EXELON CORP

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires that management apply accounting policies and make estimates and assumptions that affect results of operations and the amounts of assets and liabilities reported in the financial statements. Management believes that the accounting policies described below require significant judgment in their application or incorporate estimates and assumptions that are inherently uncertain and that may change in subsequent periods. Additional information on the application of these accounting policies can be found in the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Goodwill (Exelon, ComEd, and PHI)

As of December 31, 2024, Exelon’s $6.6 billion carrying amount of goodwill consists of $2.6 billion at ComEd and $4 billion at PHI. These entities are required to perform an assessment for possible impairment of their goodwill at least annually or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting units below their carrying amount. A reporting unit is an operating segment or one level below an operating segment (known as a component) and is the level at which goodwill is assessed for impairment. ComEd has a single operating segment and reporting unit. PHI’s operating segments and reporting units are Pepco, DPL, and ACE. See Note 5 — Segment Information of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information. Exelon's and ComEd’s goodwill has been assigned entirely to the ComEd reporting unit. Exelon's and PHI’s goodwill has been assigned to the Pepco, DPL, and ACE reporting units in the amounts of $2.1 billion, $1.4 billion, and $0.5 billion, respectively. See Note 12 — Intangible Assets of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Entities assessing goodwill for impairment have the option of first performing a qualitative assessment to determine whether a quantitative assessment is necessary. As part of the qualitative assessments, Exelon, ComEd, and PHI evaluate, among other things, management's best estimate of projected operating and capital cash flows for their businesses, outcomes of recent regulatory proceedings, changes in certain market conditions, including the discount rate and regulated utility peer EBITDA multiples, and the passing margin from their last quantitative assessments performed.

Application of the goodwill impairment assessment requires management judgment, including the identification of reporting units and determining the fair value of the reporting unit, which management estimates using a weighted combination of a discounted cash flow analysis and a market multiples analysis. Significant assumptions used in these fair value analyses include discount and growth rates, utility sector market performance and transactions, and projected operating and capital cash flows for ComEd’s, Pepco's, DPL's, and ACE's businesses and the fair value of debt.

While the 2024 annual assessments indicated no impairments, certain assumptions used in the assessment are highly sensitive to changes. Adverse regulatory actions or changes in significant assumptions could potentially result in future impairments of Exelon’s, ComEd's, or PHI’s goodwill, which could be material.

See Note 1 — Significant Accounting Policies and Note 12 — Intangible Assets of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Unamortized Energy Contract Liabilities (Exelon and PHI)

Unamortized energy contract liabilities represent the remaining unamortized balances of non-derivative electricity contracts that Exelon acquired as part of the PHI merger. The initial amount recorded represents the difference between the fair value of the contracts at the time of acquisition and the contract value based on the terms of each contract. Offsetting regulatory assets were also recorded for those energy contract costs that are probable of recovery through customer rates. The unamortized energy contract liabilities and the corresponding regulatory assets, respectively, are amortized over the life of the contract in relation to the expected realization of the underlying cash flows. Amortization of the unamortized energy contract liabilities are recorded through Purchased power and fuel expense. See Note 3 — Regulatory Matters and Note 12 — Intangible Assets of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Depreciable Lives of Property, Plant, and Equipment (All Registrants)

The Registrants have significant investments in electric and natural gas transmission and distribution assets. These assets are generally depreciated on a straight-line basis, using the group, or composite methods of depreciation. The group approach is typically for groups of similar assets that have approximately the same useful lives and the composite approach is used for heterogeneous assets that have different lives. Under both methods, a reporting entity depreciates the assets over the average life of the assets in the group. The estimation of asset useful lives requires management judgment, supported by formal depreciation studies of historical asset retirement experience. Depreciation studies are conducted periodically and as required by a rate regulator or regulatory action, or changes in retirement patterns indicate an update is necessary.

Depreciation studies generally serve as the basis for amounts allowed in customer rates for recovery of depreciation costs. Generally, the Registrants adjust their depreciation rates for financial reporting purposes concurrent with adjustments to depreciation rates reflected in customer rates, unless the depreciation rates reflected in customer rates do not align with management’s judgment as to an appropriate estimated useful life or have not been updated on a timely basis. Depreciation expense and customer rates for ComEd, BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE include an estimate of the future costs of dismantling and removing plant from service upon retirement. See Note 3 — Regulatory Matters of the Combined Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding regulatory liabilities and assets recorded by ComEd, BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE related to removal costs.

