Item 1A: Risk Factors
Information in any item of this report as to which reference is made in this Item 1A is incorporated by reference herein. The use of such terms as “see” or “refer to” shall be deemed to incorporate at the place such term is used the information to which such reference is made.
The Companies’ businesses are influenced by many factors that are difficult to predict, and that involve uncertainties that may materially affect actual operating results, cash flows and financial condition.
The Companies have established an enterprise risk management program to identify, assess, manage and monitor its major business risks based on established criteria for the severity of an event, the likelihood of its occurrence, and the programs in place to control the event or reduce the impact. The Companies’ major risks include:
Regulatory/Compliance Risks:
The Companies Are Extensively Regulated And Are Subject To Substantial Penalties. The Companies’ operations require numerous permits, approvals and certificates from various federal, state and local governmental agencies. State utility regulators may seek to impose substantial penalties on the Utilities for violations of state utility laws, regulations or orders. The Utilities are also subject to recurring, independent, third-party audits with respect to these regulations and standards. In addition, the Utilities' rate plans usually include negative revenue adjustments for failing to meet certain operating and customer satisfaction standards. FERC has the authority to impose penalties on the Utilities, the Clean Energy Businesses and the projects that Con Edison Transmission invests in, which could be substantial, for violations of the Federal Power Act, the Natural Gas Act or related rules, including reliability and cyber security rules. Environmental agencies may seek penalties for failure to comply with laws, regulations or permits. The Companies may also be subject to penalties from other regulatory agencies. The Companies may be subject to new laws, regulations or other requirements or the revision or reinterpretation of such requirements, which could adversely affect them. See “Utility Regulation", "Competition" and “Environmental Matters – Climate Change" and "Environmental Matters - Other Federal, State and Local Environmental Provisions” in Item 1, “Critical Accounting Estimates” in Item 7 and “COVID-19 Regulatory Matters” and “Other Regulatory Matters” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
The Utilities’ Rate Plans May Not Provide A Reasonable Return. The Utilities have rate plans approved by state utility regulators that limit the rates they can charge their customers. The rates are generally designed for, but do not guarantee, the recovery of the Utilities’ cost of service (including a return on equity). See “Utility Regulation – State Utility Regulation – Rate Plans” in Item 1 and “Rate Plans” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8. Rates usually may not be changed during the specified terms of the rate plans other than to recover energy costs and limited other exceptions. The Utilities’ actual costs may exceed levels provided for such costs in the rate plans (see “COVID-19 Regulatory Matters” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8). State utility regulators can initiate proceedings to prohibit the Utilities from recovering from their customers the cost of service (including energy costs and storm restoration costs) that the regulators determine to have been imprudently incurred (see "Other Regulatory Matters" in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8). The Utilities have from time to time entered into settlement agreements to resolve various prudence proceedings.
The Companies May Be Adversely Affected By Changes To The Utilities’ Rate Plans. The Utilities’ rate plans typically require action by regulators at their expiration dates, which may include approval of new plans with different provisions. The need to recover from customers increasing costs, taxes or state-mandated assessments or surcharges could adversely affect the Utilities’ opportunity to obtain new rate plans that provide a reasonable rate of return and continue important provisions of current rate plans. The Utilities’ current NY electric and gas rate plans include revenue decoupling mechanisms and their NY electric, gas and steam rate plans include provisions for the recovery of energy costs and reconciliation of the actual amount of pension and other postretirement, environmental and certain other costs to amounts reflected in rates. See “Rate Plans” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
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Operations Risks:
The Failure Of, Or Damage To, The Companies’ Facilities Could Adversely Affect The Companies. The Utilities provide electricity, gas and steam service using energy facilities, many of which are located either in, or close to, densely populated public places. See the description of the Utilities’ facilities in Item 1. A failure of, or damage to, these facilities, or an error in the operation or maintenance of these facilities, could result in bodily injury or death, property damage, the release of hazardous substances or extended service interruptions. Impacts of climate change, such as sea level rise, coastal storm surge, inland flooding from intense rainfall, hurricane-strength winds and extreme heat could damage facilities and the Utilities may experience more severe consequences from attempting to operate during and after such events. The Utilities’ response to such events may be perceived to be below customer expectations. The Utilities' successful implementation of their maintenance programs reduces, but does not fully protect against, damage to their facilities for which they will be held responsible and which may hinder their restoration efforts. The Utilities could be required to pay substantial amounts that may not be covered by the Utilities’ insurance policies to repair or replace their facilities, compensate others for injury or death or other damage and settle any proceedings initiated by state utility regulators or other regulatory agencies. The occurrence of such events could also adversely affect the cost and availability of insurance. See “Other Regulatory Matters” in Note B and “Manhattan Explosion and Fire” in Note H to the financial statements in Item 8. Changes to laws, regulations or judicial doctrines could further expand the Utilities’ liability for service interruptions. See “Utility Regulation – State Utility Regulation” and "Environmental Matters – Climate Change" in Item 1.
A Cyber Attack Could Adversely Affect The Companies. The Companies and other operators of critical energy infrastructure and energy market participants face a heightened risk of cyber attack and the Companies’ businesses require the continued operation of information systems and network infrastructure. See Item 1 for a description of the businesses of the Utilities, the Clean Energy Businesses and Con Edison Transmission. Cyber attacks may include hacking, viruses, malware, denial of service attacks, ransomware, exploited vulnerabilities or other security breaches, including loss of data and communications. Cyber threats to the electric and gas systems are increasing in sophistication, magnitude and frequency. Interconnectivity with customers, independent system operators, energy traders and other energy market participants, suppliers, contractors and others also exposes the Companies’ information systems and network infrastructure to an increased risk of cyber incidents, including attacks. Such interconnectivity increases the risk that a cyber incident or attack on the Companies could affect others and that a cyber incident or attack on others could affect the Companies. In the event of a cyber incident or attack that the Companies were unable to defend against or mitigate, the Companies could have their operations and the operations of their customers and others disrupted. The Companies could also have their financial and other information systems and network infrastructure impaired, property damaged, and customer and employee information stolen; experience substantial loss of revenues, response costs and other financial loss; and be subject to increased regulation, litigation, penalties and damage to their reputation. The Companies address vulnerabilities as they are identified, including the Log4j vulnerability common to web applications that was announced in December 2021. The Companies have experienced cyber incidents and attacks, although none of the incidents or attacks had a material impact.
The Failure Of Processes and Systems And The Performance Of Employees And Contractors Could Adversely Affect The Companies. The Companies have developed business processes and use information and communication systems and enterprise platforms for operations, customer service, legal compliance, personnel, accounting, planning and other matters. The Companies have completed a multi-year, phased transition of certain information technology services, including application maintenance and support and infrastructure and operations services, to a contractor. The failure of the Companies’ or its contractors' business processes or information and communication systems or the failure by the Companies’ employees or contractors to follow procedures, their unsafe actions, errors or intentional misconduct, cyber incidents or attacks, or work stoppages could adversely affect the Companies’ operations and liquidity and result in substantial liability, higher costs and increased regulatory requirements. The violation of laws or regulations by employees or contractors for personal gain may result from contract and procurement fraud, extortion, bribe acceptance, fraudulent related-party transactions and serious breaches of corporate policy or standards of business conduct. See “Human Capital” in Item 1.
Environmental Risks:
The Companies Are Exposed To Risks From The Environmental Consequences Of Their Operations. The Companies are exposed to risks relating to climate change and related matters. In 2019, CECONY completed a climate change vulnerability study and during 2020, CECONY further evaluated its future climate change adaptation strategies and developed a climate change implementation plan. NY State enacted the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and New York City enacted the Climate Mobilization Act. See “Environmental Matters – Clean Energy Future” in Item 1. CECONY may also be impacted by regulations requiring reductions in air emissions. See “Environmental Matters – Other Federal, State and Local Environmental Provisions – Air Quality” in Item 1. In addition, the Utilities are responsible for hazardous substances, such as asbestos, PCBs and coal tar, that have been used or produced in the course of the Utilities’ operations and are present on properties or in facilities
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and equipment currently or previously owned by them. See “Environmental Matters” in Item 1 and Note G to the financial statements in Item 8. The Companies could be adversely affected if a causal relationship between electric and magnetic fields and adverse health effects were to be established.
Financial and Market Risks:
Con Edison’s Ability To Pay Dividends Or Interest Depends On Dividends From Its Subsidiaries. Con Edison’s ability to pay dividends on its common shares or interest on its external borrowings depends primarily on the dividends and other distributions it receives from its subsidiaries. The dividends that the Utilities may pay to Con Edison are limited by the NYSPSC to not more than 100 percent of their respective income available for dividends calculated on a two-year rolling average basis, with certain exceptions. See “Dividends” in Note C and Note U to the financial statements in Item 8.
Changes To Tax Laws Could Adversely Affect the Companies. Changes to tax laws, regulations or interpretations thereof could have a material adverse impact on the Companies. Depending on the extent of these changes, the changes could also adversely impact the Companies’ credit ratings and liquidity. The reduction in the federal corporate income tax rate to 21 percent under the TCJA resulted in decreased cash flows from operating activities, and requires increased cash flows from financing activities, for the Utilities. See “Capital Requirements and Resources – Capital Resources” in Item 1, “Liquidity and Capital Resources – Cash Flows from Operating Activities” in Item 7, "Rate Plans" and "Other Regulatory Matters" in Note B and Note L to the financial statements in Item 8.
The Companies Require Access To Capital Markets To Satisfy Funding Requirements. The Utilities estimate that their construction expenditures will exceed $14,300 million over the next three years. The Utilities use internally-generated funds, equity contributions from Con Edison, if any, and external borrowings to fund the construction expenditures. The Clean Energy Businesses are investing in renewable generation and sustainable energy infrastructure projects that require funds in excess of those produced in the businesses. Con Edison expects to finance its capital requirements primarily through internally generated funds, the sale of its common shares or external borrowings. Changes in financial market conditions or in the Companies’ credit ratings could adversely affect their ability to raise new capital and the cost thereof. See “Capital Requirements and Resources” in Item 1.
A Disruption In The Wholesale Energy Markets Or Failure By An Energy Supplier or Customer Could Adversely Affect The Companies. Almost all the electricity and gas the Utilities sell to their full-service customers is purchased through the wholesale energy markets or pursuant to contracts with energy suppliers. See the description of the Utilities’ energy supply in Item 1. A disruption in the wholesale energy markets or a failure on the part of the Utilities’ energy suppliers or operators of energy delivery systems that connect to the Utilities’ energy facilities could adversely affect their ability to meet their customers’ energy needs and adversely affect the Companies. The Utilities' ability to gain access to additional energy supplies, if needed, depends on effective markets and siting approvals for developer projects, which the Utilities do not control. See “CECONY - Gas Peak Demand” in Item 1. The Clean Energy Businesses sell the output of their renewable electric projects under long-term power purchase agreements with utilities and municipalities, and a failure of the production projects could adversely affect Con Edison.
The Companies Have Substantial Unfunded Pension And Other Postretirement Benefit Liabilities. The Utilities have substantial unfunded pension and other postretirement benefit liabilities. The Utilities expect to make significant contributions to their pension and other postretirement benefit plans. Significant declines in the market values of the investments held to fund pension and other postretirement benefits could trigger substantial funding requirements under governmental regulations. See “Critical Accounting Estimates – Accounting for Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits” and “Financial and Commodity Market Risks” in Item 7 and Notes E and F to the financial statements in Item 8.
