Basis of Presentation (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block]

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Corporate Structure

DTE Electric is an electric utility engaged in the generation, purchase, distribution and sale of electricity to approximately 2.1 million customers in southeastern Michigan. DTE Electric is regulated by the MPSC and the FERC. In addition, we are regulated by other federal and state regulatory agencies including the NRC, the EPA and the MDEQ.

References in this report to “we,” “us,” “our” or “Company” are to DTE Electric and its subsidiaries, collectively.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared using accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These accounting principles require management to use estimates and assumptions that impact reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ from the Company’s estimates.

Certain prior year balances were reclassified to match the current year's financial statement presentation. Such revisions included an increase in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows line items for (i) Proceeds from sale of nuclear decommissioning trust funds, and (ii) Investment in nuclear decommissioning trust funds by $662 million and $753 million for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. These revisions were needed to properly state the gross purchases and sales activity in the nuclear decommissioning trust fund for the respective years. The totals of Net cash used in investing activities for both 2012 and 2011 were unchanged by these revisions. The revisions noted above are not deemed material, individually or in the aggregate, to the prior period consolidated financial statements.

Principles of Consolidation

The Company consolidates all majority-owned subsidiaries and investments in entities in which it has controlling influence. Non-majority owned investments are accounted for using the equity method when the Company is able to influence the operating policies of the investee. When the Company does not influence the operating policies of an investee, the cost method is used. These consolidated financial statements also reflect the Company’s proportionate interests in certain jointly owned utility plants. The Company eliminates all intercompany balances and transactions.

The Company evaluates whether an entity is a VIE whenever reconsideration events occur. The Company consolidates VIEs for which it is the primary beneficiary. If the Company is not the primary beneficiary and an ownership interest is held, the VIE is accounted for under the equity method of accounting. When assessing the determination of the primary beneficiary, the Company considers all relevant facts and circumstances, including: the power, through voting or similar rights, to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and the obligation to absorb the expected losses and/or the right to receive the expected returns of the VIE. The Company performs ongoing reassessments of all VIEs to determine if the primary beneficiary status has changed.

The Company has variable interests in VIEs through certain of its long-term purchase contracts. As of December 31, 2013, the carrying amount of assets and liabilities in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position that relate to its variable interests under long-term purchase contracts are predominately related to working capital accounts and generally represent the amounts owed by the Company for the deliveries associated with the current billing cycle under the contracts. The Company has not provided any form of financial support associated with these long-term contracts. There is no significant potential exposure to loss as a result of its variable interests through these long-term purchase contracts.

In 2001, DTE Electric financed a regulatory asset related to Fermi 2 and certain other regulatory assets through the sale of rate reduction bonds by a wholly-owned special purpose entity, Securitization. DTE Electric performs servicing activities including billing and collecting surcharge revenue for Securitization. This entity is a VIE and is consolidated by the Company. The maximum risk exposure related to Securitization is reflected on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.

The following table summarizes the major balance sheet items at December 31, 2013 and 2012 restricted for Securitization that are either (1) assets that can be used only to settle their obligations related to Securitization or (2) liabilities for which creditors do not have recourse to the general credit of the primary beneficiary.

	December 31,		December 31,
	2013		2012
	(In millions)
ASSETS
Restricted cash	$	100	$	102
Accounts receivable	34		34
Securitized regulatory assets	231		413
Other assets	4		7
	$	369	$	556
LIABILITIES
Accounts payable and accrued current liabilities	$	7	$	11
Current regulatory liabilities	43		50
Current portion long-term debt, including capital leases	196		177
Securitization bonds	105		302
Other long term liabilities	8		7
	$	359	$	547

As of December 31, 2013, DTE Electric had no balance in Notes receivable related to non-consolidated VIEs, and at December 31, 2012, the Company had $3 million in Notes receivable related to non-consolidated VIEs.