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Other Commitments And Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Other Commitments And Contingencies | Other Commitments and Contingencies A. Contractual Obligations. We have certain contractual obligations requiring payments at specified periods. The obligations include long-term debt, lease obligations, energy commodity contracts and obligations for various services including pipeline capacity and outsourcing of IT services. The total contractual obligations in existence at December 31, 2018 and their maturities were:
(in millions) | Total |  | 2019 |  | 2020 |  | 2021 |  | 2022 |  | 2023 |  | After
Long-term debt (1) | $ | 7,029.6 |  |  | $ | 41.0 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 63.6 |  |  | $ | 530.0 |  |  | $ | 600.0 |  |  | $ | 5,795.0 |
Capital leases(2) | 322.4 |  |  | 23.0 |  |  | 22.5 |  |  | 22.6 |  |  | 22.1 |  |  | 19.8 |  |  | 212.4 |
Interest payments on long-term debt | 6,311.7 |  |  | 319.8 |  |  | 318.6 |  |  | 318.6 |  |  | 315.0 |  |  | 289.0 |  |  | 4,750.7 |
Operating leases(3) | 45.9 |  |  | 11.0 |  |  | 7.3 |  |  | 6.1 |  |  | 4.2 |  |  | 2.8 |  |  | 14.5 |
Energy commodity contracts | 154.3 |  |  | 99.2 |  |  | 55.1 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Service obligations: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pipeline service obligations | 3,566.7 |  |  | 592.3 |  |  | 487.7 |  |  | 450.5 |  |  | 437.5 |  |  | 260.8 |  |  | 1,337.9 |
IT service obligations | 211.0 |  |  | 68.3 |  |  | 60.0 |  |  | 47.1 |  |  | 35.6 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Other service obligations | 86.7 |  |  | 33.5 |  |  | 43.6 |  |  | 9.6 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Other liabilities | 24.2 |  |  | 24.2 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Total contractual obligations | $ | 17,752.5 |  |  | $ | 1,212.3 |  |  | $ | 994.8 |  |  | $ | 918.1 |  |  | $ | 1,344.4 |  |  | $ | 1,172.4 |  |  | $ | 12,110.5 |
(1) Long-term debt balance excludes unamortized issuance costs and discounts of $68.5 million. (2) Capital lease payments shown above are inclusive of interest totaling $114.6 million. (3) Operating lease balances do not include amounts for fleet leases that can be renewed beyond the initial lease term. The Company anticipates renewing the leases beyond the initial term, but the anticipated payments associated with the renewals do not meet the definition of expected minimum lease payments and therefore are not included above. Expected payments are $26.7 million in 2019, $22.4 million in 2020, $16.6 million in 2021, $12.3 million in 2022, $9.3 million in 2023 and $8.8 million thereafter. Operating and Capital Lease Commitments. We lease assets in several areas of our operations including fleet vehicles and equipment, rail cars for coal delivery and certain operations centers. Payments made in connection with operating leases were $49.1 million in 2018, $49.5 million in 2017 and $52.0 million in 2016, and are primarily charged to operation and maintenance expense as incurred. Capital lease assets and related accumulated depreciation included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets were $213.9 million and $37.1 million at December 31, 2018, and $171.2 million and $32.4 million at December 31, 2017, respectively. Purchase and Service Obligations. We have entered into various purchase and service agreements whereby we are contractually obligated to make certain minimum payments in future periods. Our purchase obligations are for the purchase of physical quantities of natural gas, electricity and coal. Our service agreements encompass a broad range of business support and maintenance functions which are generally described below. Our subsidiaries have entered into various energy commodity contracts to purchase physical quantities of natural gas, electricity and coal. These amounts represent minimum quantities of these commodities we are obligated to purchase at both fixed and variable prices. To the extent contractual purchase prices are variable, obligations disclosed in the table above are valued at market prices as of December 31, 2018. In July 2008, the IURC issued an order approving NIPSCO’s purchase power agreements with subsidiaries of Iberdrola Renewables, Buffalo Ridge I LLC and Barton Windpower LLC. These agreements provide NIPSCO the opportunity and obligation to purchase up to 100 MW of wind power generated commencing in early 2009. The contracts extend 15 and 20 years, representing 50 MW of wind power each. No minimum quantities are specified within these agreements due to the variability of electricity generation from wind, so no amounts related to these contracts are included in the table above. Upon any termination of the agreements by NIPSCO for any reason (other than material breach by Buffalo Ridge I LLC or Barton Windpower LLC), NIPSCO may be required to pay a termination charge that could be material depending on the events giving rise to termination and the timing of the termination. NIPSCO began purchasing wind power in April 2009. We have pipeline service agreements that provide for pipeline capacity, transportation and storage services. These agreements, which have expiration dates ranging from 2019 to 2045, require us to pay fixed monthly charges. NIPSCO has contracts with three major rail operators providing for coal transportation services for which there are certain minimum payments. These service