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Revenue
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]  
Revenue
REVENUE

FirstEnergy accounts for revenues from contracts with customers under ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which became effective January 1, 2018. As part of the adoption of ASC 606, FirstEnergy applied the new standard on a modified retrospective basis analyzing open contracts as of January 1, 2018. However, no cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings was necessary as no revenue recognition differences were identified when comparing the revenue recognition criteria under ASC 606 to previous requirements.

Revenue from leases, financial instruments, other contractual rights or obligations and other revenues that are not from contracts with customers are outside the scope of the new standard and accounted for under other existing GAAP. FirstEnergy has elected to exclude sales taxes and other similar taxes collected on behalf of third parties from revenue as prescribed in the new standard. As a result, tax collections and remittances within the scope of this election are excluded from recognition in the income statement and instead recorded through the balance sheet, consistent with FirstEnergy’s accounting process prior to the adoption of ASC 606. Excise and gross receipts taxes that are assessed on FirstEnergy are not subject to the election and are included in revenue. FirstEnergy has elected the optional invoice practical expedient for most of its revenues and, with the exception of JCP&L transmission, utilizes the optional short-term contract exemption for transmission revenues due to the annual establishment of revenue requirements, which eliminates the need to provide certain revenue disclosures regarding unsatisfied performance obligations. For a qualitative overview of FirstEnergy's performance obligations, see below.

FirstEnergy’s revenues are primarily derived from electric service provided by its Utilities and Transmission subsidiaries.

The following tables represent a disaggregation of revenue from contracts with customers for the year ended December 31, 2018, by type of service from each reportable segment:
Revenues by Type of Service
 
Regulated Distribution
 
Regulated Transmission
 
Corporate/Other and Reconciling Adjustments (1)
 
Total
 
 
(In millions)
Distribution services(2)
 
$
5,159

 
$

 
$
(104
)
 
$
5,055

Retail generation
 
3,936

 

 
(54
)
 
3,882

Wholesale sales(2)
 
502

 

 
22

 
524

Transmission(2)
 

 
1,335

 

 
1,335

Other
 
144

 

 
4

 
148

Total revenues from contracts with customers
 
$
9,741

 
$
1,335

 
$
(132
)
 
$
10,944

ARP
 
254

 

 

 
254

Other non-customer revenue
 
108

 
18

 
(63
)
 
63

Total revenues
 
$
10,103

 
$
1,353

 
$
(195
)
 
$
11,261


(1) Includes eliminations and reconciling adjustments of inter-segment revenues.
(2) Includes $147 million in net reductions to revenue related to amounts subject to refund resulting from the Tax Act ($131 million at Regulated Distribution and $16 million at Regulated Transmission).

Other non-customer revenue primarily includes revenue from derivatives and late payment charges of $18 million and $39 million, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Regulated Distribution

The Regulated Distribution segment distributes electricity through FirstEnergy’s ten utility operating companies and also controls 3,790 MWs of regulated electric generation capacity located primarily in West Virginia, Virginia and New Jersey. Each of the Utilities earns revenue from state-regulated rate tariffs under which it provides distribution services to residential, commercial and industrial customers in its service territory. The Utilities are obligated under the regulated construct to deliver power to customers reliably, as it is needed, which creates an implied monthly contract with the end-use customer. See Note 16 "Regulatory Matters," for additional information on rate recovery mechanisms. Distribution and electric revenues are recognized over time as electricity is distributed and delivered to the customer and the customers consume the electricity immediately as delivery occurs.

Retail generation sales relate to POLR, SOS, SSO and default service requirements in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland, as well as generation sales in West Virginia that are regulated by the WVPSC. Certain of the Utilities have default service obligations to provide power to non-shopping customers who have elected to continue to receive service under regulated retail tariffs. The volume of these sales varies depending on the level of shopping that occurs. Supply plans vary by state and by service territory. Default service for the Ohio Companies, Pennsylvania Companies, JCP&L and PE's Maryland jurisdiction are provided through a competitive procurement process approved by each state's respective commission. Retail generation revenues are recognized over time as electricity is delivered and consumed immediately by the customer.

The following table represents a disaggregation of the Regulated Distribution segment revenue from contracts with distribution service and retail generation customers for the year ended December 31, 2018, by class:
 
Revenues by Customer Class
 
 
 
 
(In millions)
 
Residential
 
$
5,598

 
Commercial
 
2,350

 
Industrial
 
1,056

 
Other
 
91

 
Total
 
$
9,095



Wholesale sales primarily consist of generation and capacity sales into the PJM market from FirstEnergy's regulated electric generation capacity and NUGs. Certain of the Utilities may also purchase power from PJM to supply power to their customers. Generally, these power sales from generation and purchases to serve load are netted hourly and reported gross as either revenues or purchased power on the Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) based on whether the entity was a net seller or buyer each hour. Capacity revenues are recognized ratably over the PJM planning year at prices cleared in the annual BRA and incremental auctions. Capacity purchases and sales through PJM capacity auctions are reported within revenues on the Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss). Certain capacity income (bonuses) and charges (penalties) related to the availability of units that have cleared in the auctions are unknown and not recorded in revenue until, and unless, they occur.

The Utilities’ distribution customers are metered on a cycle basis. An estimate of unbilled revenues is calculated to recognize electric service provided from the last meter reading through the end of the month. This estimate includes many factors, among which are historical customer usage, load profiles, estimated weather impacts, customer shopping activity and prices in effect for each class of customer. In each accounting period, the Utilities accrue the estimated unbilled amount as revenue and reverses the related prior period estimate. Customer payments vary by state but are generally due within 30 days.

ASC 606 excludes industry-specific accounting guidance for recognizing revenue from ARPs as these programs represent contracts between the utility and its regulators, as opposed to customers. Therefore, revenue from these programs are not within the scope of ASC 606 and regulated utilities are permitted to continue to recognize such revenues in accordance with existing practice but are presented separately from revenue arising from contracts with customers. FirstEnergy currently has ARPs in Ohio, primarily under rider DMR, and in New Jersey.

Regulated Transmission

The Regulated Transmission segment provides transmission infrastructure owned and operated by the Transmission Companies and certain of FirstEnergy's utilities (JCP&L, MP, PE and WP) to transmit electricity from generation sources to distribution facilities. The segment's revenues are primarily derived from forward-looking formula rates at the Transmission Companies, as well as stated transmission rates at JCP&L, MP, PE and WP. Both the forward-looking formula and stated rates recover costs that the regulatory agencies determine are permitted to be recovered and provide a return on transmission capital investment. Under forward-looking formula rates, the revenue requirement is updated annually based on a projected rate base and projected costs, which is subject to an annual true-up based on actual costs. Revenue requirements under stated rates are calculated annually by multiplying the highest one-hour peak load in each respective transmission zone by the approved, stated rate in that zone. Revenues and cash receipts for the stand-ready obligation of providing transmission service are recognized ratably over time.

Effective January 1, 2018, JCP&L is subject to a FERC-approved settlement agreement that provides an annual revenue requirement of $155 million through December 31, 2019 which is recognized ratably as revenue over time.

The following table represents a disaggregation of revenue from contracts with regulated transmission customers for the year ended December 31, 2018, by transmission owner:
Revenues from Contracts with Customers by Transmission Asset Owner
 
 
(In millions)
ATSI
 
$
664

TrAIL
 
237

MAIT
 
150

Other
 
284

Total
 
$
1,335