ED, §1A diff (2016 → 2017)

Item 1A: Risk Factors Information in any item of this report as to which reference is made in this Item 1A is incorporated by reference herein. The use of such terms as “see” or “refer to” shall be deemed to incorporate at the place such term is used the information to which such reference is made. The Companies’ businesses are influenced by many factors that are difficult to predict, and that involve uncertainties that may materially affect actual operating results, cash flows and financial condition. The Companies have established an enterprise risk management program to identify, assess, manage and monitor its major business risks based on established criteria for the severity of an event, the likelihood of its occurrence, and the programs in place to control the event or reduce the impact. The Companies’ major risks include: Regulatory/Compliance Risks: The Companies Are Extensively Regulated And Are Subject To Penalties. The Companies’ operations require numerous permits, approvals and certificates from various federal, state and local governmental agencies. State utility regulators may seek to impose substantial penalties on the Utilities for violations of state utility laws, regulations or orders. In addition, the Utilities' rate plans usually include penalties for failing to meet certain operating and customer satisfaction standards. See Note B to the financial statements in Item 8. FERC has the authority to impose penalties on the Utilities and the Clean Energy Businesses, which could be substantial, for violations of the Federal Power Act, the Natural Gas Act or related rules, including reliability and cyber security rules. Environmental agencies may seek penalties for failure to comply with laws, regulations or permits. The Companies may also be subject to penalties from other regulatory agencies. The Companies may be subject to new laws, regulations or other requirements or the revision or reinterpretation of such requirements, which could adversely affect them. In April 2014, the NYSPSC instituted its REV proceeding to improve system efficiency and reliability, encourage renewable energy resources, support distributed energy resources and empower customer choice. See “Utility Regulation” and “Environmental Matters - Climate Change and Other Federal, State and Local Environmental Provisions” in Item 1 and “Application of Critical Accounting Policies” in Item 7. The Utilities’ Rate Plans May Not Provide A Reasonable Return. The Utilities have rate plans approved by state utility regulators that limit the rates they can charge their customers. The rates are generally designed for, but do not guarantee, the recovery of the Utilities’ cost of service (including a return on equity). See “Utility Regulation - State Utility Regulation - Rate Plans” in Item 1 and “Rate Plans” in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8. Rates usually may not be changed during the specified terms of the rate plans other than to recover energy costs and limited other exceptions. The Utilities’ actual costs may exceed levels provided for such costs in the rate plans. State utility regulators can initiate proceedings to prohibit the Utilities from recovering from their customers the cost of service (including energy costs) that the regulators determine to have been imprudently incurred (see "Other Regulatory Matters" in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8). The Utilities have from time to time entered into settlement agreements to resolve various prudence proceedings. The Companies May Be Adversely Affected By Changes To The Utilities’ Rate Plans. The Utilities’ rate plans typically require action by regulators at their expiration dates, which may include approval of new plans with different provisions. The need to recover from customers increasing costs, taxes or state-mandated assessments or surcharges could adversely affect the Utilities’ opportunity to obtain new rate plans that provide a reasonable rate of return and continue important provisions of current rate plans. The Utilities’ current New York electric and gas rate plans include revenue decoupling mechanisms and their New York electric, gas and steam rate plans include provisions for the recovery of energy costs and reconciliation of the actual amount of pension and other postretirement, environmental and certain other costs to amounts reflected in rates. See “Rate Plans” and "Other Regulatory Matters" in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8. The Intentional Misconduct of Employees or Contractors Could Adversely Affect the Companies. The violation of laws or regulations by employees or contractors for personal gain may result from contract and procurement fraud, extortion, bribe acceptance, fraudulent related-party transactions and serious breaches of corporate policy or standards of business conduct. Such intentional misconduct by employees or contractors could result in substantial liability, higher costs and increased regulatory requirements. See “Employees” in Item 1. Operations Risks: The Failure of, or Damage to, the Companies’ Facilities Could Adversely Affect the Companies. The Utilities provide electricity, gas and steam service using energy facilities, many of which are located either in, or close to, densely populated public places. See the description of the Utilities’ facilities in Item 1. A failure of, or damage to, these facilities, or an error in the operation or maintenance of these facilities, could result in bodily injury or death, property damage, the release of hazardous substances or extended service interruptions. A natural disaster such as a major storm, a heat wave or hurricane could damage facilities and the Utilities may experience more severe consequences from attempting to operate during and after such events. The Utilities’ response to such events may be perceived to be below customer expectations. The Utilities could be required to pay substantial amounts that may not be covered by the Utilities’ insurance policies to repair or replace their facilities, compensate others for injury or death or other damage and settle any proceedings initiated by state utility regulators or other regulatory agencies. The occurrence of such events could also adversely affect the cost and availability of insurance. See “Other Regulatory Matters” in Note B and “Manhattan Explosion and Fire” in Note H to the financial statements in Item 8. Changes to laws, regulations or judicial doctrines could further expand the Utilities’ liability for service interruptions. See “Utility Regulation - State Utility Regulation” and "Environmental Matters" in Item 1. A Cyber Attack Could Adversely Affect the Companies. The Companies and other operators of critical energy infrastructure and energy market participants face a heightened risk of cyber attack. Cyber attacks may include hacking, viruses, malware, denial of service attacks, ransomware or other data security breaches. The U.S. Department of Energy's Quadrennial Energy Review, issued in January 2017, indicated that cyber threats to the electricity system are increasing in sophistication, magnitude and frequency. The Companies’ businesses require the continued operation of information systems and network infrastructure. See Item 1 for a description of the businesses of the Utilities, the Clean Energy