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Legal Proceedings | 3 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Legal Proceedings | Legal Proceedings From time to time, TVA is a party to lawsuits, claims, proceedings, investigations, and other legal matters ("Legal Proceedings") that have arisen in the ordinary course of conducting TVA's activities, as a result of a catastrophic event or otherwise. General. TVA had accrued approximately $386 million of potential losses with respect to Legal Proceedings through December 31, 2011. Of this amount, $254 million is included in Other long-term liabilities, $122 million is included in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities, and $10 million is included in Regulatory assets. No assurance can be given that TVA will not be subject to significant additional claims and liabilities. If actual liabilities significantly exceed the estimates made, TVA's results of operations, liquidity, and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. Environmental Agreements. In 2011, TVA entered into two substantively similar agreements with EPA and with Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and three environmental advocacy groups: the Sierra Club, National Parks Conservation Association, and Our Children’s Earth Foundation (collectively, the "Environmental Agreements”). They became effective on June 13, 2011. The liabilities related to the Environmental Agreements are included in Other long-term liabilities on the December 31, 2011 Balance Sheet. In conjunction with the approval of the Environmental Agreements, the TVA Board determined that it was appropriate to record the amounts detailed above as regulatory assets, and they are included as such on the December 31, 2011 Balance Sheet and will be recovered in rates in future periods. Several legal and administrative clean air proceedings have already been terminated in connection with the Environmental Agreements. Additionally, the proceedings discussed below involving the John Sevier Fossil Plant ("John Sevier")and Shawnee Fossil Plant (“Shawnee”) Clean Air Act ("CAA") permits are expected to be narrowed in scope. Legal Proceedings Related to the Kingston Ash Spill. Seventy-eight lawsuits based on the Kingston ash spill have been filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Fifteen of these lawsuits have been dismissed, and 63 lawsuits are active and in various stages of litigation. Plaintiffs are residents, businesses, and property owners in the Kingston area and allege tort claims for damage to property, e.g. nuisance, strict liability, trespass, and negligence, with some plaintiffs also alleging claims for personal injury, business loss, and inverse condemnation. Plaintiffs seek unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, court orders to clean up properties and other relief. TVA is the only active defendant in these actions. A bench trial on the issue of dike failure causation in the seven earliest cases was held in September and October, 2011 (“Phase I trial”), and a decision on the dike failure causation issues is expected in the spring or summer of 2012. The district court also approved stipulations in 53 of the remaining 56 cases in which plaintiffs and TVA agreed to adopt the Phase I trial record and be bound by the Court’s Phase I trial decision and a temporary stay of proceedings pending the court’s trial decision. TVA has received several notices of intent to sue under various environmental statutes from both individuals and environmental groups, but no such suits have been filed. Civil Penalty and Natural Resource Damages for the Kingston Ash Spill. On June 14, 2010, the TDEC issued a civil penalty order of approximately $12 million to TVA for the Kingston ash spill, citing violations of the Tennessee Solid Waste Disposal Act and the Tennessee Water Quality Control Act. Of the $12 million, TVA has already satisfied $8 million, and TDEC has approved environmental projects valued at $2 million as a credit against the penalty amount. The remaining $2 million obligation will be paid in a final installment due on or before July 15, 2012. On January 24, 2011, TVA entered into a memorandum of agreement with the TDEC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service establishing a process and a method for resolving the natural resource damage claim associated with the Kingston ash spill. As part of this memorandum of agreement, TVA agreed to pay $250 thousand each year for three years as a down payment on the amount of natural resource damages ultimately established. TVA is also required to reimburse TDEC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their costs. Case Involving Tennessee Valley Authority Retirement System. On March 5, 2010, eight current and former participants in and beneficiaries of Tennessee Valley Authority Retirement System ("TVARS") filed suit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee against the six then-current members of the TVARS Board of Directors ("TVARS Board"). The lawsuit challenged the TVARS Board's decision to suspend the TVA contribution requirements for 2010 through 2013, and to amend the TVARS Rules and Regulations to (1) reduce the calculation for cost of living adjustment ("COLA") benefits for CY 2010 through CY 2013, (2) reduce the interest crediting rate for the fixed fund accounts, and (3) increase the eligibility age to receive COLAs from age 55 to 60. The plaintiffs allege that these actions violated the TVARS Board members' fiduciary duties to the plaintiffs (and the purported class) and the plaintiffs' contractual rights, among other claims. The plaintiffs sought, among other things, unspecified damages, an order directing the TVARS Board to rescind the amendments, and the appointment of a seventh TVARS Board