XML 28 R12.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.19.1

Regulatory Matters | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2019
Regulated Operations [Abstract] |
Regulatory Matters | Regulatory Matters Retail Rate Case Filing with the Arizona Corporation Commission On June 1, 2016, APS filed an application with the ACC for an annual increase in retail base rates. On March 27, 2017, a majority of the stakeholders in the general retail rate case, including the ACC Staff, the Residential Utility Consumer Office, limited income advocates and private rooftop solar organizations signed a settlement agreement (the "2017 Settlement Agreement") and filed it with the ACC. The 2017 Settlement Agreement provides for a net retail base rate increase of $94.6 million, excluding the transfer of adjustor balances, consisting of: (1) a non-fuel, non-depreciation, base rate increase of $87.2 million per year; (2) a base rate decrease of $53.6 million attributable to reduced fuel and purchased power costs; and (3) a base rate increase of $61.0 million due to changes in depreciation schedules. The average annual customer bill impact under the 2017 Settlement Agreement was calculated as an increase of 3.28% (the average annual bill impact for a typical APS residential customer was calculated as an increase of 4.54%). Other key provisions of the agreement include the following:
• | an agreement by APS not to file another general retail rate case application before June 1, 2019;
• | an authorized return on common equity of 10.0%;
• | a capital structure comprised of 44.2% debt and 55.8% common equity;
• | a cost deferral order for potential future recovery in APS’s next general retail rate case for the construction and operating costs APS incurs for its Ocotillo modernization project;
• | a cost deferral and procedure to allow APS to request rate adjustments prior to its next general retail rate case related to its share of the construction costs associated with installing selective catalytic reduction ("SCR") equipment at the Four Corners Power Plant ("Four Corners");
• | a deferral for future recovery (or credit to customers) of the Arizona property tax expense above or below a specified test year level caused by changes to the applicable Arizona property tax rate;
• | an expansion of the Power Supply Adjustor (“PSA”) to include certain environmental chemical costs and third-party battery storage costs;
• | a new AZ Sun II program (now known as "APS Solar Communities") for utility-owned solar distributed generation with the purpose of expanding access to rooftop solar for low and moderate income Arizonans, recoverable through the Arizona Renewable Energy Standard and Tariff ("RES"), to be no less than $10 million per year, and not more than $15 million per year;
• | an increase to the per kWh cap for the environmental improvement surcharge from $0.00016 to $0.00050 and the addition of a balancing account;
• | rate design changes, including:
▪ | a change in the on-peak time of use period from noon - 7 p.m. to 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays;
▪ | non-grandfathered distributed generation ("DG") customers would be required to select a rate option that has time of use rates and either a new grid access charge or demand component;
▪ | a Resource Comparison Proxy (“RCP”) for exported energy of 12.9 cents per kWh in year one; and
• | an agreement by APS not to pursue any new self-build generation (with certain exceptions) having an in-service date prior to January 1, 2022 (extended to December 31, 2027 for combined-cycle generating units), unless expressly authorized by the ACC.
Through a separate agreement, APS, industry representatives, and solar advocates committed to stand by the 2017 Settlement Agreement and refrain from seeking to undermine it through ballot initiatives, legislation or advocacy at the ACC. On August 15, 2017, the ACC approved (by a vote of 4-1), the 2017 Settlement Agreement without material modifications. On August 18, 2017, the ACC issued a final written Opinion and Order reflecting its decision in APS’s general retail rate case (the "2017 Rate Case Decision"), which is subject to requests for rehearing and potential appeal. The new rates went into effect on August 19, 2017. On October 17, 2017, Warren Woodward (an intervener in APS's general retail rate case) filed a Notice of Appeal in the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One. The notice raises a single issue related to the application of certain rate schedules to new APS residential customers after May 1, 2018. Mr. Woodward filed a second notice of appeal on November 13, 2017 challenging APS’s $5 per month automated metering infrastructure opt-out program. Mr. Woodward’s two appeals have been consolidated, and APS requested and was granted intervention. Mr. Woodward filed his opening brief on March 28, 2018. The ACC and APS filed responsive briefs on June 21, 2018. The Arizona Court of Appeals issued a Memorandum Decision on December 11, 2018 affirming the ACC decisions challenged by Mr. Woodward. Mr. Woodward filed a petition for review with the Arizona Supreme Court on January 9, 2019. Review by the Arizona Supreme Court is discretionary. APS cannot predict the outcome of this consolidated appeal but does not believe it will have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. On January 3, 2018, an APS customer filed a petition with the ACC that was determined by the ACC Staff to be a complaint filed pursuant to Arizona Revised Statute §40-246 (the “Complaint”) and not a request for rehearing. Arizona Revised Statute §40-246 requires the ACC to hold a hearing regarding any complaint alleging that a public service corporation is in violation of any commission order or that the rates being charged are not just and reasonable if the complaint is signed by at least twenty-five customers of the public service corporation. The Complaint alleged that APS is “in violation of commission order” [sic]. On February 13, 2018, the complainant filed an amended Complaint alleging that the rates and charges in the 2017 Rate Case Decision are not just and reasonable. The complainant requested that the ACC hold a hearing on the amended Complaint to determine if the average bill impact on residential customers of the rates and charges approved in the 2017 Rate Case Decision is greater than 4.54% (the average annual bill impact for a typical APS residential customer estimated by APS) and, if so, what effect the alleged greater bill impact has on APS's