contracts extend for various periods through 2021. In May and June 2017, we executed agreements with three separate IT service providers. The new agreements have terms ending at various dates throughout 2022. Related to the NTSB's safety recommendations issued on November 14, 2018 (see "- C. Legal Proceedings" for further detail), we committed to the installation of over-pressurization protection devices at all of the remaining low pressure systems in our operating footprint. This installation is expected to result in a capital investment of approximately $150 million. This amount is not included in the table above. B. Guarantees and Indemnities. We and certain subsidiaries enter into various agreements providing financial or performance assurance to third parties on behalf of certain subsidiaries as part of normal business. Such agreements include guarantees and stand-by letters of credit. These agreements are entered into primarily to support or enhance the creditworthiness otherwise attributed to a subsidiary on a stand-alone basis, thereby facilitating the extension of sufficient credit to accomplish the subsidiaries’ intended commercial purposes. At December 31, 2018 and 2017, we had issued stand-by letters of credit of $10.2 million and $11.1 million, respectively, for the benefit of third parties. C. Legal Proceedings. On September 13, 2018, a series of fires and explosions occurred in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, Massachusetts related to the delivery of natural gas by Columbia of Massachusetts. The Greater Lawrence Incident resulted in one fatality and a number of injuries, damaged multiple homes and businesses, and caused the temporary evacuation of significant portions of each municipality. The Massachusetts Governor’s Office declared a state of emergency, authorizing the Massachusetts DPU to order another utility company to coordinate the restoration of utility services in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover. The incident resulted in the interruption of gas for approximately 7,500 gas meters, the majority of which serve residences and of which approximately 700 serve businesses, and the interruption of other utility service more broadly in the area. Columbia of Massachusetts has replaced the cast iron and bare steel gas pipeline system in the affected area and restored service to nearly all of the gas meters. See “ - E. Other Matters - Greater Lawrence Pipeline Replacement” below for more information. We are subject to inquiries by federal and state government authorities and regulatory agencies regarding the Greater Lawrence Incident. The NTSB, the U.S Attorney’s office and the SEC have pending investigations related to the Greater Lawrence Incident, as described below. We are also subject to inquiries from the Massachusetts DPU and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. We are cooperating with all inquiries and investigations. The outcomes and impacts of the current investigations and any future investigations that may be commenced related to such inquiries are uncertain at this time. NTSB Investigation. As noted above, the NTSB is investigating the Greater Lawrence Incident. The parties to the investigation include the PHMSA, the Massachusetts DPU, Columbia of Massachusetts, and police and fire first responders. We are cooperating with the NTSB and have provided information to assist in its ongoing investigation into relevant facts related to the event, the probable cause, and its development of safety recommendations. According to the preliminary public report that the NTSB issued on October 11, 2018, an over-pressurization of a low pressure gas distribution system occurred that was related to work being done on behalf of Columbia of Massachusetts on a pipeline replacement project in Lawrence. According to the report, sensing lines detected a drop in pressure in a portion of mainline that was being abandoned, causing a regulator to open up and increase pressure in the system to a level that exceeded the maximum allowable operating pressure of the distribution system. On November 14, 2018, the NTSB issued an urgent safety recommendation report regarding natural gas distribution system project development and review. In its report, the NTSB identified certain factors that it believes contributed to the Greater Lawrence Incident and made safety recommendations. The NTSB recommended that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts eliminate the professional engineer licensure exemption for public utility work and require a professional engineer’s seal on public utility engineering drawings, which is now law in Massachusetts. The NTSB also made recommendations to us related to engineering plan and constructability review processes, records and documentation, management of change processes, and control procedures during modifications to gas mains. We are in the process of implementing these recommendations. The NTSB investigation is ongoing. While the NTSB investigation is pending, we are prohibited from disclosing information related to the investigation without approval from the NTSB. Since the Greater Lawrence Incident, we have identified, and moved ahead with, new steps to enhance system safety and reliability and to safeguard against over-pressurization. Some of these measures have already been completed and others are in process. These Company-wide safety measures will include enhanced measures as called for in the NTSB’s