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CALIFORNIA UTILITIES' REGULATORY MATTERS | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2016
Regulated Operations [Abstract] |
Sempra Utilities' Regulatory Matters | NOTE 9. SAN ONOFRE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION (SONGS) SDG&E has a 20-percent ownership interest in SONGS, a nuclear generating facility near San Clemente, California, which ceased operations in June 2013. On June 6, 2013, after an extended outage beginning in 2012, Southern California Edison Company (Edison), the majority owner and operator of SONGS, notified SDG&E that it had reached a decision to permanently retire SONGS and seek approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commi ssion (NRC) to start the decommissioning activities for the entire facility. SONGS is subject to the jurisdiction of the NRC and the CPUC. SDG&E, and each of the other owners, holds its undivided interest as a tenant in common in the property. Each owner is responsible for financing its share of expenses and capital expenditures. SDG&E’s share of operating expenses is included in Sempra Energy’s and SDG&E’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. SONGS Steam Generator Replacement Project As part of the Steam Generator Replacement Project (SGRP), the steam generators were replaced in SONGS Units 2 and 3, and the Units returned to service in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Both Units were shut down in early 2012 after a water leak occurred in the Unit 3 steam generator. Edison concluded that the leak was due to unexpected wear from tube-to-tube contact. At the time the leak was identified, Edison also inspected and tested Unit 2 and subsequently found unexpected tube wear in Unit 2’s steam generator. Th ese issues with the steam generators ultimately resulted in Edison’s decision to permanently retire SONGS. The replacement steam generators were designed and provided by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Mitsubishi Nuclear Energy Systems, Inc., and Mitsub ishi Heavy Industries America, Inc. (collectively MHI). In July 2013, SDG&E filed a lawsuit against MHI seeking to recover damages SDG&E has incurred and will incur related to the design defects in the steam generators. In October 2013, Edison instituted b inding arbitration proceedings against MHI seeking damages as well. SDG&E is participating in the arbitration as a claimant and respondent. We discuss these proceedings in Note 11. Settlement Agreement to Resolve the CPUC’s Order Instituting Investigation (OII) into the SONGS Outage (SONGS OII) In November 2012, in response to the outage, the CPUC issued the SONGS OII, which was intended to determine the ultimate recovery of the investment in SONGS and the costs incurred since the commencement of this outag e, including purchased replacement power costs, which are typically recovered through the Energy Resource Recovery Account (ERRA). In April 2014, SDG&E filed with the CPUC a Se ttlement Agreement, along with Edison, The Utility Reform Network (TURN), the C PUC Office of Ratepayer Advocates (ORA) and two other intervenors who joined the Settlement Agreement to the SONGS OII proceeding (collectively, the Settling Parties). In September 2014, the Settling Parties executed an Amended and Restated Settlement Agr eement (Amended Settlement Agreement), which amended the Settlement Agreement, and in November 2014, the CPUC issued a final decision approving the Amended Settlement Agreement. The Amended Settlement Agreement does not affect on-going or future proceeding s before the NRC, or litigation or arbitration related to potential future recoveries from third parties (except for the allocation to ratepayers of a ny recoveries as described below) or proceedings addressing decommissioning activities and costs. We discu ss the terms of the Amended Settlement Agreement and related filings in Note 13 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report. In April 2015, a petition for modification (PFM) was filed with the CPUC by Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility (A4NR), an intervenor in the SONGS OII proceeding, asking the CPUC to set aside its decision approving the Amended Settlement Agreement and reop en the SONGS OII proceeding. In June 2015, TURN, a party to the Amended Settlement Agreement, filed a response supporting the A4NR petition. TURN does not question the merits of the Amended Settlement Agreement, but is concerned that certain allegations re garding Edison raised by A4NR have undermined the public’s confidence in the regulatory process. SDG&E has responded that TURN’s concerns regarding public perception do not impact the reasonableness of the Amended Settlement Agreement and are insufficient to overturn it. SDG&E is unable to determine what actions the CPUC will take, if any, in response to the A4NR PFM. In A ugust 2015, ORA, also a party to the Amended Settlement Agreement, filed a PFM with the CPUC, withdrawing its support for the Amended Set tlement Agreement and asking the CPUC to reopen the SONGS OII proceeding. The ORA does not question the merits of the Amended Settlement Agreement, but is concerned with the CPUC’s approach toward recent disclosures concerning Edison ex parte communication s with the CPUC. SDG&E responded that the ORA’s PFM is insufficient to overturn the Amended Settlement Agreement, because the ORA fails to make a case that the Amended Settlement Agreement is no longer in the public interest. SDG&E is unable to determine w hat actions the CPUC will take, if any, in response to the ORA PFM. Accounting and Financial Impacts Through December 31, 2015 and March 31, 2016, the cumulative after-tax loss from plant closure recorded by Sempra Energy and SDG&E is $125 million, includi ng a reduction in the after-tax loss of $13 million in the first quarter of 2015 based on the CPUC’s approval in March 2015 of SDG&E’s compliance filing and establishment of the SONGS settlement revenue requirement. The regulatory asset for the expected recovery of SONGS costs, consistent with the Amended Settlement Agreement, is $243 million ($43 million current and $200 million long-term) at March 31, 2016 and is recorded on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets in Other Current Assets and Regulator y Assets Noncurrent, respectively, at Sempra Energy, and in Regulatory Assets Current and Other Regulatory Assets Noncurrent, respectively, at SDG&E. The amortization period prescribed for the regulatory asset is 10 years, which began on February 1, 2012. However, since the CPUC’s final decision approving the Amended Settlement Agreement was not issued until November 2014, amortization did not commence until January 2015. Settlement with Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited (NEIL) NEIL insures domestic and i nternational nuclear utilities for the costs associated with interruptions, damages, decontaminations and related nuclear risks. In October 2015, the SONGS co-owners (Edison, SDG&E and the City of Riverside) reached an agreement with NEIL to resolve all of SONGS’ insurance claims arising out of the failures of the replacement steam generators for a total payment by NEIL of $400 million, SDG&E’s share of which is $80 million. Pursuant to the terms of the SONGS OII Amended Settlement Agreement, after reimburs ement of legal fees and a 5-percent allocation to shareholders, the net proceeds of $75 million were allocated to ratepayers through ERRA. We discuss NEIL further in Note 11. Nuclear Decommissioning and Funding As a result of Edison’s decision to permanent ly retire SONGS Units 2 and 3, Edison has begun the decommissioning phase of the plant. We discuss the process of decommissioning SONGS and oversight by the NRC in Note 13 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report. In accordan ce with state and federal requirements and regulations, SDG&E has assets held in trusts, referred to as the Nuclear Decommissioning Trusts (NDT), to fund decommissioning costs for SONGS Units 1, 2 and 3. Decommissioning of Unit 1, removed from service in 1 992, is largely complete. The remaining work will be done when Units 2 and 3 are decommissioned. At March 31, 2016, the fair value of SDG&E’s NDT assets was $1.1 billion. Except for the use of funds for the planning of decommissioning activities or NDT adm inistrative costs, CPUC approval is required for SDG&E to access the NDT assets to fund SONGS decommissioning costs for Units 2 and 3. In July 2015, the CPUC authorized SDG&E’s request to access trust funds for up to $55 million in decommissioning costs in curred in 2013, including $18 million that is expected to be withdrawn pending satisfactory clarification by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that certain spent fuel costs and other costs are eligible decommissioning costs, payable from qualified nuclear decommissioning trusts. We are uncertain as to when such clarification will be provided. In November 2015, the CPUC authorized SDG&E’s request to access trust funds for $3 6 million for SONGS Units 2 and 3 de commiss ioning costs incurred in 2014, including $13 million that also will be withdrawn pending satisfactory clarification by the IRS. SDG&E expects to request and receive approval in the second quarter of 2016 to access trust funds for Units 2 and 3 decom missioning costs incurred in 2015. In April 2016, the CPUC adopted a decision approving a total decommissioning cost estimate for SONGS Units 2 and 3 of $4.411 billion, of which SDG&E’s share is $89 9 million. The decision also approves an annual advice letter request process for SDG&E to request trust fund disbursements for decommissioning costs based on a forecast for 2016 and thereafter. Disbursements from the trust will then be made up to this annu al forecast amount as decommissioning expenses are incurred. All disbursements will be subject to future refund until a reasonableness review of the actual decommissioning costs is conducted, which would be no less frequently than every three years. We discuss the NDT and matters related to its funding and the funding of decommissioning costs by the NDT further in Note 13 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report. Nuclear Decommissioning Trusts The amounts collected in rates for SONGS’ decommissioning are invested in externally managed trust funds. Amounts held by the trusts are invested in accordance with CPUC regulations. These trusts are presented on the Sempra Energy and SDG&E Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value with the offsetting credits recorded in Regulatory Liabilities Arising from Removal Obligations. The following table shows the fair values and gross unrealized gains and l osses for the securities held in the NDT. We provide additional fair value disclosures for the NDT in Note 8.
