PPL (PPL) Risk Factors

We are required to obtain, and to comply with, numerous permits, approvals, licenses and certificates from governmental agencies. The process of obtaining and renewing necessary permits can be lengthy and complex and sometimes result in the establishment of permit conditions that make the project or activity for which a permit was sought unprofitable or otherwise unattractive. In addition, such permits or approvals may be subject to denial, revocation or modification under circumstances. Failure to obtain or comply with the conditions of permits or approvals, or failure to comply with any applicable laws or regulations, may result in delay or temporary suspension of our operations and electricity sales or the curtailment of our power delivery and may subject us to penalties and other sanctions. Although various regulators routinely renew existing licenses, renewal could be denied or jeopardized by various factors, including failure to provide adequate financial assurance for closure; failure to comply with environmental, health and safety laws and regulations or permit conditions; local community, political or other opposition; and executive, legislative or regulatory action. Our cost or inability to obtain and comply with the permits and approvals required for our operations could have a material adverse effect on our operations and cash flows. In addition, new environmental legislation or regulations, if enacted, or changed interpretations of existing laws may elicit claims that historical routine modification activities at our facilities violated applicable laws and regulations. In addition to the possible imposition of fines in such cases, we may be required to undertake significant capital investments in pollution control technology and obtain additional operating permits or approvals, which could have an adverse impact on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

We are involved in legal proceedings, claims and litigation and periodically are subject to state and federal investigations arising out of our business operations, the most significant of which are summarized in Item 1. Business and "Regulatory Matters" in Note 7 to the Financial Statements and in "Legal Matters" and "Regulatory Issues" in Note 14 to the Financial Statements. We cannot predict the ultimate outcome of these matters, nor can we reasonably estimate the costs or liabilities that could potentially result from a negative outcome in each case.

Credit ratings assigned by Moody's and S&P to our businesses and their financial obligations have a significant impact on the cost of capital incurred by our businesses. A ratings downgrade could increase our short-term borrowing costs and negatively affect our ability to fund liquidity needs and access new long-term debt at acceptable interest rates. See "Item 7. Combined Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Financial Condition - Liquidity and Capital Resources - Ratings Triggers" for additional information on the financial impact of a downgrade in our credit ratings.

PPL may not realize the anticipated financial and operational benefits from the RIE acquisition if the business is not integrated in an efficient and effective manner or if integration takes longer than anticipated. These integration risks include potential difficulties in conversion of systems and information, difficulties in harmonizing inconsistencies in standards, controls, procedures, practices and policies, disruption from the acquisition making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers, and diversion of management time and attention to integration and other acquisition-related issues. In addition, PPL has incurred, and will continue to incur, significant costs in connection with the integration, and additional unanticipated costs may arise. No assurance can be given that the anticipated benefits from the acquisition will be achieved or, if achieved, the timing of their achievement. These risks and their consequences could result in increased costs or decreases in the amount of expected revenues, and could have a material adverse effect on PPL's business, financial condition and results of operations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the U.S. and global economies and continues to present challenges to businesses, communities, workforces, markets and increasingly to supply chains. In the U.S. and throughout the world, governmental authorities have taken actions to contain the spread of the virus and mitigate known or foreseeable impacts. In the Registrants’ service territories, mitigation measures have included quarantines, stay-at-home orders, travel restrictions, reduced operations or closures of businesses, schools and governmental agencies, and executive, legislative or regulatory actions to address health or other pandemic-related concerns. The Delta and Omicron variants of the virus have extended and exacerbated the risks arising from the pandemic and have led to the extension of many of these remediation strategies. The responses to these variants may continue to affect risks and related remediation efforts going forward, perhaps substantially, and future variants may have similar effects. Until the COVID-19 virus is contained, it poses significant risks to the health and welfare of the Registrants’ customers, employees, contractors and suppliers, and to the conduct of their business. Mandates to stay at home, shelter in place, or quarantine and resulting lock-down or closures of non-essential businesses could reduce demand for electricity and gas, and continue to cause shifts in demand between residential, commercial and industrial customers that could negatively impact the Registrants’ financial condition. Customers experiencing financial strain from unemployment, furloughs, or reduced work hours may not be able to pay their bills on a timely basis, which could negatively impact our liquidity. New or changing legislation or regulatory orders may unfavorably impact the Registrants or the utility industry generally. The COVID-19 pandemic is also subjecting the Registrants to growing shortages that are creating risks of potential equipment and fuel supply chain disruptions. If issues in the supply chains continue, Registrants may be forced to rely on a larger pool of suppliers, which could pose operational risks. Such suppliers may fail to follow established health, safety and other regulatory standards. Additionally, suppliers may need to engage subcontractors that have not been previously vetted, which could result in contractual and regulatory risks. This could also create an inability to effectively monitor a supplier’s work or the need to depend on limited contractors, resulting in higher costs and potential financial and reputational risks. All of these factors have the potential to materially and adversely affect the Registrants’ business and operations, especially if they remain in effect for a prolonged period of time. At this time, the Registrants’ cannot predict the extent to which these or other pandemic-related factors may affect their business, earnings or other financial results, as it depends on the duration and scope of the outbreak, the measures undertaken in response and other future developments, all of which are highly uncertain and continue to evolve in response to additional variants. In addition to the factors discussed above, investors should be aware that other COVID-19-related risks may emerge in the future and may prove to be significant, including potentially the cost of ongoing remediation efforts, such as testing, and the potential for increased effects on global markets and supply chains. Investors should carefully consider the discussion of COVID-19 related items presented in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, especially to the extent that the COVID-19 pandemic may exacerbate or increase those risks.