Significant Accounting Policies (Notes)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income is the change in common shareholders’ equity during a period from transactions and events from non-owner sources, including net income. As shown in the following table, amounts recorded to accumulated other comprehensive loss for the three months ended March 31, 2013 include unrealized gains and losses from derivatives accounted for as cash flow hedges, unrealized gains and losses on available for sale securities and the Company’s interest in comprehensive income of equity investees, which comprise the net unrealized gain/(loss) on investments, changes in benefit obligations, consisting of deferred actuarial losses, prior service costs and transition amounts related to pension and other postretirement benefit plans, and foreign currency translation adjustments.

	Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss by Component (a)
	For The Three Months Ended March 31, 2013
	Net Unrealized Gain/(Loss) on Derivatives			Net Unrealized Gain/(Loss) on Investments			Benefit Obligations (b)			Foreign Currency Translation			Total
	(In millions)
Beginning balance, January 1, 2013	$	(4	)	$	(29	)	$	(127	)	$	2		$	(158	)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications	—			—			—			(1		)	(1		)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income	—			—			3			—			3
Net current-period other comprehensive income	—			—			3			(1		)	2
Ending balance, March 31, 2013	$	(4	)	$	(29	)	$	(124	)	$	1		$	(156	)

_______________________________________

(a) All amounts are net of tax.

(b) The amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income are included in the computation of the net periodic pension cost (see Retirement Benefits and Trusteed Assets Note 13).

Intangible Assets

The Company has certain intangible assets relating to emission allowances, renewable energy credits and non-utility contracts as shown below:

	March 31,		December 31,
	2013		2012
	(In millions)
Emission allowances	$	5	$	6
Renewable energy credits	46		44
Contract intangible assets	140		139
	191		189
Less accumulated amortization	37		34
Intangible assets, net	154		155
Less current intangible assets	19		20
	$	135	$	135

Emission allowances and renewable energy credits are charged to expense, using average cost, as the allowances and credits are consumed in the operation of the business. The Company amortizes contract intangible assets on a straight-line basis over the expected period of benefit, ranging from 3 to 28 years.

Income Taxes

The Company's effective tax rate from continuing operations for the three months ended March 31, 2013 is 31 percent as compared to 32 percent for the three months ended March 31, 2012.

The Company had $3 million of unrecognized tax benefits at March 31, 2013, that, if recognized, would favorably impact its effective tax rate. The Company believes that it is possible that there will be a decrease in the unrecognized tax benefits of up to $1 million in the next twelve months.