recommendations. We have committed to a program to install over-pressurization protection devices on all of our low-pressure systems, the cost of which is described in “ - E. Other Matters.” Massachusetts Regulatory and Legislative Matters. The Massachusetts DPU has retained an independent evaluator to conduct a statewide examination of the safety of the natural gas distribution system and the operational and maintenance functions of natural gas companies in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Through authority granted by the Massachusetts Governor under the state of emergency, the Chair of the Massachusetts DPU will direct all natural gas distribution companies operating in the Commonwealth to fund the statewide examination. The statewide examination is underway and we are in the process of responding to the evaluator’s information requests. The independent evaluator is expected to produce a report with recommendations. The examination is expected to complement, but not duplicate, the NTSB’s investigation. On November 30, 2018, Columbia of Massachusetts entered into a consent order with the Massachusetts DPU in connection with a notice of probable violation issued in March 2018, stemming from a 2016 report. The Division found that Columbia of Massachusetts violated certain pipeline safety regulations related to pressure limiting and regulating stations in Taunton, Massachusetts. As part of the consent order, Columbia of Massachusetts was fined $75,000 and entered into a compliance agreement under which it agreed to take several actions related to its pressure regulator stations within various timeframes, including the adoption of a Pipeline Safety Management System ("SMS"), the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) Recommended Practice 1173. Columbia of Massachusetts is complying with the order. On December 18, 2018, the Massachusetts DPU issued an order requiring Columbia of Massachusetts to enter into an agreement with a Massachusetts-based engineering firm to monitor Columbia of Massachusetts’ remaining restoration and recovery work in the Greater Lawrence area. The order requires Columbia of Massachusetts to take measures to ensure that adequate heat and hot water and gas appliances are provided to all affected properties, repave all affected streets, roadways, sidewalks and other areas in accordance with applicable DPU standards and precedents, consult with the affected communities and discuss plans for restoring affected hard or soft surfaces, and replace all gas boilers and furnaces and other gas-fired equipment at affected residences. Under the order, all restoration work beginning in 2019 is required to be completed no later than October 31, 2019, unless an earlier or later date is agreed to with any of the affected communities. We have agreed to complete the work by September 15, 2019. Also, under the order, Columbia of Massachusetts will be required to maintain quantitative measures, which must be verified by officials of the affected communities, to track its progress in completing all of the remaining work. Estimates for the cost of this work are included in the estimated ranges of loss noted below, which is discussed in “- E. Other Matters - Greater Lawrence Incident Restoration" and " - Greater Lawrence Pipeline Replacement” below. Our failure to adhere to any of the requirements in the order may result in penalties of up to $1 million per violation. Under Massachusetts law, the DPU is authorized to investigate potential violations of pipeline safety regulations and to assess a civil penalty of up to $209,000 for a violation of federal pipeline safety regulations. A separate violation occurs for each day of violation up to $2.1 million for a related series of violations. The Massachusetts DPU also is authorized to investigate potential violations of the Columbia of Massachusetts emergency response plan and to assess penalties of up to $250,000 per violation, or up to $20 million per related series of violations. Further, as a result of the declaration of emergency by the Governor, the DPU is authorized to investigate potential violations of the DPU's operational directives during the restoration efforts and assess penalties of up to $1 million per violation. The timing and outcome of any such investigations are uncertain at this time. In December 2018, the President of Columbia of Massachusetts testified before a joint state legislative committee on telecommunications, utilities and energy with other industry officials about gas system safety in Massachusetts and regulatory oversight. Increased scrutiny related to these matters, including additional legislative oversight hearings and new legislative proposals, is expected during the current two-year legislative session. On December 31, 2018, the Massachusetts Governor signed into law legislation requiring a certified professional engineer to review and approve gas pipeline work that could pose a “material risk” to public safety, consistent with the NTSB’s recommendation. The Massachusetts DPU has issued interim guidelines and the existing moratorium has been lifted. U.S. Department of Justice Investigation. The Company and Columbia of Massachusetts are subject to a criminal investigation related to the Greater Lawrence Incident that is being conducted under the supervision of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts. The initial grand jury subpoenas were served on the Company and Columbia of Massachusetts on