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Benefit Plans
 3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Benefit Plans Benefit Plans
TVA sponsors a qualified defined benefit plan ("pension plan") that covers most of its full-time employees hired before July 1, 2014, a qualified defined contribution plan ("401(k) plan") that covers most of its full-time employees, two unfunded post-retirement health care plans that provide for non-vested contributions toward the cost of eligible retirees' medical coverage, other post-employment benefits, such as workers' compensation, and the SERP. The pension plan and the 401(k) plan are administered by a separate legal entity, the TVA Retirement System ("TVARS"), which is governed by its own board of directors.

The components of net periodic benefit cost and other amounts recognized as changes in regulatory assets for the three months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, were as follows:
Components of TVA's Benefit Plans(1)
 
For the Three Months Ended December 31
 Pension BenefitsOther Post-Retirement Benefits
 2020201920202019
Service cost$14 $12 $5 $4 
Interest cost91 104 4 4 
Expected return on plan assets(123)(122)— — 
Amortization of prior service credit(24)(24)(5)(6)
Recognized net actuarial loss112 109 3 2 
Total net periodic benefit cost as actuarially determined70 79 7 4 
Amount expensed / (capitalized) due to actions of regulator7 (2)— — 
Total net periodic benefit cost$77 $77 $7 $4 
Note
(1) The components of net benefit cost other than the service cost component are included in Other net periodic benefit cost on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

    TVA's minimum required pension plan contribution for 2021 is $300 million. TVA contributes $25 million per month to TVARS and as of December 31, 2020, had contributed $75 million. The remaining $225 million will be contributed by September 30, 2021. For the three months ended December 31, 2020, TVA also contributed $26 million to the 401(k) plan and $9 million (net of $1 million in rebates) to the other post-retirement plans. TVA expects to contribute $5 million to the SERP in 2021.

    TVA's pension and other investment portfolios have experienced significant fluctuations over the past year, which had substantially recovered as of September 30, 2020, and have continued to experience gains through the three months ended December 31, 2020. However, effects due to the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial markets, regulations, and experience are uncertain and continue to evolve. The ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the pension plan and other post-retirement plans depends on factors beyond TVA’s knowledge or control, including the duration and severity, actions taken to contain its spread and mitigate its effects, and broader impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country and region’s economy. Therefore, TVA cannot estimate the potential impact to the pension plan and other post-retirement plans.