Basis of Presentation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Basis of Presentation [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Nature of Operations

Portland General Electric Company (PGE or the Company) is a single, vertically-integrated electric utility engaged in the generation, purchase, transmission, distribution, and retail sale of electricity in the state of Oregon. The Company also participates in the wholesale market by purchasing and selling electricity and natural gas in an effort to obtain reasonably-priced power for its retail customers. PGE operates as a single segment, with revenues and costs related to its business activities maintained and analyzed on a total electric operations basis. The Company’s corporate headquarters is located in Portland, Oregon and its approximately 4,000 square mile, state-approved service area is located entirely within the state of Oregon. PGE’s allocated service area includes 51 incorporated cities. As of December 31, 2019, PGE served approximately 895,000 thousand retail customers with a service area population of approximately 1.9 million.

As of December 31, 2019, PGE had 2,949 employees, with 775 employees covered under one of two separate agreements with Local Union No. 125 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Such agreements cover 719 and 56 employees and expire March 2022 and August 2022, respectively.

PGE is subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utility Commission of Oregon (OPUC) with respect to retail prices, utility services, accounting policies and practices, issuances of securities, and certain other matters. Retail prices are based on the Company’s cost to serve customers, including an opportunity to earn a reasonable rate of return, as determined by the OPUC. The Company is also subject to regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in matters related to wholesale energy transactions, transmission services, reliability standards, natural gas pipelines, hydroelectric project licensing, accounting policies and practices, short-term debt issuances, and certain other matters.

Consolidation Principles

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of PGE and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company’s ownership share of direct expenses and costs related to jointly-owned generating plants are also included in its consolidated financial statements. For further information on PGE’s jointly-owned plant, see Note 18, Jointly-Owned Plant. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosures of gain or loss contingencies, as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Reclassifications

To conform with the 2019 presentation, PGE has condensed the functional asset class presentation for Electric utility plant on the consolidated balance sheets for 2018, which is now presented within Note 4, Balance Sheet Components. PGE also reclassified Stock-based compensation expense of $5 million in 2018 and $7 million in 2017 from Other non-cash income and expense, net to its own line item within the operations section of the consolidated statements of cash flows.