September 24, 2018. The Company and Columbia of Massachusetts are cooperating with the investigation. We are unable to estimate the amount (or range of amounts) of reasonably possible losses associated with any civil or criminal penalties that could be imposed on the Company or Columbia of Massachusetts. U.S. Congressional Hearing. In November 2018, executives of the Company and Columbia of Massachusetts testified at a U.S. Senate hearing regarding the Greater Lawrence Incident and natural gas pipeline safety. Increased scrutiny related to these matters, including additional federal congressional hearings and new legislative proposals, is expected in 2019. SEC Investigation. On February 11, 2019, the SEC notified the Company that it is conducting an investigation of the Company related to disclosures made prior to the Greater Lawrence Incident. We intend to cooperate with the investigation. Private Actions. Various lawsuits, including several purported class action lawsuits, have been filed by various affected residents or businesses in Massachusetts state courts against the Company and/or Columbia of Massachusetts in connection with the Greater Lawrence Incident. A special judge has been appointed to hear all pending and future cases and the class actions will be consolidated into one class action. On January 14, 2019, the special judge granted the parties’ joint motion to stay all cases for 90 days to allow mediation. The parties are in the process of filing a request with the special judge to extend this period. The class action lawsuits allege varying causes of action, including those for strict liability for ultra-hazardous activity, negligence, private nuisance, public nuisance, premises liability, trespass, breach of warranty, breach of contract, failure to warn, unjust enrichment, consumer protection act claims, negligent and reckless infliction of emotional distress, and gross negligence, and seek actual compensatory damages, plus treble damages, and punitive damages. Many residents and business owners have submitted individual damage claims to Columbia of Massachusetts. We also have received notice from three parties indicating an intent to assert wrongful death claims. In Massachusetts, punitive damages are available in a wrongful death action upon proof of gross negligence or willful or reckless conduct causing the death. In addition, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the municipalities of Lawrence, Andover and North Andover are seeking reimbursement from Columbia of Massachusetts for their respective expenses incurred in connection with the Greater Lawrence Incident. The outcomes and impacts of the private actions are uncertain at this time. Financial Impact. During the year ended December 31, 2018, we expensed approximately $757 million for estimated third-party claims related to the Greater Lawrence Incident, including, but not limited to, personal injury and property damage claims, damage to infrastructure, business interruption claims, and other damage claims, which include mutual aid payments to other utilities assisting with the restoration effort; gas-fueled appliance replacement, repair and related services for impacted customers; temporary lodging for displaced customers; evacuation expense claims; and claims-related legal fees. We estimate that total costs related to third-party claims resulting from the incident will range from $757 million to $790 million, depending on the final outcome of ongoing reviews and the number, nature, and value of third-party claims. The amounts set forth above do not include non-claims related expenses resulting from the incident or the estimated capital cost of the pipeline replacement, which is set forth in " - E. Other Matters - Greater Lawrence Incident Restoration" and " - Greater Lawrence Pipeline Replacement," respectively, below. The process for estimating costs associated with third-party claims relating to the Greater Lawrence Incident requires management to exercise significant judgment based on a number of assumptions and subjective factors. As more information becomes known, including additional information resulting from the NTSB investigation, management’s estimates and assumptions regarding the financial impact of the Greater Lawrence Incident may change. The increase in estimated total costs related to third-party claims from those disclosed in our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018 resulted primarily from receiving additional information regarding the required scope of the restoration work inside the affected homes and the extended period of time over which the restoration work would take place. It is not possible at this time to reasonably estimate the total amount of any expenses associated with government investigations and fines, penalties or settlements with governmental authorities, including the Massachusetts DPU and other regulators, that we may incur in connection with the Greater Lawrence Incident. Therefore, the foregoing amounts do not include estimates of the total amount that we may incur for any such fines, penalties or settlements. Expenses described above are presented within “Operation and maintenance” in our Statements of Consolidated Income. We maintain liability insurance for damages in the approximate amount of $800 million and property insurance for gas pipelines and other applicable property in the approximate amount of $300 million. Total expenses related to the incident have