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Rate And Regulatory Matters | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2024
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Abstract] |
RATE AND REGULATORY MATTERS | RATE AND REGULATORY MATTERS Below is a summary of updates to significant regulatory proceedings and related legal proceedings. See Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters under Part II, Item 8, of the Form 10-K for additional information and a summary of our regulatory frameworks. We are unable to predict the ultimate outcome of these matters, the timing of final decisions of the various agencies and courts, or the impact on our results of operations, financial position, or liquidity. Missouri Solar Generation Facilities During 2022 and 2023, Ameren Missouri, and certain subsidiaries of Ameren Missouri, entered into agreements to acquire and/or construct various solar generation facilities, which, if placed in-service, would be eligible for recovery under the PISA. The following table provides information with respect to each agreement:
| Huck Finn Solar Project(a)(b) | Boomtown Solar Project(b)(c) | Split Rail Solar Project(d) | Cass County Solar Project(c) | Vandalia Solar Project(b)(d) | Bowling Green Solar Project(b)(d)
Agreement type | Build-transfer | Build-transfer | Build-transfer | Development-transfer(e) | Self-build(f) | Self-build(f)
Facility size | 200-MW | 150-MW | 300-MW | 150-MW | 50-MW | 50-MW
Status of MoPSC CCN | Approved February 2023 | Approved April 2023 | Approved March 2024 | Filed June 2023(g) | Approved March 2024 | Approved March 2024
Status of FERC approval of acquisition | Received March 2023 | Received October 2023 | Expect to request by mid-2024 | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable
Earliest completion date(h) | Fourth quarter 2024 | Fourth quarter 2024 | Mid-2026 | Fourth quarter 2024 | Fourth quarter 2025 | First quarter 2026
(a)The Huck Finn Solar Project is expected to support Ameren Missouri’s compliance with the state of Missouri’s renewable energy standard. Investments in the project will be eligible for recovery under the RESRAM. (b)These projects collectively represent approximately $0.85 billion of expected capital expenditures. (c)The Boomtown and Cass County solar projects are expected to support Ameren Missouri’s transition to renewable energy generation and serve customers under the Renewable Solutions Program. (d)These solar projects are expected to support Ameren Missouri’s transition to renewable energy generation. (e)Ameren Missouri entered into an agreement to acquire the Cass County Solar Project, which includes project design, land rights, and engineering, procurement, and construction agreements for a solar generation facility. Ameren Missouri will take over construction management of the Cass County facility after obtaining a CCN from the MoPSC and acquiring the project. Acquisition of the project is expected by mid-2024. (f)Ameren Missouri entered into engineering, procurement, and construction agreements to construct these solar projects. (g)Approval for the CCN is conditioned upon full subscription of the project capacity under the Renewable Solutions Program, a commercial, industrial, and governmental customer program. Ameren Missouri expects a decision by the MoPSC on the Cass County Solar Project CCN once this project’s capacity under the Renewable Solutions Program is fully subscribed. (h)Expected completion dates are dependent on the timing of regulatory approvals, among other things. Securitization of Rush Island Energy Center Costs In November 2023, Ameren Missouri petitioned the MoPSC for a financing order to authorize the issuance of securitized utility tariff bonds to finance $519 million of costs related to the planned accelerated retirement of the Rush Island Energy Center, which includes the expected remaining unrecovered net plant balance associated with the facility, among other costs. Ameren Missouri requested to collect the amounts necessary to repay the bonds over approximately 15 years from the date of bond issuance. In March 2024, the MoPSC staff filed an updated response to Ameren Missouri’s petition that stated Ameren Missouri’s decision to accelerate the retirement of the Rush Island Energy Center was prudent and recommended that $497 million of costs be financed through securitized utility tariff bonds. However, the MoPSC staff claimed Ameren Missouri’s prior actions that resulted in the adverse ruling in the NSR and Clean Air Act Litigation discussed in Note 9 – Commitments and Contingencies were imprudent and recommended that the impact of those actions on customers be considered in future regulatory proceedings. In February 2024, the MoOPC filed a response to Ameren Missouri’s petition that opposes the issuance of securitized utility tariff bonds. If Ameren Missouri is not allowed to recover Rush Island Energy Center costs through securitization or if future regulatory proceedings result in revenue reductions based on Ameren Missouri’s prior actions that resulted in the adverse ruling in the NSR and Clean Air Act litigation, it could have a material adverse effect on the results of operations, financial position, and liquidity of Ameren and Ameren Missouri. Ameren Missouri expects a decision by the MoPSC by the end of June 2024, but cannot predict the ultimate outcome of this