revenues and the overall reasonableness and justness of APS's rates and charges, in order to determine if there is sufficient evidence to warrant a full-scale rate hearing. The ACC held a hearing on this matter beginning in September 2018 and the hearing was concluded on October 1, 2018. Post-hearing briefing was concluded on December 14, 2018. On April 9, 2019, the Administrative Law Judge issued a Recommended Opinion and Order recommending that the Complaint be dismissed. On April 22, 2019, the Administrative Law Judge issued a proposed amendment to the Recommended Opinion and Order which proposes that APS credit back to customers the $5 million Demand Side Management Adjustor Charge ("DSMAC") funds used by APS to educate ratepayers on the new rates and that APS ratepayers will be held harmless from expenditures made by APS for targeted outreach and education in any future rate case. APS cannot predict the outcome of this matter. On December 24, 2018, certain ACC Commissioners filed a letter stating that because the ACC had received a substantial number of complaints that the rate increase authorized by the 2017 Rate Case Decision was much more than anticipated, they believe there is a possibility that APS is earning more than was authorized by the 2017 Rate Case Decision. Accordingly, the ACC Commissioners requested the ACC Staff to perform a rate review of APS using calendar year 2018 as a test year and file a report by May 3, 2019. The ACC Commissioners also asked the ACC Staff to evaluate APS’s efforts to educate its customers regarding the new rates approved in the 2017 Rate Case Decision. On January 9, 2019, the ACC Commissioners voted to open a docket for this matter. On April 23, 2019, the ACC Staff indicated that they may need some additional time beyond May 3, 2019 to file the requested report. APS does not believe that the rate review will have a material impact on our current financial position, results of operations or cash flows. However, depending upon the results of the rate review, the ACC may take further actions, including potentially reopening the 2017 Rate Case Decision. APS cannot predict the outcome of this matter. Cost Recovery Mechanisms APS has received regulatory decisions that allow for more timely recovery of certain costs outside of a general retail rate case through the following recovery mechanisms. Renewable Energy Standard. In 2006, the ACC approved the RES. Under the RES, electric utilities that are regulated by the ACC must supply an increasing percentage of their retail electric energy sales from eligible renewable resources, including solar, wind, biomass, biogas and geothermal technologies. In order to achieve these requirements, the ACC allows APS to include a RES surcharge as part of customer bills to recover the approved amounts for use on renewable energy projects. Each year APS is required to file a five-year implementation plan with the ACC and seek approval for funding the upcoming year’s RES budget. In 2015, the ACC revised the R ES rules to allow the ACC to consider all available information, including the number of rooftop solar arrays in a utility’s service territory, to determine utility compliance with the RES. On June 30, 2017, APS filed its 2018 RES Implementation Plan and proposed a budget of approximately $90 million. APS’s budget request supports existing approved projects and commitments and includes the anticipated transfer of specific revenue requirements into base rates in accordance with the 2017 Settlement Agreement and also requests a permanent waiver of the residential distributed energy requirement for 2018 contained in the RES rules. APS's 2018 RES budget request is lower than the 2017 RES budget due in part to a certain portion of the RES being collected by APS in base rates rather than through the RES adjustor. On November 20, 2017, APS filed an updated 2018 RES budget to include budget adjustments for APS Solar Communities (formerly known as AZ Sun II), which was approved as part of the 2017 Rate Case Decision. APS Solar Communities is a 3-year program authorizing APS to spend $10 million to $15 million in capital costs each year to install utility-owned DG systems for low to moderate income residential homes, buildings of non-profit entities, Title I schools and rural government facilities. The 2017 Rate Case Decision provided that all operations and maintenance expenses, property taxes, marketing and advertising expenses, and the capital carrying costs for this program will be recovered through the RES. On June 12, 2018, the ACC approved the 2018 RES Implementation Plan including a waiver of the distributed energy requirements for the 2018 implementation year. On June 29, 2018, APS filed its 2019 RES Implementation Plan and proposed a budget of approximately $89.9 million. APS’s budget request supports existing approved projects and commitments and requests a permanent waiver of the residential distributed energy requirement for 2019 contained in the RES rules. The ACC has not yet ruled on the 2019 RES Implementation Plan. In September 2016, the ACC initiated a proceeding which will examine the possible modernization and expansion of the RES. On January 30, 2018, ACC Commissioner Tobin proposed a plan in this proceeding which would broaden the RES to include a series of energy policies tied to clean energy sources (the "Energy Modernization Plan"). The Energy Modernization Plan would replace the current RES standard with a new standard called the Clean Resource Energy Standard and Tariff ("CREST"), which incorporates the proposals in the Energy Modernization Plan. A set of draft CREST rules for the ACC’s consideration was issued by Commissioner Tobin’s office on July 5, 2018. See "Energy Modernization Plan" below for more information. Demand Side Management Adjustor Charge. The ACC Electric Energy Efficiency Standards require APS to submit a Demand Side Management Implementation Plan ("DSM Plan") annually for review by and approval of the ACC. Verified energy savings from APS's resource savings projects can be counted toward compliance with the Electric Energy Efficiency Standards; however, APS is not allowed to count savings from systems savings projects toward determination of the achievement of performance incentives, nor may APS include savings from these system savings projects in the calculation of its Lost Fixed Cost Recovery Mechanism (“LFCR”) mechanism. On September 1, 2017, APS filed its 2018 DSM Plan, which proposes modifications to the demand side management portfolio