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Electricity Purchase Agreements | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2020
Regulated Operations [Abstract] |
Electricity Purchase Agreements | Regulatory Matters Rate Plans The Utilities provide service to New York customers according to the terms of tariffs approved by the NYSPSC. Tariffs for service to customers of Rockland Electric Company (RECO), O&R’s New Jersey regulated utility subsidiary, are approved by the NJBPU. The tariffs include schedules of rates for service that limit the rates charged by the Utilities to amounts that recover from their customers costs approved by the regulator, including capital costs, of providing service to customers as defined by the tariff. The tariffs implement rate plans adopted by state utility regulators in rate orders issued at the conclusion of rate proceedings. Pursuant to the Utilities’ rate plans, there generally can be no change to the charges to customers during the respective terms of the rate plans other than specified adjustments provided for in the rate plans. The Utilities’ rate plans each cover specified periods, but rates determined pursuant to a plan generally continue in effect until a new rate plan is approved by the state utility regulator. Common provisions of the Utilities’ New York rate plans include: Recoverable energy costs that allow the Utilities to recover on a current basis the costs for the energy they supply with no mark-up to their full-service customers. Cost reconciliations that reconcile pension and other postretirement benefit costs, environmental remediation costs, property taxes, variable-rate tax-exempt debt and certain other costs to amounts reflected in delivery rates for such costs. In addition, changes in the Utilities' costs not reflected in rates, in excess of certain amounts, resulting from changes in tax or changes in legislation, regulation or related actions, are deferred as a regulatory asset or regulatory liability to be reflected in the Utilities' next rate plan or in a manner to be determined by the NYSPSC. Also, the Utilities generally retain the right to petition for recovery or accounting deferral of extraordinary and material cost increases and provision is sometimes made for the utility to retain a share of cost reductions, for example, property tax refunds. Revenue decoupling mechanisms that reconcile actual energy delivery revenues to the authorized delivery revenues approved by the NYSPSC. The difference is accrued with interest for refund to, or recovery from customers, as applicable. Earnings sharing that require the Utilities to defer for customer benefit a portion of earnings over specified rates of return on common equity. There is no symmetric mechanism for earnings below specified rates of return on common equity. Negative revenue adjustments for failure to meet certain performance standards relating to service, reliability, safety and other matters. Positive revenue adjustments for achievement of performance standards related to achievement of clean energy goals, safety and other matters. Net utility plant reconciliations that require deferral as a regulatory liability of the revenue requirement impact of the amount, if any, by which actual average net utility plant balances are less than amounts reflected in rates. There is generally no symmetric mechanism if actual average net utility plant balances are more than amounts reflected in rates. Rate base, as reflected in the rate plans, is, in general, the sum of the Utilities’ net plant, working capital and certain regulatory assets less deferred taxes and certain regulatory liabilities. For each rate plan, the NYSPSC uses a forecast of the average rate base for each year that new rates would be in effect (“rate year”). Weighted average cost of capital is determined based on the authorized common equity ratio, return on common equity, cost of long-term debt and cost of customer deposits reflected in each rate plan. For each rate plan, the revenues designed to provide the utility a return on invested capital for each rate year are determined by multiplying each utility rate base by its pre–tax weighted average cost of capital. The Utilities’ actual return on common equity will reflect their actual operations for each rate year, and may be more or less than the authorized return on equity reflected in their rate plans (and if more, may be subject to earnings sharing). The following tables contain a summary of the Utilities’ rate plans:
CECONY – Electric |  |  |  |
Effective period |  | January 2017 – December 2019 |  | January 2020 – December 2022 (a)
Base rate changes |  | Yr. 1 – $195 million (b) Yr. 2 – $155 million (b) Yr. 3 – $155 million (b) |  | Yr. 1 – $113 million (c) Yr. 2 – $370 million (c) Yr. 3 – $326 million (c)
Amortizations to income of net regulatory (assets) and liabilities |  | Yr. 1 – $84 million Yr. 2 – $83 million Yr. 3 – $69 million |  | Yr. 1 – $267 million (d) Yr. 2 – $269 million (d) Yr. 3 – $272 million (d)
Other revenue sources |  | Retention of $75 million of annual transmission congestion revenues. Potential earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency and other potential incentives of up to: Yr. 1 – $28 million Yr. 2 – $47 million Yr. 3 – $64 million In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company recorded $13 million, $25 million and $43 million of earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency, respectively. The company also achieved $5 million of incentives for service terminations in 2017, 2018 and 2019 that, pursuant to the rate plan, is being recorded ratably in earnings from 2018 to 2020. In 2018 and 2019, the company recorded $3 million and $7 million of incentives for service terminations, respectively. |  | Retention of $75 million of annual transmission congestion revenues. Potential earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency and other potential incentives of up to: Yr. 1 - $69 million Yr. 2 - $74 million Yr. 3 - $79 million In 2020, the company recorded $34 million primarily related to earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency.
Revenue decoupling mechanisms |  | Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized electric delivery revenues. In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company deferred for customer benefit $45 million, $(6) million and $169 million of revenues, respectively. |  | Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized electric delivery revenues. In 2020, the company deferred for recovery from customers $242 million of revenues.
Recoverable energy costs |  | Continuation of current rate recovery of purchased power and fuel costs. |  | Continuation of current rate recovery of purchased power and fuel costs.
Negative revenue adjustments |  | Potential charges if certain performance targets relating to service, reliability, safety and other matters are not met: Yr. 1 – $376 million Yr. 2 – $341 million Yr. 3 – $352 million In 2017 and 2018, the company did not record any negative revenue adjustments. In 2019, the company recorded negative revenue adjustments of $15 million. |  | Potential charges if certain performance targets relating to service, reliability, safety and other matters are not met: Yr. 1 - $450 million Yr. 2 - $461 million Yr. 3 - $476 million In 2020, the company recorded negative revenue adjustments of $5 million.
Cost reconciliations |  | Continuation of reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, variable-rate tax-exempt debt, major storms, property taxes (e), municipal infrastructure support costs (f), the impact of new laws and environmental site investigation and remediation to amounts reflected in rates (g). In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company deferred $35 million, $189 million and $10 million of net regulatory assets, respectively. |  | Continuation of reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, variable-rate debt, major storms, property taxes (e), municipal infrastructure support costs (f), the impact of new laws and environmental site investigation and remediation to amounts reflected in rates. (g) In 2020, the company deferred $288 million of net regulatory assets.
Net utility plant reconciliations |  | Target levels reflected in rates: Electric average net plant target excluding advanced metering infrastructure (AMI): Yr. 1 – $21,689 million Yr. 2 – $22,338 million Yr. 3 – $23,002 million AMI: Yr. 1 – $126 million Yr. 2 – $257 million Yr. 3 – $415 million The company deferred $0.4 million as a regulatory asset in 2017. In 2018 and 2019, $0.4 and $11.8 million was deferred as a regulatory liability, respectively. |  | Target levels reflected in rates: Electric average net plant target excluding advanced metering infrastructure (AMI): Yr. 1 - $24,491 million Yr. 2 - $25,092 million Yr. 3 - $25,708 million AMI: Yr. 1 - $572 million Yr. 2 - $740 million Yr. 3 - $806 million (h) The company deferred $4.1 million as a regulatory asset in 2020.
Average rate base |  | Yr. 1 – $18,902 million Yr. 2 – $19,530 million Yr. 3 – $20,277 million |  | Yr. 1 - $21,660 million Yr. 2 - $22,783 million Yr. 3 - $23,926 million
Weighted average cost of capital (after-tax) |  | Yr. 1 – 6.82 percent Yr. 2 – 6.80 percent Yr. 3 – 6.73 percent |  | 6.61 percent
Authorized return on common equity |  | 9.0 percent |  | 8.80 percent
Actual return on common equity (i) |  | Yr. 1 – 9.30 percent Yr. 2 – 9.36 percent Yr. 3 – 8.82 percent |  | Yr. 1 – 8.50 percent
Earnings sharing |  | Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.5 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year. In 2017, the company had no earnings above the threshold but recorded a positive adjustment related to 2016 of $5.7 million in earnings. In 2018 and 2019, the company had no earnings sharing above the threshold. |  | Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.3 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year. In 2020, the company had no earnings sharing above the threshold.
