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Commitments and Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies Operating Lease Obligations The Company has operating lease obligations expiring at various dates, primarily for OG&E railcar leases, OG&E wind farm land leases and OGE Energy noncancellable operating lease. Future minimum payments for noncancellable operating leases are as follows:
Year ended December 31 (In millions) | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | After 2019 | Total
Operating lease obligations |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Railcars | $ | 4.5 |  | $ | 28.7 |  | $ | 1.0 |  | $ | — |  | $ | — |  | $ | — |  | $ | 34.2 |
Wind farm land leases | 2.1 |  | 2.1 |  | 2.4 |  | 2.4 |  | 2.4 |  | 46.4 |  | 57.8 |
OGE Energy noncancellable operating lease | 0.8 |  | 0.8 |  | 0.8 |  | 0.7 |  | — |  | — |  | 3.1 |
Total operating lease obligations | $ | 7.4 |  | $ | 31.6 |  | $ | 4.2 |  | $ | 3.1 |  | $ | 2.4 |  | $ | 46.4 |  | $ | 95.1 |
Payments for operating lease obligations were $6.7 million, $8.8 million and $14.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. OG&E Railcar Lease Agreement OG&E has a noncancellable operating lease with purchase options, covering 1,387 coal rotary gondola railcars to transport coal from Wyoming to OG&E's coal-fired generation units. Rental payments are charged to Fuel Expense and are recovered through OG&E's tariffs and fuel adjustment clauses. On December 15, 2010, OG&E renewed the lease agreement effective February 1, 2011. At the end of the new lease term, which is February 1, 2016, OG&E has the option to either purchase the railcars at a stipulated fair market value or renew the lease. If OG&E chooses not to purchase the railcars or renew the lease agreement and the actual fair value of the railcars is less than the stipulated fair market value, OG&E would be responsible for the difference in those values up to a maximum of $22.8 million. OG&E is also required to maintain all of the railcars it has under the operating lease and has entered into an agreement with a non-affiliated company to furnish this maintenance. On January 11, 2012, OG&E executed a five-year lease agreement for 135 railcars to replace railcars that have been taken out of service or destroyed. OG&E has a unilateral right to terminate this lease upon a 6-month notice effective April 2016. On October 14, 2014, OG&E signed a three-year lease effective beginning December 2014 for 131 railcars to replace railcars that have been taken out of service or destroyed. OG&E Wind Farm Land Lease Agreements OG&E has wind farm land operating leases for its Centennial, OU Spirit and Crossroads wind farms expiring at various dates. The Centennial lease has rent escalations which increase annually based on the Consumer Price Index. The OU Spirit and Crossroads leases have rent escalations which increase after five and 10 years. Although the leases are cancellable, OG&E is required to make annual lease payments as long as the wind turbines are located on the land. OG&E does not expect to terminate the leases until the wind turbines reach the end of their economic life. OGE Energy Noncancellable Operating Lease On August 29, 2012, OGE Energy executed a five-year lease agreement for office space from September 1, 2013 to August 31, 2018. This lease has rent escalations which increase after five-years and allows for leasehold improvements. Other Purchase Obligations and Commitments The Company's other future purchase obligations and commitments estimated for the next five years are as follows:
(In millions) | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Total
Other purchase obligations and commitments |  |  |  |  |  |
Cogeneration capacity and fixed operation and maintenance payments | $ | 85.2 |  | $ | 83.3 |  | $ | 80.7 |  | $ | 77.8 |  | $ | 70.6 |  | $ | 397.6 |
Expected cogeneration energy payments | 74.4 |  | 78.5 |  | 81.2 |  | 89.7 |  | 85.1 |  | 408.9 |
Minimum fuel purchase commitments | 389.3 |  | 246.6 |  | 43.6 |  | — |  | — |  | 679.5 |
Expected wind purchase commitments | 58.4 |  | 59.3 |  | 60.3 |  | 59.1 |  | 58.4 |  | 295.5 |
Long-term service agreement commitments | 2.5 |  | 2.6 |  | 2.7 |  | 19.4 |  | 27.5 |  | 54.7 |
Environmental compliance plan expenditures | 66.5 |  | 138.1 |  | 117.6 |  | 50.1 |  | 3.9 |  | 376.2 |
Total other purchase obligations and commitments | $ | 676.3 |  | $ | 608.4 |  | $ | 386.1 |  | $ | 296.1 |  | $ | 245.5 |  | $ | 2,212.4 |
Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978 At December 31, 2014, OG&E has QF contracts having terms of 15 to 32 years. These contracts were entered into pursuant to the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978. Stated generally, the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978 and the regulations thereunder promulgated by the FERC require OG&E to purchase power generated in a manufacturing process from a QF. The rate for such power to be paid by OG&E was approved by the OCC. The rate generally consists of two components: one is a rate for actual electricity purchased from the QF by OG&E; the other is a capacity charge, which OG&E must pay the QF for having the capacity available. However, if no electrical power is made available to OG&E for a period of time (generally three months), OG&E's obligation to pay the capacity charge is suspended. The total cost of cogeneration payments is recoverable in rates from customers. For the 320 MW AES-Shady Point, Inc. QF contract and the 120 MW Oklahoma Cogeneration, LLC QF contract, OG&E purchases 100 percent of the electricity generated by the QFs. For the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, OG&E made total payments to cogenerators of $129.4 million, $134.8 million and $135.1 million, respectively, of which $72.3 million, $74.4 million and $77.1 million, respectively, represented capacity payments. All payments for purchased power, including cogeneration, are included in the Consolidated Statements of Income as Cost of Sales. OG&E Minimum Fuel Purchase Commitments OG&E purchased necessary fuel supplies of coal and natural gas for its generating units of $625.8 million, $657.3 million and $585.