to better meet system and customer needs by focusing on peak demand reductions, storage, load shifting and demand response programs in addition to traditional energy savings measures. The 2018 DSM Plan seeks a requested budget of $52.6 million and requests a waiver of the Electric Energy Efficiency Standard for 2018. On November 14, 2017, APS filed an amended 2018 DSM Plan, which revised the allocations between budget items to address customer participation levels, but kept the overall budget at $52.6 million. The ACC has not yet ruled on the APS 2018 amended DSM Plan. On December 31, 2018, APS filed its 2019 DSM Plan, which requests a budget of $34.1 million and continues APS's focus on DSM strategies such as peak demand reduction, load shifting, storage and electrification strategies. The ACC has not yet ruled on the APS 2019 DSM Plan. Power Supply Adjustor Mechanism and Balance. The PSA provides for the adjustment of retail rates to reflect variations primarily in retail fuel and purchased power costs. The following table shows the changes in the deferred fuel and purchased power regulatory asset (liability) for 2019 and 2018 (dollars in thousands):
| Three Months Ended March 31,
| 2019 |  | 2018
Beginning balance | $ | 37,164 |  |  | $ | 75,637 |
Deferred fuel and purchased power costs — current period | (16,709 | ) |  | 18,950 |
Amounts charged to customers | (12,872 | ) |  | (20,002 | )
Ending balance | $ | 7,583 |  |  | $ | 74,585 |
The PSA rate for the PSA year beginning February 1, 2017 was $(0.001348) per kWh, as compared to $0.001678 per kWh for the prior year. This rate was comprised of a forward component of $(0.001027) per kWh and a historical component of $(0.000321) per kWh. On August 19, 2017 the PSA rate was revised to $0.000555 per kWh as part of the 2017 Rate Case Decision. This new rate was comprised of a forward component of $0.000876 per kWh and a historical component of $(0.000321) per kWh. The PSA rate for the PSA year beginning February 1, 2018 is $0.004555 per kWh, consisting of a forward component of $0.002009 per kWh and a historical component of $0.002546 per kWh. This represented a $0.004 per kWh increase over the August 19, 2017 PSA, the maximum permitted under the Plan of Administration for the PSA. This left $16.4 million of 2017 fuel and purchased power costs above this annual cap. These costs rolled over until the following year and were reflected in the 2019 reset of the PSA. On November 30, 2018, APS filed its PSA rate for the PSA year beginning February 1, 2019. That rate was $0.001658 per kWh and consisted of a forward component of $0.000536 per kWh and a historical component of $0.001122 per kWh. The 2019 PSA rate is a $0.002897 per kWh decrease compared to 2018. These rates went into effect as filed on February 1, 2019. Transmission Rates, Transmission Cost Adjustor ("TCA") and Other Transmission Matters. In July 2008, FERC approved an Open Access Transmission Tariff for APS to move from fixed rates to a formula rate-setting methodology in order to more accurately reflect and recover the costs that APS incurs in providing transmission services. A large portion of the rate represents charges for transmission services to serve APS's retail customers ("Retail Transmission Charges"). In order to recover the Retail Transmission Charges, APS was previously required to file an application with, and obtain approval from, the ACC to reflect changes in Retail Transmission Charges through the TCA. Under the terms of the settlement agreement entered into in 2012 regarding APS's rate case (the "2012 Settlement Agreement"), however, an adjustment to rates to recover the Retail Transmission Charges will be made annually each June 1 and will go into effect automatically unless suspended by the ACC. The formula rate is updated each year effective June 1 on the basis of APS's actual cost of service, as disclosed in APS's FERC Form 1 report for the previous fiscal year. Items to be updated include actual capital expenditures made as compared with previous projections, transmission revenue credits and other items. The resolution of proposed adjustments can result in significant volatility in the revenues to be collected. APS reviews the proposed formula rate filing amounts with the ACC Staff. Any items or adjustments which are not agreed to by APS and the ACC Staff can remain in dispute until settled or litigated at FERC. Settlement or litigated resolution of disputed issues could require an extended period of time and could have a significant effect on the Retail Transmission Charges because any adjustment, though applied prospectively, may be calculated to account for previously over- or under-collected amounts. Effective June 1, 2017, APS's annual wholesale transmission rates for all users of its transmission system increased by approximately $35.1 million for the twelve-month period beginning June 1, 2017 in accordance with the FERC-approved formula. An adjustment to APS’s retail rates to recover FERC approved transmission charges went into effect automatically on June 1, 2017. On March 7, 2018, APS made a filing to make modifications to its annual transmission formula to provide transmission customers the benefit of the reduced federal corporate income tax rate resulting from the Tax Act beginning in its 2018 annual transmission formula rate update filing. These modifications were approved by FERC on May 22, 2018 and reduced APS’s transmission rates compared to the rate that would have gone into effect absent these changes. Effective June 1, 2018, APS's annual wholesale transmission rates for all users of its transmission system decreased by approximately $22.7 million for the twelve-month period beginning June 1, 2018 in accordance with the FERC-approved formula. An adjustment to APS’s retail rates to recover FERC approved transmission charges went into effect automatically on June 1, 2018. Lost Fixed Cost Recovery Mechanism. The LFCR mechanism permits APS to recover on an after-the-fact basis a portion of its fixed costs that would otherwise have been collected by APS in the kWh sales lost due to APS energy efficiency programs and to DG such as rooftop solar arrays. The fixed costs recoverable by the LFCR mechanism were first established in the 2012 Settlement Agreement and amount to approximately 3.1 cents per residential kWh lost and 2.3 cents per non-residential kWh lost. These amounts were revised in the 2017 Settlement Agreement to 2.5 cents for both lost residential and non-residential kWh. The LFCR adjustment has a