Businesses and Con Edison Transmission. Interconnectivity with customers, independent system operators, energy traders and other energy market participants, suppliers, contractors and others exposes the Companies’ information systems and network infrastructure to an increased risk of cyber attack and increases the risk that a cyber attack on the Companies could affect others. In the event of a cyber attack that the Companies were unable to defend against or mitigate, the Companies could have their operations and the operations of their customers and others disrupted. The Companies could also have their financial and other information systems and network infrastructure impaired, property damaged and customer and employee information stolen; experience substantial loss of revenues, response costs and other financial loss; and be subject to increased regulation, litigation and damage to their reputation. The Companies have experienced cyber attacks, although none of the attacks had a material impact. Environmental Risks: The Companies Are Exposed to Risks From The Environmental Consequences Of Their Operations. The Companies are exposed to risks relating to climate change and related matters. See “Environmental Matters - Climate Change” in Item 1. CECONY may also be impacted by regulations requiring reductions in air emissions. See “Environmental Matters - Other Federal, State and Local Environmental Provisions - Air Quality” in Item 1. In addition, the Utilities are responsible for hazardous substances, such as asbestos, PCBs and coal tar, that have been used or produced in the course of the Utilities’ operations and are present on properties or in facilities and equipment currently or previously owned by them. See “Environmental Matters” in Item 1 and Note G to the financial statements in Item 8. The Companies could be adversely affected if a causal relationship between electric and magnetic fields and adverse health effects were to be established. Financial and Market Risks: A Disruption In The Wholesale Energy Markets Or Failure By An Energy Supplier Could Adversely Affect The Companies. Almost all the electricity and gas the Utilities sell to their full-service customers is purchased through the wholesale energy markets or pursuant to contracts with energy suppliers. See the description of the Utilities’ energy supply in Item 1. A disruption in the wholesale energy markets or a failure on the part of the Utilities’ energy suppliers or operators of energy delivery systems that connect to the Utilities’ energy facilities could adversely affect their ability to meet their customers’ energy needs and adversely affect the Companies. In addition, see “Financial and Commodity Market Risks” in Item 7. The Companies Have Substantial Unfunded Pension And Other Postretirement Benefit Liabilities. The Utilities have substantial unfunded pension and other postretirement benefit liabilities. The Utilities expect to make substantial contributions to their pension and other postretirement benefit plans. Significant declines in the market values of the investments held to fund pension and other postretirement benefits could trigger substantial funding requirements under governmental regulations. See “Application of Critical Accounting Policies - Accounting for Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits” and “Financial and Commodity Market Risks” in Item 7 and Notes E and F to the financial statements in Item 8. Con Edison’s Ability To Pay Dividends Or Interest Depends On Dividends From Its Subsidiaries. Con Edison’s ability to pay dividends on its common stock or interest on its external borrowings depends primarily on the dividends and other distributions it receives from its subsidiaries. The dividends that the Utilities may pay to Con Edison are limited by the NYSPSC to not more than 100 percent of their respective income available for dividends calculated on a two-year rolling average basis, with certain exceptions. See “Dividends” in Note C to the financial statements in Item 8. The Companies Require Access To Capital Markets To Satisfy Funding Requirements. The Utilities estimate that their construction expenditures will exceed $9,500 million over the next three years. The Utilities use internally-generated funds, equity contributions from Con Edison, if any, and external borrowings to fund the construction expenditures. The Clean Energy Businesses and Con Edison Transmission are investing in renewable generation and energy infrastructure projects that require funds in excess of those produced in the businesses. Con Edison expects to finance its capital requirements primarily through internally generated funds and the sale of its securities. Changes in financial market conditions or in the Companies’ credit ratings could adversely affect their ability to raise new capital and the cost thereof. See “Capital Requirements and Resources” in Item 1. Changes To Tax Laws Could Adversely Affect the Companies. Changes to tax laws, regulations or interpretations thereof could have a material adverse impact on the Companies. The reduction in the federal corporate income tax rate to 21 percent under the TCJA is expected to result in decreased cash flows from operating activities, and require increased cash flows from financing activities, for the Utilities as and when rates the Utilities charge their customers are adjusted to reflect the reduction. Depending on the extent of these changes in cash flows, the changes could adversely impact the Companies’ credit ratings. See “Capital Requirements and Resources - Capital Resources” in Item 1, “Liquidity and Capital Resources - Cash Flows from Operating Activities” in Item 7, "Other Regulatory Matters" in Note B and Note L to the financial statements in Item 8. Other Risks: The Companies’ Strategies May Not Be Effective To Address Changes In The External Business Environment. The failure to identify, plan and execute strategies to address changes in the external business environment could have a material adverse impact on the Companies. Con Edison seeks to provide shareholder value through continued dividend growth, supported by earnings growth in regulated utilities and contracted assets. Changes to public policy, laws or regulations (or interpretations thereof), customer behavior or technology could significantly impact the value of the Utilities’ energy delivery facilities, the Clean Energy Businesses’ renewable and energy infrastructure projects and Con Edison Transmission's investment in electric and gas transmission projects. Such changes could also affect the Companies’ opportunities to make additional investments in such assets and the potential return on the investments. See “Utility Regulation - State Utility Regulation - New York Utility Industry - Reforming the Energy Vision,” and “Competition” in Item 1. The Companies Also Face Other Risks That Are Beyond Their Control. The Companies’ results of operations can be affected by circumstances or events that are beyond their control. Weather directly influences the demand for electricity, gas and steam service, and can affect the price of energy commodities. Terrorist or other physical attacks or acts of war could damage Company facilities. Economic conditions can affect customers’ demand and ability to pay for service, which could adversely affect the Companies. Item 1B: