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Regulatory Matters | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2020
Regulated Operations [Abstract] |
Regulatory Matters | Note 13. Regulatory Matters Regulatory Matters Involving Potential Loss Contingencies As a result of issues generated in the ordinary course of business, the Companies are involved in various regulatory matters. Certain regulatory matters may ultimately result in a loss; however, as such matters are in an initial procedural phase, involve uncertainty as to the outcome of pending reviews or orders, and/or involve significant factual issues that need to be resolved, it is not possible for the Companies to estimate a range of possible loss. For regulatory matters that the Companies cannot estimate, a statement to this effect is made in the description of the matter. Other matters may have progressed sufficiently through the regulatory process such that the Companies are able to estimate a range of possible loss. For regulatory matters that the Companies are able to reasonably estimate a range of possible losses, an estimated range of possible loss is provided, in excess of the accrued liability (if any) for such matters. Any estimated range is based on currently available information, involves elements of judgment and significant uncertainties and may not represent the Companies’ maximum possible loss exposure. The circumstances of such regulatory matters will change from time to time and actual results may vary significantly from the current estimate. For current matters not specifically reported below, management does not anticipate that the outcome from such matters would have a material effect on the Companies’ financial position, liquidity or results of operations. FERC – Gas DETI In July 2017, FERC audit staff communicated to DETI that it had substantially completed an audit of DETI’s compliance with the accounting and reporting requirements of FERC’s Uniform System of Accounts and provided a description of matters and preliminary recommendations. In November 2017, the FERC audit staff issued its audit report which could have the potential to result in adjustments which could be material to Dominion Energy and Dominion Energy Gas’ results of operations. In December 2017, DETI provided its response to the audit report. DETI reached resolution of certain matters with FERC in the fourth quarter of 2018. Pending final resolution of the audit process and a determination by FERC, management is unable to estimate the potential impact of the remaining finding and no amounts have been recognized. 2017 Tax Reform Act Other than the items discussed below, which are pending or have been resolved during the period, there have been no changes to the 2017 Tax Reform Act matters discussed in Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the Companies’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. In March 2019, Questar Gas filed with the Utah and Wyoming Commissions as to the impact of excess deferred income taxes resulting from the 2017 Tax Reform Act. Questar Gas proposed to return the 2018 amortization of excess deferred income taxes to customers and to incorporate the remaining excess deferred income tax impact in its next general rate cases in each jurisdiction. In March 2020, the Utah Commission issued an order approving Questar Gas’ proposal to refund the January 2019 through February 2020 amortization of excess deferred income taxes over 12 months beginning in June 2020. In April 2020, at the request of the Wyoming Commission, this matter will be considered in conjunction with the base rate case that was filed in November 2019. This matter is pending. In October 2018, the Ohio Commission issued an order requiring rate-regulated utilities to file an application reflecting the impact of the 2017 Tax Reform Act on current rates by January 1, 2019. In December 2018, East Ohio filed its application proposing an approach to establishing rates and charges by and through which to return tax reform benefits to its customers. In December 2019, the Ohio Commission issued an order approving customer credits of approximately $600 million that will be shared with customers primarily over the remaining book life of the property to which the excess deferred income taxes relate. In addition, East Ohio will reduce rates approximately $19 million per year to account for the 2017 Tax Reform Act’s impact on its equity return component of rates charged to customers. A tax savings credit, which passes through the reduction in the federal income tax rate under the 2017 Tax Reform Act to customers in accordance with the settlement agreement approved by the Ohio Commission, became effective with the first billing cycle in April 2020. Other Regulatory Matters Other than the following matters, there have been no significant developments regarding the pending regulatory matters disclosed in Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the Companies’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. Virginia Regulation Virginia 2020 Legislation In April 2020, the Governor of Virginia signed into law the VCEA, which along with related legislation forms a comprehensive framework affecting Virginia Power’s operations. The VCEA replaces Virginia’s voluntary renewable energy portfolio standard for Virginia Power with a mandatory program setting annual renewable energy portfolio standard requirements based on the percentage of total electric energy sold by Virginia Power, excluding existing nuclear generation and certain new carbon-free resources, reaching 100% by the end of 2045. The VCEA includes related requirements concerning deployment of wind, solar and energy storage resources, as well as provides for certain measures to increase net-metering, including an allocation for low-income customers, incentivizes energy efficiency programs and directs Virginia to participate in a carbon trading program. While the legislation affects several portions of Virginia Power’s operations, key provisions of the GTSA remain in effect, including the triennial review structure and timing, the use of the customer credit reinvestment offset and the $50 million cap on revenue reductions in the first triennial review proceeding. Key provisions of the VCEA and related legislation passed include the following:
| - | Fossil Fuel Electric Generation: The legislation mandates Chesterfield Power Station Units 5 & 6 and Yorktown Power Station Unit 3 to be retired by the end of 2024, Altavista, Southampton and Hopewell to be retired by the end of 2028 and Virginia Power’s remaining fossil fuel units to be retired by the end of 2045, unless the retirement of such generating units will compromise grid reliability or security. The legislation also imposes a temporary moratorium on CPCNs for fossil fuel
|  | generation, unless the resources are needed for grid reliability. In addition, the Virginia Commission shall determine the amortization period for recovery of any appropriate costs due to the early retirement of any electric generation facilities, which could result in the reversal of previous retirement costs deemed recovered during the review period ending 2020. As discussed in Note 2, Virginia Power had recorded charges for early retirement of certain coal- and -oil fired generating units in the first quarters of 2020 and 2019. Virginia Power is currently evaluating the prospective impacts to depreciation rates for fossil fuel units that either must or may be retired before the end of their useful lives as a result of the legislation, excluding gas-fired generating facilities that are currently expected to be required for reliability. Any changes in depreciation rates are not expected to have a material impact to Virginia Power’s results of operations or cash flows based on the existing regulatory framework.
| - | Renewable Generation: The legislation provides a detailed renewable energy portfolio standard to achieve 100% zero-carbon generation by the end of 2045, excluding existing nuclear generation and certain new carbon-free resources. Components include requirements to petition the Virginia Commission for approval to construct or acquire new generating capacity to reach 16.1 GW of installed solar and onshore wind by the end of 2035, which includes specific requirements for utility-scale solar of 3.0 GW by the end of 2024, up to 15.0 GW by the end of 2035 and 1.1 GW of small-scale solar by the end of 2035. The legislation deems 2,700 MW of energy storage, including up to 800 MW for any one project which may include a pumped storage facility, by the end of 2035 to be in the public interest. The legislation also deems the construction or purchase of an offshore wind facility constructed off the Virginia coast with a capacity of up to 5,200 MW before 2035 to be in the public interest and provides certain presumptions facilitating cost recovery. The costs of such a facility constructed by the utility with a capacity between 2,500 and 3,000 MW will be presumed reasonably and prudently incurred if the Virginia Commission finds that the project meets competitive procurement requirements, the projected cost of the facility does not exceed a specified industry benchmark and the utility commences construction by the end of 2023 or has a plan for the facility to be in service by the end of 2027. The Virginia Commission must approve all projects to meet those requirements.
| - | Energy Efficiency: The legislation includes an energy efficiency target of 5% energy savings, as measured from a 2019 baseline, through verifiable energy efficiency programs by the end of 2025 with future targets to be set by the Virginia Commission. Virginia Power has the opportunity to offset the lost revenues with margins on program spend if certain targets are achieved and can also seek recovery of the lost revenues associated with energy efficiency programs if such reductions are found to have caused Virginia Power to earn more than 50 basis points below a fair rate of return on its rates for generation and distribution services.
| - | Carbon trading program: The legislation directs Virginia Power to participate in a market-based carbon trading program consistent with RGGI through 2050. All costs of the carbon trading program are recoverable through an environmental rider.
| - | Low-income customers: The legislation includes the establishment of a percentage of income payment program to be administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and the Virginia Department of Social Services. To fund the program, Virginia Power will remit amounts collected from customers under a universal service fee established and set by the Virginia Commission. As such, this program will not affect Virginia Power’s results of operations, financial position or cash flows.
Virginia Power expects to incur significant costs, including capital expenditures, to comply with the legislative requirements discussed above. The legislation allows for cost recovery under the existing or modified regulatory framework through rate adjustment clauses, rates for generation and distribution services or Virginia Power’s fuel factor, as approved by the Virginia Commission. Costs allocated to the North Carolina jurisdiction will be recovered, subject to approval by the North Carolina Commission, in accordance with the existing regulatory framework. Grid Transformation and Security Act of 2018 In July 2018, Virginia Power filed a petition with the Virginia Commission for approval of the first three years of its ten-year plan for electric distribution grid transformation projects as authorized by the GTSA. During the first three years of the plan, Virginia Power proposed to focus on the following seven foundational components of the overall grid transformation plan: (i) smart meters; (ii) customer information platform; (iii) reliability and resilience; (iv) telecommunications infrastructure; (v) cyber and physical security; (vi) predictive analytics; and (vii) emerging technology. The total estimated capital investment during 2019-2021 was $816 million and the proposed operations and maintenance expenses were $102 million. In January 2019, the Virginia Commission issued its final order approving capital spending for the first three years of the plan totaling $68 million on cyber and physical security and related telecommunications infrastructure (Phase IA). The Virginia Commission declined to approve the remainder of the proposed components for the first three years of the plan, the proposed spending for which was not found reasonable and prudent based on the record in the proceeding. In September 2019, Virginia Power filed a revised plan which includes six components: (i) smart meters; (ii) customer information platform; (iii) grid improvement projects; (iv) telecommunications infrastructure; (v) cyber security; and (vi) a smart charging electric vehicle infrastructure pilot program (Phase IB). For Phase IB, the total proposed capital investment during 2019 – 2021 was $503 million and the proposed operations and maintenance investment was $78 million. In March 2020, the Virginia Commission issued an order approving $212 million of costs related to a new customer information platform, targeted grid hardening and corridor improvements, an electric vehicle Smart Charging Infrastructure Pilot Program, cyber security, stakeholder engagement and customer education and denied the costs associated with AMI, self-healing grid and certain other grid hardening projects alleging that the Company did not prove the reasonableness and prudency of these costs. In April 2020, Virginia Power filed a petition for reconsideration of the Virginia Commission’s order and requested clarification of certain matters, including the Smart Charging Infrastructure Pilot Program. Additionally, Virginia Power requested clarification of certain matters relating to an AMI time-of-use rate and the smart charging electric vehicle infrastructure pilot program. Subsequently, in April 2020, the Virginia Commission denied in full Virginia Power’s petition for reconsideration; however, it stated that its March 2020 order contained all necessary approvals for the smart charging electric vehicle infrastructure pilot program. Virginia Power intends to file a revised plan as early as late 2020 that will address the elements needed for a comprehensive plan, as outlined by the Virginia Commission in its order. Solar Facility Projects In July 2019, Virginia Power filed an application with the Virginia Commission for a CPCN to construct Sadler Solar, which is estimated to cost approximately $146 million, excluding financing costs. Sadler Solar is expected to commence commercial operations, subject to regulatory approvals associated with the project, in the fourth quarter of 2020. Virginia Power also applied for approval of Rider US-4 associated with this project with a proposed $9 million total revenue requirement for the rate year beginning June 1, 2020. In January 2020, the Virginia Commission issued a final order granting the CPCN to construct Sadler Solar, subject to a 20- year performance guarantee of the facility at a 22% solar capacity factor when normalized for force majeure events. In March 2020, the Virginia Commission approved a $7 million total annual revenue requirement. Virginia Fuel Expenses In February 2020, Virginia Power filed its annual fuel factor with the Virginia Commission to recover an estimated $1.2 billion in Virginia jurisdictional projected fuel expenses for the rate year beginning July 1, 2020 and a projected over-recovery of approximately $81 million for the prior year balance as of June 30, 2020. Virginia Power requested that the new fuel factor rate be implemented on an interim basis two months early, beginning on May 1, 2020. In March 2020, the Virginia Commission approved the interim rates. Virginia Power’s proposed fuel rate represents a fuel revenue decrease of approximately $393 million when applied to projected kilowatt-hour sales for the rate year beginning May 1, 2020. This matter is pending. Rate Adjustment Clauses Developments for significant riders associated with various Virginia Power projects are as follows:
,Rider Name |  | Application Date |  | Approval Date |  | Rate Year Beginning |  | Total Revenue Requirement (millions) |  |  | Increase (Decrease) Over Previous Year (millions) |
Rider US-3 |  | July 2019 |  | March 2020 |  | June 2020 |  | $ | 28 |  |  | $ | 18 |
North Carolina Regulation North Carolina Base Rate Case In March 2019, Virginia Power filed its base rate case and schedules with the North Carolina Commission. Virginia Power proposed a non-fuel, base rate increase of $27 million effective November 1, 2019 on an interim basis subject to refund, with any permanent rates ordered by the North Carolina Commission effective January 1, 2020. The base rate increase was proposed to recover the significant investments in generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure for the benefit of North Carolina customers. Virginia Power presented an earned return of 7.52% based upon a fully-adjusted test period, compared to its authorized 9.90% return, and proposed a 10.75% ROE. In September 2019, Virginia Power revised its filing to reduce the non-fuel base rate increase to $24 million. In January 2020, the North Carolina Commission approved a 9.75% ROE and disallowed certain costs associated with coal ash remediation at Chesterfield power station. In February 2020, the North Carolina Commission issued its final order relating to base rates. In April 2020, Virginia Power filed a petition for reconsideration of the North Carolina Commission’s order as it relates to certain issues. This matter is pending. Pipeline Integrity and Safety Program The North Carolina Commission has authorized PSNC to use a tracker mechanism to recover the incurred capital investment and associated costs of complying with federal standards for pipeline integrity and safety requirements that are not in current base rates. In February 2020, the North Carolina Commission approved PSNC’s request to increase the integrity management annual revenue requirement to $28 million, an increase of $7 million over its previous filing, effective March 2020. South Carolina Regulation South Carolina Base Rate Case Pursuant to the SCANA Merger Approval Order, DESC will not file an application for a general rate case with the South Carolina Commission with a requested effective date for new rates earlier than January 2021. In April 2020, the South Carolina Commission issued an order vacating the portion of the SCANA Merger Approval Order requiring that new retail electric rates be implemented by January 1, 2021. DSM Programs DESC has approval for a DSM rider through which it recovers expenditures related to its DSM programs. In January 2020, DESC filed an application with the South Carolina Commission seeking approval to recover $40 million of costs and net lost revenues associated with these programs, along with an incentive to invest in such programs. In April 2020, the South Carolina Commission approved the filing. Cost of Fuel In February 2020, DESC filed a proposal with the South Carolina Commission to decrease the total fuel cost component of retail electric rates. DESC’s proposed decrease would reduce annual base fuel component recoveries by $44 million and is projected to return to customers the existing over-collected balance while recovering DESC’s current base fuel costs over the 12-month period beginning with the first billing cycle of May 2020. In addition, DESC proposed an increase to its variable environmental and distributed energy resource components. In April 2020, the South Carolina Commission approved the filing. Ohio Regulation PIR Program In 2008, East Ohio began PIR, aimed at replacing approximately 25% of its pipeline system. In April 2020, the Ohio Commission approved East Ohio’s application to adjust the PIR recovery for 2019 costs. The filing reflects gross plant investment for 2019 of $209 million, cumulative gross plant investment of $1.8 billion and an annual revenue requirement of $218 million. FERC – Gas Cove Point In January 2020, pursuant to the terms of a previous settlement, Cove Point filed a general rate case for its FERC-jurisdictional services, with proposed rates to be effective March 1, 2020. Cove Point proposed an annual cost-of-service of approximately $182 million. In February 2020, FERC approved suspending the changes in rates for five months following the proposed effective date, until August 1, 2020, subject to refund. In February 2020, Cove Point submitted its annual electric power cost adjustment to FERC requesting approval to recover $28 million. FERC approved the adjustment in March 2020.

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