year-over-year cap of 1% of retail revenues. Any amounts left unrecovered in a particular year because of this cap can be carried over for recovery in a future year. The kWhs lost from energy efficiency are based on a third-party evaluation of APS’s energy efficiency programs. DG sales losses are determined from the metered output from the DG units. APS filed its 2017 LFCR adjustment on January 13, 2017 requesting an LFCR adjustment of $63.7 million. On April 5, 2017, the ACC approved the 2017 annual LFCR adjustment as filed, effective with the first billing cycle of April 2017. On February 15, 2018, APS filed its 2018 annual LFCR Adjustment, requesting that effective May 1, 2018, the LFCR be adjusted to $60.7 million (a $3 million per year decrease from 2017 levels). On February 6, 2019, the ACC approved the 2018 annual LFCR adjustment to become effective March 1, 2019. On February 15, 2019, APS filed its 2019 annual LFCR adjustment, requesting that effective May 1, 2019, the annual LFCR recovery amount be reduced to $36.2 million (a $24.5 million decrease from previous levels). The ACC has not yet ruled on APS’s 2019 LFCR adjustment request. Because the LFCR mechanism has a balancing account that trues up any under or over recoveries, the delay in implementation does not have an adverse effect on APS. Tax Expense Adjustor Mechanism ("TEAM"). As part of the 2017 Settlement Agreement, the parties agreed to a rate adjustment mechanism to address potential federal income tax reform and enable the pass-through of certain income tax effects to customers. The TEAM expressly applies to APS's retail rates with the exception of a small subset of customers taking service under specially-approved tariffs. On December 22, 2017, the Tax Act was enacted. This legislation made significant changes to the federal income tax laws including a reduction in the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018. On January 8, 2018, APS filed an application with the ACC that addressed the change in the marginal federal tax rate from 35% to 21% resulting from the Tax Act and reduces rates by $119.1 million annually through an equal cents per kWh credit ("TEAM Phase I"). On February 22, 2018, the ACC approved the reduction of rates through an equal cents per kWh credit. The rate reduction was effective for the first billing cycle in March 2018. The impact of the TEAM Phase I, over time, is expected to be earnings neutral. However, on a quarterly basis, there is a difference between the timing and amount of the income tax benefit and the reduction in revenues refunded through the TEAM Phase I related to the lower federal income tax rate. The amount of the benefit of the lower federal income tax rate is based on quarterly pre-tax results, while the reduction in revenues refunded through the TEAM Phase I is based on a per kWh sales credit which follows our seasonal kWh sales pattern and is not impacted by earnings of the Company. On August 13, 2018, APS filed a second request with the ACC that addressed the return of an additional $86.5 million in tax savings to customers related to the amortization of non-depreciation related excess deferred taxes previously collected from customers ("TEAM Phase II"). The ACC approved this request on March 13, 2019, effective the first billing cycle in April 2019. The impact of TEAM Phase II is expected to be earnings neutral as both the timing of the reduction in revenues refunded through TEAM Phase II and the offsetting income tax benefit are recognized based upon our seasonal kWh sales pattern. On April 10, 2019, APS filed a third request with the ACC that addresses the amortization of depreciation related excess deferred taxes over a 28.5 year period (“TEAM Phase III”). Over the first 36 months, TEAM Phase III is expected to return $34.5 million to customers annually, and APS has proposed this refund begin July 1, 2019. The Company is currently in the process of seeking IRS guidance affirming the amortization method and period applicable to these depreciation related excess deferred taxes. The ACC has not yet approved TEAM Phase III. Net Metering In 2015, the ACC voted to conduct a generic evidentiary hearing on the value and cost of DG to gather information that will inform the ACC on net metering issues and cost of service studies in upcoming utility rate cases. A hearing was held in April 2016. On October 7, 2016, the Administrative Law Judge issued a recommendation in the docket concerning the value and cost of DG solar installations. On December 20, 2016, the ACC completed its open meeting to consider the recommended opinion and order by the Administrative Law Judge. After making several amendments, the ACC approved the recommended decision by a 4-1 vote. As a result of the ACC’s action, effective with APS’s 2017 Rate Case Decision, the net metering tariff that governs payments for energy exported to the grid from residential rooftop solar systems was replaced by a more formula-driven approach that utilizes inputs from historical wholesale solar power until an avoided cost methodology is developed by the ACC. As amended, the decision provides that payments by utilities for energy exported to the grid from DG solar facilities will be determined using a RCP methodology, a method that is based on the most recent five-year rolling average price that APS pays for utility-scale solar projects, while a forecasted avoided cost methodology is being developed. The price established by this RCP method will be updated annually (between general retail rate cases) but will not be decreased by more than 10% per year. Once the avoided cost methodology is developed, the ACC will determine in APS's subsequent rate cases which method (or a combination of methods) is appropriate to determine the actual price to be paid by APS for exported distributed energy. In addition, the ACC made the following determinations:
• | Customers who have interconnected a DG system or submitted an application for interconnection for DG systems prior to September 1, 2017, based on APS's 2017 Rate Case Decision, will be grandfathered for a period of 20 years from the date the customer’s interconnection application was accepted by the utility;
• | Customers with DG solar systems are to be considered a separate class of customers for ratemaking purposes; and
• | Once an export price is set for APS, no netting or banking of retail credits will be available for new DG customers, and the then-applicable export price will be guaranteed for new customers for a period of 10 years.