exceeded the total amount of liability insurance coverage available under our policies. Certain of these expenses may be covered under our property insurance. While we believe that a substantial amount of expenses related to the Greater Lawrence Incident will be covered by insurance, insurers providing property and liability insurance to the Company or Columbia of Massachusetts may raise defenses to coverage under the terms and conditions of the respective insurance policies which contain various exclusions and conditions that could limit the amount of insurance proceeds to the Company or Columbia of Massachusetts. We are not able to estimate the amount of expenses that will not be covered or exceed insurance limits, but these amounts could be material to our financial statements. Certain types of damages, expenses or claimed costs, such as fines or penalties, may be excluded under the policies. An amount of $135 million for insurance recoveries was recorded through December 31, 2018. Of this amount, $5 million was collected during 2018. The remaining insurance receivable balance of $130 million is presented within “Accounts receivable.” To the extent that we are not successful in obtaining insurance recoveries in the amount recorded for such recoveries as of December 31, 2018, it could result in a charge against "Operation and maintenance" expense. We are currently unable to predict the amount and timing of additional future insurance recoveries. In addition, we are party to certain other claims and legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business, none of which is deemed to be individually material at this time. Due to the inherent uncertainty of litigation, there can be no assurance that the resolution of any particular claim or proceeding related to the Greater Lawrence Incident or otherwise would not have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position or liquidity. If one or more of such matters were decided against us, the effects could be material to our results of operations in the period in which we would be required to record or adjust the related liability and could also be material to our cash flows in the periods that we would be required to pay such liability. D. Environmental Matters. Our operations are subject to environmental statutes and regulations related to air quality, water quality, hazardous waste and solid waste. We believe that we are in substantial compliance with the environmental regulations currently applicable to our operations. It is management's continued intent to address environmental issues in cooperation with regulatory authorities in such a manner as to achieve mutually acceptable compliance plans. However, there can be no assurance that fines and penalties will not be incurred. Management expects a significant portion of environmental assessment and remediation costs to be recoverable through rates for certain of our companies. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, we had recorded a liability of $101.2 million and $111.4 million, respectively, to cover environmental remediation at various sites. The current portion of this liability is included in "Legal and environmental" in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The noncurrent portion is included in "Other noncurrent liabilities." We recognize costs associated with environmental remediation obligations when the incurrence of such costs is probable and the amounts can be reasonably estimated. The original estimates for remediation activities may differ materially from the amount ultimately expended. The actual future expenditures depend on many factors, including currently enacted laws and regulations, the nature and extent of impact and the method of remediation. These expenditures are not currently estimable at some sites. We periodically adjust our liability as information is collected and estimates become more refined. Electric Operations' compliance estimates disclosed below are reflective of NIPSCO's Integrated Resource Plan submitted to the IURC on October 31, 2018. See section " - E. Other Matters - NIPSCO 2018 Integrated Resource Plan," below for additional information. Air Future legislative and regulatory programs could significantly limit allowed GHG emissions or impose a cost or tax on GHG emissions. Additionally, rules that increase methane leak detection, require emission reductions or impose additional requirements for natural gas facilities could restrict GHG emissions and impose additional costs. NiSource will carefully monitor all GHG reduction proposals and regulations. CPP and ACE Rules. On October 23, 2015, the EPA issued the CPP to regulate CO 2 emissions from existing fossil-fuel EGUs under section 111(d) of the CAA. The U.S. Supreme Court has stayed implementation of the CPP until litigation is decided on its merits, and the EPA has proposed to repeal the CPP. On August 31, 2018, the EPA published a proposal to replace the CPP with the ACE rule, which establishes guidelines for states to use when developing plans to reduce CO 2 emissions from existing coal-fired EGUs. The proposal would provide states three years after a final rule is issued to develop state-specific plans, and the EPA would have twelve months to act on a complete state plan submittal. Within two years after a finding of failure to submit a complete plan, or disapproval of a state plan, the EPA would issue a federal plan. NIPSCO will continue to monitor this matter and cannot