE based on whether the entity has a controlling financial interest,
requires an ongoing reconsideration of this assessment instead of only upon certain triggering events, and
requires the entity that consolidates a VIE (the primary beneficiary) to disclose (1) the assets of the consolidated VIE, if they can be used to only settle specific obligations of the consolidated VIE, and (2) the
liabilities of a consolidated VIE for which creditors do not have recourse to the general credit of the primary beneficiary.
See Note 22Variable Interest Entities for additional information.
Inventories (All Registrants)
Inventory is recorded at the lower of weighted average cost or net realizable value. Provisions are recorded for excess and obsolete inventory. Fossil fuel, materials and supplies, and emissions allowances are generally included in inventory when purchased. Fossil fuel and emissions allowances are expensed to purchased power and fuel expense when used or sold. Materials and supplies generally includes transmission, distribution and generating plant materials and are expensed to operating and maintenance or capitalized to property, plant and equipment, as appropriate, when installed or used.
Debt and Equity Security Investments (Exelon and Generation)
Debt Security Investments. Debt securities are reported at fair value and classified as available-for-sale securities. Unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, are reported in OCI.
Equity Security Investments without Readily Determinable Fair Values. Exelon has certain equity securities without readily determinable fair values. Exelon has elected to use the practicability exception to measure these investments, defined as cost adjusted for changes from observable transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer, less impairment. Changes in measurement are reported in earnings.
Equity Security Investments with Readily Determinable Fair Values. Equity securities held in the NDT funds are classified as equity securities with readily determinable fair values. Realized and unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, on Generation’s NDT funds associated with the Regulatory Agreement Units are included in regulatory liabilities at Exelon, ComEd and PECO, in Noncurrent payables to affiliates at Generation and in Noncurrent receivables from affiliates at ComEd and PECO. Realized and unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, on Generation’s NDT funds associated with the Non-Regulatory Agreement Units are included in earnings at Exelon and Generation. Exelon's and Generation's NDT funds are classified as current or noncurrent assets, depending on the timing of the decommissioning activities and income taxes on trust earnings. See Note 3Regulatory Matters for additional information regarding ComEd’s and PECO’s regulatory assets and liabilities and Note 17Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities and Note 9Asset Retirement Obligations for additional information regarding marketable securities held by NDT funds.
Property, Plant and Equipment (All Registrants)
Property, plant and equipment is recorded at original cost. Original cost includes construction-related direct labor and material costs. The Utility Registrants also include indirect construction costs including labor and related costs of departments associated with supporting construction activities. When appropriate, original cost also includes capitalized interest for Generation, Exelon Corporate and PHI and AFUDC for regulated property at the Utility Registrants. The cost of repairs and maintenance, including planned major maintenance activities and minor replacements of property, is charged to Operating and maintenance expense as incurred.
Third parties reimburse the Utility Registrants for all or a portion of expenditures for certain capital projects. Such contributions in aid of construction costs (CIAC) are recorded as a reduction to Property, plant and equipment, net. DOE SGIG and other funds reimbursed to the Utility Registrants have been accounted for as CIAC.
For Generation, upon retirement, the cost of property is generally charged to accumulated depreciation in accordance with the composite and group methods of depreciation. Upon replacement of an asset, the costs to remove the asset, net of salvage, are capitalized to gross plant when incurred as part of the cost of the newly-installed asset and recorded to depreciation expense over the life of the new asset. Removal costs, net of salvage, incurred for property that will not be replaced is charged to Operating and maintenance expense as incurred.
For the Utility Registrants, upon retirement, the cost of property, net of salvage, is charged to accumulated depreciation consistent with the composite and group methods of depreciation.  Depreciation expense at ComEd, BGE, Pepco, DPL and ACE includes the estimated cost of dismantling and removing plant from service upon retirement. Actual incurred removal costs are applied against a related regulatory liability or recorded to a regulatory asset if in excess of previously collected removal costs.  PECO’s removal costs are capitalized to accumulated
depreciation when incurred, and recorded to depreciation expense over the life of the new asset constructed consistent with PECO’s regulatory recovery method.