This decision of the ACC addresses policy determinations only. The decision states that its principles will be applied in future general retail rate cases, and the policy determinations themselves may be subject to future change, as are all ACC policies. A first-year export energy price of 12.9 cents per kWh is included in the 2017 Settlement Agreement and became effective on September 1, 2017. In accordance with the 2017 Rate Case Decision, APS filed its request for a second-year export energy price of 11.6 cents per kWh on May 1, 2018. This price reflects the 10% annual reduction discussed above. The new tariff became effective on October 1, 2018. On January 23, 2017, The Alliance for Solar Choice ("TASC") sought rehearing of the ACC's decision regarding the value and cost of DG. TASC asserted that the ACC improperly ignored the Administrative Procedure Act, failed to give adequate notice regarding the scope of the proceedings, and relied on information that was not submitted as evidence, among other alleged defects. TASC filed a Notice of Appeal in the Arizona Court of Appeals and filed a Complaint and Statutory Appeal in the Maricopa County Superior Court on March 10, 2017. As part of the 2017 Settlement Agreement described above, TASC agreed to withdraw these appeals when the ACC decision implementing the 2017 Settlement Agreement is no longer subject to appellate review. Subpoena from Arizona Corporation Commissioner Robert Burns On August 25, 2016, Commissioner Burns, individually and not by action of the ACC as a whole, served subpoenas in APS’s then current retail rate proceeding on APS and Pinnacle West for the production of records and information relating to a range of expenditures from 2011 through 2016. The subpoenas requested information concerning marketing and advertising expenditures, charitable donations, lobbying expenses, contributions to 501(c)(3) and (c)(4) nonprofits and political contributions. The return date for the production of information was set as September 15, 2016. The subpoenas also sought testimony from Company personnel having knowledge of the material, including the Chief Executive Officer. On September 9, 2016, APS filed with the ACC a motion to quash the subpoenas or, alternatively, to stay APS's obligations to comply with the subpoenas and decline to decide APS's motion pending court proceedings. Contemporaneously with the filing of this motion, APS and Pinnacle West filed a complaint for special action and declaratory judgment in the Superior Court of Arizona for Maricopa County, seeking a declaratory judgment that Commissioner Burns’ subpoenas are contrary to law. On September 15, 2016, APS produced all non-confidential and responsive documents and offered to produce any remaining responsive documents that are confidential after an appropriate confidentiality agreement is signed. On February 7, 2017, Commissioner Burns opened a new ACC docket and indicated that its purpose is to study and rectify problems with transparency and disclosure regarding financial contributions from regulated monopolies or other stakeholders who may appear before the ACC that may directly or indirectly benefit an ACC Commissioner, a candidate for ACC Commissioner, or key ACC Staff. As part of this docket, Commissioner Burns set March 24, 2017 as a deadline for the production of all information previously requested through the subpoenas. Neither APS nor Pinnacle West produced the information requested and instead objected to the subpoena. On March 10, 2017, Commissioner Burns filed suit against APS and Pinnacle West in the Superior Court of Arizona for Maricopa County in an effort to enforce his subpoenas. On March 30, 2017, APS filed a motion to dismiss Commissioner Burns' suit against APS and Pinnacle West. In response to the motion to dismiss, the court stayed the suit and ordered Commissioner Burns to file a motion to compel the production of the information sought by the subpoenas with the ACC. On June 20, 2017, the ACC denied the motion to compel. On August 4, 2017, Commissioner Burns amended his complaint to add all of the ACC Commissioners and the ACC itself as defendants. All defendants moved to dismiss the amended complaint. On February 15, 2018, the Superior Court dismissed Commissioner Burns’ amended complaint. On March 6, 2018, Commissioner Burns filed an objection to the proposed final order from the Superior Court and a motion to further amend his complaint. The Superior Court permitted Commissioner Burns to amend his complaint to add a claim regarding his attempted investigation into whether his fellow commissioners should have been disqualified from voting on APS’s 2017 rate case. Commissioner Burns filed his second amended complaint, and all defendants filed responses opposing the second amended complaint and requested that it be dismissed. Oral argument occurred in November 2018 regarding the motion to dismiss. On December 18, 2018, the trial court granted the defendants’ motions to dismiss and entered final judgment on January 18, 2019. On February 13, 2019, Commissioner Burns filed a notice of appeal. APS and Pinnacle West cannot predict the outcome of this matter. Information Requests from Arizona Corporation Commissioners On January 14, 2019, ACC Commissioner Kennedy opened a docket to investigate campaign expenditures and political participation of APS and Pinnacle West. In addition, on February 27, 2019, ACC Commissioners Burns and Dunn opened a new docket and requested documents from APS and Pinnacle West related to ACC elections and charitable contributions related to the ACC. On March 1, 2019, ACC Commissioner Kennedy issued a subpoena to APS seeking several categories of information for both Pinnacle West and APS including political contributions, lobbying expenditures, marketing and advertising expenditures, and contributions made to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) entities, for the years 2013-2018. Pinnacle West and APS voluntarily responded to both sets of requests