estimate its impact at this time. Waste CERCLA. Our subsidiaries are potentially responsible parties at waste disposal sites under the CERCLA (commonly known as Superfund) and similar state laws. Under CERCLA, each potentially responsible party can be held jointly, severally and strictly liable for the remediation costs as the EPA, or state, can allow the parties to pay for remedial action or perform remedial action themselves and request reimbursement from the potentially responsible parties. Our affiliates have retained CERCLA environmental liabilities, including remediation liabilities, associated with certain current and former operations. These liabilities are not material to the Consolidated Financial Statements. MGP. A program has been instituted to identify and investigate former MGP sites where Gas Distribution Operations subsidiaries or predecessors may have liability. The program has identified 63 such sites where liability is probable. Remedial actions at many of these sites are being overseen by state or federal environmental agencies through consent agreements or voluntary remediation agreements. We utilize a probabilistic model to estimate our future remediation costs related to MGP sites. The model was prepared with the assistance of a third party and incorporates our experience and general industry experience with remediating MGP sites. We complete an annual refresh of the model in the second quarter of each fiscal year. No material changes to the estimated future remediation costs were noted as a result of the refresh completed as of June 30, 2018. Our total estimated liability related to the facilities subject to remediation was $97.5 million and $106.9 million at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The liability represents our best estimate of the probable cost to remediate the facilities. We believe that it is reasonably possible that remediation costs could vary by as much as $20 million in addition to the costs noted above. Remediation costs are estimated based on the best available information, applicable remediation standards at the balance sheet date, and experience with similar facilities. CCRs. On April 17, 2015, the EPA issued a final rule for regulation of CCRs. The rule regulates CCRs under the RCRA Subtitle D, which determines them to be nonhazardous. The rule is implemented in phases and requires increased groundwater monitoring, reporting, recordkeeping and posting of related information to the Internet. The rule also establishes requirements related to CCR management and disposal. The rule will allow NIPSCO to continue its byproduct beneficial use program. The publication of the CCR rule resulted in revisions to previously recorded legal obligations associated with the retirement of certain NIPSCO facilities. The actual asset retirement costs related to the CCR rule may vary substantially from the estimates used to record the increased asset retirement obligation due to the uncertainty about the compliance strategies that will be used and the preliminary nature of available data used to estimate costs. In addition, to comply with the rule, NIPSCO is incurring capital expenditures to modify its infrastructure and manage CCRs. Capital compliance costs are currently expected to total approximately $193 million. As allowed by the EPA, NIPSCO will continue to collect data over time to determine the specific compliance solutions and associated costs and, as a result, the actual costs may vary. NIPSCO filed a petition on November 1, 2016 with the IURC seeking approval of the projects and recovery of the costs associated with CCR compliance. On June 9, 2017, NIPSCO filed with the IURC a settlement reached with certain parties regarding the CCR projects and treatment of associated costs. The IURC approved the settlement in an order on December 13, 2017. Water ELG. On November 3, 2015, the EPA issued a final rule to amend the ELG and standards for the Steam Electric Power Generating category. The final rule became effective January 4, 2016. Based upon a preliminary study of the November 3, 2015 final rule, capital compliance costs were expected to be approximately $170.0 million. However, NIPSCO does not anticipate material ELG compliance costs based on the preferred option announced as part of NIPSCO's 2018 Integrated Resource Plan (discussed below). E. Other Matters. Bailly Generating Station. On February 1, 2018, as previously approved by MISO, NIPSCO commenced a four-month outage of Bailly Generating Station Unit 8 in order to begin work on converting the unit to a synchronous condenser (a piece of equipment designed to maintain voltage to ensure continued reliability on the transmission system). Approximately $15 million of net book value of Unit 8 remained in “Net Utility Plant” as it will remain used and useful after completion of the synchronous condenser, while the remaining net book value of approximately $142 million was reclassified to “Regulatory assets (noncurrent)” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. On May 31, 2018, Units 7 and 8 were retired from service. These units had a combined generating capacity of approximately 460 MW. As a result of the retirement, the remaining net book value of Unit 7 of approximately $103 million was reclassified to “Regulatory assets (noncurrent)” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.These amounts continue to be amortized at a rate consistent with their inclusion in customer rates. Refer to Note 8, "Regulatory Matters," for additional information. NIPSCO Pure Air. NIPSCO had a service agreement with Pure Air, a general partnership between Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and First Air Partners LP, under which Pure Air provided scrubber services to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions for Units 7 and 8 at the Bailly Generating Station. Payments under this agreement were $8.3 million and $22.