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Other Risks:
The Companies Face Risks Related To Health Epidemics And Other Outbreaks, Including The COVID-19 Pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted, and continues to impact, countries, communities, supply chains and markets. During 2020, the Companies’ service territories included some of the most severely impacted counties in the United States. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an economic slowdown in the Companies’ service territories, decreased demand for the services that they provide and changes in governmental and regulatory policy. The decline in business activity in the Companies’ service territories has resulted in a slower recovery of cash from outstanding customer accounts receivable balances, material increases in customer accounts receivable balances, increases to the allowance for uncollectible accounts, and may result in increases to write-offs of customer accounts.Although the Utilities’ NY electric and gas businesses have largely effective revenue decoupling mechanisms in place, higher unpaid accounts have impacted and could continue to impact the Companies’ liquidity. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Utilities have been impacted, and may continue to be impacted by, global and U.S. supply chain disruptions causing shortages of, and increased pricing pressure on, among other things, certain raw materials, labor, microprocessors and microchips. Such disruptions have resulted in increased prices and lead times for certain orders of materials and equipment needed by the Utilities in their operations. The Companies will continue to monitor developments relating to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the Companies cannot predict the extent to which, COVID-19 may have a material impact onliquidity, financial condition, and results of operations. The situation is changing rapidly and future impacts may materialize that are not yet known. Accordingly, the extent to which COVID-19 may impact these matters will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including the success of vaccination efforts, the emergence of new variants and the severity thereof, actions that federal, state and local governmental or regulatory agencies may continue to take in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and other actions taken to contain it or treat its impact, among others. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts” in Item 7 and “COVID-19 Regulatory Matters” in Note B.
The Companies’ Strategies May Not Be Effective To Address Changes In The External Business Environment. The failure to identify, plan and execute strategies to address changes in the external business environment could have a material adverse impact on the Companies. Con Edison seeks to provide shareholder value through continued dividend growth, supported by earnings growth in regulated utilities and contracted electric and gas assets. Changes to public policy, laws or regulations (or interpretations thereof), customer behavior or technology could significantly impact the value of the Utilities’ energy delivery facilities, the Clean Energy Businesses’ renewable and sustainable energy infrastructure projects and Con Edison Transmission's investment in electric and gas transmission projects. Such changes could also affect the Companies’ opportunities to make additional investments in such assets and the potential return on the investments. The Utilities' gas delivery customers and CECONY's steam delivery customers have alternatives, such as electricity and oil. Distributed energy resources, and demand reduction and energy efficiency investments, provide ways for the energy consumers within the Utilities’ service areas to manage their energy usage. The Companies expect distributed energy resources and electric alternatives to gas and steam to increase, and for gas and steam usage to decrease, as the CLCPA and the Climate Mobilization Act continue to be implemented. CECONY established a gas moratorium in March 2019 on new gas service in most of Westchester County. CECONY filed a gas planning analysis with the NYSPSC in July 2020 stating the moratorium could be lifted when increased pipeline capacity is achieved or peak demand is reduced to a level that would enable the company to lift the moratorium and that it is monitoring gas supply constraint in the New York City portion of its service territory. See "Clean Energy Businesses," "Con Edison Transmission," "Environmental Matters - Clean Energy Future" and "Environmental Matters - Climate Change," “Competition” and "CECONY - Gas Peak Demand" in Item 1.
The Companies Also Face Other Risks That Are Beyond Their Control. The Companies’ results of operations can be affected by circumstances or events that are beyond their control. Weather and energy efficiency efforts directly influence the demand for electricity, gas and steam service, and can affect the price of energy commodities. Terrorist or other physical attacks or acts of war could damage the Companies' facilities. Economic conditions can affect customers’ demand and ability to pay for service, which could adversely affect the Companies. An inflationary economy could increase certain operating and capital costs and employee and retiree benefit costs in excess of the costs reflected in the Utilities’ rate plans and could also increase the amount of capital that needs to be raised by the Companies and the costs of such capital. Supply chain disruptions can cause shortages of materials needed by the Companies in their business activities and can result in increased prices and lead times.
Item 1B: Unresolved Staff Comments
Con Edison
Con Edison has no unresolved comments from the SEC staff.
CECONY
CECONY has no unresolved comments from the SEC staff.
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021 47
Item 2: Properties
Con Edison
Con Edison has no significant properties other than those of the Utilities and the Clean Energy Businesses.
For information about the capitalized cost of the Companies’ utility plant, net of accumulated depreciation, see “Plant and Depreciation” in Note A to the financial statements in Item 8 (which information is incorporated herein by reference).
CECONY
For a discussion of CECONY’s electric, gas and steam facilities, see “CECONY – Electric Operations – Electric Facilities,” “CECONY – Gas Operations – Gas Facilities” and “CECONY – Steam Operations – Steam Facilities” in Item 1 (which information is incorporated herein by reference).
O&R
For a discussion of O&R’s electric and gas facilities, see “O&R – Electric Operations – Electric Facilities” and “O&R – Gas Operations – Gas Facilities” in Item 1 (which information is incorporated herein by reference).
Clean Energy Businesses
For a discussion of the Clean Energy Businesses’ facilities, see “Clean Energy Businesses” in Item 1 (which information is incorporated herein by reference).
Con Edison Transmission
Con Edison Transmission has no properties. Con Edison Transmission has ownership interests in electric and gas transmission companies. For information about these companies, see "Con Edison Transmission" in Item 1 (which information is incorporated herein by reference).
Item 3: Legal Proceedings
For information about certain legal proceedings affecting the Companies, see “Other Regulatory Matters” in Note B and “Superfund Sites” and “Asbestos Proceedings” in Note G and "Manhattan Explosion and Fire" in Note H to the financial statements in Item 8 and “Environmental Matters – CECONY” and “Environmental Matters – O&R” in Item 1 of this report, which information is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 4: Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
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Information about our Executive Officers
The following table sets forth certain information about the executive officers of Con Edison as of February 17, 2022. The term of office of each officer, is until the next election of directors (trustees) of their company and until his or her successor is chosen and qualifies. Officers are subject to removal at any time by the board of directors (trustees) of their company.
Name Age Offices and Positions During Past Five Years
12/13 to 12/17 – President and Chief Executive Officer of O&R
Matthew Ketschke 50 1/21 to present – President of CECONY
11/17 to 12/20 – Senior Vice President – Customer Energy Solutions
7/15 to 10/17 – Vice President – Distributed Resource Integration
11/17 – Senior Vice President of CECONY
9/16 to 10/17 – Senior Vice President – Corporate Shared Services of CECONY
9/14 to 8/16 – Vice President – Brooklyn & Queens Electric Operations of CECONY
10/19 to 12/19 – Senior Vice President of Con Edison and CECONY
6/19 – Senior Vice President of CECONY
11/14 to 5/19 – Vice President and General Auditor of CECONY
1/21 to present – Chief Financial Officer and Controller of O&R
8/06 to 12/20 – Assistant Controller of Corporate Accounting of CECONY
Yukari Saegusa 54 9/16 to present – Treasurer of Con Edison and CECONY
8/16 to present – Vice President of Con Edison and CECONY
8/13 to present – Treasurer of O&R
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021 49
Part II
Item 5: Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Con Edison
Con Edison’s Common Shares ($.10 par value), the only class of common equity of Con Edison, are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "ED." As of January 31, 2022, there were 38,756 holders of record of Con Edison’s Common Shares. Con Edison paid quarterly dividends of 76.5 cents per Common Share in 2020 and quarterly dividends of 77.5 cents per Common Share in 2021. On January 20, 2022, Con Edison declared a quarterly dividend of 79 cents per Common Share that is payable on March 15, 2022. Con Edison expects to pay dividends to its shareholders primarily from dividends and other distributions it receives from its subsidiaries. The payment of future dividends is subject to approval and declaration by Con Edison’s Board of Directors and will depend on a variety of factors including business, financial and regulatory considerations. For additional information about the payment of dividends by the Utilities to Con Edison, and restrictions thereon, see “Dividends” in Note C to the financial statements in Item 8 (which information is incorporated herein by reference).
During 2021, the market price of Con Edison’s Common Shares increased by 18.1 percent (from $72.27 at year-end 2020 to $85.32 at year-end 2021). By comparison, the S&P 500 Index increased 26.9 percent and the S&P 500 Utilities Index increased 14 percent. The total return to Con Edison’s common shareholders during 2021, including both price depreciation and investment of dividends, was 23 percent. By comparison, the total returns for the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Utilities Index were 28.7 percent and 17.7 percent, respectively. For the five-year period 2017 through 2021 inclusive, Con Edison’s shareholders’ total return was 39.3 percent, compared with total returns for the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Utilities Index of 133.4 percent and 74.4 percent, respectively.
Years Ended December 31,
Based on $100 invested at December 31, 2016, reinvestment of all dividends in equivalent shares of stock and market price changes on all such shares.
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CECONY
The outstanding shares of CECONY’s Common Stock ($2.50 par value) are the only class of common equity of CECONY. They are held by Con Edison and are not traded.
The dividends declared by CECONY in 2020 and 2021 are shown in its Consolidated Statement of Shareholder’s Equity included in Item 8 (which information is incorporated herein by reference). For additional information about the payment of dividends by CECONY, and restrictions thereon, see “Dividends” in Note C to the financial statements in Item 8 (which information is incorporated herein by reference).
Item 6: [Reserved]
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Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
This combined management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations relates to the consolidated financial statements included in this report of two separate registrants: Con Edison and CECONY, and should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto. As used in this report, the term the “Companies” refers to Con Edison and CECONY. CECONY is a subsidiary of Con Edison and, as such, information in this management’s discussion and analysis about CECONY applies to Con Edison.
Information in any item of this report referred to in this discussion and analysis is incorporated by reference herein. The use of terms such as “see” or “refer to” shall be deemed to incorporate by reference into this discussion and analysis the information to which reference is made.
Corporate Overview
Con Edison’s principal business operations are those of the Utilities, the Clean Energy Businesses and Con Edison Transmission. CECONY is a regulated utility that provides electric service in New York City and New York's Westchester County, gas service in Manhattan, the Bronx, parts of Queens and parts of Westchester, and steam service in Manhattan. O&R is a regulated utility serving customers in a 1,300-square-mile-area in southeastern NY State and northern NJ. Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses, through its subsidiaries, develops, owns and operates renewable and sustainable energy infrastructure projects and provides energy-related products and services to wholesale and retail customers. Con Edison Transmission, through its subsidiaries, invests in electric transmission projects supporting Con Edison's effort to transition to clean, renewable energy and manages, through joint ventures, both electric and gas assets while seeking to develop electric transmission projects that will bring clean, renewable electricity to customers, focusing on NY, New England, the Mid-Atlantic states and the Midwest.
In addition to the risks and uncertainties described in Item 1A and the Companies’ material contingencies described in Notes B, G and H to the financial statements in Item 8, the Companies’ management considers the following events, trends, and uncertainties to be important to understanding the Companies’ current and future financial condition.