on March 29, 2019. APS received subsequent requests on these matters and continues to respond to such follow-on requests. Pinnacle West and APS cannot predict the outcome of these matters. Renewable Energy Ballot Initiative On February 20, 2018, a renewable energy advocacy organization filed with the Arizona Secretary of State a ballot initiative for an Arizona constitutional amendment requiring Arizona public service corporations to provide at least 50% of their annual retail sales of electricity from renewable sources by 2030. For purposes of the proposed amendment, eligible renewable sources would not include nuclear generating facilities. The initiative was placed on the November 2018 Arizona elections ballot. On November 6, 2018, the initiative failed to receive adequate voter support and was defeated. Energy Modernization Plan On January 30, 2018, ACC Commissioner Tobin proposed the Energy Modernization Plan, which consists of a series of energy policies tied to clean energy sources such as energy storage, biomass, energy efficiency, electric vehicles, and expanded energy planning through the integrated resource plans ("IRP") process. The Energy Modernization Plan includes replacing the current RES standard with a new standard called the CREST, which incorporates the proposals in the Energy Modernization Plan. On July 5, 2018, ACC Commissioner Tobin’s office issued a set of draft CREST rules for the ACC’s consideration, which proposes an electricity generating portfolio of at least 80% clean energy sources (including nuclear generation) by 2050, a target of 3,000 megawatts of deployed energy storage by 2030, and a plan to implement a new Energy Efficiency Standard when the current standard sunsets in 2020. In August 2018, the ACC directed ACC Staff to open a new rulemaking docket which will address a wide range of energy issues, including the Energy Modernization Plan proposals. The rulemaking will consider possible modifications to existing ACC rules, such as the Renewable Energy Standard, Electric and Gas Energy Efficiency Standards, Net Metering, Resource Planning, and the Biennial Transmission Assessment, as well as the development of new rules regarding forest bioenergy, electric vehicles, interconnection of distributed generation, baseload security, blockchain technology and other technological developments, retail competition, and other energy-related topics. On April 25, 2019, the ACC Staff issued a set of draft rules in regards to the Energy Modernization Plan and workshops were held on April 29, 2019 regarding these draft rules. On April 26, 2019, Commissioner Dunn issued a proposed set of rules with regards to the Energy Modernization Plan. APS cannot predict the outcome of this matter. Integrated Resource Planning ACC rules require utilities to develop fifteen-year IRPs which describe how the utility plans to serve customer load in the plan timeframe. The ACC reviews each utility’s IRP to determine if it meets the necessary requirements and whether it should be acknowledged. In March of 2018, the ACC reviewed the 2017 IRPs of its jurisdictional utilities and voted to not acknowledge any of the plans. APS does not believe that this lack of acknowledgment will have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Based on an ACC decision, APS is required to file a Preliminary Resource Plan by April 1, 2019 and its final IRP by April 1, 2020. On February 25, 2019, APS filed a request to extend the deadline to file its Preliminary Integrated Resource Plan from April 1, 2019 to August 1, 2019. On April 24, 2019, the ACC approved this request. Four Corners SCE-Related Matters. On December 30, 2013, APS purchased Southern California Edison Company's ("SCE’s") 48% ownership interest in each of Units 4 and 5 of Four Corners. The 2012 Settlement Agreement includes a procedure to allow APS to request rate adjustments prior to its next general retail rate case related to APS’s acquisition of the additional interests in Units 4 and 5 and the related closure of Units 1-3 of Four Corners. APS made its filing under this provision on December 30, 2013. On December 23, 2014, the ACC approved rate adjustments resulting in a revenue increase of $57.1 million on an annual basis. This included the deferral for future recovery of all non-fuel operating costs for the acquired SCE interest in Four Corners, net of the non-fuel operating costs savings resulting from the closure of Units 1-3 from the date of closing of the purchase through its inclusion in rates. The 2012 Settlement Agreement also provided for deferral for future recovery of all unrecovered costs incurred in connection with the closure of Units 1-3. The deferral balance related to the acquisition of SCE’s interest in Units 4 and 5 and the closure of Units 1-3 was $46 million as of March 31, 2019 and is being amortized in rates over a total of 10 years. The ACC's rate adjustment decision was appealed and on September 26, 2017, the Court of Appeals affirmed the ACC's decision on the Four Corners rate adjustment. As part of APS’s acquisition of SCE’s interest in Units 4 and 5, APS and SCE agreed, via a "Transmission Termination Agreement" that, upon closing of the acquisition, the companies would terminate an existing transmission agreement ("Transmission Agreement") between the parties that provides transmission capacity on a system (the "Arizona Transmission System") for SCE to transmit its portion of the output from Four Corners to California. APS previously submitted a request to FERC related to this termination, which resulted in a FERC order denying rate recovery of $40 million that APS agreed to pay SCE associated with the termination. On December 22, 2015, APS and SCE agreed to terminate the Transmission Termination Agreement and allow for the Transmission Agreement to expire according to its terms, which includes settling obligations in accordance with the terms of the Transmission Agreement. APS established a regulatory asset of $12 million in 2015 in connection