Entergy 10-Q 2024-03-31

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2024

OR

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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrants (1) have filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrants were required to file such reports), and (2) have been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrants have submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrants were required to submit such files). Yes ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether each registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrants have elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrants are shell companies (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☑

Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, LLC, Entergy Louisiana, LLC, Entergy Mississippi, LLC, Entergy New Orleans, LLC, Entergy Texas, Inc

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See the “Market and Credit Risk Sensitive Instruments” section of Entergy Corporation and Subsidiaries Management’s Financial Discussion and Analysis.

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of March 31, 2024, evaluations were performed under the supervision and with the participation of Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Texas, and System Energy (each individually a “Registrant” and collectively the “Registrants”) management, including their respective Principal Executive Officers (PEO) and Principal Financial Officers (PFO). The evaluations assessed the effectiveness of the Registrants’ disclosure controls and procedures. Based on the evaluations, each PEO and PFO has concluded that, as to the Registrant or Registrants for which they serve as PEO or PFO, the Registrant’s or Registrants’ disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by each Registrant in reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in Securities and Exchange Commission rules and forms; and that the Registrant’s or Registrants’ disclosure controls and procedures are also effective in reasonably assuring that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Registrant’s or Registrants’ management, including their respective PEOs and PFOs, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Under the supervision and with the participation of each Registrant’s management, including its respective PEO and PFO, each Registrant evaluated changes in internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended March 31, 2024 and found no change that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, internal control over financial reporting.

ENTERGY ARKANSAS, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

MANAGEMENT’S FINANCIAL DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Results of Operations

Net Income

Entergy Arkansas experienced a net loss of $32.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to net income of $59.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023 primarily due to a $131.8 million ($99.1 million net-of-tax) charge to reflect the write-off of a previously recorded regulatory asset as a result of an adverse decision in the opportunity sales proceeding in March 2024. Partially offsetting the charge to Entergy Arkansas’s earnings were higher retail electric price and higher volume/weather. See Note 2 to the financial statements herein and in the Form 10-K for discussion of the opportunity sales proceeding.

Operating Revenues

Following is an analysis of the change in operating revenues comparing the first quarter 2024 to the first quarter 2023:

Entergy Arkansas’s results include revenues from rate mechanisms designed to recover fuel, purchased power, and other costs such that the revenues and expenses associated with these items generally offset and do not affect net income. “Fuel, rider, and other revenues that do not significantly affect net income” includes the revenue variance associated with these items.

The retail electric price variance is primarily due to an increase in formula rate plan rates effective January 2024. See Note 2 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for discussion of the 2023 formula rate plan filing.

The volume/weather variance is primarily due to the effect of more favorable weather on residential sales and an increase in industrial usage. The increase in industrial usage is primarily due to an increase in demand from large industrial customers, primarily in the technology industry, and an increase in demand from small industrial customers. The increased usage from these industrial customers has a relatively smaller effect on operating revenues because a larger portion of the revenues from those customers comes from fixed charges.

Entergy Arkansas, LLC and Subsidiaries

Management’s Financial Discussion and Analysis

Total electric energy sales for Entergy Arkansas for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 are as follows:

See Note 12 to the financial statements herein for additional discussion of Entergy Arkansas’s operating revenues.

Other Income Statement Variances

Fuel, fuel-related expenses, and gas purchased for resale includes a credit of $9 million, recorded in first quarter 2024, for costs related to net metering. The costs were incurred in 2023 and included within Entergy Arkansas’s annual redetermination of its energy cost recovery rider filed in March 2024 due to a change in law in the state of Arkansas. See Note 2 to the financial statements herein for discussion of the March 2024 energy cost recovery rider filing.

Other operation and maintenance expenses increased primarily due to:

• the effects of recording a final judgment in first quarter 2023 to resolve claims in the ANO damages case against the DOE related to spent nuclear fuel storage costs. The damages awarded included the reimbursement of approximately $10.3 million of spent nuclear fuel storage costs previously recorded as other operation and maintenance expenses. See Note 8 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for discussion of the spent nuclear fuel litigation;

• an increase of $3.8 million in energy efficiency expenses primarily due to the timing of recovery from customers;

• an increase of $2.5 million in power delivery expenses primarily due to higher vegetation maintenance costs due to timing;

• an increase of $2.3 million in compensation and benefits costs primarily due to higher healthcare claims activity in 2024; and

• an increase of $2.2 million in contract costs related to operational performance, customer service, and organizational health initiatives.

Asset write-offs includes a $131.8 million ($99.1 million net-of-tax) charge to reflect the write-off of a previously recorded regulatory asset as a result of an adverse decision in the opportunity sales proceeding in March 2024. See Note 2 to the financial statements herein and in the Form 10-K for discussion of the opportunity sales proceeding.

Depreciation and amortization expenses increased primarily due to additions to plant in service.

Entergy Arkansas, LLC and Subsidiaries

Management's Financial Discussion and Analysis

Entergy Arkansas records a regulatory charge or credit for the difference between asset retirement obligation-related expenses and nuclear decommissioning trust earnings plus asset retirement obligation-related costs collecte

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See “PART I, Item 1, Litigation” in the Form 10-K for a discussion of legal, administrative, and other regulatory proceedings affecting Entergy. Also see Notes 1 and 2 to the financial statements herein and “Item 5, Other Information, Environmental Regulation” below for updates regarding environmental proceedings and regulation.

There have been no material changes to the risk factors discussed in "Part I, Item 1A. RISK FACTORS" in the Form 10-K.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities (1)

In accordance with Entergy’s stock-based compensation plans, Entergy periodically grants stock options to key employees, which may be exercised to obtain shares of Entergy’s common stock. According to the plans, these shares can be newly issued shares, treasury stock, or shares purchased on the open market. Entergy’s management has been authorized by the Board to repurchase on the open market shares up to an amount sufficient to fund the exercise of grants under the plans. In addition to this authority, the Board has authorized share repurchase programs to enable opportunistic purchases in response to market conditions. In October 2010 the Board granted authority for a $500 million share repurchase program. The amount of share repurchases under these programs may vary as a result of material changes in business results or capital spending or new investment opportunities. In addition, in the first quarter 2024, Entergy withheld 101,960 shares of its common stock at $99.31 per share, 75,018 shares of its common stock at $98.86 per share, 1,731 shares of its common stock at $103.94 per share, 316 shares of its common stock at $102.64 per share, 232 shares of its common stock at $102.77 per share, 41 shares of its common stock at $100.15 per share, and 6 shares of its common stock at $104.68 per share to pay income taxes due upon vesting of restricted stock granted and payout of performance units as part of its long-term incentive program.

(1)See Note 12 to the financial statements in the Form 10-K for additional discussion of the stock-based compensation plans.

(2)Maximum amount of shares that may yet be repurchased relates only to the $500 million share repurchase program plan and does not include an estimate of the amount of shares that may be purchased to fund the exercise of grants under the stock-based compensation plans.

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Investigation

The Staff of the Division of Enforcement of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has been conducting an investigation regarding Entergy’s processes and controls relating to its accounting for materials and supplies inventory. Entergy is cooperating with the SEC staff’s investigation and has engaged in discussions with the staff regarding a possible resolution of the investigation. There can be no assurance regarding the timing or terms of any potential resolution, by settlement or otherwise, and any potential impact of a resolution cannot be predicted. Management does not believe, however, that any resolution will have a material impact on Entergy’s business, financial condition, or results of operations.

Rule 10b5-1 Trading Agreements

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, no director or officer of Entergy or any of the Registrant Subsidiaries adopted, modified, or terminated a “Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” or “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” as each term is defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K, except as follows:

On March 6, 2024, Haley Fisackerly, Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Entergy Mississippi, adopted a Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense of Rule 10b5-1(c) for the sale of up to 1,000 shares of Entergy’s common stock. The first date that sale of any shares permitted to be sold under the trading arrangement can occur is June 5, 2024. Subsequent sales under the trading arrangement may occur on a regular basis until December 31, 2024.

Regulation of the Nuclear Power Industry

The following is an update to the “Regulation of the Nuclear Power Industry” section of Part I, Item 1 of the Form 10-K.

NRC Reactor Oversight Process

In July 2023 the NRC placed River Bend in Column 2, effective April 2023, based on failure to inspect wiring associated with the high pressure core spray system. In August 2023 the NRC issued a finding and notice of violation related to a radiation monitor calibration issue at River Bend. In December 2023, River Bend successfully completed the inspection of the high pressure core spray system issue and in February 2024, River Bend completed the supplemental inspection of the radiation monitor calibration issue, each in accordance with the NRC’s inspection policies for nuclear plants in Column 2. The NRC issued its inspection report on both issues in March 2024 and River Bend was returned to Column 1.

Environmental Regulation

The following is an update to the “Environmental Regulation” section of Part I, Item 1 of the Form 10-K.

National Ambient Air Quality Standards

See the Form 10-K for discussion of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) set by the EPA in accordance with the Clean Air Act. The following is an update to that discussion.

Revised Fine Particulate (PM2.5) NAAQS

In March 2024, EPA issued a final rule which revised the primary annual NAAQS for fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5, from 12 ug/m3 to 9 ug/m3. This new standard is effective May 2024 and initial attainment/nonattainment designations for areas with available information are due within two years, by May 2026.

For any areas designated as nonattainment for this revised standard, State Implementation Plans (SIPs) to address nonattainment requirements will be due within 18 months of the effective date of any initial nonattainment designations. Within Entergy’s utility service territory, current regulatory agency air monitor data for Harris County, Texas and Hinds County, Mississippi reflect annual average PM2.5 concentrations in excess of this new standard and monitors for several other areas reflect concentrations between 8-9 ug/m3. Entergy will continue to work with state environmental agencies on appropriate methods for assessing attainment and nonattainment with the this revised fine particulate NAAQS.

Pursuant to Item 601(b)(4)(iii) of Regulation S-K, Entergy Corporation agrees to furnish to the Commission upon request any instrument with respect to long-term debt that is not registered or listed herein as an Exhibit because the total amount of securities authorized under such agreement does not exceed ten percent of the total assets of Entergy Corporation and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. The signature for each undersigned company shall be deemed to relate only to matters having reference to such company or its subsidiaries.

Date: May 2, 2024