member. Five of the six individual defendants filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit, while the remaining defendant filed an answer to the complaint. On July 28, 2010, TVA moved to intervene in the suit in the event it was not dismissed. On September 7, 2010, the district court dismissed the breach of fiduciary duty claim against the directors without prejudice, allowing the plaintiffs to file an amended complaint within 14 days against TVARS and TVA but not the individual directors. The plaintiffs previously had voluntarily withdrawn their constitutional claims, so the court also dismissed those claims without prejudice. The court dismissed with prejudice the plaintiffs' claims for breach of contract, violation of the Internal Revenue Code, and appointment of a seventh TVARS Board member. On September 21, 2010, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint against TVARS and TVA. The plaintiffs allege, among other things, violations of their constitutional rights (due process, equal protection, and property rights), violations of the Administrative Procedure Act, and breach of statutory duties owed to the plaintiffs. They seek a declaratory judgment and appropriate relief for the alleged statutory and constitutional violations and breaches of duty. TVA filed its answer to the amended complaint on December 27, 2010. A briefing schedule has been issued and final dispositive motions are due on October 12, 2012. Case Arising out of Hurricane Katrina. In April 2006, TVA was added as a defendant to a class action lawsuit brought in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi by 14 Mississippi residents allegedly injured by Hurricane Katrina. The plaintiffs sued seven large oil companies and an oil company trade association, three large chemical companies and a chemical trade association, and 31 large companies involved in the mining and/or burning of coal, alleging that the defendants' greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions contributed to global warming and were a proximate and direct cause of Hurricane Katrina's increased destructive force. Action by the United States Supreme Court on January 10, 2011, ended this case in a manner favorable to TVA. On May 27, 2011, under a Mississippi state statute that permits the re-filing of lawsuits that were dismissed on procedural grounds, the plaintiffs filed another lawsuit against the same and additional defendants, again alleging that the defendants' GHG emissions contributed to global warming and were a proximate and direct cause of Hurricane Katrina' s increased destructive force. A number of defendants, including TVA, have filed motions to dismiss the complaint. Global Warming Cases, Southern District of New York. On July 21, 2004, two lawsuits were filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against TVA and other companies that generate power from fossil-fuel electric generating facilities. The plaintiffs alleged that carbon dioxide ("CO 2") emissions from such facilities should be ordered abated because they contributed to global warming. In September 2005, the district court dismissed both lawsuits because they raised political questions that should not be decided by the courts. Following appellate proceedings, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision on June 16, 2011, that any federal common law cause of action was displaced by the CAA and its implementing regulations. The Supreme Court did not address the plaintiffs' state law claims, but instead remanded the case. The district court entered orders on December 5, 2011, dismissing the federal common law claims in both lawsuits. On December 6, 2011, the plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the state law claims, ending the lawsuits in a manner favorable to TVA. Case Regarding Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2. On March 9, 2009, in response to a request by TVA, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ("NRC") issued an order reinstating the construction permits for Bellefonte Nuclear Plant ("Bellefonte"). On March 30, 2009, Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (“BREDL”) filed a petition in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (“D.C. Circuit”) challenging the NRC's authority to reinstate the construction permits and alleging that the NRC failed to follow the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”). TVA was permitted to intervene in this proceeding. On June 11, 2009, the D.C. Circuit issued an order holding the case in abeyance pending further order of the court. On March 8, 2010, BREDL filed a second petition in the D.C. Circuit, again challenging the NRC's compliance with NEPA and the NRC's authority to reinstate the construction permits. TVA was granted intervenor status in this case as well, and requested that the court dismiss this second petition. On July 26, 2010, the D.C. Circuit consolidated the two BREDL petitions and continued the stay of the case pending the conclusion of an administrative proceeding concerning the same issues. The administrative proceeding, in which BREDL challenged the reinstatement of the construction permits before an NRC Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (“ASLB”), was completed on September 29, 2010, with the dismissal of all contentions. Upon completion of the administrative proceeding, the D.C. Circuit on November 5, 2010, issued an order returning the two cases to the court's active docket. Final briefs have been submitted, and oral arguments took place on October 20, 2011. Administrative Proceedings Regarding Bellefonte Units 3 and 4. TVA submitted its combined construction and operating license application ("CCOLA") for two Advanced Passive 1000 reactors at Bellefonte Units 3 and 4 to the NRC in October 2007. On June 6, 2008, Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team (“BEST”), BREDL, and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (“SACE”) submitted to the NRC a joint petition for intervention and a request for a hearing. The petition raised 20 potential contentions with respect to TVA's CCOLA. The ASLB denied standing to BEST and admitted four of the 20 contentions submitted by BREDL and SACE. The NRC later reversed the ASLB's decision to admit two of the four contentions, leaving only two contentions (which involve questions about the estimated costs of the new nuclear plant and the impact of the facility's operations, in particular the plant intake, on aquatic ecology) to be litigated in a future hearing. On September 29, 2010, TVA notified the NRC that the recently completed final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement had determined that completion of the partially constructed Bellefonte Unit 1 is the preferred alternative for near-term additional generating capacity at the Bellefonte site. Consequently, TVA has requested, and the NRC has agreed, to place the CCOLA in “suspended” status indefinitely. On January 6, 2012, TVA also notified the ASLB of the suspended status of the CCOLA, and requested that the ASLB hold the proceeding in abeyance pending a decision by TVA regarding the best path forward with regards to the CCOLA. TVA expects to continue to request that the proceeding be held in abeyance until the risks of completing Bellefonte Unit 1 are substantially understood and construction is resumed. On August 11, 2011, BREDL and SACE petitioned for the admission of a new, late-filed contention to require the environmental analysis completed for the CCOLA to consider the findings of the NRC's Near-Term Task Force on the Fukushima Event regarding the events at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant ("Fukushima Daiichi"). On November 30, 2011, the ASLB, after considering the submissions of the parties, determined that the proposed contention failed to meet the standards for admission of a new contention in the proceeding. Administrative Proceedings Regarding Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Unit 2. On July 13, 2009, SACE, the Tennessee Environmental Council, the Sierra Club, We the People, and BREDL filed a request for a hearing and petition to intervene in the NRC administrative process reviewing TVA's application for an operating license for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant ("Watts Bar") Unit 2. The petitioners raised seven contentions related to TVA's environmental review of the project and the NRC's basis for confidence in the availability of safe storage options for spent nuclear fuel. On November 19, 2009, the ASLB granted SACE's request for hearing, admitted two of SACE's seven contentions for hearing, and denied the request for hearing submitted on behalf of the other four petitioners. On March 26, 2010, the NRC affirmed the ASLB's decision denying the other petitioners the opportunity to participate. After providing additional information to the NRC on April 9, 2010, which addressed one of the two admitted contentions, TVA submitted a motion asking the ASLB to dismiss the contention as moot. The motion was unopposed by SACE and on June 2, 2010, the ASLB granted TVA's motion to dismiss the contention. SACE also asked the ASLB to waive the NRC's longstanding regulations establishing that, for the purposes of NEPA, the need for power and alternative energy source issues will not be considered in operating license proceedings. On June 29, 2010, the ASLB denied this request and declined to refer the waiver petition to the NRC for consideration. SACE subsequently filed a petition for interlocutory review of this decision with the NRC, which the NRC denied on November 30, 2010. Regarding the sole remaining contention which raises concerns about the aquatic impacts of two-unit operation, several additional reports have been provided to the NRC providing up-to-date information to address this contention. These reports include a mussel survey report and an entrainment report, both issued on March 24, 2011, and an impingement report issued on March 29, 2011. A supplement to the impingement report was submitted on April 28, 2011. A hearing on the remaining contention is expected to take place in the latter part of 2012. On August 11, 2011, SACE petitioned for the admission of a new, late-filed contention to require the environmental analysis completed for TVA's operating license application to consider the findings of the NRC's Near-Term Task Force on the Fukushima Event regarding the events at the Fukushima Daiichi reactors. TVA submitted a reply brief on September 6, 2011, opposing admission of such a contention on the grounds it does not satisfy the standards for non-timely contentions or the standards for admitting a new contention. On November 21, 2011, TVA filed a motion for summary disposition, arguing that additional aquatic studies conducted by TVA meant there is no longer a genuine issue of material fact. SACE and the NRC staff filed their answers to the motion on December 20, 2011; SACE opposed TVA's motion while the NRC staff supported it. John Sevier CAA Permit. On September 20, 2010, the Environmental Integrity Project, the Southern Environmental Law Center, and the Tennessee Environmental Council filed a petition with the EPA, requesting that the EPA Administrator object to the CAA permit issued to TVA for operation of John Sevier. Among other things, the petitioners allege that repair, maintenance, or replacement activities undertaken at John Sevier Unit 3 in 1986 triggered the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (“PSD”) requirements for sulfer dioxide ("SO 2") and nitrogen oxides ("NO x"). The CAA permit, issued by TDEC, remains