CECONY Electric and Gas Rate Plans
In January 2022, CECONY filed a request with the NYSPSC for electric and gas rate increases of $1,199 million and $503 million, respectively, effective January 2023. CECONY’s future earnings will depend on the rates authorized in, and the other provisions of, its January 2023 rate plans and CECONY’s ability to operate its businesses in a manner consistent with such rate plans. Therefore, the outcome of CECONY’s rate request, which requires approval by the NYSPSC, will impact the Companies’ future financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. See “Utility Regulation – State Utility Regulation – Rate Plans” in Item 1 and “Rate Plans” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
Pursuant to its current electric and gas rate plans, CECONY recorded $92 million of earnings for the year ended December 31, 2021 of earnings adjustment mechanisms and positive incentives, primarily reflecting the achievement of certain energy efficiency measures, as compared to $50 million, $59 million and $33 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The amount of earnings or losses CECONY records pursuant to the earnings adjustment mechanisms and positive incentives will also impact the Companies’ future financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. See “Rate Plans” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
In November 2021, the NYSPSC issued an order establishing a surcharge recovery mechanism for CECONY to collect $43 million and $7 million for electric and gas, respectively, of late payment charges and fees that were not billed for the year ended December 31, 2020. The company recorded such amounts as revenue for the year ended December 31, 2021, as permitted under the accounting rules for regulated utilities, and also accrued such amounts as a current asset at December 31, 2021. See “COVID-19 Regulatory Matters” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
Clean Energy Goals
The success of the Companies’ efforts to meet federal, state and city clean energy policy goals and the impact of such goals on CECONY’s electric, gas and steam businesses and O&R’s electric and gas businesses may impact the Companies’ future financial condition. The Utilities expect electric demand to increase and gas and steam usage to decrease in their service territories as federal, state and local laws and policies are enacted and implemented. In particular, the long-term future of the Utilities’ gas businesses depends upon the role that natural gas will play in facilitating NY State’s and New York City’s climate goals. In addition, the impact and costs of climate change on the Utilities’ systems and the success of the Utilities’ efforts to increase system reliability and manage service
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interruptions resulting from severe weather may impact the Companies’ future financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
Clean Energy Businesses
The Clean Energy Businesses develop, own and operate renewable and sustainable energy infrastructure projects. The success of the Clean Energy Businesses’ strategy to increase earnings is dependent upon the expansion of their renewable energy portfolio and successful execution of develop/transfer opportunities. Con Edison is considering strategic alternatives with respect to the Clean Energy Businesses. The outcome of such evaluation may impact Con Edison’s future financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. See “Clean Energy Businesses” in Item 1.
Con Edison Transmission
Con Edison Transmission has taken steps to realign its portfolio to focus on electric transmission rather than gas by completing the sale of its 50 percent interest in Stagecoach in 2021. During 2020 and 2021, Con Edison Transmission recorded impairments on its investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC and during 2021, Con Edison Transmission recorded impairments on its previously held interest in Stagecoach and its interest in Honeoye. Any future impairments of Con Edison Transmission’s investments may impact Con Edison’s future financial condition and results of operations. Con Edison Transmission is pursuing opportunities to deliver offshore wind energy to high voltage electric grids through its participation in competitive solicitations in NY through its NY Transco partnership and in NJ. The success of Con Edison Transmission’s efforts to be awarded projects that will grow its electric transmission portfolio may impact Con Edison’s future capital requirements. See "Con Edison Transmission" in Item 1 and “Investments” in Note A and Note K and Note W to the financial statements in Item 8.
COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted, and continues to impact, countries, communities, supply chains and markets. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an economic slowdown in the Companies’ service territories and changes in governmental and regulatory policy. The decline in business activity in the Companies’ service territories has resulted in a slower recovery of cash from outstanding customer accounts receivable balances, material increases in customer accounts receivable balances, increases to the allowance for uncollectible accounts, and may result in increases to write-offs and recoveries of customer accounts. The extent to which COVID-19 will continue to impact the Companies, in particular, the Companies’ ability to recover cash from outstanding customer accounts receivable balances and the amount of write-offs of customer accounts, may impact Con Edison’s future financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts” in Item 7 and “COVID-19 Regulatory Matters” in Note B.
Also, see “Significant Developments and Outlook” in the Introduction to this report, “The Utilities,” “Clean Energy Businesses” and "Con Edison Transmission" in Item 1, and segment financial information in Note P to the financial statements in Item 8.
Certain financial data of Con Edison’s businesses are presented below:
Con Edison Transmission (b) 4 — % (316) (23) % 249 1 %
(a)Net income for common stock from the Clean Energy Businesses for the year ended December 31, 2021 reflects $107 million (after-tax) of the effects of HLBV accounting for tax equity investments in certain renewable and sustainable electric projects and $40 million of net after-tax mark-to-market effects. Net income for common stock from the Clean Energy Businesses for the year ended December 31, 2021 includes $(3) million (after-tax) of loss from the sale of a renewable electric project. See Note S to the financial statements in Item 8.
(b)Net loss for common stock from Con Edison Transmission for the year ended December 31, 2021 includes $(153) million of a net after-tax impairment loss related to its investment in Stagecoach, $(168) million of a net after-tax impairment loss related to its investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC and $(5) million of goodwill impairment loss on its investment in Honeoye. See "Critical Accounting Estimates - Investments" in Item 7, "Investments - Partial Impairment of Investment in Stagecoach Gas Services LLC (Stagecoach)" and "Investments - 2020 and 2021 Partial Impairments of Investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC (MVP)" in Note A, Note K and Note W to the financial statements in Item 8.
(c)Other includes parent company and consolidation adjustments. Net income for common stock for the year ended December 31, 2021 includes $(9) million (after-tax) of income tax impact on the effects of HLBV accounting for tax equity investments in certain renewable and sustainable projects and $(3) million of income tax impact on the net after-tax mark-to-market effects. Net income for common stock for the year ended December 31, 2021 includes $6 million of income tax impact for the impairment loss related to Con Edison's investment in
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021 53
Stagecoach. Net income for common stock for the year ended December 31, 2021 includes $6 million of income tax impact for the impairment loss related to Con Edison's investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC.
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts
The Companies continue to respond to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic by working to reduce the potential risks posed by its spread to employees, customers and other stakeholders. The Companies continue to employ an incident command structure led by a pandemic planning team. The Companies support employee health and facility hygiene through regular cleaning and disinfecting of all work and common areas, promoting social distancing, allowing employees to work remotely and directing employees to stay at home if they are experiencing COVID or flu-like symptoms. Employees who test positive for COVID-19 are directed to quarantine at home and are evaluated for close, prolonged contact with other employees that would require those employees to quarantine at home. Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, sick or quarantined employees return to work when they can safely do so. The Utilities continue to provide critical electric, gas and steam service to customers during the pandemic. Additional safety protocols have been implemented to protect employees, customers and the public, when work at customer premises is required.
In October 2021, in response to President Biden's Executive Order 14042, the Companies announced that they are committed to complying with the mandate for employees of federal contractors and subcontractors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the federally-required deadline, unless employees are legally entitled to an accommodation. In December 2021, an injunction was issued in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia which currently prevents the U.S. government from enforcing this federal contractor vaccine mandate nationwide. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments in April 2022.
In December 2021, New York City instituted a vaccination mandate that requires employees of private businesses located in New York City who perform in-person work or interact with the public to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In furtherance of the mandate, in December 2021, the New York City Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene issued an order that requires workers entering workplaces within New York City to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination, except in cases of a medical or religious exemption. This order is applicable to the Companies’ employees and contractors who report in-person to a company workplace located in New York City and the Companies are complying with its requirements.
The Companies are continuing to monitor the vaccination mandates closely and are implementing appropriate measures to mitigate any workforce and cost impacts that may occur.
Below is additional information related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Companies’ actions. Also, see “COVID-19 Regulatory Matters” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
Impact of CARES Act and 2021 Appropriations Act on Accounting for Income Taxes
In response to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act became law on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act has several key business tax relief measures that may present potential cash benefits and/or refund opportunities for Con Edison and its subsidiaries, including permitting a five-year carryback of a net operating loss (NOL) for tax years 2018, 2019 and 2020, temporary removal of the 80 percent limitation of NOL carryforwards against taxable income for tax years before 2021, temporary relaxation of the limitations on interest deductions, Employee Retention Tax Credit and deferral of payments of employer payroll taxes.
Con Edison carried back a NOL of $29 million from tax year 2018 to tax year 2013. This allowed Con Edison, mostly at the Clean Energy Businesses, to receive a $2.5 million net tax refund and to recognize a discrete income tax benefit of $4 million in 2020, due to the higher federal statutory tax rate in 2013. See "Income Tax" in Note L. Con Edison and its subsidiaries did not have a federal NOL in tax years 2019 or 2020.
Con Edison and its subsidiaries benefited by the increase in the percentage for calculating the limitation on the interest expense deduction from 30 percent of Adjusted Taxable Income (ATI) to 50 percent of ATI in 2019 and 2020, which allowed the Companies to deduct 100 percent of their interest expense. For 2021, the limitation on interest expense for computing ATI reverted back to 30 percent.
The Companies qualify for an employee retention tax credit created under the CARES Act for "eligible employers" related to governmental authorities imposing restrictions that partially suspended their operations for a portion of their workforce due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Companies continued to pay them. For the year ended December 31, 2020, Con Edison and CECONY recognized a tax benefit to Taxes, other than income taxes of $10 million and $7 million, respectively.
54 CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021
The CARES Act also allows employers to defer payments of the employer share of Social Security payroll taxes that would have otherwise been owed from March 27, 2020 through December 31, 2020. The Companies deferred the payment of employer payroll taxes for the period April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020 of approximately $71 million ($63 million of which is for CECONY). The Companies paid half of this liability by December 31, 2021 and will repay the other half by December 31, 2022.
In December 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the 2021 Appropriations Act) was signed into law. The 2021 Appropriations Act, among other things, extends the expiring employee retention tax credit to include qualified wages paid in the first two quarters of 2021, increases the qualified wages paid to an employee from 50 percent up to $10,000 annually in 2020 to 70 percent up to $10,000 per quarter in 2021 and increases the maximum employee retention tax credit amount an employer can take per employee from $5,000 in 2020 to $14,000 in the first two quarters of 2021. In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law that expanded the 2021 Appropriations Act to extend the period for eligible employers to receive the employer retention credit from June 30, 2021 to December 31, 2021. In November 2021, the Infrastructure and Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law and accelerated the end of the employee retention tax credit retroactive to October 1, 2021, rather than December 31, 2021. This effectively reduced the maximum credit available from $28,000 to $21,000 per employee.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, Con Edison and CECONY recognized a tax benefit to Taxes, other than income taxes of $9 million and $4 million, respectively.
Accounting Considerations
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent New York State on PAUSE and related executive orders (that have since been lifted), decline in business, bankruptcies, layoffs and furloughs, among other factors, both commercial and residential customers have had and may continue to have increased difficulty paying their utility bills. In June 2020, the state of NY enacted a law prohibiting NY utilities, including CECONY and O&R, from disconnecting residential customers, and starting in May 2021 small business customers, during the COVID-19 state of emergency, which ended in June 2021. In addition, such prohibitions applied for an additional 180 days after the state of emergency ended (December 21, 2021) for residential and small business customers who experienced a change in financial circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CECONY and O&R have existing allowances for uncollectible accounts established against their customer accounts receivable balances that are reevaluated each quarter and updated accordingly. Changes to the Utilities’ reserve balances that result in write-offs of customer accounts receivable balances are not reflected in rates during the term of the current rate plans. During 2021, the potential economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was also considered in forward-looking projections related to write-off and recovery rates, resulting in increases to the customer allowance for uncollectible accounts as detailed herein. CECONY’s and O&R’s allowances for uncollectible customer accounts reserve increased from $138 million and $8.7 million at December 31, 2020 to $304 million and $12.3 million at December 31, 2021, respectively. See "COVID-19 Regulatory Matters" in Note B and Note N to the financial statements in Item 8.
The Companies test goodwill for impairment at least annually or whenever there is a triggering event, and test long-lived and intangible assets for recoverability when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of long-lived or intangible assets may not be recoverable. The Companies identified no triggering events or changes in circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic that would indicate that the carrying value of goodwill, long-lived or intangible assets may not be recoverable at December 31, 2020 and 2021. See Note K to the financial statements in Item 8.
