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Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Nature of Operations | Nature of Operations —Unitil Corporation (Unitil or the Company) is a public utility holding company. Unitil and its subsidiaries are subject to regulation as a holding company system by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) under the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The following companies are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Unitil: Unitil Energy Systems, Inc. (Unitil Energy), Fitchburg Gas and Electric Light Company (Fitchburg), Northern Utilities, Inc. (Northern Utilities), Granite State Gas Transmission, Inc. (Granite State), Unitil Power Corp. (Unitil Power), Unitil Realty Corp. (Unitil Realty), Unitil Service Corp. (Unitil Service) and its non-regulated business unit Unitil Resources, Inc. (Unitil Resources). The Company’s earnings are seasonal and are typically higher in the first and fourth quarters when customers use natural gas for heating purposes. Unitil’s principal business is the local distribution of electricity in the southeastern seacoast and capital city areas of New Hampshire and the greater Fitchburg area of north central Massachusetts and the local distribution of natural gas in southeastern New Hampshire, portions of southern Maine to the Lewiston-Auburn area and in the greater Fitchburg area of north central Massachusetts. Unitil has three distribution utility subsidiaries, Unitil Energy, which operates in New Hampshire; Fitchburg, which operates in Massachusetts; and Northern Utilities, which operates in New Hampshire and Maine (collectively referred to as the “distribution utilities”). Granite State is an interstate natural gas transmission pipeline company, operating 86 miles of underground gas transmission pipeline primarily located in Maine and New Hampshire. Granite State provides Northern Utilities with interconnection to three major natural gas pipelines and access to domestic natural gas supplies in the south and Canadian natural gas supplies in the north. Granite State derives its revenues principally from the transportation services provided to Northern Utilities and, to a lesser extent, third-party marketers. A fifth utility subsidiary, Unitil Power, formerly functioned as the full requirements wholesale power supply provider for Unitil Energy. In connection with the implementation of electric industry restructuring in New Hampshire, Unitil Power ceased being the wholesale supplier for Unitil Energy on May 1, 2003 and divested of its long-term power supply contracts through the sale of the entitlements to the electricity associated with various electric power supply contracts it had acquired to serve Unitil Energy’s customers. Unitil also has three other wholly-owned subsidiaries: Unitil Service, Unitil Realty and Unitil Resources. Unitil Service provides, at cost, a variety of administrative and professional services, including regulatory, financial, accounting, human resources, engineering, operations, technology, energy management and management services on a centralized basis to its affiliated Unitil companies. Unitil Realty owns and manages the Company’s corporate office in Hampton, New Hampshire and leases this facility to Unitil Service under a long-term lease arrangement. Unitil Resources is the Company’s wholly-owned non-regulated subsidiary. Usource, Inc. and Usource L.L.C. (collectively, Usource), which the Company divested of in the first quarter of 2019, were wholly-owned subsidiaries of Unitil Resources. Usource provided energy brokering and advisory services to large commercial and industrial customers in the northeastern United States.
Divestiture of Non-Regulated Business Subsidiary | Divestiture of Non-Regulated Business Subsidiary – On March 1, 2019, the Company divested of its non-regulated energy brokering and advisory business subsidiary, Usource. The Company recognized an after-tax net gain of approximately $9.8 million on this divestiture in the first quarter of 2019. The pre-tax net gain of approximately $13.4 million on this divestiture is included in Other Income (Expense), Net on the Consolidated Statements of Earnings for the year-ended December 31, 2019, while the income taxes associated with this transaction of $3.6 million are included in the Provision For Income Taxes.
Principles of Consolidation | Principles of Consolidation —The Company’s consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Unitil and all of its wholly-owned subsidiaries and all intercompany transactions are eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates | Use of Estimates —The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP) requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and requires disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Fair Value | Fair Value —The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Codification defines fair value, and establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy under the FASB Codification include:
Level 1— |  | Inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date.
Level 2— |  | Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.
Level 3— |  | Prices or valuations that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.
