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Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions | 6 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2020
Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions [Line Items] |
Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions | Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions Nuclear In April 2019, PSEG Power’s Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek nuclear plants were awarded ZECs by the BPU. Pursuant to a process established by the BPU, ZECs are purchased from selected nuclear plants and recovered through a non-bypassable distribution charge in the amount of $0.004 per kilowatt-hour (KWh) used (which is equivalent to approximately $10 per megawatt hour (MWh) generated in payments to selected nuclear plants (ZEC payment)). These nuclear plants are expected to receive ZEC revenue for approximately three years, through May 2022, and will be obligated to maintain operations during that period, subject to exceptions specified in the ZEC legislation. PSEG Power has and will continue to recognize revenue monthly as the nuclear plants generate electricity and satisfy their performance obligations. The ZEC payment may be adjusted by the BPU (a) at any time to offset environmental or fuel diversity payments that a selected nuclear plant may receive from another source or (b) at certain times specified in the ZEC legislation if the BPU determines that the purposes of the ZEC legislation can be achieved through a reduced charge that will nonetheless be sufficient to achieve the state’s air quality and other environmental objectives by preventing the retirement of nuclear plants. For instance, the New Jersey Rate Counsel, in written comments filed with the BPU, has advocated for the BPU to offset market benefits resulting from New Jersey’s rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative from the ZEC payment. PSEG intends to vigorously defend against these arguments. Due to its preliminary nature, PSEG cannot predict the outcome of this matter. The BPU’s decision awarding ZECs has been appealed by the New Jersey Rate Counsel. PSEG cannot predict the outcome of this matter. The BPU issued an order in May 2020 outlining the process for applying for ZECs for the next three-year eligibility period starting in June 2022 and is expected to issue a decision regarding any ZEC applications and any change in the amount of future ZEC payments by April 2021. PSEG Power is not aware of any changes that would materially affect its ability to establish eligibility to be awarded ZECs under the application requirements that resulted in the award of ZECs to Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek in April 2019. However, PSEG Power cannot predict whether other plants besides Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek will apply for ZECs in the future. In the event that (i) the ZEC program is overturned or otherwise materially adversely modified through legal process, (ii) the terms and conditions of the subsequent period under the ZEC program, including the amount of ZEC payments that may be awarded, materially differ from those of the current ZEC period, or (iii) any of the Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek plants is not awarded ZEC payments by the BPU and does not otherwise experience a material financial change, PSEG Power will take all necessary steps to retire all of these plants subsequent to the initial ZEC period at or prior to a scheduled refueling outage. Alternatively, if all of the Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek plants are selected to continue to receive ZEC payments but the financial condition of the plants is materially adversely impacted by changes in commodity prices, FERC’s changes to the capacity market construct (absent sufficient capacity revenues provided under a program approved by the BPU in accordance with a FERC-authorized capacity mechanism), or, in the case of the Salem nuclear plants, decisions by the EPA and state environmental regulators regarding the implementation of Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act and related state regulations, or other factors, PSEG Power would still take all necessary steps to retire all of these plants. The costs and accounting charges associated with any such retirement, which may include, among other things, accelerated Depreciation and Amortization Expense, impairment charges, potential penalties associated with the early termination of capacity obligations and fuel contracts, accelerated asset retirement costs, severance costs, environmental remediation costs and, in certain circumstances potential additional funding of the Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Fund, would be material to both PSEG and PSEG Power. Non-Nuclear On July 31, 2020, PSEG announced that it is exploring strategic alternatives for PSEG Power’s non-nuclear generating fleet, which includes more than 6,750 MW of fossil generation located in New Jersey, Connecticut, New York and Maryland as well as the 467 MW Solar Source portfolio located in various states. PSEG intends to retain ownership of PSEG Power’s existing nuclear fleet. While the company is in the preliminary stage of this evaluation, marketing a potential transaction in one or a series of steps, anticipated to launch in the fourth quarter of this year, is expected to be completed sometime in 2021. There is no assurance that the strategic review will result in a sale or other disposition of all or any portion of these assets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all. Any transaction would be subject to market conditions and customary closing conditions, including the receipt of all required regulatory approvals. A change in the held for use classification of the remaining fossil and solar units may have a material adverse impact on PSEG’s and PSEG Power’s future financial results. In February 2020, PSEG Fossil LLC (Fossil), a direct wholly owned subsidiary of PSEG Power, entered into a Purchase Agreement with Yards Creek Energy, LLC (Yards Creek Energy), an affiliate of LS Power, relating to the sale by Fossil of its ownership interests in the Yards Creek generation facility and related assets, including the assumption by Yards Creek Energy of related liabilities. The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2020, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. As a result, $29 million and $28 million of Property, Plant and Equipment have been classified as Assets Held for Sale on PSEG’s and PSEG Power’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. In September 2019, PSEG Power completed the sale of its ownership interests in the Keystone and Conemaugh generation plants and related assets and liabilities. PSEG Power recorded a pre-tax loss on disposition of approximately $400 million in the second quarter of 2019 as the sale price was less than book value.