New York State Legislation
In April 2021, New York State passed a law that increases the corporate franchise tax rate on business income from 6.5% to 7.25%, retroactive to January 1, 2021, for taxpayers with taxable income greater than $5 million. The law also reinstates the business capital tax at 0.1875%, not to exceed a maximum tax liability of $5 million per taxpayer. NY State requires a corporate franchise taxpayer to calculate and pay the highest amount of tax under the three alternative methods: a tax on business income; a tax on business capital; or a fixed dollar minimum. The provisions to increase the corporate franchise tax rate and reinstate a capital tax are scheduled to expire after 2023 and are not expected to have a material impact on the Companies’ financial position, results of operations or liquidity. In addition, the new law created a program that allows eligible residential renters in NY State who require assistance with rent and utility bills to have up to twelve months of electric and gas utility bill arrears forgiven, provided that such arrears were accrued on or after March 13, 2020. The program will be administered by the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance in coordination with the New York State Department of Public Service and the NYSPSC. Under the program, CECONY and O&R would qualify for a refundable tax credit for NY State gross-receipts tax equal to the amount of arrears waived by the Utilities in the year that the arrears are waived and certified by the NYSPSC. See "COVID-19 Regulatory Matters” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
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Liquidity and Financing
The Companies continue to monitor the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial markets closely, including borrowing rates and daily cash collections. The Companies have been able to access the capital markets as needed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. See Notes C and D to the financial statements in Item 8. However, a continued economic downturn as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the amount of capital needed by the Utilities and could impact the costs of such capital.
The decline in business activity in the Utilities’ service territory as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent New York State on PAUSE and related executive orders (that have since been lifted), resulted in a slower recovery in cash of outstanding customer accounts receivable balances in 2020 and 2021.
The Utilities’ rate plans have revenue decoupling mechanisms in their NY electric and gas businesses that largely reconcile actual energy delivery revenues to the authorized delivery revenues approved by the NYSPSC per month and reconcile the deferred balances semi-annually under CECONY's electric rate plan (January through June and July through December, respectively) and annually under CECONY's gas rate plan and O&R NY's electric and gas rate plans (January through December). Differences are accrued with interest each month for CECONY's and O&R NY’s electric customers and after the annual deferral period ends for CECONY's and O&R NY’s gas customers for refund to, or recovery from customers, as applicable. Generally, the refund to or recovery from customers begins August and February of each year over an ensuing six-month period for CECONY's electric customers and February of each year over an ensuing twelve-month period for CECONY's gas and O&R NY's electric and gas customers. Although these revenue decoupling mechanisms are in place, lower billed sales revenues and higher unpaid accounts have reduced and are expected to continue to reduce liquidity at the Utilities.
In March 2020, the Utilities began suspending service disconnections, certain collection notices, final bill collection agency activity, new late payment charges and certain other fees for all customers. In November 2021, the NYSPSC issued an order establishing a surcharge recovery mechanism for CECONY to collect, commencing December 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022, $43 million and $7 million for electric and gas, respectively, of late payment charges and fees that were not billed for the year ended December 31, 2020. The company recorded such amounts as revenue for the year ended December 31, 2021, as permitted under the accounting rules for regulated utilities, and also accrued such amounts as a current asset at December 31, 2021. Pursuant to the November 2021 order, the company also established a recovery mechanism for CECONY to collect, commencing January 2023 through December 2023, $19 million and $4 million for electric and gas, respectively, of late payment charges and fees that were not billed for the year ended December 31, 2021 and the company recorded such amounts as revenue for the year ended December 31, 2021, as permitted under the accounting rules for regulated utilities, and also accrued such amounts as a current asset at December 31, 2021. In addition, pursuant to the November 2021 order, CECONY established a reserve of $7 million toward addressing customer arrearages for the year ended December 31, 2021. The order also established a surcharge recovery or surcredit mechanism for any late payment charges and fee deferrals, subject to offsetting related savings resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, for 2022 starting in January of 2024 over a twelve-month period.
In October 2021, O&R, the New York State Department of Public Service (NYSDPS) and other parties entered into a Joint Proposal for new electric and gas rate plans for the three-year period January 2022 through December 2024 (the Joint Proposal) that includes certain COVID-19 provisions, such as: recovery of 2020 late payment charges over three years; reconciliation of late payment charges to amounts reflected in rates for years 2021 through 2024; and reconciliation of write-offs of customer accounts receivable balances to amounts reflected in rates from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2024. The Joint Proposal is subject to NYSPSC approval. CECONY resumed late payment charges for commercial and residential customers who have not experienced a change in financial circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic on September 3, 2021 and October 1, 2021, respectively. O&R resumed late payment charges for commercial and residential customers who have not experienced a change in financial circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic on October 1, 2021.
Con Edison and the Utilities have a $2,250 million credit agreement (Credit Agreement) in place under which banks are committed to provide loans on a revolving credit basis until December 2023 ($2,200 million of commitments from December 2022). Con Edison and the Utilities have not entered into any loans under the Credit Agreement. See Note D to the financial statements in Item 8. In February 2022, CECONY filed a request with FERC to increase its authorization to issue short-term debt from $2,250 million to $3,000 million.
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Results of Operations
Net income for common stock and earnings per share for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:
(a)Net income for common stock and earnings per share from the Clean Energy Businesses for the year ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 reflects $107 million or $0.31 a share (after-tax), $(32) million or $(0.10) a share (after-tax) and $(74) million or $(0.22) a share (after-tax) of the effects of HLBV accounting for tax equity investments in certain renewable and sustainable electric projects. Net income for common stock and earnings per share from the Clean Energy Businesses also includes $40 million or $0.11 a share, $(43) million or $(0.13) a share and $(21) million or $(0.07) a share of net after-tax mark-to-market effects in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Net income for common stock and earnings per share from the Clean Energy Businesses for the year ended December 31, 2021 includes $(3) million (after-tax) or $(0.01) a share (after-tax) for the loss from the sale of a renewable electric project. See Note S to the financial statements in Item 8.
(b) Net loss for common stock and earnings per share from Con Edison Transmission for the year ended December 31, 2021 includes $(153) million or $(0.44) a share of net after-tax impairment loss related to its investment in Stagecoach, $(168) million or $(0.48) a share of net after-tax impairment loss related to its investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC and $(5) million or $(0.02) a share of loss related to a goodwill impairment loss related to its investment in Honeoye. See "Critical Accounting Estimates - Investments" in Item 7, “Investments - Partial Impairment of Investment in Stagecoach Gas Services LLC (Stagecoach)” and "Investments - 2020 and 2021 Partial Impairments of Investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC (MVP)" in Note A, Note K and Note W to the financial statements in Item 8. Net income for common stock and earnings per share from Con Edison Transmission for the year ended December 31, 2020 includes $(232) million or $(0.69) a share of net after-tax impairment loss related to its investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC. See "Critical Accounting Estimates - Investments" in Item 7 and “Investments - Partial Impairment of Investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC (MVP)” in Note A to the financial statements in Item 8.
(c) Other includes parent company and consolidation adjustments. Net income for common stock and earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2021 includes $(9) million (after-tax) or $(0.02) a share (after-tax) of income tax impact on the effects of HLBV accounting for tax equity investments in certain renewable and sustainable electric projects and $(3) million or $(0.01) a share of income tax impact on the net after-tax mark-to-market effects. Net income for common stock and earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2021 includes $6 million or $0.02 a share of income tax impact for the impairment loss related to Con Edison Transmission’s investment in Stagecoach. Net income for common stock and earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2021 includes $6 million or $0.01 a share of income tax impact for the impairment loss related to Con Edison Transmission’s investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC. See “Investments - Partial Impairment of Investment in Stagecoach Gas Services LLC (Stagecoach)” and "Investments - 2020 and 2021 Partial Impairments of Investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC (MVP)" in Note A to the financial statements in Item 8.
Net income for common stock and earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2020 includes $3 million or $0.01 a share (after-tax), respectively, of income tax impact on the effects of HLBV accounting for tax equity investments in certain renewable and sustainable electric projects. Net income for common stock and earnings per share from the Clean Energy Businesses for the year ended December 31, 2020 includes $4 million or $0.01 a share of income tax impact on the net after-tax mark-to-market effects. Net income for common stock and earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2020 includes $9 million or $0.03 a share of income tax impact for the impairment loss related to Con Edison Transmission’s investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC. See “Investments - 2020 and 2021 Partial Impairments of Investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC (MVP)” in Note A to the financial statements in Item 8.
Net income for common stock and earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2019 includes $6 million or $0.02 a share (after-tax), respectively, of income tax impact on the effects of HLBV accounting for tax equity investments in certain renewable and sustainable electric projects. Net income for common stock and earnings per share from the Clean Energy Businesses for the year ended December 31, 2019 includes $2 million or $0.00 of income tax impact on the net after-tax mark-to-market effects.
(d) Earnings per share on a diluted basis were $3.85 a share, $3.28 a share and $4.08 a share in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. See "Earnings Per Common Share" in Note A to the financial statements in Item 8.
The following tables present the estimated effect of major factors on earnings per share and net income for common stock for the years ended December 31, 2021 as compared with 2020, and 2020 as compared with 2019.
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021 57
Variation for the Year Ended December 31, 2021 vs. 2020
Net Income for Common Stock (Millions of Dollars) Earnings per Share
CECONY (a)
Higher electric rate base 64 0.19
Higher gas rate base 38 0.11
Weather impact on steam revenues 16 0.05
Higher costs related to heat, storm and emergency response (37) (0.11)
Higher healthcare costs (16) (0.05)
Higher stock-based compensation costs (11) (0.03)
Dilutive effect of stock issuances — (0.15)
Other 2 —
O&R (a)
Electric base rate increase 9 0.03
Higher storm-related costs (5) (0.02)
Clean Energy Businesses
Net mark-to-market effects 83 0.24
Higher operations and maintenance expenses (180) (0.54)
Loss from sale of a renewable electric project (3) (0.01)
Dilutive effect of stock issuances — (0.03)
Other (6) —
Total Clean Energy Businesses 242 0.69
Con Edison Transmission
Impairment loss related to investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC 64 0.21
Impairment losses related to investment in Stagecoach (153) (0.44)
Impairment loss related to investment in Honeoye (5) (0.02)
Total Con Edison Transmission (141) (0.39)
Other, including parent company expenses
Tax impact of HLBV effects (9) (0.02)
Tax impact of net mark-to-market effects (3) (0.01)
Lower consolidated state income tax benefit (9) (0.03)
Impairment tax benefits related to investment in Stagecoach 6 0.02
Other (1) —
Total Other, including parent company expenses (19) (0.06)
Total Reported (GAAP basis) $245 $0.57
58 CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021
Variation for the Year Ended December 31, 2020 vs. 2019
Net Income for Common Stock (Millions of Dollars) Earnings per Share
CECONY (a)
Weather impact on steam revenues (32) (0.10)
Incremental costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic (10) (0.03)
Dilutive effect of stock issuances — (0.07)
O&R (a)
Electric base rate increase 12 0.04
Gas base rate increase 2 0.01
Total O&R 1 —
Clean Energy Businesses
Higher operations and maintenance expenses (3) (0.01)
Total Clean Energy Businesses 42 0.13
Con Edison Transmission
Total Con Edison Transmission (227) (0.68)
Other, including parent company expenses
Total Other, including parent company expenses 7 0.01
Total Reported (GAAP basis) ($242) $(0.80)
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021 59
The Companies’ other operations and maintenance expenses for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:
CECONY
Pensions and other postretirement benefits (42) (103) 134
Regulatory fees and assessments (a) 332 330 464
Con Edison Transmission 19 11 9
Other (b) (5) (4) —
Total other operations and maintenance expenses $3,254 $2,814 $3,175
(a)Includes Demand Side Management, System Benefit Charges and Public Service Law 18A assessments which are collected in revenues.
(b)Includes parent company and consolidation adjustments.
Con Edison’s principal business segments are CECONY’s regulated utility activities, O&R’s regulated utility activities, the Clean Energy Businesses and Con Edison Transmission. CECONY’s principal business segments are its regulated electric, gas and steam utility activities. A discussion of the results of operations by principal business segment for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 follows. For additional business segment financial information, see Note P to the financial statements in Item 8.
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The Companies’ results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 were:
(a) Includes parent company and consolidation adjustments.
(b) Represents the consolidated results of operations of Con Edison and its businesses.
(c) For the year ended December 31, 2021, Con Edison Transmission recorded a $5 million loss related to a goodwill impairment on its investment in Honeoye. See Note K to the financial statements in Item 8.
(d) For the year ended December 31, 2021, Con Edison Transmission recorded pre-tax impairment losses of $212 million ($147 million, after-tax) on its investment in Stagecoach and during 2021 completed the sale of its interest in Stagecoach. For the year ended December 31, 2021, Con Edison Transmission recorded a pre-tax impairment loss of $231 million ($162 million, after-tax), to reduce the carrying value of its investment in MVP from $342 million to $111 million. See “Investments - Partial Impairment of Investment in Stagecoach Gas Services LLC (Stagecoach)” and "Investments - 2020 and 2021 Partial Impairments of Investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC (MVP)" in Note A and Note W to the financial statements in Item 8. For the year ended December 31, 2020, Con Edison Transmission recorded a pre-tax impairment loss of $320 million ($223 million, after-tax), to reduce the carrying value of its investment in MVP from $662 million to $342 million. See “Investments - 2020 and 2021 Partial Impairments of Investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC (MVP)” in Note A to the financial statements in Item 8.
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Year Ended December 31, 2021 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2020
CECONY
For the Year Ended December 31, 2021 For the Year Ended December 31, 2020
Electric
CECONY’s results of electric operations for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared with the year ended December 31, 2020 were as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2021 2020 Variation
CECONY’s electric sales and deliveries in 2021 compared with 2020 were:
Millions of kWh Delivered Revenues in Millions (a)
For the Years Ended For the Years Ended
Other operating revenues (c) — — — — 211 270 (59) (21.9)
(a)Revenues from electric sales are subject to a revenue decoupling mechanism, as a result of which, delivery revenues are generally not affected by changes in delivery volumes from levels assumed when rates were approved.
(b)“Residential/Religious” generally includes single-family dwellings, individual apartments in multi-family dwellings, religious organizations and certain other not-for-profit organizations.
(c)Other electric operating revenues generally reflect changes in the revenue decoupling mechanism current asset or regulatory liability and changes in regulatory assets and liabilities in accordance with other provisions of the company’s rate plan.
(d)After adjusting for variations, primarily weather and billing days, electric delivery volumes in the company’s service area decreased 0.2 percent in 2021 compared with 2020. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts,” above.
Operating revenues increased $703 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher revenues from the electric rate plan ($243 million), higher purchased power expenses ($183 million), higher fuel expenses ($81 million), higher late payment charges ($90 million), including charges that are being recovered pursuant to a surcharge mechanism established as a result of the order issued by the NYSPSC in November 2021and resuming billing of late payment charges, and higher incentives earned under the earnings adjustment mechanisms and positive incentives ($30 million).See "COVID-19 Regulatory Matters" in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
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Purchased power expenses increased $183 million in 2021 compared with 2020 due to higher unit costs ($112 million) and purchased volumes ($72 million).
Fuel expenses increased $81 million in 2021 compared with 2020 due to higher unit costs ($79 million) and higher purchased volumes from the company’s electric generating facilities ($3 million).
Other operations and maintenance expenses increased $166 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher costs for pension and other postretirement benefits ($47 million), higher costs related to heat, storm and emergency response ($50 million), higher stock-based compensation ($24 million), higher healthcare costs ($16 million) and higher municipal infrastructure support costs ($12 million).
Depreciation and amortization increased $72 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher electric utility plant balances.
Taxes, other than income taxes increased $130 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to lower deferral of under-collected property taxes ($53 million), higher property taxes ($52 million) and higher state and local taxes ($23 million).
CECONY’s results of gas operations for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared with the year ended December 31, 2020 were as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2021 2020 Variation
Other operations and maintenance 368 355 13
CECONY’s gas sales and deliveries, excluding off-system sales, in 2021 compared with 2020 were:
Thousands of Dt Delivered Revenues in Millions (a)
For the Years Ended For the Years Ended
Other operating revenues (d) — — — — 111 74 37 50.0
(a)Revenues from gas sales are subject to a weather normalization clause and a revenue decoupling mechanism, as a result of which, delivery revenues are generally not affected by changes in delivery volumes from levels assumed when rates were approved.
(b)After adjusting for variations, primarily billing days, firm gas sales and transportation volumes in the company’s service area decreased 0.4 percent in 2021 compared with 2020. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts,” above.
(c)Includes 1,921 thousands and 3,510 thousands of Dt for 2021 and 2020, respectively, which are also reflected in firm transportation and other.
(d)Other gas operating revenues generally reflect changes in the revenue decoupling mechanism and weather normalization clause current asset or regulatory liability and changes in regulatory assets and liabilities in accordance with other provisions of the company’s rate plans. See Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
Operating revenues increased $342 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher gas revenues under the company's gas rate plan ($200 million), higher gas purchased for resale expense ($115 million), higher
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021 63
late payment charges ($16 million), including charges that are being recovered pursuant to a surcharge mechanism established as a result of the order issued by the NYSPSC in November 2021 and resuming billing of late payment charges, and higher incentives earned under gas adjustment mechanisms (EAMs) ($11 million). See "COVID-19 Regulatory Matters" in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
Gas purchased for resale increased $115 million in 2021 compared with 2020 due to higher unit costs ($106 million) and higher purchased volumes ($8 million).
Other operations and maintenance expenses increased $13 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher costs for pension and other postretirement benefits ($10 million), higher total surcharges for assessments and fees that are collected in revenues from customers ($7 million) and higher stock-based compensation ($5 million), offset in part by lower municipal infrastructure support costs ($9 million).
Depreciation and amortization increased $32 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher gas utility plant balances.
Taxes, other than income taxes increased $110 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to lower deferral of under-collected property taxes ($68 million), higher property taxes ($30 million) and higher state and local taxes ($12 million).
Steam
CECONY’s results of steam operations for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared with the year ended December 31, 2020 were as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2021 2020 Variation
Other operations and maintenance 165 161 4
Depreciation and amortization 93 90 3
Taxes, other than income taxes 144 144 —
Steam operating income $12 $5 $7
CECONY’s steam sales and deliveries in 2021 compared with 2020 were:
Millions of Pounds Delivered Revenues in Millions
For the Years Ended For the Years Ended
Other operating revenues (a) — — — — 30 28 2 7.1
(a)Other steam operating revenues generally reflect changes in regulatory assets and liabilities in accordance with the company’s rate plan. See Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
(b)After adjusting for variations, primarily weather and billing days, steam sales and deliveries in the company’s service area decreased 3.4 percent in 2021 compared with 2020. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts,” above.
Operating revenues increased $24 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to the impact of colder winter weather ($21 million) and higher purchased power expenses ($18 million), offset in part by lower fuel expenses ($8 million) and tax law surcharge ($3 million).
Purchasedpower expenses increased $18 million in 2021 compared with 2020 due to higher unit costs ($13 million) and purchased volumes ($5 million).
Fuel expenses decreased $8 million in 2021 compared with 2020 due to lower unit costs ($11 million), offset in part by higher purchased volumes from the company’s steam generating facilities ($3 million).
64 CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021
Other operations and maintenance expenses increased $4 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher costs for pension and other postretirement benefits ($4 million) and higher stock-based compensation ($2 million), offset in part by lower municipal infrastructure support costs ($1 million).
Depreciation and amortization increased $3 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher steam utility plant balances.
Taxes, Other Than Income Taxes
At $2,696 million, taxes other than income taxes remain one of CECONY’s largest operating expenses. The principal components of, and variations in, taxes other than income taxes were:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2021 2020 Variation
State and local taxes related to revenue receipts 373 338 35
(a)Including sales tax on customers’ bills, total taxes other than income taxes in 2021 and 2020 were $3,296 million and $2,989 million, respectively.
Other Income (Deductions)
Other deductions decreased $63 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to lower costs associated with components of pension and other postretirement benefits other than service cost ($61 million).
Net Interest Expense
Net interest expense increased $23 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher interest on long-term debt ($42 million), offset in part by lower interest accrued on the system benefit charge liability ($7 million), lower interest expense for short-term debt ($4 million), lower interest on deposits ($3 million) and lower interest accrued on deferred storm costs ($2 million).
Income Tax Expense
Income taxes increased $31 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher income before income tax expense ($40 million) and higher state income taxes ($9 million), offset in part by a higher favorable tax adjustment in 2021 for the prior year tax return primarily due to an increase in the general business tax credit ($6 million), higher tax benefits in 2021 from research credits ($5 million) and the absence of the amortization of deficit deferred state income taxes in 2020 ($6 million).
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021 65
O&R
For the Year Ended December 31, 2021 For the Year Ended December 31, 2020
Electric
O&R’s results of electric operations for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared with the year ended December 31, 2020 were as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2021 2020 Variation
Other operations and maintenance 249 242 7
Depreciation and amortization 69 65 4
Taxes, other than income taxes 57 54 3
Electric operating income $100 $99 $1
O&R’s electric sales and deliveries in 2021 compared with 2020 were:
Millions of kWh Delivered Revenues in Millions (a)
For the Years Ended For the Years Ended
Other operating revenues (c) — — — — 5 1 4 Large
(a)Revenues from NY electric delivery sales are subject to a revenue decoupling mechanism, as a result of which, delivery revenues are generally not affected by changes in delivery volumes from levels assumed when rates were approved. O&R’s electric sales in NJ are not subject to a decoupling mechanism, and as a result, changes in such volumes do impact revenues.
(b)“Residential/Religious” generally includes single-family dwellings, individual apartments in multi-family dwellings, religious organizations and certain other not-for-profit organizations.
(c)Other electric operating revenues generally reflect changes in the revenue decoupling mechanism current asset or regulatory liability in accordance with the company’s NY electric rate plan and changes in regulatory assets and liabilities in accordance with the company’s electric rate plans. See Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
(d)After adjusting for weather and other variations, electric delivery volumes in company’s service area increased 1.1 percent in 2021 compared with 2020. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts,” above.
Operating revenues increased $52 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher purchased power expenses ($37 million) and higher revenues from the NY electric rate plan ($13 million).
Purchasedpower expenses increased $37 million in 2021 compared with 2020 due to higher unit costs ($35 million) and purchased volumes ($2 million).
66 CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021
Other operations and maintenance expenses increased $7 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher storm-related costs.
Depreciation and amortization increased $4 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher electric utility plant balances.
Taxes, other than income taxes increased $3 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher property taxes ($2 million).
Gas
O&R’s results of gas operations for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared with the year ended December 31, 2020 were as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2021 2020 Variation
Gas purchased for resale 88 61 27
Other operations and maintenance 64 68 (4)
Depreciation and amortization 26 25 1
Taxes, other than income taxes 32 31 1
Gas operating income $50 $48 $2
O&R’s gas sales and deliveries, excluding off-system sales, in 2021 compared with 2020 were:
Thousands of Dt Delivered Revenues in Millions (a)
For the Years Ended For the Years Ended
Other gas revenues — — — — 8 23 (15) (65.2)
(a)Revenues from NY gas sales are subject to a weather normalization clause and a revenue decoupling mechanism, as a result of which, delivery revenues are generally not affected by changes in delivery volumes from levels assumed when rates were approved.
(b)After adjusting for weather and other variations, firm sales and transportation volumes in the company’s service area increased 0.2 percent in 2021 compared with 2020. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts,” above.
Operating revenues increased $27 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher gas purchased for resale expense.
Gas purchased for resale increased $27 million in 2021 compared with 2020 due to higher unit costs ($15 million) and purchased volumes ($12 million).
Other operations and maintenance expenses decreased $4 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to lower pension costs ($2 million) and lower spending on gas programs ($2 million).
Depreciation and amortization increased $1 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher gas utility plant balances.
Taxes, other than income taxes increased $1 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher property taxes.
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Taxes, Other Than Income Taxes
Taxes, other than income taxes, increased $4 million in 2021 compared with 2020. The principal components of taxes, other than income taxes, were:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2021 2020 Variation
State and local taxes related to revenue receipts 11 10 1
Payroll taxes 7 6 1
(a)Including sales tax on customers’ bills, total taxes other than income taxes in 2021 and 2020 were $129 million and $121 million, respectively.
Income Tax Expense
Income taxes remained unchanged in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher income before income tax expense ($1 million) entirely offset by lower state income taxes, primarily due to a decrease in the amortization of New York’s metropolitan transportation business tax surcharge in 2021 ($1 million).
Clean Energy Businesses
The Clean Energy Businesses’ results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared with the year ended December 31, 2020 were as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2021 2020 Variation
Gas purchased for resale 62 41 21
Depreciation and amortization 231 231 —
Taxes, other than income taxes 18 21 (3)
Operating revenues increased $286 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher revenue from renewable electric projects ($211 million), higher wholesale revenues ($35 million) and higher energy services revenues ($47 million), offset in part by lower net mark-to-market values ($7 million).
Gas purchased for resale increased $21 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher purchased volumes.
Other operations and maintenance expenses increased $247 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher costs from engineering, procurement and construction of renewable electric projects for customers.
Other Income (Deductions)
Other income (deductions) decreased $14 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to lower income in the 2021 period from an equity method investment in renewable electric projects accounted for under the HLBV method of accounting.
Net Interest Expense
Net interest expense decreased $128 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to lower unrealized losses on interest rate swaps in the 2021 period.
68 CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021
Income Tax Expense
Income taxes increased $88 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher income before income tax expense ($30 million), lower income attributable to non-controlling interest ($47 million), higher state income taxes ($7 million) and the absence of a tax benefit due to the change in the federal corporate income tax rate recognized for a loss carryback from the 2018 tax year to the 2013 tax year as allowed under the CARES Act signed into law during the first quarter of 2020 ($4 million). See Note L to the financial statements in Item 8.
Income (Loss) Attributable to Non-Controlling Interest
Income attributable to non-controlling interest decreased $195 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to lower income in the 2021 period attributable to a tax equity investor in renewable electric projects accounted for under the HLBV method of accounting. See Note S to the financial statements in Item 8.
Con Edison Transmission
Other operations and maintenance increased $8 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to a goodwill impairment loss on its investment in Honeoye in 2021. See Note K to the financial statements in Item 8.
Other Income (Deductions)
Other deductions decreased $192 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to lower losses in 2021 from CET Gas’ pre-tax impairment loss of $212 million on its investment in Stagecoach, pre-tax impairment loss of $231 million on its investment in MVP in 2021, lower investment income in 2021 due to the sale of Stagecoach during 2021 ($19 million) and foregoing AFUDC income from MVP starting January 2021 until significant construction resumes ($60 million), compared to the pre-tax impairment loss of $320 million on its investment in MVP in 2020. See "Critical Accounting Estimates - Investments" in Item 7 and "Investments" in Note A and Note W to the financial statement in Item 8.
Net Interest Expense
Net interest expense decreased $9 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to the repayment of an intercompany loan from the parent company from a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Stagecoach.
Income Tax Expense
Income taxes decreased $48 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to lower income before income tax expense ($40 million), lower state income taxes ($12 million), offset in part by higher amortization of excess deferred federal income taxes in 2021 ($2 million).
Other
Taxes, Other Than Income Taxes
Taxes, other than income taxesdecreased $6 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to adjustments made to the New York City capital tax for prior periods in the 2020 period.
Other Income (Deductions)
Other income (deductions) increased $4 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to the elimination of CECONY's goodwill impairment related to Con Edison Transmission's investment in Honeoye.
Income Tax Expense
Income taxes increased $29 million in 2021 compared with 2020 primarily due to higher income before income tax expense ($2 million), lower consolidated state income tax benefits in 2021 ($16 million) and the absence of a change to the New York City valuation allowance in 2021 ($10 million).
During the fourth quarter of 2020, Con Edison reversed a portion of its valuation allowance that was recorded against the deferred tax asset established for the New York City NOL. Management has reassessed its ability to realize a portion of the deferred tax benefits generated primarily by its renewable energy projects due to the future reversal of temporary differences associated with the accelerated tax depreciation and by implementing its strategy to secure tax equity financing from third parties for which certain tax deductions and amortization will be specifically allocated to members outside of the consolidated group.
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021 69
Year Ended December 31, 2020 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2019
CECONY
For the Year Ended December 31, 2020 For the Year Ended December 31, 2019
Electric
CECONY’s results of electric operations for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared with the year ended December 31, 2019 were as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2020 2019 Variation
CECONY’s electric sales and deliveries in 2020 compared with 2019 were:
Millions of kWh Delivered Revenues in Millions (a)
For the Years Ended For the Years Ended
(a)Revenues from electric sales are subject to a revenue decoupling mechanism, as a result of which, delivery revenues are generally not affected by changes in delivery volumes from levels assumed when rates were approved.
(b)“Residential/Religious” generally includes single-family dwellings, individual apartments in multi-family dwellings, religious organizations and certain other not-for-profit organizations.
(c)Other electric operating revenues generally reflect changes in the revenue decoupling mechanism current asset or regulatory liability and changes in regulatory assets and liabilities in accordance with other provisions of the company’s rate plan.
(d)After adjusting for variations, primarily weather and billing days, electric delivery volumes in the company’s service area decreased 6.1 percent in 2020 compared with 2019. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts,” above.
Operating revenues increased $41 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher purchased power expenses ($81 million), offset in part by lower fuel expenses ($24 million) and lower revenues from the electric rate plan ($16 million).
Purchased power expenses increased $81 million in 2020 compared with 2019 due to higher unit costs ($158 million), offset in part by lower purchased volumes ($77 million).
70 CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021
Fuel expenses decreased $24 million in 2020 compared with 2019 due to lower unit costs ($31 million), offset in part by higher purchased volumes from the company’s electric generating facilities ($7 million).
Other operations and maintenance expenses decreased $306 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to lower costs for pension and other postretirement benefits ($195 million), lower surcharges for assessments and fees that are collected in revenues from customers ($110 million), lower stock-based compensation ($25 million) and lower healthcare costs ($16 million), offset in part by incremental costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic ($14 million), higher municipal infrastructure support costs ($9 million) and food and medicine spoilage claims related to outages caused by Tropical Storm Isaias ($7 million).
Depreciation and amortization increased $161 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher electric utility plant balances and higher depreciation rates.
Taxes, other than income taxes increased $156 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher property taxes ($105 million), lower deferral of under-collected property taxes ($38 million), higher state and local taxes ($11 million) and the absence in 2020 of a reduction in the sales and use tax reserve upon conclusion of the audit assessment ($5 million), offset in part by lower payroll taxes ($3 million) due to the Employee Retention Tax Credit created under the CARES Act. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts - Impact of CARES Act and 2021 Appropriations Act on Accounting for Income Taxes,” above.
Gas
CECONY’s results of gas operations for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared with the year ended December 31, 2019 were as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2020 2019 Variation
Other operations and maintenance 355 399 (44)
Taxes, other than income taxes 387 368 19
CECONY’s gas sales and deliveries, excluding off-system sales, in 2020 compared with 2019 were:
Thousands of Dt Delivered Revenues in Millions (a)
For the Years Ended For the Years Ended
Other operating revenues (d) — — — — 74 114 (40) (35.1)
(a)Revenues from gas sales are subject to a weather normalization clause and a revenue decoupling mechanism, as a result of which, delivery revenues are generally not affected by changes in delivery volumes from levels assumed when rates were approved.
(b)After adjusting for variations, primarily billing days, firm gas sales and transportation volumes in the company’s service area decreased 0.7 percent in 2020 compared with 2019. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts,” above.
(c)Includes 3,510 thousands and 5,484 thousands of Dt for 2020 and 2019, respectively, which are also reflected in firm transportation and other.
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021 71
(d)Other gas operating revenues generally reflect changes in the revenue decoupling mechanism and weather normalization clause current asset or regulatory liability and changes in regulatory assets and liabilities in accordance with other provisions of the company’s rate plans. See Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
Operating revenues decreased $96 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to lower gas purchased for resale expense ($180 million) and certain rate plan reconciliations ($6 million), offset in part by higher gas revenues due to the gas base rates increase in January 2020 under the company's gas rate plan ($91 million).
Gas purchased for resale decreased $180 million in 2020 compared with 2019 due to lower unit costs ($110 million) and lower purchased volumes ($70 million).
Other operations and maintenance expenses decreased $44 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to lower costs for pension and other postretirement benefits ($31 million), lower stock-based compensation ($5 million), lower municipal infrastructure support costs ($5 million) and lower reserve for injuries and damages ($4 million).
Depreciation and amortization increased $63 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher gas utility plant balances and higher depreciation rates.
Taxes, other than income taxes increased $19 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher property taxes ($37 million), higher state and local taxes ($1 million) and the absence in 2020 of a reduction in the sales and use tax reserve upon conclusion of the audit assessment ($1 million), offset in part by higher deferral of under-collected property taxes ($19 million) and lower payroll taxes ($1 million) due to the Employee Retention Tax Credit created under the CARES Act. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts - Impact of CARES Act and 2021 Appropriations Act on Accounting for Income Taxes,” above.
Steam
CECONY’s results of steam operations for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared with the year ended December 31, 2019 were as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2020 2019 Variation
Other operations and maintenance 161 177 (16)
Depreciation and amortization 90 89 1
Taxes, other than income taxes 144 158 (14)
Steam operating income $5 $62 $(57)
CECONY’s steam sales and deliveries in 2020 compared with 2019 were:
Millions of Pounds Delivered Revenues in Millions
For the Years Ended For the Years Ended
Other operating revenues (a) — — — — 28 45 (17) (37.8)
(a)Other steam operating revenues generally reflect changes in regulatory assets and liabilities in accordance with the company’s rate plan. See Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
(b)After adjusting for variations, primarily weather and billing days, steam sales and deliveries in the company’s service area decreased 6.7 percent in 2020 compared with 2019. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts,” above.
Operating revenues decreased $119 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to the impact of warmer winter weather ($43 million), lower fuel expenses ($27 million), lower usage by customers due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic ($19 million), certain rate plan reconciliations ($15 million) and lower purchased power expenses ($6 million).
72 CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021
Purchasedpower expenses decreased $6 million in 2020 compared with 2019 due to lower unit costs ($3 million) and purchased volumes ($3 million).
Fuel expenses decreased $27 million in 2020 compared with 2019 due to lower unit costs ($14 million) and lower purchased volumes from the company’s steam generating facilities ($13 million).
Other operations and maintenance expenses decreased $16 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to lower costs for pension and other postretirement benefits ($7 million) and lower municipal infrastructure support costs ($7 million).
Depreciation and amortization increased $1 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher steam utility plant balances.
