The Registrants recognize an ARO for their legal obligation to perform asset retirement activities associated with their long-lived assets. The ARO liability represents an estimate of the fair value of the Registrants’ current obligation such that the ARO is accreted monthly to reflect the time value of money.

A fair value measurement inherently involves uncertainty in the amount and timing of settlement of the liability. An expected cash flow approach is used to measure the fair value of the remediation AROs, taking into account the expected timing of settlement of the ARO based on the expected economic useful life of associated asset and/or regulatory requirements. The fair value of an ARO is recognized in the period in which it is incurred. The associated asset retirement costs are capitalized as part of the carrying value of the long-lived asset and are depreciated over the life of the related asset. For instances where asset retirement costs relate to assets that have no future cash flows, the costs are recorded as an operating expense. In certain circumstances, The Registrants have recovery of asset retirement costs and, as such, certain accretion and depreciation is offset against regulatory assets. Conditional retirement obligations associated with tangible long-lived assets are recognized at fair value in the period in which they are incurred if a reasonable estimate can be made, even though there may be uncertainty about timing or method of settlement. When settlement is conditional on a future event occurring, it is reflected in the measurement of the liability, not the timing of the liability recognition.

FirstEnergy has recognized applicable legal obligations for AROs and their associated costs, including reclamation of sludge disposal ponds, closure of CCR sites, underground and above-ground storage tanks and wastewater treatment lagoons. In addition, the Registrants have recognized conditional retirement obligations, primarily for asbestos remediation.


	FirstEnergy		JCP&L
	(In millions)
Balance, January 1, 2024	$	209	$	7
Changes in timing and amount of estimated cash flows	131		—
Liabilities incurred	95		—
Liabilities settled	(4)		—
Accretion	24		1
Balance, December 31, 2024	455		8


Liabilities settled (1)	(151)		—
Accretion	7		—
Balance, March 31, 2025	$	311	$	8

During 2024, as a result of the evaluation of closure options for McElroy’s Run and the adjacent landfill, AE Supply reviewed its ARO and future expected costs to remediate, resulting in an increase to the ARO liability of $87 million. AE Supply transferred the McElroy’s Run CCR impoundment facility and adjacent dry landfill and related remediation obligations on March 4, 2025, pursuant to the environmental liability transfer agreement dated February 3, 2025, with a subsidiary of IDA Power, LLC. Pursuant to the agreement, AE Supply established a $160 million escrow account that AE Supply will fund over five years and is secured by a surety bond, which is guaranteed by FE. In connection with the transfer, AE Supply made a $15 million cash payment to the escrow account, recognized a $130 million liability, based on a 4.8% weighted average discount rate over the contract term, associated with its remaining obligation to fund the escrow account over the next five years, and derecognized the ARO, resulting in an immaterial impact to earnings.

As further discussed below, on May 8, 2024, the EPA finalized changes to the CCR rule addressing certain legacy CCR disposal sites that were not included in previous CCR rules. As a result, during 2024, FirstEnergy performed a preliminary assessment of former CCR disposal sites and calculated an initial estimate applying historical experience in remediating comparable sites and recorded a $139 million increase to its ARO in 2024. JCP&L did not have any legacy CCR disposal sites that were applicable to the new CCR rule.

The ARO increase related to certain legacy CCR disposal sites represents the discounted cash flows for estimated closure costs based upon the potential closure requirements as evaluated on a site-by-site basis. Actual costs to be incurred will be dependent upon factors that vary from site to site. The most significant factors include the method and time frame of closure at the individual sites, which will be determined based on the groundwater monitoring and, if applicable, EPA approval of closure plans. In determining the estimated closure costs for each site, FirstEnergy has assumed the anticipated applicable closure method, however, alternative closure methods may be required, resulting in greater or lesser cost. As a result, the ARO liability may be adjusted as additional information is gained through the evaluation and closure process, including further inspection of the sites, results of groundwater monitoring and changes in interpretation of the CCR regulations which may change management assumptions, and could result in a material change to the ARO liability balance and FirstEnergy’s results of operations.