Capitalized Software. Certain costs, such as design, coding, and testing incurred during the application development stage of software projects that are internally developed or purchased for operational use are capitalized within Property, plant and equipment. Similar costs incurred for cloud-based solutions treated as service arrangements are capitalized within Other Current Assets and Deferred Debits and Other Assets. Such capitalized amounts are amortized ratably over the expected lives of the projects when they become operational, generally not to exceed five years. Certain other capitalized software costs are being amortized over longer lives based on the expected life or pursuant to prescribed regulatory requirements.
Capitalized Interest and AFUDC. During construction, Exelon and Generation capitalize the costs of debt funds used to finance non-regulated construction projects. Capitalization of debt funds is recorded as a charge to construction work in progress and as a non-cash credit to interest expense.
AFUDC is the cost, during the period of construction, of debt and equity funds used to finance construction projects for regulated operations. AFUDC is recorded to construction work in progress and as a non-cash credit to an allowance that is included in interest expense for debt-related funds and other income and deductions for equity-related funds. The rates used for capitalizing AFUDC are computed under a method prescribed by regulatory authorities.
See Note 7Property, Plant and Equipment, Note 8Jointly Owned Electric Utility Plant and Note 23Supplemental Financial Information for additional information regarding property, plant and equipment.
Nuclear Fuel (Exelon and Generation)
The cost of nuclear fuel is capitalized within Property, plant and equipment and charged to fuel expense using the unit-of-production method. Any potential future SNF disposal fees will be expensed through fuel expense. Additionally, certain on-site SNF storage costs are being reimbursed by the DOE since a DOE (or government-owned) long-term storage facility has not been completed. See Note 18Commitments and Contingencies for additional information regarding the cost of SNF storage and disposal.
Nuclear Outage Costs (Exelon and Generation)
Costs associated with nuclear outages, including planned major maintenance activities, are expensed to Operating and maintenance expense or capitalized to Property, plant and equipment (based on the nature of the activities) in the period incurred.
Depreciation and Amortization (All Registrants)
Except for the amortization of nuclear fuel, depreciation is generally recorded over the estimated service lives of property, plant and equipment on a straight-line basis using the group, composite or unitary methods of depreciation. The group approach is typically for groups of similar assets that have approximately the same useful lives and the composite approach is used for dissimilar assets that have different lives. Under both methods, a reporting entity depreciates the assets over the average life of the assets in the group. The Utility Registrants' depreciation expense includes the estimated cost of dismantling and removing plant from service upon retirement, which is consistent with each utility's regulatory recovery method. The estimated service lives for the Registrants are based on a combination of depreciation studies, historical retirements, site licenses and management estimates of operating costs and expected future energy market conditions. See Note 6Early Plant Retirements for additional information on the impacts of expected and potential early plant retirements.
See Note 7Property, Plant and Equipment for additional information regarding depreciation.
Amortization of regulatory assets and liabilities are recorded over the recovery or refund period specified in the related legislation or regulatory order or agreement. When the recovery or refund period is less than one year, amortization is recorded to the line item in which the deferred cost or income would have originally been recorded in the Utility Registrants’ Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income. Amortization of ComEd’s electric distribution and energy efficiency formula rate regulatory assets and the Utility Registrants' transmission formula rate regulatory assets is recorded to Operating revenues.
Amortization of income tax related regulatory assets and liabilities is generally recorded to Income tax expense. With the exception of the regulatory assets and liabilities discussed above, when the recovery period is more than one year, the amortization is generally recorded to Depreciation and amortization in the Registrants’ Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income.
See Note 3Regulatory Matters and Note 23Supplemental Financial Information for additional information regarding Generation’s nuclear fuel and ARC, and the amortization of the Utility Registrants' regulatory assets.
Asset Retirement Obligations (All Registrants)
Generation estimates and recognizes a liability for its legal obligation to perform asset retirement activities even though the timing and/or methods of settlement may be conditional on future events. Generation generally updates its nuclear decommissioning ARO annually, unless circumstances warrant more frequent updates, based on its annual evaluation of cost escalation factors and probabilities assigned to the multiple outcome scenarios within its probability-weighted discounted cash flow models. Generation’s multiple outcome scenarios are generally based on decommissioning cost studies which are updated, on a rotational basis, for each of Generation’s nuclear units at least every five years, unless circumstances warrant more frequent updates. AROs are accreted throughout each year to reflect the time value of money for these present value obligations through a charge to Operating and maintenance expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income for Non-Regulatory Agreement Units and through a decrease to regulatory liabilities for Regulatory Agreement Units or, in the case of the Utility Registrants' accretion, through an increase to regulatory assets. See Note 9 — Asset Retirement Obligations for additional information.
