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REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2021
Regulated Operations [Abstract] |
REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT | REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT Recovery of Natural Gas Costs Due to the cold temperatures, wind, snow, and ice throughout the central part of the country during February 2021, the cost of gas purchased for our natural gas utility customers was temporarily driven significantly higher than our normal winter weather expectations. All of our utilities have regulatory mechanisms in place for recovering all prudently incurred gas costs. On March 23, 2021, WE and WG requested approval from the PSCW to recover approximately $54 million and $24 million, respectively, of natural gas costs in excess of the benchmark set in their GCRMs. On March 30, 2021, the PSCW approved the requests to recover the costs over a period of three months, beginning in April 2021. On March 30, 2021, WPS also filed its revised natural gas rate sheets with the PSCW reflecting approximately $28 million of natural gas costs in excess of the benchmark set in its GCRM. WPS is authorized to recover these excess costs over a period of three months, beginning in April 2021. PGL and NSG incurred approximately $131 million and $10 million, respectively, of natural gas costs in February 2021 in excess of the amounts included in their rates. These costs are being recovered over a period of 12 months, which started on April 1, 2021. PGL's and NSG's natural gas costs will be reviewed for prudency by the ICC as part of their annual natural gas cost reconciliation, which will be filed with the ICC in April 2022. In February 2021, MERC incurred approximately $75 million of natural gas costs in excess of the benchmark set in its GCRM. MERC expects to file for recovery of these additional costs with the MPUC in September 2021 and expects to recover them over a period of 12 months. Natural gas costs incurred at MGU and UMERC in excess of the amount included in their respective rates were not significant. Coronavirus Disease – 2019 The global outbreak of COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the WHO and the CDC. COVID-19 has spread globally, including throughout the United States and, in turn, our service territories. Each of the states in which our regulated utilities operate declared a public health emergency and issued shelter-in-place orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the shelter-in-place orders have since expired or been lifted. The PSCW, the ICC, the MPUC, and the MPSC have all issued written orders requiring certain actions to ensure that essential utility services were, and continue to be, available to customers in their respective jurisdictions. A summary of these orders is included below. Wisconsin In March 2020, the PSCW issued two orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first order required all public utilities in the state of Wisconsin, including WE, WPS, and WG, to temporarily suspend disconnections, the assessment of late fees, and deposit requirements for all customer classes. In addition, it required utilities to reconnect customers that were previously disconnected, offer deferred payment arrangements to all customers, and streamline the application process for customers applying for utility service. In the second order issued in March 2020, the PSCW authorized Wisconsin utilities to defer expenditures and certain foregone revenues resulting from compliance with the first order, and expenditures as otherwise incurred to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable access to utility services during the declared public health emergency. The PSCW has affirmed that this authorization for deferral includes the incremental increase in uncollectible expense above what is currently being recovered in rates. As WE, WPS, and WG already have a cost recovery mechanism in place to recover uncollectible expense for residential customers, this new deferral only impacts the recovery of uncollectible expense for their commercial and industrial customers. See Note 4, Credit Losses, for information regarding changes to our allowance for credit losses. As of March 31, 2021, the total amount deferred at our Wisconsin utilities related to the COVID-19 pandemic was not significant. The PSCW will review the recoverability and examine the prudency of any deferred amounts in future rate proceedings. In June 2020, the PSCW issued a written order providing a timeline for the lifting of the temporary provisions required in the first March 2020 order. Utilities were allowed to disconnect commercial and industrial customers and require deposits for new service as of July 25, 2020 and July 31, 2020, respectively. After August 15, 2020, utilities were no longer required to offer deferred payment arrangements to all customers. Additionally, utilities were authorized to reinstate late fees except for the period between the first order and this supplemental order. Our Wisconsin utilities resumed charging late payment fees in late August 2020. Late payment fees were not charged on outstanding balances that were billed between the first order and late August 2020. Subsequent to the June 2020 order, the PSCW extended the moratorium on disconnections of residential customers until November 1, 2020. In accordance with Wisconsin regulations, utilities are generally not allowed to disconnect residential customers for non-payment during the winter moratorium, which began on November 1, 2020 and ended on April 15, 2021. Utilities were allowed to continue assessing late payment fees during the winter moratorium. On April 5, 2021, the PSCW issued a written order indicating that it would not extend the moratorium on disconnections further; therefore, utilities could begin disconnecting residential customers for non-payment after April 15, 2021. Utilities are required to offer a deferred payment arrangement to low-income residential customers prior to disconnecting service. The order also allows our Wisconsin utilities to resume charging late payment fees on the