ENTERGY ARKANSAS LLC
For the period ended Dec 31, 2023. Filed Feb 23, 2024.
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FY2023 · Filed Feb 23, 2024
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Utility
The Utility segment includes five retail electric utility subsidiaries: Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, and Entergy Texas. These companies generate, transmit, distribute, and sell electric power to retail and wholesale customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans also provide natural gas utility services to customers in and around Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and New Orleans, Louisiana, respectively. See “MANAGEMENT’S FINANCIAL DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS -Planned Sale of Gas Distribution Businesses” for discussion of the planned sale of the Entergy New Orleans and Entergy Louisiana gas distribution businesses. Also included in the Utility is System Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Entergy Corporation that owns or leases 90 percent of Grand Gulf. System Energy sells its power and capacity from Grand Gulf at wholesale to Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans. The five retail utility subsidiaries are each regulated by the FERC and by state utility commissions, or, in the case of Entergy New Orleans, the City Council. System Energy is regulated by the FERC because all of its transactions are at wholesale. The Utility has a diverse power generation portfolio, including increasingly carbon-free energy sources, which is consistent with Entergy’s strong support for the environment.
Customers
As of December 31, 2023, the Utility operating companies provided retail electric and gas service to customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, as follows:
| Electric Customers · Gas Customers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area Served | (In Thousands) | (%) | (In Thousands) | (%) | |
| Entergy Arkansas | Portions of Arkansas | 730 | 24 | ||
| Entergy Louisiana | Portions of Louisiana | 1,105 | 37 | 96 | 47 |
| Entergy Mississippi | Portions of Mississippi | 459 | 15 | ||
| Entergy New Orleans | City of New Orleans | 208 | 7 | 108 | 53 |
| Entergy Texas | Portions of Texas | 512 | 17 | ||
| Total | 3,014 | 100 | 204 | 100 | |
Electric and Natural Gas Energy Sales
Electric Energy Sales
The total electric energy sales of the Utility operating companies are subject to seasonal fluctuations, with the peak sales period normally occurring during the third quarter of each year. On August 23, 2023, Entergy reached a 2023 peak demand of 23,319 MWh, compared to the 2022 peak of 22,301 MWh recorded on June 24, 2022. Selected electric energy sales data for 2023 is shown in the table below:
| Entergy Arkansas | Entergy Louisiana | Entergy Mississippi | Entergy New Orleans | Entergy Texas | System Energy | Entergy (a) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (GWh) | |||||||
| Sales to retail customers | 22,481 | 57,681 | 12,854 | 5,696 | 21,146 | — | 119,858 |
| Sales for resale: | |||||||
| Affiliates | 2,218 | 4,406 | — | — | — | 10,574 | — |
| Others | 5,777 | 1,534 | 4,598 | 2,818 | 462 | — | 15,189 |
| Total | 30,476 | 63,621 | 17,452 | 8,514 | 21,608 | 10,574 | 135,047 |
| Average use per residential customer (kWh) | 12,561 | 14,893 | 14,226 | 12,610 | 14,941 | — | 14,089 |
(a)Includes the effect of intercompany eliminations.
The following table illustrates the Utility operating companies’ 2023 combined electric sales volume as a percentage of total electric sales volume, and 2023 combined electric revenues as a percentage of total 2023 electric revenue, each by customer class.
| Customer Class | % of Sales Volume | % of Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | 26.9 | 38.4 |
| Commercial | 20.9 | 25.3 |
| Industrial (a) | 39.1 | 26.8 |
| Governmental | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| Wholesale/Other | 11.3 | 7.2 |
(a)Major industrial customers are primarily in the petroleum refining and chemical industries.
Natural Gas Energy Sales
Entergy New Orleans and Entergy Louisiana provide both electric power and natural gas to retail customers. Entergy New Orleans and Entergy Louisiana sold 8,917,149 and 6,130,048 Mcf, respectively, of natural gas to retail customers in 2023. In 2023, 99% of Entergy Louisiana’s operating revenue was derived from the electric utility business and only 1% from the natural gas distribution business. For Entergy New Orleans, 87% of operating revenue was derived from the electric utility business and 13% from the natural gas distribution business in 2023.
Following is data concerning Entergy New Orleans’s 2023 retail operating revenue sources:
| Customer Class | % of Electric Operating Revenue | % of Natural Gas Operating Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | 48 | 51 |
| Commercial | 35 | 26 |
| Industrial | 5 | 17 |
| Governmental/Municipal | 12 | 6 |
Retail Rate Regulation
General (Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, System Energy)
Each Utility operating company regularly participates in retail rate proceedings. The status of material retail rate proceedings is described in Note 2 to the financial statements. Certain aspects of the Utility operating companies and System Energy’s retail rate mechanisms are discussed below.
| Rate base (in billions) | Current authorized return on common equity | Weighted-average cost of capital (after-tax) | Equity ratio | Regulatory construct | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy Arkansas | $10.1 (a) | 9.15% - 10.15% | 5.62% | 38.7% (b) | - forward test year formula rate plan - riders: fuel and purchased power, MISO, capacity, Grand Gulf, energy efficiency |
| Entergy Louisiana (electric) | $15.7 (c) | 9.0% - 10.0% | 6.66% | 49.51% | - formula rate plan through 2022 test year - riders/specific recovery: MISO, capacity, transmission, fuel, distribution, tax reform |
| Entergy Louisiana (gas) | $0.15 (d) | 9.3% - 10.3% | 6.93% | 51.83% | - gas rate stabilization plan - rider: gas infrastructure |
| Entergy Mississippi | $4.2 (e) | 9.74% - 11.88% | 7.06% | 46.76% | - formula rate plan with forward-looking features - riders: fuel, Grand Gulf, MISO, unit power cost, storm damage, ad valorem tax adjustment, vegetation, grid modernization, restructuring credit, power management |
| Rate base (in billions) | Current authorized return on common equity | Weighted-average cost of capital (after-tax) | Equity ratio | Regulatory construct | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy New Orleans (electric) | $1.2 (f) | 8.85% - 9.85% | 6.86% | 51% (g) | - formula rate plan with forward-looking features - riders/specific recovery: fuel and purchased power, MISO, energy efficiency, environmental, capacity costs |
| Entergy New Orleans (gas) | $0.2 (f) | 8.85% - 9.85% | 6.86% | 51% (g) | - formula rate plan with forward-looking features - rider: purchased gas |
| Entergy Texas | $4.4 (h) | 9.57% | 6.61% | 51.2% | - rate case and cost recovery riders - riders: fuel, capacity, cost recovery riders (distribution, transmission, and generation), rate case expenses, advanced metering infrastructure surcharge, and tax reform, among others |
| System Energy | $1.74 (i) | 10.94% (j) | 8.54% | 59.5% (j) | - monthly cost of service |
(a)Based on 2024 test year.
(b)Based on $1.9 billion in accumulated deferred income taxes at a 0% cost rate included in the weighted-average cost of capital calculation.
(c)Based on December 31, 2022 test year and excludes approximately $300 million of transmission plant investment included in the transmission recovery mechanism and approximately $200 million of distribution plant investment included in the distribution recovery mechanism, as well as approximately $400 million of net accumulated deferred tax liability items included in the tax reform adjustment mechanism.
(d)Based on September 30, 2022 test year.
(e)Based on 2023 forward test year.
(f)Based on December 31, 2022 test year and known and measurables through December 31, 2023.
(g)In October 2023 the City Council approved a three-year extension of Entergy New Orleans’s formula rate plan, modified to reflect a 55% fixed capital structure for rate setting purposes.
(h)Based on December 31, 2021 test year.
(i)Based on calculation as of December 31, 2023.
(j)Effective July 2022, Entergy Mississippi’s bills from System Energy reflect an authorized return on equity of 9.65%, a capital structure not to exceed 52% equity, and a rate base reduction for the advance collection of sale-leaseback rental costs. See Note 2 to the financial statements for discussion of ongoing proceedings at the FERC challenging System Energy’s authorized return on common equity and capital structure.
Between base rate cases, Entergy Arkansas is able to adjust base rates annually, subject to certain caps, through formula rate plans that utilize a forward test year. Entergy Arkansas is subject to a maximum rate change of 4% of the filing year total retail revenue. In addition, Entergy Arkansas is subject to a true-up of projection to actuals netted with future projection. In response to Entergy Arkansas’s application for a general change in rates in
2015, the APSC approved the formula rate plan tariff proposed by Entergy Arkansas including its use of a projected year test period and an initial five-year term. The initial five-year term expired in 2021. As granted by Arkansas law, Entergy Arkansas obtained APSC approval of the extension of the formula rate plan tariff for an additional five-year term, through 2026. As part of the settlement of the 2023 formula rate plan proceeding, Entergy Arkansas agreed to file its next base rate case no later than February 2026. If Entergy Arkansas’s formula rate plan were terminated, Entergy Arkansas could file an application for a general change in rates that may include a request for continued regulation under a formula rate review mechanism.
Entergy Arkansas’s rate schedules include an energy cost recovery rider to recover fuel and purchased power costs in monthly bills. The rider utilizes prior calendar year energy costs and projected energy sales for the twelve-month period commencing on April 1 of each year to develop an energy cost rate, which is redetermined annually and includes a true-up adjustment reflecting the over-recovery or under-recovery, including carrying charges, of the energy cost for the prior calendar year. The energy cost recovery rider tariff also allows an interim rate request depending upon the level of over- or under-recovery of fuel and purchased energy costs. In December 2007 the APSC issued an order stating that Entergy Arkansas’s energy cost recovery rider will remain in effect, and any future termination of the rider would be subject to eighteen months advance notice by the APSC, which would occur following notice and hearing.
Production Cost Allocation Rider
Entergy Arkansas has in place an APSC-approved production cost allocation rider for recovery from customers of the retail portion of the costs allocated to Entergy Arkansas as a result of System Agreement proceedings.
Other
In June 2022 the APSC approved Entergy Arkansas’s compliance tariff filing for a proposed green tariff designed to help participating customers meet their renewable and sustainability goals and to enhance economic development efforts in Arkansas. The APSC approved an initial offering of 100 MW of solar capacity to be made available under this tariff.
In June 2023 the APSC approved Entergy Arkansas’s Go ZERO tariff, which provides participating industrial and commercial customers the opportunity to chose from a number of clean energy options to help them achieve their sustainability goals.
Entergy Louisiana historically sets electric base rates annually through a formula rate plan using a historic test year. The form of the formula rate plan, on a combined basis, was approved in connection with the business combination of Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana and largely followed the formula rate plans that were approved by the LPSC in connection with the full electric base rate cases filed by those companies in February 2013. In 2021 the LPSC approved a settlement extending the formula rate plan for test years 2020, 2021 and 2022; certain modifications were made in that extension, including a decrease to the allowed return on equity, narrowing of the earnings “dead band” around the mid-point allowed return on equity, elimination of sharing above and below the earnings “dead band,” and the addition of a distribution cost recovery mechanism. The formula rate plan continues to include exceptions from the rate cap and sharing requirements for certain large capital investment projects, including acquisition or construction of generating facilities and purchase power agreements approved by the LPSC, certain transmission investments, and certain distribution investments, among other items. In August
2023, Entergy Louisiana filed an application for approval of a regulatory blueprint necessary for it to strengthen the electric grid for the State of Louisiana, which contains a dual-path request to update rates through either: (1) extension of Entergy Louisiana’s current formula rate plan (with certain modifications) for three years, test years 2023-2025, which is Entergy Louisiana’s recommended path; or (2) implementation of rates resulting from a cost-of-service study, with a 2024-2026 test year formula rate plan. The application complies with Entergy Louisiana’s previous formula rate plan extension order requiring that for Entergy Louisiana to obtain another extension of its formula rate plan that included a rate reset, Entergy Louisiana would need to submit a full cost-of-service/rate case. See Note 2 to the financial statements for a discussion of Entergy Louisiana’s application.
Entergy Louisiana’s rate schedules include a fuel adjustment clause designed to recover the cost of fuel and purchased power costs. The fuel adjustment clause contains a surcharge or credit for deferred fuel expense and related carrying charges arising from the monthly reconciliation of actual fuel costs incurred with fuel cost revenues billed to customers, including carrying charges. See Note 2 to the financial statements for a discussion of proceedings related to audits of Entergy Louisiana’s fuel adjustment clause filings.
To help stabilize electricity costs, Entergy Louisiana received approval from the LPSC to hedge its exposure to natural gas price volatility through the use of financial instruments. Entergy Louisiana historically hedged approximately one-third of the projected exposure to natural gas price changes for the gas used to serve its native electric load for all months of the year. The hedge quantity was reviewed on an annual basis. In January 2018, Entergy Louisiana filed an application with the LPSC to suspend these seasonal hedging programs and implement financial hedges with terms up to five years for a portion of its natural gas exposure, which was approved in November 2018.
Entergy Louisiana’s gas rates include a purchased gas adjustment clause based on estimated gas costs for the billing month adjusted by a surcharge or credit that arises from an annual reconciliation of fuel costs incurred with fuel cost revenues billed to customers, including carrying charges.
Retail Rates - Gas
In accordance with the settlement of Entergy Gulf States Louisiana’s gas rate stabilization plan for the test year ended September 30, 2012, in August 2014, Entergy Gulf States Louisiana submitted for consideration a proposal for implementation of an infrastructure rider to recover expenditures associated with strategic plant investment and relocation projects mandated by local governments. After review by the LPSC staff and inclusion of certain customer safeguards required by the LPSC staff, in December 2014, Entergy Gulf States Louisiana and the LPSC staff submitted a joint settlement for implementation of an accelerated gas pipe replacement program providing for the replacement of approximately 100 miles of pipe over the next ten years, as well as relocation of certain existing pipe resulting from local government-related infrastructure projects, and for a rider to recover the investment associated with these projects. The rider allows for recovery of approximately $65 million over ten years. The rider recovery will be adjusted on a quarterly basis to include actual investment incurred for the prior quarter and is subject to the following conditions, among others: a ten-year term; application of any earnings in excess of the upper end of the earnings band as an offset to the revenue requirement of the infrastructure rider; adherence to a specified spending plan, within plus or minus 20% annually; annual filings comparing actual versus planned rider spending with actual spending and explanation of variances exceeding 10%; and an annual true-up. The joint settlement was approved by the LPSC in January 2015. Implementation of the infrastructure rider commenced with bills rendered on and after the first billing cycle of April 2015. In April 2022 Entergy Louisiana submitted for consideration a proposal to extend the infrastructure rider to address replacement of an additional 187 miles of pipe. In December 2022 Entergy Louisiana and the LPSC staff submitted an uncontested settlement that extends the rider for an additional ten years beginning after the end of the current term of the rider in 2025. The extension is subject to the same customer safeguards and conditions as the original term of the rider. The extension allows for recovery of approximately $95 million over ten years. In February 2023, the uncontested settlement was approved by the LPSC.
See Note 2 to the financial statements for a discussion of Entergy Louisiana’s filings to recover storm-related costs.
Other
In March 2016 the LPSC opened two dockets to examine, on a generic basis, issues that it identified in connection with its review of Cleco Corporation’s acquisition by third party investors. The first docket is captioned “In re: Investigation of double leveraging issues for all LPSC-jurisdictional utilities,” and the second is captioned “In re: Investigation of tax structure issues for all LPSC-jurisdictional utilities.” In April 2016 the LPSC clarified that the concerns giving rise to the two dockets arose as a result of its review of the structure of the Cleco-Macquarie transaction and that the specific intent of the directives is to seek more information regarding intra-corporate debt financing of a utility’s capital structure as well as the use of investment tax credits to mitigate the tax obligation at the parent level of a consolidated entity. No schedule has been set for either docket, and limited discovery has occurred.
In December 2019 an LPSC commissioner issued an unopposed directive to staff to research customer-centered options for all customer classes, as well as other regulatory environments, and recommend a plan for how to ensure customers are the focus. There was no opposition to the directive from other commissioners but several remarked that the intent of the directive was not initiated to pursue retail open access. In furtherance of the directive, the LPSC issued a notice of the opening of a docket to conduct a rulemaking to research and evaluate customer-centered options for all electric customer classes as well as other regulatory environments in January 2020. To date, the LPSC staff has requested multiple rounds of comments from stakeholders and conducted one technical conference. Topics on which comments have been filed include full and limited retail access, demand response, sleeved power purchase agreements, and energy efficiency. Neither the LPSC or the LPSC staff have made recommendations or adopted any rules.
Since the conclusion in 2015 of Entergy Mississippi’s most recent base rate case, Entergy Mississippi has set electric base rates annually through a formula rate plan. Between base rate cases, Entergy Mississippi is able to adjust base rates annually, subject to certain caps, through formula rate plans that utilize forward-looking features. In addition, Entergy Mississippi is subject to an annual “look-back” evaluation. Entergy Mississippi is allowed a maximum rate increase of 4% of each test year’s retail revenue. Any increase above 4% requires a base rate case. If Entergy Mississippi’s formula rate plan were terminated without replacement, it would revert to the more traditional rate case environment or seek approval of a new formula rate plan.
In August 2012 the MPSC opened inquiries to review whether the then-current formulaic methodology used to calculate the return on common equity in both Entergy Mississippi’s formula rate plan and Mississippi Power Company’s annual formula rate plan was still appropriate or could be improved to better serve the public interest. The intent of this inquiry and review was for informational purposes only; the evaluation of any recommendations for changes to the existing methodology would take place in a general rate case or in the existing formula rate plan proceeding. In March 2013 the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff filed its consultant’s report which noted the return on common equity estimation methods used by Entergy Mississippi and Mississippi Power Company are commonly used throughout the electric utility industry. The report suggested ways in which the methods used by Entergy Mississippi and Mississippi Power Company might be improved, but did not recommend specific changes in the return on common equity formulas or calculations at that time. In June 2014 the MPSC expanded the scope of the August 2012 inquiry to study the merits of adopting a uniform formula rate plan that could be applied, where possible in whole or in part, to both Entergy Mississippi and Mississippi Power Company in order to achieve greater consistency in the plans. The MPSC directed the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff to investigate and review Entergy Mississippi’s formula rate plan rider schedule and Mississippi Power Company’s Performance Evaluation Plan by considering the merits and deficiencies and possibilities for improvement of each and then to propose a uniform formula rate plan that, where possible, could be applicable to both companies. No procedural schedule has been set. In October 2014 the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff conducted a public technical conference to discuss performance benchmarking and its potential application to the electric utilities’ formula rate plans. The docket remains open.
In December 2019 the MPSC approved Entergy Mississippi’s proposed revisions to its formula rate plan to provide for a mechanism in the formula rate plan, the interim capacity rate adjustment mechanism, to recover the non-fuel related costs of additional owned capacity acquired by Entergy Mississippi as well as to allow similar cost recovery treatment for other capacity acquisitions that are approved by the MPSC. The MPSC must approve recovery through the interim capacity rate adjustment for each new resource. In addition, the MPSC approved revisions to the formula rate plan which allows Entergy Mississippi to begin billing rate adjustments effective April 1 of the filing year on a temporary basis subject to refund or credit to customers, subject to final MPSC order. The MPSC also authorized Entergy Mississippi to remove vegetation management costs from the formula rate plan and recover these costs through the establishment of a vegetation management rider.
In November 2020 the MPSC approved Entergy Mississippi’s revisions to its formula rate plan providing for the realignment of energy efficiency costs to its formula rate plan, the deferral of energy efficiency expenditures into a regulatory asset, and the elimination of its energy efficiency cost recovery rider effective with the January 2022 billing cycle.
In June 2023 the MPSC approved Entergy Mississippi’s revisions to its formula rate plan to realign the recovery of certain long-term service agreement and conductor handling costs to the annual power management and grid modernization riders effective January 2023.
Entergy Mississippi’s rate schedules include energy cost recovery riders to recover fuel and purchased power costs. The energy cost rate for each calendar year is redetermined annually and includes a true-up adjustment reflecting the over-recovery or under-recovery of the energy costs as of the 12-month period ended September 30. Entergy Mississippi’s fuel cost recoveries are subject to annual audits conducted pursuant to the authority of the MPSC. The energy cost recovery riders allow interim rate adjustments depending on the level of over- or under-recovery of fuel and purchased energy costs.
To help stabilize electricity costs, Entergy Mississippi received approval from the MPSC to hedge its exposure to natural gas price volatility through the use of financial instruments. Entergy Mississippi hedges approximately one-third of the projected exposure to natural gas price changes for the gas used to serve its native electric load for all months of the year. The hedge quantity is reviewed on an annual basis.
See Note 2 to the financial statements for a discussion of proceedings regarding recovery of Entergy Mississippi’s storm-related costs.
Other
In October 2022 the MPSC adopted the Distributed Generation Rule. The Distributed Generation Rule maintains the 3% net metering participation cap. The Distributed Generation Rule grandfathers a 2.5 cents per kWh distributed generation benefits adder for 25 years and expands eligibility for the 2 cents per kWh low-income benefits adder to households up to 225% of the federal poverty level and grandfathers that adder for 25 years. The Distributed Generation Rule also directs utilities to make rate filings implementing up-front incentives for distributed generating systems and demand response battery systems, and to establish a public K-12 solar for schools program. In August 2023 the MPSC approved Entergy Mississippi’s proposed solar for schools rate schedule under the Distributed Generation Rule.