Taxes, other than income taxes decreased $14 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher deferral of under-collected property taxes ($20 million) and lower state and local taxes ($2 million), offset in part by higher property taxes ($8 million).
Taxes, Other Than Income Taxes
At $2,456 million, taxes other than income taxes remain one of CECONY’s largest operating expenses. The principal components of, and variations in, taxes other than income taxes were:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2020 2019 Variation
State and local taxes related to revenue receipts 338 328 10
(a)Including sales tax on customers’ bills, total taxes other than income taxes in 2020 and 2019 were $2,989 and $2,807 million, respectively.
Other Income (Deductions)
Other income (deductions) decreased $136 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher costs associated with components of pension and other postretirement benefits other than service cost ($117 million) and the absence of the company’s share of gain on sale of properties in 2019 ($14 million).
Net Interest Expense
Net interest expense increased $11 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher interest on long-term debt ($46 million), offset in part by a decrease in interest accrued on the TCJA related regulatory liability ($13 million), lower interest expense for short-term debt ($12 million) and lower interest accrued on the system benefit charge liability ($8 million).
Income Tax Expense
Income taxes decreased $120 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to lower income before income tax expense ($39 million), an increase in the amortization of excess deferred federal income taxes due to CECONY’s electric and gas rate plans that went into effect in January 2020 ($103 million) and lower state income taxes ($13 million), offset in part by the absence of the amortization of excess deferred state income taxes in 2020 ($24 million), lower research and development credits in 2020 ($5 million) and lower flow-through tax benefits in 2020 for plant-related items ($4 million).
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021 73
O&R
For the Year Ended December 31, 2020 For the Year Ended December 31, 2019
Electric
O&R’s results of electric operations for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared with the year ended December 31, 2019 were as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2020 2019 Variation
Other operations and maintenance 242 235 7
Depreciation and amortization 65 60 5
Taxes, other than income taxes 54 53 1
Electric operating income $99 $98 $1
O&R’s electric sales and deliveries in 2020 compared with 2019 were:
Millions of kWh Delivered Revenues in Millions (a)
For the Years Ended For the Years Ended
Other operating revenues (c) — — — — 1 14 (13) (92.9)
(a)Revenues from NY electric delivery sales are subject to a revenue decoupling mechanism, as a result of which, delivery revenues are generally not affected by changes in delivery volumes from levels assumed when rates were approved. O&R’s electric sales in NJ are not subject to a decoupling mechanism, and as a result, changes in such volumes do impact revenues.
(b)“Residential/Religious” generally includes single-family dwellings, individual apartments in multi-family dwellings, religious organizations and certain other not-for-profit organizations.
(c)Other electric operating revenues generally reflect changes in the revenue decoupling mechanism current asset or regulatory liability in accordance with the company’s NY electric rate plan and changes in regulatory assets and liabilities in accordance with the company’s electric rate plans. See Note B to the financial statements in Item 8.
(d)After adjusting for weather and other variations, electric delivery volumes in company’s service area decreased 0.7 percent in 2020 compared with 2019. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts,” above.
Operating revenues decreased $5 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to lower purchased power expenses ($19 million), offset in part by higher revenues from the NY electric rate plan ($16 million).
Purchasedpower expenses decreased $19 million in 2020 compared with 2019 due to lower unit costs.
Other operations and maintenance expenses increased $7 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to the amortization of prior deferred storm costs ($3 million) and food and medicine spoilage claims related to outages caused by Tropical Storm Isaias ($3 million).
74 CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021
Depreciation and amortization increased $5 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher electric utility plant balances.
Taxes, other than income taxes increased $1 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher property taxes ($2 million), offset in part by lower payroll taxes ($1 million).
Gas
O&R’s results of gas operations for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared with the year ended December 31, 2019 were as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2020 2019 Variation
Gas purchased for resale 61 90 (29)
Other operations and maintenance 68 73 (5)
Depreciation and amortization 25 24 1
Taxes, other than income taxes 31 31 —
Gas operating income $48 $41 $7
O&R’s gas sales and deliveries, excluding off-system sales, in 2020 compared with 2019 were:
Thousands of Dt Delivered Revenues in Millions (a)
For the Years Ended For the Years Ended
Generation plants 59 4 55 Large — — — —
Other gas revenues — — — — 23 28 (5) (17.9)
(a)Revenues from NY gas sales are subject to a weather normalization clause and a revenue decoupling mechanism, as a result of which, delivery revenues are generally not affected by changes in delivery volumes from levels assumed when rates were approved.
(b)After adjusting for weather and other variations, firm sales and transportation volumes in the company’s service area increased 0.6 percent in 2020 compared with 2019. See “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts,” above.
Operating revenues decreased $26 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to lower gas purchased for resale expense.
Gas purchased for resale decreased $29 million in 2020 compared with 2019 due to lower unit costs ($24 million) and purchased volumes ($5 million).
Other operations and maintenance expenses decreased $5 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to lower pension costs.
Depreciation and amortization increased $1 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher gas utility plant balances.
Taxes, Other Than Income Taxes
Taxes, other than income taxes, increased $1 million in 2020 compared with 2019. The principal components of taxes, other than income taxes, were:
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021 75
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2020 2019 Variation
State and local taxes related to revenue receipts 10 10 —
Payroll taxes 6 8 (2)
(a)Including sales tax on customers’ bills, total taxes other than income taxes in 2020 and 2019 were $121 million and $116 million, respectively.
Income Tax Expense
Income taxes increased $4 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher income before income tax expense ($1 million), higher state income taxes ($1 million), lower flow-through tax benefits on plant-related items in 2020 ($1 million), and an increase in flow-through income tax expense on higher bad debt reserves in 2020 as compared with 2019 ($1 million).
Clean Energy Businesses
The Clean Energy Businesses’ results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared with the year ended December 31, 2019 were as follows:
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) 2020 2019 Variation
Other operations and maintenance 228 223 5
Depreciation and amortization 231 226 5
Taxes, other than income taxes 21 21 —
Operating revenues decreased $121 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to lower wholesale revenues ($136 million) and lower energy services revenues ($19 million), offset in part by higher renewable electric production revenues ($34 million).
Gas purchased for resale decreased $144 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to lower purchased volumes.
Other operations and maintenance expenses increased $5 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to an increase in general operating expenses.
Depreciation and amortization increased $5 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to an increase in renewable electric projects in operation during 2020.
Net Interest Expense
Net interest expense increased $10 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher unrealized losses on interest rate swaps in the 2020 period.
Income Tax Expense
Income taxes increased $14 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to higher income before income tax expense ($1 million), lower income attributable to non-controlling interest ($13 million), and the absence of the adjustment for prior period federal income tax returns primarily due to higher research and development credits in 2019 ($13 million), offset in part by a tax benefit due to the change in the federal corporate income tax rate recognized for a loss carryback from the 2018 tax year to the 2013 tax year as allowed under the CARES Act ($4 million), a lower increase in uncertain tax position ($7 million) and higher renewable energy credits ($2 million).
Income Attributable to Non-Controlling Interest
Income attributable to non-controlling interest increased $54 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to lower losses attributable in the 2020 period to a tax equity investor in renewable electric projects accounted for under the HLBV method of accounting. See Note S to the financial statements in Item 8.
76 CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021
Con Edison Transmission
Net Interest Expense
Net interest expense decreased $7 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to a reduction to short-term borrowings and rates charged under an intercompany capital funding facility.
Other Income (Deductions)
Other income (deductions) decreased $319 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to an impairment loss related to Con Edison Transmission's investment in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC. See "Critical Accounting Estimates - Investments" in Item 7 and "Investments" in Note A to the financial statement in Item 8.
Income Tax Expense
Income taxes decreased $87 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to the MVP impairment loss recorded in 2020 ($88 million).
Other
Taxes, Other Than Income Taxes
Taxes, other than income taxesincreased $7 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to adjustments made to the New York City capital tax for prior periods in the 2020 period.
Other Income (Deductions)
Other income (deductions) increased $7 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to the absence in 2020 of an elimination related to interest income under the intercompany capital funding facility.
Income Tax Expense
Income taxes decreased $17 million in 2020 compared with 2019 primarily due to lower income before income tax expense ($3 million), the reversal of a portion of a New York City valuation allowance ($9 million), and the MVP impairment loss recorded in 2020 ($9 million), offset in part by lower consolidated state income tax benefits ($4 million).
During the fourth quarter of 2020, Con Edison reversed a portion of its valuation allowance that was recorded against the deferred tax asset established for the New York City NOL. Management has reassessed its ability to realize a portion of the deferred tax benefits generated primarily by its renewable energy projects due to the future reversal of temporary differences associated with the accelerated tax depreciation and by implementing its strategy to secure tax equity financing from third parties for which certain tax deductions and amortization will be specifically allocated to members outside of the consolidated group.
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021 77
Liquidity and Capital Resources
The Companies’ liquidity reflects cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities, as shown on their respective consolidated statements of cash flows and as discussed below.
The principal factors affecting Con Edison’s liquidity are its investments in the Utilities, the Clean Energy Businesses and Con Edison Transmission, the dividends it pays to its shareholders and the dividends it receives from its subsidiaries and cash flows from financing activities discussed below.
The principal factors affecting CECONY’s liquidity are its cash flows from operating activities, cash used in investing activities (including construction expenditures), the dividends it pays to Con Edison and cash flows from financing activities discussed below.
The Companies generally maintain minimal cash balances and use short-term borrowings to meet their working capital needs and other cash requirements. The Companies repay their short-term borrowings using funds from long-term financings and operating activities. The Utilities’ cost of capital, including working capital, is reflected in the rates they charge to their customers.
Each of the Companies believes that it will be able to meet its reasonably likely short-term and long-term cash requirements. See “The Companies Require Access To Capital Markets To Satisfy Funding Requirements,” "Changes To Tax Laws Could Adversely Affect the Companies," “The Companies Face Risks Related to Health Epidemics And Other Outbreaks, Including The COVID-19 Pandemic,” and “The Companies Also Face Other Risks That Are Beyond Their Control” in Item 1A, and “Capital Requirements and Resources” in Item 1.
78 CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021
The Companies’ cash, temporary cash investments and restricted cash resulting from operating, investing and financing activities for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 are summarized as follows:
(a) Includes parent company and consolidation adjustments.
(b) Represents the consolidated results of operations of Con Edison and its businesses.
(c) See "Reconciliation of Cash, Temporary Cash Investments and Restricted Cash" in Note A to the financial statements in Item 8.
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2021 79
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
The Utilities’ cash flows from operating activities primarily reflect their energy sales and deliveries and cost of operations. The volume of energy sales and deliveries is primarily affected by factors external to the Utilities, such as growth of customer demand, weather, market prices for energy and economic conditions. Measures that promote distributed energy resources, such as distributed generation, demand reduction and energy efficiency, also affect the volume of energy sales and deliveries. See "Competition" and "Environmental Matters – Clean Energy Future – Reforming the Energy Vision" and “Environmental Matters – Climate Change” in Item 1.
During 2020 and 2021, the decline in business activity in the Utilities’ service territory due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a slower recovery of cash from outstanding customer accounts receivable balances, material increases in customer accounts receivable balances, increases to the allowance for uncollectible accounts, and may result in increases to write-offs of customer accounts, as compared to prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. These trends may continue through 2022. Under the revenue decoupling mechanisms in the Utilities’ NY electric and gas rate plans, changes in delivery volumes from levels assumed when rates were approved may affect the timing of cash flows, but largely not net income. The prices at which the Utilities provide energy to their customers are determined in accordance with their rate plans. However, increases in electric and gas commodity prices, coupled with the decline in business activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, may further contribute to a slower recovery of cash from outstanding customer accounts receivable balances, increases to the allowance for uncollectible accounts, and increases to write-offs of customer accounts receivable balances. In general, changes in the Utilities’ cost of purchased power, fuel and gas may affect the timing of cash flows, but not net income, because the costs are recovered in accordance with rate plans. See “Recoverable Energy Costs” in Note A to the financial statements in Item 8.
