Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

NOTE 8. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy)

Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries are involved in a number of legal, regulatory, and tax proceedings before various courts, regulatory commissions, and governmental agencies in the ordinary course of business. While management is unable to predict the outcome of such proceedings, management does not believe that the ultimate resolution of these matters will have a material effect on Entergy’s results of operations, cash flows, or financial condition. Entergy discusses regulatory proceedings in Note 2 to the financial statements and discusses tax proceedings in Note 3 to the financial statements.

Vidalia Purchased Power Agreement

Entergy Louisiana has an agreement extending through the year 2031 to purchase energy generated by a hydroelectric facility known as the Vidalia project. Entergy Louisiana made payments under the contract of approximately $185.6 million in 2011, $216.5 million in 2010, and $204.9 million in 2009. If the maximum percentage (94%) of the energy is made available to Entergy Louisiana, current production projections would require estimated payments of approximately $172.1 million in 2012, and a total of $2.5 billion for the years 2013 through 2031. Entergy Louisiana currently recovers the costs of the purchased energy through its fuel adjustment clause.

In an LPSC-approved settlement related to tax benefits from the tax treatment of the Vidalia contract, Entergy Louisiana agreed to credit rates by $11 million each year for up to ten years, beginning in October 2002. In addition, in accordance with an LPSC settlement, Entergy Louisiana credited rates in August 2007 by $11.3 million (including interest) as a result of a settlement with the IRS of the 2001 tax treatment of the Vidalia contract. As discussed in more detail in Note 3 to the financial statements, in August 2011, Entergy agreed to a settlement with the IRS regarding the mark-to-market income tax treatment of various wholesale electric power purchase and sale agreements, including the Vidalia agreement. In October 2011, the LPSC approved a final settlement under which Entergy Louisiana agreed to share the remaining benefits of this tax accounting election by crediting customers an additional $20.235 million per year for 15 years beginning January 2012. Entergy Louisiana recorded a $199 million regulatory charge and a corresponding net-of-tax regulatory liability to reflect this obligation. The provisions of the settlement also provide that the LPSC shall not recognize or use Entergy Louisiana’s use of the cash benefits from the tax treatment in setting any of Entergy Louisiana’s rates. Therefore, to the extent Entergy Louisiana’s use of the proceeds would ordinarily have reduced its rate base, no change in rate base shall be reflected for ratemaking purposes.

Nuclear Insurance

Third Party Liability Insurance

The Price-Anderson Act requires that reactor licensees purchase insurance and participate in a secondary insurance pool that provides insurance coverage for the public in the event of a nuclear power plant accident. The costs of this insurance are borne by the nuclear power industry. Congress amended and renewed the Price-Anderson Act in 2005 for a term through 2025. The Price-Anderson Act requires nuclear power plants to show evidence of financial protection in the event of a nuclear accident. This protection must consist of two layers of coverage:

1. The primary level is private insurance underwritten by American Nuclear Insurers (ANI) and provides public liability insurance coverage of $375 million. If this amount is not sufficient to cover claims arising from an accident, the second level, Secondary Financial Protection, applies.

2. Within the Secondary Financial Protection level, each nuclear reactor has a contingent obligation to pay a retrospective premium, equal to its proportionate share of the loss in excess of the primary level, regardless of proximity to the incident or fault, up to a maximum of $117.5 million per reactor per incident (Entergy’s maximum total contingent obligation per incident is $1.3 billion). This consists of a $111.9 million maximum retrospective premium plus a five percent surcharge, which equates to $117.5 million, that may be payable, if needed, at a rate that is currently set at $17.5 million per year per incident per nuclear power reactor.

3. In the event that one or more acts of terrorism cause a nuclear power plant accident, which results in third-party damages – off-site property and environmental damage, off-site bodily injury, and on-site third-party bodily injury (i.e. contractors); the primary level provided by ANI combined with the Secondary Financial Protection would provide $12.6 billion in coverage. The Terrorism Risk Insurance Reauthorization Act of 2007 created a government program that provides for up to $100 billion in coverage in excess of existing coverage for a terrorist event.

Currently, 104 nuclear reactors are participating in the Secondary Financial Protection program. The product of the maximum retrospective premium assessment to the nuclear power industry and the number of nuclear power reactors provides over $12.2 billion in secondary layer insurance coverage to compensate the public in the event of a nuclear power reactor accident. The Price-Anderson Act provides that all potential liability for a nuclear accident is limited to the amounts of insurance coverage available under the primary and secondary layers.