Cost of long-term debt |  | Yr. 1 – 4.93 percent Yr. 2 – 4.88 percent Yr. 3 – 4.74 percent |  | 4.63 percent
Common equity ratio |  | 48 percent |  | 48 percent
(a)In January 2020, the NYSPSC approved the October 2019 Joint Proposal for CECONY's electric rate plan for January 2020 through December 2022. If at the end of any semi-annual period ending June 30 and December 31, Con Edison’s investments in its non-utility businesses exceed 15 percent of its total consolidated revenues, assets or cash flow, or if the ratio of holding company debt to total consolidated debt rises above 20 percent, CECONY is required to notify the NYSPSC and submit a ring-fencing plan or a demonstration why additional ring-fencing measures (see Note T) are not necessary. (b)The electric base rate increases were in addition to a $48 million increase resulting from the December 2016 expiration of a temporary credit under the prior rate plan. At the NYSPSC’s option, these increases were implemented with increases of $199 million in each rate year. Base rates reflect recovery by the company of certain costs of its energy efficiency, system peak reduction and electric vehicle programs (Yr. 1 - $20.5 million; Yr. 2 - $49 million; and Yr. 3 - $107.5 million) over a 10-year period, including the overall pre-tax rate of return on such costs. (c)Base rates reflect recovery by the company of certain costs of its energy efficiency, Reforming the Energy Vision demonstration projects, non-wire alternative projects (including the Brooklyn Queens demand management program), and off-peak electric vehicle charging programs (Yr. 1 - $206 million; Yr. 2 - $245 million; and Yr. 3 - $251 million) over a ten-year period, including the overall pre-tax rate of return on such costs. (d)Amounts reflect amortization of the 2018 tax savings under the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) allocable to CECONY’s electric customers ($377 million) over a three-year period ($126 million annually), the protected portion of the regulatory liability for excess deferred income taxes allocable to CECONY’s electric customers ($1,663 million) over the remaining lives of the related assets ($49 million in Yr. 1, $50 million in Yr. 2, and $53 million in Yr. 3) and the unprotected portion of the net regulatory liability ($784 million) over five years ($157 million annually). Amounts also reflect amortization of the regulatory asset for deferred MTA power reliability costs ($238 million) over a five-year period ($48 million annually). (e)Deferrals for property taxes are limited to 90 percent of the difference from amounts reflected in rates, subject to an annual maximum for the remaining difference of not more than a maximum number of basis points impact on return on common equity: Yr 1 - 10.0 basis points; Yr 2 - 7.5 basis points; and Yr 3 - 5.0 basis points. (f)In general, if actual expenses for municipal infrastructure support (other than company labor) are below the amounts reflected in rates the company will defer the difference for credit to customers, and if the actual expenses are above the amount reflected in rates the company will defer for recovery from customers 80 percent of the difference subject to a maximum deferral, subject to certain conditions, of 30 percent of the amount reflected in the January 2017-December 2019 rate plan and 15 percent of the amount reflected in the January 2020-December 2022 rate plan. (g)In addition, the NYSPSC staff has commenced a focused operations audit to investigate the income tax accounting of CECONY and other New York utilities. Any NYSPSC-ordered adjustment to CECONY’s income tax accounting will be refunded to or collected from customers, as determined by the NYSPSC. See "Other Regulatory Matters," below. (h)Reconciliation of net utility plant for AMI will be done on a combined basis for electric and gas. (i)Calculated in accordance with the earnings calculation method prescribed in the rate order.
CECONY – Gas |  |  |  |
Effective period |  | January 2017 - December 2019 |  | January 2020 – December 2022 (a)
Base rate changes |  | Yr. 1 – $(5) million (b) Yr. 2 – $92 million Yr. 3 – $90 million |  | Yr. 1 – $84 million (c) Yr. 2 – $122 million (c) Yr. 3 – $167 million (c)
Amortizations to income of net regulatory (assets) and liabilities |  | Yr. 1 – $39 million Yr. 2 – $37 million Yr. 3 – $36 million |  | Yr. 1 – $45 million (d) Yr. 2 – $43 million (d) Yr. 3 – $10 million (d)
Other revenue sources |  | Retention of annual revenues from non-firm customers of up to $65 million and 15 percent of any such revenues above $65 million. Potential incentives if performance targets related to gas leak backlog, leak prone pipe and service terminations are met: Yr. 1 – $7 million Yr. 2 – $8 million Yr. 3 – $8 million In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company achieved incentives of $7 million, $6 million and $7 million, respectively, that, pursuant to the rate plan, was recorded ratably in earnings from 2018 to 2020. In 2018 and 2019, the company recorded incentives of $5 million and $9 million, respectively, for gas leak backlog, leak prone pipe and service terminations. |  | Retention of annual revenues from non-firm customers of up to $65 million and 15 percent of any such revenues above $65 million. Potential earnings adjusted mechanism incentives for energy efficiency and other potential incentives of up to: Yr. 1 - $20 million Yr. 2 - $22 million Yr. 3 - $25 million In 2020, the company recorded $3 million of earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency. In 2020, the company recorded positive incentives of $13 million.
Revenue decoupling mechanisms |  | Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized gas delivery revenues. In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company deferred $3 million, $12 million and $10 million of regulatory liabilities, respectively. |  | Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized gas delivery revenues, modified to be calculated based upon revenue per customer class instead of revenue per customer. In 2020, the company deferred for recovery from customers $27 million of revenues.
Recoverable energy costs |  | Continuation of current rate recovery of purchased gas costs. |  | Continuation of current rate recovery of purchased gas costs.
Negative revenue adjustments |  | Potential charges if performance targets relating to service, safety and other matters are not met: Yr. 1 – $68 million Yr. 2 – $63 million Yr. 3 – $70 million In 2017 and 2018, the company recorded negative revenue adjustments of $5 million and $4 million, respectively. In 2019, the company did not record any negative revenue adjustments. |  | Potential charges if performance targets relating to service, safety and other matters are not met: Yr. 1 - $81 million Yr. 2 - $88 million Yr. 3 - $96 million In 2020, the company did not record any negative revenue adjustments.
Cost reconciliations |  | Continuation of reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, variable-rate tax-exempt debt, major storms, property taxes (e), municipal infrastructure support costs (f), the impact of new laws and environmental site investigation and remediation to amounts reflected in rates. (g) In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company deferred $2 million of net regulatory liabilities, $44 million of net regulatory assets and $18 million of net regulatory assets, respectively. |  | Continuation of reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, variable-rate debt, major storms, property taxes (e), municipal infrastructure support costs (f), the impact of new laws and environmental site investigation and remediation to amounts reflected in rates. (g) In 2020, the company deferred $91 million of net regulatory assets.
Net utility plant reconciliations |  | Target levels reflected in rates: Gas average net plant target excluding AMI: Yr. 1 – $5,844 million Yr. 2 – $6,512 million Yr. 3 – $7,177 million AMI: Yr. 1 – $27 million Yr. 2 – $57 million Yr. 3 – $100 million In 2017 and 2018 the company deferred $2.2 million as regulatory liabilities. In 2019, the company deferred $1.7 million as a regulatory liability. |  | Target levels reflected in rates: Gas average net plant target excluding AMI: Yr. 1 - $8,108 million Yr. 2 - $8,808 million Yr. 3 - $9,510 million AMI: Yr. 1 - $142 million Yr. 2 - $183 million Yr. 3 - $211 million (h) In 2020, the company deferred $24.7 million as a regulatory liability.
Average rate base |  | Yr. 1 – $4,841 million Yr. 2 – $5,395 million Yr. 3 – $6,005 million |  | Yr. 1 - $7,171 million Yr. 2 - $7,911 million Yr. 3 - $8,622 million
Weighted average cost of capital (after-tax) |  | Yr. 1 – 6.82 percent Yr. 2 – 6.80 percent Yr. 3 – 6.73 percent |  | 6.61 percent
Authorized return on common equity |  | 9.0 percent |  | 8.80 percent
Actual return on common equity (i) |  | Yr. 1 – 9.22 percent Yr. 2 – 9.04 percent Yr. 3 – 8.72 percent |  | Yr. 1 – 8.40 percent
Earnings sharing |  | Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.5 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year. In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company had no earnings above the threshold. |  | Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.3 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year. In 2020, the company had no earnings above the threshold.