To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Company in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Fair value is a market-based measure considered from the perspective of a market participant rather than an entity-specific measure. Therefore, even when market assumptions are not readily available, the Company’s own assumptions are set to reflect those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. The Company uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, including during periods of market dislocation. In periods of market dislocation, the observability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many instruments. This condition could cause an instrument to be reclassified from Level 1 to Level 2 or from Level 2 to Level 3. There have been no changes in the valuation techniques used during the current period.
Utility Revenue Recognition | Utility Revenue Recognition - Gas Operating Revenues and Electric Operating Revenues consist of billed and unbilled revenue and revenue from rate adjustment mechanisms. Billed and unbilled revenue includes delivery revenue and pass-through revenue, recognized according to tariffs approved by federal and state regulatory commissions which determine the amount of revenue the Company will record for these items. Revenue from rate adjustment mechanisms is accrued revenue, recognized in connection with rate adjustment mechanisms, and authorized by regulators for recognition in the current period for future cash recoveries from, or credits to, customers. Billed and unbilled revenue is recorded when service is rendered or energy is delivered to customers. However, the determination of energy sales to individual customers is based on the reading of their meters, which occurs on a systematic basis throughout the month. At the end of each calendar month, amounts of energy delivered to customers since the date of the last meter reading are estimated and the corresponding unbilled revenues are calculated. These unbilled revenues are estimated each month based on estimated customer usage by class and applicable customer rates, taking into account current and historical weather data, assumptions pertaining to metering patterns, billing cycle statistics, and other estimates and assumptions, and are then reversed in the following month when billed to customers. A majority of the Company’s revenue from contracts with customers continues to be recognized on a monthly basis based on applicable tariffs and customer monthly consumption. Such revenue is recognized using the invoice practical expedient which allows an entity to recognize revenue in the amount that directly corresponds to the value transferred to the customer. The Company’s billed and unbilled revenue meets the definition of “revenues from contracts with customers” as defined in Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 606. Revenue recognized in connection with rate adjustment mechanisms is consistent with the definition of alternative revenue programs in ASC 980-605-25-3, as the Company has the ability to adjust rates in the future as a result of past activities or completed events. The rate adjustment mechanisms meet the criteria within ASC 980-605-25-4. In cases where allowable costs are greater than operating revenues billed in the current period for the individual rate adjustment mechanism additional operating revenue is recognized. In cases where allowable costs are less than operating revenues billed in the current period for the individual rate adjustment mechanism, operating revenue is reduced. ASC 606 requires the Company to disclose separately the amount of revenues from contracts with customers and alternative revenue program revenues. In the following tables, revenue is classified by the types of goods/services rendered and market/customer type.
|  | Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2020 |
Gas and Electric Operating Revenues (millions): |  | Gas |  |  | Electric |  |  | Total |
Billed and Unbilled Revenue: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Residential |  | $ | 73.1 |  |  | $ | 128.7 |  |  | $ | 201.8 |
Commercial & Industrial |  |  | 104.5 |  |  |  | 91.4 |  |  |  | 195.9 |
Other |  |  | 7.6 |  |  |  | 6.6 |  |  |  | 14.2 |
Total Billed and Unbilled Revenue |  |  | 185.2 |  |  |  | 226.7 |  |  |  | 411.9 |
Rate Adjustment Mechanism Revenue |  |  | 6.2 |  |  |  | 0.5 |  |  |  | 6.7 |
Total Gas and Electric Operating Revenues |  | $ | 191.4 |  |  | $ | 227.2 |  |  | $ | 418.6 |
|  | Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2019 |
Gas and Electric Operating Revenues (millions): |  | Gas |  |  | Electric |  |  | Total |
Billed and Unbilled Revenue: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Residential |  | $ | 81.4 |  |  | $ | 121.5 |  |  | $ | 202.9 |
Commercial & Industrial |  |  | 120.1 |  |  |  | 93.8 |  |  |  | 213.9 |
Other |  |  | 10.6 |  |  |  | 7.8 |  |  |  | 18.4 |
Total Billed and Unbilled Revenue |  |  | 212.1 |  |  |  | 223.1 |  |  |  | 435.2 |
Rate Adjustment Mechanism Revenue |  |  | (8.7 | ) |  |  | 10.8 |  |  |  | 2.1 |
Total Gas and Electric Operating Revenues |  | $ | 203.4 |  |  | $ | 233.9 |  |  | $ | 437.3 |
|  | Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2018 |
Gas and Electric Operating Revenues (millions): |  | Gas |  |  | Electric |  |  | Total |
Billed and Unbilled Revenue: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Residential |  | $ | 81.4 |  |  | $ | 123.6 |  |  | $ | 205.0 |
Commercial & Industrial |  |  | 119.7 |  |  |  | 96.4 |  |  |  | 216.1 |
Other |  |  | 9.6 |  |  |  | 8.7 |  |  |  | 18.3 |
Total Billed and Unbilled Revenue |  |  | 210.7 |  |  |  | 228.7 |  |  |  | 439.4 |
Rate Adjustment Mechanism Revenue |  |  | 5.4 |  |  |  | (5.4 | ) |  |  | — |
Total Gas and Electric Operating Revenues |  | $ | 216.1 |  |  | $ | 223.3 |  |  | $ | 439.4 |
Fitchburg is subject to revenue decoupling. Revenue decoupling is the term given to the elimination of the dependency of a utility’s distribution revenue on the volume of electricity or natural gas sales. The difference between distribution revenue amounts billed to customers and the targeted revenue decoupling amounts is recorded as an increase or a decrease in the current portion of Accrued Revenue, which forms the basis for resetting rates for future cash recoveries from, or credits to, customers. These revenue decoupling targets may be adjusted as a result of rate cases that the Company files with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (MDPU). The Company estimates that revenue decoupling applies to approximately 27% and 11% of Unitil’s total annual electric and natural gas sales volumes, respectively. The Company bills its customers for sales tax in Massachusetts and Maine. These taxes are remitted to the appropriate departments of revenue in each state and are excluded from revenues on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Earnings.
Other Operating Revenue - Non-regulated | Other Operating Revenue—Non-regulated – Other Operating Revenue consists solely of revenue from Usource, Unitil’s non-regulated subsidiary, which, the Company divested on March 1, 2019. Usource conducted its business activities as a broker of competitive energy services. Usource did not take title to the electric and gas commodities which were the subject of the brokerage contracts. The Company recorded energy brokering revenues based upon the amount of electricity and gas delivered to customers through the end of the accounting period. Usource partnered with certain entities to facilitate these brokerage services and paid these entities a fee under revenue sharing agreements.
Depreciation and Amortization | Depreciation and Amortization —Depreciation expense is calculated on a group straight-line basis based on the useful lives of assets, and judgment is involved when estimating the useful lives of certain assets. The Company conducts independent depreciation studies on a periodic basis as part of the regulatory ratemaking process and considers the results presented in these studies in determining the useful lives of the Company’s fixed assets. A change in the estimated useful lives of these assets could have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Provisions for depreciation were equivalent to the following composite rates, based on the average depreciable property balances at the beginning and end of each year: 2020 – 3.34%, 2019 – 3.41% and 2018 – 3.38%.
Stock-based Employee Compensation | Stock-based Employee Compensation —Unitil accounts for stock-based employee compensation using the fair value-based method (See Note 6 (Equity)).
Sales and Consumption Taxes | Sales and Consumption Taxes —The Company bills its customers sales tax in Massachusetts and Maine and consumption tax in New Hampshire. These taxes are remitted to the appropriate departments of revenue in each state and are excluded from revenues on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Earnings. The consumption tax in New Hampshire has been repealed effective January 1, 2019.
Income Taxes | Income Taxes— The Company is subject to Federal and State income taxes as well as various other business taxes. The Company’s process for determining income tax amounts involves estimating the Company’s current tax liabilities as well as assessing temporary and permanent differences resulting from the timing of the deductions of expenses and recognition of taxable income for tax and book accounting purposes. These temporary differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities, which are included in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company accounts for income tax assets, liabilities and expenses in accordance with the FASB Codification guidance on Income Taxes. The Company classifies penalties and interest expense related to income tax liabilities as income tax expense and interest expense, respectively, in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. Provisions for income taxes are calculated in each of the jurisdictions in which the Company operates for each period for which a statement of earnings is presented. The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with the FASB Codification guidance on Income Taxes, which requires an asset and liability approach for the financial accounting and reporting of income taxes. Significant judgments and estimates are required in determining the current and deferred tax assets and liabilities. The Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities reflect its best assessment of estimated future taxes to be paid. In accordance with the FASB Codification, the Company periodically assesses the realization of its deferred tax assets and liabilities and adjusts the income tax provision, the current tax liability and deferred taxes in the period in which the facts and circumstances which gave rise to the revision become known.
