FirstEnergy 10-Q 2024-03-31

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

☑ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2024

OR

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from ___________________ to ___________________

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has 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 registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has 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 registrant was required to submit such files).

Indicate by check mark whether the 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 registrant has 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 registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date:

FirstEnergy Website and Other Social Media Sites and Applications

FirstEnergy’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, amendments to those reports, and all other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act are made available free of charge on or through the “Investors” page of FirstEnergy’s website at www.firstenergycorp.com. These documents are also available to the public from commercial document retrieval services and the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov.

These SEC filings are posted on FirstEnergy’s website as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Additionally, FirstEnergy routinely posts additional important information, including press releases, investor presentations, investor factbooks, regulatory activity updates, and notices of upcoming events under the “Investors” section of FirstEnergy’s website and recognizes FirstEnergy’s website as a channel of distribution to reach public investors and as a means of disclosing (including initially or exclusively) material non-public information for complying with disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Investors may be notified of postings to the website by signing up for email alerts and Rich Site Summary feeds on the “Investors” page of FirstEnergy’s website. FirstEnergy also uses X (the social networking site formerly known as Twitter®), LinkedIn®, YouTube® and Facebook® as additional channels of distribution to reach public investors and as a supplemental means of disclosing material non-public information for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Information contained on FirstEnergy’s website, X (the social networking site formerly known as Twitter®) handle, LinkedIn® profile, YouTube® channel or Facebook® page, and any corresponding applications of those sites, shall not be deemed incorporated into, or to be part of, this report.

Forward-Looking Statements: This Form 10-Q includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 based on information currently available to management. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These statements include declarations regarding management's intents, beliefs and current expectations. These statements typically contain, but are not limited to, the terms “anticipate,” “potential,” “expect,” "forecast," "target," "will," "intend," “believe,” "p

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FIRSTENERGY CORP.

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF

FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Company Overview

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence and is principally involved in the transmission, distribution and generation of electricity through its reportable segments: Distribution, Integrated and Stand-Alone Transmission. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving over six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. FirstEnergy’s transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions and two regional transmission operation centers. AGC and MP control 3,599 MWs net maximum capacity.

PA Consolidation

On January 1, 2024, FirstEnergy consolidated the Pennsylvania Companies into FE PA, including OE subsidiary, Penn, making FE PA a new, single operating entity and the successor-in-interest to all assets and liabilities of the Pennsylvania Companies. FE PA, as of January 1, 2024, is FE’s only regulated distribution utility in Pennsylvania encompassing the operations previously conducted individually by the Pennsylvania Companies and FE PA serves an area with a population of approximately 4.5 million and operates under the rate districts of the former Pennsylvania Companies. FirstEnergy is also evaluating the legal, financial, operational and branding benefits of consolidating the Ohio Companies into a single Ohio utility company.

Also on January 1, 2024, WP transferred certain of its Pennsylvania-based transmission assets to KATCo, and PN and ME contributed their respective Class B equity interests of MAIT to FE, which were ultimately contributed to FET in exchange for a special purpose membership interest in FET. So long as FE holds the FET special purpose membership interests, it will receive 100% of any Class B distributions made by MAIT.

Segment Change

As further discussed above, in 2024, FirstEnergy changed its reportable segments to include the following:

The Distribution segment, which consists of the Ohio Companies and FE PA, representing $10.9 billion in 2023 rate base, distributes electricity through FirstEnergy’s utility operating companies in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The Distribution segment serves approximately 4.2 million customers in Ohio and Pennsylvania across its distribution footprint and purchases power for its provider of last resort, SOS, standard service offer and default service requirements. The segment’s results reflect the costs of securing and delivering electric generation from transmission facilities to customers, including the deferral and amortization of certain costs.

The Integrated segment includes the distribution and transmission operations under JCP&L, MP and PE, as well as MP’s regulated generation operations, representing $8.7 billion in 2023 rate base. The Integrated segment distributes electricity to approximately 2 million customers in New Jersey, West Virginia and Maryland across its distribution footprint; provides transmission infrastructure in New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia to transmit electricity and operates 3,599 MWs of regulated net maximum capacity located primarily in West Virginia and Virginia. The segment will also include MP and PE’s 50 MWs of solar generation at five sites in West Virginia once complete. The first solar generation site, located in Maidsville, West Virginia, was completed and placed in-service on January 8, 2024, representing 19 MWs of net maximum capacity. Construction of the remaining four sites is expected to be completed no later than the end of 2025. The remaining four sites are expected to provide 31 MWs of net maximum capacity.

The Stand-Alone Transmission segment, which consists of FE's ownership in FET and KATCo, representing $7.7 billion in 2023 rate base, includes transmission infrastructure owned and operated by the Transmission Companies and used to transmit electricity. The segment’s revenues are primarily derived from forward-looking formula rates, pursuant to which the revenue requirement is updated annually based on a projected rate base and projected costs, which is subject to an annual true-up based on actual rate base and costs. The segment’s results also reflect the net transmission expenses related to the delivery of electricity on FirstEnergy’s transmission facilities.