NUCLEAR DECOMMISSIONING TRUSTS
(Dollars in millions)
|  |  |  |  | Gross |  | Gross |  | Estimated
|  |  |  |  | unrealized |  | unrealized |  | fair
|  |  | Cost |  | gains |  | losses |  | value
At March 31, 2016: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt securities issued by the U.S. Treasury and other |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. government corporations and agencies(1) | $ | 101 | $ | 4 | $ | ― | $ | 105
Municipal bonds(2) |  | 146 |  | 10 |  | ― |  | 156
Other securities(2) |  | 192 |  | 6 |  | (8) |  | 190
Total debt securities |  | 439 |  | 20 |  | (8) |  | 451
Equity securities |  | 214 |  | 413 |  | (4) |  | 623
Cash and cash equivalents |  | 9 |  | ― |  | (1) |  | 8
Total | $ | 662 | $ | 433 | $ | (13) | $ | 1,082
At December 31, 2015: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt securities issued by the U.S. Treasury and other |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. government corporations and agencies | $ | 89 | $ | 2 | $ | ― | $ | 91
Municipal bonds |  | 148 |  | 8 |  | ― |  | 156
Other securities |  | 194 |  | 1 |  | (13) |  | 182
Total debt securities |  | 431 |  | 11 |  | (13) |  | 429
Equity securities |  | 214 |  | 412 |  | (7) |  | 619
Cash and cash equivalents |  | 15 |  | ― |  | ― |  | 15
Total | $ | 660 | $ | 423 | $ | (20) | $ | 1,063
(1) | Maturity dates are 2016-2065.
(2) | Maturity dates are 2016-2115.
The following table shows the proceeds from sales of securities in the NDT and gross realized gains and losses on those sales:
SALES OF SECURITIES
(Dollars in millions)
|  | Three months ended March 31,
|  | 2016 | 2015
Proceeds from sales(1) | $ | 93 | $ | 94
Gross realized gains |  | 3 |  | 2
Gross realized losses |  | (8) |  | (4)
(1) | Excludes securities that are held to maturity.