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. As discussed above in "Bailly Generating Station," NIPSCO retired the generation station units serviced by Pure Air on May 31, 2018. In December 2016, as allowed by the provisions of the service agreement, NIPSCO provided Pure Air formal notice of intent to terminate the service agreement, effective May 31, 2018. Providing this notice to Pure Air triggered a contract termination liability of $16 million which was recorded in fourth quarter of 2016. In connection with the closure of Bailly Units 7 and 8, NIPSCO paid the termination payment to Pure Air during the second quarter of 2018. Cash flows associated with this payment are presented within operating activities on the Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows. NIPSCO 2018 Integrated Resource Plan. Multiple factors, but primarily economic ones, including low natural gas prices, advancing cost effective renewable technology and increasing capital and operating costs associated with existing coal plants, have led NIPSCO to conclude in its October 2018 Integrated Resource Plan submission that NIPSCO’s current fleet of coal generation facilities will be retired earlier than previous Integrated Resource Plan’s had indicated. The Integrated Resource Plan evaluated demand-side and supply-side resource alternatives to reliably and cost effectively meet NIPSCO customers' future energy requirements over the ensuing 20 years. The preferred option within the Integrated Resource Plan retires R.M. Schahfer Generating Station (Units 14, 15, 17, and 18) by 2023 and Michigan City Generating Station (Unit 12) by 2028. These units represent 2,080 MW of generating capacity, equal to 72% of NIPSCO’s remaining generating capacity (and 100% of NIPSCO's remaining coal-fired generating capacity) after the retirement of Bailly Units 7 and 8 discussed above. The current replacement plan includes renewable sources of energy, including wind, solar, and battery storage to be obtained through a combination of NIPSCO ownership and PPAs. In January 2019, NIPSCO executed two 20 year PPAs to purchase 100% of the output from renewable generation facilities at a fixed price per MWh. The facilities supplying the energy will have a combined nameplate capacity of approximately 700 MW. NIPSCO's purchase requirement under the PPAs is dependent on satisfactory approval of the PPAs by the IURC. NIPSCO submitted the PPAs to the IURC for approval in February 2019. An IURC order is anticipated in the second quarter of 2019. If approved by the IURC, payments under the PPAs will not begin until the associated generation facilities are constructed by the owner / seller which is expected to be complete by the end of 2020. Also in January 2019, NIPSCO executed a BTA with a developer to construct a renewable generation facility with a nameplate capacity of approximately 100 MW. Once complete, ownership of the facility would be transferred to a partnership owned by NIPSCO, the developer and an unrelated tax equity partner. The aforementioned partnership structure will result in full NIPSCO ownership after the PTC are monetized from the project (approximately 10 years after the facility goes into service). NIPSCO's purchase requirement under the BTA is dependent on satisfactory approval of the BTA by the IURC and timely completion of construction. The estimated procedural timeline for receiving an IURC order is the same as the aforementioned PPAs with required FERC filings occurring after receiving the IURC order. Construction of the facility is expected to be complete by the end of 2020. Greater Lawrence Incident Restoration. During the year ended December 31, 2018, we expensed approximately $1,023 million in connection with the Greater Lawrence Incident. Included in this expense is approximately $757 million for estimated third-party claims associated with the incident as described above in " - C. Legal Proceedings." The additional $266 million included in the expense recorded includes certain consulting costs, claims center costs, charitable contributions, labor and related expenses, lodging and meals for employees and contractors, and security costs in connection with the incident. We expect to incur a total of $330 million to $345 million in such incident-related costs, depending on the incurrence of future restoration work. The amounts set forth above do not include the estimated capital cost of the pipeline replacement, which is set forth below. The increase in estimated total incident-related expenses from those disclosed in our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018 resulted primarily from receiving additional information regarding the extended period of time over which the restoration work would take place, higher than anticipated costs from vendors and increased estimates for non-claims-related legal fees. We maintain liability insurance for damages in the approximate amount of $800 million and property insurance for gas pipelines and other applicable property in the approximate