regulatory proceeding. MEEIA In January 2024, Ameren Missouri filed a proposed customer energy-efficiency plan with the MoPSC under the MEEIA. This filing proposed a three-year plan, which includes a portfolio of customer energy-efficiency programs, along with the continued use of the MEEIA rider, which allows Ameren Missouri to collect from, or refund to, customers any difference in actual MEEIA program costs and related lost electric revenues and the amounts collected from customers. If the plan is approved, Ameren Missouri intends to invest $123 million annually in the proposed customer energy-efficiency programs from 2025 to 2027. In addition, Ameren Missouri requested performance incentives applicable to each plan year to earn revenues by achieving certain customer energy-efficiency savings and target spending goals. If 100% of the goals are achieved, Ameren Missouri would earn performance incentive revenues totaling $56 million over the three-year plan. Ameren Missouri also requested additional performance incentives applicable to each plan year totaling up to $14 million over the three-year plan, if Ameren Missouri exceeds 100% of the goals. Ameren Missouri expects a decision by the MoPSC by October 2024, but cannot predict the ultimate outcome of this regulatory proceeding. Illinois MYRP In December 2023, the ICC issued an order in Ameren Illinois' MYRP proceeding approving base rates for electric distribution services for 2024 through 2027 and rejecting Ameren Illinois' Grid Plan, which was addressed as part of the MYRP proceeding. Rate changes consistent with the order became effective in January 2024. The December 2023 order adopted an alternative methodology to establish a rate base and revenue requirements for the years 2024 through 2027 using Ameren Illinois’ previously approved 2022 year-end rate base. The 2022 year-end rate base will remain in effect through 2027 unless subsequently changed by the ICC in the rehearing discussed below or if approval of a revised Grid Plan results in an update of each year’s revenue requirement. Pursuant to the order, in March 2024, Ameren Illinois filed a revised Grid Plan and a revised MYRP to update the requested revenue requirements for 2024 through 2027. An ICC decision on the revised Grid Plan and updated revenue requirements is expected by December 2024 with rates effective in January 2025. In January 2024, the ICC partially denied a rehearing requested by Ameren Illinois to revise the allowed ROE in the December 2023 order and granted Ameren Illinois’ rehearing request to consider whether it is appropriate to use the 2022 year-end rate base for each year of the MYRP and to include a base level of investments to maintain grid reliability in each year of the MYRP. Additionally, the scope of the rehearing includes a review of certain operations and maintenance expenses in each year of the MYRP. In February 2024, Ameren Illinois filed its request in the rehearing proceeding, and subsequently updated the request in April 2024, proposing an updated 2024 revenue requirement of $1,213 million, which is based on a $4.2 billion rate base, a capital structure composed of 50% common equity, and an allowed ROE of 8.72%. In April 2024, the ICC staff filed its recommendation in the rehearing proceeding. The ICC staff recommended a 2024 revenue requirement of $1,195 million, which is based on a $4.0 billion rate base, a capital structure composed of 50% common equity, and an allowed ROE of 8.72%. An ICC decision in the rehearing proceeding is expected by late June 2024, with new rates effective July 2024. Also, in January 2024, Ameren Illinois filed an appeal of the December 2023 ICC order and the partial denial of Ameren Illinois’ request for rehearing, including the 8.72% ROE, to the Illinois Appellate Court for the Fifth Judicial District. The court is under no deadline to address the appeal. Ameren Illinois cannot predict the ultimate outcome of the revised Grid Plan filing, its request to update the associated MYRP revenue requirements for 2024 through 2027, the rehearing proceeding, or the appeal to the Illinois Appellate Court for the Fifth Judicial District. The following table presents the approved revenue requirements, ROE, capital structure common equity percentage, and annual rate base in the ICC’s December 2023 order, as well as the proposed revenue requirements and annual rate base amounts in the March 2024 revised MYRP:
Year | Revenue Requirement (in millions) | ROE | Capital Structure Common Equity Percentage | Annual Rate Base (in billions)
ICC’s December 2023 MYRP Order: |  |  |  |
2024 | $1,162 | 8.72% | 50% | $3.9
2025 | $1,210 | 8.72% | 50% | $3.9
2026 | $1,242 | 8.72% | 50% | $3.9
2027 | $1,255 | 8.72% | 50% | $3.9
Ameren Illinois’ March 2024 Revised MYRP: |  |  |  |
2024 | $1,207 | (a) | 50% | $4.2
2025 | $1,286 | (a) | 50% | $4.4
2026 | $1,371 | (a) | 50% | $4.7
2027 | $1,433 | (a) | 50% | $4.9
(a)Based on an allowed ROE of 8.72%. Ameren Illinois’ filing requests the ICC to increase the allowed ROE to 9.24%. The approved revenue requirements in the ICC’s December 2023 order represent a cumulative four-year increase of $142 million compared to a cumulative increase of $321 million in Ameren Illinois’ March 2024 revised MYRP. 2023 Electric Distribution Revenue Requirement Reconciliation Adjustment Request In April 2024, Ameren Illinois filed for a reconciliation adjustment to its 2023 electric distribution service revenue requirement with the ICC, requesting recovery of $160 million. The reconciliation adjustment reflects a capital structure composed of 50% common equity and Ameren Illinois’ actual 2023 recoverable costs and year-end rate base. An ICC decision in this proceeding is required by December 2024, and any approved adjustment would be collected from customers in 2025. This is the final revenue requirement reconciliation under the IEIMA formula framework. 2023 Natural Gas Delivery Service Rate Order In November 2023, the ICC issued an order in Ameren Illinois’ January 2023 natural gas delivery service regulatory rate review, which resulted in an increase to its annual revenues for natural gas delivery service of $112 million based on a 9.44% allowed ROE, a capital structure composed of 50% common equity, and a rate base of approximately $2.85 billion. The order reflected a reduction of approximately $93 million of planned distribution and transmission capital investments included in Ameren Illinois’ requested revenue increase, which used a 2024 future test year. The new rates became effective on November 28, 2023. In December 2023, Ameren Illinois filed a request for rehearing of the ICC’s November 2023 order. The filing requested the ICC revise the order to include an allowed ROE of at least 9.89%, a capital structure composed of 52% common equity, and the reversal of the approximately $93 million reduction of planned distribution and transmission capital investments included in the order, among other things. In January 2024, the ICC denied Ameren Illinois’ rehearing request. Subsequently, in January 2024, Ameren Illinois filed an appeal of the November 2023 ICC order and the January 2024 ICC denial of Ameren Illinois’ request for rehearing to the Illinois Appellate Court for the Fifth Judicial District. The court is under no deadline to address the appeal. Ameren Illinois cannot predict the ultimate outcome of this appeal. QIP Reconciliation Hearing In March 2021, Ameren Illinois filed a request with the ICC to initiate a reconciliation proceeding to determine the accuracy and prudence of natural gas capital investments recovered under the QIP rider during 2020. In October 2023, the Illinois Attorney General’s office challenged the recovery of capital investments that were made during 2020, alleging that the ICC should disallow approximately $53 million in natural gas capital investments as improper and imprudent, providing a potential over-recovery of approximately $3 million in 2020. In October 2023, the ICC staff filed testimony that supports the prudence and reasonableness of the capital investments made during 2020. Ameren Illinois’ 2020 QIP rate recovery request under review by the ICC was within the rate increase limitations allowed by law. The ICC is under no deadline to issue an order in this proceeding. Ameren Illinois cannot predict the ultimate outcome of this regulatory proceeding. MISO Long-Range Transmission Projects CCN In July 2022, the MISO approved the first tranche of projects related to a preliminary long-range transmission planning roadmap of projects through 2039. A portion of these projects were assigned to various utilities, including Ameren. In February 2024, Ameren Illinois and ATXI filed a request for a CCN, among other things, with the ICC related to the portion of the MISO long-range transmission projects that will be constructed within the ICC’s jurisdiction. A decision by the ICC is expected by mid-2025. Federal FERC Complaint Cases Since November 2013, the allowed base ROE for FERC-regulated transmission rate base under the MISO tariff has been subject to customer complaint cases and has been changed by various FERC orders. In May 2020, the FERC issued an order, which set the allowed base ROE to 10.02% and required refunds, with interest, for the periods November 2013 to February 2015 and from late September 2016 forward. Ameren and Ameren Illinois paid these refunds, including interest, by March 31, 2022. In June and July 2020, Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois, and ATXI, as well as various customers, petitioned the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for review of the May 2020 order, challenging certain aspects of the new ROE methodology established. The petition filed by Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois, and ATXI challenged the refunds required for the period from September 2016 to May 2020. In August 2022, the court issued a ruling that granted the customers’ petition for review, vacated the FERC’s previous MISO ROE-determining orders, and remanded the proceedings to the FERC. The court elected not to rule on the issues raised by Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois, and ATXI. The currently allowed base ROE of 10.02% will remain effective for customer billings, but the transmission rates charged during previous periods and the currently effective rates may be subject to refund if the base ROE is changed by the FERC in a future order. The FERC is under no deadline to issue an order related to these proceedings. A 50-basis-point change in the FERC-allowed ROE would affect Ameren’s and Ameren Illinois’ annual revenue by an estimated $21 million and $15 million, respectively, based on each company’s 2024 projected rate base.

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