Variable Interest Entities (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2025

Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]

Presented in the following table is information about the VIEs NorthStar Clean Energy consolidates:


Consolidated VIE	NorthStar Clean Energy’s ownership interest	Description of VIE
Aviator Wind Equity Holdings	51-percent ownership interest1	Holds a Class B membership interest in Aviator Wind
Aviator Wind	Class B membership interest2	Holding company of a 525-MW wind generation project in Coke County, Texas
BG Solar Holdings	Class B membership interest2	Holding company of a 200-MW solar generation project in Branch County, Michigan
Delta Solar Equity Holdings	50-percent ownership interest1	Holding company of a 24-MW solar generation project in Delta Township, Michigan
Newport Solar Holdings	Class B membership interest2	Holding company of a 180‑MW solar generation project in Jackson County, Arkansas
NWO Wind Equity Holdings	50‑percent ownership interest1	Holds a Class B membership interest in NWO Holdco
NWO Holdco	Class B membership interest2	Holding company of a 100-MW wind generation project in Paulding County, Ohio

1The remaining ownership interest is presented as noncontrolling interest on CMS Energy’s consolidated balance sheets.

2The Class A membership interest in the entity is held by a tax equity investor and is presented as noncontrolling interest on CMS Energy’s consolidated balance sheets. Under the associated limited liability company agreement, the tax equity investor is guaranteed preferred returns from the entity.

Presented in the following table are the carrying values of the VIEs’ assets and liabilities included on CMS Energy’s consolidated balance sheets:


In Millions
December 31	2025			2024
Current
Cash and cash equivalents		$	20		$	18
Restricted cash		19			—
Accounts receivable		42			4
Prepayments and other current assets		5			3
Non-current
Plant, property, and equipment, net		1,037			1,024
Construction work in progress		357			—
Other non-current assets		5			3
Total assets1		$	1,485		$	1,052
Current
Current portion of long-term debt and finance leases		$	65		$	—
Accounts payable		29			8

Non-current
Long-term debt		118			—
Non-current portion of finance leases		39			23
AROs		38			33
Other non-current liabilities		3			—
Total liabilities		$	292		$	64

1Assets may be used only to meet VIEs’ obligations and commitments.

Presented in the following table is information about these partnerships, which are accounted for using the equity method:


Name	Nature of the Entity	Nature of NorthStar Clean Energy’s Involvement
T.E.S. Filer City	Coal-fueled power generator	Long-term PPA between partnership and Consumers
		Employee assignment agreement

Grayling	Wood waste-fueled power generator	Long-term PPA between partnership and Consumers
		Reduced dispatch agreement with Consumers1
		Operating and management contract

Genesee	Wood waste-fueled power generator	Long-term PPA between partnership and Consumers
		Reduced dispatch agreement with Consumers1
		Operating and management contract

Craven	Wood waste-fueled power generator	Operating and management contract

1Reduced dispatch agreements allow the facilities to be dispatched based on the market price of power compared with the cost of production of the plants. This results in fuel cost savings that each partnership shares with Consumers’ customers.

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of the significant judgments and assumptions made in determining whether a variable interest (as defined) held by the entity requires the variable interest entity (VIE) (as defined) to be consolidated and (or) disclose information about its involvement with the VIE, individually or in aggregate (as applicable); the nature of restrictions, if any, on the consolidated VIE's assets and on the settlement of its liabilities reported by an entity in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets and liabilities; the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with involvement in the VIE; how involvement with the VIE affects the entity's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows; the lack of recourse if creditors (or beneficial interest holders) of the consolidated VIE have no recourse to the general credit of the primary beneficiary (if applicable); the terms of arrangements, giving consideration to both explicit arrangements and implicit variable interests, if any, that could require the entity to provide financial support to the VIE, including events or circumstances that could expose the entity to a loss; the methodology used by the entity for determining whether or not it is the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entity; the significant factors considered and judgments made in determining that the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance are shared (as defined); the carrying amounts and classification of assets and liabilities of the VIE included in the statement of financial position; the entity's maximum exposure to loss, if any, as a result of its involvement with the VIE, including how the maximum exposure is determined and significant sources of the entity's exposure to the VIE; a comparison of the carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities and the entity's maximum exposure to loss; information about any liquidity arrangements, guarantees, and (or) other commitments by third parties that may affect the fair value or risk of the entity's variable interest in the VIE; whether or not the entity has provided financial support or other support (explicitly or implicitly) to the VIE that it was not previously contractually required to provide or whether the entity intends to provide that support, including the type and amount of the support and the primary reasons for providing the support; and supplemental information the entity determines necessary to provide.

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