EXELON CORP

The Registrants are subject to comprehensive and complex environmental legislation and regulation at the federal, state, and local levels, including requirements relating to climate change, air and water quality, solid and hazardous waste, and impacts on species and habitats.

The Exelon Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the management of environmental matters. Exelon has a management team to address environmental compliance and strategy, including the CEO; the Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer; as well as senior management of the Utility Registrants. Performance of those individuals directly involved in environmental compliance and strategy is reviewed and affects compensation as part of the annual individual performance review process. The Audit and Risk Committee oversees compliance with environmental laws and regulations, including environmental risks related to Exelon's operations and facilities, as well as SEC disclosures related to environmental matters. Exelon's Corporate Governance Committee has the authority to oversee Exelon’s climate change and sustainability policies and programs, as discussed in further detail below. The respective Boards of the Utility Registrants oversee environmental issues related to these companies. The Exelon Board of Directors has general oversight responsibilities for ESG matters, including strategies and efforts to protect and improve the quality of the environment.

Climate Change

As detailed below, the Registrants face climate change mitigation and transition risks as well as adaptation risks. Mitigation and transition risks include changes to the energy systems as a result of new technologies, changing customer expectations and/or voluntary GHG goals, as well as local, state or federal regulatory requirements intended to reduce GHG emissions. Adaptation risk refers to risks to the Registrants' facilities or operations that may result from changes to the physical climate and environment, such as changes to temperature, weather patterns and sea level.

Climate Change Mitigation and Transition

The Registrants support comprehensive federal climate legislation that addresses the urgent need to substantially reduce national GHG emissions while providing appropriate protections for consumers, businesses, and the economy. In the absence of comprehensive federal climate legislation, Exelon supports the EPA moving forward with meaningful regulation of GHG emissions under the Clean Air Act.

The Registrants currently are subject to, and may become subject to additional, federal and/or state legislation and/or regulations addressing GHG emissions. The direct (Scope 1) GHG emission sources associated with the Registrants include sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) leakage from electric transmission and distribution operations, fossil fuel combustion in motor vehicles and refrigerant leakage from chilling and cooling equipment. In addition, PECO, BGE, and DPL, as distributors of natural gas, have natural gas (methane) leakage on the natural gas systems. The Registrants also have indirect (Scope 2 and 3) emissions associated with the production of the electricity they consume and deliver, and indirect (Scope 3) emissions associated with the production of natural gas they deliver and consumer use of such natural gas.

Exelon uses definitions and protocols provided by the World Resources Institute for its GHG inventory. In 2022, Exelon's Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions, were just over 5.7 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent using the World Resources Institute Corporate Standard Market-based accounting. Of these emissions, 0.5 million metric tons are considered to be operations-driven and in more direct control of our employees and processes. The majority of these operations-driven emissions are fugitive emissions from the gas delivery systems of Registrants PECO, BGE, and DPL. The remaining 5.2 million metric tons, approximately 91%, are the indirect emissions associated with the electric transmission and distribution system and primarily consists of losses resulting from the Utility Registrant's delivery of electricity to their customers (line losses). These emissions are driven primarily by customer demand for electricity and the mix of generation assets supplying energy to the electric grid. The Registrants do not own generation and must comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements governing procurement of electricity for delivery to retail customers and use of the system to support other transmission transactions. However, the Registrants do engage in efforts that help to reduce these emissions, including customer programs to drive customer energy efficiency, to help manage peak demands, and to enable distributed solar generation.

In August 2021, Exelon announced a Path to Clean goal to collectively reduce its operations-driven GHG emissions 50% by 2030 against a 2015 baseline, and to reach net zero operations-driven GHG emissions by 2050, while also supporting customers and communities to achieve their clean energy and emissions reduction goals. Exelon’s quantitative goals include its Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions with the exception of Scope 2 line losses, and build upon Exelon's long-standing commitment to reducing our GHG emissions. Exelon's activities in support of the Path to Clean goal will include efficiency and clean electricity for operations, vehicle fleet electrification, equipment and processes to reduce sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) leakage, investments in natural gas infrastructure to minimize methane leaks and increase safety and reliability, and investment and collaboration to develop new technologies. Beyond 2030, Exelon recognizes that technology advancement and continued policy support will be needed to ensure achievement of Net-Zero by 2050. Exelon is laying the groundwork by partnering with national labs, universities and research consortia to research, develop, and pilot clean technologies that will be needed, as well as working with our states, jurisdictions and policy makers to understand the scope and scale of energy transformation, and needed policies and incentives, that will be needed to reach local ambitions for GHG emissions reductions. The Utility Registrants are also supporting customers and communities to achieve their clean energy and emissions goals through significant energy efficiency programs. During 2024 - 2027, estimated customer program energy efficiency investments across the Utility Registrants total $5.1 billion. These programs enable customer savings through home energy audits, lighting discounts, appliance recycling, home improvement rebates, equipment upgrade incentives and innovative programs like smart thermostats and combined heat and power programs.

