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New Accounting Standards
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]  
New Accounting Standards New Accounting Standards
 
Standards Adopted in 2018

 ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers

In May 2014, a new revenue recognition accounting standard was issued. This standard provides a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance. Since the issuance of the new revenue standard, additional guidance was issued to clarify certain aspects of the new revenue standard, including principal versus agent considerations, identifying performance obligations, and other narrow scope improvements. The new revenue standard, and related amendments, became effective for us on January 1, 2018. The standard may be adopted using a full retrospective application or a simplified transition method that allows entities to record a cumulative effect adjustment in retained earnings at the date of initial application.

We adopted this standard and related amendments on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition approach. The adoption of the new revenue guidance resulted in expanded disclosures, but otherwise did not have a material impact on our financial statements. See Note 20.

ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement

In January 2016, a new accounting standard was issued relating to the recognition and measurement of financial instruments. The new guidance requires certain investments in equity securities to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income, and modifies the impairment assessment of certain equity securities. The new standard was effective for us on January 1, 2018. The standard required modified retrospective application, with the exception of certain aspects of the standard that required prospective
application. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2018, using primarily a retrospective approach. Due to regulatory accounting treatment, the adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our financial statements. See Notes 13 and 19 for disclosures relating to our investments in debt and equity securities.

ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows: Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments

In August 2016, a new accounting standard was issued that clarifies how entities should present certain specific cash flow activities on the statement of cash flows. The guidance is intended to eliminate diversity in practice in how entities classify these specific activities between cash flows from operating activities, investing activities and financing activities. The specific activities addressed include debt prepayments and extinguishment costs, proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims, proceeds from corporate-owned life insurance policies, and other activities. The standard also addresses how entities should apply the predominance principle when a transaction includes separately identifiable cash flows. The new standard was effective for us, and was adopted on January 1, 2018, using a retrospective transition method. The adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on our financial statements, as either our statement of cash flow presentation is consistent with the new prescribed guidance or we do not have significant activities relating to the specific transactions that are addressed by the new standard.

ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows: Restricted Cash

In November 2016, a new accounting standard was issued that clarifies how restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be presented on the statement of cash flows. The new guidance requires entities to include restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents as a component of the beginning and ending cash and cash equivalent balances on the statement of cash flows. The new standard is effective for us, and was adopted on January 1, 2018, using a retrospective transition method. The adoption of this guidance did not impact our financial statements, as our holdings and activities designated as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents at transition and in prior periods are insignificant.

ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations: Clarifying the Definition of a Business

In January 2017, a new accounting standard was issued that clarifies the definition of a business. This standard is intended to assist entities with evaluating whether a transaction should be accounted for as an acquisition (or disposal) of assets or a business.  The definition of a business affects many areas of accounting, including acquisitions, disposals, goodwill, and consolidation. The new standard was effective for us and was adopted on January 1, 2018 using a prospective transition approach. This standard did not have an impact on our financial statements on the date of adoption.

ASU 2017-05, Other Income: Clarifying the Scope of Asset Derecognition Guidance and Accounting for Partial Sales of Nonfinancial Assets

In February 2017, a new accounting standard was issued that intended to clarify the scope of accounting guidance pertaining to gains and losses from the derecognition of nonfinancial assets, and to add guidance for partial sales of nonfinancial assets. The new standard was effective for us, and was adopted on January 1, 2018, using a modified retrospective transition approach. This standard did not have a significant impact on our financial statements on the date of adoption. On July 3, 2018, 4CA sold its 7% interest in Four Corners. The sale transaction was accounted for in accordance with the guidance in ASU 2017-05, see Note 10.

ASU 2017-07, Compensation-Retirement Benefits: Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost

In March 2017, a new accounting standard was issued that modifies how plan sponsors present net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost (net benefit costs). The presentation changes require net benefit costs to be disaggregated on the income statement by the various components that comprise these costs. Specifically, only the service cost component is eligible for presentation as an operating income item, and all other cost components are now presented as non-operating items. This presentation change was applied retrospectively. Furthermore, the new standard allows only the service cost component to be eligible for capitalization. The change in capitalization requirements was applied prospectively. The new guidance was effective for us on January 1, 2018.

We adopted this new accounting standard on January 1, 2018. As a result of adopting this standard we have presented the non-service cost components of net benefits costs in other income instead of operating income. Prior year non-service cost components have also been reclassified to conform to this new presentation. We elected to apply the practical expedient guidance. As such, prior period costs have been estimated based on amounts previously disclosed in our pension and other postretirement benefit plan notes. The changes impacting capitalization have been adopted prospectively. As such, upon adoption, we are no longer capitalizing a portion of the non-service cost components of net benefit costs.

In 2018 the non-service credit components are a reduction to total benefit costs. Excluding non-service credits from eligible capitalization costs resulted in the capitalization of an additional $15 million of net benefit costs, with a corresponding increase to pretax income for the year. See Note 7 for additional information related to our pension plans and other postretirement benefits.

ASU 2018-02, Income Statement-Reporting Comprehensive Income: Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

In February 2018, new accounting guidance was issued that allows entities an optional election to reclassify the income tax effects of the Tax Act on items within accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings. Amounts eligible for reclassification must relate to the effects from the Tax Act remaining in accumulated other comprehensive income. The new guidance also requires expanded disclosures. This guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2019 with early application permitted. The guidance should be applied either in the period of adoption or retrospectively to each period in which the effect of the Tax Act was recognized.

We early adopted this guidance in the quarter ended March 31, 2018, and we have elected to reclassify the income tax effects of the Tax Act related to other comprehensive income to retained earnings. As of December 31, 2018, on a consolidated basis our accumulated other comprehensive income decreased $9 million, and APS's accumulated other comprehensive income decreased $5 million, as a result of adopting this guidance. Amounts were reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings, and related to tax rate changes. The adoption of this guidance did not impact our income from continuing operations. See Note 4 for additional discussion of the Tax Act.

Standards Adopted in 2019

ASU 2016-02, Leases

In February 2016, a new lease accounting standard was issued. This new standard supersedes the existing lease accounting model, and modifies both lessee and lessor accounting. The new standard requires a lessee to reflect most operating lease arrangements on the balance sheet by recording a right-of-use asset and a lease liability that is initially measured at the present value of lease payments. Among other changes, the new standard also modifies the definition of a lease, and requires expanded lease disclosures. Since the issuance of the new lease standard, additional lease related guidance has been issued relating to land easements and how entities may elect to account for these arrangements at transition, among other items. The new lease standard and related amendments were effective for us on January 1, 2019, with early application permitted. The standard must be adopted using a modified retrospective approach with a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings determined at either the date of adoption, or the earliest period presented in the financial statements. The standard includes various optional practical expedients provided to facilitate transition.

We adopted this standard, and related amendments, on January 1, 2019. We elected the transition method that allows us to apply the guidance on the date of adoption, January 1, 2019, and will not retrospectively adjust prior periods. We also elected certain transition practical expedients that allow us to not reassess (a) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, (b) the lease classification for any expired or existing leases and (c) initial direct costs for any existing leases. These practical expedients apply to leases that commenced prior to January 1, 2019. Furthermore, we elected the practical expedient transition provisions relating to the treatment of existing land easements.

On January 1, 2019 the adoption of this new accounting standard resulted in the recognition on our Consolidated Balance Sheets of approximately $194 million of right-of-use lease assets and $119 million of lease liabilities relating to our operating lease arrangements. The right-of-use lease assets include $85 million of prepaid lease costs that have been reclassified from other deferred debits, and $10 million of deferred lease costs that have been reclassified from other current liabilities. In addition to these balance sheet impacts the adoption of the guidance will also result in expanded lease related disclosures in our 2019 financial statements.

ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging: Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities

In August 2017, a new accounting standard was issued that modifies hedge accounting guidance with the intent of simplifying the application of hedge accounting. The new standard became effective for us on January 1, 2019, with early application permitted. At transition, the guidance requires the changes to be applied to hedging relationships existing on the date of adoption, with the effect of adoption reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption using a cumulative effect adjustment approach. The presentation and disclosure changes may be applied prospectively. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2019 and because we are not currently applying hedge accounting, the adoption of the standard did not impact our financial statements.

Standards Pending Adoption

ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments: Measurement of Credit Losses

In June 2016, a new accounting standard was issued that amends the measurement of credit losses on certain financial instruments. The new standard will require entities to use a current expected credit loss model
to measure impairment of certain investments in debt securities, trade accounts receivables, and other financial instruments. The new standard is effective for us on January 1, 2020 and must be adopted using a modified retrospective approach for certain aspects of the standard, and a prospective approach for other aspects of the standard. We are currently evaluating this new accounting standard and the impacts it may have on our financial statements.

ASU 2018-15, Internal-Use Software: Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract

In August 2018, a new accounting standard was issued that clarifies how customers in a cloud computing service arrangement should account for implementation costs associated with the arrangement. To determine which implementation costs should be capitalized, the new guidance aligns the accounting with existing guidance pertaining to internal-use software. As a result of this new standard, certain cloud computing service arrangement implementation costs will now be subject to capitalization and amortized on a straight-line basis over the cloud computing service arrangement term. The new standard is effective for us on January 1, 2020, with early application permitted, and may be applied using either a retrospective or prospective transition approach. We are currently evaluating this new accounting standard and the impacts it may have on our financial statements.