1.0.0.3 false 6040 - PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS false 1 $ false false u000 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 u001 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 u002 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 2 0 fe_PensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitsAbstract fe false na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 3 1 us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitsDisclosureTextBlock us-gaap true na duration string Description containing the entire pension and other postretirement benefits disclosure as a single block of text. false false false false false false false false false 1 false false 0 0 5. PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS FirstEnergy provides noncontributory qualified defined benefit pension plans that cover substantially all of its employees and non-qualified pension plans that cover certain employees. The plans provide defined benefits based on years of service and compensation levels. FirstEnergy's funding policy is based on actuarial computations using the projected unit credit method. FirstEnergy uses a December 31 measurement date for its pension and other postretirement benefit plans. The fair value of the plan assets represents the actual market value as of December 31. FirstEnergy also provides a minimum amount of noncontributory life insurance to retired employees in addition to optional contributory insurance. Health care benefits, which include certain employee contributions, deductibles and co-payments, are available upon retirement to employees hired prior to January 1, 2005, their dependents and, under certain circumstances, their survivors. FirstEnergy recognizes the expected cost of providing pension benefits and other postretirement benefits from the time employees are hired until they become eligible to receive those benefits. In addition, FirstEnergy has obligations to former or inactive employees after employment, but before retirement, for disability-related benefits. On June 2, 2009, FirstEnergy amended its health care benefits plan (Plan) for all employees and retirees eligible to participate in the Plan. The Plan amendment, which reduces future health care coverage subsidies paid by FirstEnergy on behalf of participants, triggered a remeasurement of FirstEnergy's other postretirement benefit plans as of May 31, 2009. As a result of the remeasurement, the Plan's discount rate was revised to 7.5% while the expected long-term rate of return on assets remained at 9%. The remeasurement and Plan amendment increased FirstEnergy's accumulated other comprehensive income by $449 million in the second quarter of 2009 and will reduce FirstEnergy's net postretirement benefit cost (including amounts capitalized) for the remainder of 2009 by $48 million, including a $7 million reduction that is applicable to the second quarter of 2009. FirstEnergy's net pension and OPEB expenses (benefits) for the three months ended June 30, 2009 and 2008 were $38 million and $(15) million, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2009 and 2008, FirstEnergy's net pension and OPEB expenses (benefits) were $80 million and $(29) million, respectively. The components of FirstEnergy's net pension and other postretirement benefit costs (including amounts capitalized) for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2009 and 2008, consisted of the following: Three Months Six Months Ended June 30 Ended June 30 Pension Benefits 2009 2008 2009 2008 (In millions) Service cost $ 22 $ 22 $ 43 $ 43 Interest cost 80 75 159 150 Expected return on plan assets (81 ) (116 ) (162 ) (231 )Amortization of prior service cost 3 3 7 6 Recognized net actuarial loss 42 2 85 4 Net periodic cost (credit) $ 66 $ (14 ) $ 132 $ (28 ) Three Months Six Months Ended June 30 Ended June 30 Other Postretirement Benefits 2009 2008 2009 2008 (In millions) Service cost $ 4 $ 5 $ 8 $ 9 Interest cost 18 18 38 37 Expected return on plan assets (9 ) (13 ) (18 ) (26 )Amortization of prior service cost (41 ) (37 ) (79 ) (74 )Recognized net actuarial loss 15 12 31 24 Net periodic cost (credit) $ (13 ) $ (15 ) $ (20 ) $ (30 ) Pension and postretirement benefit obligations are allocated to FirstEnergy's subsidiaries employing the plan participants. FES and the Utilities capitalize employee benefits related to construction projects. The net periodic pension costs and net periodic postretirement benefit costs (including amounts capitalized) recognized by FES and each of the Utilities for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2009 and 2008 were as follows: Three Months Six Months Ended June 30 Ended June 30 Pension Benefit Cost (Credit) 2009 2008 2009 2008 (In millions) FES $ 18 $ 5 $ 36 $ 11 OE 7 (6 ) 14 (12 )CEI 5 (1 ) 10 (2 )TE 2 (1 ) 3 (1 )JCP&L 9 (3 ) 18 (7 )Met-Ed 6 (2 ) 11 (5 )Penelec 4 (3 ) 9 (6 )Other FirstEnergy subsidiaries 15 (3 ) 31 (6 ) $ 66 $ (14 ) $ 132 $ (28 ) Three Months Six Months Ended June 30 Ended June 30 Other Postretirement Benefit Cost (Credit) 2009 2008 2009 2008 (In millions) FES $ (3 ) $ (2 ) $ (4 ) $ (4 )OE (3 ) (2 ) (5 ) (3 )CEI - 1 1 1 TE - 1 1 2 JCP&L (1 ) (4 ) (2 ) (8 )Met-Ed (1 ) (3 ) (2 ) (5 )Penelec (1 ) (3 ) (2 ) (6 )Other FirstEnergy subsidiaries (4 ) (3 ) (7 ) (7 ) $ (13 ) $ (15 ) $ (20 ) $ (30 ) 5. PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS FirstEnergy provides noncontributory qualified defined benefit pension plans that cover substantially all of its false false Description containing the entire pension and other postretirement benefits disclosure as a single block of text. 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