Asset Retirement Obligations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Asset Retirement Obligations

15. Asset Retirement Obligations

TECO Energy accounts for AROs under the applicable accounting standards. An ARO for a long-lived asset is recognized at fair value at inception of the obligation if there is a legal obligation under an existing or enacted law or statute, a written or oral contract or by legal construction under the doctrine of promissory estoppel. Retirement obligations are recognized only if the legal obligation exists in connection with or as a result of the permanent retirement, abandonment or sale of a long-lived asset.

When the liability is initially recorded, the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset is correspondingly increased. Over time, the liability is accreted to its estimated future value. The corresponding amount capitalized at inception is depreciated over the remaining useful life of the asset. The liability must be revalued each period based on current market prices.

TECO Energy has recognized AROs for reclamation and site restoration obligations principally associated with coal mining, storage and transfer facilities at TECO Coal. The majority of obligations arise from environmental remediation and restoration activities for coal-related operations.

For the years ended Dec. 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, TECO Energy recognized $1.4 million annually of accretion expense associated with AROs in “Depreciation and amortization” on the Consolidated Statements of Income. For the year ended Dec. 31, 2012, $29.1 million of liabilities settled resulted primarily from asbestos abatement and other dismantling at the generating stations at Tampa Electric.

Reconciliation of beginning and ending carrying amount of asset retirement obligations:
	Dec. 31,
(millions)	2012	2011
Beginning balance	$53.8	$55.7
Additional liabilities	0.7	0.8
Liabilities settled	(29.1)	(3.6)
Accretion expense	1.4	1.4
Revisions to estimated cash flows	0.0	(2.2)
Other (1)	1.8	1.7
Ending balance	$28.6	$53.8
(1)Accretion recorded as a deferred regulatory asset.

As regulated utilities, Tampa Electric and PGS must file depreciation and dismantlement studies periodically and receive approval from the FPSC before implementing new depreciation rates. Included in approved depreciation rates is either an implicit net salvage factor or a cost of removal factor, expressed as a percentage. The net salvage factor is principally comprised of two components - a salvage factor and a cost of removal or dismantlement factor. The company uses current cost of removal or dismantlement factors as part of the estimation method to approximate the amount of cost of removal in accumulated depreciation.

For Tampa Electric and PGS, the original cost of utility plant retired or otherwise disposed of and the cost of removal or dismantlement, less salvage value, is charged to accumulated depreciation and the accumulated cost of removal reserve reported as a regulatory liability, respectively.

TAMPA ELECTRIC CO [Member]

Asset Retirement Obligations

13. Asset Retirement Obligations

TEC accounts for AROs under the applicable accounting standards. An ARO for a long-lived asset is recognized at fair value at inception of the obligation if there is a legal obligation under an existing or enacted law or statute, a written or oral contract or by legal construction under the doctrine of promissory estoppel. Retirement obligations are recognized only if the legal obligation exists in connection with or as a result of the permanent retirement, abandonment or sale of a long-lived asset.

When the liability is initially recorded, the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset is correspondingly increased. Over time, the liability is accreted to its estimated future value. The corresponding amount capitalized at inception is depreciated over the remaining useful life of the asset. The liability must be revalued each period based on current market prices.

For the year ended Dec. 31, 2012, $27.6 million of liabilities settled resulted primarily from asbestos abatement and other dismantling at the generating stations at Tampa Electric.

Reconciliation of beginning and ending carrying amount of asset retirement obligations:
	Dec. 31,
(millions)	2012		2011
Beginning balance	$	30.8	$	31.3
Liabilities settled		(27.6)		0.0
Revisions to estimated cash flows		0.0		(2.2)
Other (1)		1.8		1.7
Ending balance	$	5.0	$	30.8

(1) Accretion recorded as a deferred regulatory asset.

As regulated utilities, Tampa Electric and PGS must file depreciation and dismantlement studies periodically and receive approval from the FPSC before implementing new depreciation rates. Included in approved depreciation rates is either an implicit net salvage factor or a cost of removal factor, expressed as a percentage. The net salvage factor is principally comprised of two components - a salvage factor and a cost of removal or dismantlement factor. TEC uses current cost of removal or dismantlement factors as part of the estimation method to approximate the amount of cost of removal in accumulated depreciation.

For Tampa Electric and PGS, the original cost of utility plant retired or otherwise disposed of and the cost of removal or dismantlement, less salvage value, is charged to accumulated depreciation and the accumulated cost of removal reserve reported as a regulatory liability, respectively.