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Regulatory Matters: | 6 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2013
Regulated Operations [Abstract] |
Regulatory Matters | Regulatory Matters: In accordance with accounting principles for rate-regulated enterprises, Registrant records regulatory assets, which represent probable future recovery of costs from customers through the ratemaking process, and regulatory liabilities, which represent probable future refunds that are to be credited to customers through the ratemaking process. At June 30, 2013, Registrant had approximately $74.3 million of regulatory assets, net of regulatory liabilities not accruing carrying costs. Of this amount, $50.7 million relates to the underfunding of pension and other post-retirement obligations, $15.3 million relates to deferred income taxes representing accelerated tax benefits flowed through to customers, which will be included in rates concurrently with recognition of the associated future tax expense, and $1.1 million relates to a memorandum account authorized by the CPUC to track unrealized gains and losses on GSWC’s purchase power contract over the life of the contract. The remainder relates to other items that do not provide for or incur carrying costs. Regulatory assets represent costs incurred by GSWC for which it has received or expects to receive rate recovery in the future. In determining the probability of costs being recognized in other periods, GSWC considers regulatory rules and decisions, past practices, and other facts or circumstances that would indicate if recovery is probable. If the CPUC determined that a portion of GSWC’s assets were not recoverable in customer rates, GSWC would be required to determine if it had suffered an asset impairment that would require a write-down in the assets’ valuation. Regulatory assets, less regulatory liabilities, included in the consolidated balance sheets are as follows:
(dollars in thousands) |  | June 30, 2013 |  | December 31, 2012
GSWC |  |  |  |
Water Revenue Adjustment Mechanism, net of Modified Cost Balancing Account |  | $ | 38,003 |  |  | $ | 42,574 |
Base Revenue Requirement Adjustment Mechanism |  | 8,265 |  |  | 6,833 |
Costs deferred for future recovery on Aerojet case |  | 15,577 |  |  | 16,030 |
Pensions and other post-retirement obligations (Note 7) |  | 55,836 |  |  | 56,894 |
Flow-through taxes, net (Note 6) |  | 15,340 |  |  | 16,415 |
General rate case memorandum accounts |  | 17,239 |  |  | 4,495 |
Other regulatory assets |  | 40,393 |  |  | 40,332 |
Various refunds to customers |  | (5,760 | ) |  | (7,558 | )
Total |  | $ | 184,893 |  |  | $ | 176,015 |
Regulatory matters are discussed in detail in the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 filed with the SEC. The discussion below focuses on significant matters and developments since December 31, 2012. Alternative-Revenue Programs: GSWC records the difference between what it bills its water customers and that which is authorized by the CPUC using the Water Revenue Adjustment Mechanism (“WRAM”) and Modified Cost Balancing Account (“MCBA”) accounts approved by the CPUC. GSWC has implemented surcharges to recover all of its WRAM balances, net of the MCBA. The recovery or refund of the WRAM is netted against the MCBA over- or under-collection for the corresponding rate-making area and is interest bearing at the current 90-day commercial paper rate. For the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, surcharges of $7.1 million and $4.2 million, respectively, were billed to customers to recover previously incurred under-collections in the WRAM, net of MCBA accounts, and $10.6 million and $7.6 million were billed to customers during the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2013, the WRAM and MCBA accounts also reflect the effects of the authorized 2013 adopted revenue and supply cost amounts approved in the CPUC’s final decision issued in May 2013 on GSWC’s water general rate case, discussed later under General Rate Case Memorandum Accounts. In March 2013, the CPUC approved recovery of GSWC's 2012 WRAM under-collection of $23.8 million, to be collected over 12 to 18 months. As of June 30, 2013, GSWC has a net aggregated regulatory asset of $38.0 million which is comprised of a $51.1 million under-collection in the WRAM accounts and $13.1 million over-collection in the MCBA accounts. Based on CPUC guidelines, recovery periods relating to the majority of GSWC’s WRAM/MCBA balances range between 18 and 24 months. In April 2012, the CPUC issued a final decision which, among other things, set the recovery periods for under-collection balances that are up to 15% of adopted annual revenues at 18 months or less. In addition to adopting a new amortization schedule, the final decision sets a cap on total net WRAM/MCBA surcharges in any given calendar year of 10% of the last authorized revenue requirement. The cap is effective following the first test year of each applicant’s pending or next general rate case. For GSWC, the cap will be applied to its 2013 WRAM balances to be filed in early 2014. The cap requirement set forth in the final decision does not impact GSWC’s 2012 and prior year WRAM/MCBA balances. For BVES, the CPUC approved the Base Revenue Requirement Adjustment Mechanism (“BRRAM”), which adjusts certain revenues to adopted levels. In May 2013, the CPUC approved surcharges for recovery of BVES’ 2012 BRRAM balance. The CPUC approved a 36-month surcharge, with the amounts collected through December 2014 to be applied to the 2012 BRRAM under-collection of $2.3 million. Surcharges collected during the remainder of the 36-month period will recover a $1.8 million increase in the BVES revenue requirement representing the difference between the allocated general office costs authorized by the CPUC in November 2010, and what was then in BVES’ rates for allocated general office costs. As authorized by the CPUC, the $1.8 million was combined in the BRRAM for recovery through the surcharge; however, these costs are not considered an alternative revenue program. General Rate Case Memorandum Accounts: The balance in the general rate case memorandum accounts represents the revenue differences between interim rates and final rates authorized by the CPUC due to delays in receiving decisions on various general rate case applications. As of June 30, 2013, there is an aggregate $17.2 million in the general rate case memorandum accounts, the majority of which is for retroactive rate increases effective January 1, 2013, as a result of the final decision issued by the CPUC in May 2013 on GSWC’s water general rate case. On May 9, 2013, the CPUC issued a final decision on GSWC’s water general rate case approving new rates for 2013 through 2015 at GSWC’s three water regions, which include recovery for costs incurred at the general office. The new rates were