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REGULATION | 12 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2013
Regulated Operations [Abstract] |
REGULATION | REGULATION The EDECA is the legal framework for New Jersey's public utility and wholesale energy landscape. NJNG is required, pursuant to a written order by the BPU under EDECA, to open its residential markets to competition from third-party natural gas suppliers. Customers can choose the supplier of their natural gas commodity in NJNG's service territory. As required by EDECA, NJNG's rates are segregated into two primary components, the commodity portion, which represents the wholesale cost of natural gas, including the cost for interstate pipeline capacity to transport the gas to NJNG's service territory, and the delivery portion, which represents the transportation of the commodity portion through NJNG's gas distribution system to the end-use customer. NJNG does not earn utility gross margin on the commodity portion of its natural gas sales. NJNG earns utility gross margin through the delivery of natural gas to its customers, regardless of whether it or a third-party supplier provides the wholesale natural gas commodity. Under EDECA, the BPU is required to audit the state's energy utilities every two years. The primary purpose of the audit is to ensure that utilities and their affiliates offering unregulated retail services do not have an unfair competitive advantage over nonaffiliated providers of similar retail services. A combined competitive services and management audit of NJNG commenced in August 2013, and a final report on findings and recommendations is expected to be approved by the BPU in fiscal 2014. NJNG is subject to cost-based regulation, therefore, it is permitted to recover authorized operating expenses and earn a reasonable return on its utility investment based on the BPU's approval, in accordance with accounting guidance applicable to regulated operations. The impact of the ratemaking process and decisions authorized by the BPU allows NJNG to capitalize or defer certain costs that are expected to be recovered from its customers as regulatory assets and to recognize certain obligations representing amounts that are probable future expenditures as regulatory liabilities. As recovery of regulatory assets is subject to BPU approval, if there are any changes in regulatory positions that indicate recovery is not probable, the related cost would be charged to income in the period of such determination. Regulatory assets and liabilities included on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, are comprised of the following:
(Thousands) | 2013 | 2012
Regulatory assets-current |  |
Underrecovered gas costs | $ | 953 |  | $ | 7,053 |
Conservation Incentive Program | 18,887 |  | 25,681 |
New Jersey Clean Energy Program | 14,532 |  | — |
Total current regulatory assets | $ | 34,372 |  | $ | 32,734 |
Regulatory assets-noncurrent |  |
Environmental remediation costs |  |
Expended, net of recoveries | $ | 46,968 |  | $ | 59,745 |
Liability for future expenditures | 183,600 |  | 182,000 |
Deferred income taxes | 10,718 |  | 11,405 |
Derivatives, net | 19 |  | — |
SAVEGREEN | 30,004 |  | 26,025 |
New Jersey Clean Energy Program | — |  | 5,619 |
Postemployment and other benefit costs | 101,415 |  | 142,495 |
Deferred Superstorm Sandy costs | 14,822 |  | — |
Other noncurrent regulatory assets | 14,656 |  | 13,974 |
Total noncurrent regulatory assets | $ | 402,202 |  | $ | 441,263 |
Regulatory liability-current |  |
Derivatives, net | 1,456 |  | 1,169 |
Total current regulatory liabilities | $ | 1,456 |  | $ | 1,169 |
Regulatory liabilities-noncurrent |  |
Cost of removal obligation | $ | 79,315 |  | $ | 65,994 |
Derivatives, net | — |  | 1,000 |
Other noncurrent regulatory liabilities | 332 |  | 83 |
Total noncurrent regulatory liabilities | $ | 79,647 |  | $ | 67,077 |
NJNG's recovery of costs is facilitated through its base tariff rates, BGSS and other regulatory tariff riders. NJNG is required to make an annual filing to the BPU by June 1 of each year for review of its BGSS, CIP and various other programs and related rates. Annual rate changes are requested to be effective at the beginning of the following fiscal year. In addition, NJNG is also permitted to request approval of certain rate or program changes on an interim basis. All rate and program changes are subject to proper notification and BPU review and approval. Gas Costs NJNG recovers its cost of gas through the BGSS rate component of its customers' bills. NJNG's cost of gas includes the purchased cost of the natural gas commodity, fees paid to pipelines and storage facilities, adjustments as a result of BGSS incentive programs, and hedging transactions. Under-recovered gas costs represent a regulatory asset that generally occurs during periods when NJNG's BGSS rates are lower than actual costs and requests amounts to be recovered from customers in the future. Conversely, over-recovered gas costs represent a regulatory liability that generally occurs when NJNG's BGSS rates are higher than actual costs and requests