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Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES General Ameren, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a public utility holding company whose primary assets are its equity interests in its subsidiaries. Ameren’s subsidiaries are separate, independent legal entities with separate businesses, assets, and liabilities. Dividends on Ameren’s common stock and the payment of expenses by Ameren depend on distributions made to it by its subsidiaries. Ameren’s principal subsidiaries are listed below. Ameren has other subsidiaries that conduct other activities, such as providing shared services. •Union Electric Company, doing business as Ameren Missouri, operates a rate-regulated electric generation, transmission, and distribution business and a rate-regulated natural gas distribution business in Missouri. •Ameren Illinois Company, doing business as Ameren Illinois, operates rate-regulated electric transmission, electric distribution, and natural gas distribution businesses in Illinois. •ATXI operates a FERC rate-regulated electric transmission business in the MISO. Due to a change in customer behavior and certain business practices resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a shift in sales volumes by customer class at both Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois, which began in 2020, with an increase in residential sales, and a decrease in commercial and industrial sales. While our electric sales volumes in the first nine months of 2022, excluding the estimated effects of weather and customer energy-efficiency programs, were comparable to the same period in 2021 and, at Ameren Missouri, were comparable to pre-pandemic levels, Ameren Illinois’ sales volumes remain below pre-pandemic levels. However, revenues from Ameren Illinois’ electric distribution business, residential and small nonresidential customers of Ameren Illinois’ natural gas distribution business, and Ameren Illinois’ and ATXI’s electric transmission businesses are decoupled from changes in sales volumes. Earnings at Ameren Missouri and those associated with Ameren Illinois’ large nonresidential natural gas customers are exposed to such changes. Further effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our results of operations, financial position, and liquidity in subsequent periods will depend on its severity and longevity, future regulatory or legislative actions with respect thereto, and the resulting impact on business, economic, and capital market conditions. Ameren’s and Ameren Missouri’s financial statements are prepared on a consolidated basis and therefore include the accounts of their majority-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated. Ameren Missouri’s subsidiaries were created for the ownership of renewable generation projects. Ameren Illinois has no subsidiaries. All tabular dollar amounts are in millions, unless otherwise indicated. Our accounting policies conform to GAAP. Our financial statements reflect all adjustments (which include normal, recurring adjustments) that are necessary, in our opinion, for a fair presentation of our results. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions. Such estimates and assumptions affect reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of financial statements, and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The results of operations for an interim period may not give a true indication of results that may be expected for a full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Form 10-K. Variable Interest Entities As of September 30, 2022, and December 31, 2021, Ameren had unconsolidated variable interests as a limited partner in various equity method investments, primarily to advance clean and resilient energy technologies, totaling $58 million and $56 million, respectively, included in “Other assets” on Ameren’s consolidated balance sheet. Any earnings or losses related to these investments are included in “Other Income, Net” on Ameren’s consolidated statement of income and comprehensive income. Ameren is not the primary beneficiary of these investments because it does not have the power to direct matters that most significantly affect the activities of these variable interest entities. As of September 30, 2022, the maximum exposure to loss related to these variable interests is limited to the investment in these partnerships of $58 million plus associated outstanding funding commitments of $21 million. COLI Ameren and Ameren Illinois have COLI, which is recorded at the net cash surrender value. The net cash surrender value is the amount that can be realized under the insurance policies at the balance sheet date. As of September 30, 2022, the cash surrender value of COLI at Ameren and Ameren Illinois was $239 million (December 31, 2021 – $278 million) and $116 million (December 31, 2021 – $117 million), respectively, while total borrowings against the policies were $108 million (December 31, 2021 – $109 million) at both Ameren and Ameren Illinois. Ameren and Ameren Illinois have the right to offset the borrowings against the cash surrender value of the policies and, consequently, present the net asset in “Other assets” on their respective balance sheets. The net cash surrender value of Ameren’s COLI is affected by the investment performance of a separate account in which Ameren holds a beneficial interest.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for all significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123372394&loc=d3e18726-107790 Reference 2: 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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