The Utilities’ NY rate plans allow them to defer costs resulting from a change in legislation, regulation and related actions that have taken effect during the term of the rate plans once the costs exceed a specified threshold. Increases to the allowance for uncollectible accounts related to the COVID-19 pandemic have been deferred pursuant to the legislative, regulatory and related actions provisions of their rate plans. In November 2021, the NYSPSC issued an order establishing a surcharge recovery mechanism for CECONY to collect late payment charges and fees that were not billed for the year ended December 31, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The order also established a surcharge recovery or surcredit mechanism for any fee deferrals for 2021 and 2022. In October 2021, O&R, the New York State Department of Public Service (NYSDPS) and other parties entered into a Joint Proposal for new electric and gas rate plans for the three-year period January 2022 through December 2024 (the Joint Proposal) that includes certain COVID-19 provisions, such as: recovery of 2020 late payment charges over three years; reconciliation of late payment charges to amounts reflected in rates for years 2021 through 2024; and reconciliation of write-offs of customer accounts receivable balances to amounts reflected in rates from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2024. The Joint Proposal is subject to NYSPSC approval. See “The Companies Face Risks Related To Health Epidemics And Other Outbreaks, Including The COVID-19 Pandemic,” in Item 1A, “Rate Plans,” "COVID-19 Regulatory Matters" and “Other Regulatory Matters” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8 and "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts - Liquidity and Financing," above.
Pursuant to their rate plans, the Utilities have recovered from customers a portion of the tax liability they will pay in the future as a result of temporary differences between the book and tax basis of assets and liabilities. These temporary differences affect the timing of cash flows, but not net income, as the Companies are required to record deferred tax assets and liabilities at the current corporate tax rate for the temporary differences. For the Utilities, credits to their customers of the net benefits of the TCJA, including the reduction of the corporate tax rate to 21 percent, decrease cash flows from operating activities. Pursuant to their rate plans, the Utilities also recover from customers the amount of property taxes they will pay. The payment of property taxes by the Utilities affects the timing of cash flows and increases the amount of short-term borrowings issued by the Utilities when property taxes are due and as property taxes increase, but generally does not impact net income. See “Changes To Tax Laws Could Adversely Affect the Companies,” in Item 1A, “Federal Income Tax” in Note A, “Rate Plans” in Note B, "COVID-19 Regulatory Matters" in Note B, “Other Regulatory Matters” in Note B and Note L to the financial statements in Item 8 and "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts - Liquidity and Financing," above.
Net income is the result of cash and non-cash (or accrual) transactions. Only cash transactions affect the Companies’ cash flows from operating activities. Principal non-cash charges or credits include depreciation, deferred income tax expense, amortizations of certain regulatory assets and liabilities and accrued unbilled revenue. Non-cash charges or credits may also be accrued under the revenue decoupling and cost reconciliation mechanisms in the Utilities’ NY electric and gas rate plans. See “Rate Plans – CECONY– Electric and Gas" and "Rate Plans – O&R New York – Electric and Gas” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8. For Con Edison, 2021 net income also included non-cash losses recognized with respect to impairments of Con Edison Transmission’s investments in MVP, Stagecoach and Honeoye. For Con Edison, 2020 net income included a non-cash loss recognized with respect to a partial impairment of Con Edison Transmission’s investment in MVP. See “Investments” in Note A and Note K to the financial statements in Item 8.
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Net cash flows from operating activities in 2021 for Con Edison and CECONY were $535 million and $493 million higher, respectively, than in 2020. The changes in net cash flows for Con Edison and CECONY primarily reflect a lower increase of accounts receivable balances from customers, net of allowance for uncollectible accounts ($223 million and $196 million, respectively) (see “COVID-19 Regulatory Matters” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8 and “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts - Accounting Considerations” and “Liquidity and Financing,” above), higher recoveries of depreciation expense ($112 million and $107 million, respectively), lower system benefit charge ($85 million and $80 million, respectively), lower superfund and environmental remediation costs ($12 million and $12 million, respectively) and lower pension and retiree benefit contributions ($6 million and $5 million, respectively). For Con Edison, changes in net cash flows reflects lower other receivables and other current assets ($31 million), lower taxes receivable ($19 million), lower revenue decoupling receivable ($8 million), offset in part by a change in pension and retiree benefit obligations, net ($19 million) and for CECONY, a change in pension and retiree benefit obligations, net ($30 million).
Net cash flows from operating activities in 2020 for Con Edison and CECONY were $936 million and $809 million lower, respectively, than in 2019. The changes in net cash flows for Con Edison and CECONY primarily reflects higher accounts receivable balances from customers ($566 million and $519 million, respectively) (see “COVID-19 Regulatory Matters” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8 and “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impacts - Accounting Considerations” and “Liquidity and Financing,” above) and higher other receivables and other current assets ($188 million and $103 million, respectively) primarily due to lower reimbursement received for restoration costs related to the restoration of power in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the September 2017 hurricanes in the 2020 period ($94 million and $88 million, respectively), higher system benefit charge ($139 million and $130 million, respectively), higher pension and retiree benefit contributions ($121 million and $113 million, respectively), deferrals for increased costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic ($115 million and $113 million, respectively), and a change in pension and retiree benefit obligations ($72 million and $77 million, respectively), offset in part by lower TCJA net benefits provided to customers in the 2020 period ($263 million and $263 million, respectively).
The change in net cash flows also reflects the timing of payments for and recovery of energy costs. This timing is reflected within changes to accounts receivable – customers, recoverable and refundable energy costs within other regulatory assets and liabilities and accounts payable balances.
Cash Flows Used in Investing Activities
Net cash flows used in investing activities for Con Edison and CECONY were $740 million lower and $313 million higher, respectively, in 2021 than in 2020. The change for Con Edison primarily reflects proceeds from the completion of the sale of Stagecoach ($629 million), a decrease in non-utility construction expenditures at the Clean Energy Businesses ($261 million) and proceeds from the divestiture of renewable electric projects at the Clean Energy Businesses ($183 million), offset in part by an increase in utility construction expenditures at CECONY ($301 million) and O&R ($3 million). Pursuant to their rate plans, the Utilities recover the cost of utility construction expenditures from customers, including an approved rate of return (before and after being placed in service and or AFUDC before being placed in service). Increases in the amount of utility construction expenditures may temporarily increase the amount of short-term debt issued by the Utilities prior to the long-term financing of such amounts.
Net cash flows used in investing activities for Con Edison and CECONY were $442 million and $292 million higher, respectively, in 2020 than in 2019. The change for Con Edison primarily reflects an increase in non-utility construction expenditures at the Clean Energy Businesses ($335 million), the absence in 2020 of proceeds from the sale of properties formerly used by CECONY in its operations ($192 million), an increase in utility construction expenditures at CECONY ($84 million) and O&R ($4 million) and higher cost of removal less salvage at CECONY ($16 million), offset in part by lower investments in electric and gas transmission projects at Con Edison Transmission in the 2020 period ($202 million).
Cash Flows From Financing Activities
Net cash flows from financing activities in 2021 for Con Edison and CECONY were $1,784 million and $461 million lower, respectively, than in 2020. Net cash flows from financing activities in 2020 for Con Edison and CECONY were $1,386 million and $1,120 million higher, respectively, than in 2019.
Net cash flows from financing activities during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 reflect the following Con Edison transactions:
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2021
•Issued 10,100,000 shares of its common stock resulting in net proceeds of approximately $775 million, after issuance expenses. The net proceeds from the sale of the common shares were invested by Con Edison in CECONY, for funding of its construction expenditures and for its other general corporate purposes. See Note C to the financial statements in Item 8;
•Redeemed at maturity $500 million of 2.00 percent 5-year debentures with proceeds from a $500 million borrowing under an April 2021 Credit Agreement, which Con Edison prepaid in full in July 2021; and
•Optionally prepaid the remaining $675 million outstanding under a February 2019 term loan prior to its maturity in June 2021.
2020
•Issued 1,050,000 shares of its common shares for $88 million upon physical settlement of the remaining shares subject to its May 2019 forward sale agreement. Con Edison used the proceeds to invest in CECONY for funding of its capital requirements and other general corporate purposes;
•Borrowed $820 million pursuant to a credit agreement that was converted to a term loan (the “July 2020 Term Loan”). Con Edison used the proceeds from the borrowing for general corporate purposes, including repayment of short-term debt bearing interest at variable rates. The July 2020 Term Loan was prepaid in full in December 2020;
•Issued 7,200,000 common shares resulting in net proceeds of $553 million, after issuance expenses. The net proceeds from the sale of the common shares, together with the net proceeds from the sale of $650 million aggregate principal amount of 0.65 percent debentures due 2023, were used to prepay in full the July 2020 Term Loan. The remaining net proceeds from the sale of the common shares were invested by Con Edison in its subsidiaries, principally CECONY and O&R, and for other general corporate purposes; and
•Issued $650 million aggregate principal amount of 0.65 percent debentures, due 2023, with an option to redeem at par, in whole or in part, on or after December 1, 2021. The proceeds from the $650 million refinancing, together with a portion of the proceeds from the sale of common shares, were used to prepay in full the July 2020 Term Loan.
2019
•Redeemed in advance of maturity $400 million of 2.00 percent 3-year debentures;
•Entered into a forward sale agreement relating to 5,800,000 shares of its common stock. In June 2019, the company issued 4,750,000 shares for $400 million upon physical settlement of shares subject to the forward sale agreement. Con Edison used the proceeds to invest in CECONY for funding of its capital requirements and other general corporate purposes;
•Issued 5,649,369 common shares for $425 million upon physical settlement of the remaining shares subject to its November 2018 forward sale agreements. Con Edison used the proceeds to invest in its subsidiaries for funding of their capital requirements and to repay short-term debt incurred for that purpose; and
•Borrowed $825 million under a variable-rate term loan that matured in June 2021 to fund the repayment of a six-month variable-rate term loan. In June 2019 and during the first quarter of 2021, Con Edison optionally pre-paid $150 million and $675 million, respectively, of the amount borrowed.
Con Edison’s cash flows from financing activities in 2021, 2020 and 2019 also reflect the proceeds, and reduction in cash used for reinvested dividends, resulting from the issuance of common shares under the company’s dividend reinvestment, stock purchase and long-term incentive plans of $109 million, $106 million and $101 million, respectively.
Net cash flows from financing activities during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 reflect the following CECONY transactions:
2021
•Issued $600 million aggregate principal amount of 3.20 percent debentures, due 2051, the net proceeds from the sale of which were used to repay short-term borrowings and for other general corporate purposes;
•Issued $900 million aggregate principal amount of 2.40 percent debentures, due 2031, the aggregate
net proceeds from the sales of which were used to redeem at maturity its $640 million floating rate 3-year debentures and for other general corporate purposes, including repayment of short-term debt; and
•Issued $750 million aggregate principal amount of 3.60 percent debentures, due 2061, the net proceeds from the sale of which will be used to pay or reimburse the payment of, in whole or in part, existing and new qualifying eligible green expenditures, such as energy efficiency and clean transportation expenditures, that include those funded on or after January 1, 2021 until the maturity date of the debentures. Pending the allocation of the net proceeds to finance or refinance eligible green expenditures, CECONY used the net
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proceeds for repayment of short-term debt and temporarily placed the remaining net proceeds in short-term interest-bearing instruments.