full balance of all outstanding arrears, regardless of the associated dates the service was provided, after April 15, 2021. Illinois In March 2020, the ICC issued an order to all Illinois utilities, including PGL and NSG, requiring, among other things, a moratorium on disconnections of utility service and a suspension of late fees and penalties during the declared public health emergency. These provisions applied to all utility customer classes. Illinois utilities were also required to temporarily enact more flexible credit and collections procedures. In June 2020, the ICC issued a written order approving a settlement agreement negotiated by Illinois utilities, ICC staff, and certain intervenors. The key terms of the settlement agreement included the following: •The moratorium on disconnections and the suspension of late fees and penalties were extended until July 26, 2020. •Customers disconnected after June 18, 2019 could be reconnected without being assessed a reconnection fee if reconnection was requested prior to August 25, 2020. •Flexible deferred payment arrangements were required to be offered to residential and commercial and industrial customers for an extended period of time and with reduced down payment requirements. •Deposit requirements were waived until August 25, 2020 for all residential customers, and were waived for an additional four months for residential customers that verbally expressed financial hardship. •PGL and NSG established a bill payment assistance program with approximately $12.0 million and $1.2 million, respectively, available for eligible residential customers to provide relief from high arrearages. In addition to the above, the settlement agreement approved in June 2020 authorized PGL and NSG to implement a SPC rider for the recovery of incremental direct costs resulting from COVID-19, foregone late fees and reconnection charges, and the costs associated with their bill payment assistance programs. PGL and NSG began recovering costs under the SPC rider on October 1, 2020. Amounts deferred under the SPC rider are being recovered over 36 months and will be subject to review and reconciliation by the ICC. As of March 31, 2021, PGL's and NSG's regulatory assets related to the COVID-19 pandemic were $20.0 million, collectively. Subsequent to the approval of the June 2020 settlement agreement, and at the request of the ICC, PGL and NSG agreed to extend the moratorium on disconnections for qualified low-income residential customers and residential customers expressing financial hardship through March 31, 2021. The annual winter moratorium in Illinois that generally prohibits PGL and NSG from disconnecting residential customers for non-payment began on December 1, 2020 and ended on March 31, 2021. The ICC issued a written order on March 18, 2021 approving a second settlement agreement negotiated by Illinois utilities, ICC staff, and certain intervenors. The key terms of this new settlement agreement are as follows: •Utilities could start sending disconnection notices, on a staggered basis, as of April 1, 2021. Disconnections will follow a staggered schedule based on customer arrears and income levels (e.g. low income versus non-low income customers). Utilities are not allowed to disconnect customers for non-payment prior to June 30, 2021 if the customer's household income is below 300% of the federal poverty level and the customer is on a deferred payment plan. •Utilities will continue to offer flexible deferred payment arrangements with reduced down payment requirements to residential customers through June 30, 2021. Deferred payment arrangements will vary based on income level. •Reconnection fees will be waived for eligible low income customers through June 30, 2021. In addition, utilities will continue to exempt eligible low income customers from late payment fees and deposits. •Each utility will continue, or renew, its bill payment assistance program through 2021. In addition to the $12.0 million PGL initially funded, PGL was required to fund an additional $6.0 million to its bill payment assistance program. No additional funding was required for NSG due to the amount still available for assistance from its initial funding. During April 2021, PGL's bill payment assistance program ended as all $18.0 million of funds were exhausted. NSG's bill payment assistance program is ongoing as funds remain available. •Costs related to the provisions in the settlement agreement, including costs related to the bill payment assistance programs, will be recoverable through the SPC rider. Minnesota In May 2020, the MPUC issued a written order authorizing Minnesota utilities, including MERC, to track and defer COVID-19 related expenses and certain foregone revenues. The MPUC will review the recoverability and examine the prudency of any deferred amounts in future rate proceedings. As of March 31, 2021, amounts deferred at MERC related to the COVID-19 pandemic were not significant. In June 2020, the MPUC verbally ordered Minnesota utilities to temporarily suspend disconnections and waive reconnection fees, service deposits, late fees, interest, and penalties for all residential customers. In addition, utilities were required to immediately reconnect residential customers that were previously disconnected. In August 2020, the MPUC issued a written order affirming these temporary provisions. The order was to remain in effect until 60 days after Minnesota's declared peacetime emergency expired. Prior to the June 2020 verbal order issued by the MPUC, MERC had voluntarily taken actions to ensure its customers continued to receive utility services during the pandemic. These actions included, but were not limited to, temporarily suspending disconnections and waiving late payment fees for residential and small commercial and industrial customers that entered into payment plans. In March 2021, the MPUC issued an order requiring Minnesota utilities to file a transition plan to resume collections and disconnections upon the earlier of an Executive Secretary finding the transition plan was complete, or 90 days following the expiration of Minnesota's declared peacetime