XML 50 R18.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.3.1.900
Variable Interest Entities
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]  
Variable Interest Entities
Variable Interest Entities (VIEs)

As of December 31, 2015, NEE has twenty-four VIEs which it consolidates and has interests in certain other VIEs which it does not consolidate.

FPL - FPL is considered the primary beneficiary of, and therefore consolidates, a VIE that is a wholly owned bankruptcy remote special purpose subsidiary that it formed in 2007 for the sole purpose of issuing storm-recovery bonds pursuant to the securitization provisions of the Florida Statutes and a financing order of the FPSC. FPL is considered the primary beneficiary because FPL has the power to direct the significant activities of the VIE, and its equity investment, which is subordinate to the bondholder's interest in the VIE, is at risk. Storm restoration costs incurred by FPL during 2005 and 2004 exceeded the amount in FPL's funded storm and property insurance reserve, resulting in a storm reserve deficiency. In 2007, the VIE issued $652 million aggregate principal amount of senior secured bonds (storm-recovery bonds), primarily for the after-tax equivalent of the total of FPL's unrecovered balance of the 2004 storm restoration costs, the 2005 storm restoration costs and to reestablish FPL's storm and property insurance reserve. In connection with this financing, net proceeds, after debt issuance costs, to the VIE (approximately $644 million) were used to acquire the storm-recovery property, which includes the right to impose, collect and receive a storm-recovery charge from all customers receiving electric transmission or distribution service from FPL under rate schedules approved by the FPSC or under special contracts, certain other rights and interests that arise under the financing order issued by the FPSC and certain other collateral pledged by the VIE that issued the bonds. The storm-recovery bonds are payable only from and are secured by the storm-recovery property. The bondholders have no recourse to the general credit of FPL. The assets of the VIE were approximately $230 million and $279 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and consisted primarily of storm-recovery property, which are included in securitized storm-recovery costs on NEE's and FPL's consolidated balance sheets. The liabilities of the VIE were approximately $278 million and $338 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and consisted primarily of storm-recovery bonds, which are included in long-term debt on NEE's and FPL's consolidated balance sheets.

FPL entered into a purchased power agreement effective in 1995 with a 330 MW coal-fired facility to purchase substantially all of the facility's capacity and electrical output over a substantial portion of its estimated useful life. The facility is considered a VIE because FPL absorbs a portion of the facility's variability related to changes in the market price of coal through the price it pays per MWh (energy payment). Since FPL does not control the most significant activities of the facility, including operations and maintenance, FPL is not the primary beneficiary and does not consolidate this VIE. The energy payments paid by FPL will fluctuate as coal prices change. This fluctuation does not expose FPL to losses since the energy payments paid by FPL to the facility are recovered through the fuel clause as approved by the FPSC.

NEER - NEE consolidates twenty-three NEER VIEs. NEER is considered the primary beneficiary of these VIEs since NEER controls the most significant activities of these VIEs, including operations and maintenance, as well as construction, and through its equity ownership has the obligation to absorb expected losses of these VIEs.

A NEER VIE consolidates two entities which own and operate natural gas/oil electric generation facilities with the capability of producing 110 MW. This VIE sells its electric output under power sales contracts to a third party, with expiration dates in 2018 and 2020. The power sales contracts provide the offtaker the ability to dispatch the facilities and require the offtaker to absorb the cost of fuel. This VIE uses third-party debt and equity to finance its operations. The debt is secured by liens against the generation facilities and the other assets of these entities. The debt holders have no recourse to the general credit of NEER for the repayment of debt. The assets and liabilities of the VIE were approximately $84 million and $47 million, respectively, at December 31, 2015 and $85 million and $55 million, respectively, at December 31, 2014, and consisted primarily of property, plant and equipment and long-term debt.

Two indirect subsidiaries of NEER each contributed, to a NEP subsidiary, an approximately 50% ownership interest in three entities which own solar PV facilities that, upon completion of construction, are expected to have a total generating capacity of 277 MW, of which approximately 153 MW have been placed in service as of December 31, 2015. Each of the two indirect subsidiaries of NEER is considered a VIE since it has insufficient equity at risk, and is consolidated by NEER. The VIEs use third-party debt and equity to finance a portion of development and construction activities and require subordinated financing from NEER to complete the facility under construction. These VIEs will sell their electric output to third parties under power sales contracts with expiration dates in 2035 and 2036. The debt balances are secured by liens against the assets of the entities. The debt holders have no recourse to the general credit of NEER. The assets and liabilities of these VIEs were approximately $657 million and $626 million, respectively, at December 31, 2015, and consisted primarily of property, plant and equipment and long-term debt.

The other twenty NEER VIEs consolidate several entities which own and operate wind electric generation facilities with the capability of producing a total of 5,272 MW. These VIEs sell their electric output either under power sales contracts to third parties with expiration dates ranging from 2018 through 2041 or in the spot market. The VIEs use third-party debt and/or equity to finance their operations. Certain investors that hold no equity interest in the VIEs hold differential membership interests, which give them the right to receive a portion of the economic attributes of the generation facilities, including certain tax attributes. The debt is secured by liens against the generation facilities and the other assets of these entities or by pledges of NEER's ownership interest in these entities. The debt holders have no recourse to the general credit of NEER for the repayment of debt. The assets and liabilities of these VIEs totaled approximately $7.6 billion and $5.0 billion, respectively, at December 31, 2015. Sixteen of the twenty were VIEs at December 31, 2014 and were consolidated; the assets and liabilities of those VIEs totaled approximately $6.6 billion and $4.1 billion, respectively, at December 31, 2014. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, the assets and liabilities of the VIEs consisted primarily of property, plant and equipment, deferral related to differential membership interests and long-term debt.

Other - As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, several NEE subsidiaries have investments totaling approximately $602 million ($476 million at FPL) and $716 million ($606 million at FPL), respectively, in certain special purpose entities, which consisted primarily of investments in mortgage-backed securities. These investments are included in special use funds and other investments on NEE's consolidated balance sheets and in special use funds on FPL's consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2015, NEE subsidiaries, including FPL, are not the primary beneficiary and therefore do not consolidate any of these entities because they do not control any of the ongoing activities of these entities, were not involved in the initial design of these entities and do not have a controlling financial interest in these entities.