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Summary of Significant Accounting and Reporting Policies | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Summary of Significant Accounting and Reporting Policies | Summary of Significant Accounting and Reporting Policies FPL 2021 Base Rate Proceeding - On March 12, 2021, FPL filed a petition with the FPSC requesting, among other things, approval of a four-year rate plan that would begin in January 2022 (proposed four-year rate plan) replacing the current base rate settlement agreement that has been in place since 2017 (2016 rate agreement). As Gulf Power Company legally merged into FPL on January 1, 2021, the proposed four-year rate plan set forth in the petition includes the total revenue requirements of the combined utility system, reflecting the legal and operational consolidation of Gulf Power Company into FPL. The proposed four-year rate plan consists of, among other things: (i) an increase to base annual revenue requirements of approximately $1,108 million effective January 2022; (ii) a subsequent increase of approximately $607 million effective January 2023; (iii) a SoBRA mechanism to recover, subject to FPSC review, the revenue requirements of up to 894 MW of solar projects in 2024 and up to 894 MW in 2025 (preliminary estimate is that it would result in base rate adjustments of approximately $140 million in 2024 and $140 million in 2025 assuming the full amount of new solar capacity allowed under the proposed SoBRA mechanism was constructed). The plan also requests the continuation of the reserve surplus amortization mechanism and the storm cost recovery mechanism that are part of the 2016 rate agreement. Under this proposed four-year rate plan, FPL commits that if its requested base rate adjustments are approved, it will not request additional general base rate increases that would be effective before January 2026. FPL’s requested increases are based on a regulatory ROE of 11.50%, which includes a 50 basis point incentive for superior performance. In the event the FPSC declines to approve FPL’s proposed four-year rate plan, FPL's petition includes requests for approval of a two-year combined utility rate plan or a two-year separate utility rate plan. Testimony and exhibits of FPL witnesses, minimum filing requirements supporting the 2022 and 2023 general base rate increases and charges and other supporting schedules were also filed with the FPSC. Hearings on the base rate proceeding are scheduled during the third quarter of 2021 and a final decision is expected in the fourth quarter of 2021. Regulatory Assets of Gulf Power - In March 2021, the FPSC approved a request to establish regulatory assets of approximately $462 million for the unrecovered investment in Plant Crist and to defer the recovery of the regulatory assets until base rates are reset in the general base rate proceeding discussed above. The amount and recovery period are subject to FPSC prudence review. In March 2021, the FPSC approved a request to begin recovering eligible storm restoration costs, which are currently estimated at approximately $187 million, related to Hurricane Sally through an interim surcharge effective March 2, 2021, with the amount collected subject to refund based on an FPSC prudence review. Restricted Cash - At March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, NEE had approximately $703 million ($94 million for FPL) and $441 million ($135 million for FPL), respectively, of restricted cash, of which approximately $669 million ($84 million for FPL) and $374 million ($93 million for FPL), respectively, is included in current other assets and the remaining balance is included in noncurrent other assets on NEE's and FPL's condensed consolidated balance sheets. Restricted cash is primarily related to debt service payments, bond proceeds held for construction at FPL and margin cash collateral requirements. In addition, where offsetting positions exist, restricted cash related to margin cash collateral of $60 million is netted against derivative assets and $45 million is netted against derivative liabilities at March 31, 2021 and $183 million is netted against derivative assets and $136 million is netted against derivative liabilities at December 31, 2020. See Note 2. Disposal of a Business - In February 2020, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources completed the sale of its ownership interest in two solar generation facilities located in Spain with a total generating capacity of 99.8 MW, which resulted in net cash proceeds of approximately €111 million (approximately $121 million). In connection with the sale, a gain of approximately $260 million (pretax and after tax) was recorded in NEE's condensed consolidated statements of income for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and is included in gains on disposal of businesses/assets - net. Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and Bad Debt - FPL maintains an accumulated provision for uncollectible customer accounts receivable that is estimated using a percentage, derived from historical revenue and write-off trends, of the previous four months of revenue and includes estimates of credit and other losses based on both current events and forecasts. NEER regularly reviews collectibility of its receivables and establishes a provision for losses estimated as a percentage of accounts receivable based on the historical bad debt write-off trends for its retail electricity provider operations, as well as includes estimates for credit and other losses based on both current events and forecasts. When necessary, NEER uses the specific identification method for all other receivables. Credit Losses - NEE's credit department monitors current and forward credit exposure to counterparties and their affiliates. Prospective and existing customers are reviewed for creditworthiness based on established standards and credit quality indicators. Credit quality indicators and standards that are closely monitored include credit ratings, certain financial ratios and delinquency trends which are based off the latest available information. Customers not meeting minimum standards provide various credit enhancements or secured payment terms, such as letters of credit, the posting of margin cash collateral or use of master netting arrangements. For the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, NEE recorded approximately $152 million and $11 million of bad debt expense, including credit losses, which are included in other operations and maintenance in NEE’s condensed consolidated statements of income. The amount for the three months ended March 31, 2021 primarily relates to credit losses at NEER driven by the operational and energy market impacts of severe prolonged winter weather in Texas in February 2021. The estimate for credit losses related to the impacts of the weather event was developed based on NEE’s assessment of the ultimate collectability of these receivables under potential workout scenarios. Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments - Effective January 1, 2020, NEE and FPL adopted an accounting standards update that provides for a new methodology, the current expected credit loss (CECL) model, to account for credit losses for certain financial assets measured at amortized cost. On January 1, 2020, NEE recorded a reduction to retained earnings of approximately $11 million representing the cumulative effect of adopting the new standards update, which primarily related to the impact of applying the CECL model to NEER's receivables. The impact of adopting the new standards update was not material to FPL. See also Note 3 - Special Use Funds. Property Plant and Equipment - Property, plant and equipment consists of the following:
|  | NEE |  | FPL
|  | March 31, 2021 |  | December 31, 2020 |  | March 31, 2021 |  | December 31, 2020
|  | (millions)
Electric plant in service and other property |  | $ | 107,395 |  |  | $ | 105,860 |  |  | $ | 64,018 |  |  | $ | 62,963 |
Nuclear fuel |  | 1,657 |  |  | 1,604 |  |  | 1,178 |  |  | 1,143 |
Construction work in progress |  | 12,192 |  |  | 10,639 |  |  | 5,561 |  |  | 5,361 |
Property, plant and equipment, gross |  | 121,244 |  |  | 118,103 |  |  | 70,757 |  |  | 69,467 |
Accumulated depreciation and amortization |  | (26,940) |  |  | (26,300) |  |  | (15,839) |  |  | (15,588) |
Property, plant and equipment – net |  | $ | 94,304 |  |  | $ | 91,803 |  |  | $ | 54,918 |  |  | $ | 53,879 |

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- Definition The entire disclosure for all significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 + Details
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