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Regulatory Assets and Liabilities | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2020
Regulated Operations [Abstract] |
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities | Regulatory Assets and Liabilities The CPUC follows a rate case plan which requires Cal Water to file a GRC for each of its regulated operating districts every three years. In a GRC proceeding, the CPUC not only considers the utility's rate setting requests, but may also consider other issues that affect the utility's rates and operations. The CPUC is generally required to issue its GRC decision prior to the first day of the test year or authorize interim rates. In accordance with the rate case plan, Cal Water filed its 2018 GRC application in July of 2018 requesting rate changes effective January 1, 2020. On October 8, 2019, Cal Water jointly filed a formal settlement agreement for its 2018 GRC with the Public Advocates Office of the CPUC covering the majority of open matters in the case. The key matters not included in the settlement which are currently being litigated are: continuation of the WRAM, MCBA, PCBA, and HCBA. Recognition of regulatory assets for these litigated matters have therefore not been recorded for the period ended March 31, 2020. If the CPUC approves the settlement agreement, Cal Water would be authorized to include in rates $609.0 million to $628.0 million of new projects throughout the state in 2019 to 2021, along with approximately $200.0 million for completion of additional projects which commenced in 2018 and prior periods. Included in these figures are $148.0 million of advice letter authorizations, which would not be included in rates until related projects are completed. Cal Water anticipates that if the settlement were adopted, it would plan to make capital investments of approximately $809.0 million to $828.0 million in the 2019-2021 period. Cal Water's 2018 GRC decision has been delayed and Cal Water has been granted interim rate relief beginning January 1, 2020. The results of the 2018 GRC may differ from what is contained in the GRC application. The Company currently expects a decision from the CPUC in mid-2020. Regulatory assets and liabilities were comprised of the following as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019:
| Recovery Period |  | March 31, 2020 |  | December 31, 2019
Regulatory Assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pension and retiree group health | Indefinitely |  | $ | 208,157 |  |  | $ | 208,321 |
Property-related temporary differences (tax benefits flowed through to customers) | Indefinitely |  | 105,600 |  |  | 104,931 |
Other accrued benefits | Indefinitely |  | 20,885 |  |  | 20,030 |
Net WRAM and MCBA long-term accounts receivable | 1-2 years |  | 31,693 |  |  | 25,465 |
Asset retirement obligations, net | Indefinitely |  | 20,045 |  |  | 19,567 |
Interim rates long-term accounts receivable | 1 year |  | 4,642 |  |  | 4,642 |
Tank coating | 10 years |  | 14,426 |  |  | 13,535 |
Recoverable property losses | 10 years |  | 4,856 |  |  | 5,000 |
PCBA | 1 year |  | 21,465 |  |  | 21,465 |
Other components of net periodic benefit cost | Indefinitely |  | 5,503 |  |  | 5,145 |
Other regulatory assets | Various |  | 5,547 |  |  | 5,221 |
Total Regulatory Assets |  |  | $ | 442,819 |  |  | $ | 433,322 |
Regulatory Liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Future tax benefits due to customers |  |  | $ | 194,459 |  |  | $ | 194,501 |
HCBA |  |  | 4,271 |  |  | 4,271 |
CEBA |  |  | 559 |  |  | 2,742 |
Net WRAM and MCBA long-term payable |  |  | 135 |  |  | 211 |
Tax accounting memorandum account |  |  | 853 |  |  | 806 |
Cost of capital memorandum account |  |  | 154 |  |  | 151 |
1,2,3 trichloropropane (TCP) settlement proceeds |  |  | 9,491 |  |  | 8,426 |
Other regulatory liabilities |  |  | 345 |  |  | 305 |
Total Regulatory Liabilities |  |  | $ | 210,267 |  |  | $ | 211,413 |
Short-term regulatory assets and liabilities are excluded from the above table. The short-term regulatory assets were $25.0 million as of March 31, 2020 and $38.2 million as of December 31, 2019. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the short-term regulatory assets primarily consist of net WRAM and MCBA receivables. The short-term portions of regulatory liabilities were $3.5 million as of March 31, 2020 and $4.5 million as of December 31, 2019. The short-term regulatory liabilities as of March 31, 2020, primarily consist of 2015 GRC CEBA refunds. As of December 31, 2019, the short-term regulatory liabilities primarily consist of TCP settlement proceeds, tax accounting memorandum account refunds, and cost of capital memorandum account refunds.

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