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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation
The Company’s consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The FASB ASC is the source of authoritative GAAP to be applied by nongovernmental entities. In addition, the rules and interpretative releases of the SEC under authority of federal securities laws are also sources of authoritative GAAP for SEC registrants.
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the Company’s accounts and operations and those of its subsidiaries in which it has a controlling financial interest. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. The usual condition for a controlling financial interest is ownership of the majority of the voting interests of an entity. However, a controlling financial interest may also exist through arrangements that do not involve controlling voting interests. As such, the Company applies the guidance of ASC 810, Consolidations, to determine when an entity that is insufficiently capitalized or not controlled through its voting interests, referred to as a variable interest entity, or VIE, should be consolidated.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
Cash and cash equivalents include highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less at the time of purchase.
Restricted cash consists primarily of funds held to satisfy the requirements of certain debt agreements and funds held within the Company’s facilities that are restricted in their use.
Accounts Receivable — Trade and Allowance for Credit Losses
Accounts Receivable — Trade and Allowance for Credit Losses
Accounts receivable — trade are reported on the consolidated balance sheet at the invoiced amount adjusted for any write-offs and the allowance for credit losses. The majority of the Company’s customers typically receive invoices monthly with payment due within 30 days. The allowance for credit losses is reviewed periodically based on amounts past due and their significance.
Inventory
Inventory
Inventory consists of spare parts and is valued at weighted average cost, unless evidence indicates that the weighted average cost will not be recovered with a normal profit in the ordinary course of business. Inventory is removed when used for repairs, maintenance or capital projects.
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost, however, impairment adjustments are recorded whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. Significant additions or improvements extending asset lives are capitalized as incurred, while repairs and maintenance that do not improve or extend the life of the respective asset are charged to expense as incurred. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives. Certain assets and their related accumulated depreciation amounts are adjusted for asset retirements and disposals with the resulting gain or loss included in cost of operations in the consolidated statements of operations. For further discussion of the Company’s property, plant and equipment refer to Note 4, Property, Plant and Equipment.
Interest incurred on funds borrowed to finance capital projects is capitalized until the project under construction is ready for its intended use. The amount of interest capitalized for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $51 million, $28 million and $36 million, respectively.
Construction in-progress represents cumulative construction costs, including the costs incurred for the purchase of major equipment and engineering costs and capitalized interest. Once the project achieves commercial operation, the Company reclassifies the amounts recorded in construction in progress to facilities and equipment.
Asset Impairments
Asset Impairments
Long-lived assets that are held and used are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. Such reviews are performed in accordance with ASC 360, Property, Plant and Equipment. An impairment loss is indicated if the total future estimated undiscounted cash flows expected from an asset are less than its carrying amount. An impairment charge is measured as the excess of an asset’s carrying amount over its fair value with the difference recorded in operating costs and expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. Fair values are determined by a variety of valuation methods, including appraisals, sales prices of similar assets and present value techniques. For further discussion of the Company’s long-lived asset impairments, refer to Note 9, Asset Impairments.
Investments accounted for by the equity method are reviewed for impairment in accordance with ASC 323, Investments-Equity Method and Joint Ventures, which requires that a loss in value of an investment that is an other-than-temporary decline should be recognized. The Company identifies and measures losses in the value of equity method investments based upon a comparison of fair value to carrying value.
Debt Issuance Costs
Debt Issuance Costs
Debt issuance costs are capitalized and amortized as interest expense on a basis which approximates the effective interest method over the term of the related debt. Debt issuance costs related to the long-term debt are presented as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt. Debt issuance costs related to the senior secured revolving credit facility line of credit are recorded as a non-current asset on the consolidated balance sheet and are amortized over the term of the credit facility.
Intangible Assets
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets represent contractual rights held by the Company. The Company recognizes specifically identifiable intangible assets, including PPAs, leasehold rights, emission allowances, RECs and development rights when specific rights and contracts are acquired. These intangible assets are amortized primarily on a straight-line basis.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue Recognition
Revenue from Contracts with Customers
The Company applies the guidance in ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, or Topic 606, when recognizing revenue associated with its contracts with customers. The Company’s policies with respect to its various revenue streams are detailed below. In general, the Company applies the invoicing practical expedient to recognize revenue for the revenue streams detailed below, except in circumstances where the invoiced amount does not represent the value transferred to the customer.
Flexible Generation Segment Revenues
The majority of the facilities in the Flexible Generation segment commenced merchant operations during 2023 following the expiration of the PPAs. These facilities generate revenues from selling electricity and/or RA to the CAISO and to public utility and load serving entities, as the power is delivered at the interconnection point.