approval to be returned to customers including interest, when applicable, in accordance with NJNG's approved BGSS tariff. Conservation Incentive Program The CIP permits NJNG to recover utility gross margin variations related to customer usage resulting from customer conservation efforts and allows NJNG to mitigate the impact of weather on its gross margin. Such utility gross margin variations are recovered in the year following the end of the CIP usage year, without interest, and are subject to additional conditions, including an earnings test and an evaluation of BGSS related savings. New Jersey Clean Energy Program The NJCEP is a statewide program that encourages energy efficiency and renewable energy. Funding amounts are determined by the BPU’s Office of Clean Energy and all New Jersey utilities are required to share in the annual funding obligation. The current NJCEP program is for the State of New Jersey’s fiscal year ending June 2014. NJNG recovers the costs associated with its portion of the NJCEP obligation, including interest, through its SBC rate rider over a one-year period. Environmental Remediation Costs NJNG is responsible for the cleanup of certain former gas manufacturing facilities. Actual expenditures are recovered from customers, with interest, over seven year rolling periods, through a RA rate rider. Recovery for NJNG's estimated future liability will be requested and/or recovered when actual expenditures are incurred. See Note 13. Commitments and Contingencies. Deferred Income Taxes In 1993, NJNG adopted the provisions of ASC 740, Income Taxes, which changed the method used to determine deferred tax assets and liabilities. Upon adoption, NJNG recognized a transition adjustment and corresponding regulatory asset representing the difference between NJNG's existing deferred tax amounts compared with the deferred tax amounts calculated in accordance with the change in method prescribed by ASC 740. NJNG recovers the regulatory asset associated with these tax impacts through future base rates, without interest. Derivatives Derivatives are utilized by NJNG to manage the price risk associated with its natural gas purchasing activities and to participate in certain BGSS incentive programs. The gains and losses associated with NJNG's derivatives are recoverable through its BGSS, as noted above, without interest. See Note 4. Derivatives. SAVEGREEN NJNG administers certain programs that supplement the state's NJCEP and that allows NJNG to promote clean energy to its residential and commercial customers, as described further below. NJNG will recover related expenditures and a weighted average cost of capital through a tariff rider, as approved by the BPU, over a two to ten year period depending upon the specific program incentive. Postemployment and Other Benefit Costs Postemployment and Other Benefit Costs represents NJNG's underfunded postemployment benefit obligations that the Company began recognizing in fiscal 2006, as a result of changes in the accounting provisions of ASC 715, Compensation and Benefits, as well as a fiscal 2010 tax charge resulting from a change in the deductibility of federal subsidies associated with Medicare D, both of which are deferred as regulatory assets and are recoverable, without interest, in base tariff rates. See Note 10. Employee Benefit Plans. Deferred Superstorm Sandy Costs In October 2012, portions of NJNG's distribution system incurred significant damage as a result of Superstorm Sandy. NJNG filed a petition with the BPU in November 2012 requesting deferral accounting for uninsured incremental O&M costs associated with its restoration efforts, which was approved in May 2013. NJNG requested that the review of and the appropriate recovery period for such deferred expenses be addressed in NJNG's next base rate case to be filed no later than November 15, 2015. Other Regulatory Assets Other regulatory assets consists primarily of deferred costs associated with certain components of NJNG's SBC, as discussed further below, and NJNG's compliance with federal and state mandated PIM provisions. NJNG's related costs to maintain the operational integrity of its distribution and transmission main are recoverable, subject to BPU review and approval, in its next base rate case. NJNG is limited to recording a regulatory asset associated with PIM that does not exceed $700,000 per year. In addition, to the extent that project costs are lower than the approved PIM annual expense of $1.4 million, NJNG will record a regulatory liability that will be refundable as a credit to customers' gas costs when the net cumulative liability exceeds $1 million. As of September 30, 2013, NJNG has recorded $3.2 million of PIM in other regulatory assets. Cost of Removal Obligation NJNG accrues and collects for cost of removal in base tariff rates on its utility property, without interest. A regulatory liability represents the current collections in excess of actual expenditures, which the Company will return to customers over approximately 48 years, through a reduction in the depreciation expense component of NJNG's base tariff rates, as approved by the