Net unrealized gains (losses) are included in Regulatory Liabilities Arising from Removal Obligations on Sempra Energy’s and SDG&E’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. We determine the cost of securities in the trusts on the basis of specific identification. We provide additional information about SONGS in Note 11. NOTE 10. CALIFORNIA UTILITIES' REGULATORY MATTERS We discuss regulatory matters affecting our California Utilities in Note 14 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report, and provide updates to those discussions and details of any new matters below. JOINT MATTERS CPUC General Rate Case (GRC) The CPUC uses a general rate case proceeding to set sufficient rates to allow the California Utilities to recover their reasonable cost of operations and maintenance and to provide the opportunity to realize their authorized rates of return on their investment. The California Utilities filed their 2016 General Rate Case (2016 GRC) applications in November 2014. These filings requested revenue requirement increases of $133 million and $256 million for SDG&E and SoCalGas, respe ctively, over t heir 2015 revenue requirements. In September 2015, the California Utilities filed settlement agreements with the CPUC that resolve all material matters related to the proceeding, except for the revenue requirement implications of certain in come tax benefits associated with flow-through repair allowance tax deductions, discussed below. The settlement agreements are with eight of eleven intervening parties. For SoCalGas, the settlement proposes a total revenue requirement in 2016 of $2.219 bil lion, which is $133 million less than its original request. The proposed settlement represents an increase of $122 million, or 6 percent, over the 2015 total revenue requirement. For SDG&E, the settlement proposes a total revenue requirement in 2016 of $1.811 billion, which is $100 million less than its original request (as revised). The proposed settlement represents an increase of $17 million, or one percent, over the 2015 total revenue requirement. This increase reflects a $16 million adjustment to the 2 015 estimated revenue requirement since the November 2014 filings. The filed settlement agreements also call for attrition adjustments of 3.5 percent for both 2017 and 2018. Because the 2016 settlement has not been finalized, the California Utilities will collect rates identical to 2015 authorized amounts until a 2016 decision is approved. The California Utilities also filed a separate agreement, reached with ORA, proposing that a fourth year (2019) be added to the GRC period, with a revenue requirement i ncrease of 4.3 percent over 2018. On April 29, 2016, the CPUC issued a proposed decision in a separate proceeding denying the potential of four-year GRC cycles citing that an extension to the GRC period would delay the implementation of the risk-based decis ion making framework. The settlement agreements described above exclude a proposal, for both SDG&E and SoCalGas, regarding certain intra-rate case income tax benefits. The proposal recommends that the CPUC adjust SoCalGas’ rate base by $92 million and SDG&E’s rate base by $93 million, and additionally reduce both utilities’ revenue requirements by amounts tracked in tax memorandum accounts for the year 2015, which total $74 million for SoCalGas and $39 million for SDG&E. We believe the proposed treatment wo uld violate and contradict long standing rate making and income tax policy, and would represent a material departure from historical practice. If this proposal is adopted, the outcome would reduce the revenue requirement amounts agreed to in the respective settlement agreements described above. SDG&E and SoCalGas do not expect that the prospective reduction to rate base described above would result in an immediate earnings impact if this proposal is adopted. However, if this proposal is adopted, SDG&E and S oCalGas may record a material charge against earnings for amounts in the tax memorandum accounts when the proposed decision is received. We anticipate all matters to be resolved in the CPUC’s final decision on the 2016 GRC proceeding. We expect the CPUC to issue a final decision in the proceeding in the second quarter of 2016. Natural Gas Pipeline Operations Safety Assessments In June 2014, the CPUC issued a final decision addressing SDG&E’s and SoCalGas’ Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan (PSEP). Specifically, the decision determined the following for Phase 1 of the program: approved the utilities’ model for implementing PSEP; approved a process, including a reasonableness review, to determine the amount that the utilities will be authorized to recover from ratepayers for the interim costs incurred through the date of the fina l decision to implemen t PSEP, which is recorded in regulatory accounts authorized by the CPUC; approved balancing account treatment, subject to a reasonableness review, for incremental costs yet to be incurred to implement PSEP; and established the criteri a to determine the amounts that would not be eligible for cost recovery, including: certain costs incurred or to be