As part of its determination of rates in the base rate case filed by Entergy New Orleans in 2018, in November 2019, the City Council issued a resolution resolving the rate case, with rates to become effective retroactive to August 2019. The resolution allows Entergy New Orleans to implement a three-year formula rate plan, beginning with the 2019 test year as adjusted for forward-looking known and measurable changes, with the filing for the first test year to be made in 2020. In October 2020 the City Council approved an agreement in principle filed by Entergy New Orleans that results in Entergy New Orleans forgoing its 2020 formula rate plan filing and shifting the three-year formula rate plan to filings in 2021, 2022, and 2023. In September 2023, Entergy New Orleans filed a motion seeking City Council approval of a three-year extension of Entergy New Orleans’s electric and gas formula rate plans, for filings in 2024, 2025, and 2026. In October 2023 the City Council granted Entergy New Orleans’s request for an extension, subject to minor modifications.
Entergy New Orleans’s electric rate schedules include a fuel adjustment tariff designed to reflect no more than targeted fuel and purchased power costs, adjusted by a surcharge or credit for deferred fuel expense arising from the monthly reconciliation of actual fuel and purchased power costs incurred with fuel cost revenues billed to customers, including carrying charges.
Entergy New Orleans’s gas rate schedules include a purchased gas adjustment to reflect estimated gas costs for the billing month, adjusted by a surcharge or credit similar to that included in the electric fuel adjustment clause, including carrying charges.
To help stabilize gas costs, Entergy New Orleans seeks approval annually from the City Council to continue implementation of its natural gas hedging program consistent with the City Council’s stated policy objectives. The program uses financial instruments to hedge exposure to volatility in the wholesale price of natural gas purchased to serve Entergy New Orleans gas customers. Entergy New Orleans hedges up to 25% of actual gas sales made during the winter months.
See Note 2 to the financial statements for a discussion of Entergy New Orleans’s filings to recover storm-related costs.
Base Rates
The base rates of Entergy Texas are established largely in traditional base rate case proceedings. Between base rate proceedings, Entergy Texas has available rate riders to recover the revenue requirements associated with certain incremental costs. Entergy Texas is required to file full base rate case proceedings every four years and within eighteen months of utilizing its generation cost recovery rider for investments above $200 million.
Entergy Texas’s rate schedules include a fixed fuel factor to recover fuel and purchased power costs, including interest, that are not included in base rates. Historically, semi-annual revisions of the fixed fuel factor have been made in March and September based on the market price of natural gas and changes in fuel mix. The amounts collected under Entergy Texas’s fixed fuel factor and any interim surcharge or refund are subject to fuel reconciliation proceedings before the PUCT. In the course of this reconciliation, the PUCT determines whether eligible fuel and fuel-related expenses and revenues are necessary and reasonable and makes a prudence finding for each of the fuel-related contracts entered into during the reconciliation period. In 2023 the Texas legislature modified the Texas Utilities Code to provide that material over- and under-recovered fuel balances are to be refunded or surcharged through interim fuel adjustments and that fuel reconciliations must be filed at least once every two years. Entergy Texas expects the PUCT to undertake a rulemaking to effectuate the new legislation by the end of 2024.
At the PUCT’s April 2013 open meeting, the PUCT Commissioners discussed their view that a purchased power capacity rider was good public policy. The PUCT issued an order in May 2013 adopting the rule allowing for a purchased power capacity rider, subject to an offsetting adjustment for load growth. The rule, as adopted, also includes a process for obtaining pre-approval by the PUCT of purchased power agreements to be recovered through a purchased power capacity rider. No Texas utility, including Entergy Texas, has exercised the option to recover capacity costs under the rider mechanism, but Entergy Texas will continue to evaluate the benefits of utilizing the rider to recover future capacity costs. In 2023, the Texas legislature modified the Texas Utilities Code to permit a utility to seek pre-approval from the PUCT for a purchased power agreement of three years or more if such approval is a precondition to the effectiveness of such agreements, regardless of whether the utility intends to recover costs associated with the purchased power agreement through a purchased power capacity rider.
Transmission, Distribution, and Generation Cost Recovery
As discussed above, Entergy Texas has available rate riders to recover the revenue requirements associated with certain incremental costs. These riders include a transmission cost recovery factor rider mechanism for the recovery of transmission-related capital investments, a distribution cost recovery factor rider mechanism for the recovery of distribution-related capital investment, and a generation cost recovery rider mechanism for the recovery of generation-related capital investments.
In June 2009 a law was enacted in Texas containing provisions that allow Entergy Texas to take advantage of a cost recovery mechanism that permits annual filings for the recovery of reasonable and necessary expenditures for transmission infrastructure improvement and changes in wholesale transmission charges. This mechanism was previously available to other non-ERCOT Texas utility companies, but not to Entergy Texas.
In September 2011 the PUCT adopted a proposed rule implementing a distribution cost recovery factor to recover capital and capital-related costs related to distribution infrastructure. The distribution cost recovery factor permitted utilities once per year to implement an increase or decrease in rates above or below amounts reflected in base rates to reflect distribution-related depreciation expense, federal income tax and other taxes, and return on investment. In 2023, the Texas Legislature modified the Texas Utilities Code to permit utilities to update their distribution cost recovery factors up to twice per year and to require the PUCT to issue an order on such update applications within 60 days, with a 15-day extension permitted for good cause.
In September 2019 the PUCT initiated a rulemaking to promulgate a generation cost recovery rider rule, implementing legislation passed in the 2019 Texas legislative session intended to allow electric utilities to recover generation investments between base rate proceedings. The PUCT approved the final rule in July 2020.
See Note 2 to the financial statements for a discussion of Entergy Texas’s filings to recover storm-related costs.
Other
In January 2022, Entergy Texas filed an application requesting approval to implement two voluntary renewable option tariffs, Rider Small Volume Renewable Option (Rider SVRO) and Rider Large Volume Renewable Option (Rider LVRO). Both tariffs are voluntary offerings that give customers the ability to match some or all of their monthly electricity usage with renewable energy credits that are purchased by Entergy Texas and retired on the customer’s behalf. Voluntary participation in either Rider SVRO or Rider LVRO and the charges assessed under the respective tariff would be in addition to the charges paid by customers under their otherwise applicable rate schedules and riders. In April 2022, Entergy Texas filed on behalf of the parties an unopposed settlement agreement supporting approval of Entergy Texas’s proposed voluntary renewable option tariffs. As part of the settlement agreement, Entergy Texas agreed to revise the cost allocation between the rate tiers of Rider SVRO and committed to collaborating with and considering the input of customers to develop an asset-backed green tariff program. The PUCT approved the settlement agreement in August 2022.
As part of its rate case application filed with the PUCT in July 2022, Entergy Texas requested approval of Schedule Green Future Option (Schedule GFO), an asset-backed green tariff that would allow Entergy Texas’s customers to voluntarily subscribe to a portion of the underlying solar facility’s capacity in exchange for energy credits. In August 2023 the PUCT approved an unopposed settlement in the proceeding that included approval of Schedule GFO.
Electric Industry Restructuring
In June 2009 a law was enacted in Texas that required Entergy Texas to cease all activities relating to Entergy Texas’s transition to competition. The law allows Entergy Texas to remain a part of the SERC Reliability Corporation (SERC) Region, although it does not prevent Entergy Texas from joining another power region. The law provides that proceedings to certify a power region that Entergy Texas belongs to as a qualified power region can be initiated by the PUCT, or on motion by another party, when the conditions supporting such a proceeding exist. Under the law, the PUCT may not approve a transition to competition plan for Entergy Texas until the expiration of four years from the PUCT’s certification of a qualified power region for Entergy Texas.
The law further amended already existing law that had required Entergy Texas to propose for PUCT approval a tariff to allow eligible customers the ability to contract for competitive generation. The amending language in the law provides, among other things, that: (1) the tariff shall not be implemented in a manner that harms the sustainability or competitiveness of manufacturers who choose not to participate in the tariff; (2) Entergy Texas shall “purchase competitive generation service, selected by the customer, and provide the generation at retail to the customer;” and (3) Entergy Texas shall provide and price transmission service and ancillary services under that tariff at a rate that is unbundled from its cost of service. The law directs that the PUCT may not issue an order on the tariff that is contrary to an applicable decision, rule, or policy statement of a federal regulatory agency having jurisdiction. The PUCT determined that unrecovered costs that may be recovered through the rider consist only of those costs necessary to implement and administer the competitive generation program and do not include lost revenues or embedded generation costs. The amount of customer load that may be included in the competitive generation service program is limited to 115 MW.
Cost of Service
The rates of System Energy are established by the FERC, and the costs allowed to be charged pursuant to these rates are, in turn, passed through to the participating Utility operating companies through the Unit Power Sales Agreement, which has monthly billings that reflect the current operating costs of, and investment in, Grand Gulf. Retail regulators and other parties may seek to initiate proceedings at FERC to investigate the prudence of costs included in the rates charged under the Unit Power Sales Agreement and examine, among other things, the reasonableness or prudence of the operation and maintenance practices, level of expenditures, allowed rates of return and rate base, and previously incurred capital expenditures. The Unit Power Sales Agreement is currently the subject of several litigation proceedings at the FERC (or on appeal from the FERC to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit), including challenges with respect to System Energy’s authorized return on equity and capital structure, renewal of its sale-leaseback arrangement, treatment of uncertain tax positions, a broader investigation of rates under the Unit Power Sales Agreement, and two prudence complaints, one challenging the extended power uprate completed at Grand Gulf in 2012 and the operation and management of Grand Gulf, particularly in the 2016-2020 time period, and the second challenging the operation and management of Grand Gulf in the 2021-2022 time period. Beginning in 2021, System Energy implemented billing protocols to provide retail regulators with information regarding rates billed under the Unit Power Sales Agreement. Entergy cannot predict the outcome of any of these proceedings, and an adverse outcome in any of them could have a material adverse effect on Entergy’s or System Energy’s results of operations, financial condition, or liquidity. See Note 2 to the financial statements for further discussion of the proceedings.
Franchises
Entergy Arkansas holds exclusive franchises to provide electric service in approximately 308 incorporated cities and towns in Arkansas. These franchises generally are unlimited in duration and continue unless the municipalities purchase the utility property. In Arkansas, franchises are considered to be contracts and, therefore, are governed pursuant to the terms of the franchise agreement and applicable statutes.
Entergy Louisiana holds non-exclusive franchises to provide electric service in approximately 175 incorporated municipalities and in the unincorporated areas of approximately 59 parishes of Louisiana. Entergy Louisiana holds non-exclusive franchises to provide natural gas service to customers in the City of Baton Rouge and in East Baton Rouge Parish. Municipal franchise agreement terms range from 25 to 60 years while parish franchise terms range from 25 to 99 years.
Entergy Mississippi has received from the MPSC certificates of public convenience and necessity to provide electric service to areas within 45 counties, including a number of municipalities, in western Mississippi. Under Mississippi statutory law, such certificates are exclusive. Entergy Mississippi may continue to serve in such municipalities upon payment of a statutory franchise fee, regardless of whether an original municipal franchise is still in existence.
Entergy New Orleans provides electric and gas service in the City of New Orleans pursuant to indeterminate permits set forth in city ordinances. These ordinances contain a continuing option for the City of New Orleans to purchase Entergy New Orleans’s electric and gas utility properties.
Entergy Texas holds a certificate of convenience and necessity from the PUCT to provide electric service to areas within approximately 27 counties in eastern Texas and holds non-exclusive franchises to provide electric service in approximately 70 incorporated municipalities. Entergy Texas typically obtains 25-year franchise agreements as existing agreements expire. Entergy Texas’s electric franchises expire over the period 2024-2058.
The business of System Energy is limited to wholesale power sales. It has no distribution franchises.
Property and Other Generation Resources
Owned Generating Stations
The total capability of the generating stations owned and leased by the Utility operating companies and System Energy as of December 31, 2023 is indicated below:
| Owned and Leased Capability MW(a) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company | Total | CT / CCGT (b) | Legacy Gas/Oil | Nuclear | Coal | Hydro | Solar |
| Entergy Arkansas | 5,036 | 1,548 | 521 | 1,825 | 969 | 73 | 100 |
| Entergy Louisiana | 10,798 | 5,594 | 2,728 | 2,137 | 339 | — | — |
| Entergy Mississippi | 2,904 | 1,744 | 641 | — | 417 | — | 102 |
| Entergy New Orleans | 662 | 635 | — | — | — | — | 27 |
| Entergy Texas | 3,234 | 990 | 1,994 | — | 250 | — | — |
| System Energy | 1,245 | — | — | 1,245 | — | — | — |
| Total | 23,879 | 10,511 | 5,884 | 5,207 | 1,975 | 73 | 229 |
(a)“Owned and Leased Capability” is the dependable load carrying capability as demonstrated under actual operating conditions based on the primary fuel (assuming no curtailments) that each station was designed to utilize.
(b)Represents Simple Cycle Combustion Turbine units and Combined Cycle Gas Turbine units.
Summer peak load for the Utility has averaged 21,775 MW over the previous decade.
The Utility operating companies’ load and capacity projections are reviewed periodically to assess the need and timing for additional generating capacity and interconnections. These reviews consider existing and projected demand, the availability and price of power, the location of new load, the economy, Entergy’s clean energy and other public policy goals, environmental regulations, and the age and condition of Entergy’s existing infrastructure.
The Utility operating companies’ long-term resource strategy (Portfolio Transformation Strategy) calls for the bulk of capacity needs to be met through long-term resources, whether owned or contracted. Over the past decade, the Portfolio Transformation Strategy has resulted in the addition of about 7,963 MW of new long-term resources and the deactivation of about 4,241 MW of legacy generation. As MISO market participants, the Utility operating companies also participate in MISO’s Day Ahead and Real Time Energy and Ancillary Services markets to economically dispatch generation and purchase energy to serve customers reliably and at the lowest reasonable cost.
Other Generation Resources
RFP Procurements
The Utility operating companies from time-to-time issue requests for proposals (RFP) to procure supply-side resources from sources other than the spot market to meet the unique regional needs of the Utility operating companies. The RFPs issued by the Utility operating companies have sought resources needed to meet near-term MISO reliability requirements as well as long-term requirements through a broad range of wholesale power products, including long-term contractual products and asset acquisitions. The RFP process has resulted in selections or acquisitions, including, among other things:
Entergy Texas’s construction of the 993 MW, combined-cycle, gas turbine Montgomery County Power Station at its existing Lewis Creek electric generating station. The facility began commercial operation in January 2021;
In December 2020, Entergy Texas selected the self-build alternative, Orange County Advanced Power Station, out of the 2020 Entergy Texas combined-cycle, gas turbine RFP. Regulatory approval was received in November 2022 and construction has commenced. The facility is expected to be in service by mid-2026;
In March 2019, Entergy Arkansas signed an agreement for the purchase of an approximately 100 MW to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility, Searcy Solar facility, sited on approximately 800 acres in White County near Searcy, Arkansas. Entergy Arkansas received regulatory approval from the APSC in April 2020, and closed on the acquisition, through use of a tax equity partnership, in December 2021. The Searcy Solar facility was placed in service in January 2022;
In November 2018, Entergy Mississippi signed an agreement for the purchase of an approximately 100 MW to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility, Sunflower Solar facility, sited on approximately 1,000 acres in Sunflower County, Mississippi. Entergy Mississippi received regulatory approval from the MPSC in April 2020, and the Sunflower Solar facility began commercial operation in September 2022;
In June 2020, Entergy Arkansas signed an agreement for the purchase of an approximately 100 MW to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility, Walnut Bend Solar facility, that will be sited on approximately 1,000 acres in Lee County, Arkansas. In July 2021 the APSC issued an order approving the acquisition of the Walnut Bend Solar facility. The counterparty notified Entergy Arkansas that it was terminating the project, though it was willing to consider an alternative for the site. Entergy Arkansas disputed the right of termination, and in February 2023 an amendment to the agreement was executed by the parties. In July 2023 the APSC issued an order approving the revisions to the agreement and full notice to proceed was issued shortly thereafter. In February 2024, Entergy Arkansas made an initial payment of approximately $169.7 million to acquire the facility. The project will achieve commercial operation once testing is completed and the project has achieved substantial completion. Entergy Arkansas currently expects the project to achieve commercial operation in the first half of 2024;
In September 2020, Entergy Arkansas signed an agreement for the purchase of an approximately 180 MW to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility, West Memphis Solar facility, that will be sited on approximately 1,500 acres in Crittenden County, Arkansas. In October 2021 the APSC issued an order approving the acquisition of the West Memphis Solar facility. In March 2022 the counterparty notified Entergy Arkansas that it was seeking changes to certain terms of the build-own-transfer agreement, including both cost and schedule. In January 2023, Entergy Arkansas filed a supplemental application with the APSC. Following the APSC’s approval of the supplemental application in March 2023, full notice to proceed was issued in April 2023 and the project is currently expected to achieve commercial operation by the end of 2024;
In November 2021, Entergy Louisiana signed an agreement for the purchase of an approximately 150 MW to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility, St. Jacques facility, that will be sited in St. James Parish near Vacherie, Louisiana. In September 2022 the LPSC voted to issue an order approving the St. Jacques facility; however, following the LPSC approval, the St. James Parish council issued a moratorium on new land use permits for solar facilities. In November 2023, St. James Parish lifted the moratorium and adopted an ordinance modifying the parish’s land use plan to establish solar as an approved land use and defining corresponding solar regulations. Entergy Louisiana is in discussions with the counterparty for the St. Jacques facility regarding amendments to the agreement to address the impact of the St. James Parish ordinance, and the facility is expected to reach commercial operation no sooner than 2027 dependent upon agreement by the parties on the terms of the amendments;
In August 2022, Entergy Arkansas signed an agreement for the purchase of an approximately 250 MW to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility, Driver Solar facility, that will be sited near Osceola, Arkansas. Also in August 2022, Entergy Arkansas received necessary approvals for the Driver Solar facility, and Entergy Arkansas has issued the counterparty full notice to proceed to begin construction. The project is expected to achieve commercial operation as early as mid-2024; and
Entergy Louisiana expects to start construction on the 49 MW Sterlington Solar project in the fourth quarter 2024, located in Sterlington, Louisiana. The facility is expected to achieve commercial operation in January 2026.
The RFP process has also resulted in the selection, or confirmation of the economic merits of, long-term purchased power agreements (PPAs), including, among others:
River Bend’s 30% life-of-unit PPA between Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans for 100 MW related to Entergy Louisiana’s unregulated portion of the River Bend nuclear station, which portion was formerly owned by Cajun;
Entergy Arkansas’s wholesale base load capacity life-of-unit PPAs executed in 2003 totaling approximately 220 MW between Entergy Arkansas and Entergy Louisiana (110 MW) and between Entergy Arkansas and Entergy New Orleans (110 MW) related to the sale of a portion of Entergy Arkansas’s coal and nuclear base load resources (which had not been included in Entergy Arkansas’s retail rates);
In September 2012, Entergy Gulf States Louisiana and Rain CII Carbon LLC executed a 20-year agreement for 28 MW, with the potential to purchase an additional 9 MW when available, from a petroleum coke calcining facility in Sulphur, Louisiana. The facility began commercial operation in May 2013. Entergy Louisiana, as successor in interest to Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, now holds the agreement with the facility;
In March 2013, Entergy Gulf States Louisiana and Agrilectric Power Partners, LP executed a 20-year agreement for 8.5 MW from a refurbished rice hull-fueled electric generation facility located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Entergy Louisiana, as successor in interest to Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, now holds the agreement with Agrilectric;
In September 2013, Entergy Louisiana and TX LFG Energy, LP, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Montauk Energy Holdings, LLC, executed a 10-year agreement to purchase approximately 3 MW from its landfill gas-fueled power generation facility located in Cleveland, Texas;
Entergy Mississippi’s cost-based purchase, beginning in January 2013, of 90 MW from Entergy Arkansas’s share of Grand Gulf (only 60 MW of this PPA came through the RFP process). Cost recovery for the 90 MW was approved by the MPSC in January 2013;
In April 2015, Entergy Arkansas and Stuttgart Solar, LLC executed a 20-year agreement for 81 MW from a solar photovoltaic electric generation facility located near Stuttgart, Arkansas. The APSC approved the project and deliveries pursuant to that agreement commenced in June 2018;
In November 2016, Entergy Louisiana and LS Power executed a 10-year agreement for 485 MW from the Carville Energy Center located in St. Gabriel, Louisiana. In November 2019, LS Power sold and transferred the Carville Energy Center and facility to Argo Infrastructure Partners, which included the power purchase agreement;
In November 2016, Entergy Louisiana and Occidental Chemical Corporation executed a 10-year agreement for 500 MW from the Taft Cogeneration facility located in Hahnville, Louisiana. The transaction received regulatory approval and began in June 2018;
In June 2017, Entergy Arkansas and Chicot Solar, LLC executed a 20-year agreement for 100 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic electric generating facility located in Chicot County, Arkansas. The transaction received regulatory approval and the PPA began in November 2020;
In February 2018, Entergy Louisiana and LA3 West Baton Rouge, LLC (Capital Region Solar project) executed a 20-year agreement for 50 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic electric generating facility located in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. The transaction received regulatory approval in February 2019 and the PPA began in October 2020;
In July 2018, Entergy New Orleans and St. James Solar, LLC executed a 20-year agreement for 20 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic electric generating facility located in St. James Parish, Louisiana. The transaction received regulatory approval in July 2019 and the PPA began in February 2023 after the facility reached commercial operation in March 2023;
In August 2018, Entergy Louisiana and South Alexander Development I, LLC executed a 5-year agreement for 5 MW from a solar photovoltaic electric generating facility located in Livingston Parish, Louisiana. The PPA began in December 2020 and received regulatory approval in January 2021;
In February 2019, Entergy New Orleans and Iris Solar, LLC executed a 20-year agreement for 50 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic electric generating facility located in Washington Parish, Louisiana. The transaction received regulatory approval in July 2019 and achieved commercial operation in November 2022;
In August 2020, Entergy Texas and Umbriel Solar, LLC executed a 20-year agreement for 150 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic electric generating facility located in Polk County, Texas. The facility achieved commercial operation in November 2023;
In June 2021, Entergy Louisiana and Sunlight Road Solar, LLC executed a 20-year agreement for 50 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic electric generating facility located in Washington Parish, Louisiana. In September 2022 the LPSC voted to approve the order including this project and in September 2023, Entergy Louisiana reported to the LPSC that it had entered into amended agreements related to the Sunlight Road facility. The facility is expected to reach commercial operation in December 2024;
In June 2021, Entergy Louisiana and Vacherie Solar Energy Center, LLC executed a 20-year PPA for 150 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic electric generating facility located in St. James Parish, Louisiana. In September 2022 the LPSC voted to issue an order approving the Vacherie facility; however, following the LPSC approval, the St. James Parish council issued a moratorium on new land use permits for solar facilities. In November 2023, St. James Parish lifted the moratorium and adopted an ordinance modifying the parish’s land use plan to establish solar as an approved land use and defining corresponding solar regulations. Entergy Louisiana is in discussions with the counterparty for the Vacherie facility regarding amendments to the agreement to address the impact of the St. James Parish ordinance, and the facility is expected to reach commercial operation no sooner than 2027 dependent upon agreement by the parties on the terms of the amendments;
In December 2022, Entergy Mississippi and Hinds Solar, LLC executed a 20-year PPA for approximately 150 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility located in Hinds County, Mississippi. In August 2023 the MPSC approved the PPA, and the facility is expected to reach commercial operation in June 2026;
In October 2022, Entergy Mississippi and Wildwood Solar, LLC executed a 20-year PPA for approximately 100 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility located in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. In August 2023 the MPSC approved the PPA, and the facility is expected to reach commercial operation in May 2026;
In October 2022, Entergy Mississippi and Greer Solar, LLC executed a 20-year PPA for approximately 170 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility located in Washington County, Mississippi. In August 2023 the MPSC approved the PPA, and the facility is expected to reach commercial operation in December 2026;
In October 2022, Entergy Arkansas and Flat Fork Solar, LLC executed a 20-year PPA for approximately 200 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility located in St. Francis County, Arkansas. In September 2023 the APSC approved the PPA, and the facility is expected to reach commercial operation in September 2025;
In October 2022, Entergy Arkansas and Forgeview Solar, LLC executed a 15-year PPA for approximately 200 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility located in Mississippi County, Arkansas. In September 2023 the APSC approved the PPA, and the facility is expected to reach commercial operation in September 2025;
In January 2023, Entergy Texas and Piney Woods Solar, LLC executed a 20-year PPA for approximately 150 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility located in Walker County, Texas. The facility is expected to reach commercial operation as early as June 2026;
In January 2023, Entergy Louisiana and Coastal Prairie Solar, LLC executed a 20-year PPA for approximately 175 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility located in Iberville Parish, Louisiana. Following execution of the agreement, Entergy Louisiana filed a petition with the LPSC requesting all necessary approvals. The facility is expected to reach commercial operation as early as December 2025; and
In October 2023, Entergy Louisiana and Mondu Solar, LLC executed a 20-year PPA for approximately 100 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility located in Point Coupee Parish, Louisiana. Following execution of the agreement, Entergy Louisiana filed a petition with the LPSC requesting all necessary approvals. The facility is expected to reach commercial operation as early as June 2026.
In July 2021, Entergy Services, on behalf of Entergy Texas, issued an RFP for solar generation resources. Entergy Texas selected a combination of PPA and owned resources in March 2022. One PPA was executed in January 2023 and the certificate of convenience and necessity for the owned resource is expected to be filed with the PUCT in mid-2024.
In April 2022, Entergy Services, on behalf of Entergy Arkansas, issued an RFP for solar photovoltaic and wind resources. Entergy Arkansas selected a combination of PPA and build own transfer resources in February 2023, and negotiation of definitive agreements for the resources are in progress.
In June 2022, Entergy Services, on behalf of Entergy Louisiana, issued an RFP for solar photovoltaic and wind resources. Entergy Louisiana selected a combination of PPA and build own transfer resources in March 2023 some of which have been executed and are noted above, and negotiation of definitive agreements for the remaining resources are in progress.
In October 2022, Entergy Services, on behalf of Entergy Texas, issued an RFP for solar photovoltaic and wind resources. Entergy Texas selected a combination of PPA and owned resources in July 2023, and negotiation of definitive agreements are in progress for all resources.
In November 2022, Entergy Services, on behalf of Entergy Mississippi, issued an RFP for solar photovoltaic and wind resources. Entergy Mississippi selected a combination of owned resources in May 2023, and negotiation of definitive agreements are in progress for all resources.
Other Procurements From Third Parties
The Utility operating companies have also made resource acquisitions outside of the RFP process and have also entered various limited- and long-term contracts in recent years as a result of bilateral negotiations, including among others:
In March 2016, Entergy Arkansas’s (Power Block 2), Entergy Louisiana’s (Power Blocks 3 and 4), and Entergy New Orleans’s (Power Block 1) acquisitions of the 1,980 MW (summer rating), natural gas-fired, combined-cycle gas turbine Union Power Station power blocks, each rated at 495 MW (summer rating). The facility is located near El Dorado, Arkansas and has been in operation since July 2003;
In October 2019, Entergy Mississippi’s acquisition of the 810 MW, combined-cycle, natural gas-fired Choctaw Generating Station. The facility is located in Choctaw County and has been in operation since July 2003;
In November 2020, Entergy Louisiana’s acquisition of the Washington Parish Energy Center is a 361 MW natural gas-fired peaking power plant approximately 60 miles north of New Orleans on a site Entergy Louisiana purchased from Calpine in 2019. Calpine began construction on the plant in early 2019 and Entergy Louisiana purchased the plant upon completion in November 2020;
In June 2021, Entergy Texas’s acquisition of the Hardin County Peaking Facility, an existing 147 MW simple-cycle gas-fired peaking power plant in Kountze, Texas, previously owned by East Texas Electric Cooperative. The facility has been in operation since January 2010; and
In November 2021, Entergy Louisiana and Elizabeth Solar, LLC executed a 20-year PPA for approximately 125 MW from a to-be-constructed solar photovoltaic energy facility located in Allen Parish, Louisiana. In September 2022 the LPSC voted to approve this project and in September 2023, Entergy Louisiana reported to the LPSC that it had entered into amended agreements related to the Elizabeth Solar facility. The facility is expected to reach commercial operation in August 2024.
Power Through Programs
In February 2019, Entergy Mississippi proposed a new technologies pilot to the MPSC, which was approved in December 2019. The pilot further modernized the energy grid and met customers’ evolving expectations by offering utility-owned, natural gas-fired backup generators to customers. Following conclusion of the three-year pilot, in October 2023, Entergy Mississippi proposed full-scale implementation of commercial scale, natural gas-fired resilient distributed generation, to be installed in front of the meter at commercial and industrial customer premises. The full-scale offering was approved by the MPSC in December 2023 along with an associated rate schedule, the Resiliency as a Service Rider Schedule. Entergy Mississippi can dispatch the units at times of peak demand, which can mitigate the typically higher energy and capacity costs borne by all customers during times of peak energy usage.
In December 2020, Entergy Texas filed an application with the PUCT to amend its certificate of convenience and necessity to own and operate up to 75 MW of natural gas-fired distributed generation to be installed at commercial and industrial customer premises. Under this proposal, Entergy Texas would own and operate a fleet of generators ranging from 100 kW to 10 MW that would supply a portion of Entergy Texas’s long-term resource needs and enhance the resiliency of Entergy Texas’s electric grid. This fleet of generators would also be available to customers during outages to supply backup electric service as part of a program known as “Power Through.” In its 2021 session, the Texas legislature modified the Texas Utilities Code to exempt generators under 10 megawatts from the requirement to obtain a certificate of convenience and necessity. In addition, the PUCT announced an intent to conduct a broad rulemaking related to distributed generation and recommended that utilities with pending applications addressing distributed generation withdraw them. Accordingly, Entergy Texas withdrew its application for a certificate of convenience and necessity and associated tariff from the PUCT without prejudice to refiling. Entergy Texas continues to deploy certain customer-sited distributed generators under an existing PUCT-approved tariff. In August 2022, Entergy Texas filed an application for PUCT approval of voluntary Rate Schedule Utility Owned Distributed Generation through which it would charge host customers for back-up service from customer-sited Power Through generators. Based on the exemption enacted by the Texas legislature in 2021, Entergy Texas’s application was not required to, and did not, seek an amendment to its certificate of convenience and necessity in order to continue deploying Power Through generators. In October 2022 two intervenors filed requests for a hearing on Entergy Texas’s application. In October 2022 the PUCT staff filed a request that the proceeding be referred to the State Office of Administrative Hearings. In January 2023 the PUCT announced an intent to develop certain broadly applicable reliability metrics against which to measure distributed generation resources and directed Entergy Texas to withdraw its application. However, the PUCT did allow Entergy Texas to continue its pilot program for Power Through generators. Entergy Texas withdrew its application. In its 2023 session, the Texas legislature modified the Texas Utilities Code to confirm Entergy Texas’s ability to provide back-up generation service using customer-sited utility-owned distributed generation and directing the PUCT to approve rates for such service upon application by Entergy Texas. In February 2024, Entergy Texas resubmitted its application for PUCT approval of voluntary Rate Schedule Utility Owned Distributed Generation. A procedural schedule has not yet been set.
In August 2021, Entergy Arkansas filed with the APSC an application seeking authority for a “Power Through” offering to deploy natural gas-fired distributed generation. The application was supported by a number of letters of interest from Entergy Arkansas customers. In December 2021 the APSC general staff requested briefing, which Entergy Arkansas opposed. In January 2022, Entergy Arkansas filed to support the establishment of a procedural schedule with a hearing in April 2022. Also in January 2022, the APSC granted the general staff’s request for briefing but on an expedited schedule; briefing concluded in February 2022. Based on testimony filed to date the APSC general staff, Arkansas Electric Energy Consumers, Sierra Club, and Audubon opposed Entergy Arkansas’s proposed Power Through offering, which was demonstrated to be in high demand by interested customers, some of which directly filed public comments encouraging the APSC to approve the application. A paper hearing was held in August and September 2022, and Entergy Arkansas responded to several written commissioner questions. In May 2023 the APSC issued an order approving the Power Through offering with some modifications, and in June 2023, Entergy Arkansas sought rehearing or clarification of several issues. In August 2023 the APSC denied Entergy Arkansas’s rehearing petition. In December 2023 the APSC approved a streamlined approval process for the individual Power Through generators. Entergy Arkansas is developing tariff revisions to comply with the APSC’s order.