Power Purchase Agreements, or PPAs
The majority of the Company’s revenues are obtained through PPAs or similar contractual agreements. Energy, capacity and, where applicable, renewable attributes, from the majority of the Company’s renewable energy assets and certain facilities in the Flexible Generation segment are sold through long-term PPAs and tolling agreements to a single counterparty, which is often a utility or commercial customer. Certain revenue agreements also provide for the sale of BESS capacity. As discussed above, the majority of the facilities in the Flexible Generation segment commenced merchant operations during 2023 following the expiration of the PPAs. The majority of these PPAs are accounted for as operating leases as the Company retained its historical lease assessments and classification upon adoption of ASC 842, Leases. ASC 842 requires the minimum lease payments received to be amortized over the term of the lease and contingent rentals are recorded when the achievement of the contingency becomes probable. The Company’s BESS arrangements include variable payments not based on an index or rate and sales-type lease treatment would result in a loss at lease commencement. As a result, the Company accounts for these arrangements as operating leases under ASC 842. Judgment is required by management in determining the economic life of each generating facility, in evaluating whether certain lease provisions constitute minimum payments or represent contingent rent and other factors in determining whether a contract contains a lease and whether the lease is an operating lease or finance lease.
Certain of these PPAs have no minimum lease payments and all of the lease revenue under these PPAs is recorded as contingent rent on an actual basis when the electricity is delivered. The contingent lease revenue recognized in the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $797 million, $831 million and $780 million, respectively. See Note 17, Leases, for additional information related to the Company’s PPAs accounted for as leases.
Renewable Energy Credits, or RECs
Renewable energy credits, or RECs, are usually sold through long-term PPAs or through REC contracts with counterparties. Revenue from the sale of self-generated RECs is recognized when the related energy is generated and simultaneously delivered even in cases where there is a certification lag as it has been deemed to be perfunctory.
In a bundled contract to sell energy, capacity and/or self-generated RECs, all performance obligations are deemed to be delivered at the same time and hence, timing of recognition of revenue for all performance obligations is the same and occurs over time. In such cases, it is unnecessary to allocate transaction price to multiple performance obligations.
Contract Amortization
Assets and liabilities recognized from power sales agreements assumed through acquisitions relating to the sale of electric capacity and energy in future periods arising from differences in contract and market prices are amortized to revenue over the term of each underlying contract based on actual generation and/or contracted volumes or on a straight-line basis, where applicable.
Derivative Financial Instruments
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company accounts for derivative financial instruments under ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, or ASC 815, which requires the Company to record all derivatives on the balance sheet at fair value unless they qualify for a NPNS exception. Changes in the fair value of non-hedge derivatives are immediately recognized in earnings. Changes in the fair value of derivatives accounted for as hedges, if elected for hedge accounting, are deferred and recorded as a component of accumulated OCI/OCL until the hedged transactions occur and are recognized in earnings.
The Company’s primary derivative financial instruments are interest rate instruments used to mitigate variability in earnings due to fluctuations in interest rates and energy-related instruments used to mitigate variability in earnings due to fluctuations in power market prices or natural gas market prices. Certain derivative contracts contain provisions providing the counterparties a lien on specific assets as collateral. On an ongoing basis, the Company qualitatively assesses the effectiveness of its derivatives that are designated as hedges for accounting purposes in order to determine that each derivative continues to be highly effective in offsetting changes in cash flows of hedged items. If necessary, the Company will perform an analysis to measure the statistical correlation between the derivative and the associated hedged item to determine the effectiveness of such a contract designated as a hedge. The Company will discontinue hedge accounting if it is determined that the hedge is no longer effective. In this case, the gain or loss previously deferred in accumulated OCI/OCL would be frozen until the underlying hedged item is delivered unless the transaction being hedged is no longer probable of occurring in which case the amount in accumulated OCI/OCL would be immediately reclassified into earnings. If the derivative financial instrument is terminated, the effective portion of this derivative deferred in accumulated OCI/OCL will be frozen until the underlying hedged item is delivered.
Revenues and expenses on contracts that qualify for the NPNS exception are recognized when the underlying physical transaction is delivered. While these contracts are considered derivative financial instruments under ASC 815, they are not recorded at fair value, but on an accrual basis of accounting. If it is determined that a transaction designated as NPNS no longer meets the scope exception, the fair value of the related contract is recorded on the balance sheet and immediately recognized through earnings.