incurred searching for pipeline test records, the cost of pressure testing pipelines installed after July 1, 1961 for which the company ha s not found sufficient records of testing, and any undepreciated balances for pipelines installed after 1961 that were replaced due to insufficient documentation of pressure testing. As a result of this decision, SoCalGas recorded an after-tax earnings ch arge of $5 million in 2014 for costs incurred in prior periods that were no longer subject to recovery. After taking the amounts disallowed for recovery into consideration, as of March 31, 201 6, SDG&E and SoCalGas have recorded PSEP costs of $12 million an d $177 million, respectively, in the CPUC-authorized regulatory account. In regard to requesting recovery from customers for PSEP costs incurred and recorded in accordance with the Triennial Co st Allocation Proceeding (TCAP) decision, SDG&E and SoCalGas are authorized to file an application wit h the CPUC for recovery of such costs up to the date of the TCAP decision and then annually for costs incurred through the end of each calendar year beginning with the period ended December 31, 2015. SoCalGas and SDG&E currently expect to file such applica tions no later than the second quarter of the year following and would expect a decision from the CPUC approximately 12 to 18 months following the date of the application (i.e., a decision on the recovery of costs recorded in the PSEP regulatory accounts a s of December 31, 2015 would be expected by mid-2017). In October 2014, SDG&E and SoCalGas filed a PFM with the CPUC requesting authority to begin to recover PSEP costs from customers in the year in which the costs are incurred, subj ect to refund pending the results of a reasonableness review by the CPUC, instead of in a subsequent year. This request is pending at the CPUC. In December 2014, SDG&E and SoCalGas filed an application with the CPUC for recovery of $0.1 million and $46 mil lion, respectively, in costs recorded in the regulatory account through June 11, 2014. In June 2015, SDG&E and SoCalGas agreed to remove certain projects from the filing and defer their review to future proceedings and, as a result, are now requesting reco very of $0.1 million and $26.8 million, respectively. The ORA, TURN, and the Southern California Generation Coalition (SCGC) have recommended disallowances related to completed projects, as well as facilities build-out costs, de-scoped projects, and projec t management and consulting costs. We expect a decision on this application in the second quarter of 2016. In July 2014, the ORA and TURN filed a joint application for rehearing of the CPUC’s June 2014 final decision. In March 2015, the CPUC issued a decision denying the ORA’s and TURN’s second request for rehearing, but keeping the record open to admit additional evidence on the limited issue of pressure testing or replacing pipelines installed between January 1, 1956 and July 1, 1961. The ORA and TURN allege that the CPUC made a legal error in directing that ratepayers, not shareholders, be responsible for the costs associated with testing or replacing transmission pipelines that were installed between January 1, 1956 and July 1, 1961 for which the California Utilities do not have a record of a pressure test. In December 2015, the CPUC issued a final decision finding that ratepayers should not bear the costs associated with pressure testing subject pipelines, or, if replaced, ratepayers should bear neither the average cost of pressure testing nor the undepreciated balance o f abandoned pipelines. Through March 31, 201 6, the after-tax disallowed costs for SoCalGas and SDG&E are $2.6 million and $0.5 million, respectively. In January 2016, SoCalGas and SDG&E joint ly filed a request with the CPUC seeking rehearing of its December 2015 decision. A CPUC decision on the rehearing request is expected in 2016. SDG&E MATTERS SONGS We discuss regulatory and other matters related to SONGS in Note 9. Wildfire Claims Cost Recovery In September 2015, SDG&E filed an application with the CPUC requesting rate recovery of an estimated $379 million in costs related to the October 2007 wildfires that have been recorded to the Wildfire Expense Memorandum Account (WEMA). These costs represent a portion of the estimated total of $2.4 billion in costs and legal fees that SDG&E has incurred to resolve third-party damage claims arising from the October 2007 wildfires. The requested amount of $379 million is the net estimated cost incurred by SDG&E after deductions for insurance reimbursement ($1.1 billion), third party settlement recoveries ($824 million) and allocations to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)-jurisdictional rates ($80 million), and reflects a voluntary 10 percent shareholder contribution applied to the net WEMA balance ($42 million). SDG&E requested a CPUC decision by the end of 2016 and is proposing to recover the costs in rates over a six- to ten-year period. In April 2016, a ruling was issued establishing the scope and sche dule for the proceeding, which will be managed in two phases. Phase 1 will address SDG&E’s operational and management prudence