In July 2021, Entergy Louisiana filed with the LPSC an application for authority to deploy natural gas-fired distributed generation. The application was supported by a number of letters of interest from Entergy Louisiana customers. In October 2021, a procedural schedule was established with a hearing in April 2022. Staff and certain intervenors filed direct testimony in December 2021, and cross-answering testimony was filed in January 2022. Entergy Louisiana filed rebuttal testimony in February 2022. The parties reached an uncontested settlement which, among other things, recommended approval of 120 MW of natural gas fired distributed generation and an additional 30 MW of solar and battery distributed generation, for a total distributed generation program of 150 MW. Pursuant to the terms of the settlement agreement, Entergy Louisiana may seek to expand the distributed generation program following the earlier of two years after issuance of an order approving the settlement or the installation of 60 MW of distributed generation pursuant to this program. The settlement was approved by the LPSC in November 2022.
Interconnections
The Utility operating companies’ generating units are interconnected to the transmission system which operates at various voltages up to 500 kV. These generating units consist of steam-turbine generators fueled by natural gas, coal, and pressurized and boiling water nuclear reactors; combustion-turbine generators, combined-cycle combustion turbine generators and reciprocating internal combustion engine generators that are fueled by natural gas; and inverter-based resources interconnecting both solar photovoltaic systems and energy storage devices that participate in the MISO wholesale electric market. Additionally, some of the Utility operating companies also offer customer services and products that include generating and demand response resources that are interconnected to both the distribution and transmission systems and that also participate in the wholesale market. Entergy’s Utility operating companies are MISO market participants and the companies’ transmission systems are interconnected with those of many neighboring utilities. MISO is an essential link in the safe, cost-effective delivery of electric power across all or parts of 15 U.S. states and the Canadian province of Manitoba. In addition, the Utility operating companies are members of SERC Reliability Corporation (SERC), the Regional Entity with delegated authority from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) for the purpose of proposing and enforcing Bulk Electric System reliability standards within 16 central and southeastern states.
Gas Property
As of December 31, 2023, Entergy New Orleans distributed and transported natural gas for distribution within New Orleans, Louisiana, through approximately 2,600 miles of gas pipeline. As of December 31, 2023, the gas properties of Entergy Louisiana, which are located in and around Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were not material to Entergy Louisiana’s financial position.
Title
The Utility operating companies’ generating stations are generally located on properties owned in fee simple. Most of the substations and transmission and distribution lines are constructed on private property or public rights-of-way pursuant to easements, servitudes, or appropriate franchises. Some substation properties are owned in fee simple. The Utility operating companies generally have the right of eminent domain, whereby they may perfect title to, or secure easements or servitudes on, private property for their utility operations.
Substantially all of the physical properties and assets owned by Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy are subject to the liens of mortgages securing bonds issued by those companies. The Lewis Creek generating station of Entergy Texas was acquired by merger with a subsidiary of Entergy Texas and is currently not subject to the lien of the Entergy Texas indenture.
Fuel Supply
The average fuel cost per kWh for the Utility operating companies and System Energy for the years 2021-2023 were:
| Year | Natural Gas | Nuclear | Coal | Renewables (a) | Purchased Power | MISO Purchases (b) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 · (Cents Per kWh) | ||||||
| Entergy Arkansas | 1.98 | 0.50 | 3.09 | 1.98 | 11.57 | 0.77 |
| Entergy Louisiana | 2.34 | 0.60 | 3.22 | 10.38 | 3.76 | 2.50 |
| Entergy Mississippi | 2.21 | — | 2.82 | 0.03 | 5.86 | 1.84 |
| Entergy New Orleans (c) | 2.05 | — | — | 3.24 | — | 2.33 |
| Entergy Texas | 2.29 | — | 3.17 | 2.25 | 5.64 | 3.18 |
| System Energy | — | 0.68 | — | — | — | — |
| Utility | 2.25 | 0.58 | 3.06 | 6.14 | 4.03 | 2.61 |
| Entergy Arkansas | 4.98 | 0.52 | 2.93 | 2.11 | 10.90 | (2.65) |
| Entergy Louisiana | 5.50 | 0.57 | 2.84 | 10.70 | 6.95 | 6.45 |
| Entergy Mississippi | 4.38 | — | 2.85 | 0.04 | 6.53 | 6.68 |
| Entergy New Orleans (c) | 5.10 | — | — | (5.16) | — | 7.21 |
| Entergy Texas | 5.77 | — | 2.83 | 6.26 | 5.61 | 6.68 |
| System Energy | — | 0.65 | — | — | — | — |
| Utility | 5.27 | 0.57 | 2.89 | 7.00 | 6.54 | 5.95 |
| Entergy Arkansas | 4.11 | 0.56 | 2.43 | 2.85 | 2.53 | 3.87 |
| Entergy Louisiana | 3.77 | 0.56 | 2.62 | 10.87 | 5.52 | 4.04 |
| Entergy Mississippi | 2.71 | — | 2.53 | 1.22 | 2.70 | 4.16 |
| Entergy New Orleans (c) | 3.47 | — | — | (2.82) | — | 4.50 |
| Entergy Texas | 4.65 | — | 2.60 | 3.97 | 4.53 | 4.10 |
| System Energy | — | 0.55 | — | — | — | — |
| Utility | 3.75 | 0.56 | 2.48 | 9.07 | 4.76 | 4.08 |
(a)Includes average fuel costs from both owned and purchased power resources.
(b)Includes activity from financial transmission rights. See Note 15 to the financial statements for discussion of financial transmission rights.
(c)Entergy New Orleans’s renewables include liquidated damage payments of $0.1 million in 2023, $2.9 million in 2022, and $1 million in 2021 due to the delay of in-service dates related to purchased power agreements.
Actual 2023 and projected 2024 sources of generation for the Utility operating companies and System Energy, including certain power purchases from affiliates under life of unit power purchase agreements, including the Unit Power Sales Agreement, are:
| 2023 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT / CCGT (b) | Legacy Gas | Nuclear | Coal | Renewables (c) | Purchased Power (d) | MISO Purchases (e) | |
| Entergy Arkansas | 26% | 1% | 57% | 9% | 3% | —% | 4% |
| Entergy Louisiana | 47% | 7% | 20% | 2% | 2% | 10% | 12% |
| Entergy Mississippi | 63% | 1% | 23% | 7% | 1% | —% | 5% |
| Entergy New Orleans | 55% | 1% | 36% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 4% |
| Entergy Texas | 32% | 25% | 6% | 3% | —% | 4% | 30% |
| System Energy (a) | —% | —% | 100% | —% | —% | —% | —% |
| Utility | 43% | 7% | 27% | 4% | 2% | 5% | 12% |
| 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT / CCGT (b) | Legacy Gas | Nuclear | Coal | Renewables (c) | Purchased Power (d) | MISO Purchases (e) | |
| Entergy Arkansas | 26% | —% | 59% | 12% | 3% | —% | —% |
| Entergy Louisiana | 48% | 6% | 30% | 2% | 3% | 11% | —% |
| Entergy Mississippi | 64% | —% | 24% | 10% | 2% | —% | —% |
| Entergy New Orleans | 51% | 1% | 43% | 1% | 3% | 1% | —% |
| Entergy Texas | 43% | 31% | 17% | 6% | 3% | —% | —% |
| System Energy (a) | —% | —% | 100% | —% | —% | —% | —% |
| Utility | 45% | 6% | 35% | 6% | 3% | 5% | —% |
(a)Capacity and energy from System Energy’s interest in Grand Gulf is allocated as follows under the Unit Power Sales Agreement: Entergy Arkansas - 36%; Entergy Louisiana - 14%; Entergy Mississippi - 33%; and Entergy New Orleans - 17%. Pursuant to purchased power agreements, Entergy Arkansas is selling a portion of its owned capacity and energy from Grand Gulf to Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans.
(b)Represents natural gas sourced for Simple Cycle Combustion Turbine units and Combined Cycle Gas Turbine units.
(c)Includes generation from both owned and purchased power resources.
(d)Excludes MISO purchases and renewables purchased through purchased power agreements.
(e)In December 2013, Entergy integrated its transmission system into the MISO RTO. Entergy offers all of its generation into the MISO energy market on a day-ahead and real-time basis and bids for power in the MISO energy market to serve the demand of its customers, with MISO making dispatch decisions. The MISO purchases metric provided for 2023 is not projected for 2024.
Some of the Utility’s gas-fired plants are also capable of using fuel oil, if necessary. Although based on current economics the Utility does not expect fuel oil use in 2024, it is possible that various operational events including weather or pipeline maintenance may require the use of fuel oil.
Natural Gas
The Utility operating companies have long-term firm and short-term interruptible gas contracts for both supply and transportation. Over 70% of the Utility operating companies’ power plants maintain some level of long-term firm transportation. Short-term contracts and spot-market purchases satisfy additional gas requirements.
Entergy Texas owns a gas storage facility and Entergy Louisiana has a firm storage service agreement that provide reliable and flexible natural gas service to certain generating stations.
Many factors, including wellhead deliverability, storage, pipeline capacity, and demand requirements of end users, influence the availability and price of natural gas supplies for power plants. Demand is primarily tied to weather conditions as well as to the prices and availability of other energy sources. Pursuant to federal and state regulations, gas supplies to power plants may be interrupted during periods of shortage. To the extent natural gas supplies are disrupted or natural gas prices significantly increase, the Utility operating companies may in some instances use alternate fuels, such as oil when available, or rely to a larger extent on coal, nuclear generation, and purchased power.
Coal
Entergy Arkansas has committed to six two- to three-year contracts that will supply at least 85% of the total coal supply needs in 2024. These contracts are staggered in term so that not all contracts have to be renewed the same year. If needed, additional Powder River Basin (PRB) coal will be purchased through contracts with a term of less than one year to provide the remaining supply needs. Based on the high cost of alternate sources, modes of transportation, and infrastructure improvements necessary for its delivery, no alternative coal consumption is expected at Entergy Arkansas during 2024. Coal will be transported to Arkansas via an existing Union Pacific transportation agreement that is expected to provide all of Entergy Arkansas’s rail transportation requirements for 2024.
Entergy Louisiana has committed to three two- to three-year contracts that will supply at least 90% of Nelson Unit 6 coal needs in 2024. If needed, additional PRB coal will be purchased through contracts with a term of less than one year to provide the remaining supply needs. For the same reasons as the Entergy Arkansas plants, no alternative coal consumption is expected at Nelson Unit 6 during 2024. Coal will be transported to Nelson via an existing transportation agreement that is expected to provide all of Entergy Louisiana’s rail transportation requirements for 2024.
Coal transportation delivery rates to Entergy Arkansas- and Entergy Louisiana-operated coal-fired units were able to fully meet supply needs and obligations in 2023. While deliveries remained constrained through summer 2023, improvements were observed in the second half of the year and are expected to continue in 2024. Both Entergy Arkansas and Entergy Louisiana control enough railcars to satisfy the rail transportation requirement.
The operator of Big Cajun 2 - Unit 3, Louisiana Generating, LLC, has advised Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Texas that it has adequate rail car and barge capacity to meet the volumes of PRB coal requested for 2024, but is also currently experiencing delivery constraints. Entergy Louisiana’s and Entergy Texas’s coal nomination requests to Big Cajun 2 - Unit 3 are made on an annual basis.
Nuclear Fuel
The nuclear fuel cycle consists of the following:
mining and milling of uranium ore to produce a concentrate;
conversion of the concentrate to uranium hexafluoride gas;
enrichment of the uranium hexafluoride gas;
fabrication of nuclear fuel assemblies for use in fueling nuclear reactors; and
disposal of spent fuel.
The Registrant Subsidiaries that own nuclear plants, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, and System Energy, are responsible through a shared regulated uranium pool for contracts to acquire nuclear material to be used in fueling Entergy’s Utility nuclear units. These companies own the materials and services in this shared regulated uranium pool on a pro rata fractional basis determined by the nuclear generation capability of each company. Any liabilities for obligations of the pooled contracts are on a several but not joint basis. The shared regulated uranium pool maintains inventories of nuclear materials during the various stages of processing. The Registrant Subsidiaries purchase enriched uranium hexafluoride for their nuclear plant reload requirements at the average inventory cost from the shared regulated uranium pool. Entergy Operations, Inc. contracts separately for the fabrication of nuclear fuel as agent on behalf of each of the Registrant Subsidiaries that owns a nuclear plant. All contracts for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel are between the DOE and the owner of a nuclear power plant.
Based upon currently planned fuel cycles, the Utility nuclear units have a diversified portfolio of contracts and inventory that provides substantially adequate nuclear fuel materials and conversion and enrichment services at what Entergy believes are reasonably predictable or fixed prices through 2027. Entergy’s ability to purchase nuclear fuel at reasonably predictable prices, however, depends upon the performance reliability of uranium miners, including their ability to work through supply disruptions caused by global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, or national events, such as political disruption. There are a number of possible supply alternatives that may be accessed to mitigate any supplier performance failure, including potentially drawing upon Entergy’s inventory intended for later generation periods depending upon its risk management strategy at that time, although the pricing of any alternate uranium supply from the market will be dependent upon the market for uranium supply at that time. In addition, some nuclear fuel contracts are on a non-fixed price basis subject to prevailing prices at the time of delivery.
The effects of market price changes may be reduced and deferred by risk management strategies, such as negotiation of floor and ceiling amounts for long-term contracts, buying for inventory or entering into forward physical contracts at fixed prices when Entergy believes it is appropriate and useful. Entergy buys uranium from a diversified mix of sellers located in a diversified mix of countries, and from time to time purchases from nearly all qualified reliable major market participants worldwide that sell into the U.S.
Entergy’s ability to assure nuclear fuel supply also depends upon the performance reliability of conversion, enrichment, and fabrication services providers. There are fewer of these providers than for uranium. For conversion and enrichment services, like uranium, Entergy diversifies its supply by supplier and country and may take special measures as needed to ensure supply of enriched uranium for the reliable fabrication of nuclear fuel. For fabrication services, each plant is dependent upon the effective performance of the fabricator of that plant’s nuclear fuel, therefore, Entergy provides additional monitoring, inspection, and oversight for the fabrication process to assure reliability and quality.
Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, and System Energy each have made arrangements to lease nuclear fuel and related equipment and services. The lessors, which are consolidated in the financial statements of Entergy and the applicable Registrant Subsidiary, finance the acquisition and ownership of nuclear fuel through credit agreements and the issuance of notes. These credit facilities are subject to periodic renewal, and the notes are issued periodically, typically for terms between three and seven years.
Natural Gas Purchased for Resale
Entergy New Orleans has several suppliers of natural gas. Its system is interconnected with one interstate and three intrastate pipelines. Entergy New Orleans has a “no-notice” service gas purchase contract with Symmetry Energy Solutions which ensures Entergy New Orleans gas delivery at specific delivery points and at any volume within the minimum and maximum set forth in the contract amounts. The Symmetry Energy Solutions gas supply is transported to Entergy New Orleans pursuant to a transportation service agreement with Gulf South Pipeline Co. This service is subject to FERC-approved rates. Entergy New Orleans also makes interruptible spot market purchases.
Entergy Louisiana purchased natural gas for resale in 2023 under a firm contract from Sequent Energy Management L.P. The gas is delivered through a combination of intrastate and interstate pipelines.
As a result of the implementation of FERC-mandated interstate pipeline restructuring in 1993, curtailments of interstate gas supply could occur if Entergy Louisiana’s or Entergy New Orleans’s suppliers failed to perform their obligations to deliver gas under their supply agreements. Gulf South Pipeline Co. could curtail transportation capacity only in the event of pipeline system constraints.
Federal Regulation of the Utility
State or local regulatory authorities, as described above, regulate the retail rates of the Utility operating companies. The FERC regulates wholesale sales of electricity rates and interstate transmission of electricity, including System Energy’s sales of capacity and energy from Grand Gulf to Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans pursuant to the Unit Power Sales Agreement. See Note 2 to the financial statements for further discussion of federal regulation proceedings.
Transmission and MISO Markets
In December 2013 the Utility operating companies integrated into the MISO RTO. Although becoming a member of MISO did not affect the ownership by the Utility operating companies of their transmission facilities or the responsibility for maintaining those facilities, MISO maintains functional control over the combined transmission systems of its members and administers wholesale energy and ancillary services markets for market participants in the MISO region, including the Utility operating companies. MISO also exercises functional control of transmission planning and congestion management and provides schedules and pricing for the commitment and dispatch of generation that is offered into MISO’s markets, as well as pricing for load that bids into the markets. The Utility operating companies sell capacity, energy, and ancillary services on a bilateral basis to certain wholesale customers and offer available electricity production of their owned and controlled generating facilities into the MISO resource adequacy construct (the annual Planning Resource Auction), as well as the MISO day-ahead and real-time energy markets pursuant to the MISO tariff and market rules. The resource adequacy construct provided under the MISO tariff confers certain rights and imposes certain obligations upon load-serving entities, including the Utility operating companies, that are served from the transmission systems subject to MISO’s functional control, including the transmission facilities of the Utility operating companies. The MISO tariff is subject to change and has recently undergone significant changes. As an example, MISO recently has made changes to its capacity accreditation methodology for thermal resources which emphasize performance during a very small subset of hours in which the supply of generation capacity needed to serve load is tightest. MISO is now pursuing a larger scale reassessment of its overall accreditation practices, including accreditation of renewable resources.
MISO administers a process governed by the MISO tariff and subject to the FERC regulation that governs the interconnection of new generation resources to the transmission system under MISO’s functional control. This process generally involves parties that wish to interconnect new generation resources submitting to MISO requests to do so, which are then studied and analyzed by MISO, with the participation of its member transmission owners, to determine if the interconnection of such generators requires new transmission facilities to ensure the continued reliable operations of the grid. Under MISO’s current tariff, these requests are studied and considered in clusters, generally in the order in which they are received – a system of priority known as the MISO interconnection queue.
Each Utility operating company has its own transmission pricing zone and a formula rate template (included as Attachment O to the MISO tariff) used to establish transmission rates within MISO. The terms and conditions of the MISO tariff, including provisions related to the design and implementation of wholesale markets and the allocation of transmission upgrade costs, are subject to regulation by the FERC.
In addition, orders from each of the Utility operating companies’ respective retail regulators generally require that the Utility operating companies make periodic filings, or generally allow the retail regulator to direct the making of such filings, setting forth the results of analysis of the costs and benefits realized from MISO membership as well as the projected costs and benefits of continued membership in MISO and/or requesting approval of their continued membership in MISO.
System Energy and Related Agreements
System Energy recovers costs related to its interest in Grand Gulf through rates charged to Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans for capacity and energy under the Unit Power Sales Agreement (described below). In 1998 the FERC approved requests by Entergy Arkansas and Entergy Mississippi to accelerate a portion of their Grand Gulf purchased power obligations. Entergy Arkansas’s and Entergy Mississippi’s acceleration of Grand Gulf purchased power obligations ceased effective July 2001 and July 2003, respectively, as approved by the FERC. See Note 2 to the financial statements for discussion of proceedings at the FERC related to System Energy.
The Unit Power Sales Agreement allocates capacity, energy, and the related costs from System Energy’s ownership and leasehold interests in Grand Gulf to Entergy Arkansas (36%), Entergy Louisiana (14%), Entergy Mississippi (33%), and Entergy New Orleans (17%). Each of these companies is obligated to make payments to System Energy for its entitlement of capacity and energy on a full cost-of-service basis regardless of the quantity of energy delivered. Payments under the Unit Power Sales Agreement are System Energy’s only source of operating revenue. The financial condition of System Energy depends upon the continued commercial operation of Grand Gulf and the receipt of such payments. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans generally recover payments made under the Unit Power Sales Agreement through rates charged to their customers.
In the case of Entergy Arkansas and Entergy Louisiana, payments are also recovered through sales of electricity from their respective retained shares of Grand Gulf. Under a settlement agreement entered into with the APSC in 1985 and amended in 1988, Entergy Arkansas retains 22% of its 36% share of Grand Gulf-related costs and recovers the remaining 78% of its share in retail rates. In the event that Entergy Arkansas is not able to sell its retained share to third parties, it may sell such energy to its retail customers at a price equal to its avoided cost, which is currently less than Entergy Arkansas’s cost from its retained share. Entergy Arkansas has life-of-resources purchased power agreements with Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans that sell a portion of the output of Entergy Arkansas’s retained share of Grand Gulf to those companies. In a series of LPSC orders, court decisions, and agreements from late 1985 to mid-1988, Entergy Louisiana was granted cost recovery with respect to costs associated with Entergy Louisiana’s share of capacity and energy from Grand Gulf, subject to certain terms and conditions. Entergy Louisiana retains and does not recover from retail ratepayers 18% of its 14% share of the costs of Grand Gulf capacity and energy and recovers the remaining 82% of its share in rates. Entergy Louisiana is allowed to recover through the fuel adjustment clause at 4.6 cents per kWh for the energy related to its retained portion of these costs. Alternatively, Entergy Louisiana may sell such energy to non-affiliated parties at prices above the fuel adjustment clause recovery amount, subject to the LPSC’s approval. The remainder of Entergy Arkansas’s retained share is sold to Entergy Mississippi through a separate life-of-resource purchase power agreement with Entergy Mississippi. Entergy Arkansas also has a life-of-resources purchased power agreement with Entergy Mississippi to sell a portion of the output of Entergy Arkansas’s non-retained share of Grand Gulf. Entergy Mississippi was granted cost recovery for those purchases by the MPSC through its annual unit power cost rate mechanism.
Availability Agreement
The Availability Agreement among System Energy and Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans was entered into in 1974 in connection with the original financing by System Energy of Grand Gulf. The Availability Agreement provides that System Energy make available to Entergy
Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans all capacity and energy available from System Energy’s share of Grand Gulf.
Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans also agreed severally to pay System Energy monthly for the right to receive capacity and energy from Grand Gulf in amounts that (when added to any amounts received by System Energy under the Unit Power Sales Agreement) would at least equal System Energy’s total operating expenses for Grand Gulf (including depreciation at a specified rate and expenses incurred in a permanent shutdown of Grand Gulf) and interest charges.
The allocation percentages under the Availability Agreement are fixed as follows: Entergy Arkansas - 17.1%; Entergy Louisiana - 26.9%; Entergy Mississippi - 31.3%; and Entergy New Orleans - 24.7%. The allocation percentages under the Availability Agreement would remain in effect and would govern payments made under such agreement in the event of a shortfall of operating expense funds available to System Energy from other sources, including payments under the Unit Power Sales Agreement.
System Energy has assigned its rights to payments and advances from Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans under the Availability Agreement as security for all of its outstanding series of first mortgage bonds, as well as for its outstanding term loan and the pollution control revenue refunding bonds issued on its behalf. In these assignments, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans further agreed that, in the event they were prohibited by governmental action from making payments under the Availability Agreement (for example, if the FERC reduced or disallowed such payments as constituting excessive rates), they would then make subordinated advances to System Energy in the same amounts and at the same times as the prohibited payments. System Energy would not be allowed to repay these subordinated advances so long as it remained in default under the related indebtedness or in other similar circumstances.
Each of the assignment agreements relating to the Availability Agreement provides that Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans will make payments directly to System Energy. However, if there is an event of default, those payments must be made directly to the holders of indebtedness that are the beneficiaries of such assignment agreements. The payments must be made pro rata according to the amount of the respective obligations secured.
The obligations of Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans to make payments under the Availability Agreement are subject to the receipt and continued effectiveness of all necessary regulatory approvals. Sales of capacity and energy under the Availability Agreement would require that the Availability Agreement be submitted to the FERC for approval with respect to the terms of such sale. No such filing with the FERC has been made because sales of capacity and energy from Grand Gulf are being made pursuant to the Unit Power Sales Agreement. If, for any reason, sales of capacity and energy are made in the future pursuant to the Availability Agreement, the jurisdictional portions of the Availability Agreement would be submitted to the FERC for approval.
Since commercial operation of Grand Gulf began, payments under the Unit Power Sales Agreement to System Energy have exceeded the amounts payable under the Availability Agreement and, therefore, no payments under the Availability Agreement to System Energy have ever been required. However, if Entergy Arkansas or Entergy Mississippi fails to make its Unit Power Sales Agreement payments, and System Energy is unable to obtain funds from other sources, Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans could become subject to claims or demands by System Energy or certain of its creditors for payments or advances under the Availability Agreement (or the assignments thereof) equal to the difference between their required Unit Power Sales Agreement payments and their required Availability Agreement payments because their allocated shares under the Availability Agreement exceed their allocated shares under the Unit Power Sales Agreement. See Note 8 to the financial statements for discussion of the Reallocation Agreement among System Energy, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans, pursuant to which Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans assumed all of Entergy Arkansas’s responsibilities and obligations with respect to Grand Gulf under the Availability Agreement.
The Availability Agreement may be terminated, amended, or modified by mutual agreement of the parties thereto, without further consent of any assignees or other creditors.
Service Companies
Entergy Services, a limited liability company wholly-owned by Entergy Corporation, provides management, administrative, accounting, legal, engineering, and other services primarily to the Utility operating companies, as well as to Entergy’s non-utility operations business. Entergy Operations is also wholly-owned by Entergy Corporation and provides nuclear management, operations, and maintenance services under contract for ANO, River Bend, Waterford 3, and Grand Gulf, subject to the owner oversight of Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, and System Energy, respectively. Entergy Services and Entergy Operations provide their services to the Utility operating companies and System Energy on an “at cost” basis, pursuant to cost allocation methodologies for these service agreements that were approved by the FERC.
Jurisdictional Separation of Entergy Gulf States, Inc. into Entergy Gulf States Louisiana and Entergy Texas
Effective December 31, 2007, Entergy Gulf States, Inc. completed a jurisdictional separation into two vertically integrated utility companies, one operating under the sole retail jurisdiction of the PUCT, Entergy Texas, and the other operating under the sole retail jurisdiction of the LPSC, Entergy Gulf States Louisiana. Entergy Texas owns all Entergy Gulf States, Inc. distribution and transmission assets located in Texas, the gas-fired generating plants located in Texas, undivided 42.5% ownership shares of Entergy Gulf States, Inc.’s 70% ownership interest in Nelson Unit 6 and 42% ownership interest in Big Cajun 2, Unit 3, which are coal-fired generating plants located in Louisiana, and other assets and contract rights to the extent related to utility operations in Texas. Entergy Louisiana, as successor in interest to Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, owns all of the remaining assets that were owned by Entergy Gulf States, Inc. On a book value basis, approximately 58.1% of the Entergy Gulf States, Inc. assets were allocated to Entergy Gulf States Louisiana and approximately 41.9% were allocated to Entergy Texas.
Entergy Texas purchases from Entergy Louisiana pursuant to a life-of-unit purchased power agreement a 42.5% share of capacity and energy from the 70% of River Bend subject to retail regulation. Entergy Texas was allocated a share of River Bend’s nuclear and environmental liabilities that is identical to the share of the plant’s output purchased by Entergy Texas under the purchased power agreement. In connection with the termination of the System Agreement effective August 31, 2016, the purchased power agreements that were put in place for certain legacy units at the time of the jurisdictional separation were also terminated at that time. See Note 2 to the financial statements for additional discussion of the purchased power agreements.
Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana Business Combination
On October 1, 2015, the businesses formerly conducted by Entergy Louisiana (Old Entergy Louisiana) and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana (Old Entergy Gulf States Louisiana) were combined into a single public utility. In order to effect the business combination, under the Texas Business Organizations Code (TXBOC), Old Entergy Louisiana allocated substantially all of its assets to a new subsidiary, Entergy Louisiana Power, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (New Entergy Louisiana), and New Entergy Louisiana assumed the liabilities of Old Entergy Louisiana, in a transaction regarded as a merger under the TXBOC. Under the TXBOC, Old Entergy Gulf States Louisiana allocated substantially all of its assets to a new subsidiary (New Entergy Gulf States Louisiana) and New Entergy Gulf States Louisiana assumed the liabilities of Old Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, in a transaction regarded as a merger under the TXBOC. New Entergy Gulf States Louisiana then merged into New Entergy Louisiana with New Entergy Louisiana surviving the merger. Thereupon, Old Entergy Louisiana changed its name from “Entergy Louisiana, LLC” to “EL Investment Company, LLC” and New Entergy Louisiana changed its name from “Entergy Louisiana Power, LLC” to “Entergy Louisiana, LLC” (Entergy Louisiana). With the completion of the business combination, Entergy Louisiana holds substantially all of the assets, and has assumed the liabilities, of Old Entergy Louisiana and Old Entergy Gulf States Louisiana.
Entergy Arkansas Internal Restructuring
In November 2018, Entergy Arkansas undertook a multi-step restructuring, including the following:
Entergy Arkansas, Inc. redeemed its outstanding preferred stock at the aggregate redemption price of approximately $32.7 million.
Entergy Arkansas, Inc. converted from an Arkansas corporation to a Texas corporation.
Under the Texas Business Organizations Code (TXBOC), Entergy Arkansas, Inc. allocated substantially all of its assets to a new subsidiary, Entergy Arkansas Power, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (Entergy Arkansas Power), and Entergy Arkansas Power assumed substantially all of the liabilities of Entergy Arkansas, Inc., in a transaction regarded as a merger under the TXBOC. Entergy Arkansas, Inc. remained in existence and held the membership interests in Entergy Arkansas Power.
Entergy Arkansas, Inc. contributed the membership interests in Entergy Arkansas Power to an affiliate (Entergy Utility Holding Company, LLC, a Texas limited liability company and subsidiary of Entergy Corporation). As a result of the contribution, Entergy Arkansas Power is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Entergy Utility Holding Company, LLC.
In December 2018, Entergy Arkansas, Inc. changed its name to Entergy Utility Property, Inc., and Entergy Arkansas Power then changed its name to Entergy Arkansas, LLC. Entergy Arkansas, LLC holds substantially all of the assets, and assumed substantially all of the liabilities, of Entergy Arkansas, Inc. The transaction was accounted for as a transaction between entities under common control.
Entergy Mississippi Internal Restructuring
In November 2018, Entergy Mississippi undertook a multi-step restructuring, including the following:
Entergy Mississippi, Inc. redeemed its outstanding preferred stock, at the aggregate redemption price of approximately $21.2 million.
Entergy Mississippi, Inc. converted from a Mississippi corporation to a Texas corporation.
Under the Texas Business Organizations Code (TXBOC), Entergy Mississippi, Inc. allocated substantially all of its assets to a new subsidiary, Entergy Mississippi Power and Light, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (Entergy Mississippi Power and Light), and Entergy Mississippi Power and Light assumed substantially all of the liabilities of Entergy Mississippi, Inc., in a transaction regarded as a merger under the TXBOC. Entergy Mississippi, Inc. remained in existence and held the membership interests in Entergy Mississippi Power and Light.
Entergy Mississippi, Inc. contributed the membership interests in Entergy Mississippi Power and Light to an affiliate (Entergy Utility Holding Company, LLC, a Texas limited liability company and subsidiary of Entergy Corporation). As a result of the contribution, Entergy Mississippi Power and Light is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Entergy Utility Holding Company, LLC.
In December 2018, Entergy Mississippi, Inc. changed its name to Entergy Utility Enterprises, Inc., and Entergy Mississippi Power and Light then changed its name to Entergy Mississippi, LLC. Entergy Mississippi, LLC holds substantially all of the assets, and assumed substantially all of the liabilities, of Entergy Mississippi, Inc. The restructuring was accounted for as a transaction between entities under common control.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.