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Variable Interest Entities | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2012
Variable Interest Entities Disclosure [Abstract] |
Variable Interest Entities | Variable Interest Entities Effective January 1, 2010, Edison International and SCE adopted the FASB's new guidance regarding VIEs. A VIE is defined as a legal entity whose equity owners do not have sufficient equity at risk, or, as a group, the holders of the equity investment at risk lack any of the following three characteristics: decision-making rights, the obligation to absorb losses, or the right to receive the expected residual returns of the entity. The primary beneficiary is identified as the variable interest holder that has both the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The primary beneficiary is required to consolidate the VIE. Commercial and operating activities are generally the factors that most significantly impact the economic performance of such VIEs. Commercial and operating activities include construction, operation and maintenance, fuel procurement, dispatch and compliance with regulatory and contractual requirements. Variable Interest in VIEs that are not Consolidated Power Purchase Contracts SCE has power purchase agreements ("PPAs") that have variable interests in VIEs, including tolling agreements through which SCE provides the natural gas to fuel the plants and contracts with qualifying facilities ("QFs") that contain variable pricing provisions based on the price of natural gas. SCE has concluded that it is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs since it does not control the commercial and operating activities of these entities. In general, because payments for capacity are the primary source of income, the most significant economic activity for these VIEs is the operation and maintenance of the power plants. As of the balance sheet date, the carrying amount of assets and liabilities in SCE's consolidated balance sheet that relate to its involvement with VIEs result from amounts due under the PPAs or the fair value of those derivative contracts. Under these contracts, SCE recovers the costs incurred through demonstration of compliance with its CPUC-approved long-term power procurement plans. SCE has no residual interest in the entities and has not provided or guaranteed any debt or equity support, liquidity arrangements, performance guarantees or other commitments associated with these contracts other than the purchase commitments described in Note 9. As a result, there is no significant potential exposure to loss as a result of SCE's involvement with these VIEs. The aggregate contracted capacity dedicated to SCE for these VIE projects was 2,198 MW at December 31, 2012 and the amounts that SCE paid to these projects were $397 million and $477 million for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. These amounts are recoverable in customer rates, subject to reasonableness review. As of December 31, 2012, SCE has additional VIE contracts with future aggregate contracted capacity of 3,402 MW to be delivered starting in 2013 and 2014. Unconsolidated Trusts of SCE SCE Trust I and Trust II were formed for the exclusive purpose of issuing the 5.625% and 5.10% trust preference securities, respectively (“trust securities”). The trusts are VIEs. SCE has concluded that it is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs as it does not have the obligation to absorb the expected losses or the right to receive the expected residual returns of the trusts. In May 2012, SCE Trust I issued $475 million (aggregate liquidation preference) of 5.625% trust securities (cumulative, liquidation amount of $25 per share) to the public and $10,000 of common stock (100%) to SCE. The trust invested the proceeds of these trust securities in Series F Preference Stock issued by SCE in the principal amount of $475 million (cumulative, $2,500 per share liquidation value) and which have substantially the same payment terms as the trust securities. In January 2013, SCE Trust II issued $400 million (aggregate liquidation preference) of 5.10% trust securities (cumulative, liquidation amount of $25 per share) to the public and $10,000 of common stock (100%) to SCE. The trust invested the proceeds of these trust securities in Series G Preference Stock issued by SCE in the principal amount of $400 million (cumulative, $2,500 per share liquidation value) and which have substantially the same payment terms as the trust securities. The Series F and Series G Preference Stock and the corresponding trust securities do not have a maturity date. Upon any redemption of any shares of the Series F or Series G Preference Stock, a corresponding dollar amount of trust securities will be redeemed by the applicable trust (for further information see Note 13). The applicable trust will make distributions at the same rate and on the same dates on the applicable series of trust securities when and if the SCE board of directors declares and makes dividend payments on the Series F or Series G Preference Stock. The applicable trusts will use any dividends it receives on the Series F or Series G Preference Stock to make its corresponding distributions on the applicable series of trust securities. If SCE does not make a dividend payment to either trust, SCE would be prohibited from paying dividends on its common stock. SCE has fully and unconditionally guaranteed the payment of the trust securities and also its dividend payments, if and when SCE pays dividends on the Series F and Series G Preference Stock. The Trust I balance sheet as of December 31, 2012, consisted of an investment of $475 million in the Series F Preference Stock, $475 million of trust securities and $10,000 of common stock. The trust's income statement consisted of dividend income and accrued dividend payments of $17 million for the year ended December 31, 2012.

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- Definition Entire 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. + References No definition available. + Details
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