surrounding the 2007 wildfires. Phase 2 will address whether SDG&E’s actions and decision-making in connection with settling lega l claims in relation to the wildfires were reasonable. Evidentiary hearings in Phase 1 are scheduled to be held in January 2017, with a final decision scheduled to be issued in the second half of 2017. The procedural schedule for Phase 2 will be determined after Phase 1 is concluded. In September 2015, the presiding judge assigned by the FERC to SDG&E’s annual Electric Transmission Formula Rate filing (TO4 Formula Cycle 2) issued an initial decision and an order on summary judgment that authorized SDG&E to recover all of the costs incurred and allocated to SDG&E’s FERC-regulated operations, including $23.1 million of costs associated with the 2007 wildfires. In October 2015, the CPUC filed a request for rehearing of the FERC’s September 2015 order, which req uested abeyance of SDG&E’s request to recover 2007 wildfire damage expenses. On April 21, 2016, the FERC affirmed its findings in the September 2015 order and denied the CPUC’s request for rehearing. The FERC decision finalizes SDG&E’s base transmission re venue requirement and the $23.1 million of wildfire damage expenses. We provide additional information about wildfire litigation costs and their recovery in Note 11. SOCALGAS MATTERS Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility We discuss various regulatory matters regarding the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility and leak in Note 1 1. CALIFORNIA UTILITIES — MAJOR PROJECTS We discuss the California Utilities’ major projects in detail in Note 14 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report, and provide updates to those discussions and details in the tables below.
MAJOR PROJECTS – UPDATES |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Joint Utilities Projects
Southern Gas System Reliability Project
§ | In April 2016, the CPUC issued a proposed decision finding that there is a need for enhanced system reliability for the southern portion of the SoCalGas and SDG&E gas system, but concluding that the utilities have failed to demonstrate that there is a need for their proposed pipeline project. Instead, the proposed decision determines that certain non-physical alternatives will provide enhanced supply reliability, without the need to construct pipeline facilities.
§ | At March 31, 2016, SoCalGas has approximately $23 million of development costs invested in the project, classified as Property, Plant and Equipment on Sempra Energy's and SoCalGas' Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Some or all of these assets could become impaired if the project and potential alternative uses for these assets were ultimately rejected by the CPUC. SoCalGas and SDG&E filed comments with the CPUC in April 2016.
Pipeline Safety & Reliability Project
§ | SDG&E and SoCalGas filed an amended application with the CPUC in March 2016 providing detailed analysis and testimony supporting the proposed project. The revised request also presents additional information on the costs and benefits of project alternatives, safety evaluation and compliance analysis, and statutory and procedural requirements. SDG&E and SoCalGas seek approval to construct the proposed project, estimated at a cost of $633 million, and authority to recover the associated revenue requirement in rates.
SDG&E Projects
Cleveland National Forest (CNF) Transmission Projects
§ | In March 2016, the U.S. Forest Service issued a final decision authorizing issuance of the CNF Master Special Use Permit renewing SDG&E's land rights and authorizing the construction, operation and maintenance of facilities located on national forest lands for the next 50 years, as well as approving the majority of the fire-hardening activities proposed by SDG&E.
§ | Proposed decision issued by the CPUC in April 2016, which granted SDG&E a permit to construct. Final CPUC decision expected in the second quarter of 2016.
Sycamore-Peñasquitos Transmission Project
§ | March 2016 final environmental impact report (EIR) recommended an alternative that undergrounds more of the project than originally proposed, and is viewed as environmentally superior. The CPUC may consider this alternative.
§ | CPUC's recommended alternative has an estimated cost of $250 million to $300 million, compared to the original project cost estimate of $120 million to $150 million, and would also delay the project schedule by approximately 10 months.
§ | CPUC decision expected in the second half of 2016.
South Orange County Reliability Enhancement
§ | CPUC issued its final EIR for the project in April 2016. The EIR concluded that an alternative project is considered environmentally superior to SDG&E's proposal. The final EIR states that the CPUC is not required to adopt the environmentally superior alternative if there are overriding considerations in favor of another alternative. The CPUC will consider the findings in determining whether to approve SDG&E's proposed project or an alternative to it.
§ | Final CPUC decision expected in the second half of 2016.

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