PECO’s removal costs are capitalized to accumulated depreciation when incurred and recorded to depreciation expense over the life of the new asset constructed consistent with PECO’s regulatory recovery method. Estimates for such removal costs are also evaluated in the periodic depreciation studies.

Changes in estimated useful lives of electric and natural gas transmission and distribution assets could have a significant impact on the Registrants’ future results of operations. See Note 1 — Significant Accounting Policies of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding depreciation and estimated service lives of the property, plant, and equipment of the Registrants.

Retirement Benefits (All Registrants)

Exelon sponsors defined benefit pension plans and OPEB plans. The measurement of the plan obligations and costs of providing benefits involves various factors, including the development of valuation assumptions and inputs and accounting policy elections. When developing the required assumptions, Exelon considers historical information as well as future expectations. The measurement of benefit obligations and costs is affected by several assumptions including the discount rate, the long-term expected rate of return on plan assets, the anticipated rate of increase of health care costs, Exelon's contributions, the rate of compensation increases, and the long-term expected investment rate credited to employees of certain plans, among others. The assumptions are updated annually and upon any interim remeasurement of the plan obligations.

Pension and OPEB plan assets include cash and cash equivalents, equity securities, including U.S. and international securities, and fixed income securities, as well as certain alternative investment classes such as private equity, real estate, private credit, and hedge funds.

Expected Rate of Return on Plan Assets. In determining the EROA, Exelon considers historical economic indicators (including inflation and GDP growth) that impact asset returns, as well as expectations regarding future long-term capital market performance, weighted by Exelon’s target asset class allocations. Exelon calculates the amount of expected return on pension and OPEB plan assets by multiplying the EROA by the MRV of plan assets at the beginning of the year, taking into consideration anticipated contributions and benefit payments to be made during the year. In determining MRV, the authoritative guidance for pensions and postretirement benefits allows the use of either fair value or a calculated value that recognizes changes in fair value in a systematic and rational manner over not more than five years. For the majority of pension plan assets, Exelon uses a calculated value that adjusts for 20% of the difference between fair value and expected MRV of plan assets. Use of this calculated value approach enables less volatile expected asset returns to be recognized as a component of pension cost from year to year. For OPEB plan assets and certain pension plan assets, Exelon uses fair value to calculate the MRV.

Discount Rate. The discount rates are determined by developing a spot rate curve based on the yield to maturity of a universe of high-quality non-callable (or callable with make whole provisions) bonds with similar maturities to the related pension and OPEB obligations. The spot rates are used to discount the estimated future benefit distribution amounts under the pension and OPEB plans. The discount rate is the single level rate that produces the same result as the spot rate curve. Exelon utilizes an analytical tool developed by its actuaries to determine the discount rates.

Mortality. The mortality assumption is composed of a base table that represents the current expectation of life expectancy of the population adjusted by an improvement scale that attempts to anticipate future improvements in life expectancy. Exelon’s mortality assumption utilizes the SOA 2019 base table (Pri-2012) and MP-2021 improvement scale adjusted to use Proxy SSA ultimate improvement rates.

Sensitivity to Changes in Key Assumptions. The following tables illustrate the effects of changing certain of the actuarial assumptions discussed above, while holding all other assumptions constant:

(a)In general, the discount rate will have a larger impact on the pension and OPEB cost and obligation as the rate moves closer to 0%. Therefore, the discount rate sensitivities above cannot necessarily be extrapolated for larger increases or decreases in the discount rate. Additionally, Exelon utilizes a liability-driven investment strategy for its pension asset portfolio. The sensitivities shown above do not reflect the offsetting impact that changes in discount rates may have on pension asset returns.

See Note 1 — Significant Accounting Policies and Note 14 — Retirement Benefits of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding the accounting for the defined benefit pension plans and OPEB plans.