BPU in NJNG's October 2008 base rate case. The following is a description of regulatory proceedings during fiscal 2012 and 2013: BGSS and CIP BGSS rates are normally revised on an annual basis. In addition, in order to manage the fluctuations in wholesale natural gas costs, NJNG has the ability to make two interim filings during each fiscal year to increase residential and small commercial customer BGSS rates on a self-implementing and provisional basis. NJNG is also permitted to refund or credit back a portion of the commodity costs to customers when the natural gas commodity costs decrease in comparison to amounts projected or to amounts previously collected from customers. During fiscal 2012, NJNG provided bill credits of approximately $85.9 million to NJNG's residential and small commercial customers due to a decline in the wholesale prices of natural gas and a change in the methodology used to develop estimates of unaccounted-for gas. Commodity prices were relatively stable during fiscal 2013, therefore, no refunds or bill credits were issued to BGSS customers. Concurrent with the annual BGSS filing, NJNG files for an annual review of its CIP. The CIP was initially approved as a three-year program through September 2009. During fiscal 2010, the BPU approved an extension of the program through September 30, 2013. In March 2013, NJNG and South Jersey Gas Company filed a joint petition with the BPU requesting the continuation of the CIP with certain modifications. The discovery phase remains in process and since no BPU Order on that petition has been issued as of September 30, 2013, the CIP program will continue for up to one additional year or until such an Order is issued, whichever is earlier. NJNG's annual BGSS and CIP filings are summarized as follows:
• | June 2011 BGSS/CIP filing - NJNG proposed to reduce BGSS rates resulting in a 9.1 percent decrease for the average residential heating customer. The request was the result of cost control and natural gas purchasing strategies, as well as lower natural gas prices. In addition, NJNG requested approval to modify its CIP recovery rates resulting in a decrease of $3 million to the total annual recovery. The proposed CIP rates result in an increase to all classes except residential heat, which represents a decrease. In May 2012, the BPU approved the changes on a final basis effective October 2011. In March 2012, NJNG notified the BPU that it would reduce its BGSS rate resulting in a 3.6 percent decrease to an average residential heat customer’s bill effective April 1, 2012.
• | June 2012 BGSS/CIP filing - NJNG proposed to maintain its current BGSS rate. In addition, NJNG requested approval to decrease the CIP rate for residential non-heating customers and increase the CIP rates for residential heating and commercial customers, which increased an average residential heating customer bill by 2.4 percent effective October 2012. In May 2013, the BPU approved the changes on a final basis. In May 2013, NJNG notified the BPU that it was going to reduce its current BGSS rate resulting in a 5.2 percent decrease to an average residential heat customer's bill, effective June 1, 2013.
• | June 2013 BGSS/CIP filing - NJNG proposed to maintain its current BGSS rate. In addition, NJNG proposed a 1 percent reduction to an average residential heat customer's bill related to the CIP factor. The CIP rate reduction was provisionally approved by the BPU on October 16, 2013, to be effective November 1, 2013. On November 21, 2013, NJNG notified the BPU of its intent to reduce its BGSS rate, effective December 1, 2013, resulting in a 6 percent decrease to the average residential heating customer bill.
Infrastructure Programs NJNG has significant annual capital expenditures associated with the management of its natural gas distribution and transmission system and its associated PIM program. During fiscal 2009, NJNG implemented its AIP commencing construction on 14 infrastructure projects at a BPU approved cost of $70.8 million, exclusive of AFUDC. AIP was initially approved by the BPU as a two-year program, to enhance the reliability of NJNG's gas distribution system and to support economic development and job growth in New Jersey. During fiscal 2012, the BPU approved an extension to NJNG's AIP, allowing for additional capital investments of $60.2 million for 9 infrastructure projects, exclusive of AFUDC, to be made through October 2012. NJNG was authorized to defer the costs associated with all 23 AIP projects, including NJNG's weighted cost of capital and recovers these investments through its base tariff rate. Annual filings include the following:
• | June 2011 AIP filing - NJNG filed for AIP base rate cost recovery, which represented an increase of $4.7 million related to AIP infrastructure investments installed in NJNG's distribution and transmission systems. A settlement was reached and approved by the BPU effective October 2011. The rate changes included a weighted average cost of capital of 7.12 percent or 7.76 percent depending on the AIP project. The requested base rate change was approved on a final basis in August 2012.
• | November 2012 AIP filing - NJNG filed for AIP base rate cost recovery, requesting an increase of $6.9 million, which represents a cumulative impact of $15.8 million annually, related to AIP infrastructure investments installed in NJNG's distribution and transmission systems through October 2012. The existing weighted average costs of capital remained the same as previously approved. In June 2013, the BPU approved a $6.5 million base rate increase.
In March 2012, NJNG filed a petition with the BPU seeking to implement a SAFE program, whereby NJNG would invest up to $204 million over a five-year period to replace portions of NJNG's gas distribution unprotected steel and cast iron infrastructure in order to improve the safety and reliability of the gas distribution system. NJNG entered into a stipulation with the BPU Staff and Rate Counsel, which was approved by the BPU in October 2012, to include a four-year incremental investment program of $130 million, exclusive of AFUDC. The approved SAFE Program includes the deferral of infrastructure costs subject to review in NJNG's next base rate case to be filed no later than November 15, 2015, the deferral of depreciation expense on SAFE investments and recognizes an overall rate of return on infrastructure investments of 6.9 percent, including a return on equity of 9.75 percent. The deferred cost recovery will include accruals for both debt and equity components of AFUDC while construction is completed but not yet in service. In accordance with ASC 980, Regulated Operations, when SAFE construction projects are placed in service, NJNG will accrue an AFUDC debt rate. For ratemaking purposes, subsequent to projects being placed in service, NJNG will continue to earn an AFUDC rate of 6.9 percent per year until such time that NJNG receives approval for recovery of all costs through base rates. BGSS Incentive Programs NJNG is eligible to receive financial incentives for reducing BGSS costs through a series of utility gross margin-sharing programs that include off-system sales, capacity release, storage incentive and FRM programs. In August 2011, the BPU approved an extension of NJNG's BGSS incentive programs for four years through October 31, 2015, maintaining the existing margin-sharing percentages. This agreement also permits the Company to annually propose a process to evaluate and discuss alternative incentive programs, should performance of the existing incentives or market conditions warrant re-evaluation. SAVEGREEN NJNG commenced SAVEGREEN during fiscal 2009, allowing it to promote energy efficiency incentives to its residential and commercial customers while stimulating state and local economies through the creation of jobs. Depending on the specific initiative, NJNG recovers costs associated with the programs over a two to ten-year period to facilitate home energy audits and to provide financing alternatives, including rebates and other incentives designed to encourage the installation of high efficiency heating and cooling equipment. As of September 30, 2013, the BPU has approved total SAVEGREEN expenditures of $56.4 million related to grants and rebates, of which, NJNG has spent a total of $41.1 million and approved $93.1 million related to customer financing incentives, of which, NJNG has provided interest-free loans in the amount of $19.4 million. SAVEGREEN investments and costs are filed with the BPU on an annual basis and include the following:
• | June 2011 SAVEGREEN filing - NJNG requested through an amended filing in July 2011, that the existing SAVEGREEN rate remain the same as of the original BPU approval in 2009. In January 2012, the BPU approved an extension of SAVEGREEN for one year with an additional $10.4 million of investments in customer incentives and rebates, earning a weighted average cost of capital of 7.1 percent, including a cost of equity of 10.3 percent.
• | June 2012 SAVEGREEN filing - In July 2012, NJNG filed two petitions with the BPU related to SAVEGREEN. The petitions include the 2012 rate filing, which represents a reconciliation of BPU-approved actual costs for SAVEGREEN and a petition related to the extension of SAVEGREEN over a four-year period, with modifications to include certain new projects. The rate impact will incorporate the existing SAVEGREEN and the extension will include modifications to grants, rebates and financing to be recovered over a two to ten-year period. In June 2013, the BPU approved the filing to extend and expand SAVEGREEN through June 2015, with certain modifications, resulting in a planned investment of more than $85 million, which includes $17.3 million of investments in grants and rebates, and includes a weighted average cost of capital of 6.9 percent. In addition, the BPU approved a tariff rider rate increase of approximately 1.7 percent to recover costs and investments related to SAVEGREEN over a two to ten-year period, which represents an an annual recovery of approximately $12 million.