Cost of long-term debt |  | Yr. 1 – 4.93 percent Yr. 2 – 4.88 percent Yr. 3 – 4.74 percent |  | 4.63 percent
Common equity ratio |  | 48 percent |  | 48 percent
(a)In January 2020, the NYSPSC approved the October 2019 Joint Proposal for CECONY's gas rate plan for January 2020 through December 2022. If at the end of any semi-annual period ending June 30 and December 31, Con Edison’s investments in its non-utility businesses exceed 15 percent of its total consolidated revenues, assets or cash flow, or if the ratio of holding company debt to total consolidated debt rises above 20 percent, CECONY is required to notify the NYSPSC and submit a ring-fencing plan or a demonstration why additional ring-fencing measures (see Note T) are not necessary. (b)The gas base rate decrease was offset by a $41 million increase resulting from the December 2016 expiration of a temporary credit under the prior rate plan. (c)The gas base rate increases shown above will be implemented with increases of $47 million in Yr. 1; $176 million in Yr. 2; and $170 million in Yr. 3 in order to levelize customer bill impacts. Base rates reflect recovery by the company of certain costs of its energy efficiency program (Yr. 1 - $30 million; Yr. 2 - $37 million; and Yr. 3 - $40 million) over a ten-year period, including the overall pre-tax rate of return on such costs. (d)Amounts reflect amortization of the remaining 2018 TCJA tax savings allocable to CECONY’s gas customers ($63 million) over a two year period ($32 million annually), the protected portion of the regulatory liability for excess deferred income taxes allocable to CECONY’s gas customers ($725 million) over the remaining lives of the related assets ($14 million in Yr. 1, $14 million in Yr. 2, and $12 million in Yr. 3) and the unprotected portion of the net regulatory liability ($107 million) over five years ($21 million annually) (e)-(i) See footnotes (e) - (i) to the table under “CECONY Electric,” above.
CECONY – Steam |  |  |  |
Effective period |  | January 2014 – December 2016 (a) |  |
Base rate changes |  | Yr. 1 – $(22.4) million (b) Yr. 2 – $19.8 million (b) Yr. 3 – $20.3 million (b) Yr. 4 – None Yr. 5 – None Yr. 6 – None Yr. 7 – None |  |
Amortizations to income of net regulatory (assets) and liabilities |  | $37 million over three years |  |
Recoverable energy costs |  | Current rate recovery of purchased power and fuel costs. |  |
Negative revenue adjustments |  | Potential charges (up to $1 million annually) if certain steam performance targets are not met. In years 2014 through 2020, the company did not record any negative revenue adjustments. |  |
Cost reconciliations (c) |  | In 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, the company deferred $42 million of net regulatory liabilities, $17 million of net regulatory assets, $8 million and $14 million of net regulatory liabilities, $1 million of net regulatory assets, $8 million of net regulatory liabilities and $35 million of net regulatory assets, respectively. |  |
Net utility plant reconciliations |  | Target levels reflected in rates were: Production: Yr. 1 – $1,752 million Yr. 2 – $1,732 million Yr. 3 – $1,720 million Distribution: Yr. 1 – $6 million Yr. 2 – $11 million Yr. 3 – $25 million The company reduced its regulatory liability by $0.1 million in 2014 and immaterial amounts in 2015 and 2016 and no deferrals were recorded in 2017, 2018, 2019. The company reduced its regulatory liability by $1.6 million in 2020. |  |
Average rate base |  | Yr. 1 – $1,511 million Yr. 2 – $1,547 million Yr. 3 – $1,604 million |  |
Weighted average cost of capital (after-tax) |  | Yr. 1 – 7.10 percent Yr. 2 – 7.13 percent Yr. 3 – 7.21 percent |  |
Authorized return on common equity |  | 9.3 percent |  |
Actual return on common equity (d) |  | Yr. 1 – 9.82 percent Yr. 2 – 10.88 percent Yr. 3 – 10.54 percent Yr. 4 – 9.51 percent Yr. 5 – 11.73 percent Yr. 6 – 10.45 percent Yr. 7 – 7.91 percent |  |
Earnings sharing |  | Weather normalized earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.9 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs. In 2014, the company had no earnings above the threshold. Actual earnings were $11.5 million and $7.8 million above the threshold in 2015 and 2016, respectively. In 2017, actual earnings were $8.5 million above the threshold, offset in part by a positive adjustment related to 2016 of $4 million. In 2018, actual earnings were $16.5 million above the threshold, and an additional $1.1 million related to 2017 was recorded. In 2019 actual earnings were $5 million above the threshold, offset in part by an adjustment related to 2018 of $2.3 million. In 2020, the company had no earnings above the threshold. |  |
Cost of long-term debt |  | Yr. 1 – 5.17 percent Yr. 2 – 5.23 percent Yr. 3 – 5.39 percent |  |
Common equity ratio |  | 48 percent |  |
(a)Rates determined pursuant to this rate plan continue in effect until a new rate plan is approved by the NYSPSC. (b)The impact of these base rate changes was deferred which resulted in an $8 million regulatory liability at December 31, 2016. (c)Deferrals for property taxes are limited to 90 percent of the difference from amounts reflected in rates, subject to an annual maximum for the remaining difference of not more than a 10 basis point impact on return on common equity. (d)Calculated in accordance with the earnings calculation method prescribed in the rate order.
O&R New York – Electric |  |  |  |
Effective period |  | November 2015 - October 2017 (a) |  | January 2019 – December 2021 (d)
Base rate changes |  | Yr. 1 – $9.3 million Yr. 2 – $8.8 million Yr. 3 – None |  | Yr. 1 – $13.4 million (e) Yr. 2 – $8.0 million (e) Yr. 3 – $5.8 million (e)
Amortizations to income of net regulatory (assets) and liabilities |  | Yr. 1 – $(8.5) million (b) Yr. 2 – $(9.4) million (b) Yr. 3 – None |  | Yr. 1 – $(1.5) million (f) Yr. 2 – $(1.5) million (f) Yr. 3 – $(1.5) million (f)
Other revenue sources |  |  |  | Potential earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for peak reduction, energy efficiency, Distributed Energy Resources utilization and other potential incentives of up to: Yr. 1 - $3.6 million Yr. 2 - $4.0 million Yr. 3 - $4.2 million Potential incentive if performance target related to customer service is met: $0.5 million annually. In 2019 and 2020, the company recorded $2.6 million and $1.9 million of earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency, respectively. In 2019 and 2020, the company recorded $0.2 million and $0.5 million of incentives for customer service, respectively.
Revenue decoupling mechanisms |  | In 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, the company deferred for the customer’s benefit an immaterial amount, $6.3 million as regulatory liabilities, $11.2 million as regulatory asset and $0.5 million as regulatory asset, respectively. |  | Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized electric delivery revenues. In 2019 and 2020, the company deferred $0.1 million and $6 million as regulatory assets.
Recoverable energy costs |  | Continuation of current rate recovery of purchased power costs. |  | Continuation of current rate recovery of purchased power costs.
Negative revenue adjustments |  | Potential charges (up to $4 million annually) if certain performance targets are not met. In 2015 the company recorded $1.25 million in negative revenue adjustments. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, the company did not record any negative revenue adjustments. |  | Potential charges if certain performance targets relating to service, reliability and other matters are not met: Yr. 1 - $4.4 million Yr. 2 - $4.4 million Yr. 3 - $4.5 million In 2019 and 2020, the company did not record any negative revenue adjustments.
Cost reconciliations |  | In 2015, 2016 and 2017, the company deferred $0.3 million, $7.4 million and $3.2 million as net decreases to regulatory assets, respectively. In 2018, the company deferred $5 million as a net regulatory asset. |  | Reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, environmental remediation costs, property taxes (g), energy efficiency program (h), major storms, the impact of new laws and certain other costs to amounts reflected in rates.(i) In 2019 and 2020, the company deferred $4.3 million and $30.3 million as net regulatory assets.
Net utility plant reconciliations |  | Target levels reflected in rates are: Yr. 1 – $928 million (c) Yr. 2 – $970 million (c) The company increased/(reduced) its regulatory asset by $2.2 million, $(1.9) million, $(1.9) million and $1.4 million in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively. |  | Target levels reflected in rates were: Electric average net plant target excluding advanced metering infrastructure (AMI): Yr. 1 - $1,008 million Yr. 2 - $1,032 million Yr. 3 - $1,083 million AMI (j): Yr. 1 - $48 million Yr. 2 - $58 million Yr. 3 - $61 million The company increased regulatory asset by an immaterial amount in 2019 and deferred $0.4 million as a regulatory liability in 2020.
Average rate base |  | Yr. 1 – $763 million Yr. 2 – $805 million Yr. 3 – $805 million |  | Yr. 1 – $878 million Yr. 2 – $906 million Yr. 3 – $948 million
Weighted average cost of capital (after-tax) |  | Yr. 1 – 7.10 percent Yr. 2 – 7.06 percent Yr. 3 – 7.06 percent |  | Yr. 1 – 6.97 percent Yr. 2 – 6.96 percent Yr. 3 – 6.96 percent
Authorized return on common equity |  | 9.0 percent |  | 9.0 percent
Actual return on common equity (k) |  | Yr. 1 – 10.8 percent Yr. 2 – 9.7 percent Yr. 3 – 7.2 percent |  | Yr. 1 – 9.6 percent Yr. 2 – 8.76 percent
Earnings sharing |  | Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.6 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets. In 2015, earnings did not exceed the earnings threshold. Actual earnings were $6.1 million, $0.3 million above the threshold for 2016 and 2017, respectively. In 2018, earnings did not exceed the earnings threshold. |  | Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.6 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year. In 2019 and 2020, earnings did not exceed the earnings threshold.
Cost of long-term debt |  | Yr. 1 – 5.42 percent Yr. 2 – 5.35 percent Yr. 3 – 5.35 percent |  | Yr. 1 – 5.17 percent Yr. 2 – 5.14 percent Yr. 3 – 5.14 percent
Common equity ratio |  | 48 percent |  | 48 percent
(a)Rates determined pursuant to this rate plan continued in effect until the subsequent rate plan became effective. (b)$59.3 million of the regulatory asset for deferred storm costs is to be recovered from customers over a 5 year period, including $11.85 million in each of years 1 and 2, $1 million of the regulatory asset for such costs will not be recovered from customers, and all outstanding issues related to Superstorm Sandy and other past major storms prior to November 2014 are resolved. Approximately $4 million of regulatory assets for property tax and interest rate reconciliations will not be recovered from customers. Amounts that will not be recovered from customers were charged-off in June 2015. (c)Excludes electric AMI as to which the company will be required to defer as a regulatory liability the revenue requirement impact of the amount, if any, by which actual average net utility plant balances are less than amounts reflected in rates: $1 million in year 1 and $9 million in year 2. (d)If at the end of any year, Con Edison’s investments in its non-utility businesses exceed 15 percent of Con Edison’s total consolidated revenues, assets or cash flow, or if the ratio of holding company debt to total consolidated debt rises above 20 percent, O&R is required to notify the NYSPSC and submit a ring-fencing plan or a demonstration why additional ring-fencing measures (see Note T) are not necessary. (e)The electric base rate increases shown above will be implemented with increases of: Yr. 1 - $8.6 million; Yr. 2 - $12.1 million; and Yr. 3 - $12.2 million. (f)Reflects amortization of, among other things, the company’s net benefits under the TCJA prior to January 1, 2019, amortization of net regulatory liability for future income taxes and reduction of previously incurred regulatory assets for environmental remediation costs. Also, for electric, reflects amortization over a six year period of previously incurred incremental major storm costs. See "Other Regulatory Matters," below. (g)Deferrals for property taxes are limited to 90 percent of the difference from amounts reflected in rates, subject to an annual maximum for the remaining difference of not more than a maximum number of basis points impact on return on common equity: Yr. 1 - 10.0 basis points; Yr. 2 - 7.5 basis points; and Yr. 3 - 5.0 basis points. (h)Energy efficiency costs are expensed as incurred. Such costs are subject to a downward-only reconciliation over the terms of the electric and gas rate plans. The company will defer for the benefit of customers any cumulative shortfall over the terms of the electric and gas rate plans between actual expenditures and the levels provided in rates. (i)In addition, amounts reflected in rates relating to income taxes and excess deferred federal income tax liability balances will be reconciled (i.e., refunded to or collected from customers) to any final, non-appealable NYSPSC-ordered findings in its investigation of O&R’s income tax accounting. See “Other Regulatory Matters,” in Note B. (j)Net plant reconciliation for AMI expenditures will be implemented for a single category of AMI capital expenditures that includes amounts allocated to both electric and gas customers. (k)Calculated in accordance with the earnings calculation method prescribed in the rate order. In January 2021, O&R filed a request with the NYSPSC for an increase in the rates it charges for electric service rendered in New York, effective January 1, 2022, of $24.5 million. The filing reflects a return on common equity of 9.5 percent and a common equity ratio of 50 percent. The filing proposes continuation of the provisions with respect to recovery from customers of the cost of purchased power, and the reconciliation of actual expenses allocable to the electric business to the amounts for such costs reflected in electric rates for storm costs, pension and other postretirement benefit costs, environmental remediation and property taxes.
O&R New York – Gas |  |  |  |
Effective period |  | November 2015 – October 2018 (a) |  | January 2019 – December 2021 (d)
Base rate changes |  | Yr. 1 – $16.4 million Yr. 2 – $16.4 million Yr. 3 – $5.8 million Yr. 3 – $10.6 million collected through a surcharge |  | Yr. 1 – $(7.5) million (e) Yr. 2 – $3.6 million (e) Yr. 3 – $0.7 million (e)
Amortization to income of net regulatory (assets) and liabilities |  | Yr. 1 – $(1.7) million (b) Yr. 2 – $(2.1) million (b) Yr. 3 – $(2.5) million (b) |  | Yr. 1 – $1.8 million (f) Yr. 2 – $1.8 million (f) Yr. 3 – $1.8 million (f)
Other revenue sources |  |  |  | Continuation of retention of annual revenues from non-firm customers of up to $4.0 million, with variances to be shared 80 percent by customers and 20 percent by company. Potential earnings adjustment mechanism incentives of up to $0.3 million annually. Potential incentives if performance targets related to gas leak backlog, leak prone pipe, emergency response, damage prevention and customer service are met: Yr. 1 - $1.2 million; Yr. 2 - $1.3 million; and Yr. 3 - $1.3 million. In 2019 and 2020, the company recorded $0.3 million of earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency. In 2019 and 2020, the company recorded $0.7 million and $0.5 million of positive incentives, respectively.
Revenue decoupling mechanisms |  | In 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, the company deferred $0.8 million of regulatory assets, $6.2 million of regulatory liabilities, $1.7 million of regulatory liabilities and $6.3 million of regulatory liabilities, respectively. |  | Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized gas delivery revenues. In 2019 and 2020, the company deferred $0.8 million and $0.5 million of regulatory assets, respectively.
Recoverable energy costs |  | Current rate recovery of purchased gas costs. |  | Continuation of current rate recovery of purchased gas costs.
Negative revenue adjustments |  | Potential charges (up to $3.7 million in Yr. 1, $4.7 million in Yr. 2 and $4.9 million in Yr. 3) if certain performance targets are not met. In 2015, 2016 and 2017, the company did not record any negative revenue adjustments. In 2018, the company recorded a $0.1 million negative revenue adjustment. |  | Potential charges if performance targets relating to service, safety and other matters are not met: Yr. 1 - $5.5 million; Yr. 2 - $5.7 million; and Yr. 3 - $6.0 million. In 2019 and 2020, the company recorded a $0.2 million and an immaterial amount of negative revenue adjustments, respectively.
Cost reconciliations |  | In 2015 and 2016, the company deferred $4.5 million and $6.6 million as net regulatory liabilities and assets, respectively. In 2017 and 2018, the company deferred $3.5 million and $7.4 million as net regulatory liabilities, respectively. |  | Reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, environmental remediation costs, property taxes (g), energy efficiency program (h), the impact of new laws and certain other costs to amounts reflected in rates.(i) In 2019 and 2020, the company deferred $6 million as net regulatory liabilities and $1.8 million as net regulatory assets, respectively.
Net utility plant reconciliations |  | Target levels reflected in rates are: Yr. 1 – $492 million (c) Yr. 2 – $518 million (c) Yr. 3 – $546 million (c) No deferral was recorded for 2015 and immaterial amounts were recorded as regulatory liabilities in 2016 and 2017. In 2018, the company deferred $0.4 million as regulatory asset. |  | Target levels reflected in rates were: Gas average net plant target excluding AMI: Yr. 1 - $593 million Yr. 2 - $611 million Yr. 3 - $632 million AMI (j): Yr. 1 - $20 million Yr. 2 - $24 million Yr. 3 - $25 million In 2019 and 2020, the company deferred immaterial amounts as regulatory assets.
Average rate base |  | Yr. 1 – $366 million Yr. 2 – $391 million Yr. 3 – $417 million |  | Yr. 1 – $454 million Yr. 2 – $476 million Yr. 3 – $498 million
Weighted average cost of capital (after-tax) |  | Yr. 1 – 7.10 percent Yr. 2 – 7.06 percent Yr. 3 – 7.06 percent |  | Yr. 1 – 6.97 percent Yr. 2 – 6.96 percent Yr. 3 – 6.96 percent
Authorized return on common equity |  | 9.0 percent |  | 9.0 percent
Actual return on common equity (k) |  | Yr. 1 – 11.2 percent Yr. 2 – 9.7 percent Yr. 3 – 8.1 percent |  | Yr. 1 – 8.90 percent Yr. 2 – 9.58 percent
Earnings sharing |  | Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.6 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets. In 2015, earnings did not exceed the earnings threshold. Actual earnings were $4 million, $0.2 million above the threshold for 2016 and 2017, respectively. In 2018, earnings did not exceed the earnings threshold. |  | Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.6 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year. In 2019 and 2020, earnings did not exceed the earnings threshold.
Cost of long-term debt |  | Yr. 1 – 5.42 percent Yr. 2 – 5.35 percent Yr. 3 – 5.35 percent |  | Yr. 1 – 5.17 percent Yr. 2 – 5.14 percent Yr. 3 – 5.14 percent
Common equity ratio |  | 48 percent |  | 48 percent
(a)Rates pursuant to this rate plan continued in effect until the subsequent rate plan became effective. (b)Reflects that the company will not recover from customers a total of approximately $14 million of regulatory assets for property tax and interest rate reconciliations. Amounts that will not be recovered from customers were charged-off in June 2015. (c)Excludes gas AMI as to which the company will be required to defer as a regulatory liability the revenue requirement impact of the amount, if any, by which actual average net utility plant balances are less than amounts reflected in rates: $0.5 million in year 1, $4.2 million in year 2 and $7.2 million in year 3. (d)If at the end of any year, Con Edison’s investments in its non-utility businesses exceed 15 percent of Con Edison’s total consolidated revenues, assets or cash flow, or if the ratio of holding company debt to total consolidated debt rises above 20 percent, O&R is required to notify the NYSPSC and submit a ring-fencing plan or a demonstration why additional ring-fencing measures (see Note T) are not necessary. (e)The gas base rate changes shown above will be implemented with changes of: Yr. 1 - $(5.9) million; Yr. 2 - $1.0 million; and Yr. 3 - $1.0 million. (f)-(k) See footnotes (f) - (k) to the table under “O&R New York - Electric,” above. In January 2021, O&R filed a request with the NYSPSC for an increase in the rates it charges for gas service rendered in New York, effective January 1, 2022, of $9.8 million. The filing reflects a return on common equity of 9.5 percent and a common equity ratio of 50 percent. The filing proposes continuation of the provisions with respect to recovery from customers of the cost of purchased gas, and the reconciliation of actual expenses allocable to the gas business to the amounts for such costs reflected in gas rates for pension and other postretirement benefit costs, environmental remediation and property taxes. In January 2020, the NJBPU approved an electric rate increase, effective February 1, 2020, of $12 million for RECO. The following table contains a summary of the terms of the distribution rate plans.
RECO |  |  |  |
Effective period |  | March 2017 – January 2020 |  | February 2020
Base rate changes |  | Yr. 1 – $1.7 million |  | Yr. 1 – $12 million
Amortization to income of net regulatory (assets) and liabilities |  | $0.2 million over three years and continuation of $(25.6) million of deferred storm costs over four years which expired on July 31, 2018 (a) |  | $4.8 million over four years.
Recoverable energy costs |  | Current rate recovery of purchased power costs. |  | Current rate recovery of purchased power costs.
Cost reconciliations |  | None |  | None
Average rate base |  | Yr. 1 – $178.7 million |  | Yr. 1 – $229.9 million
Weighted average cost of capital (after-tax) |  | 7.47 percent |  | 7.11 percent
Authorized return on common equity |  | 9.6 percent |  | 9.5 percent
Actual return on common equity |  | Yr. 1 – 7.5 percent Yr. 2 – 5.7 percent |  | Yr. 1 – 5.4 percent
Cost of long-term debt |  | 5.37 percent |  | 4.88 percent
Common equity ratio |  | 49.7 percent |  | 48.32 percent
(a)In January 2016, the NJBPU approved RECO’s plan to spend $15.7 million in capital over three years to harden its electric system against storms, the costs of which RECO, beginning in 2017, is collecting through a customer surcharge. In November 2017, FERC approved a September 2017 settlement agreement among RECO, the New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel and the NJBPU that increases RECO's annual transmission revenue requirement from $11.8 million to $17.7 million, effective April 2017. The revenue requirement reflects a return on common equity of 10.0 percent. COVID-19 Regulatory Matters Governors, public utility commissions and other regulatory agencies in the states in which the Utilities operate have issued orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic that impact the Utilities as described below. New York State Regulation In March 2020, New York State Governor Cuomo declared a State Disaster Emergency for the State of New York due to the COVID-19 pandemic and signed the "New York State on PAUSE" executive order that closed all non-essential businesses statewide. New York State designated utilities, including CECONY and O&R, as essential businesses that were able to continue a portion of their work during the effectiveness of the PAUSE order. In May 2020, the "New York Forward" plan went into effect. New York Forward is a phased plan to reopen businesses in geographic areas of New York State that meet metrics established by various public health organizations. In October 2020, Governor Cuomo announced a new cluster action initiative to address COVID-19 hotspots that have arisen in various areas of New York within the Utilities’ service territory and to impose new rules and restrictions targeted to areas with the highest concentration of COVID-19 cases and the surrounding communities. As a result of these COVID-19 clusters, the Utilities have limited their work in customer premises in the impacted areas to only address emergency, safety-related and selected service connections requested by customers. Since the emergency declaration, and due to economic conditions, the NYSPSC and the Utilities have worked to mitigate the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Utilities, their customers and other stakeholders. In March 2020, the Utilities began suspending service disconnections, certain collection notices, final bill collection agency activity, new late payment charges and certain other fees for all customers. The Utilities also began providing payment extensions for all customers that were scheduled to be disconnected prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2020, the state of New York enacted a law prohibiting New York utilities, including CECONY and O&R, from disconnecting residential customers during the COVID-19 state of emergency. In addition, such prohibition will apply for an additional 180 days after the state of emergency ends for residential customers who have experienced a change in financial circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The law expires on March 31, 2021, although legislation has been introduced to extend the expiration date until December 31, 2021 or later. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the estimated foregone revenues that were not collected by CECONY and O&R were approximately $61 million and $3 million, respectively (see Note M). Also in March 2020, the Utilities requested and the NYSPSC granted extensions to file their 2019 Earnings Adjustment Mechanisms (EAMs) reports, which were filed in July 2020. The earned EAM incentives of approximately $46 million and $3 million for CECONY and O&R, respectively, are being recovered from customers over a twelve-month period that began September 2020. In June 2020, the NYSPSC directed CECONY to implement a summer cooling credit program to help mitigate the cost of staying home and operating air conditioning for health-vulnerable low-income customers due to the limited availability of public cooling facilities as a result of the COVID-19 social distancing measures. The cost of the program is being recovered over a five-year period that began January 2021. As of December 31, 2020, CECONY deferred for later recovery $63.4 million of summer cooling credit costs. The Utilities’ New York rate plans allow them to defer costs resulting from a change in legislation, regulation and related actions that have taken effect during the term of the rate plans once the costs exceed a specified threshold. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the reserve increases to the allowance for uncollectible accounts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic for CECONY electric and gas operations and O&R electric operations were $73 million and $2 million, respectively, and were deferred pursuant to the legislative, regulatory and related actions provisions of the rate plans as a result of the New York State on PAUSE and related executive orders. The reserve increase to the allowance for uncollectible accounts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic for O&R gas operations of $1 million did not meet the deferral threshold at December 31, 2020. The Utilities’ New York rate plans also provide for an allowance for write-offs of customer accounts receivable balances. The above amounts deferred pursuant to the legislative, regulatory and related actions provisions were reduced by the amount that the actual write-offs of customer accounts receivable balances were below the allowance reflected in rates (due to the New York State on PAUSE and related executive orders), which differences were $18 million and $1 million for CECONY and O&R, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2020. In June 2020, the NYSPSC established a generic proceeding on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and sought comment on a variety of COVID-19 related issues. In July 2020, the Utilities submitted joint comments with other large utilities in New York State that included a formal request to defer all COVID-19 related costs and for a surcharge mechanism to collect such deferrals based upon the individual utility's need. In January 2021, NYSPSC staff provided guidance to New York utilities that no additional mechanisms are required because there are already established mechanisms for utility recovery of unexpected material expenses through rate plan change in legislation, regulation and related actions provisions and the filing of individual deferral petitions The guidance further provided that utilities deferring COVID-19 related costs pursuant to the provisions that allow deferral of costs resulting from a change in legislation, regulation and related actions must comply with the provisions of their rate plans, be able to demonstrate the nexus between the changes in law or regulation and the specific revenue and expense items, and consider any offsetting cost savings due to the pandemic. In February 2021, the NYSPSC staff issued its report on New York State’s Energy Affordability Policy that provides recommendations to large New York utilities, including CECONY and O&R. The report recommends, among other things, that residential and commercial customers’ late payment fees and interest on deferred payment agreements be waived until two years after the expiration of the New York State moratorium on utility terminations (the moratorium currently expires on March 31, 2021, although legislation has been introduced to extend the expiration to December 31, 2021 or later) and each utility develop an arrears management program to mitigate the financial burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic on New York households and that program costs be shared, perhaps equally, between shareholders and customers. The NYSPSC staff has requested that the utilities and interested parties comment on the report prior to staff submitting the recommendations to the NYSPSC for consideration. As of December 31, 2020, CECONY deferred, for New York City residential customers, $54.9 million of higher summer generation capacity supply costs. CECONY expects to recover such costs from customers by October 2021. The Utilities’ rate plans have revenue decoupling mechanisms in their New York electric and gas businesses that reconcile actual energy delivery revenues to the authorized delivery revenues approved by the NYSPSC per month and accumulate the deferred balances semi-annually under CECONY's electric rate plan (January through June and July through December, respectively) and annually under CECONY's gas rate plan and O&R New York's electric and gas rate plans (January through December). Differences are accrued with interest each month for CECONY and O&R New York’s electric customers and after the annual deferral period ends for CECONY and O&R New York’s gas customers for refund to, or recovery from customers, as applicable. Generally, the refund to or recovery from customers begins August and February of each year over an ensuing six-month period for CECONY's electric customers and February of each year over an ensuing twelve-month period for CECONY's gas and O&R New York's electric and gas customers. New Jersey State Regulation In March 2020, New Jersey Governor Murphy declared a Public Health Emergency and State of Emergency for the State of New Jersey. Since that declaration, the NJBPU and RECO have worked to mitigate the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on RECO, its customers and other stakeholders. In March 2020, RECO began suspending late payment charges, terminations for non-payment, and no access fees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspension of these fees is not expected to be material. In July 2020, the NJBPU authorized RECO and other New Jersey utilities to create a COVID-19-related regulatory asset by deferring prudently incurred incremental costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic beginning on March 9, 2020, and through the later of September 30, 2021, or 60 days after the emergency declaration is no longer in effect. RECO deferred net incremental COVID-19 related costs of $0.5 million through December 31, 2020. Other Regulatory Matters In August 2018, the NYSPSC ordered CECONY to begin on January 1, 2019 to credit the company's electric and gas customers, and to begin on October 1, 2018 to credit its steam customers, with the net benefits of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) as measured based on amounts reflected in its rate plans prior to the enactment of the TCJA in December 2017. The net benefits include the revenue requirement impact of the reduction in the corporate federal income tax rate to 21 percent, the elimination for utilities of bonus depreciation and the amortization of excess deferred federal income taxes. CECONY, under its electric rate plan that was approved in January 2020, is amortizing its TCJA net benefits prior to January 1, 2019 allocable to its electric customers ($377 million) over a three-year period, the “protected” portion of its net regulatory liability for future income taxes related to certain accelerated tax depreciation benefits allocable to its electric customers ($1,663 million) over the remaining lives of the related assets and the remainder, or “unprotected” portion of the net regulatory liability allocable to its electric customers ($784 million) over a five-year period. CECONY, under its gas rate plan that was approved in January 2020, is amortizing its remaining TCJA net benefits prior to January 1, 2019 allocable to its gas customers ($63 million) over a two-year period, the protected portion of its net regulatory liability for future income taxes allocable to its gas customers ($725 million) over the remaining lives of the related assets and the unprotected portion of the net regulatory liability allocable to its gas customers ($107 million) over a five-year period. See footnote (d) to the CECONY - Electric and Gas tables under “Rate Plans,” above. CECONY's net benefits prior to October 1, 2018 allocable to the company’s steam customers ($15 million) are being amortized over a three-year period. CECONY’s net regulatory liability for future income taxes, including both the protected and unprotected portions, allocable to the company’s steam customers ($185 million) is being amortized over the remaining lives of the related assets (with the amortization period for the unprotected portion subject to review in its next steam rate proceeding). O&R, under its current electric and gas rate plans, has reflected its TCJA net benefits in its electric and gas rates beginning as of January 1, 2019. Under the rate plans, O&R is amortizing its net benefits prior to January 1, 2019 ($22 million) over a three-year period, the protected portion of its net regulatory liability for future income taxes ($123 million) over the remaining lives of the related assets and the unprotected portion ($30 million) over a fifteen-year period. See "Rate Plans," above. In January 2018, the NYSPSC issued an order initiating a focused operations audit of the income tax accounting of certain utilities, including CECONY and O&R. The Utilities are unable to estimate the amount or range of their possible loss related to this matter. At December 31, 2020, the Utilities had not accrued a liability related to this matter. In March 2018, Winter Storms Riley and Quinn caused damage to the Utilities’ electric distribution systems and interrupted service to approximately 209,000 CECONY customers, 93,000 O&R customers and 44,000 RECO customers. At December 31, 2020, CECONY's costs related to March 2018 storms, including Riley and Quinn, amounted to $134 million, including operation and maintenance expenses reflected in its electric rate plan ($15 million), operation and maintenance expenses charged against a storm reserve pursuant to its electric rate plan ($84 million), capital expenditures ($29 million) and removal costs ($6 million). At December 31, 2020, O&R and RECO costs related to 2018 storms amounted to $43 million and $17 million, respectively, most of which were deferred as regulatory assets pursuant to their electric rate plans. In January 2019, O&R began recovering its deferred storm costs over a six-year period in accordance with its New York electric rate plan. In February 2020, RECO began recovering its deferred storm costs over a four-year period in accordance with its New Jersey electric rate plan. The NYSPSC investigated the preparation and response to the storms by CECONY, O&R, and other New York electric utilities, including all aspects of their emergency response plans. In April 2019, following the issuance of a NYSPSC staff report on the investigation, the NYSPSC ordered the utilities to show cause why the NYSPSC should not commence a penalty action against them for violating their emergency response plans. During 2020, CECONY and O&R accrued $5.6 million and $0.85 million, respectively, related to this matter. In August 2020, the NYSPSC approved a July 2020 settlement agreement that provides for the Utilities to set aside $5.6 million and $0.85 million for the benefit of CECONY and O&R electric customers, respectively. In July 2018, the NYSPSC commenced an investigation into the rupture of a CECONY steam main located on Fifth Avenue and 21st Street in Manhattan. Debris from the incident included dirt and mud containing asbestos. The response to the incident required the closing of buildings and streets for various periods. The NYSPSC has commenced an investigation. As of December 31, 2019, with respect to the incident, the company incurred operating costs of $17 million for property damage, clean-up and other response costs and invested $9 million in capital and retirement costs. During the second quarter of 2020, the company accrued a $3 million liability related to this matter. In March 2019, the NYSPSC ordered CECONY to show cause why the NYSPSC should not commence a penalty action and prudence proceeding against CECONY for alleged violations of gas operator qualification, performance, and inspection requirements. At December 31, 2019, the company had an accrued regulatory liability related to this matter of $10 million, and at March 31, 2020, the company accrued an additional regulatory liability of $5 million. In April 2020, the NYSPSC approved a $15 million settlement agreement for the benefit of CECONY’s gas customers between CECONY and NYSPSC staff related to this matter. In July 2019, electric service was interrupted to approximately 72,000 CECONY customers on the west side of Manhattan. Also in July 2019, electric ser vice was interrupted to approximately 30,000 CECONY customers primarily in the Flatbush area of Brooklyn. In November 2020, the NYSPSC issued an order in its proceedings investigating these July 2019 power outages ordering CECONY to show cause why the NYSPSC should not commence a review of the prudency of CECONY’s actions and/or omissions prior to, during, and after the July 2019 outages in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and pursue civil or administrative penalties in the amount of up to $24.8 million for CECONY’s alleged failure to comply with certain requirements. The order further indicated that should the NYSPSC confirm some or all of the apparent violations identified in the order or other orders issued by the NYSPSC in the future in connection with this proceeding, and should such confirmed violations be classified as findings of repeated violations of the Public Service Law or rules or regulations adopted pursuant thereto that demonstrate a failure of CECONY to continue to provide safe and adequate service, the NYSPSC would be authorized to commence a proceeding under Public Service Law Section 68(2) to revoke or modify CECONY’s certificate as it relates to its service territory or any portion thereof. In December 2020, CECONY filed a response to the NYSPSC order demonstrating why the NYSPSC should not commence a penalty or prudence action against CECONY. CECONY stated that the NYSPSC order misapplied Section 25-a of the Public Service Law by ignoring the reasonable compliance standard under the statute and instead, was imposing a strict liability standard. For both outages, CECONY presented evidence that it either had complied or reasonably complied with NYSPSC requirements. With respect to the Manhattan outage, CECONY stated that a prudency proceeding was not justified because CECONY’s actions with respect to the Manhattan outage were reasonable based on the information the company had at the time. With respect to the Brooklyn outage, the company stated that the order failed to allege that improper company actions caused the outage. During 2019, CECONY recorded negative revenue adjustments associated with reliability performance provisions of $15 million in aggregate primarily related to these outages. CECONY has not accrued any additional liability related to this matter and is unable to determine the outcome of this proceeding at this time. In August 2020, Tropical Storm Isaias caused significant damage to the Utilities’ electric distribution systems and interrupted service to approximately 330,000 CECONY electric customers and approximately 200,000 O&R electric customers. As of December 31, 2020, CECONY incurred costs for Tropical Storm Isaias of $153 million (including $77 million of operation and maintenance expenses charged against a storm reserve pursuant to its electric rate plan, $58 million of capital expenditures and $18 million of operation and maintenance expenses). As of December 31, 2020, O&R incurred costs for Tropical Storm Isaias of $34 million (including $26 million of operation and maintenance expenses charged against a storm reserve pursuant to its New York electric rate plan and $8 million of capital expenditures). The Utilities’ electric rate plans provide for recovery of operating costs and capital expenditures under different provisions. The Utilities’ incremental operating costs attributable to storms are to be deferred for recovery as a regulatory asset under their electric rate plans, while capital expenditures, up to specified levels, are reflected in rates under their electric rate plans. In addition, as of December 31, 2020, CECONY and O&R incurred costs of $7.5 million and $2.9 million, respectively, for food and medicine spoilage claims. The provisions of the Utilities’ New York electric rate plans that impose negative revenue adjustments for operating performance provide for exceptions for major storms and catastrophic events beyond the control of the companies, including natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods. In November 2020, the NYSPSC issued an order in its proceedings investigating the New York utilities’ preparation for and response to Tropical Storm Isaias that ordered the Utilities to show cause why (i) civil penalties or appropriate injunctive relief should not be imposed against CECONY (in the amount of up to $102.3 million relating to 33 alleged violations) and against O&R (in the amount of up to $19 million relating to 38 alleged violations) to remedy such noncompliance, and (ii) a prudence proceeding should not be commenced against the Utilities for potentially imprudent expenditures of ratepayer funds related to the matter. The order stated that given the continuing nature of the investigation of this matter by the New York State Department of Public Service (NYSDPS), the NYSPSC may amend the order to include any subsequently determined apparent violations identified by the NYSDPS. In addition, the order indicated that should the NYSPSC confirm some or all of the apparent violations identified in the order or other orders issued by the NYSPSC in the future in connection with this proceeding, and should such respective confirmed violations be classified as findings of repeated violations of the Public Service Law or rules or regulations adopted pursuant thereto that demonstrate a failure of CECONY and/or O&R to continue to provide safe and adequate service, the NYSPSC would be authorized to commence a proceeding under Public Service Law Section 68(2) to revoke or modify CECONY’s and/or O&R’s certificate as it relates to its service territory or any portion thereof. In December 2020, CECONY and O&R filed responses to the NYSPSC order demonstrating why the NYSPSC should not commence penalty or prudence actions against them. The Utilities stated that the NYSPSC orders misapplied Section 25-a of the Public Service Law by ignoring the reasonable compliance standard under the statute and instead, was imposing a strict liability standard. CECONY and O&R also presented evidence that the order either misrepresented the applicable requirements or ignored that the Utilities were acting pursuant to practices approved by the NYSPSC. Finally, CECONY and O&R stated that there was no basis to commence a prudence proceeding because the Utilities acted reasonably based on the information available and the circumstances at the time. The Utilities have not accrued a liability related to this matter and are unable to determine the outcome of this proceeding at this time. In October 2020, the NYSPSC issued an order instituting a proceeding to consider requiring New York’s large, investor-owned utilities, including CECONY and O&R, to annually disclose what risks climate change poses to their companies, investors and customers going forward. The order notes that some holding companies, including Con Edison, already disclose climate change risks at the holding company level, but states that the NYSPSC believes that climate-related risk disclosures should be issued specific to the operating companies in New York, such as CECONY and O&R, and that such climate-related risk disclosures should be included annually with the utilities’ financial reports. In December 2020, CECONY and O&R, along with other large New York utilities, filed comments supporting climate change risk disclosures in annual reports filed with the NYSPSC and recommended the use of an industry-specific template. In May 2020, the president of the United States issued the "Securing the United States Bulk-Power System" executive order. The executive order declares threats to the bulk-power system by foreign adversaries constitute a national emergency and prohibits the acquisition, importation, transfer or installation of certain bulk-power system electric equipment that is sourced from foreign adversaries. The Department of Energy is expected to issue regulations implementing the executive order. In January 2021, the president of the United States suspended the May 2020 executive order for 90 days. The Companies are unable to predict the impact on them of regulations that may be adopted regarding the bulk-power system. Regulatory Assets and Liabilities Regulatory assets and liabilities at December 31, 2020 and 2019 were comprised of the following items:
| Con Edison | CECONY
(Millions of Dollars) | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019
Regulatory assets |  |  |  |
Unrecognized pension and other postretirement costs | $3,241 | $2,541 | $3,065 | $2,403
Environmental remediation costs | 865 | 732 | 791 | 647
Revenue taxes | 356 | 321 | 342 | 308
Pension and other postretirement benefits deferrals | 315 | 71 | 272 | 47
Property tax reconciliation | 241 | 219 | 239 | 210
Deferred storm costs | 195 | 77 | 83 | — |
MTA power reliability deferral | 188 | 248 | 188 | 248
System peak reduction and energy efficiency programs | 124 | 131 | 124 | 130
Deferred derivative losses | 120 | 83 | 111 | 76
COVID - 19 Deferrals | 115 | — |  | 113 | — |
Municipal infrastructure support costs | 62 | 75 | 62 | 75
Brooklyn Queens demand management program | 36 | 39 | 36 | 39
Meadowlands heater odorization project | 32 | 35 | 32 | 35
Gate station upgrade project | 25 | 19 | 25 | 19
Unamortized loss on reacquired debt | 21 | 28 | 19 | 26
Preferred stock redemption | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22
Recoverable REV demonstration project costs | 20 | 21 | 18 | 19
Non-wire alternative projects | 18 | 14 | 18 | 14
Workers’ compensation | — |  | 3 | — |  | 3
Other | 200 | 180 | 186 | 166
Regulatory assets – noncurrent | 6,195 | 4,859 | 5,745 | 4,487
Deferred derivative losses | 190 | 128 | 177 | 113
Recoverable energy costs | 76 | — |  | 67 | — |
Regulatory assets – current | 266 | 128 | 244 | 113
Total Regulatory Assets | $6,461 | $4,987 | $5,989 | $4,600
Regulatory liabilities |  |  |  |
Future income tax* | $2,207 | $2,426 | $2,062 | $2,275
Allowance for cost of removal less salvage | 1,090 | 989 | 932 | 843
TCJA net benefits | 295 | 471 | 286 | 454
Net unbilled revenue deferrals | 198 | 199 | 198 | 199
Net proceeds from sale of property | 137 | 173 | 137 | 173
Pension and other postretirement benefit deferrals | 85 | 75 | 46 | 46
System benefit charge carrying charge | 64 | 48 | 57 | 44
Property tax refunds | 36 | 45 | 35 | 45
BQDM and REV Demo reconciliations | 27 | 27 | 25 | 26
Settlement of gas proceedings | 21 | 10 | 21 | 10
Sales and use tax refunds | 16 | 8 | 16 | 8
Earnings sharing - electric, gas and steam | 15 | 22 | 10 | 15
Unrecognized other postretirement costs | 11 | 9 | — |  | — |
Settlement of prudence proceeding | 5 | 8 | 5 | 8
Workers’ compensation | 3 | — |  | 3 | — |
Energy efficiency portfolio standard unencumbered funds | 1 | 122 | — |  | 118
Other | 302 | 195 | 261 | 163
Regulatory liabilities – noncurrent | 4,513 | 4,827 | 4,094 | 4,427
Refundable energy costs | 28 | 44 | 4 | 12
Deferred derivative gains | 8 | 34 | 7 | 34
Revenue decoupling mechanism | — |  | 24 | — |  | 17
Regulatory liabilities—current | 36 | 102 | 11 | 63
Total Regulatory Liabilities | $4,549 | $4,929 | $4,105 | $4,490
* See "Federal Income Tax" in Note A, "Other Regulatory Matters," above, and Note L. Unrecognized pension and other postretirement costs represent the net regulatory asset associated with the accounting rules for retirement benefits. See Note A. MTA power reliability deferral represents CECONY’s costs in excess of those reflected in its prior electric rate plan to take certain actions relating to the electrical equipment that serves the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) subway system. The company is recovering this regulatory asset pursuant to its current electric rate plan. See footnote (d) to the CECONY - Electric table under “Rate Plans,” above. Deferred storm costs represent response and restoration costs, other than capital expenditures, in connection with Tropical Storm Isaias, Superstorm Sandy and other major storms that were deferred by the Utilities. Settlement of prudence proceeding represents the remaining amount to be credited to customers pursuant to a Joint Proposal, approved by the NYSPSC in April 2016, with respect to the prudence of certain CECONY expenditures and related matters. Settlement of gas proceedings represents the amount to be credited to customers pursuant to a settlement agreement approved by the NYSPSC in February 2017 related to CECONY’s practices of qualifying persons to perform plastic fusions on gas facilities and alleged violations of gas safety violations identified by the NYSPSC staff in its investigation of a March 2014 Manhattan explosion and fire (see Note H). COVID - 19 Deferrals represents both the amount to be collected from customers related to the Emergency Summer Cooling Credits program for CECONY and amounts related to the increase in the allowance for uncollectible accounts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and New York on PAUSE and related executive orders, for electric and gas operations for CECONY and electric operations for O&R. The NYSPSC has authorized CECONY to accrue unbilled electric, gas and steam revenues. CECONY has deferred the net margin on the unbilled revenues for the future benefit of customers by recording a regulatory liability of $198 million and $199 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, for the difference between the unbilled revenues and energy cost liabilities. In general, the Utilities receive or are being credited with a return at the Other Customer-Provided Capital rate for regulatory assets that have not been included in rate base, and receive or are being credited with a return at the pre-tax weighted average cost of capital once the asset is included in rate base. Similarly, the Utilities pay to or credit customers with a return at the Other Customer-Provided Capital rate for regulatory liabilities that have not been included in rate base, and pay to or credit customers with a return at the pre-tax weighted average cost of capital once the liability is included in rate base. In general, the Utilities are receiving or being credited with a return on their regulatory assets for which a cash outflow has been made ($1,696 million and $1,188 million for Con Edison, and $1,509 and $1,054 million for CECONY at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively). Regulatory liabilities are treated in a consistent manner. The Other Customer-Provided Capital rate for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 was 2.65 percent and 4.2 percent, respectively. The recognition of the return on regulatory assets is determined by the Utilities’ rate plans or orders issued by state regulators. Regulatory assets that represent future financial obligations and were deferred in accordance with the Utilities’ rate plans or orders issued by state regulators do not earn a return until such time as a cash outlay has been made. Regulatory liabilities are treated in a consistent manner. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, regulatory assets for Con Edison and CECONY that did not earn a return consisted of the following items: Regulatory Assets Not Earning a Return
| Con Edison | CECONY
(Millions of Dollars) | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019
Unrecognized and other postretirement costs | $3,241 | $2,541 | $3,065 | $2,403
Environmental remediation costs | 855 | 727 | 781 | 647
Revenue taxes | 336 | 296 | 323 | 285
Deferred derivative losses | 120 | 83 | 111 | 76
Workers' compensation | — |  | 3 | — |  | 3
Other | 24 | 21 | 24 | 20
Deferred derivative losses - current | 190 | 128 | 177 | 112
Total | 4,766 | 3,799 | 4,481 | 3,546
The recovery periods for regulatory assets for which a cash outflow has not been made and that do not earn a return have not yet been determined, except as noted below, and are expected to be determined pursuant to the Utilities’ future rate plans to be filed or orders issued by the state regulators in connection therewith. The Utilities recover unrecognized pension and other postretirement costs over 10 years pursuant to NYSPSC policy. The deferral for revenue taxes represent the Metropolitan transportation business tax surcharge on the cumulative temporary differences between the book and tax basis of assets and liabilities of the Utilities, as well as the difference between taxes collected and paid by the Utilities to fund mass transportation. The Utilities recover the majority of the revenue taxes over the remaining book lives of the electric and gas plant assets, as well as the steam plant assets for CECONY. The Utilities recover deferred derivative losses – current within one year, and noncurrent generally within three years. Electricity Purchase Agreements The Utilities have electricity purchase agreements with non-utility generators and others for generating capacity. The Utilities recover their purchased power costs in accordance with provisions approved by the applicable state public utility regulators. See “Recoverable Energy Costs” in Note A. The Utilities also conducted auctions and have entered into various other electricity purchase agreements. Assuming performance by the parties to the electricity purchase agreements, the Utilities are obligated over the terms of the agreements to make capacity and other fixed payments. The future capacity and other fixed payments under the electricity purchase agreements are estimated to be as follows:
(Millions of Dollars) | 2021 |  | 2022 |  | 2023 |  | 2024 |  | 2025 |  | All Years Thereafter
Con Edison | $141 |  | $106 |  | $68 |  | $53 |  | $54 |  | $487
CECONY | 138 |  | 106 |  | 68 |  | 53 |  | 54 |  | 487
For energy delivered under most of the electricity purchase agreements, CECONY is obligated to pay variable prices. The company’s payments under the significant terms of the agreements for capacity, energy and other fixed payments in 2020, 2019 and 2018 were as follows:
| For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars) | 2020 |  | 2019 |  | 2018
Indian Point (a) | $— |  |  | $— |  | $6
Astoria Generating Company (b) | 26 |  | 116 |  | 179
Brooklyn Navy Yard (c) | 113 |  | 115 |  | 124
Cogen Technologies | — |  |  | — |  | 9
Total | $139 |  | $231 |  | $318
(a) Contract term ended in 2018. (b) Capacity purchase agreements with terms ending in 2020 and 2023. (c) Contract for plant output, which started in 1996 and ends in 2036.

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