Universal Registration Document 2020

6. Financial statements

1.10 Bond issuance expenses and redemption premiums

Bond redemption premiums and any issue premiums are amortised in equal portions prorated to the duration of the bond (straight-line method), regardless of the redemption pattern, applying the option allowed by Article 212-10 of the national chart of accounts.

For the specific case of the OCEANE bond issue (see note 2.4.1), EDF applied the “two separate operations” method for recognition of the issue premium, and the accrued interest method for amortisation, as allowed by the Article 212-10 of the national chart of accounts.

Commissions and external costs paid by EDF upon issuance of borrowings and included in “Deferred charges” are spread on a straight-line basis over the term of the related instruments.

1.11 Unrealised foreign exchange gains and losses

Foreign currency receivables and payables are translated into Euros at the year-end exchange rates. The resulting translation differences are recorded in the balance sheet under “Unrealised foreign exchange gains” and “Unrealised foreign exchange losses”. Provisions are recorded to cover all unrealised exchange losses on foreign currency borrowings not hedged for exchange risks. Unrealised gains are not recognised in the income statement.

Unrealised gains and losses on currency derivatives classified as hedging instruments are recorded in the balance sheet in the revaluation surplus accounts, and netted with the unrealised foreign exchange gains and losses booked in respect of the hedged items, in compliance with ANC regulation 2015-05 of 2 July 2015 on forward financial instruments and hedging operations. Realised gains and losses on hedging derivatives are recognised in the income statement symmetrically to gains and losses on the hedged item.

Foreign exchange gains and losses on trade receivables and payables are recorded in operating income and expenses.

1.12 Tax-regulated provisions

This item mainly includes excess depreciation recorded for tax purposes and relates to:

  • ordinary depreciation of generation and distribution facilities;
  • exceptional depreciation of software developed in-house by the Company;
  • amortisation of acquisition expenses for new investments by the Company.
1.13 Additional equity

Perpetual subordinated bonds issued by EDF in Euros and other currencies are recorded in compliance with the French Chartered accountants’ body Ordre des Experts Comptables opinion 28 of July 1994, taking their specific characteristics into consideration.

As a result, they are classified as additional equity, since redemption is exclusively controlled by EDF.

Issuance expenses and issue premiums are amortised through the income statement, on a pro rata basis.

Interest paid on these bonds is recorded in the financial result.

1.14 Special concession liabilities

These liabilities relate mostly to public electricity distribution concessions for theIsland Energy Systems (SEI), and hydropower concessions.

1.14.1 Special public electricity distribution concession liabilities – SEI

These liabilities represent the contractual obligations specific to the concession rules for public electricity distribution concessions in France, and comprise the following:

  • the concession-granting authority’s rights in existing assets (its right to recover all the concession assets), consisting of the value in kind of the facilities (the net book value of assets operated under concessions), less any as yet unamortised financing provided by the operator;
  • the concession-granting authority’s rights in existing assets (its right to recover all the concession assets), consisting of the value in kind of the facilities (the net book value of assets operated under concessions), less any as yet unamortised financing provided by the operator;
  • depreciation recorded on the portion of assets considered to be financed by the concession-granting authority,
  • the provision for replacement, exclusively for assets due for replacement before the end of the concession. This is accrued over the asset’s useful life, based on the difference between the asset’s replacement value for identical capacity and functions, and the original value. The replacement value is adjusted at each year-end based on indexes from official publications, and the impact of the adjustment is spread over the residual useful life of the assets concerned. This provision is included in provisions for expenses.

When assets are replaced, amortisation recognised on the portion of assets considered to be financed by the concession-granting authority, and the provision for replacement established for the relevant asset, are cancelled and transferred to rights in existing assets. Any excess provision is taken to income.

During the concession, the grantor’s rights in assets to be replaced are thus transferred upon the asset’s replacement to become the grantor’s rights in existing assets, with no outflow of cash to the benefit of the grantor.

1.14.2 Special hydropower concession liabilities

These liabilities comprise:

  • the value of assets remitted for nil consideration and contributions received;
  • differences arising from revaluations in accordance with French legislation for fixed assets commissioned before 1 January 1959 and before 1 January 1977;
  • additional depreciation to industrial depreciation for facilities that are to be returned for nil consideration at the end of the concession but whose useful life extends beyond the concession term.

Following the changes made to the accounting treatment of hydropower concessions at 1 January 2009, the 1959 revaluation reserve is transferred to equity when the assets concerned are retired.

The net revaluation reserve generated by the 1976 revaluation is taken to income over the residual useful life of the assets concerned.

The value of assets remitted for nil consideration and contributions received is transferred to the income statement over the assets’ useful lives.

1.15 Provisions other than employee benefit provisions

EDF recognises provisions when it has a present obligation (legal or constructive) arising from a past event, an outflow of resources will probably be required to settle the obligation, and the obligation amount can be estimated reliably.

If it is anticipated that all or part of the expenses covered by a provision will be reimbursed, the reimbursement is recognised under receivables if and only if EDF is virtually certain of receiving it.

Provisions are determined based on the Company’s expectation of the cost necessary to settle the obligation. Estimates are based on management data from the information system, assumptions adopted by the Company, and if necessary experience of similar transactions or operations, or based on independent expert reports or contractor quotes. The various assumptions are reviewed for each closing of the accounts.