ASSETS HELD FOR SALE	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
ASSETS HELD FOR SALE [Abstract]
ASSETS HELD FOR SALE	NOTE 15. HYPERLINK \l "Assetsheld"ASSETS HELD FOR SALE NPC Sale of NPC's Telecommunication Towers In August 2011, NPC completed the sale of 37 telecommunication towers to Global Tower Partners, LLC. Cash proceeds from the sale were approximately $32 million with the gain on sale deferred subject to the final accounting approval by the PUCN. In March 2012, NPC filed a petition with the PUCN to obtain a declaratory order and the accounting guidance necessary to establish a regulatory account for the gain on sale of NPC's telecommunication towers to Global Tower Partners, LLC. In July 2012, the PUCN approved a stipulation between NPC, the Bureau of Consumer Protection, and PUCN staff that provides for an allocation of $27.3 million of the approximate $32.0 million gain on sale to the ratepayers. The amortization of the gain will coincide with the rate effective date of NPC's next GRC, which is mandated in 2015. NPC recorded approximately $5.5 million, including an adjustment to previously recorded carrying charges to other income for the remaining balance of the gain on sale for the year ended December 31, 2012. SPPC Sale of California Electric Distribution and Generation Assets On January 1, 2011, SPPC sold its California electric distribution and generation assets to CalPeco, d/b/a Liberty Energy-CalPeco. Cash proceeds from the sale were approximately $132 million, plus additional closing adjustments resulting in an immaterial after tax gain, for which the final accounting was approved by the FERC in September 2011. In connection with the sale of the assets, SPPC entered into a separate five year purchase power agreement to sell energy to CalPeco. In accordance with FASB presentation accounting guidance for discontinued operations, ASC 205-10-20, the California asset sale met the “assets held for sale” criteria, but, did not meet the “component-of-an-entity” criteria. The California electric distribution and generation assets held for sale did not have cash flows that could be clearly distinguished operationally from the rest of the entity because they did not operate individually, but rather as a part of SPPC's whole operating system, which included all of the electric distribution and generation assets owned by SPPC. Sale of Independence Lake In May 2010, SPPC sold a lake and surrounding property located in the State of California, known as Independence Lake, for approximately $15 million. The gain on sale was approximately $14.7 million before taxes; however, approximately $7.1 million of the gain has been deferred as a regulatory liability and will be paid to SPPC's ratepayers over approximately three years.

ASSETS HELD FOR SALE

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

NOTE 15. HYPERLINK \l "Assetsheld"ASSETS HELD FOR SALE

NPC

Sale of NPC's Telecommunication Towers

In August 2011, NPC completed the sale of 37 telecommunication towers to Global Tower Partners, LLC. Cash proceeds from the sale were approximately $32 million with the gain on sale deferred subject to the final accounting approval by the PUCN.

In March 2012, NPC filed a petition with the PUCN to obtain a declaratory order and the accounting guidance necessary to establish a regulatory account for the gain on sale of NPC's telecommunication towers to Global Tower Partners, LLC. In July 2012, the PUCN approved a stipulation between NPC, the Bureau of Consumer Protection, and PUCN staff that provides for an allocation of $27.3 million of the approximate $32.0 million gain on sale to the ratepayers. The amortization of the gain will coincide with the rate effective date of NPC's next GRC, which is mandated in 2015. NPC recorded approximately $5.5 million, including an adjustment to previously recorded carrying charges to other income for the remaining balance of the gain on sale for the year ended December 31, 2012.

SPPC

Sale of California Electric Distribution and Generation Assets

On January 1, 2011, SPPC sold its California electric distribution and generation assets to CalPeco, d/b/a Liberty Energy-CalPeco. Cash proceeds from the sale were approximately $132 million, plus additional closing adjustments resulting in an immaterial after tax gain, for which the final accounting was approved by the FERC in September 2011. In connection with the sale of the assets, SPPC entered into a separate five year purchase power agreement to sell energy to CalPeco.

In accordance with FASB presentation accounting guidance for discontinued operations, ASC 205-10-20, the California asset sale met the “assets held for sale” criteria, but, did not meet the “component-of-an-entity” criteria. The California electric distribution and generation assets held for sale did not have cash flows that could be clearly distinguished operationally from the rest of the entity because they did not operate individually, but rather as a part of SPPC's whole operating system, which included all of the electric distribution and generation assets owned by SPPC.

Sale of Independence Lake

In May 2010, SPPC sold a lake and surrounding property located in the State of California, known as Independence Lake, for approximately $15 million. The gain on sale was approximately $14.7 million before taxes; however, approximately $7.1 million of the gain has been deferred as a regulatory liability and will be paid to SPPC's ratepayers over approximately three years.