Societal Benefits Clause The SBC is comprised of three primary riders that allow NJNG to recover costs associated with USF, which is a permanent statewide program for all natural gas and electric utilities for the benefit of income-eligible customers, MGP remediation, and the NJCEP. NJNG has submitted the following filings to the BPU, which includes a report of program expenditures incurred each program year:
• | June 2011 USF filing - NJNG filed to reduce the annual USF recovery rate, which was approved by the BPU, effective November 2011.
• | February 2012 SBC filing - NJNG requested, and received, BPU approval of its MGP expenditures incurred through June 2011, which continued its existing overall SBC rate and recovery that was approved by the BPU, effective November 2011.
Additionally, in November 2012, the BPU approved NJNG's funding obligations for NJCEP for the period from January 2013 to June 2013 of approximately $9.8 million. In June 2013, the BPU approved NJNG's funding obligations for July 2013 to June 2014, of approximately $15.6 million. Accordingly, NJNG recorded the obligation and corresponding regulatory asset on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
• | June 2012 USF filing - NJNG filed to reduce the USF recovery rate resulting in a .1 percent decrease for the average residential heating customer. The rate was approved by the BPU effective October 2012.
• | June 2013 USF filing - NJNG filed to reduce the USF recovery rate resulting in a .5 percent decrease for the average residential heating customer. The rate was approved by the BPU in October 2013.
• | July 2013 SBC filing - NJNG requested approval of its MGP expenditures incurred through June 2013, as well as a reduction in the RA factor to $18.7 million annually and to increase its NJCEP factor for a net increase of 1.7 percent to the average residential heat customer. The petition was provisionally approved by the BPU on November 22, 2013.
Other Regulatory Initiatives In June 2012, the BPU approved a pilot program for NJNG to invest up to $10 million to build NGV refueling stations in Monmouth, Ocean and Morris counties. NJNG intends to begin construction of the stations by December 2013, and include a cost recovery filing to the BPU within the Company’s next base rate case no later than November 15, 2015. The NGV program was authorized to earn an overall weighted average cost of capital of 7.1 percent, including a cost of equity of 10.3 percent. A portion of the proceeds from the utilization of the NGV equipment, along with any available federal and state incentives, will be credited against the cost of this investment. As of September 30, 2013, NJNG has begun development on three NGV stations for a total investment of approximately 7.5 million. In November 2012, NJNG filed a petition with the BPU requesting deferral accounting for uninsured incremental O&M costs associated with Superstorm Sandy, which was subsequently approved in May 2013. In addition, NJNG requested that the review of and the appropriate recovery period for such deferred expenses be addressed in the Company's next base rate case. As of September 30, 2013, NJNG has deferred $14.8 million of these costs as a regulatory asset. In December 2012, NJNG filed a petition with the BPU requesting approval of a municipal consent in the Borough of Sayreville, New Jersey to provide natural gas distribution service to Red Oak Power, LLC, an electric generating facility. In January 2013, NJNG filed a petition with the BPU requesting approval of a gas service agreement between TAQA GEN-X, LLC and NJNG in order to provide supply to Red Oak Power, LLC. The municipal consent was approved by the BPU in September 2013. The service agreement portion of the request remains under BPU review. In March 2013, the BPU issued an Order establishing a generic proceeding to review the prudency of costs incurred by New Jersey utility companies in response to major storm events in 2011 and 2012. In July 2013, NJNG filed its detailed report including unreimbursed, uninsured incremental storm restoration costs and capital expenditures related to Superstorm Sandy. On September 3, 2013, NJNG filed a petition seeking approval of its NJ RISE program. The submission was made in response to the BPU’s order of March 2013, initiating a proceeding to investigate prudent, cost efficient and effective opportunities to protect New Jersey’s utility infrastructure from future major storm events. The program includes six capital investment projects totaling $102.5 million over a five-year period, excluding AFUDC, for gas distribution storm hardening and mitigation projects, along with incremental O&M expenses.

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