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Income Taxes
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes Income Taxes
Effective Tax Rate
The income tax provision consisted of the following:
 Three months ended September 30,Nine months ended September 30,
2020201920202019
(In millions, except percentages)
Income (loss) before income tax benefit$51 $24 $24 $(62)
Income tax expense (benefit)(11)13 (14)
Effective income tax rate17.6 %(45.8)%54.2 %22.6 %
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 the overall effective tax rate was different than the statutory rate of 21% primarily due to taxable earnings and losses allocated to partners' interest in Clearway Energy LLC, which includes the effects of applying HLBV method of accounting for book purposes for certain partnerships.
For tax purposes, Clearway Energy LLC is treated as a partnership; therefore, the Company and CEG each record their respective share of taxable income or loss.
On March 27, 2020 the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, or the Act, was signed into law, which includes modifications to the business interest expense disallowance and net operating loss provisions. While the Company expects to utilize previously disallowed interest expense during 2020 as a result of the modifications, the Company does not expect the Act to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. The Company will continue to assess the effects of the Act and ongoing government guidance related to COVID-19 that may be issued.