Corporate/Other reflects corporate support and other costs not charged or attributable to the Utilities or Transmission Companies, including FE’s retained pension and OPEB assets and liabilities of former subsidiaries, interest expense on FE’s holding company debt and other investments or businesses that do not constitute an operating segment, including FEV’s investment of 33-1/3% equity ownership in Global Holding. Additionally, reconciling adjustments for the elimination of inter-segment transactions are included in Corporate/Other. Also included in Corporate/Other for segment reporting is 67 MWs of net

maximum capacity, representing AE Supply’s OVEC capacity entitlement. As of March 31, 2024, Corporate/Other had approximately $6.5 billion of FE’s holding company debt.

FirstEnergy believes that this segment reporting serves to provide:

• Greater transparency into our business unit performance;

• Alignment with our cash flow, credit metrics, balance sheet and earnings to the companies comprising each segment;

• Simplification of our segment reporting so that each entire entity resides within a segment; and

• Consistency with peers.

FET Equity Interest Sale

On February 2, 2023, FE, along with FET, entered into the FET P&SA II with Brookfield and the Brookfield Guarantors, pursuant to which FE agreed to sell to Brookfield at the closing, and Brookfield agreed to purchase from FE, an incremental 30% equity interest in FET for a purchase price of $3.5 billion. The FET Equity Interest Sale closed on March 25, 2024 and FET continues to be consolidated in FirstEnergy’s financial statements. The purchase price was paid in part by the issuance of two promissory notes at closing having an aggregate principal amount of $1.2 billion with: (i) one promissory note having an aggregate principal amount of $750 million, at an interest rate of 5.75% per annum, with a maturity date of September 25, 2025 and (ii) one promissory note having an aggregate principal amount of $450 million, at an interest rate of 7.75% per annum, with a maturity date of December 31, 2024. Both notes are expected to be repaid in 2024. The remaining $2.3 billion of the purchase price was paid in cash at closing. Brookfield Corporation has guaranteed the full amount of the promissory notes. As a result of the consummation of the transaction, Brookfield’s interest in FET increased from 19.9% to 49.9%, while FE retained the remaining 50.1% ownership interests of FET.

FIRSTENERGY’S CONSOLIDATED RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

First Three Months of 2024 Compared with First Three Months of 2023

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See “FirstEnergy Corp. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Market Risk Information” in Item 2 above.

(a) Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The management of FirstEnergy, with the participation of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, have reviewed and evaluated the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of FirstEnergy have concluded that its disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this report.

(b) Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

During the quarter ended March 31, 2024, there were no changes in internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, FirstEnergy’s internal control over financial reporting.

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

Information required for Part II, Item 1 is incorporated by reference to the discussions in Note 8, “Regulatory Matters,” and Note 9, “Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies,” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q.

You should carefully consider the risk factors discussed in "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in FirstEnergy’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which could materially affect FirstEnergy’s business, financial condition or future results. The information set forth in this report, including without limitation, the risk factor presented below, updates and should be read in conjunction with, the risk factors and information disclosed in FirstEnergy’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

The Physical Risks Associated with Climate Change May Have an Adverse Impact on Our Business Operations, Financial Condition and Cash Flows.

Physical risks of climate change such as flooding, wildfires, rising sea levels, and other related phenomena, resulting from more frequent or more extreme weather events and changes in temperature and precipitation patterns associated with climate change, could affect some, or all, of our operations.Frequent or extreme weather events could disrupt our operations and/or be destructive, which could result in increased costs, including supply chain costs. An extreme weather event within the Utilities’ and Transmission Companies’ service areas could also directly affect their capital assets, such as downed wires, poles, or damage to other operating equipment, resulting in service disruptions to customers and possibly creating hazardous conditions. Further, as extreme weather conditions increase system stress, we may incur costs relating to additional system backup or service interruptions, and in some instances, we may be unable to recover such costs. For all of these reasons, these physical risks could have an adverse financial impact on our business operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Climate change poses other financial risks as well. To the extent weather conditions are affected by climate change, customers’ energy use could increase or decrease depending on the duration and magnitude of the changes. Increased energy use due to weather changes may require us to invest in additional system assets and purchase additional power. Additionally, decreased energy use due to weather changes may affect our financial condition through decreased revenues, margins or earnings.

ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

None.

ITEM 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

None.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

Trading Arrangements

During the quarter ended March 31, 2024, no director or officer (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act) of FE adopted or terminated a “Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” or “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” (as each term is defined in Item 408 of Regulation S-K).

(A) Provided herein in electronic format as an exhibit.

(B) Management contract or compensatory plan contract or arrangement filed pursuant to Item 601 of Regulation S-K.

Pursuant to paragraph (b)(4)(iii)(A) of Item 601 of Regulation S-K, FirstEnergy has not filed as an exhibit to this Form 10-Q any instrument with respect to long-term debt if the respective total amount of securities authorized thereunder does not exceed 10% of its respective total assets, but hereby agrees to furnish to the SEC on request any such documents.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

April 25, 2024