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Property, Plant and Equipment
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]  
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, Plant and Equipment
SCE's property, plant and equipment included on the consolidated balance sheets is composed of the following:
 
December 31,
(in millions)
2012
 
2011
Transmission
$
7,059

 
$
6,109

Distribution
16,872

 
15,938

Generation
4,455

 
4,063

General plant and other
4,358

 
3,951

Accumulated depreciation
(7,424
)
 
(6,894
)
 
25,320

 
23,167

Construction work in progress
4,271

 
3,922

Nuclear fuel, at amortized cost
609

 
480

Total utility property, plant and equipment
$
30,200

 
$
27,569


Capitalized Software Costs
SCE capitalizes costs incurred during the application development stage of internal use software projects to property, plant, and equipment. SCE amortizes capitalized software costs ratably over the expected lives of the software, ranging from 5 to 15 years and commencing upon operational use. At December 31, 2012 and 2011, capitalized software costs were $1.5 billion and $1.4 billion and accumulated amortization was $651 million and $491 million, respectively. Amortization expense for capitalized software was $217 million, $156 million and $129 million in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. At December 31, 2012, amortization expense is estimated to be approximately $207 million annually for 2013 through 2017.
Jointly Owned Utility Projects
SCE owns interests in several generating stations and transmission systems for which each participant provides its own financing. SCE's proportionate share of these projects is reflected in the consolidated balance sheets and included in the above table. SCE's proportionate share of expenses for each project is reflected in the consolidated statements of income. All of the investments in the Mohave generating station and a portion of the investments in San Onofre and Palo Verde generating stations are included in regulatory assets on the consolidated balance sheets. For further information see Note 14.
The following is SCE's investment in each project as of December 31, 2012:
(in millions)
Plant in Service
Construction Work in Progress
Accumulated
Depreciation
Nuclear Fuel
(at amortized cost)
Net Book Value
 
Ownership
Interest
Transmission systems:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eldorado
$
73

$
11

$
14

$

$
70

 
60%
Pacific Intertie
189

6

70


125

 
50%
Generating stations:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Four Corners Units 4 and 5 (coal)
589

17

545


61

 
48%
Mohave (coal)
327

32

292


67

 
56%
Palo Verde (nuclear)
1,819

67

1,480

142

548

 
16%
San Onofre (nuclear)
5,300

223

4,017

467

1,973

 
78%
Total
$
8,297

$
356

$
6,418

$
609

$
2,844

 
 

In addition to the projects above, SCE has ownership interests in jointly owned power poles with other companies.
In November 2010, SCE entered into an agreement to sell its ownership interest in Units 4 and 5 of the Four Corners Generating Station, a coal-fired electric generating facility in New Mexico, to the operator of the facility, Arizona Public Service Company for approximately $294 million. During 2012, the CPUC and the Arizona Corporation Commission ("ACC") approved the transaction. The sale remains contingent upon APS obtaining a satisfactory long-term coal supply agreement for the plant. As of January 2013, the sale agreement may be terminated by either party. As of the date of this report, the agreement has not been terminated by either party. The purchase price is subject to certain adjustments under the sale agreement, which includes reduction in the purchase price of $7.5 million for each month between October 1, 2012 and the closing date. Any gain on the sale will be for the benefit of SCE's customers and, therefore, will not affect SCE's earnings.