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Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2023
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
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 also 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 Missouri was incorporated in Missouri in 1922 and is successor to a number of companies, the oldest of which was organized in 1881. It is the largest electric utility in the state of Missouri. It supplies electric and natural gas service to a 24,000-square-mile area in central and eastern Missouri, which includes the Greater St. Louis area. Ameren Missouri supplies electric service to 1.2 million customers and natural gas service to 0.1 million customers. •Ameren Illinois Company, doing business as Ameren Illinois, operates rate-regulated electric transmission, electric distribution, and natural gas distribution businesses in Illinois. Ameren Illinois was incorporated in Illinois in 1923 and is the successor to a number of companies, the oldest of which was organized in 1902. Ameren Illinois supplies electric and natural gas utility service to a 43,700 square mile area in central and southern Illinois. Ameren Illinois supplies electric service to 1.2 million customers and natural gas service to 0.8 million customers. •ATXI operates a FERC rate-regulated electric transmission business in the MISO. ATXI was incorporated in Illinois in 2006. ATXI operates, among other assets, the Spoon River, Mark Twain, and Illinois Rivers transmission lines. 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 the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Regulation Our customer rates are regulated by the MoPSC, the ICC, and the FERC. We defer certain costs as assets pursuant to actions of rate regulators or because of expectations that we will be able to recover such costs in future rates charged to customers. We also defer certain amounts as liabilities pursuant to actions of rate regulators or based on the expectation that such amounts will be refunded to customers in future rates. Regulatory assets and liabilities are amortized consistent with the period of expected regulatory treatment. See Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters for additional information on our regulatory frameworks, regulatory recovery mechanisms, and regulatory assets and liabilities recorded at December 31, 2023 and 2022. We continually assess the recoverability of our regulatory assets and probability of refund of our regulatory liabilities. Regulatory assets are charged to earnings when it is no longer probable that such amounts will be recovered through future revenues. To the extent that refunds to customers related to regulatory liabilities are no longer probable, the amounts are credited to earnings. Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash Cash and cash equivalents include short-term, highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less. Cash and cash equivalents subject to legal or contractual restrictions and not readily available for use for general corporate purposes are classified as restricted cash. See Note 15 – Supplemental Information for a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash reported within the balance sheets and the statements of cash flows. Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable The allowance for doubtful accounts represents our estimate of existing accounts receivable that will ultimately be uncollectible. The allowance is calculated by applying estimated loss factors to various classes of outstanding receivables, including unbilled revenue. The loss factors used to estimate uncollectible accounts are based upon both historical collections experience and management’s estimate of future collections success given the existing and anticipated future collections environment. Ameren Illinois has bad debt riders that adjust rates for net write-offs of customer accounts receivable above or below those being collected in rates. Inventories Inventories are recorded at the lower of weighted-average cost or net realizable value. Inventories are capitalized when purchased and then expensed as consumed or capitalized as property, plant, and equipment when installed, as appropriate using the weighted-average cost method. See Note 15 – Supplemental Information for the components of inventories. Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net We capitalize the cost of additions to, and betterments of, units of property, plant, and equipment. The cost includes labor, material, applicable taxes, and overhead. An allowance for funds used during construction, as discussed below, is also capitalized as a cost of our rate-regulated assets. Maintenance expenses related to scheduled Callaway nuclear refueling and maintenance outages are deferred and amortized over the number of expected months until the completion of the next refueling outage, which historically has been approximately 18 months. Other maintenance expenditures are expensed as incurred. When units of depreciable property are retired, the original costs, and the associated removal cost, net of salvage, are charged to accumulated depreciation. If environmental expenditures are related to assets currently in use, as in the case of the installation of pollution control equipment, the cost is capitalized and depreciated over the expected life of the asset. See Asset Retirement Obligations and Removal Costs section below and Note 3 – Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net for additional information. Ameren Missouri’s cost of nuclear fuel is capitalized as a part of “Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net” on Ameren and Ameren Missouri’s balance sheets and then amortized to “Operating Expenses – Fuel” in their respective statements of income on a unit-of-production basis. Nuclear fuel amortization is reflected as a part of “Depreciation and amortization” on their respective statements of cash flow. Plant to be Abandoned, Net When it becomes probable an asset will be retired significantly