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Regulatory matters and revenues subject to refund | 6 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2015
Regulated Operations [Abstract] |
Regulatory matters and revenues subject to refund | Regulatory matters and revenues subject to refund On August 11, 2014, Montana-Dakota filed an application with the MTPSC for a natural gas rate increase. Montana-Dakota requested a total increase of approximately $3.0 million annually or approximately 3.6 percent above current rates. The requested increase includes the costs associated with the increased investment in facilities, including ongoing investment in new and replacement distribution facilities, depreciation and taxes associated with the increased investment as well as an increase in Montana-Dakota's operation and maintenance expenses. On February 3, 2015, the MTPSC approved an interim increase of $2.0 million or approximately 2.3 percent, subject to refund, to be effective with service rendered on and after February 6, 2015. On March 18, 2015, Montana-Dakota and the Montana Consumer Counsel filed a settlement agreement that resolved all issues of the application and reflected a natural gas rate increase of $2.5 million annually or approximately 3.0 percent. An amended stipulation reflecting minor changes in rate design was submitted on March 24, 2015. On April 28, 2015, the MTPSC approved the settlement rates to be effective with service rendered on or after May 20, 2015. On October 3, 2014, Montana-Dakota filed an application with the WYPSC for a natural gas rate increase. Montana-Dakota requested a total increase of approximately $788,000 annually or approximately 4.1 percent above current rates. The requested increase includes the costs associated with the increased investment in facilities, including ongoing investment in new and replacement distribution facilities and the associated operation and maintenance expenses, depreciation and taxes associated with the increase in investment. On April 16, 2015, Montana-Dakota and the Wyoming Office of Consumer Advocate filed a stipulation and agreement that resolved all issues between the parties and reflected a natural gas rate increase of $501,000 annually or approximately 2.6 percent. The WYPSC held a hearing on this matter on May 19, 2015. The WYPSC approved the stipulation and agreement authorizing the rate increase effective with service rendered on and after June 1, 2015. On December 22, 2014, Montana-Dakota filed an application for advance determination of prudence and a certificate of public convenience and necessity with the NDPSC for the Thunder Spirit Wind project. This project will provide energy, capacity and renewable energy credits to Montana-Dakota's electric customers in North Dakota, Montana and South Dakota. The NDPSC held a hearing regarding this matter on May 14, 2015. The NDPSC approved the advance determination of prudence and issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity on June 30, 2015. On February 6, 2015, Montana-Dakota filed an application with the NDPSC for a natural gas rate increase. Montana-Dakota requested a total increase of approximately $4.3 million annually or approximately 3.4 percent above current rates. The requested increase includes the costs associated with the increased investment in facilities, including ongoing investment in new and replacement distribution facilities, depreciation and taxes associated with the increased investment as well as an increase in Montana-Dakota's operation and maintenance expenses. Montana-Dakota requested an interim increase of $4.3 million or 3.4 percent, subject to refund, which was approved by the NDPSC on March 11, 2015, effective with service rendered on or after April 7, 2015. A technical hearing has been scheduled for August 31, 2015. This matter is pending before the NDPSC. On March 31, 2015, Cascade filed an application with the OPUC for a natural gas rate increase. Cascade requested a total increase of approximately $3.6 million annually or approximately 5.1 percent above current rates. The requested increase includes the costs associated with the increased investment in facilities, including ongoing investment in new and replacement distribution facilities and the associated operation and maintenance expenses, depreciation and taxes associated with the increase in investment, as well as environmental remediation expenses. A hearing has been scheduled for October 27-28, 2015. On April 10, 2015, Montana-Dakota submitted a request to the NDPSC to update the electric rate environmental cost recovery rider to reflect actual costs incurred through February 2015 and projected costs through June 2016 related to the recovery of Montana-Dakota's share of the costs resulting from the environmental retrofit required to be installed at the Big Stone Station. The request also includes costs associated with the environmental upgrade required at the Lewis & Clark Station to comply with the EPA's MATS rule. The filing also requests a revision to the environmental cost recovery rider that will allow future recovery of ongoing reagent costs required to meet environmental standards as a monthly adjustment. A total of $8.1 million is requested to be recovered under the adjustment. The NDPSC approved the requested rider to be effective with service rendered on and after July 1, 2015. On June 24, 2015, Cascade filed an application with the WUTC for a natural gas rate increase. Cascade requested a total increase of approximately $3.9 million annually or approximately 1.6 percent above current rates. The requested increase includes costs associated with increased infrastructure investment and the associated operating expenses. A public meeting is scheduled for August 27, 2015. On June 25, 2015, Montana-Dakota filed an application for an electric rate increase with the MTPSC. Montana-Dakota requested a total increase of approximately $11.8 million annually or approximately 21.1 percent above current rates. The increase is necessary to recover Montana-Dakota’s investments in modifications to generation facilities to comply with new EPA requirements, the addition and/or replacement of capacity and energy requirements and transmission facilities along with the additional depreciation, operation and maintenance expenses and taxes associated with the increases in investment. Montana-Dakota requested an interim increase of $11.0 million annually, which is pending before the MTPSC. On June 30, 2015, Montana-Dakota filed an application with the SDPUC for an electric rate increase. Montana-Dakota requested a total increase of approximately $2.7 million annually or approximately 19.2 percent above current rates. The increase is necessary to recover Montana-Dakota’s investments in modifications to generation facilities to comply with new EPA requirements, the addition and/or replacement of capacity and energy requirements and transmission facilities along with the additional depreciation, operation and maintenance expenses and taxes associated with the increases in investment. On June 30, 2015, Montana-Dakota filed an application for a natural gas rate increase with the SDPUC. Montana-Dakota requested a total increase of approximately $1.5 million annually or approximately 3.1 percent above current rates. The increase is necessary to recover increased operating expenses along with increased investment in facilities, including the related depreciation expense and taxes, partially offset by an increase in customers and throughput.

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