Palo Verde Sale Leaseback Variable Interest Entities

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]

Palo Verde Sale Leaseback Variable Interest Entities

In 1986, APS entered into agreements with three separate VIE lessor trust entities in order to sell and lease back interests in Palo Verde Unit 2 and related common facilities. APS will retain the assets through 2033 under all three lease agreements. APS will be required to make payments relating to the three leases in total of approximately $21 million annually for the period 2022 through 2033. At the end of the lease period, APS will have the option to purchase the leased assets at their fair market value, extend the leases for up to two years, or return the assets to the lessors.

The leases’ terms give APS the ability to utilize the assets for a significant portion of the assets’ economic life, and therefore provide APS with the power to direct activities of the VIEs that most significantly impact the VIEs’ economic performance. Predominantly due to the lease terms, APS has been deemed the primary beneficiary of these VIEs and therefore consolidates the VIEs.

As a result of consolidation, we eliminate lease accounting and instead recognize depreciation expense, resulting in an increase in net income for the three months ended March 31, 2022, of $4 million and for the three months ended March 31, 2021 of $5 million. The increase in net income is entirely attributable to the noncontrolling interests. Income attributable to Pinnacle West shareholders is not impacted by the consolidation.

Our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at March 31, 2022, and December 31, 2021, include the following amounts relating to the VIEs (dollars in thousands):


	March 31, 2022		December 31, 2021
Palo Verde sale leaseback property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	$	93,199	$	94,166
Equity — Noncontrolling interests	119,566		115,260

Assets of the VIEs are restricted and may only be used for payment to the noncontrolling interest holders. These assets are reported on our condensed consolidated financial statements.

APS is exposed to losses relating to these VIEs upon the occurrence of certain events that APS does not consider to be reasonably likely to occur. Under certain circumstances (for example, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”) issuing specified violation orders with respect to Palo Verde or the occurrence of specified nuclear events), APS would be required to make specified payments to the VIEs’ noncontrolling equity participants and take title to the leased Unit 2 interests, which, if appropriate, may be required to be written down in value. If such an event were to occur during the lease periods, APS may be required to pay the noncontrolling equity participants approximately $315 million beginning in 2022, and up to $501 million over the lease terms.

For regulatory ratemaking purposes, the agreements continue to be treated as operating leases and, as a result, we have recorded a regulatory asset relating to the arrangements.