Regulatory Accounting (All Registrants)

For their regulated electric and gas operations, the Registrants reflect the effects of cost-based rate regulation in their financial statements, which is required for entities with regulated operations that meet the following criteria: (1) rates are established or approved by a third-party regulator; (2) rates are designed to recover the entities’ cost of providing services or products; and (3) a reasonable expectation that rates designed to recover costs can be charged to and collected from customers. Regulatory assets represent incurred costs that have been deferred because of their probable future recovery from customers through regulated rates. Regulatory liabilities represent (1) revenue or gains that have been deferred because it is probable such amounts will be returned to customers through future regulated rates; or (2) billings in advance of expenditures for approved regulatory programs. If it is concluded in a future period that a separable portion of operations no longer meets the criteria discussed above, the Registrants would be required to eliminate any associated regulatory assets and liabilities and the impact, which could be material, would be recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income.

The following table illustrates gains (losses) to be included in net income that could result from the elimination of regulatory assets and liabilities and charges against OCI related to deferred costs associated with Exelon's pension and OPEB plans that are recorded as Regulatory assets in Exelon's Consolidated Balance Sheets (before taxes) at December 31, 2024:

(a)Exelon's charge against OCI (before taxes) consists of up to $2.2 billion, $363 million, $384 million, $253 million, $95 million, and $7 million related to ComEd's, BGE's, PHI's, Pepco's, DPL's, and ACE's respective portions of the deferred costs associated with Exelon's pension and OPEB plans. Exelon also has a net regulatory liability of $106 million (before taxes) related to PECO’s portion of the deferred costs associated with Exelon’s OPEB plans that would result in an increase in OCI if reversed.

See Note 3 — Regulatory Matters of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding regulatory matters, including the regulatory assets and liabilities of the Registrants.

For each regulatory jurisdiction in which they conduct business, the Registrants assess whether the regulatory assets and liabilities continue to meet the criteria for probable future recovery or refund at each balance sheet date and when regulatory events occur. This assessment includes consideration of recent rate orders, historical regulatory treatment for similar costs in each Registrant's jurisdictions, and factors such as changes in applicable regulatory and political environments. If the assessments and estimates made by the Registrants for regulatory assets and regulatory liabilities are ultimately different than actual regulatory outcomes, the impact in their consolidated financial statements could be material.

Refer to the revenue recognition discussion below for additional information on the annual revenue reconciliations associated with ICC-approved electric distribution MRP and formula rate mechanisms for ComEd, and FERC transmission formula rate tariffs for the Utility Registrants.

Derivative Financial Instruments (All Registrants)

The Registrants use derivative instruments to manage commodity price risk and interest rate risk related to ongoing business operations. See Note 15 — Derivative Financial Instruments of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Determining whether a contract qualifies as a derivative requires that management exercise significant judgment, including assessing market liquidity as well as determining whether a contract has one or more underlying and one or more notional quantities.

All derivatives are recognized on the balance sheet at their fair value, except for certain derivatives that qualify for, and are elected under, NPNS. For derivatives that qualify and are designated as cash flow hedges, changes in fair value each period are initially recorded in AOCI and recognized in earnings when the hedged transaction affects earnings. For derivatives intended to serve as economic hedges, which are not designated for hedge accounting, changes in fair value each period are recognized in earnings on the Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income or are recorded as a regulatory asset or liability when there is an ability to recover or return the associated costs or benefits in accordance with regulatory requirements.

NPNS. Contracts that are designated as NPNS are not required to be recorded at fair value, but rather on an accrual basis of accounting. Determining whether a contract qualifies for NPNS requires judgment on whether the contract will physically deliver and requires that management ensure compliance with all the associated qualification and documentation requirements. For all NPNS derivative instruments, accounts payable is recorded when derivatives settle and expense is recognized in earnings as the underlying physical commodity is consumed. Contracts that qualify for NPNS are those for which physical delivery is probable, quantities are expected to be used or sold in the normal course of business over a reasonable period, and the contract is not financially settled on a net basis. See Note 15 — Derivative Financial Instruments of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for all contracts that are accounted for under NPNS.

Commodity Contracts. The Registrants make estimates and assumptions concerning future commodity prices, interest rates, and the timing of future transactions and their probable cash flows in deciding whether to enter derivative transactions, and in determining the initial accounting treatment for derivative transactions. The Registrants categorize these derivatives under a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value.

Derivative contracts can be traded in both exchange-based and non-exchange-based markets. Exchange-based derivatives that are valued using unadjusted quoted prices in active markets are generally categorized in Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy. Certain derivative pricing is verified using indicative price quotations available through brokers or over-the-counter, online exchanges. For derivatives that trade in liquid markets, the model inputs are generally observable. Such instruments are categorized in Level 2. For derivatives that trade in less liquid markets with limited pricing information, the model inputs generally would include both observable and unobservable inputs and are categorized in Level 3.