with the payment required under the terms of the Transmission Agreement. On July 1, 2016, FERC issued an order denying APS’s request to recover the regulatory asset through its FERC-jurisdictional rates. APS and SCE completed the termination of the Transmission Agreement on July 6, 2016. APS made the required payment to SCE and wrote-off the $12 million regulatory asset and charged operating revenues to reflect the effects of this order in the second quarter of 2016. On July 29, 2016, APS filed a request for rehearing with FERC. In its order denying recovery, FERC also referred to its enforcement division a question of whether the agreement between APS and SCE relating to the settlement of obligations under the Transmission Agreement was a jurisdictional contract that should have been filed with FERC. On October 5, 2017, FERC issued an order denying APS's request for rehearing. FERC also upheld its prior determination that the agreement relating to the settlement was a jurisdictional contract and should have been filed with FERC. APS cannot predict whether or if the enforcement division will take any action. APS filed an appeal of FERC's July 1, 2016 and October 5, 2017 orders with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on December 4, 2017. Oral argument for this proceeding is scheduled for May 15, 2019. APS cannot predict the outcome of the proceeding. SCR Cost Recovery. On December 29, 2017, in accordance with the 2017 Rate Case Decision, APS filed a Notice of Intent to file its SCR Adjustment to permit recovery of costs associated with the installation of SCR equipment at Four Corners Units 4 and 5. APS filed the SCR Adjustment request in April 2018. Consistent with the 2017 Rate Case Decision, the request was narrow in scope and addressed only costs associated with this specific environmental compliance equipment. The SCR Adjustment request provided that there would be a $67.5 million annual revenue impact that would be applied as a percentage of base rates for all applicable customers. Also, as provided for in the 2017 Rate Case Decision, APS requested that the adjustment become effective no later than January 1, 2019. The hearing for this matter occurred in September 2018. At the hearing, APS accepted ACC Staff's recommendation of a lower annual revenue impact of approximately $58.5 million. The Administrative Law Judge issued a Recommended Opinion and Order finding that the costs for the SCR project were prudently incurred and recommending authorization of the $58.5 million annual revenue requirement related to the installation and operation of the SCRs. Exceptions to the Recommended Opinion and Order were filed by the parties and intervenors on December 7, 2018. The ACC has not issued a decision on this matter. APS anticipates a decision later in 2019, however we cannot predict the outcome of the decision. APS may be required to record a charge to its results of operations if the ACC issues an unfavorable decision (see SCR deferral in the Regulatory Assets and Liabilities table below). Cholla On September 11, 2014, APS announced that it would close Unit 2 of the Cholla Power Plant ("Cholla") and cease burning coal at the other APS-owned units (Units 1 and 3) at the plant by the mid-2020s, if the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") approves a compromise proposal offered by APS to meet required environmental and emissions standards and rules. On April 14, 2015, the ACC approved APS's plan to retire Unit 2, without expressing any view on the future recoverability of APS's remaining investment in the Unit. APS closed Unit 2 on October 1, 2015. In early 2017, EPA approved a final rule incorporating APS's compromise proposal, which took effect on April 26, 2017. Previously, APS estimated Cholla Unit 2’s end of life to be 2033. APS has been recovering a return on and of the net book value of the unit in base rates. Pursuant to the 2017 Settlement Agreement described above, APS will be allowed continued recovery of the net book value of the unit and the unit’s decommissioning and other retirement-related costs ($85 million as of March 31, 2019), in addition to a return on its investment. In accordance with GAAP, in the third quarter of 2014, Unit 2’s remaining net book value was reclassified from property, plant and equipment to a regulatory asset. The 2017 Settlement Agreement also shortened the depreciation lives of Cholla Units 1 and 3 to 2026. On March 20, 2019, APS announced that it has begun evaluating the feasibility and cost of converting a unit at the Cholla to burn biomass. Biomass is a fuel comprised of forest trimmings, and a converted unit at Cholla could assist in forest thinning, responsible forest management, an improved watershed, and a reduced wildfire risk. APS’s ability to operate a biomass power plant would depend on third-parties procuring forest biomass for fuel. APS will report the result of its evaluation by May 20, 2019. If converting a unit is more cost effective than alternatives, APS will seek ACC approval before moving forward with the Cholla conversion project. APS cannot predict the outcome of this matter. Navajo Plant The co-owners of the Navajo Generating Station (the "Navajo Plant") and the Navajo Nation agreed that the Navajo Plant will remain in operation until December 2019 under the existing plant lease. The co-owners and the Navajo Nation executed a lease extension on November 29, 2017 that will allow for decommissioning activities to begin after the plant ceases operations in December 2019. On February 14, 2017, the ACC opened a docket titled "ACC Investigation Concerning the Future of the Navajo Generating Station" with the stated goal of engaging stakeholders and negotiating a sustainable pathway for the Navajo Plant to continue operating in some form after December 2019. APS cannot predict the outcome of this proceeding. APS is currently recovering depreciation and a return on the net book value of its interest in the Navajo Plant over its previously estimated