in advance of its previously expected useful life and in the near term, the Ameren Companies must assess the probability of recovery of the remaining net book value of the asset to be abandoned. We recognize a loss on abandonment when it becomes probable that all or part of the cost of an asset, including a return at the applicable WACC, will be disallowed from recovery either through customer rates or through the issuance of securitized utility tariff bonds and such amount is reasonably estimable. An abandonment loss, if any, would equal the difference between the remaining net book value of the asset and the present value of the expected future cash flows. If the asset is still in service, the net book value is classified as plant to be abandoned, net, within “Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net” on the balance sheet. The net book value will be classified as a regulatory asset on the balance sheet when the asset is no longer in service or as required by a rate order. In relation to the NSR and Clean Air Act litigation discussed in Note 14 – Commitments and Contingencies, in December 2021, Ameren Missouri filed a motion with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri to modify a previously issued remedy order to allow the retirement of the Rush Island Energy Center in lieu of installing a flue gas desulfurization system, which was granted to establish an October 15, 2024 retirement date. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, Ameren and Ameren Missouri determined that the Rush Island Energy Center met the criteria to be considered probable of abandonment and have classified its remaining net book value as plant to be abandoned, net, within “Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net” on Ameren’s and Ameren Missouri’s balance sheets. See Note 3 – Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net for our plant to be abandoned balance as of December 31, 2023 and 2022. Ameren Missouri concluded no abandonment loss was required for the Rush Island Energy Center as of December 31, 2023. As part of the assessment of any potential future abandonment loss, consideration will be given to rate and securitization orders issued by the MoPSC to Ameren Missouri and to orders issued to other Missouri utilities with similar facts. See Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters for Ameren Missouri’s November 2023 petition filed with the MoPSC seeking securitization of the Rush Island Energy Center. Depreciation Depreciation is provided over the estimated lives of the various classes of depreciable property by applying composite rates on a straight-line basis to the cost basis of such property. The composite rates include a provision for the estimated removal cost of property, plant, and equipment retired from service, net of salvage. See Asset Retirement Obligation and Removal Costs section below for additional information. The provision for depreciation for the Ameren Companies in 2023, 2022, and 2021 ranged from 3% to 4% of the average depreciable cost. See Note 3 – Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net for additional information on estimated depreciable lives. Allowance for Funds Used During Construction As a part of “Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net” on the balance sheet, we capitalize allowance for funds used during construction, which is the cost of borrowed funds and the cost of equity funds (preferred and common shareholders’ equity) applicable to eligible rate-regulated construction work in progress, in accordance with the utility industry’s accounting practice and GAAP. The amount of allowance for funds used during construction is calculated using a FERC-prescribed formula based on a rate, which incorporates the average cost of short-term debt, the average cost of long-term debt, and the cost of equity funds. The portion attributable to borrowed funds is recorded as a reduction of “Interest Charges” on the statements of income. The portion attributable to equity funds is recorded within “Other Income, Net” on the statements of income. This accounting practice offsets the effect on earnings of the cost of financing during construction. See Note 15 – Supplemental Information for the amount of allowance for funds used during construction capitalized and the average rate applied to eligible construction work in progress. Allowance for funds used during construction does not represent a current source of cash funds. Under accepted ratemaking practice, cash recovery of allowance for funds used during construction and other construction costs occurs when completed projects are placed in service and reflected in customer rates. Goodwill Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of an acquisition over the fair value of the net assets acquired. Ameren and Ameren Illinois had goodwill of $411 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022. Ameren has four reporting units: Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas, and Ameren Transmission. Ameren Illinois has three reporting units: Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas, and Ameren Illinois Transmission. Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas, and Ameren Illinois Transmission had goodwill of $238 million, $80 million, and $93 million, respectively, at December 31, 2023 and 2022. The Ameren Transmission reporting unit had the same $93 million of goodwill as the Ameren Illinois Transmission reporting unit at December 31, 2023 and 2022. Ameren and Ameren Illinois evaluate goodwill for impairment in each of their reporting units as of October 31 each year, or more frequently if events occur or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of their reporting units below their carrying amounts. To determine whether the fair value of a reporting unit is more likely than not greater than its carrying amount, Ameren and Ameren Illinois elect to perform either a qualitative assessment or to bypass the qualitative assessment and perform a quantitative test. Ameren and Ameren Illinois elected to perform a qualitative assessment for their annual goodwill impairment test conducted as of October 31, 2023. As part of this qualitative assessment, Ameren and Ameren Illinois evaluated, among other things, macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations such as observable industry market multiples, regulatory frameworks, cost factors, overall financial performance, and entity-specific events. The results of Ameren’s and Ameren Illinois’ qualitative assessment indicated that it was more likely than not that the fair value of each reporting unit exceeded its carrying value as of October 31, 2023, resulting in no impairment of Ameren’s or Ameren Illinois’ goodwill. Impairment of Long-lived Assets We evaluate long-lived assets classified as held and used for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of such assets may not be recoverable. Whether an impairment has occurred is determined by comparing the estimated undiscounted cash flows attributable to the assets to the carrying value of the assets. If the carrying value exceeds the undiscounted cash flows, we recognize an impairment charge equal to the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the estimated fair value of the assets. In the period in which we determine that an asset meets held for sale criteria, we record an impairment charge to the extent the book value exceeds its estimated fair value less cost to sell. We did not identify any events or changes in circumstances that indicated that the carrying value of material long-lived assets may not be recoverable in 2023, 2022, or 2021. Variable Interest Entities As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, Ameren had unconsolidated variable interests in various equity method investments, primarily to advance clean and resilient energy technologies, totaling $73 million and $68 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 December 31, 2023, the maximum exposure to loss related to these variable interest entities is limited to the investment in these partnerships of $73 million plus associated outstanding funding commitments of $14 million. Environmental Costs Liabilities for environmental costs are recorded on an undiscounted basis when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated. Costs are expensed or deferred as a regulatory asset when it is expected that the costs will be recovered from customers in future rates. See Note 14 – Commitments and Contingencies for additional information on liabilities for environmental costs. Asset Retirement Obligations and Removal Costs We record the estimated fair value of legal obligations associated with the retirement of tangible long-lived assets in the period in which the liabilities are incurred and capitalize a corresponding amount as part of the book value of the related long-lived asset. In subsequent periods, we adjust AROs for accretion and changes in the estimated fair values of the obligations, with a corresponding increase or decrease in the asset book value for the fair value changes. Asset book values, reflected within “Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net” on the balance sheet, are depreciated over the remaining useful life of the related asset. Depreciation is deferred as a regulatory balance. The depreciation of the asset book values at Ameren Missouri was $9 million, $7 million, and $14 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively, which was deferred as a reduction to the net regulatory liability. The net regulatory liability also reflects a deferral for the nuclear decommissioning trust fund balance for the Callaway Energy Center. The depreciation deferred to the regulatory asset at Ameren Illinois was immaterial in each respective period. Uncertainties as to the probability, timing, or amount of cash expenditures associated with AROs affect our estimates of fair value. Ameren and Ameren Missouri have recorded AROs for retirement costs associated with decommissioning of Ameren Missouri’s Callaway and wind renewable energy centers, certain Ameren Missouri solar energy centers, CCR facilities, and river structures at certain energy centers used for unloading coal and circulating water systems. Additionally, Ameren, Ameren Missouri, and Ameren Illinois have recorded AROs for retirement costs associated with asbestos removal and the disposal of certain transformers. See Note 15 – Supplemental Information for a reconciliation of the beginning and ending carrying amounts of AROs. Estimated funds collected from customers to pay for the future removal cost of property, plant, and equipment retired from service, net of salvage, represent a cost of removal regulatory liability. See the cost of removal regulatory liability balance in Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters. COLI Ameren (parent) 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 December 31, 2023, the cash surrender value of COLI at Ameren and Ameren Illinois was $248 million (December 31, 2022 – $246 million) and $111 million (December 31, 2022 – $118 million), respectively, while total borrowings against the policies were $104 million (December 31, 2022 – $110 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. Operating Revenues We record revenues from contracts with customers for various electric and natural gas services, which primarily consist of retail distribution, electric transmission, and off-system arrangements. When more than one performance obligation exists in a contract, the consideration under the contract is allocated to the performance obligations based on the relative standalone selling price. Electric and natural gas retail distribution revenues are earned when the commodity is delivered to our customers. We accrue an estimate of electric and natural gas retail distribution revenues for service provided but unbilled at the end of each accounting period. Electric transmission revenues are earned as electric transmission services are provided. Off-system revenues are primarily comprised of MISO revenues and wholesale bilateral revenues. MISO