emergency. MERC filed its transition plan in April 2021. In accordance with the transition plan, and upon it being subsequently deemed complete by the Executive Secretary, MERC will resume disconnections on August 2, 2021. MERC will not disconnect residential customers with past due balances if the customer has a pending application or has been deemed eligible for a financial assistance program. In addition, MERC will continue to offer flexible deferred payment arrangements to residential customers. For customers who enter, or are complying with, a payment arrangement, MERC will not impose any service deposits, down payments, interest, late payment fees, or reconnections fees through April 30, 2022. Currently, Minnesota's peacetime emergency is set to expire on May 14, 2021, but this date is subject to change. The annual winter moratorium in Minnesota that generally prohibits MERC from disconnecting residential customers for non-payment began on October 15, 2020 and ended on April 15, 2021. Michigan In April 2020, the MPSC issued a written order requiring Michigan utilities, including MGU and UMERC, to put certain minimum protections in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. The minimum protections required by the order include the suspension of disconnections, late payment fees, deposits, and reconnection fees for certain vulnerable customers. In addition, utilities are required to extend access to and enhance the flexibility of payment plans to customers financially impacted by COVID-19. The order will remain in effect until further notice from the MPSC. As required in the MPSC order, MGU and UMERC filed responses with the MPSC in April 2020 affirming the actions being taken to protect customers. These actions provide protections to more customers than required by the MPSC order, and include suspending disconnections for all residential customers, waiving deposit requirements for new service, suspending the assessment of late fees for customers that have entered into payment plans, and enhancing payment plan options for all customers. The April 2020 MPSC order also authorized all Michigan utilities to defer, for potential future recovery, uncollectible expense incurred on or after March 24, 2020 that exceeds the amounts being recovered in rates. In July 2020, the MPSC issued an order denying Michigan utilities' ability to defer additional COVID-19 related expenses and certain foregone revenues. The MPSC indicated that utilities can still seek recovery of these costs and foregone revenues by filing additional information on the specifics of their request. MGU and UMERC filed comments with the MPSC in November 2020 indicating that they have not experienced any material additional COVID-19 related expenses or foregone revenues, but that they will continue to monitor them and will notify the MPSC if they become material. At March 31, 2021, our Michigan utilities had not recorded any deferrals related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wisconsin Electric Power Company, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, and Wisconsin Gas LLC 2022 Rates On March 30, 2021, WE, WPS, and WG filed an application with the PSCW for the approval of certain accounting treatments which, if approved, would allow them to maintain their current electric, natural gas, and steam base rates through 2022 and forego filing a rate case for one year. In connection with the request, the three utilities also entered into an agreement, dated March 23, 2021, with various stakeholders. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, the stakeholders fully support the application, and the utilities expect to file their next rate cases by no later than May 1, 2022. The application filed with the PSCW includes the following key proposals: •WE, WPS, and WG would amortize, in 2022, certain previously deferred balances to offset approximately half of their forecasted revenue deficiencies. •WG would defer interest and depreciation expense associated with capital investments since its last rate case that otherwise would have been added to rate base in a 2022 test-year rate case. •WE, WPS, and WG would be allowed to defer any increases in tax expense due to changes in tax law that occur in 2021 and/or 2022. •WE, WPS, and WG would maintain their earnings sharing mechanisms for 2022, with modification. The earnings sharing mechanisms would be modified to authorize the utility to retain 100% of the first 15 basis points of earnings above its currently authorized ROE. This modification would expire on December 31, 2022. The earnings sharing mechanisms would otherwise remain as currently authorized. We expect the PSCW to review and consider the application during the second quarter of 2021. 2020 and 2021 Rates In March 2019, WE, WPS, and WG filed applications with the PSCW to increase their retail electric, natural gas, and steam rates, as applicable, effective January 1, 2020. In August 2019, all three utilities filed applications with the PSCW for approval of settlement agreements entered into with certain intervenors to resolve several outstanding issues in each utility's respective rate case. In December 2019, the PSCW issued written orders that approved the settlement agreements without material modification and addressed the remaining outstanding issues that were not included in the settlement agreements. The new rates became effective January 1, 2020. The final orders reflect the following:
|  | WE |  | WPS |  | WG
2020 Effective rate increase (decrease) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Electric (1) (2) |  | $ | 15.3 | million | / | 0.5% |  | $ | 15.8 | million | / | 1.6% |  | N/A
Gas (3) |  | $ | 10.4 | million | / | 2.8% |  | $ | 4.3 | million | / | 1.4% |  | $ | (1.5) | million | / | (0.2)%
Steam |  | $ | 1.9 | million | / | 8.6% |  | N/A |  | N/A
ROE |  | 10.0% |  | 10.0% |  | 10.2%
Common equity component average on a financial basis |  | 52.5% |  | 52.5% |  | 52.5%