Entergy Arkansas has two licensed reactors and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, Entergy Louisiana, and System Energy each have one licensed reactor (10% of Grand Gulf is owned by a non-affiliated company (SMEPA) that would share on a pro-rata basis in any retrospective premium assessment to System Energy under the Price-Anderson Act). The Entergy Wholesale Commodities segment includes the ownership and operation of six nuclear power reactors and the ownership of the shutdown Indian Point 1 reactor and Big Rock Point facility.

Property Insurance

Entergy’s nuclear owner/licensee subsidiaries are members of Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited (NEIL), a mutual insurance company that provides property damage coverage, including decontamination and premature decommissioning expense, to the members’ nuclear generating plants. Effective April 1, 2011, Entergy was insured against such losses per the following structures:

Utility Plants (ANO 1 and 2, Grand Gulf, River Bend, and Waterford 3)

• Primary Layer (per plant) - $500 million per occurrence

• Excess Layer (per plant) - $750 million per occurrence

• Blanket Layer (shared among the Utility plants) - $350 million per occurrence

• Total limit - $1.6 billion per occurrence

• Deductibles:

• $2.5 million per occurrence - Turbine/generator damage

• $2.5 million per occurrence - Other than turbine/generator damage

• $10 million per occurrence plus 10% of amount above $10 million - Damage from a windstorm, flood, earthquake, or volcanic eruption

Note: ANO 1 and 2 share in the primary and excess layers with common policies because the policies are issued on a per site basis.

Entergy Wholesale Commodities Plants (Indian Point, FitzPatrick, Pilgrim, Vermont Yankee, Palisades, and Big Rock Point)

• Primary Layer (per plant) - $500 million per occurrence

• Excess Layer - $615 million per occurrence

• Total limit - $1.115 billion per occurrence

• Deductibles:

• $2.5 million per occurrence - Turbine/generator damage

• $2.5 million per occurrence - Other than turbine/generator damage

• $10 million per occurrence plus 10% of amount above $10 million - Damage from a windstorm, flood, earthquake, or volcanic eruption

Note: The Indian Point Units share in the primary and excess layers with common policies because the policies are issued on a per site basis. Big Rock Point has its own primary policy with no excess coverage.

In addition, Waterford 3, Grand Gulf, and the Entergy Wholesale Commodities plants are also covered under NEIL’s Accidental Outage Coverage program. This coverage provides certain fixed indemnities in the event of an unplanned outage that results from a covered NEIL property damage loss, subject to a deductible period. The following summarizes this coverage effective April 1, 2011:

Waterford 3

• $2.95 million weekly indemnity

• $413 million maximum indemnity

• Deductible: 26 week deductible period

Grand Gulf

• $400,000 weekly indemnity (total for four policies)

• $56 million maximum indemnity (total for four policies)

• Deductible: 26 week deductible period

Indian Point 2, Indian Point 3, and Palisades

• $4.5 million weekly indemnity

• $490 million maximum indemnity

• Deductible: 12 week deductible period

FitzPatrick and Pilgrim

• $4.0 million weekly indemnity

• $490 million maximum indemnity

• Deductible: 12 week deductible period

Vermont Yankee

• $3.5 million weekly indemnity

• $435 million maximum indemnity

• Deductible: 12 week deductible period

Under the property damage and accidental outage insurance programs, all NEIL insured plants could be subject to assessments should losses exceed the accumulated funds available from NEIL. Effective April 1, 2011, the maximum amounts of such possible assessments per occurrence were as follows:

	Assessments
	(In Millions)
Utility:
Entergy Arkansas	$	20.1
Entergy Gulf States Louisiana	$	16.3
Entergy Louisiana	$	19.3
Entergy Mississippi	$	0.07
Entergy New Orleans	$	0.07
Entergy Texas		N/A
System Energy	$	16.3
Entergy Wholesale Commodities	$	—

Potential assessments for the Entergy Wholesale Commodities plants are covered by insurance obtained through NEIL’s reinsurers.

Entergy maintains property insurance for its nuclear units in excess of the NRC’s minimum requirement of $1.06 billion per site for nuclear power plant licensees. NRC regulations provide that the proceeds of this insurance must be used, first, to render the reactor safe and stable, and second, to complete decontamination operations. Only after proceeds are dedicated for such use and regulatory approval is secured would any remaining proceeds be made available for the benefit of plant owners or their creditors.

In the event that one or more acts of terrorism causes property damage under one or more or all nuclear insurance policies issued by NEIL (including, but not limited to, those described above) within 12 months from the date the first property damage occurs, the maximum recovery under all such nuclear insurance policies shall be an aggregate of $3.24 billion plus the additional amounts recovered for such losses from reinsurance, indemnity, and any other sources applicable to such losses. The Terrorism Risk Insurance Reauthorization Act of 2007 created a government program that provides for up to $100 billion in coverage in excess of existing coverage for a terrorist event.

Conventional Property Insurance

Entergy’s conventional property insurance program provides coverage of up to $400 million on an Entergy system-wide basis for all operational perils (direct physical loss or damage due to machinery breakdown, electrical failure, fire, lightning, hail, or explosion) on an “each and every loss” basis; up to $400 million in coverage for certain natural perils (direct physical loss or damage due to earthquake, tsunami, flood, ice storm, and tornado) on an annual aggregate basis; and up to $125 million for certain other natural perils (direct physical loss or damage due to a named windstorm or storm surge) on an annual aggregate basis. The conventional property insurance program provides up to $50 million in coverage for the Entergy New Orleans gas distribution system on an annual aggregate basis. The coverage is subject to a $20 million self-insured retention per occurrence for operational perils and a $35 million self-insured retention per occurrence for natural perils and for the Entergy New Orleans gas distribution system.

Covered property generally includes power plants, substations, facilities, inventories, and gas distribution-related properties. Excluded property generally includes above-ground transmission and distribution lines, poles, and towers. The primary layer consists of a $65 million layer in excess of the self-insured retention and the excess layer consists of a $335 million layer in excess of the $65 million primary layer. Both layers are placed on a quota share basis through several insurers. This coverage is in place for Entergy Corporation, the Registrant Subsidiaries, and certain other Entergy subsidiaries, including the owners of the nuclear power plants in the Entergy Wholesale Commodities segment. Entergy also, purchases $300 million in terrorism insurance coverage for its conventional property. The Terrorism Risk Insurance Reauthorization Act of 2007 created a government program that provides for up to $100 billion in coverage in excess of existing coverage for a terrorist event.

In addition to the conventional property insurance program, Entergy has purchased additional coverage ($20 million per occurrence) for some of its non-regulated, non-generation assets. This policy serves to buy-down the $20 million deductible and is placed on a scheduled location basis. The applicable deductibles are $100,000 to $250,000, except for properties that are damaged by flooding and properties whose values are greater than $20 million; these properties have a $500,000 deductible.

Gas System Rebuild Insurance Proceeds (Entergy New Orleans)

Entergy New Orleans received insurance proceeds for future construction expenditures associated with rebuilding its gas system, and the October 2006 City Council resolution approving the settlement of Entergy New Orleans’s rate and storm-cost recovery filings requires Entergy New Orleans to record those proceeds in a designated sub-account of other deferred credits until the proceeds are spent on the rebuild project. This other deferred credit is shown as “Gas system rebuild insurance proceeds” on Entergy New Orleans’s balance sheet.

Employment and Labor-related Proceedings

The Registrant Subsidiaries and other Entergy subsidiaries are responding to various lawsuits in both state and federal courts and to other labor-related proceedings filed by current and former employees and third parties not selected for open positions. These actions include, but are not limited to, allegations of wrongful employment actions; wage disputes and other claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act or its state counterparts; claims of race, gender and disability discrimination; disputes arising under collective bargaining agreements; unfair labor practice proceedings and other administrative proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board; claims of retaliation; and claims for or regarding benefits under various Entergy Corporation sponsored plans. Entergy and the Registrant Subsidiaries are responding to these suits and proceedings and deny liability to the claimants. Management believes that loss exposure has been and will continue to be handled so that the ultimate resolution of these matters will not be material, in the aggregate, to the financial position, results of operation, or cash flows of Entergy or the Utility operating companies.

Asbestos Litigation (Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy New Orleans, and Entergy Texas)

Numerous lawsuits have been filed in federal and state courts primarily in Texas and Louisiana, primarily by contractor employees who worked in the 1940-1980s timeframe, against Entergy Gulf States Louisiana and Entergy Texas, and to a lesser extent the other Utility operating companies, as premises owners of power plants, for damages caused by alleged exposure to asbestos. Many other defendants are named in these lawsuits as well. Currently, there are approximately 500 lawsuits involving approximately 5,000 claimants. Management believes that adequate provisions have been established to cover any exposure. Additionally, negotiations continue with insurers to recover reimbursements. Management believes that loss exposure has been and will continue to be handled so that the ultimate resolution of these matters will not be material, in the aggregate, to the financial position, results of operation, or cash flows of the Utility operating companies.

Grand Gulf - Related Agreements

Capital Funds Agreement (Entergy Corporation and System Energy)

System Energy has entered into agreements with Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans whereby they are obligated to purchase their respective entitlements of capacity and energy from System Energy’s interest in Grand Gulf, and to make payments that, together with other available funds, are adequate to cover System Energy’s operating expenses. System Energy would have to secure funds from other sources, including Entergy Corporation’s obligations under the Capital Funds Agreement, to cover any shortfalls from payments received from Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans under these agreements.

Unit Power Sales Agreement (Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, and System Energy)

System Energy has agreed to sell all of its share of capacity and energy from Grand Gulf to Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans in accordance with specified percentages (Entergy Arkansas-36%, Entergy Louisiana-14%, Entergy Mississippi-33%, and Entergy New Orleans-17%) as ordered by the FERC. Charges under this agreement are paid in consideration for the purchasing companies’ respective entitlement to receive capacity and energy and are payable irrespective of the quantity of energy delivered. The agreement will remain in effect until terminated by the parties and the termination is approved by the FERC, most likely upon Grand Gulf’s retirement from service. Monthly obligations are based on actual capacity and energy costs. The average monthly payments for 2011 under the agreement are approximately $17.2 million for Entergy Arkansas, $6.9 million for Entergy Louisiana, $14.4 million for Entergy Mississippi, and $8.4 million for Entergy New Orleans.

Availability Agreement (Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, and System Energy)

Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans are individually obligated to make payments or subordinated advances to System Energy in accordance with stated percentages (Entergy Arkansas-17.1%, Entergy Louisiana-26.9%, Entergy Mississippi-31.3%, and Entergy New Orleans-24.7%) in amounts that, when added to amounts received under the Unit Power Sales Agreement or otherwise, are adequate to cover all of System Energy’s operating expenses as defined, including an amount sufficient to amortize the cost of Grand Gulf 2 over 27 years (See Reallocation Agreement terms below) and expenses incurred in connection with a permanent shutdown of Grand Gulf. System Energy has assigned its rights to payments and advances to certain creditors as security for certain obligations. Since commercial operation of Grand Gulf began, payments under the Unit Power Sales Agreement have exceeded the amounts payable under the Availability Agreement. Accordingly, no payments under the Availability Agreement have ever been required. If Entergy Arkansas or Entergy Mississippi fails to make its Unit Power Sales Agreement payments, and System Energy is unable to obtain funds from other sources, Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans could become subject to claims or demands by System Energy or its creditors for payments or advances under the Availability Agreement (or the assignments thereof) equal to the difference between their required Unit Power Sales Agreement payments and their required Availability Agreement payments.

Reallocation Agreement (Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, and System Energy)

System Energy, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans entered into the Reallocation Agreement relating to the sale of capacity and energy from Grand Gulf and the related costs, in which Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans agreed to assume all of Entergy Arkansas’s responsibilities and obligations with respect to Grand Gulf under the Availability Agreement. FERC’s decision allocating a portion of Grand Gulf capacity and energy to Entergy Arkansas supersedes the Reallocation Agreement as it relates to Grand Gulf. Responsibility for any Grand Gulf 2 amortization amounts has been individually allocated (Entergy Louisiana-26.23%, Entergy Mississippi-43.97%, and Entergy New Orleans-29.80%) under the terms of the Reallocation Agreement. However, the Reallocation Agreement does not affect Entergy Arkansas’s obligation to System Energy’s lenders under the assignments referred to in the preceding paragraph. Entergy Arkansas would be liable for its share of such amounts if Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans were unable to meet their contractual obligations. No payments of any amortization amounts will be required so long as amounts paid to System Energy under the Unit Power Sales Agreement, including other funds available to System Energy, exceed amounts required under the Availability Agreement, which is expected to be the case for the foreseeable future.

Reimbursement Agreement (System Energy)

In December 1988, in two separate but substantially identical transactions, System Energy sold and leased back undivided ownership interests in Grand Gulf for the aggregate sum of $500 million. The interests represent approximately 11.5% of Grand Gulf. During the term of the leases, System Energy is required to maintain letters of credit for the equity investors to secure certain amounts payable to the equity investors under the transactions.

Under the provisions of the reimbursement agreement relating to the letters of credit, System Energy has agreed to a number of covenants regarding the maintenance of certain capitalization and fixed charge coverage ratios. System Energy agreed, during the term of the reimbursement agreement, to maintain a ratio of debt to total liabilities and equity less than or equal to 70%. In addition, System Energy must maintain, with respect to each fiscal quarter during the term of the reimbursement agreement, a ratio of adjusted net income to interest expense of at least 1.50 times earnings. As of December 31, 2011, System Energy was in compliance with these covenants.