The Registrants consider nonperformance risk, including credit risk in the valuation of derivative contracts, and both historical and current market data in the assessment of nonperformance risk. The impacts of nonperformance and credit risk to date have generally not been material to the Registrants’ financial statements.

Interest Rate Derivative Instruments. Exelon Corporate utilizes interest rate swaps to manage interest rate risk on existing and planned future debt issuances. The fair value of the swaps is calculated by discounting the future net cash flows to the present value based on the terms and conditions of the agreements and the forward interest rate curves. As these inputs are based on observable data and valuations of similar instruments, the interest rate derivatives are primarily categorized in Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

See ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK and Note 17 — Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities and Note 15 — Derivative Financial Instruments of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding the Registrants’ derivative instruments.

Income Taxes (All Registrants)

Significant management judgment is required in determining the Registrants’ provisions for income taxes, primarily due to the uncertainty related to tax positions taken, as well as deferred tax assets and liabilities and valuation allowances. The Registrants account for uncertain income tax positions using a benefit recognition model with a two-step approach including a more-likely-than-not recognition threshold and a measurement approach based on the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Management evaluates each position based solely on the technical merits and facts and circumstances of the position, assuming the position will be examined by a taxing authority having full knowledge of all relevant information. Significant judgment is required to determine whether the recognition threshold has been met and, if so, the appropriate amount of tax benefits to be recorded in the Registrants’ consolidated financial statements.

The Registrants evaluate quarterly the probability of realizing deferred tax assets by reviewing a forecast of future taxable income and their intent and ability to implement tax planning strategies, if necessary, to realize deferred tax assets. The Registrants also assess negative evidence, such as the expiration of historical operating loss or tax credit carryforwards, that could indicate the Registrant's inability to realize its deferred tax assets. Based on the combined assessment, the Registrants record valuation allowances for deferred tax assets when it is more-likely-than-not such benefit will not be realized in future periods.

Actual income taxes could vary from estimated amounts due to the future impacts of various items, including future changes in income tax laws, the Registrants’ forecasted financial condition and results of operations, failure to successfully implement tax planning strategies, as well as results of audits and examinations of filed tax returns by taxing authorities. See Note 13 — Income Taxes of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Accounting for Loss Contingencies (All Registrants)

In the preparation of the financial statements, the Registrants make judgments regarding the future outcome of contingent events and record liabilities for loss contingencies that are probable and can be reasonably estimated based upon available information. The amount recorded may differ from the actual expense incurred when the uncertainty is resolved. Such difference could have a significant impact in the Registrants' consolidated financial statements.

Environmental Costs. Environmental investigation and remediation liabilities are based upon estimates with respect to the number of sites for which the Registrants will be responsible, the scope and cost of work to be performed at each site, the portion of costs that will be shared with other parties, the timing of the remediation work, regulations, and the requirements of local governmental authorities. Annual studies and/or reviews are conducted at ComEd, PECO, BGE, and DPL to determine future remediation requirements for MGP sites and estimates are adjusted accordingly. In addition, periodic reviews are performed at each of the Registrants to assess the adequacy of other environmental reserves. These matters, if resolved in a manner different from the estimate, could have a significant impact in the Registrants’ consolidated financial statements. See Note 18 — Commitments and Contingencies of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Other, Including Personal Injury Claims. The Registrants are self-insured for general liability, automotive liability, workers’ compensation, and personal injury claims to the extent that losses are within policy deductibles or exceed the amount of insurance maintained. The Registrants have reserves for both open claims asserted, and an estimate of claims incurred but not reported (IBNR). The IBNR reserve is estimated based on actuarial assumptions and analysis and is updated annually. Future events, such as the number of new claims to be filed each year, the average cost of disposing of claims, as well as the numerous uncertainties surrounding litigation and possible state and national legislative measures could cause the actual costs to be higher or lower than estimated. Accordingly, these claims, if resolved in a manner different from the estimate, could have a material impact to the Registrants’ consolidated financial statements.

Revenues (All Registrants)

Sources of Revenue and Determination of Accounting Treatment. The Registrants earn revenues from the sale and delivery of power and natural gas in regulated markets. The accounting treatment for revenue recognition is based on the nature of the underlying transaction and applicable authoritative guidance. The Registrants primarily apply the Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and Alternative Revenue Program accounting guidance to recognize revenues as discussed in more detail below.

Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The Registrants recognize revenues in the period in which the performance obligations within contracts with customers are satisfied, which generally occurs when power and natural gas are physically delivered to the customer. Transactions of the Registrants within the scope of Revenue from Contracts with Customers generally include sales to utility customers under regulated service tariffs.

The determination of the Registrants' power and natural gas sales to individual customers is based on systematic readings of customer meters, generally monthly. At the end of each month, amounts of energy delivered to customers since the date of the last meter reading are estimated, and corresponding unbilled revenue is recorded. The measurement of unbilled revenue is affected by the following factors: daily customer usage measured by generation or gas throughput volume, customer usage by class, losses of energy during delivery to customers and applicable customer rates. Increases or decreases in volumes delivered to the Registrant’s customers and favorable or unfavorable rate mix due to changes in usage patterns in customer classes in the period could be significant to the calculation of unbilled revenue. In addition, revenues may fluctuate monthly as a result of customers electing to use an alternative supplier, since unbilled commodity revenues are not recorded for these customers. Changes in the timing of meter reading schedules and the number and type of customers scheduled for each meter reading date also impact the measurement of unbilled revenue; however, total operating revenues would remain materially unchanged. See Note 1 — Significant Accounting Policies of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Alternative Revenue Program Accounting. Certain of the Registrants’ ratemaking mechanisms qualify as ARPs if they (i) are established by a regulatory order and allow for automatic adjustment to future rates, (ii) provide for additional revenues (above those amounts currently reflected in the price of utility service) that are objectively determinable and probable of recovery, and (iii) allow for the collection of those additional revenues within 24 months following the end of the period in which they were recognized. For mechanisms that meet these criteria, the Registrants adjust revenue and record an offsetting regulatory asset or liability once the condition or event allowing additional billing or refund has occurred. The ARP revenues presented in the Registrants’ Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income include both: (i) the recognition of “originating” ARP revenues (when the regulator-specified condition or event allowing for additional billing or refund has occurred) and (ii) an equal and offsetting reversal of the “originating” ARP revenues as those amounts are reflected in the price of utility service and recognized as Revenue from Contracts with Customers.

ComEd records ARP revenue for its best estimate of the electric distribution, energy efficiency, distributed generation rebates, and transmission revenue impacts resulting from future changes in rates that ComEd believes are probable of approval by the ICC and FERC in accordance with its distribution multi-year rate plan, distribution revenue decoupling mechanisms, and formula rate mechanisms. BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE record ARP revenue for their best estimate of the electric and natural gas distribution revenue impacts resulting from future changes in rates that they believe are probable of approval by the MDPSC, DCPSC, and/or NJBPU in accordance with their revenue decoupling mechanisms. PECO, BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE record ARP revenue for their best estimate of the transmission revenue impacts resulting from future changes in rates that they believe are probable of approval by FERC in accordance with their formula rate mechanisms. Estimates of the current year revenue requirement are based on actual and/or forecasted costs and investments in rate base for the period and the rates of return on common equity and associated regulatory capital structure allowed under the applicable tariff. The estimated reconciliation can be affected by, among other things, variances in costs incurred, investments made, allowed ROE, and actions by regulators or courts.

See Note 3 — Regulatory Matters of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Allowance for Credit Losses on Customer Receivables (All Registrants)

The Registrants allowance for credit losses on customer receivables is estimated based on historical experience, current conditions, and forward-looking risk factors. Historical experience considered include collection activities and payment history utilized for risk segmentation; current conditions include changes in economic conditions, aging of receivable balances, payment options and programs available to customers, and industry trends for each company; and forward-looking risk factors include assumptions related to the level of write-offs and recoveries. Risk segments represent a group of customers with similar forward-looking credit quality indicators and risk factors that are comprised based on various attributes, including delinquency of their balances and payment history and represent expected, future customer behavior. The Registrants' customer accounts are generally considered delinquent if the amount billed is not received by the time the next bill is issued, which normally occurs on a monthly basis. The Registrants' customer accounts are written off consistent with approved regulatory requirements. The Registrants' allowances for credit losses will continue to be affected by changes in volume, prices, and economic conditions as well as changes in ICC, PAPUC, MDPSC, DCPSC, DEPSC, and NJBPU regulations.