PSEG Power [Member] |
Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions [Line Items] |
Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions | Early Plant Retirements/Asset Dispositions Nuclear In April 2019, PSEG Power’s Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek nuclear plants were awarded ZECs by the BPU. Pursuant to a process established by the BPU, ZECs are purchased from selected nuclear plants and recovered through a non-bypassable distribution charge in the amount of $0.004 per kilowatt-hour (KWh) used (which is equivalent to approximately $10 per megawatt hour (MWh) generated in payments to selected nuclear plants (ZEC payment)). These nuclear plants are expected to receive ZEC revenue for approximately three years, through May 2022, and will be obligated to maintain operations during that period, subject to exceptions specified in the ZEC legislation. PSEG Power has and will continue to recognize revenue monthly as the nuclear plants generate electricity and satisfy their performance obligations. The ZEC payment may be adjusted by the BPU (a) at any time to offset environmental or fuel diversity payments that a selected nuclear plant may receive from another source or (b) at certain times specified in the ZEC legislation if the BPU determines that the purposes of the ZEC legislation can be achieved through a reduced charge that will nonetheless be sufficient to achieve the state’s air quality and other environmental objectives by preventing the retirement of nuclear plants. For instance, the New Jersey Rate Counsel, in written comments filed with the BPU, has advocated for the BPU to offset market benefits resulting from New Jersey’s rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative from the ZEC payment. PSEG intends to vigorously defend against these arguments. Due to its preliminary nature, PSEG cannot predict the outcome of this matter. The BPU’s decision awarding ZECs has been appealed by the New Jersey Rate Counsel. PSEG cannot predict the outcome of this matter. The BPU issued an order in May 2020 outlining the process for applying for ZECs for the next three-year eligibility period starting in June 2022 and is expected to issue a decision regarding any ZEC applications and any change in the amount of future ZEC payments by April 2021. PSEG Power is not aware of any changes that would materially affect its ability to establish eligibility to be awarded ZECs under the application requirements that resulted in the award of ZECs to Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek in April 2019. However, PSEG Power cannot predict whether other plants besides Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek will apply for ZECs in the future. In the event that (i) the ZEC program is overturned or otherwise materially adversely modified through legal process, (ii) the terms and conditions of the subsequent period under the ZEC program, including the amount of ZEC payments that may be awarded, materially differ from those of the current ZEC period, or (iii) any of the Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek plants is not awarded ZEC payments by the BPU and does not otherwise experience a material financial change, PSEG Power will take all necessary steps to retire all of these plants subsequent to the initial ZEC period at or prior to a scheduled refueling outage. Alternatively, if all of the Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek plants are selected to continue to receive ZEC payments but the financial condition of the plants is materially adversely impacted by changes in commodity prices, FERC’s changes to the capacity market construct (absent sufficient capacity revenues provided under a program approved by the BPU in accordance with a FERC-authorized capacity mechanism), or, in the case of the Salem nuclear plants, decisions by the EPA and state environmental regulators regarding the implementation of Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act and related state regulations, or other factors, PSEG Power would still take all necessary steps to retire all of these plants. The costs and accounting charges associated with any such retirement, which may include, among other things, accelerated Depreciation and Amortization Expense, impairment charges, potential penalties associated with the early termination of capacity obligations and fuel contracts, accelerated asset retirement costs, severance costs, environmental remediation costs and, in certain circumstances potential additional funding of the Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Fund, would be material to both PSEG and PSEG Power. Non-Nuclear On July 31, 2020, PSEG announced that it is exploring strategic alternatives for PSEG Power’s non-nuclear generating fleet, which includes more than 6,750 MW of fossil generation located in New Jersey, Connecticut, New York and Maryland as well as the 467 MW Solar Source portfolio located in various states. PSEG intends to retain ownership of PSEG Power’s existing nuclear fleet. While the company is in the preliminary stage of this evaluation, marketing a potential transaction in one or a series of steps, anticipated to launch in the fourth quarter of this year, is expected to be completed sometime in 2021. There is no assurance that the strategic review will result in a sale or other disposition of all or any portion of these assets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all. Any transaction would be subject to market conditions and customary closing conditions, including the receipt of all required regulatory approvals. A change in the held for use classification of the remaining fossil and solar units may have a material adverse impact on PSEG’s and PSEG Power’s future financial results. In February 2020, PSEG Fossil LLC (Fossil), a direct wholly owned subsidiary of PSEG Power, entered into a Purchase Agreement with Yards Creek Energy, LLC (Yards Creek Energy), an affiliate of LS Power, relating to the sale by Fossil of its ownership interests in the Yards Creek generation facility and related assets, including the assumption by Yards Creek Energy of related liabilities. The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2020, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. As a result, $29 million and $28 million of Property, Plant and Equipment have been classified as Assets Held for Sale on PSEG’s and PSEG Power’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. In September 2019, PSEG Power completed the sale of its ownership interests in the Keystone and Conemaugh generation plants and related assets and liabilities. PSEG Power recorded a pre-tax loss on disposition of approximately $400 million in the second quarter of 2019 as the sale price was less than book value.

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