Cash flows from derivative financial instruments, including derivatives designated as cash flow hedges and derivatives not designated as cash flow hedges, are classified as operating activities in the consolidated statements of cash flows.
Concentrations of Credit Risk
Concentrations of Credit Risk
Financial instruments which potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of accounts receivable — trade and derivative financial instruments, which are concentrated within entities engaged in the energy and financial industries. These industry concentrations may impact the overall exposure to credit risk, either positively or negatively, in that the customers may be similarly affected by changes in economic, industry or other conditions. In addition, many of the Company’s facilities have only one customer.
Concentration of Credit Risk
In addition to the credit risk discussion as disclosed in Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, the following item is a discussion of the concentration of credit risk for the Company’s financial instruments. Credit risk relates to the risk of loss resulting from non-performance or non-payment by counterparties pursuant to the terms of their contractual obligations. The Company monitors and manages credit risk through credit policies that include: (i) an established credit approval process; (ii) monitoring of counterparties’ credit limits on as needed basis; (iii) as applicable, the use of credit mitigation measures such as margin, collateral, prepayment arrangements, or volumetric limits; (iv) the use of payment netting agreements; and (v) the use of master netting agreements that allow for the netting of positive and negative exposures of various contracts associated with a single counterparty. Risks surrounding counterparty performance and credit could ultimately impact the amount and timing of expected cash flows. The Company seeks to mitigate counterparty risk by having a diversified portfolio of counterparties.
Counterparty credit exposure includes credit risk exposure under certain long-term agreements, including solar and other PPAs. As external sources or observable market quotes are not available to estimate such exposure, the Company estimates the exposure related to these contracts based on various techniques including, but not limited to, internal models based on a fundamental analysis of the market and extrapolation of observable market data with similar characteristics. A significant portion of these energy-related commodity contracts are with utilities with strong credit quality and public utility commission or other regulatory support. However, such regulated utility counterparties can be impacted by changes in government regulations or adverse financial conditions, which the Company is unable to predict. Certain subsidiaries of the Company sell the output of their facilities to PG&E, a significant counterparty of the Company, under long-term PPAs, and PG&E’s credit rating is below investment-grade.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts receivable — trade, accounts receivable — affiliates, accounts payable — trade, accounts payable — affiliates and accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate fair value because of the short-term maturity of these instruments.
Asset Retirement Obligations
Asset Retirement Obligations
Asset retirement obligations, or AROs, are accounted for in accordance with ASC 410-20, Asset Retirement Obligations, or ASC 410-20. Retirement obligations associated with long-lived assets included within the scope of ASC 410-20 are those for which a legal obligation exists under enacted laws, statutes, and written or oral contracts, including obligations arising under the doctrine of promissory estoppel, and for which the timing and/or method of settlement may be conditional on a future event. ASC 410-20 requires an entity to recognize the fair value of a liability for an ARO in the period in which it is incurred and a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made.
Upon initial recognition of a liability for an ARO, other than when an ARO is assumed in an acquisition of the related long-lived asset, the asset retirement cost is capitalized by increasing the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset by the same amount. Over time, the liability is accreted to its future value, while the capitalized cost is depreciated over the useful life of the related asset. The Company’s AROs are primarily related to the future dismantlement of equipment on leased property and environmental obligations related to site closures and fuel storage facilities. The Company records AROs as part of other non-current liabilities on its consolidated balance sheet.
Guarantees
Guarantees
The Company enters into various contracts that include indemnification and guarantee provisions as a routine part of its business activities. Examples of these contracts include operation and maintenance agreements, service agreements, commercial sales arrangements and other types of contractual agreements with vendors and other third parties as well as affiliates. These contracts generally indemnify the counterparty for tax, environmental liability, litigation and other matters as well as breaches of representations, warranties and covenants set forth in these agreements. Because many of the guarantees and indemnities the Company issues to third parties and affiliates do not limit the amount or duration of its obligations to perform under them, there exists a risk that the Company may have obligations in excess of the amounts agreed upon in the contracts mentioned above. For those guarantees and indemnities that do not limit the liability exposure, the Company may not be able to estimate what the liability would be, until a claim is made for payment or performance, due to the contingent nature of these contracts.
