Fair Value Measurements (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

The following table presents, by level within the fair value hierarchy, certain of our significant financial assets and liabilities. The carrying values of short-term financial assets that have variable interest rates (advances to affiliate), accounts receivable and accounts payable approximate fair value because of the short-term nature of these instruments. Therefore, these assets and liabilities are not presented in the following table.


					Fair Value Measurements Using
	Carrying Amount		Fair Value		Quoted Prices In Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
					(Millions)
Assets (liabilities) at December 31, 2021:
Measured on a recurring basis:
ARO Trust investments	$	260.5	$	260.5	$	260.5	$	—	$	—

Additional disclosures:
Long-term debt, including current portion	(5,294.6)		(6,849.8)		—		(6,849.8)		—

Assets (liabilities) at December 31, 2020:
Measured on a recurring basis:
ARO Trust investments	$	235.5	$	235.5	$	235.5	$	—	$	—

Additional disclosures:
Long-term debt, including current portion	(5,239.8)		(6,949.0)		—		(6,949.0)		—

Fair Value Methods

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instruments for which it is practicable to estimate that value:

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis

ARO Trust investments: We deposit a portion of our collected rates, pursuant to the terms of the Docket No. RP18-1126 rate case settlement, into the ARO Trust which is specifically designated to fund future AROs. The ARO Trust invests in a portfolio of actively traded mutual funds that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis based on quoted prices in an active market and are reported in Other Assets-Other on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet. However, both realized and unrealized gains and losses are ultimately recorded as regulatory assets or liabilities. See Note 6 – ARO Trust for more information.

Long-term debt, including current portion: The disclosed fair value of our long-term debt is determined primarily by a market approach using broker quoted indicative period-end bond prices. The quoted prices are based on observable transactions in less active markets for our debt or similar instruments. The fair values of the financing obligations associated with our Dalton, Atlantic Sunrise and Leidy South projects, which are included within long-term debt, were determined using an income approach (see Note 5 – Debt and Financing Arrangements).

Nonrecurring fair value measurementsApprovals required for the Northeast Supply Enhancement project from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection have been denied and we have not refiled at this time. Beginning in May 2020, we discontinued capitalization of costs related to this project. Considering that the customer precedent agreements and FERC certificate for the project remain in effect, we had previously concluded that the probability of completing the project was sufficient to not require impairment. However, developments in the political and regulatory environments caused us to slightly lower that assessed probability such that the capitalized project costs required impairment in 2020. As of December 31, 2020, the estimated fair value of the materials within the capitalized project costs were determined to be $41.5 million and considered other internal uses and salvage values for the Property, plant, and equipment, net, a Level 3 measurement. The remaining capitalized costs were determined to have no fair value. As a result we recognized an impairment charge of $170.1 million during the fourth quarter of 2020.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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