revenues include the sale of electricity, capacity, and ancillary services. Wholesale bilateral revenues include the sale of electricity and capacity. MISO-related electricity and wholesale bilateral electricity revenues are earned as electricity is delivered. Capacity and ancillary service revenues are earned as services are provided. Retail distribution, electric transmission, and off-system revenues, including the underlying components described above, represent a series of goods or services that are substantially the same and have the same pattern of transfer over time to our customers. Revenues from contracts with customers are equal to the amounts billed and our estimate of electric and natural gas retail distribution services provided but unbilled at the end of each accounting period. Customers are billed at least monthly, and payments are due less than one month after goods and/or services are provided. See Note 16 – Segment Information for disaggregated revenue information. For certain regulatory recovery mechanisms that are alternative revenue programs rather than revenues from contracts with customers, we recognize revenues that have been authorized for rate recovery, are objectively determinable and probable of recovery, and are expected to be collected from customers within two years from the end of the year. Our alternative revenue programs include revenue requirement reconciliations, the MEEIA, the VBA, and the WNAR. These revenues are subsequently recognized as revenues from contracts with customers when billed, with an offset to alternative revenue program revenues. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, our remaining performance obligations were immaterial. The Ameren Companies elected not to disclose the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to the performance obligations that are unsatisfied as of the end of the reporting period for contracts with an initial expected term of one year or less. Accounting for MISO Transactions MISO-related purchase and sale transactions are recorded by Ameren, Ameren Missouri, and Ameren Illinois using settlement information provided by the MISO. Ameren Missouri records these purchase and sale transactions on a net hourly position. Ameren Missouri records net purchases in a single hour in “Operating Expenses – Purchased power” and net sales in a single hour in “Operating Revenues – Electric” in its statement of income. Ameren Illinois records net purchases in “Operating Expenses – Purchased power” in its statement of income to reflect all of its MISO transactions relating to the procurement of power for its customers. On occasion, Ameren Missouri’s and Ameren Illinois’ prior-period transactions will be resettled outside the routine settlement process because of a change in the MISO’s tariff or a material interpretation thereof. In these cases, Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois recognize revenues and expenses associated with resettlements once the resettlement is probable and the resettlement amount can be estimated. There were no material MISO resettlements in 2023, 2022, or 2021. Stock-based Compensation Stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award, net of an assumed forfeiture rate. Ameren recognizes as compensation expense the estimated fair value of stock-based compensation on a straight-line basis over the requisite vesting period. To the extent that actual forfeitures differ from estimated forfeitures, such differences are accounted for as an adjustment to compensation expense and recorded in the period that estimates are revised. Compensation cost is ultimately recognized only for awards for which the requisite service was provided. See Note 11 – Stock-based Compensation for additional information. Unamortized Debt Discounts, Premiums, and Issuance Costs Long-term debt discounts, premiums, and issuance costs are amortized over the lives of the related issuances. Credit agreement fees are amortized over the term of the agreement. Income Taxes Ameren uses an asset and liability approach for its financial accounting and reporting of income taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for transactions that are treated differently for financial reporting and income tax return purposes. These deferred tax assets and liabilities are based on statutory tax rates. We expect that regulators will reduce future revenues for deferred tax liabilities that were initially recorded at rates in excess of the current statutory rate. Therefore, reductions in certain excess deferred tax liabilities that were recorded because of decreases in the statutory rate have been credited to a regulatory liability. A regulatory asset has been established to recognize the probable recovery through future customer rates of tax benefits related to the equity component of allowance for funds used during construction, as well as the effects of tax rate increases. To the extent deferred tax balances are included in rate base, the revaluation of deferred taxes is recorded as a regulatory asset or liability on the balance sheet and will be collected from, or refunded to, customers. For deferred tax balances not included in rate base, the revaluation of deferred taxes is recorded as an adjustment to income tax expense on the income statement. Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois, and all the other Ameren subsidiary companies are parties to a tax allocation agreement with Ameren (parent) that provides for the allocation of consolidated tax liabilities. The tax allocation agreement specifies that each subsidiary be allocated an amount of tax using a stand-alone calculation ratio to the total amount of tax owed by the consolidated group. Any net benefit attributable to Ameren (parent) is reallocated to the other subsidiaries. This reallocation is treated as a capital contribution to the subsidiary receiving the benefit. See Note 13 – Related-party Transactions for information regarding capital contributions under the tax allocation agreement.

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