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. OG&E has coal contracts for purchases through December 2016. As a participant in the SPP integrated marketplace, OG&E now purchases a relatively small percentage of its supply through term gas agreements. Alternatively, OG&E relies on a combination of call natural gas agreements, whereby OG&E has the right but not the obligation to purchase a defined quantity of natural gas, combined with day and intra-day purchases to meet the demands of the SPP market. OG&E Wind Purchase Commitments OG&E's current wind power portfolio includes the following, in addition to the 120 MW Centennial, 101 MW OU Spirit and 227.5 MW Crossroads wind farms owned by OG&E: (i) access to up to 50 MWs of electricity generated at a wind farm near Woodward, Oklahoma from a 15-year contract OG&E entered into with FPL Energy that expires in 2018, (ii) access to up to 152 MWs of electricity generated at a wind farm in Woodward County, Oklahoma from a 20-year contract OG&E entered into with CPV Keenan that expires in 2030, (iii) access to up to 130 MWs of electricity generated at a wind farm in Dewey County, Oklahoma from a 20-year contract OG&E entered into with Edison Mission Energy that expires in 2030 and (iv) access to up to 60 MWs of electricity generated at a wind farm near Blackwell, Oklahoma from a 20-year contract OG&E entered into with NextEra Energy that expires in 2032. The following table summarizes OG&E's wind power purchases for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012.
Year ended December 31 (In millions) | 2014 | 2013 | 2012
CPV Keenan | $ | 28.1 |  | $ | 30.9 |  | $ | 25.1 |
Edison Mission Energy | 21.3 |  | 20.6 |  | 20.2 |
FPL Energy | 3.6 |  | 3.3 |  | 3.4 |
NextEra Energy | 7.8 |  | 7.2 |  | 0.8 |
Total wind power purchased | $ | 60.8 |  | $ | 62.0 |  | $ | 49.5 |
OG&E Long-Term Service Agreement Commitments OG&E has a long-term parts and service maintenance contract for the upkeep of the McClain Plant. The previous contract expired on January 1, 2015. The current contract, which was signed in May 2013, is expected to run for the earlier of 128,000 factored-fired hours or 3,600 factored-fired starts. Based on historical usage and current expectations for future usage, this contract is expected to run until 2030. The contract requires payments based on both a fixed and variable cost component, depending on how much the McClain Plant is used. OG&E has a long-term parts and service maintenance contract for the upkeep of the Redbud Plant. In March 2013, the contract was amended to extend the contract coverage for an additional 24,000 factored-fired hours resulting in a maximum of the earlier of 144,000 factored-fired hours or 4,500 factored-fired starts. Based on historical usage and current expectations for future usage, this contract is expected to run until 2031. The contract requires payments based on both a fixed and variable cost component, depending on how much the Redbud Plant is used. Enable Gas Transportation and Storage Agreement OG&E contracts with Enable for gas transportation and storage services. The stated term of this contract expired April 30, 2009, but remained in effect from year-to-year thereafter. On January 31, 2014, in anticipation of entering into a new, five-year contract, OG&E provided written notice of termination of the contract, effective April 30, 2014. On March 17, 2014, OG&E entered into a new five year firm no-notice load following gas transportation contract with Enable effective May 1, 2014. Environmental Laws and Regulations The activities of OG&E are subject to numerous, stringent and complex Federal, state and local laws and regulations governing environmental protection. These laws and regulations can change, restrict or otherwise impact OG&E's business activities in many ways including the handling or disposal of waste material, future construction activities to avoid or mitigate harm to threatened or endangered species and requiring the installation and operation of emissions pollution control equipment. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations could result in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties, the imposition of remedial requirements and the issuance of orders enjoining future operations. OG&E believes that its operations are in substantial compliance with current Federal, state and local environmental standards. Environmental regulation can increase the cost of planning, design, initial installation and operation of OG&E's facilities. Historically, OG&E's total expenditures for environmental control facilities and for remediation have not been significant in relation to its consolidated financial position or results of operations. The Company believes, however, that it is reasonably likely that the trend in environmental legislation and regulations will continue towards more restrictive