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Asset Retirement Obligations | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2016
Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Abstract] |
Asset Retirement Obligations | Asset Retirement Obligations In the second quarter of 2016, APS recognized an asset retirement obligation (“ARO”) for the Ocotillo steam units as a condition of the air permit (issued in 2016) to allow the construction and operation of five new turbine units. This resulted in an increase to the ARO in the amount of $10 million. In the third quarter of 2016, 4CA acquired El Paso Electric’s share of Four Corners Units 4 & 5 and the associated ARO. This resulted in an increase to the ARO in the amount of $9 million. The following schedule shows the change in our asset retirement obligations for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 (dollars in thousands):
Asset retirement obligations at January 1, 2016 | $ | 443,576 |
Changes attributable to: |  |
Accretion expense | 19,868 |
Settlements | (11,891 | )
Newly incurred or acquired liabilities | 18,927 |
Asset retirement obligations at September 30, 2016 | $ | 470,480 |
Decommissioning activities for Four Corners Units 1-3 began in January 2014. Decommissioning activities for Cholla Ash Ponds began in January 2015. Thus, $12 million of the total asset retirement obligation of $470 million at September 30, 2016, is classified as a current liability on the balance sheet. In accordance with regulatory accounting, APS accrues removal costs for its regulated utility assets, even if there is no legal obligation for removal. See detail of regulatory liabilities in Note

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- Definition The entire disclosure for an asset retirement obligation and the associated long-lived asset. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement from service of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7569-110849 + Details
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