2. NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS ASU 2016-13 “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” (ASU 2016-13) ASU 2020-04 “Reference Rate Reform: Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting” (ASU 2020-04) 247 Management adopted ASU 2020-04 and its related implementation guidance effective January 1, 2021. There was no impact to results of operations, financial position or cash flows upon initial adoption. Management is applying the accounting guidance as relevant contract and hedge accounting relationship modifications are made during the course of the reference rate reform transition period, which ends on December 31, 2022. The guidance generally allows for contract modifications solely related to the replacement of the reference rate to be accounted for as a continuation of the existing contract instead of as an extinguishment of the contract, and would therefore, not trigger certain accounting impacts that would otherwise be required. It also allows entities to change certain critical terms of existing hedge accounting relationships that are affected by reference rate reform. These changes would not require de-designating the hedge accounting relationship. In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04 providing guidance to ease the potential burden in accounting for Reference Rate Reform on financial reporting. The new standard is elective and applies to all entities, subject to meeting certain criteria, that have contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of Reference Rate Reform. The new standard establishes a general contract modification principle that entities can apply in other areas that may be affected by Reference Rate Reform and certain elective hedge accounting expedients. Under the new standard, an entity may make a one-time election to sell or to transfer to the available-for-sale or trading classifications (or both sell and transfer), debt securities that both reference an affected rate, and were classified as held-to-maturity before January 1, 2020. Management adopted ASU 2016-13 and its related implementation guidance effective January 1, 2020, by means of an immaterial cumulative-effect adjustment to Retained Earnings on the balance sheets. The adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact to financial position and had no impact on the results of operations or cash flows. Additionally, the adoption of the new standard did not result in any changes to current accounting systems. New standard implementation activities included: (a) the identification and evaluation of the population of financial instruments within the AEP system that are subject to the new standard, (b) the development of supporting valuation models to also contemplate appropriate metrics for current and supportable forecasted information and (c) the development of disclosures to comply with the requirements of ASU 2016-13. As required by ASU 2016-13, the financial instruments subject to the new standard were evaluated on a pool-basis to the extent such financial instruments shared similar risk characteristics. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 requiring the recognition of an allowance for expected credit losses for financial instruments within its scope. Examples of financial instruments that are in scope include trade receivables, certain financial guarantees and held-to-maturity debt securities. The allowance for expected credit losses should be based on historical information, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Entities are required to evaluate, and if necessary, recognize expected credit losses at the inception or initial acquisition of a financial instrument (or pool of financial instruments that share similar risk characteristics) subject to ASU 2016-13, and subsequently as of each reporting date. The new standard also revises the other-than-temporary impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities. During the FASB’s standard-setting process and upon issuance of final standards, management reviews the new accounting literature to determine its relevance, if any, to the Registrants’ business. The following standards will impact the financial statements. The disclosures in this note apply to all Registrants unless indicated otherwise.