Guarantees (All Registrants)
The Registrants recognize, at the inception of a guarantee, a liability for the fair market value of the obligations they have undertaken by issuing the guarantee, including the ongoing obligation to perform over the term of the guarantee in the event that the specified triggering events or conditions occur.
The liability that is initially recognized at the inception of the guarantee is reduced or eliminated as the Registrants are released from risk under the guarantee. Depending on the nature of the guarantee, the release from risk of the Registrant may be recognized only upon the expiration or settlement of the guarantee or by a systematic and rational amortization method over the term of the guarantee. See Note 18 — Commitments and Contingencies for additional information.
Asset Impairments
Long-Lived Assets (All Registrants). The Registrants regularly monitor and evaluate the carrying value of long-lived assets and asset groups for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of those assets may not be recoverable. Indicators of impairment may include a deteriorating business climate, including, but not limited to, declines in energy prices, condition of the asset, specific regulatory disallowance, or plans to dispose of a long-lived asset significantly before the end of its useful life. The Registrants determine if long-lived assets and asset groups are impaired by comparing the undiscounted expected future cash flows to the carrying value. When the undiscounted cash flow analysis indicates a long-lived asset or asset group is not recoverable, the amount of the impairment loss is determined by measuring the excess of the carrying amount of the long-lived asset or asset group over its fair value. See Note 11 — Asset Impairments for additional information.
Goodwill (Exelon, ComEd and PHI). Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price paid over the estimated fair value of the net assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the acquisition of a business. Goodwill is not amortized, but is tested for impairment at least annually or on an interim basis if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying value. See Note 12 — Intangible Assets for additional information.
Equity Method Investments (Exelon and Generation). Exelon and Generation regularly monitor and evaluate equity method investments to determine whether they are impaired. An impairment is recorded when the investment has experienced a decline in value that is other-than-temporary in nature. Additionally, if the entity in which Generation holds an investment recognizes an impairment loss, Exelon and Generation would record their proportionate share of that impairment loss and evaluate the investment for an other-than-temporary decline in value.
Debt Security Investments (Exelon and Generation). Declines in the fair value of debt security investments below the cost basis are reviewed to determine if such decline is other-than-temporary. If the decline is determined to be other-than-temporary, the amount of the impairment loss is included in earnings.
Equity Security Investments (Exelon and Generation). Equity investments with readily determinable fair values are measured and recorded at fair value with any changes in fair value recorded through earnings. Investments in equity securities without readily determinable fair values are qualitatively assessed for impairment each reporting period. If it is determined that the equity security is impaired on the basis of the qualitative assessment, an impairment loss will be recognized in earnings to the amount by which the security’s carrying amount exceeds its fair value.
Derivative Financial Instruments (All Registrants)
All derivatives are recognized on the balance sheet at their fair value unless they qualify for certain exceptions, including the NPNS. For derivatives intended to serve as economic hedges, changes in fair value are recognized in earnings each period. Amounts classified in earnings are included in Operating revenue, Purchased power and fuel, Interest expense or Other, net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income based on the activity the transaction is economically hedging. While the majority of the derivatives serve as economic hedges, there are also derivatives entered into for proprietary trading purposes, subject to Exelon’s Risk Management Policy, and changes in the fair value of those derivatives are recorded in revenue in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income. At the Utility Registrants, changes in fair value may be recorded as a regulatory asset or liability if there is an ability to recover or return the associated costs. Cash inflows and outflows related to derivative instruments are included as a component of operating, investing or financing cash flows in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, depending on the nature of each transaction. On July 1, 2018, Exelon and Generation de-designated its fair value and cash flow hedges. See Note 3 — Regulatory Matters and Note 15 — Derivative Financial Instruments for additional information.
As part of Generation’s energy marketing business, Generation enters into contracts to buy and sell energy to meet the requirements of its customers. These contracts include short-term and long-term commitments to purchase and sell energy and energy-related products in the energy markets with the intent and ability to deliver or take delivery of the underlying physical commodity. NPNS are contracts where physical delivery is probable, quantities are expected to be used or sold in the normal course of business over a reasonable period of time and will not be financially settled. Revenues and expenses on derivative contracts that qualify, and are designated, as NPNS are recognized when the underlying physical transaction is completed. While these contracts are considered derivative financial instruments, they are not required to be recorded at fair value, but rather are recorded on an accrual basis of accounting. See Note 15 — Derivative Financial Instruments for additional information.
Retirement Benefits (All Registrants)
Exelon sponsors defined benefit pension plans and OPEB plans for essentially all employees.
The plan obligations and costs of providing benefits under these plans are measured as of December 31. The measurement involves various factors assumptions, and accounting elections. The impact of assumption changes or experience different from that assumed on pension and OPEB obligations is recognized over time rather than immediately recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income. Gains or losses in excess of the greater of ten percent of the projected benefit obligation or the MRV of plan assets are amortized over the expected average remaining service period of plan participants. See Note 14Retirement Benefits for additional information.
New Accounting Standards (All Registrants)
New Accounting Standards Adopted in 2019: In 2019, the Registrants adopted the following new authoritative accounting guidance issued by the FASB.
Cloud Computing Arrangements (Issued August 2018). Aligns the requirements for capitalizing costs incurred to implement a cloud computing arrangement with the internal-use software guidance. As a result, certain implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that are currently expensed as incurred will be deferred and amortized over the non-cancellable term of the arrangement plus any reasonably certain renewal periods. The standard was effective January 1, 2020 and can be applied using either a prospective or retrospective transition approach. A retrospective approach requires a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of
the beginning of the period of adoption. The Registrants early adopted this standard using a prospective approach as of January 1, 2019. The new guidance did not have a material impact on the Registrants' financial statements.
Leases (Issued February 2016). The Registrants applied the new guidance with the following transition practical expedients:
a "package of three" expedients that must be taken together and allow entities to (1) not reassess whether existing contracts contain leases, (2) carry forward the existing lease classification, and (3) not reassess initial direct costs associated with existing leases,
an implementation expedient which allows the requirements of the standard in the period of adoption with no restatement of prior periods, and
a land easement expedient which allows entities to not evaluate land easements under the new standard at adoption if they were not previously accounted for as leases.
The standard resulted in the Registrants recording ROU assets and lease liabilities for operating leases in their Consolidated Balance Sheets but did not have a material impact in the Registrants' Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income, Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity. The operating ROU assets and lease liabilities recognized upon adoption are materially consistent with the balances presented in the Combined Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, excluding 2019 expense and payment activity. See Note 10Leases for additional information.
New Accounting Standards Adopted as of January 1, 2020: The following new authoritative accounting guidance issued by the FASB was adopted as of January 1, 2020 and will be reflected by the Registrants in their consolidated financial statements beginning in the first quarter of 2020.
Impairment of Financial Instruments (Issued June 2016). Provides for a new Current Expected Credit Loss (CECL) impairment model for specified financial instruments including loans, trade receivables, debt securities classified as held-to-maturity investments and net investments in leases recognized by a lessor. Under the new guidance, on initial recognition and at each reporting period, an entity is required to recognize an allowance that reflects its current estimate of credit losses expected to be incurred over the life of the financial instrument based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The standard was effective January 1, 2020 and requires a modified retrospective transition approach through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. This standard is primarily applicable to Generation's and the Utility Registrants' trade accounts receivables balances. The guidance did not have a significant impact on the Registrants' consolidated financial statements.
Goodwill Impairment (Issued January 2017). Simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairment by removing Step 2 of the current test, which requires calculation of a hypothetical purchase price allocation. Under the revised guidance, goodwill impairment will be measured as the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill (currently Step 1 of the two-step impairment test). Entities will continue to have the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine if a quantitative impairment test is necessary. The standard was effective January 1, 2020 and must be applied on a prospective basis. Exelon, Generation, ComEd, PHI and DPL will apply the new guidance for their goodwill impairment assessments in 2020 and do not expect the updated guidance to have a material impact to their financial statements.