Investments Accounted for by the Equity Method
Investments Accounted for by the Equity Method
The Company has investments in various energy facilities accounted for by the equity method, several of which are VIEs, where the Company is not a primary beneficiary, as described in Note 5, Investments Accounted for by the Equity Method and Variable Interest Entities. The equity method of accounting is applied to these investments in affiliates because the ownership structure prevents the Company from exercising a controlling influence over the operating and financial policies of the facilities. Under this method, equity in pre-tax income or losses of the investments is reflected as equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates. Distributions from equity method investments that represent earnings on the Company’s investment are included within cash flows from operating activities and distributions from equity method investments that represent a return of the Company’s investment are included within cash flows from investing activities.
Sale-Leaseback Arrangements
Sale-Leaseback Arrangements
The Company is party to sale-leaseback arrangements that provide for the sale of certain assets to a third-party and simultaneous leaseback to the Company. In accordance with ASC 842-40, Sale-Leaseback Transactions, if the seller-lessee retains, through the leaseback, substantially all of the benefits and risks incident to the ownership of the property sold, the sale-leaseback transaction is accounted for as a financing arrangement. An example of this type of continuing involvement would include an option to repurchase the assets or the buyer-lessor having the option to sell the assets back to the Company. This provision is included in most of the Company’s sale-leaseback arrangements. As such, the Company accounts for these arrangements as financings.
Under the financing method, the Company does not recognize as income any of the sale proceeds received from the lessor that contractually constitutes payment to acquire the assets subject to these arrangements. Instead, the sale proceeds received are accounted for as financing obligations and leaseback payments made by the Company are allocated between interest expense and a reduction to the financing obligation. Interest on the financing obligation is calculated using the Company’s incremental borrowing rate at the inception of the arrangement on the outstanding financing obligation. Judgment is required to determine the appropriate borrowing rate for the arrangement and in determining any gain or loss on the transaction that would be recorded either at the end of or over the lease term.
Income Taxes
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes using the liability method in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes, or ASC 740, which requires that the Company use the asset and liability method of accounting for deferred income taxes and provide deferred income taxes for all significant temporary differences.
The Company has two categories of income tax expense or benefit — current and deferred, as follows:
Current income tax expense or benefit consists solely of current taxes payable less applicable tax credits, and
Deferred income tax expense or benefit is the change in the net deferred income tax asset or liability, excluding amounts charged or credited to accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).
The Company reports some of its revenues and expenses differently for financial statement purposes than for income tax return purposes, resulting in temporary and permanent differences between the Company’s financial statements and income tax returns. The tax effects of such temporary differences are recorded as either deferred income tax assets or deferred income tax liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. The Company measures its deferred income tax assets and deferred income tax liabilities using income tax rates that are currently in effect. The Company believes it is more likely than not that the results of future operations will generate sufficient taxable income which includes the future reversal of existing taxable temporary differences to realize deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowances. In arriving at this conclusion to utilize projections of future profit before tax in its estimate of future taxable income, the Company considered the profit before tax generated in recent years. A valuation allowance is recorded to reduce the net deferred tax assets to an amount that is more-likely-than-not to be realized.
The Company, through its consolidated subsidiaries, may earn tax credits in the ordinary course of business, which may be eligible for a transferability election permitting the Company to sell the tax credit to a third party. These tax credits, which are accounted for in accordance with ASC 740, include production tax credits, or PTCs, which are based on electricity generated by an operating facility, and investment tax credits, or ITCs, which are earned based on eligible costs to place an asset in service. The Company accounts for PTCs as electricity is generated and sold and records transferable PTCs as reduction to current income taxes. The Company records ITCs when generated as a deferred tax asset and other non-current liability. The Company reduces the deferred tax asset when the credit is sold and then reduces the other non-current liability ratably as a reduction to income tax expense over the depreciable life of the related property, plant and equipment. For further discussion, see Note 14, Income Taxes.
The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC 740, which applies to all tax positions related to income taxes. Under ASC 740, tax benefits are recognized when it is more-likely-than-not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination by the authorities. The benefit recognized from a position that has surpassed the more-likely-than-not threshold is the largest amount of benefit that is more than 50% likely to be realized upon settlement.
In accordance with ASC 740 and as discussed further in Note 14, Income Taxes, changes to existing net deferred tax assets, valuation allowances, or changes to uncertain tax benefits, are recorded to income tax expense.
Asset Acquisitions
Asset Acquisitions
The Company accounts for its acquisitions in accordance with ASC 805, Business Combinations, or ASC 805. For third-party acquisitions, ASC 805 requires an acquirer to recognize and measure in its financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed and any noncontrolling interest in the acquiree at fair value at the acquisition date. No goodwill is recognized, and excess purchase price or negative goodwill are allocated to the acquired assets on a relative fair value basis. For acquisitions that relate to entities under common control, the difference between the cash paid and historical value of the entities’ equity is recorded as a distribution/contribution from/to CEG with the offset to noncontrolling interest.
Tax Equity Arrangements
Tax Equity Arrangements
Certain portions of the Company’s redeemable noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries and noncontrolling interest represent third-party interests in the net assets under tax equity arrangements, which are consolidated by the Company, that have been entered into to finance the cost of facilities eligible for certain tax credits and benefits. The Company has determined that the provisions in the contractual agreements of these redeemable noncontrolling interests and noncontrolling interests represent substantive profit sharing arrangements. Further, the Company has determined that the appropriate methodology for calculating the redeemable noncontrolling interest and noncontrolling interest that reflects the substantive profit sharing arrangements is a balance sheet approach utilizing the hypothetical liquidation at book value, or HLBV, method. Under the HLBV method, the amounts reported as redeemable noncontrolling interest and noncontrolling interest represent the amounts the investors to the tax equity arrangements would hypothetically receive at each balance sheet date under the liquidation provisions of the contractual agreements, assuming the net assets of the funding structures were liquidated at their recorded amounts determined in accordance with GAAP. The investors’ interests in the results of operations of the funding structures are determined as the difference in redeemable noncontrolling interest and noncontrolling interest at the start and end of each reporting period, after taking into account any capital transactions between the structures and the funds’ investors. The calculations utilized to apply the HLBV method include estimated calculations of taxable income or losses for each reporting period. In addition, in certain circumstances, the Company and its partners in the tax equity arrangements agree that certain tax benefits are to be utilized outside of the tax equity arrangements, which may result in differences in the amount an investor would hypothetically receive at the initial balance sheet date calculated strictly in accordance with related contractual agreements. These differences are recognized in the consolidated statements of operations using a systematic and rational method over the period during which the investor is expected to achieve its target return.
Use of Estimates
Use of Estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions impact the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements. They also impact the reported amounts of net earnings during the reporting periods. Actual results could be different from these estimates.
In recording transactions and balances resulting from business operations, the Company uses estimates based on the best information available. Estimates are used for such items as plant depreciable lives, tax provisions, uncollectible accounts, AROs, acquisition accounting, fair value of financial instruments and legal costs incurred in connection with recorded loss contingencies, among others. In addition, estimates are used to test long-lived assets for impairment and to determine the fair value of impaired assets. As better information becomes available or actual amounts are determinable, the recorded estimates are revised. Consequently, operating results can be affected by revisions to prior accounting estimates.
Recent Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted
Recent Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted
In December 2025, the FASB issued ASU No 2025-10, Government Grants - (Topic 832): Accounting for Government Grants Received by Business Entities. The amendment establishes the accounting guidance for governmental grants received by a business entity. This guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2028 and interim reporting periods within the annual reporting period. The amendment may be applied on a modified prospective approach, a modified retrospective approach or retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted in both interim and annual reporting periods. As of December 31, 2025, the Company has not elected to early adopt the standard and is evaluating the effect of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.
In September 2025, the FASB issued ASU No. 2025-06, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Internal-Use Software. The amendment clarifies when software costs should be capitalized and requires certain disclosures for all capitalized internal-use software costs. This guidance may be applied prospectively, retrospectively or on a modified retrospective basis and is effective for annual reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027. The Company intends to early adopt ASU 2025-06 prospectively, effective January 1, 2026. The adoption is not expected to have an impact on the Company’s financial statements.
In September 2025, the FASB issued ASU No. 2025-07, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) and Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Derivatives Scope Refinements and Scope Clarification for Share-Based Noncash Consideration from a Customer in a Revenue Contract. The amendment expands the derivative scope exceptions and clarifies when an entity should apply the guidance in ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, to contracts with share-based noncash consideration from a customer for the transfer of goods or services. This guidance may be applied either prospectively or on a modified retrospective basis and is effective for annual reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026. The Company intends to early adopt ASU 2025-07 prospectively, effective January 1, 2026. The adoption is not expected to have an impact on the Company’s financial statements.
In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No 2024-03, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income-Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40). The amendment requires certain expenses presented on the face of the income statement to be disaggregated in the notes to the financial statements. This guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2026 and interim periods within annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027. The amendments may be applied either prospectively to financial statements issued for reporting periods after the effective date of this ASU or retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements. As of December 31, 2025, the Company has not elected to early adopt the standard and is evaluating the effect of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.