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Regulatory matters | 6 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2019
Regulated Operations [Abstract] |
Regulatory matters | Regulatory matters The Company regularly reviews the need for electric and natural gas rate changes in each of the jurisdictions in which service is provided. The Company files for rate adjustments to seek recovery of operating costs and capital investments, as well as reasonable returns as allowed by regulators. The Company's most recent cases by jurisdiction are discussed in the following paragraphs. MNPUC On April 18, 2019, the MNPUC approved a decrease in rates for Great Plains of $400,000 on an annual basis to reflect TCJA impacts effective May 1, 2019, as well as a one-time TCJA refund of approximately $600,000, to be issued within 120 days of the implementation of new rates, for the period from January 1, 2018 through April 30, 2019. MTPSC On September 28, 2018, Montana-Dakota filed an application with the MTPSC for an electric rate increase of approximately $11.9 million annually or approximately 18.9 percent above current rates. The requested increase was primarily to recover investments in facilities to enhance safety and reliability and the depreciation and taxes associated with the increase in investment. The requested increase was partially offset by tax savings related to the TCJA. On March 7, 2019, the MTPSC issued an interim order authorizing an interim increase of $7.9 million or approximately 12.8 percent, subject to refund, to be effective with service rendered on or after April 1, 2019. On April 24, 2019, Montana-Dakota submitted a settlement agreement reflecting a $9.0 million annual increase to be implemented in the first 12 months following the date of approval and an additional $300,000 annual increase to be implemented beginning 12 months after the date of approval. On June 18, 2019, the MTPSC voted to approve the settlement as filed. NDPSC On January 23, 2019, the NDPSC approved a $168,000 reduction in annual revenues for Great Plains to reflect TCJA impacts effective February 1, 2019, along with the refund plan that provided for approximately $200,000 in refunds that were credited to customers' bills on April 12, 2019. On July 19, 2019, Montana-Dakota filed an update with the NDPSC to recover approximately $1.5 million annually for the revenue requirements on certain electric transmission projects through its transmission cost adjustment rate. This matter is pending before the NDPSC. OPUC On December 29, 2017, Cascade filed a request with the OPUC to use deferral accounting for the 2018 net benefits associated with the implementation of the TCJA. The deferral request was renewed on December 28, 2018. This matter is pending before the OPUC. On May 31, 2018, Cascade filed a general rate case with the OPUC requesting an overall increase to Cascade's natural gas rates of approximately $2.3 million or 3.5 percent on an annual basis, which incorporated the impact of the TCJA. On January 22, 2019, Cascade filed a stipulation with the OPUC for an annual increase in revenues of $1.7 million with a $500,000 reduction for excess deferred income taxes, for a net increase of $1.2 million. On March 14, 2019, the OPUC approved the settlement with rates effective April 1, 2019. On June 14, 2019, Cascade filed a request with the OPUC to implement a new pipeline safety cost recovery mechanism to recover investments to replace Cascade's highest risk infrastructure. If approved, Cascade would file a report annually with the OPUC detailing actual projects undertaken and costs incurred for the year on November 1, seeking recovery for investments from January 1 through December 31 of that same year. This matter is pending before the OPUC. WUTC On March 28, 2019, the WUTC approved an increase to Cascade's natural gas rates through an out-of-period purchased gas adjustment surcharge. The increase of approximately $48.0 million reflected unrecovered purchased gas costs from October 2018 through the end of January 2019 as a result of the rupture of the Enbridge pipeline in Canada on October 9, 2018, causing increased natural gas costs. The WUTC approved this amount, including interest, to be collected over three years beginning April 1, 2019. On March 29, 2019, Cascade filed a general rate case with the WUTC requesting an increase in annual revenue of $12.7 million or approximately 5.5 percent. This matter is pending before the WUTC. The WUTC has 11 months to process the request and issue an order. On May 31, 2019, Cascade filed its annual pipeline cost recovery mechanism requesting an increase in revenue of approximately $1.6 million or approximately 0.7 percent. This matter is pending before the WUTC. WYPSC On April 4, 2019, Montana-Dakota submitted compliance rates to the WYPSC reflecting a decrease in annual revenues of approximately $1.1 million or approximately 4.2 percent to reflect TCJA impacts. On April 8, 2019, the WYPSC approved the Company's requested decrease in electric rates and required a refund to customers for the period from January 1, 2018 through the date prior to the implementation of the rates within 90 days of the effective date of the new rates. The new rates were implemented for service rendered on and after May 1, 2019, and the refunds of approximately $1.6 million were credited to customers' bills on July 25, 2019. On March 30, 2018, Montana-Dakota reported its natural gas earnings do not support a decrease in rates and requested the WYPSC allow the impacts of the TCJA be addressed in a natural gas rate case to be submitted by June 1, 2019. On July 16, 2019, the WYPSC ruled in a hearing for Montana-Dakota to provide for a one-time refund of approximately $190,000 to be credited to customers' bills by November 1, 2019, for the TCJA impacts from January 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019. This matter is pending before the WYPSC. On May 23, 2019, Montana-Dakota filed an application with the WYPSC for a natural gas rate increase of approximately $1.1 million annually or approximately 7.0 percent above current rates. The requested increase was to recover increased operating expenses and investments in distribution facilities to improve system safety and reliability. This matter is pending before the WYPSC. FERC In accordance with WBI Energy Transmission’s offer of settlement and stipulation and agreement with the FERC dated June 4, 2014, the Company was to make a filing with new proposed rates to be effective no later than May 1, 2019. On October 31, 2018, the Company filed a rate case with the FERC. Following negotiations between FERC staff, customers and the Company, on May 30, 2019, the FERC granted the Company's request to place interim settlement rates into effect May 1, 2019, subject to refund or surcharge, and pending the FERC's consideration of the filing of a settlement agreement. Based on as filed volumes and settlement rates, the revenue increase is approximately $4.5 million annually. Included in the revenue increase are the impacts from higher depreciation rates agreed to in the settlement, as well as the impacts of the TCJA. On June 28, 2019, the Company filed a final settlement agreement and related documents with the FERC. This matter is pending before the FERC.

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