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Commitments and Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2015
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 the Company's noncancellable operating lease. Future minimum payments for noncancellable operating leases are as follows:
Year ended December 31 (In millions) | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | After 2020 | Total
Operating lease obligations |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Railcars | $ | 4.2 |  | $ | 3.5 |  | $ | 2.4 |  | $ | 23.0 |  | $ | — |  | $ | — |  | $ | 33.1 |
Wind farm land leases | 2.4 |  | 2.5 |  | 2.5 |  | 2.5 |  | 2.9 |  | 46.3 |  | 59.1 |
Noncancellable operating lease | 0.8 |  | 0.8 |  | 0.7 |  | — |  | — |  | — |  | 2.3 |
Total operating lease obligations | $ | 7.4 |  | $ | 6.8 |  | $ | 5.6 |  | $ | 25.5 |  | $ | 2.9 |  | $ | 46.3 |  | $ | 94.5 |
Payments for operating lease obligations were $7.7 million, $6.7 million and $8.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. OG&E Railcar Lease Agreement OG&E has several noncancellable operating leases with purchase options, covering approximately 1,400 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 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. On October 14, 2014, OG&E signed a separate three-year lease effective December 2014 for 131 railcars to replace railcars that have been taken out of service or destroyed. On December 17, 2015, OG&E renewed the lease agreement effective February 1, 2016. At the end of the new lease term, which is February 1, 2019, 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 $20.1 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. OG&E Wind Farm Land Lease Agreements OG&E has operating leases related to land 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. Noncancellable Operating Lease On August 29, 2012, the Company 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) | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Total
Other purchase obligations and commitments |  |  |  |  |  |
Cogeneration capacity and fixed operation and maintenance payments | $ | 79.8 |  | $ | 77.0 |  | $ | 74.0 |  | $ | 66.6 |  | $ | 54.7 |  | $ | 352.1 |
Expected cogeneration energy payments | 58.3 |  | 42.7 |  | 55.2 |  | 57.6 |  | 55.1 |  | 268.9 |
Minimum fuel purchase commitments | 299.6 |  | 127.5 |  | 40.7 |  | 11.7 |  | — |  | 479.5 |
Expected wind purchase commitments | 58.6 |  | 58.8 |  | 57.0 |  | 55.8 |  | 56.6 |  | 286.8 |
Long-term service agreement commitments | 2.5 |  | 2.6 |  | 43.2 |  | 2.8 |  | 2.9 |  | 54.0 |
Mustang Modernization expenditures | 103.4 |  | 12.9 |  | 17.7 |  | — |  | — |  | 134.0 |
Environmental compliance plan expenditures | 150.5 |  | 119.9 |  | 50.8 |  | 4.1 |  | — |  | 325.3 |
Total other purchase obligations and commitments | $ | 752.7 |  | $ | 441.4 |  | $ | 338.6 |  | $ | 198.6 |  | $ | 169.3 |  | $ | 1,900.6 |
Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978 At December 31, 2015, OG&E has a QF contract with Oklahoma Cogeneration LLC which expires on August 31, 2019 and a QF contract with AES-Shady Point, Inc. which expires on January 15, 2023. 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 MWs AES-Shady Point, Inc. QF contract and the 120 MWs Oklahoma Cogeneration LLC QF contract, OG&E purchases 100 percent of the electricity generated by the QFs. For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, OG&E made total payments to cogenerators of $124.0 million, $129.4 million and $134.8 million, respectively, of which $69.5 million, $72.3 million and $74.4 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 has coal contracts for purchases through December 2017. As a participant in the SPP Integrated Marketplace, OG&E now purchases a relatively small percentage of its natural gas supply through long-term 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 Integrated Marketplace. 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 228 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 2031, (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 2031 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, 2015, 2014 and 2013.
Year ended December 31 (In millions) | 2015 | 2014 | 2013
CPV Keenan | $ | 26.7 |  | $ | 28.1 |  | $ | 30.9 |
Edison Mission Energy | 19.7 |  | 21.3 |  | 20.6 |
FPL Energy | 3.2 |  | 3.6 |  | 3.3 |
NextEra Energy | 7.0 |  | 7.8 |  | 7.2 |
Total wind power purchased | $ | 56.6 |  | $ | 60.8 |  | $ | 62.0 |
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. In May 2013, a new contract was signed that is expected to run for the earlier of 128,000 factored-fired hours or 4,800 factored-fired starts. On December 30, 2015, the McClain LTSA was amended to define the terms and conditions for the exchange of spare rotors between OG&E and General Electric International, Inc. 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 2028. 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 Agreement OG&E contracts with Enable for gas transportation services. 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 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 U.S. 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 the EPA and the 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.” The EPA and the Sierra Club did not 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 was held on 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 dry 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 dry scrubber systems. The dry scrubbers are part of OG&E’s ECP and scheduled to be completed by 2019. More detail regarding the ECP can be found under the “Pending Regulatory Matters” in Note 15. Clean Power Plan On October 23, 2015, the EPA published the final Clean Power Plan that established standards of performance for CO 2 emissions from existing fossil-fuel-fired power plants along with state-specific CO 2 reduction standards expressed as both rate-based (lbs/MWh) and mass-based (tons/yr) goals. The 2030 rate-based reduction requirement for all existing generating units in Oklahoma has decreased from a proposed 43 percent reduction to 32 percent in the final rule. The mass-based approach for existing units calls for a 24 percent reduction by 2030 in Oklahoma. The Clean Power Plan requires that states submit to the EPA plans for achieving the state-specific CO 2 reduction goals by September 6, 2016 or submit an extension request for up to two years. The compliance period was to begin in 2022, and emission reductions were to be phased in by 2030. The EPA also proposed a federal compliance plan to implement the Clean Power Plan in the event that an approvable state plan was not submitted to the EPA by the required deadline. A number of states have filed lawsuits against the Clean Power Plan. On February 9, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court issued orders staying implementation of the Clean Power Plan pending resolution of challenges to the rule. The company is unable to determine what impact the lawsuits will ultimately have on the Clean Power Plan or what impact the stay in implementation will have; however, if the Clean Power Plan survives judicial review and is implemented as written, it could result in significant additional compliance costs that would affect our future consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows if such costs are not recovered through regulated rates. Significant uncertainties would remain with regards to potential implementation in Oklahoma (and the federal plan that would be imposed by the EPA for states that do not submit approvable plans), including whether states would elect an emissions standards approach versus a state measures approach, whether and what type of emissions trading would be allowed, and available cost mitigation options. Due to the pending litigation and the uncertainties in the state approaches, the ultimate timing and impact of these standards on our operations cannot be determined with certainty at this time. Siemens Contract On June 15, 2015 OG&E entered into a contract with Siemens Energy Inc. for the purchase, design and engineering of seven simple-cycle gas turbine generators for $170.3 million to be completed by June 1, 2018. 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 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 current 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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