As an energy delivery company, Exelon can play a role in helping to reduce GHG emissions in its service territories. In connecting end users of energy to electric and gas supply, Exelon can leverage its assets and customer interface to help support efficient use of lower emitting resources as they become available. Electrification, where feasible, for transportation, buildings, and industry coupled with simultaneous decarbonization of electric generation, can be an important means to reduce emissions. Exelon is advocating for public policy supportive of vehicle electrification, investing in enabling infrastructure and technology, and supporting customer education and adoption. In addition, the Utility Registrants have a goal to electrify 30% of their own vehicle fleet by 2025, increasing to 50% by 2030. Clean fuels and other emerging technologies can also support the transition, lessen the strain on electric system expansion, and support energy system resiliency. Exelon, and its registrants PECO, BGE, and DPL that own gas distribution assets, are also continuing to explore these other decarbonization opportunities, supporting pilots of emerging energy technologies and clean fuels to support both operational and customer-driven emissions reductions. The energy transition may present challenges for the Utility Registrants and their service territories. Exelon believes its market and business model could be significantly affected by the transition of the energy system, such as through an increased electric load and decreased demand for natural gas, potentially accompanied by changes in technology, customer expectations, and/or regulatory structures. See ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS. The Registrants are potentially affected by emerging technologies that could over time affect or transform the energy industry.

Climate Change Adaptation

The Registrants' facilities and operations are subject to the impacts of global climate change. Long-term shifts in climactic patterns, such as sustained higher temperatures and sea level rise, may present challenges for the Registrants and their service territories. Exelon believes its operations could be significantly affected by the physical risks of climate change. See ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS for additional information related to the Registrants' risks associated with climate change.

The Registrants' assets undergo seasonal readiness efforts to ensure that they are prepared for the weather projections for the summer and winter months. The Registrants consider and review national climate assessments to inform their planning. Each of the Utility Registrants also has well established system recovery plans and is investing in its systems to install advanced equipment and reinforce the local electric system, making it more weather resistant and less vulnerable to anticipated storm damage.

International Climate Change Agreements. At the international level, the United States is a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Parties to the UNFCCC adopted the Paris Agreement at the 21st session of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP 21) on December 12, 2015. Under the Agreement, which became effective on November 4, 2016, the parties committed to try to limit the global average temperature increase and to develop national GHG reduction commitments. On November 4, 2020, the United States formally withdrew from the Paris Agreement, but on January 20, 2021, President Biden accepted the Agreement, which resulted in the United States’ formal re-entry on February 19, 2021. The United States has set an economy-wide target of reducing its net GHG emissions by 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030. On November 11, 2022, at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP 27), President Biden recommitted the U.S. to these goals and detailed the significant domestic climate actions the U.S. had taken to spur a new era of clean American manufacturing, enhance energy security, and drive down the costs of clean energy for consumers in the U.S. and around the world.

Federal Climate Change Legislation and Regulation. On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which, among other things, aims to reduce U.S. carbon emissions and promote economic development through investments in clean and renewable energy projects. The consumer-facing clean energy tax credits created or expanded by the IRA are intended to drive rapid adoption of energy efficiency, electric transportation, and solar energy which would require Exelon's utilities to expand and modernize infrastructure, systems and services to integrate and optimize these resources.

State Climate Change Legislation and Regulation. A number of states in which the Registrants operate have state and regional programs to reduce GHG emissions and renewable and other portfolio standards, which impact the power sector. See discussion below for additional information on renewable and other portfolio standards.

Certain northeast and mid-Atlantic states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia) currently participate in the RGGI. The program requires most fossil fuel-fired power plant owners and operators in the region to hold allowances, purchased at auction, for each ton of CO2 emissions. Non-emitting resources do not have to purchase or hold these allowances. Pennsylvania joined RGGI in April 2022.

Broader state programs impact other sectors as well, such as the District of Columbia's Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act and cross-sector GHG reduction plans, which resulted in recent requirements for Pepco to develop 5-year and 30-year decarbonization programs and strategies. Maryland expects to meet and exceed the mandate set in the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act to reduce statewide GHG emissions 40% (from 2006 levels) by 2030, and the state’s Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022 further updates requirements with a proposal to reduce emissions 60% (from 2006 levels) by 2031. New Jersey accelerated its goals through Executive Order 274, which establishes an interim goal of 50% reductions below 2006 levels by 2030 and affirms its goal of achieving 80% reductions by 2050 and includes programs to drive greater amounts of electrified transportation. Delaware's Climate Change Solutions Act established in August 2023 sets a statewide GHG emissions reduction goal of 50% by Jan 1, 2030 and a net-zero GHG emissions goal by Jan 1, 2050, on a net basis as compared to a 2005 baseline. Illinois’ climate bill, CEJA, establishes decarbonization requirements for the state to transition to 100% clean energy by 2050 and supports programs to improve energy efficiency, manage energy demand, attract clean energy investment and accelerate job creation. See Note 3 — Regulatory Matters of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on CEJA.