in effect pending the disposition of the EPA's petition. The Environmental Agreements should narrow the scope of this proceeding. See Environmental Agreements. Shawnee CAA Permit. On December 16, 2010, the Environmental Integrity Project and the SACE filed a petition with the EPA requesting that the EPA Administrator object to the proposed CAA renewal permit issued to TVA for operations at Shawnee. Among other things, the petitioners allege that repair, maintenance, or replacement undertaken at Shawnee Units 1 and 4 in the 1989-90 period triggered the PSD requirements for SO 2 and NO x. The current permit remains in effect pending Kentucky Division for Air Quality finalization of the renewal permit. The Environmental Agreements should narrow the scope of this proceeding. See Environmental Agreements. Kingston NPDES Permit Appeal. The Sierra Club filed a challenge to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) permit issued by Tennessee for the scrubber-gypsum pond discharge at Kingston in November 2009 before the Tennessee Water Quality Control Board (“TWQCB”). This is the second such challenge nationally. In addition to its allegation that Tennessee violated the Clean Water Act by failing to set specific limits on certain toxic discharges, the Sierra Club alleges that no discharges from the pond infrastructure should be allowed because zero-discharge scrubbers exist. TDEC is the defendant in the challenge, and TVA has intervened in support of TDEC's decision to issue the permit. The matter was set for a hearing before the TWQCB in February 2011 but has since been stayed by agreement of the parties. The other similar challenge involves an Allegheny Power NPDES permit for its scrubber discharge at a Pennsylvania plant. Bull Run NDPES Permit Appeal. SACE and the Tennessee Clean Water Network (“TCWN”) filed a challenge to the NPDES permit for Bull Run on November 1, 2010. TDEC is the defendant in the challenge and TVA's petition to intervene to support TDEC's decision to issue the permit was granted on January 12, 2011. The matter is expected to go to a hearing before the TWQCB in the spring of 2012. Johnsonville Fossil Plant NDPES Permit Appeal. SACE and TCWN filed a challenge to the NPDES permit for Johnsonville Fossil Plant ("Johnsonville") on or about March 10, 2011. TDEC is the defendant in the challenge. TVA's motion to intervene was granted on August 3, 2011. The matter has not yet been given a hearing date before the TWQCB. John Sevier Fossil Plant NDPES Permit Appeal. SACE and TCWN filed a challenge to the NPDES permit for John Sevier on or about May 31, 2011. TDEC is the defendant in the challenge. TVA's motion to intervene was granted on August 3, 2011. The matter has not yet been given a hearing date before the TWQCB. Information Request from the EPA. On April 25, 2008, TVA received a request from the EPA under Section 114 of the CAA requesting extensive information about maintenance, repair, and replacement projects at and the operations of 14 coal-fired units. The Environmental Agreements have resolved most issues related to this information request, excluding claims related to sulfuric acid mist. See Environmental Agreements. Petitions Resulting from Japanese Nuclear Events. As a result of the March 11, 2011 Japanese nuclear events, petitions have been filed with the NRC which could impact TVA's nuclear program. While some petitions have been dismissed after review, petitions that remain open include the following:
• | Petition to Immediately Suspend the Operating Licenses of GE BWR Mark I Units Pending the Full NRC Review With Independent Expert and Public Participation From Affected Emergency Planning Zone Communities
Beyond Nuclear filed a petition on April 13, 2011, requesting that the NRC take emergency enforcement action against all nuclear reactor licensees that operate units that use the General Electric Mark I BWR design. TVA uses this design at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant ("Browns Ferry") Units 1, 2, and 3. The petition requests the NRC to take several actions, including the suspension of the operating licenses at the affected nuclear units, including Browns Ferry, until several milestones have been met. On December 13, 2011, the NRC provided its initial response to the petition. The NRC accepted five specific requests that would apply directly or indirectly to TVA's Browns Ferry, including issues relating to spent fuel pool use and location, Mark I containment hardened vent systems and design, and backup electrical power. Each of these items was accepted for further investigation, but the requests for immediate action were rejected.
• | Twelve separate petitions on various issues
On July 27, 2011, the Natural Resources Defense Council submitted twelve separate letters to the NRC requesting action on various health and safety aspects of operating nuclear facilities in the United States. The NRC is treating these as a single 2.206 Petition, and the issues are currently under review.
• | Petition Pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206 - Demand For Information Regarding Compliance with 10 CFR 50, Appendix A, General Design Criterion 44, Cooling Water, and 10 CFR 50.49, Environmental Qualification
A petition was filed by the Union of Concerned Scientists on July 29, 2011, requesting that a demand for information be issued for affected licensees, including TVA with regards to Browns Ferry, to describe how the facility complies with General Design Criterion 44, Cooling Water, within Appendix A to 10 CFR Part 50, and with 10 CFR 50.49, Environmental Qualification of Electric Equipment Important to Safety for Nuclear Power Plants, for all applicable design and licensing bases events. This petition is under review.

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