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Asset Retirement Obligations | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2015
Asset Retirement Obligation [Abstract] |
Asset Retirement Obligations | ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS COAL COMBUSTION RESIDUALS Duke Energy records an asset retirement obligation (ARO) when it has a legal obligation to incur retirement costs associated with the retirement of a long-lived asset and the obligation can be reasonably estimated. On April 17, 2015, the EPA published in the Federal Register a rule to regulate the disposal of CCR from electric utilities as solid waste. The federal regulation, which became effective in October 2015, classifies CCR as nonhazardous waste under Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and allows beneficial use of CCRs with some restrictions. The regulation applies to all new and existing landfills, new and existing surface impoundments receiving CCR and existing surface impoundments that are no longer receiving CCR but contain liquid located at stations currently generating electricity (regardless of fuel source). The rule establishes requirements regarding landfill design, structural integrity design and assessment criteria for surface impoundments, groundwater monitoring and protection procedures and other operational and reporting procedures to ensure the safe disposal and management of CCR. In addition to the requirements of the federal CCR regulation, CCR landfills and surface impoundments will continue to be independently regulated by most states. As a result of the EPA rule, Duke Energy Carolinas, Progress Energy, Duke Energy Progress, Duke Energy Ohio and Duke Energy Indiana recorded additional asset retirement obligation amounts during the second quarter of 2015. Cost recovery is believed to be probable and will be pursued through normal ratemaking processes. See footnote 5 for additional information. The ARO amount recorded that relates to the EPA rule was based upon estimated closure costs for ash basins at seven plants located in South Carolina, Indiana and Kentucky. The amount recorded represents the discounted cash flows for estimated closure costs of these ash basins based upon probability weightings of the potential closure methods as evaluated on a site-by-site basis. Actual costs to be incurred will be dependent upon factors that vary from site to site. The most significant factors are the method and time frame of closure at the individual sites. Closure methods considered include removing the water from the basins and capping the ash with a synthetic barrier, excavating and relocating the ash to a lined structural fill or lined landfill, or recycling the ash for concrete or some other beneficial use. The ultimate method and timetable for closure will be in compliance with standards set by the EPA rule and any state regulations. The ARO amount will be adjusted as additional information is gained through the closure process, including acceptance and approval of compliance approaches which may change management assumptions, and may result in a material change to the balance. The following table presents changes in the liability associated with asset retirement obligations for Duke Energy and the Subsidiary Registrants.
|  |  | Duke |  |  |  |  | Duke |  |  | Duke |  |  | Duke |  |  | Duke |
| Duke |  |  | Energy |  |  | Progress |  |  | Energy |  |  | Energy |  |  | Energy |  |  | Energy |
(in millions) | Energy |  |  | Carolinas |  |  | Energy |  |  | Progress |  |  | Florida |  |  | Ohio |  |  | Indiana |
Balance at December 31, 2014(a) | $ | 8,466 |  |  | $ | 3,428 |  |  | $ | 4,711 |  |  | $ | 3,905 |  |  | $ | 806 |  |  | $ | 27 |  |  | $ | 32 |
Acquisitions(b) | 213 |  |  | — |  |  | 204 |  |  | 204 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Accretion expense(c) | 278 |  |  | 123 |  |  | 150 |  |  | 123 |  |  | 26 |  |  | 2 |  |  | 11 |
Liabilities settled(d) | (274 | ) |  | (107 | ) |  | (153 | ) |  | (53 | ) |  | (100 | ) |  | (2 | ) |  | (12 | )
Liabilities incurred in the current year(e) | 983 |  |  | 178 |  |  | 270 |  |  | 270 |  |  | — |  |  | 116 |  |  | 418 |
Revisions in estimates of cash flows | 47 |  |  | (23 | ) |  | 40 |  |  | 40 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Balance at September 30, 2015 | $ | 9,713 |  |  | $ | 3,599 |  |  | $ | 5,222 |  |  | $ | 4,489 |  |  | $ | 732 |  |  | $ | 143 |  |  | $ | 449 |
(a) | Primarily relates to decommissioning nuclear power facilities, closure of ash basins in North Carolina and South Carolina, asbestos removal, closure of landfills at fossil generation facilities, retirement of natural gas mains and removal of renewable energy generation assets.
(b) | Primarily relates to the NCEMPA acquisition. See footnote 2 for additional information.
(c) | For the nine months ended September 30, 2015, substantially all accretion expense relates to previously established asset retirement obligations from Duke Energy's regulated electric operations and has been deferred in accordance with regulatory accounting treatment.
(d) | Primarily relates to ash basin closures in North Carolina and South Carolina and nuclear decommissioning of Crystal River Unit 3 in Florida.
(e) | Primarily relates to amounts recorded in the second quarter of 2015 as a result of the EPA's rule for disposal of CCR as solid waste.
Asset retirement costs associated with the asset retirement obligations for operating plants and retired plants are included in Net property, plant and equipment, and Regulatory assets, respectively, on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The following table summarizes the associated long-lived assets related to ARO liabilities incurred during the nine months ended September 30, 2015.
|  | September 30, 2015
|  |  |  | Duke |  |  |  |  | Duke |  |  | Duke |  |  | Duke |
|  | Duke |  |  | Energy |  |  | Progress |  |  | Energy |  |  | Energy |  |  | Energy |
(in millions) |  | Energy |  |  | Carolinas |  |  | Energy |  |  | Progress |  |  | Ohio |  |  | Indiana |
Net property, plant and equipment |  | $ | 535 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 116 |  |  | $ | 418 |
Regulatory Assets |  | 448 |  |  | 178 |  |  | 270 |  |  | 270 |  |  | — |  |  | — |

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- Definition The entire disclosure for an asset retirement obligation and the associated long-lived asset. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement from service of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7569-110849 + Details
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