amount of $300 million. Total expenses related to the incident have exceeded the total amount of liability insurance coverage available under our policies. Certain of these expenses may be covered under our property insurance. While we believe that a substantial amount of expenses related to the Greater Lawrence Incident will be covered by insurance, insurers providing property and liability insurance to the Company or Columbia of Massachusetts may raise defenses to coverage under the terms and conditions of the respective insurance policies which contain various exclusions and conditions that could limit the amount of insurance proceeds to the Company or Columbia of Massachusetts. We are not able to estimate the amount of expenses that will not be covered or exceed insurance limits, but these amounts could be material to our financial statements. Certain types of damages, expenses or claimed costs, such as fines or penalties, may be excluded under the policies. As discussed above in “- C. Legal Proceedings,” $135 million of insurance recoveries were recorded through December 31, 2018. Of this amount, $5 million was collected during 2018. We are currently unable to predict the amount and timing of future insurance recoveries. To the extent that we are not successful in obtaining insurance recoveries in the amount recorded for such recoveries as of December 31, 2018, it could result in a charge against "Operation and maintenance" expense. Costs associated with charitable contributions are presented within “Other, Net” in our Statements of Consolidated Income. All other expenses incurred are presented within “Operation and maintenance.” Substantially all of the $292 million liability for third-party claims and other incident-related costs remaining as of December 31, 2018 is presented within current liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The remaining insurance receivable balance of $130 million is presented within “Accounts receivable.” Greater Lawrence Pipeline Replacement. In connection with the Greater Lawrence Incident, Columbia of Massachusetts, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Governor’s Office, replaced the entire affected 45-mile cast iron and bare steel pipeline system that delivers gas to approximately 7,500 gas meters, the majority of which serve residences and of which approximately 700 serve businesses impacted in the Greater Lawrence Incident. This system was replaced with plastic distribution mains and service lines, as well as enhanced safety features such as pressure regulation and excess flow valves at each premise. At the request of the Massachusetts DPU, which was instructed by the Massachusetts Governor through his executive authority under a state of emergency, Columbia of Massachusetts hired an outside contractor to serve as the Chief Recovery Officer for the Greater Lawrence Incident, responsible for command, control and communications. Columbia of Massachusetts restored gas service to nearly all homes and workplaces in December 2018. With the restoration and recovery efforts now substantially complete, the service of the Chief Recovery Officer is complete and the next phase of the effort is being managed by Columbia of Massachusetts under the third party oversight of a Massachusetts-based engineering firm as set forth above under “ - C. Legal Proceedings.” We incurred approximately $167 million of capital spend for the pipeline replacement during 2018. We estimate this replacement work will cost between $220 million and $230 million in total. Columbia of Massachusetts has provided notice to its property insurer of the Greater Lawrence Incident and discussions around the claim and recovery have commenced. The recovery of any capital investment not reimbursed through insurance will be addressed in a future regulatory proceeding. The outcome of such a proceeding is uncertain. In accordance with ASC 980-360, if it becomes probable that a portion of the pipeline replacement cost will not be recoverable through customer rates and an amount can be reasonably estimated, we will reduce our regulated plant balance for the amount of the probable disallowance and record an associated charge to earnings. This could result in a material adverse effect to our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Additionally, if a rate order is received allowing recovery of the investment with no or reduced return on investment, a loss on disallowance may be required. In addition, we have committed to an approximately $150 million capital investment program to install over-pressurization protection devices on all of our low-pressure systems as described above in “-C. Legal Proceedings.” These devices operate like circuit-breakers, so that if operating pressure is too high or too low, regardless of the cause, they are designed to immediately shut down gas to the system. The program also includes installing remote monitoring devices on all low-pressure systems, enabling gas control centers to continuously monitor pressure at regulator stations in real time. In addition, we have conducted a field survey of all regulator stations and initiated an engineering review of those regulator stations; we are verifying and enhancing our maps and records of low-pressure regulator stations; and we initiated a process so that our personnel will be present whenever excavation work is being done in close proximity to a regulator station.

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