Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Other Balance Sheet Information

The following table presents the accumulated depreciation included in property, plant and equipment, net and accumulated amortization included in intangible assets, net:


(In millions)	September 30, 2021		December 31, 2020
Property, plant and equipment accumulated depreciation	$	1,543	$	1,936
Intangible assets accumulated amortization	1,542		1,357

Credit Losses

On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, or ASU No. 2016-13, using the modified retrospective approach. Following the adoption of the new standard, the Company’s process of estimating expected credit losses remains materially consistent with its historical practice.

Retail trade receivables are reported on the balance sheet net of the allowance for credit losses. The Company accrues a provision for current expected credit losses based on (i) estimates of uncollectible revenues by analyzing accounts receivable aging and current and reasonable forecasts of expected economic factors including, but not limited to, unemployment rates and weather-related events, (ii) historical collections and delinquencies, and (iii) counterparty credit ratings for commercial and industrial customers.

The following table represents the activity in the allowance for credit losses for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020:


	Three months ended September 30,				Nine months ended September 30,
(In millions)	2021		2020		2021		2020
Beginning balance	$	761	$	47	$	67	$	43
Acquired balance from Direct Energy	—		—		112		—
Provision for credit losses	64		26		715		74
Write-offs	(41)		(19)		(124)		(71)
Recoveries collected	8		3		22		11
Ending balance	$	792	$	57	$	792	$	57

The increase in the provision for credit losses during the three months ended September 30, 2021, compared to the same period in 2020 was primarily due to the impact of Winter Storm Uri on counterparty credit risk. The increase in the provision for credit losses during the nine months ended September 30, 2021, compared to the same period in 2020 was primarily due to the impacts of Winter Storm Uri on bilateral finance hedging risk of $403 million, counterparty credit risk of $152 million and ERCOT default shortfall payments of $83 million.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Funds Deposited by Counterparties and Restricted Cash

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and funds deposited by counterparties reported within the consolidated balance sheets that sum to the total of the same such amounts shown in the statements of cash flows:


(In millions)	September 30, 2021		December 31, 2020
Cash and cash equivalents	$	259	$	3,905
Funds deposited by counterparties	1,748		19
Restricted cash	14		6
Cash and cash equivalents, funds deposited by counterparties and restricted cash shown in the statement of cash flows	$	2,021	$	3,930

Funds deposited by counterparties consist of cash held by the Company as a result of collateral posting obligations from its counterparties. Though some amounts are segregated into separate accounts, not all funds are contractually restricted. Based on the Company's intention, these funds are not available for the payment of general corporate obligations; however, they are available for liquidity management. Depending on market fluctuations and the settlement of the underlying contracts, the Company will refund this collateral to the hedge counterparties pursuant to the terms and conditions of the underlying trades. Since collateral requirements fluctuate daily and the Company cannot predict if any collateral will be held for more than twelve

months, the funds deposited by counterparties are classified as a current asset on the Company's balance sheet, with an offsetting liability for this cash collateral received within current liabilities.

Restricted cash consists primarily of funds held within the Company's projects that are restricted for specific uses.

Recent Accounting Developments - Guidance Adopted in 2021

ASU 2019-12 — In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes, or ASU 2019-12, to simplify various aspects related to accounting for income taxes. The guidance in ASU 2019-12 amends the general principles in Topic 740 to eliminate certain exceptions for recognizing deferred taxes for investment, performing intraperiod allocation and calculating income taxes in interim periods. This ASU also includes guidance to reduce complexity in certain areas, including recognizing deferred taxes for tax goodwill and allocating taxes to members of a consolidated group. ASU 2019-12 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted the amendments effective January 1, 2021 using the prospective approach. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's results of operations, cash flows, or statement of financial position.

Recent Accounting Developments - Guidance Not Yet Adopted

ASU 2020-06 — In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt - Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40), or ASU 2020-06. The guidance in ASU 2020-06 reduces the number of accounting models for convertible debt instruments and convertible preferred stock. In addition, ASU 2020-06 improves and amends the related earnings per share guidance. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021 and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently in the process of assessing the impact of this guidance on the consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

ASU 2021-08 — In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers, or ASU 2021-08. Under current GAAP, an acquirer generally recognizes assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination, including contract assets and contract liabilities arising from revenue contracts with customers and other similar contracts that are accounted for in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, or ASC 606, at fair value on the acquisition date. ASU 2021-08 requires that an entity recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with ASC 606. At the acquisition date, an acquirer should account for the related revenue contracts in accordance with ASC 606 as if it had originated the contracts, which should generally result in an acquirer recognizing and measuring the acquired contract assets and contract liabilities consistent with how they were recognized and measured in the acquiree’s financial statements. This update also provides certain practical expedients for acquirers when recognizing and measuring acquired contract assets and contract liabilities from revenue contracts in a business combination. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years and should be applied prospectively to business combinations occurring on or after the effective date of the amendments. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. Adoption during an interim period requires retrospective application to all business combinations for which the acquisition date occurs on or after the beginning of the fiscal year that includes the interim period of early application and prospectively to all business combinations that occur on or after the date of initial application. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2021-08 to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements and disclosures.