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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 3 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies General The Tennessee Valley Authority ("TVA") is a corporate agency and instrumentality of the United States ("U.S.") that was created in 1933 by federal legislation in response to a proposal by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. TVA was created to, among other things, improve navigation on the Tennessee River, reduce the damage from destructive flood waters within the Tennessee River system and downstream on the lower Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, further the economic development of TVA's service area in the southeastern U.S., and sell the electricity generated at the facilities TVA operates. Today, TVA operates the nation's largest public power system and supplies power in most of Tennessee, northern Alabama, northeastern Mississippi, and southwestern Kentucky and in portions of northern Georgia, western North Carolina, and southwestern Virginia to a population of approximately 10 million people. TVA also manages the Tennessee River, its tributaries, and certain shorelines to provide, among other things, year-round navigation, flood damage reduction, and affordable and reliable electricity. Consistent with these primary purposes, TVA also manages the river system and public lands to provide recreational opportunities, adequate water supply, improved water quality, cultural and natural resource protection, and economic development. TVA performs these management duties in cooperation with other federal and state agencies that have jurisdiction and authority over certain aspects of the river system. In addition, the TVA Board of Directors ("TVA Board") has established two councils — the Regional Resource Stewardship Council and the Regional Energy Resource Council — to advise TVA on its stewardship activities in the Tennessee Valley and its energy resource activities. The power program has historically been separate and distinct from the stewardship programs. It is required to be self-supporting from power revenues and proceeds from power financings, such as proceeds from the issuance of bonds, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness (collectively, "Bonds"). Although TVA does not currently receive Congressional appropriations, it is required to make annual payments to the United States Department of the Treasury ("U.S. Treasury") as a return on the government's appropriation investment in TVA's power facilities (the "Power Program Appropriation Investment"). In the 1998 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, Congress directed TVA to fund essential stewardship activities related to its management of the Tennessee River system and nonpower or stewardship properties with power revenues in the event that there were insufficient appropriations or other available funds to pay for such activities in any fiscal year. Congress has not provided any appropriations to TVA to fund such activities since 1999. Consequently, during 2000, TVA began paying for essential stewardship activities primarily with power revenues, with the remainder funded with user fees and other forms of revenues derived in connection with those activities. The activities related to stewardship properties do not meet the criteria of an operating segment under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"). Accordingly, these assets and properties are included as part of the power program, TVA's only operating segment. Power rates are established by the TVA Board as authorized by the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933, as amended (the "TVA Act"). The TVA Act requires TVA to charge rates for power that will produce gross revenues sufficient to provide funds for operation, maintenance, and administration of its power system; payments to states and counties in lieu of taxes ("tax equivalents"); debt service on outstanding indebtedness; payments to the U.S. Treasury in repayment of and as a return on the Power Program Appropriation Investment; and such additional margin as the TVA Board may consider desirable for investment in power system assets, retirement of outstanding Bonds in advance of maturity, additional reduction of the Power Program Appropriation Investment, and other purposes connected with TVA's power business. TVA fulfilled its requirement to repay $1.0 billion of the Power Program Appropriation Investment with the 2014 payment; therefore, this repayment obligation is no longer a component of rate setting. In setting TVA's rates, the TVA Board is charged by the TVA Act to have due regard for the primary objectives of the TVA Act, including the objective that power shall be sold at rates as low as are feasible. Rates set by the TVA Board are not subject to review or approval by any state or other federal regulatory body. Fiscal Year TVA's fiscal year ends September 30. Years (2022, 2021, etc.) refer to TVA's fiscal years unless they are preceded by "CY," in which case the references are to calendar years. Cost-Based Regulation Since the TVA Board is authorized by the TVA Act to set rates for power sold to its customers, TVA is self-regulated. Additionally, TVA's regulated rates are designed to recover its costs. Based on current projections, TVA believes that rates, set at levels that will recover TVA's costs, can be charged and collected. As a result of these factors, TVA records certain assets and liabilities that result from the regulated ratemaking process that would not be recorded under GAAP for non-regulated entities. Regulatory assets generally represent incurred costs that have been deferred because such costs are probable of future recovery in customer rates. Regulatory liabilities generally represent obligations to make refunds to customers for previous collections for costs that are not likely to be incurred or deferral of gains that will be credited to customers in future periods. TVA assesses whether the regulatory assets are probable of future recovery by considering factors such as applicable regulatory changes, potential legislation, and changes in technology. Based on these assessments, TVA believes the existing regulatory assets are probable of recovery. This determination reflects the current regulatory and political environment and is subject to change in the future. If future recovery of regulatory assets ceases to be probable, or TVA is no longer considered to be a regulated entity, then costs would be required to be written off. All regulatory asset write-offs would be required to be recognized in earnings in the period in which future recovery ceases to be probable. Basis of Presentation TVA prepares its consolidated interim financial statements in conformity with GAAP for consolidated interim financial information. Accordingly, TVA's consolidated interim financial statements do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for annual financial statements. As such, they should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2021, and the notes thereto, which are contained in TVA's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2021 (the "Annual Report"). In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of items of a normal recurring nature) considered necessary for fair presentation are included on the consolidated interim financial statements. The accompanying consolidated interim financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, include the accounts of TVA and variable interest entities ("VIEs") of which TVA is the primary beneficiary. See Note 9 — Variable Interest Entities. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements requires TVA to estimate the effects of various matters that are inherently uncertain as of the date of the consolidated financial statements. Although the consolidated financial statements are prepared in conformity with GAAP, TVA is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and the amounts of revenues and expenses, reported during the reporting period. Each of these estimates varies in regard to the level of judgment involved and its potential impact on TVA's financial results. Estimates are considered critical either when a different estimate could have reasonably been used, or where changes in the estimate are reasonably likely to occur from period to period, and such use or change would materially impact TVA's financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows. Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash Cash includes cash on hand, non-interest bearing cash, and deposit accounts. All highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less are considered cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents that are restricted, as to withdrawal or use under the terms of certain contractual agreements, are recorded in Other long-term assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Restricted cash and cash equivalents include cash held in trusts that are currently restricted for TVA economic development loans and for certain TVA environmental programs in accordance with agreements related to compliance with certain environmental regulations. See Note 20 — Contingencies and Legal Proceedings — Legal Proceedings — Environmental Agreements. The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash reported on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows:
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash (in millions)
| At December 31, 2021 |  | At September 30, 2021
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 507 |  |  | $ | 499 |
Restricted cash and cash equivalents included in Other long-term assets | 19 |  |  | 19 |
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash | $ | 526 |  |  | $ | 518 |
Due to higher volatility in the financial markets associated with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 ("COVID-19") pandemic, TVA increased its balance of Cash and cash equivalents beginning in March 2020. TVA may hold higher cash balances from time to time in response to potential market volatility or other business conditions. Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts TVA recognizes an allowance that reflects the current estimate for credit losses expected to be incurred over the life of the financial assets based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amounts. The appropriateness of the allowance is evaluated at the end of each reporting period. TVA continues to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on accounts and loans receivable balances to evaluate the allowance for uncollectible accounts. To determine the allowance for trade receivables, TVA considers historical experience and other currently available information, including events such as customer bankruptcy and/or a customer failing to fulfill payment arrangements by the due date. TVA's corporate credit department also performs an assessment of the financial condition of customers and the credit quality of the receivables. In addition, TVA reviews other reasonable and supportable forecasts to determine if the allowance for uncollectible amounts should be further adjusted in accordance with the accounting guidance for CECL. To determine the allowance for loans receivables, TVA aggregates loans into the appropriate pools based on the existence of similar risk characteristics such as collateral types and internal assessed credit risks. In situations where a loan exhibits unique risk characteristics and is no longer expected to experience similar risks to the rest of its pool, the loan will be evaluated separately. TVA derives an annual loss rate based on historical loss and then adjusts the rate to reflect TVA's consideration of available information on current conditions and reasonable and supportable future forecasts. This information may include economic and business conditions, default trends, and other internal and external factors. For periods beyond the reasonable and supportable forecast period, TVA uses the current calculated long-term average historical loss rate for the remaining life of the loan portfolio. The allowance for uncollectible accounts was $1 million and less than $1 million at December 31, 2021, and September 30, 2021, respectively, for trade accounts receivable. Additionally, loans receivable of $104 million and $99 million at December 31, 2021, and September 30, 2021, respectively, are included in Accounts receivable, net and Other long-term assets, for the current and long-term portions, respectively. Loans receivables are reported net of allowances for uncollectible accounts of $4 million at both December 31, 2021 and September 30, 2021. Revenues TVA recognizes revenue from contracts with customers to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. For the generation and transmission of electricity, this is generally at the time the power is delivered to a metered customer delivery point for the customer's consumption or distribution. As a result, revenues from power sales are recorded as electricity is delivered to customers. In addition to power sales invoiced and recorded during the month, TVA accrues estimated unbilled revenues for power sales provided to five customers whose billing date occurs prior to the end of the month. Exchange power sales are presented in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations as a component of sales of electricity. Exchange power sales are sales of excess power after meeting TVA native load and directly served requirements. Native load refers to the customers on whose behalf a company, by statute, franchise, regulatory requirement, or contract, has undertaken an obligation to serve. TVA engages in other arrangements in addition to power sales. Certain other revenue from activities related to TVA's overall mission is recorded in Other revenue. Revenues that are not related to the overall mission are recorded in Other income (expense), net. Depreciation TVA accounts for depreciation of its properties using the composite depreciation convention of accounting. Under the composite method, assets with similar economic characteristics are grouped and depreciated as one asset. Depreciation is generally computed on a straight-line basis over the estimated service lives of the various classes of assets. The estimation of asset useful lives requires management judgment, supported by external depreciation studies of historical asset retirement experience. Depreciation rates are determined based on external depreciation studies that are updated approximately every five years. During the first quarter of 2022, TVA implemented a new depreciation study related to its completed plant. The new study included a decline in the service life estimates of TVA's coal-fired plants based on current planning assumptions to potentially retire the remainder of the coal-fired fleet by 2035.
Property, Plant, and Equipment Depreciation Rates (percent)
| Implemented Rates(1) |  | At September 30, 2021 |  |
Asset Class |  |  |  |  |
Nuclear | 2.72 |  |  | 2.38 |  |  |
Coal-fired | 3.98 |  |  | 1.95 |  |  |
Hydroelectric | 1.95 |  |  | 1.60 |  |  |
Gas and oil-fired | 3.45 |  |  | 2.98 |  |  |
Transmission | 1.45 |  |  | 1.34 |  |  |
Other | 3.21 |  |  | 7.12 |  |  |
Note (1) Implemented rates represent average rates for each asset class as determined by the depreciation study and were applicable beginning October 1, 2021. Depreciation expense was $453 million and $345 million for the three months ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Implementation of the new depreciation rates resulted in an estimated increase of approximately $98 million in depreciation and amortization expense for the three months ended December 31, 2021, as compared to the same period of the prior year. This estimate represents the effect of using the new depreciation rates on the property, plant, and equipment balances at December 31, 2020, and does not include any potential impact from additions to or retirements of net completed plant that occurred since December 31, 2020. See Note 6 — Plant Closures for a discussion of the impact of plant closures.

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