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REGULATION | 12 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2014
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. A draft management audit report was accepted by the BPU on July 23, 2014, for public comment and is waiting for final approval. 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) | 2014 | 2013
Regulatory assets-current |  |
Underrecovered gas costs | $ | 12,577 |  | $ | 953 |
Conservation Incentive Program | — |  | 18,887 |
New Jersey Clean Energy Program | 14,285 |  | 14,532 |
Total current regulatory assets | $ | 26,862 |  | $ | 34,372 |
Regulatory assets-noncurrent |  |
Environmental remediation costs |  |
Expended, net of recoveries | $ | 30,916 |  | $ | 46,968 |
Liability for future expenditures | 177,000 |  | 183,600 |
Deferred income taxes | 9,968 |  | 10,718 |
Derivatives at fair value, net | — |  | 19 |
SAVEGREEN | 29,180 |  | 30,004 |
Postemployment and other benefit costs | 108,507 |  | 101,415 |
Deferred Superstorm Sandy costs | 15,207 |  | 14,822 |
Other noncurrent regulatory assets | 6,797 |  | 14,656 |
Total noncurrent regulatory assets | $ | 377,575 |  | $ | 402,202 |
Regulatory liability-current |  |
Conservation Incentive Program | $ | 5,752 |  | $ | — |
Derivatives at fair value, net | 320 |  | 1,456 |
Total current regulatory liabilities | $ | 6,072 |  | $ | 1,456 |
Regulatory liabilities-noncurrent |  |
Cost of removal obligation | $ | 61,163 |  | $ | 79,315 |
Derivatives at fair value, net | 57 |  | — |
Other noncurrent regulatory liabilities | 106 |  | 332 |
Total noncurrent regulatory liabilities | $ | 61,326 |  | $ | 79,647 |
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 2015. 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 10-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. On October 22, 2014, the BPU approved, as prudent and reasonable, the deferred O&M storm costs to be recovered in NJNG's next base rate case including the appropriate recovery period for such deferred expenses, 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, 2014, NJNG has recorded $3.8 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 2013 and 2014: BGSS and CIP BGSS rates are normally revised on an annual basis. In addition, 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. Commodity prices were relatively stable during fiscal 2014 and 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. 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. On May 21, 2014, the BPU approved the continuation of the CIP program with no expiration date; however, it will be subject to review in a future rate filing in 2017. NJNG's annual BGSS and CIP filings are summarized as follows:
• | June 2012 BGSS/CIP filing — NJNG proposed to maintain its 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 heat customer's 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 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 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 heat customer's bill. On July 23, 2014, the BPU approved these rates on a final basis.
• | June 2014 BGSS/CIP filing — NJNG proposed to maintain its BGSS rate. In addition, NJNG proposed a 4.3 percent reduction to an average residential heat customer's bill related to the CIP factor for fiscal 2015. On September 30, 2014, the BPU provisionally approved these rates to be effective October 1, 2014.
• | On October 1, 2014, NJNG implemented a decrease to its BGSS price for residential sales and general service small sales customers resulting in a 5 percent decrease to the average residential heat customer's bill.
Infrastructure Programs NJNG has significant annual capital expenditures associated with the management of its natural gas distribution and transmission system, including new utility plant for customer growth and its associated PIM and infrastructure programs. NJNG has implemented BPU-approved infrastructure projects that are designed to enhance the reliability of NJNG's gas distribution system, including AIP and SAFE. The AIP projects, which totaled approximately $148.7 million, were constructed and gas was introduced to the system from 2009 through October 2012. In May 2013, a base rate change was approved by the BPU that permits NJNG to recover a total of approximately $15.3 million annually. Depending on the infrastructure project, recoveries include a weighted average cost of capital of 7.76 percent or 7.12 percent with a return on equity of 10.3 percent. In October 2012, the BPU approved NJNG's petition to implement the SAFE program, investing up to $130 million, exclusive of AFUDC, over a four-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. 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 into 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. 