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Property, Plant And Equipment
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]  
Property, Plant And Equipment Property, Plant and Equipment
Our property, plant and equipment on the Consolidated Balance Sheets are classified as follows: 
At December 31, (in millions)
20212020
Property, Plant and Equipment
Gas Distribution Utility(1)
$15,240.6 $14,010.2 
Electric Utility(1)
6,754.9 6,478.0 
Corporate217.8 197.3 
Construction Work in Process808.0 572.6 
Renewable Generation Assets(2)
702.4 175.7 
Non-Utility and Other(3)
1,447.6 2,746.1 
Total Property, Plant and Equipment$25,171.3 $24,179.9 
Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization
Gas Distribution Utility(1)
$(3,490.2)$(3,292.9)
Electric Utility(1)
(2,433.1)(2,305.0)
Corporate(132.2)(109.3)
Renewable Generation Assets(2)
(6.5)(0.1)
Non-Utility and Other(3)
(1,227.5)(1,853.1)
Total Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization$(7,289.5)$(7,560.4)
Net Property, Plant and Equipment$17,881.8 $16,619.5 
(1)NIPSCO’s common utility plant and associated accumulated depreciation and amortization are allocated between Gas Distribution Utility and Electric Utility Property, Plant and Equipment.
(2)Our renewable generation assets are part of our electric segment and represent Non-Utility Property, owned and operated by joint ventures between NIPSCO and unrelated tax equity partners, and depreciated straight-line over 30 years. Refer to Note 4, "Variable Interest Entities," for additional information.
(3)Non-Utility and Other as of December 31, 2020 includes net book value of four coal units totaling $903.8 million related to R.M. Schahfer Generating Station. Two of the four units were subsequently retired in 2021 and reclassified to current and long-term Regulatory Assets. Depreciation expense for the remaining net book value continues to be recorded at the composite depreciation rate approved by the IURC. As of December 31, 2021, Non-Utility and Other includes a net book value of $201.5 million related to the units not yet retired.
On October 1, 2021, NIPSCO retired R.M. Schahfer Generating Station Units 14 and 15. The net book value of the retired units was reclassified from "Net Property, Plant and Equipment," to current and long-term ''Regulatory Assets.'' The estimated net book value of R.M. Schahfer Generating Station's coal Units 14 and 15 and other associated plant retired was approximately $600.0 million. See Note 9, "Regulatory Matters," for additional details regarding the recovery of the regulatory assets associated with retired generating stations.
The weighted average depreciation provisions for utility plant, as a percentage of the original cost, for the periods ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:
202120202019
Electric Operations(1)
3.4 %3.4 %2.8 %
Gas Distribution Operations2.2 %2.3 %2.5 %
(1)Increased rate beginning in 2020 primarily attributable to higher depreciation rates from the recent rate case proceeding.
We recognized depreciation expense of $672.1 million, $655.6 million and $612.2 million for the years ended 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The 2021 depreciation expense amount includes a $5.3 million credit related to the regulatory deferral of income (loss) associated with our joint ventures, which is not included in current rates. See Note 9, "Regulatory Matters," for additional details.
Amortization of on-premise Software Costs. We amortized $49.4 million, $56.7 million and $55.5 million in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, related to software recorded as intangible assets. Our unamortized software balance was $181.8 million and $136.4 million at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Amortization of Cloud Computing Costs. We amortized $10.0 million, $3.4 million and $1.6 million in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, related to cloud computing costs to "Operation and maintenance" expense. Our unamortized cloud computing balance was $42.4 million and $12.7 million at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.