standards. Compliance with these standards is expected to increase the cost of conducting business. Management continues to evaluate its compliance with existing and proposed environmental legislation and regulations and implement appropriate environmental programs in a competitive market. OG&E is managing several significant uncertainties about the scope and timing for the acquisition, installation and operation of additional pollution control equipment and compliance costs for a variety of the EPA rules that are being challenged in court. OG&E is unable to predict the financial impact of these matters with certainty at this time. Federal Clean Air Act New Source Review Litigation As previously reported, in July 2008, OG&E received a request for information from the EPA regarding Federal Clean Air Act compliance at OG&E's Muskogee and Sooner generating plants. On July 8, 2013, the Department of Justice filed a complaint against OG&E in United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma alleging that OG&E did not follow the Federal Clean Air Act procedures for projecting emission increases attributable to eight projects that occurred between 2003 and 2006. This complaint seeks to have OG&E submit a new assessment of whether the projects were likely to result in a significant emissions increase. The Sierra Club intervened in this proceeding. On August 30, 2013, the Government filed a Motion for Summary Judgment and on September 6, 2013, OG&E filed a Motion to Dismiss the case. On January 15, 2015, U.S. District Judge Timothy DeGuisti dismissed the complaints filed by EPA and Sierra Club. The Court held that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction over Plaintiffs’ claims because Plaintiffs failed to present an actual “case or controversy” as required by Article III of the Constitution. The court also ruled in the alternative that, even if Plaintiffs had presented a case or controversy, it would have nonetheless “decline[d] to exercise jurisdiction.” EPA and the Sierra Club have until March 16, 2015 to file an appeal of the Court’s ruling. On August 12, 2013, the Sierra Club filed a separate complaint against OG&E in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma alleging that OG&E projects at Muskogee Unit 6 in 2008 were made without obtaining a prevention of significant deterioration permit and that the plant had exceeded emissions limits for opacity and particulate matter. The Sierra Club seeks a permanent injunction preventing OG&E from operating the Muskogee generating plant. On March 4, 2014, the Eastern District dismissed the prevention of significant deterioration permit claim based on the statute of limitations, but allowed the opacity and particulate matter claims to proceed. To obtain the right to appeal this decision, the Sierra Club subsequently withdrew a Notice of Intent to Sue for additional Clean Air Act violations and asked the Eastern District to dismiss its remaining claims with prejudice. On August 27, 2014, the Eastern District granted the Sierra Club's request. The Sierra Club has filed a Notice of Appeal with the 10th Circuit where oral argument is currently scheduled for March 18, 2015. At this time, OG&E continues to believe that it has acted in compliance with the Federal Clean Air Act, and OG&E expects to vigorously defend against the claims that have been asserted. If OG&E does not prevail in the remainder of the proceedings, the EPA and the Sierra Club could seek to require OG&E to install additional pollution control equipment, including scrubbers, baghouses and selective catalytic reduction systems with capital costs in excess of $1.1 billion and pay fines and significant penalties as a result of the allegations in the notice of violation. Section 113 of the Federal Clean Air Act (along with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1996) provides for civil penalties as much as $37,500 per day for each violation. Due to the uncertain and preliminary nature of this litigation, OG&E cannot provide a range of reasonably possible loss in this case. Air Quality Control System On September 10, 2014, OG&E executed a contract for the design, engineering and fabrication of two circulating dry scrubber systems to be installed at Sooner Units 1 and 2. OG&E entered into an agreement on February 9, 2015, to install the scrubber systems. The scrubbers are part of OG&E’s Environmental Compliance Plan and scheduled to be completed by 2019. More detail regarding the Environmental Plan can be found under the “Pending Regulatory Matters” in Note 15. Other In the normal course of business, the Company is confronted with issues or events that may result in a contingent liability. These generally relate to lawsuits or claims made by third parties, including governmental agencies. When appropriate, management consults with legal counsel and other appropriate experts to assess the claim. If, in management's opinion, the Company has incurred a probable loss as set forth by GAAP, an estimate is made of the loss and the appropriate accounting entries are reflected in the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements. At the present time, based on currently available information, the Company believes that any reasonably possible losses in excess of accrued amounts arising out of pending or threatened lawsuits or claims would not be quantitatively material to its financial statements and would not have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

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