Regulatory Assets, Liabilities, And Balancing Accounts (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Regulatory Assets, Liabilities, And Balancing Accounts [Abstract]

	Balance at December 31,					Recovery
(in millions)	2016		2015			Period
Pension benefits (1)	$	2,429	$	2,414	Indefinitely (3)
Deferred income taxes (1)		3,859		3,054	47 years
Utility retained generation (2)		364		411	9 years
Environmental compliance costs (1)		778		748	32 years
Price risk management (1)		92		138	10 years
Unamortized loss, net of gain, on reacquired debt (1)		76		94	26 years
Other		353		170	Various
Total long-term regulatory assets	$	7,951	$	7,029

(1) Represents the cumulative differences between amounts recognized for ratemaking purposes and expense or accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) recognized in accordance with GAAP.

(2) In connection with the settlement agreement entered into among PG&E Corporation, the Utility, and the CPUC in 2003 to resolve the Utility’s proceeding under Chapter 11, the CPUC authorized the Utility to recover $1.2 billion of costs related to the Utility’s retained generation assets. The individual components of these regulatory assets are being amortized over the respective lives of the underlying generation facilities, consistent with the period over which the related revenues are recognized.

(3) Payments into the pension and other benefits plans are based on annual contribution requirements. As these annual requirements continue indefinitely into the future, the Utility expects to continuously recover pension benefits.

Long-Term Regulatory Liabilities

	Balance at December 31,
(in millions)	2016		2015
Cost of removal obligations (1)	$	5,060	$	4,605
Recoveries in excess of AROs (2)		626		631
Public purpose programs (3)		567		600
Other		552		485
Total long-term regulatory liabilities	$	6,805	$	6,321

(1) Represents the cumulative differences between asset removal costs recorded and amounts collected in rates for expected asset removal costs.

(2) Represents the cumulative differences between ARO expenses and amounts collected in rates. Decommissioning costs related to the Utility’s nuclear facilities are recovered through rates and are placed in nuclear decommissioning trusts. This regulatory liability also represents the deferral of realized and unrealized gains and losses on these nuclear decommissioning trust investments. (See Note 10 below.)

(3) Represents amounts received from customers designated for public purpose program costs expected to be incurred beyond the next 12 months, primarily related to energy efficiency programs.

Current Regulatory Balancing Accounts Receivable

	Receivable
	Balance at December 31,
(in millions)	2016		2015
Electric distribution	$	132	$	380
Utility generation		48		122
Gas distribution and transmission		541		493
Energy procurement		132		262
Public purpose programs		106		155
Other		541		348
Total regulatory balancing accounts receivable	$	1,500	$	1,760

Current Regulatory Balancing Accounts Payable

	Payable
	Balance at December 31,
(in millions)	2016		2015
Gas distribution and transmission	$	48	$	-
Energy procurement		13		112
Public purpose programs		264		244
Other		320		359
Total regulatory balancing accounts payable	$	645	$	715