retroactive to January 1, 2013 and were implemented on May 22, 2013. Accordingly, as of June 30, 2013, GSWC has a $13.1 million regulatory asset representing the difference between interim rates and the final rates authorized by the CPUC for the period January 1, 2013 through May 22, 2013. A surcharge to recover this difference is expected to be filed with the CPUC during the third quarter of 2013. Other Regulatory Assets: Among other things, the final CPUC decision issued in May 2013 approved the recovery of various memorandum accounts which tracked certain previously incurred costs. As a result, during the first quarter of 2013 , GSWC recorded $3.2 million in other regulatory assets, the majority of which was reflected as a decrease in certain operating expenses related to the approval of these memorandum accounts in the final decision. Other Regulatory Matters: CPUC Rehearing Matter In July 2011, the CPUC issued an order granting the rehearing of certain issues from the Region II, Region III and general office rate case approved in November 2010. Among the issues in the rehearing was the La Serena plant improvement project included in rate base totaling approximately $3.5 million. As a result of the CPUC’s decision in November 2010, GSWC had recorded a pretax charge of $2.2 million during 2010, which included the disallowance of a portion of the La Serena capital costs and the related revenues earned on those capital costs to be refunded to customers. In March 2013, GSWC and the Division of Ratepayer Advocates ("DRA") reached a settlement agreement, subject to CPUC approval, to resolve all the issues in the rehearing. In March 2013, GSWC filed for CPUC approval of the settlement agreement. In anticipation of this settlement, GSWC recorded an additional pretax charge of $416,000 in 2012, representing disallowed plant improvement project costs and related revenues earned on those costs that it expects will be refunded to customers based upon the terms of the settlement being discussed. The settlement agreement, if approved, would resolve all issues arising from the rehearing. BVES General Rate Case In February 2012, BVES filed its general rate case (“GRC”) for new rates in years 2013 through 2016. In August 2012, DRA issued its report on the GRC. Included in DRA’s recommendations was a $2.0 million retroactive ratemaking proposal to increase BVES’ accumulated depreciation balance to reflect adopted depreciation expense for the years 2009 through 2012 rather than actual depreciation expense as recorded in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. DRA also recommended that one-half of deferred rate case costs be borne by shareholders, rather than entirely by customers, as has been authorized by the CPUC in prior rate cases. As of June 30, 2013, GSWC has a $2.0 million regulatory asset representing deferred rate case costs for the current BVES general rate case, which the CPUC has historically allowed utilities to recover. If DRA prevails, GSWC may be required to record a charge to adjust accumulated depreciation and to write off half of its deferred rate case costs. GSWC believes DRA’s recommendations are without merit and intends to vigorously defend its positions. At this time, GSWC does not believe a potential loss is probable, but is unable to predict the final outcome of these matters in the pending rate case. Hearings on BVES’ GRC, including the matters discussed above, were held in September 2012. In November 2012, GSWC filed a motion to introduce new information regarding the results of a study on mandatory testing of BVES’s transmission and distribution poles to help support BVES' request for approval of additional capital expenditures. The administrative law judge assigned to this GRC re-opened the record to receive additional testimony based on this study, and to conduct additional evidentiary hearings. DRA has challenged the results of the study, and requested that BVES provide additional information. Alternative dispute resolution meetings for the GRC are scheduled to be held in September 2013. A proposed decision for this GRC is expected later in 2013. Renewables Portfolio Standard In December 2011, a new renewables portfolio standard (“RPS”) law went into effect which changed, among other things, annual procurement targets to multi-year procurement targets. Under the RPS, BVES must procure sufficient RPS-eligible resources to meet: (i) any RPS procurement requirement deficit for any year prior to 2011, and (ii) RPS procurement requirements for the 2011 through 2013 compliance period by no later than December 31, 2013. BVES’ latest RPS reports under the new standards were submitted to the CPUC in December 2012, and did not reflect any RPS procurement deficiencies nor any potential or actual penalties. Accordingly, no provision for loss has been recorded in the financial statements as of June 30, 2013. In December 2012, GSWC entered into a ten-year agreement with a third party to purchase renewable energy credits (“RECs”). Under the terms of the agreement, GSWC would purchase approximately 582,000 RECs over a ten-year period which would be used towards meeting the CPUC’s RPS procurement requirements. In July 2013, the CPUC approved the agreement. In July 2012, the CPUC also approved the purchase of REC's from the Los Angeles County Sanitation District. BVES intends to apply these RECS towards either its pre-2011 RPS requirements or its 2011 through 2013 requirements. The RECs will be included as part of the electric supply cost balancing account when the RECs are applied towards the RPS requirements during the fourth quarter of 2013. In March 2013, BVES filed an application with the CPUC to recover $835,000 (including interest) in additional costs incurred from April 1, 2011 through December 31, 2012 in connection with its efforts to procure renewable energy resources. In May 2013, the CPUC approved these costs and accordingly, BVES recorded a regulatory asset and a corresponding decrease to legal and outside services costs during the second quarter of 2013. The amount will be recovered through a 12-month surcharge. In March 2012, BVES had also received approval for recovery of $1.2 million of costs in its efforts to procure renewable energy resources incurred during the period September 1, 2007 through March 31, 2011.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for detailed information about regulatory assets and liabilities, including current and noncurrent assets created when regulatory agencies permit the deferral of costs to the balance sheet that would otherwise be required to appear on the company's income statement and would be charged against current expenses or revenues, as well as current and noncurrent liabilities created when regulatory agencies permit. + References No definition available. + Details
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