life through 2026. APS will seek continued recovery in rates for the book value of its remaining investment in the plant ($85 million as of March 31, 2019) plus a return on the net book value as well as other costs related to retirement and closure, which are still being assessed and may be material. APS believes it will be allowed recovery of the net book value, in addition to a return on its investment. In accordance with GAAP, in the second quarter of 2017, APS's remaining net book value of its interest in the Navajo Plant was reclassified from property, plant and equipment to a regulatory asset. If the ACC does not allow full recovery of the remaining net book value of this interest, all or a portion of the regulatory asset will be written off and APS's net income, cash flows, and financial position will be negatively impacted. Regulatory Assets and Liabilities The detail of regulatory assets is as follows (dollars in thousands):
| Amortization Through |  | March 31, 2019 |  | December 31, 2018
|  | Current |  | Non-Current |  | Current |  | Non-Current
Pension | (a) |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 723,307 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 733,351 |
Retired power plant costs | 2033 |  | 28,182 |  |  | 160,167 |  |  | 28,182 |  |  | 167,164 |
Income taxes — allowance for funds used during construction ("AFUDC") equity | 2049 |  | 6,457 |  |  | 151,541 |  |  | 6,457 |  |  | 151,467 |
Deferred fuel and purchased power — mark-to-market (Note 7) | 2023 |  | 29,340 |  |  | 14,360 |  |  | 31,728 |  |  | 23,768 |
Deferred fuel and purchased power (b) (c) | 2020 |  | 7,583 |  |  | — |  |  | 37,164 |  |  | — |
Four Corners cost deferral | 2024 |  | 8,077 |  |  | 38,209 |  |  | 8,077 |  |  | 40,228 |
Income taxes — investment tax credit basis adjustment | 2047 |  | 1,079 |  |  | 25,475 |  |  | 1,079 |  |  | 25,522 |
Lost fixed cost recovery (b) | 2020 |  | 29,698 |  |  | — |  |  | 32,435 |  |  | — |
Palo Verde VIEs (Note 6) | 2046 |  | — |  |  | 20,170 |  |  | — |  |  | 20,015 |
Deferred compensation | 2036 |  | — |  |  | 37,581 |  |  | — |  |  | 36,523 |
Deferred property taxes | 2027 |  | 8,569 |  |  | 64,214 |  |  | 8,569 |  |  | 66,356 |
Loss on reacquired debt | 2038 |  | 1,637 |  |  | 13,259 |  |  | 1,637 |  |  | 13,668 |
Tax expense of Medicare subsidy | 2024 |  | 1,235 |  |  | 6,122 |  |  | 1,235 |  |  | 6,176 |
TCA balancing account (b) | 2020 |  | 306 |  |  | — |  |  | 3,860 |  |  | 772 |
AG-1 deferral | 2022 |  | 2,654 |  |  | 5,155 |  |  | 2,654 |  |  | 5,819 |
Mead-Phoenix transmission line CIAC | 2050 |  | 332 |  |  | 9,961 |  |  | 332 |  |  | 10,044 |
Coal reclamation | 2026 |  | 1,546 |  |  | 17,392 |  |  | 1,546 |  |  | 15,607 |
SCR deferral | N/A |  | — |  |  | 30,581 |  |  | — |  |  | 23,276 |
Tax expense adjuster mechanism (c) | 2019 |  | 5,451 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Other | Various |  | 3,079 |  |  | 4,013 |  |  | 1,947 |  |  | 3,185 |
Total regulatory assets (d) |  |  | $ | 135,225 |  |  | $ | 1,321,507 |  |  | $ | 166,902 |  |  | $ | 1,342,941 |
(a) | This asset represents the future recovery of pension benefit obligations through retail rates. If these costs are disallowed by the ACC, this regulatory asset would be charged to other comprehensive income ("OCI") and result in lower future revenues.
(b) | See "Cost Recovery Mechanisms" discussion above.
(c) | Subject to a carrying charge.
(d) | There are no regulatory assets for which the ACC has allowed recovery of costs, but not allowed a return by exclusion from rate base. FERC rates are set using a formula rate as described in "Transmission Rates, Transmission Cost Adjustor and Other Transmission Matters."
The detail of regulatory liabilities is as follows (dollars in thousands):
| Amortization Through |  | March 31, 2019 |  | December 31, 2018
|  | Current |  | Non-Current |  | Current |  | Non-Current
Excess deferred income taxes - ACC - Tax Cuts and Jobs Act | (a) |  | $ | 91,401 |  |  | $ | 1,178,216 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 1,272,709 |
Excess deferred income taxes - FERC - Tax Cuts and Jobs Act | 2058 |  | 6,302 |  |  | 243,418 |  |  | 6,302 |  |  | 243,691 |
Asset retirement obligations | 2057 |  | — |  |  | 337,844 |  |  | — |  |  | 278,585 |
Removal costs | (b) |  | 50,701 |  |  | 156,578 |  |  | 39,866 |  |  | 177,533 |
Other postretirement benefits | (c) |  | 37,864 |  |  | 116,478 |  |  | 37,864 |  |  | 125,903 |
Income taxes — deferred investment tax credit | 2047 |  | 2,164 |  |  | 51,027 |  |  | 2,164 |  |  | 51,120 |
Income taxes — change in rates | 2048 |  | 2,764 |  |  | 69,954 |  |  | 2,769 |  |  | 70,069 |
Spent nuclear fuel | 2027 |  | 7,190 |  |  | 54,866 |  |  | 6,503 |  |  | 57,002 |
Renewable energy standard (a) | 2020 |  | 47,943 |  |  | — |  |  | 44,966 |  |  | 20 |
Demand side management (a) | 2020 |  | 1,581 |  |  | 24,146 |  |  | 14,604 |  |  | 4,123 |
Sundance maintenance | 2030 |  | 6,657 |  |  | 11,637 |  |  | 1,278 |  |  | 17,228 |
Deferred gains on utility property | 2022 |  | 3,923 |  |  | 5,975 |  |  | 4,423 |  |  | 6,581 |
Four Corners coal reclamation | 2038 |  | 1,858 |  |  | 17,690 |  |  | 1,858 |  |  | 17,871 |
Tax expense adjustor mechanism (a) | 2020 |  | 14 |  |  | — |  |  | 3,237 |  |  | — |
Other | Various |  | 42 |  |  | 4,253 |  |  | 42 |  |  | 3,541 |
Total regulatory liabilities |  |  | $ | 260,404 |  |  | $ | 2,272,082 |  |  | $ | 165,876 |  |  | $ | 2,325,976 |
(a) | See “Cost Recovery Mechanisms” discussion above.
(b) | In accordance with regulatory accounting guidance, APS accrues removal costs for its regulated assets, even if there is no legal obligation for removal.
(c) See Note 5.

X
- Definition This element represents Regulatory Matters. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | pnw_RegulatoryMattersTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | pnw_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_RegulatedOperationsAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration