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Basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2013
Basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies |
Basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies | 1. Basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies General Atlantic Power owns and operates a diverse fleet of power generation assets in the United States and Canada. Our power generation projects sell electricity to utilities and other large commercial customers largely under long-term power purchase agreements ("PPAs"), which seek to minimize exposure to changes in commodity prices. As of September 30, 2013, our power generation projects in operation had an aggregate gross electric generation capacity of approximately 3,018 megawatts ("MW") in which our aggregate ownership interest is approximately 2,098 MW. These totals exclude our 40% interest in the Delta-Person generating station ("Delta-Person") for which we entered into an agreement to sell in December 2012. Our current portfolio consists of interests in twenty-nine operational power generation projects across eleven states in the United States and two provinces in Canada. We also own Ridgeline Energy Holdings, Inc. ("Ridgeline"), a wind and solar developer in Seattle, and we own a majority interest in Rollcast Energy Inc. ("Rollcast"), a biomass power plant developer in North Carolina for which we have initiated a plan to sell our interest. Twenty-three of our projects are wholly owned subsidiaries. Atlantic Power is a corporation established under the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada on June 18, 2004 and continued to the Province of British Columbia on July 8, 2005. Our shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "ATP" and on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "AT." Our registered office is located at 355 Burrard Street, Suite 1900, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 2G8 Canada and our headquarters is located at One Federal Street, 30th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, USA. Our telephone number in Boston is (617) 977-2400 and the address of our website is www.atlanticpower.com. Information contained on Atlantic Power's website or that can be accessed through its website is not incorporated into and does not constitute a part of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We have included our website address only as an inactive textual reference and do not intend it to be an active link to our website. We make available on our website, free of charge, our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Additionally, we make available on our website our Canadian securities filings, which are not incorporated by reference into our Exchange Act filings. The interim consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q have been prepared in accordance with the SEC regulations for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q. The following notes should be read in conjunction with the accounting policies and other disclosures as set forth in the notes to our financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. In our opinion, the accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements present fairly our consolidated financial position as of September 30, 2013, the results of operations and comprehensive income (loss) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, and our cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals and other adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the year. Actual results could differ from those estimates. During the periods presented, we have made a number of estimates and valuation assumptions, including the fair values of acquired assets, the useful lives and recoverability of property, plant and equipment, intangible assets and liabilities related to PPAs and fuel supply agreements, the recoverability of equity investments, the recoverability of deferred tax assets, tax provisions, the valuation of shares associated with our Long-Term Incentive Plan ("LTIP") and the fair value of financial instruments and derivatives. In addition, estimates are used to test long-lived assets and goodwill for impairment and to determine the fair value of impaired assets. These estimates and valuation assumptions are based on present conditions and our planned course of action, as well as assumptions about future business and economic conditions. See "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. As better information becomes available or actual amounts are determinable, the recorded estimates are revised. Should the underlying valuation assumptions and estimates change, the recorded amounts could change by a material amount. Recently issued accounting standards Adopted In July 2012, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued changes to the testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment, similar to the goodwill changes issued in September 2011. These changes provide an entity the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not (more than 50%) that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset is less than its carrying amount. Such qualitative factors may include the following: macroeconomic conditions; industry and market considerations; cost factors; overall financial performance; and other relevant entity-specific events. If an entity elects to perform a qualitative assessment and determines that an impairment is more likely than not, the entity is then required to perform the existing two-step quantitative impairment test, otherwise no further analysis is required. An entity also may elect not to perform the qualitative assessment and, instead, proceed directly to the two-step quantitative impairment test. These changes became effective for us for any indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment test performed on January 1, 2013 or later. The adoption of these changes did not impact the consolidated financial statements. On January 1, 2012, we adopted changes issued by the FASB to conform existing guidance regarding fair value measurement and disclosure between U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and International Financial Reporting Standards. These changes both clarify the FASB's intent about the application of existing fair value measurement and disclosure requirements and amend certain principles or requirements for measuring fair value or for disclosing information about fair value measurements. The clarifying changes relate to the application of the highest and best use and valuation premise concepts, measuring the fair value of an instrument classified in a reporting entity's shareholders' equity, and disclosure of quantitative information about unobservable inputs used for Level 3 fair value measurements. The amendments relate to measuring the fair value of financial instruments that are managed within a portfolio; application of premiums and discounts in a fair value measurement; and additional disclosures concerning the valuation processes used and sensitivity of the fair value measurement to changes in unobservable inputs for those items categorized as Level 3, a reporting entity's use of a nonfinancial asset in a way that differs from the asset's highest and best use, and the categorization by level in the fair value hierarchy for items required to be measured at fair value for disclosure purposes only. The adoption of these changes had no impact on the consolidated financial statements. In December 2011, the FASB issued changes to the disclosure of offsetting assets and liabilities. These changes require an entity to disclose both gross information and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of financial position and instruments and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting arrangement. The enhanced disclosures will enable users of an entity's financial statements to understand and evaluate the effect or potential effect of master netting arrangements on an entity's financial position, including the effect or potential effect of rights of setoff associated with certain financial instruments and derivative instruments. These changes became effective for us on January 1, 2013. Other than the additional disclosure requirements, the adoption of these changes did not impact the consolidated financial statements. On January 1, 2013, we adopted changes issued by the FASB to the reporting of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income. These changes require an entity to report the effect of significant reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the respective line items in net income if the amount being reclassified is required to be reclassified in its entirety to net income. For other amounts that are not required to be reclassified in their entirety to net income in the same reporting period, an entity is required to cross-reference other disclosures that provide additional detail about those amounts. These requirements are to be applied to each component of accumulated other comprehensive income. Other than the additional disclosure requirements (see below), the adoption of these changes had no impact on the consolidated financial statements. The changes in accumulated other comprehensive loss by component were as follows:
|  | Three months ended September 30, |
--- | --- | --- | ---
|  | 2013 |  | 2012 |
Foreign currency translation |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance at beginning of period |  | $ | (17.4 | ) | $ | (0.1 | )
Other comprehensive loss: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Foreign currency translation adjustments(1) |  | $ | 10.7 |  |  | 19.3 |
Balance at end of period |  | $ | (6.7 | ) | $ | 19.2 |
Cash flow hedges |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance at beginning of period |  | $ | (0.4 | ) | $ | (1.5 | )
Other comprehensive income (loss): |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net change from periodic revaluations |  |  | (0.2 | ) |  | (0.5 | )
Tax benefit |  |  | 0.1 |  |  | 0.2 |
Total Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications, net of tax |  |  | (0.1 | ) |  | (0.3 | )
Net amount reclassified to earnings: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate swaps(2) |  |  | 0.3 |  |  | 0.4 |
Fuel commodity swaps(3) |  |  | — |  |  | (0.3 | )
Sub-total |  |  | 0.3 |  |  | 0.1 |
Tax expense(4) |  |  | (0.1 | ) |  | — |
Total amount reclassified from Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax(5) |  |  | 0.2 |  |  | 0.1 |
Total Other comprehensive income (loss) |  |  | 0.1 |  |  | (0.2 | )
Balance at end of period |  |  | (0.3 | ) |  | (1.7 | )
|  | Nine months ended September 30, |
--- | --- | --- | ---
|  | 2013 |  | 2012 |
Foreign currency translation |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance at beginning of period |  | $ | 12.7 |  | $ | (3.4 | )
Other comprehensive loss: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Foreign currency translation adjustments(1) |  |  | (19.3 | ) |  | 22.6 |
Balance at end of period |  | $ | (6.6 | ) | $ | 19.2 |
Cash flow hedges |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance at beginning of period |  | $ | (1.4 | ) | $ | (1.4 | )
Other comprehensive loss: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net change from periodic revaluations |  |  | 0.9 |  |  | (1.4 | )
Tax (expense) benefit |  |  | (0.4 | ) |  | 0.6 |
Total Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax |  |  | 0.5 |  |  | (0.8 | )
Net amount reclassified to earnings: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate swaps(2) |  |  | 1.2 |  |  | 1.2 |
Fuel commodity swaps(3) |  |  | (0.2 | ) |  | (0.4 | )
Sub-total |  |  | 1.0 |  |  | 0.8 |
Tax expense(4) |  |  | (0.4 | ) |  | (0.3 | )
Total amount reclassified from Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax(5) |  |  | 0.6 |  |  | 0.5 |
Total Other comprehensive income (loss) |  |  | 1.1 |  |  | (0.3 | )
Balance at end of period |  |  | (0.3 | ) |  | (1.7 | )
(1) In all periods presented, there were no tax impacts related to rate changes and no amounts were reclassified to earnings. (2) This amount was included in Interest, net on the accompanying Statement of Consolidated Operations. (3) These amounts were included in Fuel on the accompanying Statement of Consolidated Operations. (4) These amounts were included in Income tax expense (benefit) on the accompanying Statement of Consolidated Operations. (5) A positive amount indicates a corresponding charge to earnings and a negative amount indicates a corresponding benefit to earnings. These amounts were reflected on the accompanying Statement of Consolidated Operations in the line items indicated in footnotes 1 through 4. Issued In July 2013, the FASB issued changes to the presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists. These changes require an entity to present an unrecognized tax benefit as a liability in the financial statements if (i) a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date under the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction to settle any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position, or (ii) the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction does not require the entity to use, and the entity does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset to settle any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position. Otherwise, an unrecognized tax benefit is required to be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward. Previously, there was diversity in practice as no explicit guidance existed. These changes become effective for us on January 1, 2014. Management has determined that the adoption of these changes will not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. In February 2013, the FASB issued changes to the accounting for obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements. These changes require an entity to measure such obligations for which the total amount of the obligation is fixed at the reporting date as the sum of (i) the amount the reporting entity agreed to pay on the basis of its arrangement among its co- obligors, and (ii) any additional amount the reporting entity expects to pay on behalf of its co-obligors. An entity will also be required to disclose the nature and amount of the obligation as well as other information about those obligations. Examples of obligations subject to these requirements are debt arrangements and settled litigation and judicial rulings. These changes become effective for us on January 1, 2014. We have determined that the adoption of these changes will not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. In March 2013, the FASB issued changes to a parent entity's accounting for the cumulative translation adjustment upon derecognition of certain subsidiaries or groups of assets within a foreign entity or of an investment in a foreign entity. A parent entity is required to release any related cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment from accumulated other comprehensive income into net income in the following circumstances: (i) a parent entity ceases to have a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets that is a business within a foreign entity if the sale or transfer results in the complete or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity in which the subsidiary or group of assets had resided; (ii) a partial sale of an equity method investment that is a foreign entity; (iii) a partial sale of an equity method investment that is not a foreign entity whereby the partial sale represents a complete or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity that held the equity method investment; and (iv) the sale of an investment in a foreign entity. These changes become effective for us on January 1, 2014. We have determined that the adoption of these changes will not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure, and significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. May be provided in more than one note to the financial statements, as long as users are provided with an understanding of (1) the significant judgments and assumptions made by an enterprise in determining whether it must consolidate a VIE and/or disclose information about its involvement with a VIE, (2) the nature of restrictions on a consolidated VIE's assets reported by an enterprise in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets, (3) the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with an enterprise's involvement with the VIE, and (4) how an enterprise's involvement with the VIE affects the enterprise's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. Describes procedure if disclosures are provided in more than one note to the financial statements. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6003-108592 + Details
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