The Registrants cannot predict the nature of future regulations or how such regulations might impact future financial statements.

Renewable and Clean Energy Standards. Each of the states where Exelon operates have adopted some form of renewable or clean energy procurement requirement. These standards impose varying levels of mandates for procurement of renewable or clean electricity (the definition of which varies by state) and/or energy efficiency. These are generally expressed as a percentage of annual electric load, often increasing by year. The Utility Registrants comply with these various requirements through acquiring sufficient bundled or unbundled credits such as RECs, CMCs, or ZECs, or paying an alternative compliance payment, and/or a combination of these compliance alternatives. The Utility Registrants are permitted to recover from retail customers the costs of complying with their state RPS requirements, including the procurement of RECs or other alternative energy resources. See Note 3 — Regulatory Matters of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Other Environmental Regulation

Water Quality

Under the federal Clean Water Act, NPDES permits for discharges into waterways are required to be obtained from the EPA or from the state environmental agency to which the permit program has been delegated, and permits must be renewed periodically. Certain of Exelon's facilities discharge water into waterways and are therefore subject to these regulations and operate under NPDES permits.

Under Clean Water Act Section 404 and state laws and regulations, the Registrants may be required to obtain permits for projects involving dredge or fill activities in waters of the United States.

Where Registrants’ facilities are required to secure a federal license or permit for activities that may result in a discharge to covered waters, they may be required to obtain a state water quality certification under Clean Water Act section 401.

Solid and Hazardous Waste and Environmental Remediation

CERCLA provides for response and removal actions coordinated by the EPA in the event of threatened releases of hazardous substances and authorizes the EPA either to clean up sites at which hazardous substances have created actual or potential environmental hazards or to order persons responsible for the situation to do so. Under CERCLA, generators and transporters of hazardous substances, as well as past and present owners and operators of hazardous waste sites, are strictly, jointly and severally liable for the cleanup costs of hazardous waste at sites, many of which are listed by the EPA on the National Priorities List (NPL). These PRPs can be ordered to perform a cleanup, can be sued for costs associated with an EPA-directed cleanup, may voluntarily settle with the EPA concerning their liability for cleanup costs, or may voluntarily begin a site investigation and site remediation under state oversight. Most states have also enacted statutes that contain provisions substantially similar to CERCLA. Such statutes apply in many states where the Registrants currently own or operate, or previously owned or operated, facilities, including Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia. In addition, RCRA governs treatment, storage and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes and cleanup of sites where such activities were conducted.

The Registrants’ operations have in the past, and may in the future, require substantial expenditures in order to comply with these Federal and state environmental laws. Under these laws, the Registrants may be liable for the costs of remediating environmental contamination of property now or formerly owned by them and of property contaminated by hazardous substances generated by them. The Registrants own or lease a number of real estate parcels, including parcels on which their operations or the operations of others may have resulted in contamination by substances that are considered hazardous under environmental laws. The Registrants and their subsidiaries are, or could become in the future, parties to proceedings initiated by the EPA, state agencies, and/or other responsible parties under CERCLA and RCRA or similar state laws with respect to a number of sites or may undertake to investigate and remediate sites for which they may be subject to enforcement actions by an agency or third-party.

ComEd’s and PECO’s environmental liabilities primarily arise from contamination at former MGP sites, which were operated by ComEd's and PECO's predecessor companies. ComEd, pursuant to an ICC order, and PECO, pursuant to settlements of natural gas distribution rate cases with the PAPUC, have an on-going process to recover certain environmental remediation costs of the MGP sites through a provision within customer rates. BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE do not have material contingent liabilities relating to MGP sites. The amount to be expended in 2024 for activities associated with the environmental investigation and remediation related to contamination at former MGP sites and other gas purification sites is estimated to be approxim ately $36 million which consists primarily of $25 million at ComEd.

As of December 31, 2023, the Registrants have established appropriate contingent liabilities for environmental remediation requirements. In addition, the Registrants may be required to make significant additional expenditures not presently determinable for other environmental remediation costs.

See Note 3 — Regulatory Matters and Note 18 — Commitments and Contingencies of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding the Registrants’ environmental matters, remediation efforts, and related impacts to the Registrants’ Consolidated Financial Statements.