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Pension and Other Post-Employment Benefits
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
PENSIONS AND OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS PENSION AND OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
The components of the consolidated net periodic costs (credits) for pension and OPEB were as follows:
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs (Credits)PensionOPEB
For the Three Months Ended September 30,2020201920202019
 (In millions)
Service costs $47 $48 $1 $1 
Interest costs 71 93 4 6 
Expected return on plan assets(156)(135)(9)(7)
Amortization of prior service costs (credits)1 2 (4)(9)
Net periodic costs (credits), including amounts capitalized$(37)$8 $(8)$(9)
Net periodic credits, recognized in earnings$(56)$(11)$(8)$(10)

Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs (Credits)PensionOPEB
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020201920202019
(In millions)
Service costs$147 $144 $3 $3 
Interest costs216 279 12 16 
Expected return on plan assets(464)(405)(25)(21)
Special termination costs (1)
— 14 — — — 
Amortization of prior service costs (credits) (2)
12 6 (42)(27)
One-time termination benefit (3)
8 — — — 
Pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment386 — 37 — 
Net periodic costs (credits), including amounts capitalized$305 $38 $(15)$(29)
Net periodic costs (credits), recognized in earnings$240 $(19)$(15)$(30)

(1) Subject to a cap, FirstEnergy agreed to fund a pension enhancement through its pension plan, for voluntary enhanced retirement packages offered to certain FES employees, as well as offer certain other employee benefits. The costs are a component of discontinued operations in FirstEnergy’s Consolidated Statements of Income.
(2) 2020 includes the acceleration of $18 million in net credits as a result of the FES Debtors’ emergence during the first quarter of 2020 and is a component of discontinued operations in FirstEnergy’s Consolidated Statements of Income.
(3) Costs represent additional benefits provided to FES and FENOC employees under the approved settlement agreement and are a component of discontinued operations in FirstEnergy’s Consolidated Statements of Income.

FirstEnergy recognizes a pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment for the change in fair value of plan assets and net actuarial gains and losses annually in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year and whenever a plan is determined to qualify for remeasurement. Under the approved bankruptcy settlement agreement discussed above, upon emergence, FES and FENOC employees ceased earning years of service under the FirstEnergy pension and OPEB plans. The emergence on February 27, 2020, triggered a remeasurement of the affected pension and OPEB plans and as a result, FirstEnergy recognized a non-cash, pre-tax pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment of approximately $423 million in the first quarter of 2020. The pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment primarily reflects a 38 bps decrease in the discount rate used to measure benefit obligations from December 31, 2019, partially offset by a slightly higher than expected return on assets.
On February 1, 2019, FirstEnergy made a $500 million voluntary cash contribution to the qualified pension plan. FirstEnergy expects no required contributions through 2021.
Service costs, net of capitalization, are reported within Other operating expenses on FirstEnergy’s Consolidated Statements of Income. Non-service costs, other than the pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment, which is separately shown, are reported within Miscellaneous income, net, within Other Income (Expense) on FirstEnergy’s Consolidated Statements of Income.