(1)Amounts are net of certain deferred tax benefits from the Tax Legislation that were utilized to reduce near-term rate impact. The WE and WPS rate orders reflect the majority of the unprotected deferred tax benefits from the Tax Legislation being amortized over two years. For WE, approximately $65 million of tax benefits will be amortized in each of 2020 and 2021. For WPS, approximately $11 million of tax benefits were amortized in 2020 and approximately $39 million are being amortized in 2021. The unprotected deferred tax benefits related to the unrecovered balances of certain of WE's retired plants and its SSR regulatory asset were used to reduce the related regulatory asset. Unprotected deferred tax benefits by their nature are eligible to be returned to customers in a manner and timeline determined to be appropriate by our regulators. (2)The WPS rate order is net of $21 million of refunds related to its 2018 earnings sharing mechanism. These refunds are being made to customers evenly over two years, with half returned in 2020 and the remainder being returned in 2021. (3)The WE amount includes certain deferred tax expense from the Tax Legislation, and the WPS and WG amounts are net of certain deferred tax benefits from the Tax Legislation that were utilized to reduce near-term rate impact. The rate orders for all three gas utilities reflect all of the unprotected deferred tax expense and benefits from the Tax Legislation being amortized evenly over four years. For WE, approximately $5 million of previously deferred tax expense will be amortized each year. For WPS and WG, approximately $5 million and $3 million, respectively, of previously deferred tax benefits will be amortized each year. Unprotected deferred tax expense and benefits by their nature are eligible to be recovered from or returned to customers in a manner and timeline determined to be appropriate by our regulators. In accordance with its rate order, WE filed an application with the PSCW in July 2020 requesting a financing order to securitize $100 million of Pleasant Prairie power plant's book value, plus the carrying costs accrued on the $100 million during the securitization process and related fees. In November 2020, the PSCW issued a written order approving the application. The securitization is expected to reduce the carrying costs for the $100 million, benefiting customers. The WPS rate order allows WPS to collect the previously deferred revenue requirement for ReACT™ costs above the authorized $275.0 million level. The total cost of the ReACT™ project was $342 million. This regulatory asset will be collected from customers over eight years. All three Wisconsin utilities will continue having an earnings sharing mechanism through 2021. The earnings sharing mechanism was modified from its previous structure to one that is consistent with other Wisconsin investor-owned utilities. Under this earnings sharing mechanism, if the utility earns above its authorized ROE: (i) the utility retains 100.0% of earnings for the first 25 basis points above the authorized ROE; (ii) 50.0% of the next 50 basis points is refunded to customers; and (iii) 100.0% of any remaining excess earnings is refunded to customers. In addition, the rate orders also require WE, WPS, and WG to maintain residential and small commercial electric and natural gas customer fixed charges at previously authorized rates and to maintain the status quo for WE's and WPS's electric market-based rate programs for large industrial customers through 2021. The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company and North Shore Gas Company North Shore Gas Company 2021 Rate Case On October 15, 2020, NSG filed a request with the ICC to increase its natural gas rates. NSG's request is targeting a rate increase of $7.6 million (8.5%) and reflects a 10.0% ROE and a common equity component average of 52.5%. The proposed natural gas rate increase is primarily driven by NSG's ongoing significant investment in its distribution system since its last rate review that resulted in revised base rates effective January 1, 2015. New rates are expected to be effective in September 2021. Qualifying Infrastructure Plant Rider In July 2013, Illinois Public Act 98-0057, The Natural Gas Consumer, Safety & Reliability Act, became law. This law provides natural gas utilities with a cost recovery mechanism that allows collection, through a surcharge on customer bills, of prudently incurred costs to upgrade Illinois natural gas infrastructure. In January 2014, the ICC approved a QIP rider for PGL, which is in effect through 2023. PGL's QIP rider is subject to an annual reconciliation whereby costs are reviewed for accuracy and prudency. In March 2021, PGL filed its 2020 reconciliation with the ICC, which, along with the 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016 reconciliations, are still pending. As of March 31, 2021, there can be no assurance that all costs incurred under PGL's QIP rider during the open reconciliation years will be deemed recoverable by the ICC. Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation 2021 Rate Application In February 2020, MGU provided notification to the MPSC of its intent to file an application requesting an increase to MGU's natural gas rates to be effective January 1, 2021. However, MGU decided that it would delay its filing of the rate case as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2020, MGU filed an application with the MPSC requesting approval to defer $5.0 million of depreciation and interest expense during 2021 related to capital investments made by MGU since its last rate case. In July 2020, the MPSC issued a written order approving MGU's request. The deferral of these costs will help to mitigate the impacts from delaying the filing of the rate case. On March 22, 2021, MGU filed a request with the MPSC to increase its natural gas rates. MGU's request is targeting a rate increase of $15.1 million (10.7%) and reflects a 10.2% ROE and a common equity component of 52.5%. The proposed natural gas rate increase is primarily driven by MGU's significant investment in capital infrastructure since its last rate review that resulted in revised base rates effective January 1, 2016. New rates are expected to be effective in January 2022.

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