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Regulatory Rate Filings | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2014
Regulated Operations [Abstract] |
Regulatory Rate Filings | Regulatory Rate Filings On February 28, 2014, San Jose Water Company submitted Advice Letter No. 456. In this advice letter, San Jose Water Company notified the CPUC that San Jose Water Company was implementing conservation Tariff Rule 14.1. The CPUC's Rule 14.1 provides voluntary conservation measures for customers, focusing primarily on outdoor water use which accounts for 50% of a typical customer's water usage. In addition, San Jose Water Company requested the implementation of a MCMA to track all operational and administrative costs associated with the implementation of Rule 14.1 and implementation of a MCRAMA to track any revenue shortfall associated with the implementation of the 20% conservation goal. The advice letter was approved on March 21, 2014 and the Rule 14.1 voluntary conservation measures, the MCMA, and MCRAMA all went into effect on March 31, 2014. San Jose Water Company will record the impact of the MCRAMA and MCMA regulatory accounts once probability of recovery can be determined and collection can be assured within 24 months of the year-end the revenue is recorded. On August 14, 2014, the CPUC issued Decision No. 14-08-006 in San Jose Water Company's General Rate Case filing for the years 2013-2015. This Decision resolved all issues in San Jose Water Company's General Rate Case and closed the proceeding. The Decision authorized an increase of revenue of $22,102, or 9.81%, for 2013 and $13,274, or 5.21% for 2014, and provides San Jose Water Company authorization to file to increase rates for 2015 in November 2014. Additionally, due to the nearly 20 month delay in receiving the Decision, San Jose Water Company was authorized to file for a surcharge to true-up the difference between interim rates (i.e. rates that were actually in effect since January 1, 2013) and authorized rates (i.e. rates that should have been effect since January 1, 2013). The Company filed for this surcharge on August 29, 2014 with Advice Letter No. 465, requesting the CPUC to implement a surcharge to recover balances in San Jose Water Company's 2013 General Rate Case Interim Rates Memorandum Account. In this filing, San Jose Water Company sought to recover $46,700 of revenue which was not collected over the period of January 1, 2013 through August 14, 2014 due to the delayed decision in San Jose Water Company's General Rate Case Application. The retroactive adjustment reflects the impact of actual usage compared to what was authorized in the Decision for 2013 and the combined impact of 2013 and 2014 rate increases for 2014. This recovery was authorized in Decision No. 14-08-006. San Jose Water Company intends to recover the uncollected revenue over a three-year period via a $0.2888 per CCF surcharge applied to all customer usage as authorized in the 2012 General Rate Case. This surcharge was approved by the CPUC effective September 29, 2014. On October 3, 2013, CLWSC filed a rate case with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (“TCEQ”). The filing contained a request for an average system-wide rate increase of 23.1%, or $2,400. With the exception of customers served within the City of Bulverde, the new rates became effective on December 2, 2013. Subsequently, effective March 1, 2014, a rate settlement agreement was reached with the City of Bulverde with rate increases being phased-in over a 28-month period. Prior to approval by the TCEQ, the new rates are subject to adjustment and refund for customers outside the City of Bulverde. A preliminary hearing in the matter for customers outside the City of Bulverde was completed on July 22, 2014. A settlement proposal was submitted for the commission's consideration on November 3, 2014, and a decision is expected in the fourth quarter of 2014. CLWSC has recognized the average 23.1% increase in accordance with ASC Topic 980 which provides guidance when a regulated entity is permitted to bill requested rate increases before the regulator has ruled on the request. If information becomes available that indicates it is probable that any of the average 23.1% rate increase will need to be refunded and the amount of refund can be reasonably estimated, a loss contingency shall be accrued. CLWSC has determined at this time that it is not probable that any of the rate increase will need to be refunded. Management does not anticipate that the final TCEQ decision will materially affect SJW Corp.'s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

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