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. On April 23, 2014, the BPU approved NJNG's request to include a cost recovery filing to the BPU within the Company's next base rate case to be filed no later than November 15, 2015. In addition, the BPU approved a deferred accounting methodology related to the NGV investment costs consistent with NJNG's SAFE Program. The NGV program was authorized by the BPU to earn an overall weighted average cost of capital of 7.1 percent, including a return on 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 back to ratepayers to help offset the cost of this investment. As of September 30, 2014, NJNG has begun development on three NGV stations for a total investment of approximately $5.8 million to date. On September 3, 2013, NJNG filed a petition seeking approval of NJ RISE, which consists of six capital investment projects estimated to cost $102.5 million over a five-year period, excluding AFUDC, for gas distribution storm hardening and mitigation projects, along with incremental O&M expenses. The submission was made in response to a March 2013 BPU order, initiating a proceeding to investigate prudent, cost efficient and effective opportunities to protect New Jersey's utility infrastructure from future major storm events. These system enhancements are intended to minimize service impacts during extreme weather events to customers that live in the most storm prone areas of NJNG's service territory. In the filing, NJNG seeks to recover the capital costs associated with NJ RISE through an annual adjustment to its base rate. On July 23, 2014, the BPU issued an order approving a Stipulation of Settlement related to the NJ RISE capital infrastructure program that requires NJNG to submit a filing in May 2015 to recover costs through July 31, 2015, associated with NJ RISE. Those costs will be recovered through an adjustment to base rates as of November 1, 2015. Additional cost recovery will be included in NJNG's next base rate case scheduled to be filed no later than November 15, 2015. 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 SAVEGREEN conducts home energy audits and provides various grants, incentives and financing alternatives, which are designed to encourage the installation of high efficiency heating and cooling equipment and other energy efficiency upgrades 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 10-year period through a tariff rider mechanism. As of September 30, 2014, the BPU has approved total SAVEGREEN expenditures of $85 million related to grants and rebates, of which, NJNG has spent a total of $52.8 million and approved $93.1 million related to customer financing incentives, of which, NJNG has provided interest-free loans in the amount of $38.8 million. SAVEGREEN investments and costs are filed with the BPU on an annual basis and include the following:
• | June 2012 SAVEGREEN filing — In June 2013, the BPU approved NJNG's 2012 request 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 10-year period, which represents an an annual recovery of approximately $12.4 million.
Additionally, in June 2014, NJNG submitted a rate filing for the recovery of SAVEGREEN costs, which proposes to maintain the existing rate. 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:
• | 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.
• | June 2012 USF filing — NJNG filed to reduce the USF recovery rate resulting in a .1 percent decrease for the average residential heat customer's bill. 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 heat customer's bill effective October 1, 2013. The rate was approved by the BPU in September 2013.
• | July 2013 SBC filing — NJNG requested approval of its MGP expenditures incurred through June 2013, as well as a .2 percent reduction to the average residential heat customer's bill related to the SBC RA factor to recover $18.7 million annually, and a 1.9 percent increase related to its NJCEP factor. The rates were approved by the BPU on a provisional basis, effective December 1, 2013, and on a final basis in July 2014.
• | June 2014 USF filing — NJNG filed to to increase the statewide USF rate, resulting in a .4 percent increase to the average residential heat customer's bill effective October 1, 2014. The rate was approved by the BPU in September 2014.
• | September 2014 SBC filing — NJNG requested approval of its MGP expenditures incurred through June 2014, as well as a 3 percent reduction to the average residential heat customer's bill, to recover $8.5 million annually related to the SBC RA factor and $16.3 million related to the NJCEP factor.
• | 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. In June 2014, the BPU approved NJNG's funding obligations for July 2014 to June 2015, of approximately $15.6 million. Accordingly, NJNG recorded the obligation and corresponding regulatory asset on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Other Regulatory Initiatives 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 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. As of September 30, 2014, NJNG has deferred $15.2 million of these costs as a regulatory asset. On October 22, 2014, the BPU approved, as prudent and reasonable, the deferred O&M storm costs to be recovered in NJNG's next base rate case to be filed no later than November 15, 2015. 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. The municipal consent was approved by the BPU in September 2013. In December 2013, the BPU approved a gas service agreement between TAQA GEN-X, LLC and NJNG that allows NJNG to provide transportation service to Red Oak Power, LLC, through September 2022. Construction to connect to the plant commenced during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, and is anticipated to cost approximately $1 million, which will be reimbursed by Red Oak Power, LLC. Service is expected to begin in the first half of fiscal 2015. On April 23, 2014, the BPU approved a petition filed by NJNG requesting authorization over a three-year period to issue up to $300 million of medium-term notes with a maturity of not more than 30 years, renew its revolving credit facility expiring August 2014 for up to five years, enter into interest rate risk management transactions related to debt securities and redeem, refinance or defease any of NJNG's outstanding long-term debt securities.

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