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REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2017
Regulated Operations [Abstract] |
REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT | REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT Wisconsin Electric Power Company, Wisconsin Gas LLC, and Wisconsin Public Service Corporation 2018 and 2019 Rates During April 2017, WE, WG, and WPS filed an application with the PSCW for approval of a settlement agreement they made with several of their commercial and industrial customers regarding 2018 and 2019 base rates. In this proposed settlement agreement, WE, WG, and WPS agreed to keep electric and natural gas base rates frozen for their customers through 2019. In addition, WE and WPS agreed to extend and expand the electric real-time pricing options for large commercial and industrial customers, and WE agreed to prevent the continued growth of certain escrowed costs. Deferral by WE, WG, and WPS of the revenue requirement impacts of any federal corporate tax reform enacted in 2017, or during the rate freeze period, was included in the agreement as well. The agreement also allows WPS to extend, through 2019, the deferral for the revenue requirement of ReACT™ costs above the authorized $275.0 million level, as well as extend other deferrals related to its electric real-time pricing program and network transmission expenses. Pursuant to the settlement agreement, WPS also agreed to adopt, beginning in 2018, the earnings sharing mechanism currently in place for WE and WG, and all three utilities agreed to keep the mechanism in place through 2019. Under this earnings sharing mechanism, if WE, WG, or WPS earns above its authorized ROE, 50% of the first 50 basis points of additional utility earnings must be shared with customers. All utility earnings above the first 50 basis points must also be shared with customers. We expect the PSCW to issue a final order on the settlement agreement in 2017. Natural Gas Storage Facility in Michigan In January 2017, we signed an agreement for the acquisition of a natural gas storage facility in Michigan that would provide approximately one-third of the current storage needs for WE, WG, and WPS. As a result of this agreement, WE, WG, and WPS filed a request with the PSCW in February 2017 for a declaratory ruling on various items associated with the storage facility. In the filing, WE, WG, and WPS requested that the PSCW review and confirm the reasonableness and prudency of their potential long-term storage service agreements and interstate natural gas transportation contracts related to the storage facility. WE, WG, and WPS also requested approval to amend our Affiliated Interest Agreement to ensure WBS and our other subsidiaries would be able to provide services to the storage facility. We expect to receive these PSCW declarations and approvals by the third quarter of 2017. The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company and North Shore Gas Company Illinois Investigations In March 2015, the ICC opened a docket, naming PGL as respondent, to investigate the veracity of certain allegations included in anonymous letters that the ICC staff received regarding PGL's SMP. PGL and the ICC staff filed a settlement agreement related to these anonymous letters with the ICC during March 2017. In this agreement, we agreed to modify our code of business conduct to address certain concerns regarding conflicts of interest and provide a quarterly report to the ICC for four years identifying code of conduct and conflict of interest allegations. The agreement also requested that PGL provide semi-annual quality assurance reports to the ICC for four years on the SMP capital construction performed by PGL crews and contractors. We are uncertain when the ICC will issue an order related to this settlement agreement. In December 2015, the ICC ordered a series of stakeholder workshops to evaluate PGL's SMP. This ICC action did not impact PGL's ongoing work to modernize and maintain the safety of its natural gas distribution system, but it instead provided the ICC with an opportunity to analyze long-term elements of the program through the stakeholder workshops. The workshops commenced in January 2016 and were completed in March 2016. The ICC staff submitted a report on the workshop process in May 2016. In July 2016, the ICC initiated a proceeding to review, among other things, the planning, reporting, and monitoring of the program, including the target end date for the program. In March 2017, the ICC issued an order directing that additional hearings be held before the ALJ on certain issues to further develop the evidentiary record in the case. This proceeding is expected to result in a final order by the ICC during the second half of 2017. We are currently unable to determine what, if any, long-term impact there will be on the SMP. Qualifying Infrastructure Plant Rider In July 2013, Illinois Public Act 98-0057, The Natural Gas Consumer, Safety & Reliability Act, became law. The Act provides PGL with a cost recovery mechanism that allows collection, through a surcharge on customer bills, of prudently incurred costs to upgrade Illinois natural gas infrastructure. This Act eliminated a requirement for PGL to file biennial rate proceedings under existing Illinois coal-to-gas legislation. In September 2013, PGL filed with the ICC requesting the proposed rider, which was approved in January 2014 and became effective as of January 1, 2014. PGL's QIP rider is subject to an annual reconciliation whereby costs are reviewed for accuracy and prudency. In March 2017, PGL filed its 2016 reconciliation with the ICC, which, along with the 2015 reconciliation, is still pending. For PGL's 2014 reconciliation, the ALJ has issued a schedule, and we expect to receive an order from the ICC in 2017. As of March 31, 2017, there can be no assurance that all costs incurred under PGL's QIP rider will be recoverable. Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation 2016 Minnesota Rate Order In September 2015, MERC initiated a rate proceeding with the MPUC. In October 2016, the MPUC issued a final written order for MERC, effective March 1, 2017. The order authorized a retail natural gas rate increase of $6.8 million (3.0%). The rates reflect a 9.11% ROE and a common equity component average of 50.32%. The order approved MERC's request to continue the use of its currently authorized decoupling mechanism for another three years. The final approved rate increase was lower than the interim rates collected from customers during 2016. Therefore, as of March 31, 2017, we estimated that $4.1 million will be refunded to MERC's customers in May 2017. Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corporation Formation of Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corporation In December 2016, both the MPSC and the PSCW approved the operation of UMERC as a stand-alone utility in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and UMERC became operational effective January 1, 2017. This utility holds the electric and natural gas distribution assets previously held by WE and WPS located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In August 2016, we entered into an agreement with the Tilden Mining Company (Tilden), under which Tilden will purchase electric power from UMERC for its iron ore mine for 20 years. The agreement also calls for UMERC to construct and operate approximately 180 MWs of natural gas-fired generation located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. During January 2017, UMERC filed an application with the MPSC for a certificate of necessity to begin construction of the proposed generation. The estimated cost of this project is approximately $265 million ($275 million with AFUDC), 50% of which is expected to be recovered from Tilden, with the remaining 50% expected to be recovered from utility customers located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Subject to regulatory approval of both the agreement with Tilden and the construction of the proposed generation, the new units are expected to begin commercial operation in 2019 and should allow for the retirement of PIPP no later than 2020. Tilden will remain a customer of WE until this new generation begins commercial operation. 2015 Michigan Rate Order Prior to the formation of UMERC, in October 2014, WPS initiated a rate proceeding with the MPSC. In April 2015, the MPSC issued a final written order for WPS, effective April 24, 2015, approving a settlement agreement. As a result of the formation of UMERC, the terms and conditions of this WPS rate order now apply to UMERC, including the deferrals described below. The order authorized a retail electric rate increase of $4.0 million to be implemented over three years to recover costs for the 2013 acquisition of the Fox Energy Center as well as other capital investments associated with the Crane Creek wind farm and environmental upgrades at generation plants. The rates reflected a 10.2% ROE and a common equity component average of 50.48%. The increase reflected the continued deferral of costs associated with the Fox Energy Center until the second anniversary of the order. The increase also reflected the deferral of Weston Unit 3 ReACT™ environmental project costs. On the second anniversary of the order, the Fox Energy Center costs deferral was discontinued and amortization of this deferral began, along with the amortization of the deferral associated with the termination of a Fox Energy Center tolling agreement. In the order, the MPSC also approved the deferral and amortization of the undepreciated book value of the retired plant associated with Pulliam Units 5 and 6 and Weston Unit 1 starting with the actual retirement date, June 1, 2015, and concluding by 2023. UMERC will not seek an increase to retail electric base rates that would become effective prior to January 1, 2018.

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