Dividends | Dividends —The Company’s dividend policy is reviewed periodically by the Board of Directors. The amount and timing of all dividend payments is subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend upon business conditions, results of operations, financial conditions and other factors. For the year ended December 31, 2020 the Company paid quarterly dividends of $0.375 per share, resulting in an annualized dividend rate of $1.50 per common share. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company paid quarterly dividends of $0.37 and $0.365 per common share, respectively, resulting in annualized dividend rates of $1.48 and $1.46 per common share, respectively. At its January 2021 meeting, the Unitil Corporation Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend on the Company’s common stock of $0.38 per share, an increase of $0.005 per share on a quarterly basis, resulting in an increase in the effective annualized dividend rate to $1.52 per share from $1.50 per share.
Cash and Cash Equivalents | Cash and Cash Equivalents —Cash and Cash Equivalents includes all cash and cash equivalents to which the Company has legal title. Cash equivalents include short-term investments with original maturities of three months or less and interest bearing deposits. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are held at financial institutions and at times may exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts. Under the Independent System Operator—New England (ISO-NE) Financial Assurance Policy (Policy), Unitil’s subsidiaries Unitil Energy, Fitchburg and Unitil Power are required to provide assurance of their ability to satisfy their obligations to ISO-NE. Under this Policy, Unitil’s subsidiaries provide cash deposits covering approximately 2-1/2 months of outstanding obligations, less credit amounts that are based on the Company’s credit rating. On December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Unitil subsidiaries had deposited $2.4 million and $1.9 million, respectively , to satisfy their ISO-NE obligations.
Financial Instruments | Financial Instruments — In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326)”, which provides a new model for recognizing credit losses on financial instruments based on an estimate of current expected credit losses. Under the new guidance, immediate recognition of all credit losses expected over the life of a financial instrument is required. The Company adopted this standard on the accounting for credit losses on its financial instruments, including accounts receivable, on January 1, 2020, and it did not have a material effect on the financial statements.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts | Allowance for Doubtful Accounts —The Company recognizes a provision for doubtful accounts that reflects the Company’s estimate of expected credit losses for electric and gas utility service accounts receivable. The allowance for doubtful accounts is calculated by applying a historical loss rate, which is adjusted for current conditions, customer trends, or other factors such as macroeconomic conditions, to customer account balances. The Company also calculates the amount of written-off receivables that are recoverable through regulatory rate reconciling mechanisms. The Company’s distribution utilities are authorized by regulators to recover the costs of their energy commodity portion of bad debts through rate mechanisms. Also, the electric and gas divisions of Fitchburg are authorized to recover through rates past due amounts associated with protected hardship accounts. Evaluating the adequacy of the allowance for doubtful accounts requires judgment about the assumptions used in the analysis. The Company’s experience has been that the assumptions used in evaluating the adequacy of the allowance for doubtful accounts have proven to be reasonably accurate. See Note 4 (Allowance for Doubtful Accounts). Accounts Receivable, Net includes $3.1 million and $1.0 million of the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts at December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. Unbilled Revenues, net (a component of Accrued Revenue ) includes $0.2 million of the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts at December 31, 2020.
Accrued Revenue | Accrued Revenue— Accrued Revenue includes the current portion of Regulatory Assets (see “Regulatory Accounting”) and unbilled revenues (see “Utility Revenue Recognition”). The following table shows the components of Accrued Revenue as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 .
Accrued Revenue (millions) |  | December 31, |
| 2020 |  |  | 2019 |
Regulatory Assets—Current |  | $ | 37.3 |  |  | $ | 35.8 |
Unbilled Revenues |  |  | 13.6 |  |  |  | 14.2 |
Total Accrued Revenue |  | $ | 50.9 |  |  | $ | 50.0 |
Exchange Gas Receivable | Exchange Gas Receivable —Northern Utilities and Fitchburg have gas exchange and storage agreements whereby natural gas purchases during the months of April through October are delivered to a third-party. The third-party delivers natural gas back to the Company during the months of November through March. The exchange and storage gas volumes are recorded at weighted average cost. The following table shows the components of Exchange Gas Receivable as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.
Exchange Gas Receivable (millions) |  | December 31, |
| 2020 |  |  | 2019 |
Northern Utilities |  | $ | 4.4 |  |  | $ | 5.5 |
Fitchburg |  |  | 0.5 |  |  |  | 0.6 |
Total Exchange Gas Receivable |  | $ | 4.9 |  |  | $ | 6.1 |
Gas Inventory | Gas Inventory —The Company uses the weighted average cost methodology to value natural gas inventory. The following table shows the components of Gas Inventory as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.
Gas Inventory (millions) |  | December 31, |
| 2020 |  |  | 2019 |
Natural Gas |  | $ | 0.2 |  |  | $ | 0.4 |
Propane |  |  | 0.3 |  |  |  | 0.3 |
Liquefied Natural Gas & Other |  |  | 0.1 |  |  |  | 0.1 |
Total Gas Inventory |  | $ | 0.6 |  |  | $ | 0.8 |
The Company also has an inventory of Materials and Supplies in the amounts of $8.5 million and $7.9 million as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. These amounts are recorded at weighted average cost.
Utility Plant | Utility Plant —The cost of additions to Utility Plant and the cost of renewals and betterments are capitalized. Cost consists of labor, materials, services and certain indirect construction costs, including an allowance for funds used during construction (AFUDC). The average interest rates applied to AFUDC were 3.12%, 3.90% and 2.70% in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The costs of current repairs and minor replacements are charged to appropriate operating expense accounts. The original cost of utility plant retired or otherwise disposed of is charged to the accumulated provision for depreciation. The Company includes in its mass asset depreciation rates, which are periodically reviewed as part of its ratemaking proceedings, cost of removal amounts to provide for future negative salvage value. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company has recorded cost of removal amounts of $105.2 million and $96.0 million, respectively, that have been collected in depreciation rates but have not yet been expended, and which represent regulatory liabilities. These amounts are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets in Cost of Removal Obligations.
Regulatory Accounting | Regulatory Accounting —The Company’s principal business is the distribution of electricity and natural gas by the three distribution utilities: Unitil Energy, Fitchburg and Northern Utilities. Unitil Energy and Fitchburg are subject to regulation by the FERC. Fitchburg is also regulated by the MDPU, Unitil Energy is regulated by the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (NHPUC) and Northern Utilities is regulated by the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) and NHPUC. Granite State, the Company’s natural gas transmission pipeline, is regulated by the FERC. Accordingly, the Company uses the Regulated Operations guidance as set forth in the FASB Codification. The Company has recorded Regulatory Assets and Regulatory Liabilities which will be recovered from customers, or applied for customer benefit, in accordance with rate provisions approved by the applicable public utility regulatory commission.
Regulatory Assets consist of the following (millions) |  | December 31, |
| 2020 |  |  | 2019 |
Retirement Benefits |  | $ | 103.7 |  |  | $ | 88.9 |
Energy Supply & Other Rate Adjustment Mechanisms |  |  | 34.1 |  |  |  | 31.0 |
Deferred Storm Charges |  |  | 4.1 |  |  |  | 5.6 |
Environmental |  |  | 5.2 |  |  |  | 7.2 |
Income Taxes |  |  | 3.4 |  |  |  | 4.2 |
Other Deferred Charges |  |  | 14.2 |  |  |  | 10.9 |
Total Regulatory Assets |  |  | 164.7 |  |  |  | 147.8 |
Less: Current Portion of Regulatory Assets (1) |  |  | 37.3 |  |  |  | 35.8 |
Regulatory Assets—noncurrent |  | $ | 127.4 |  |  | $ | 112.0 |
| ( 1) | Reflects amounts included in the Accrued Revenue on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Regulatory Liabilities consist of the following (millions) |  | December 31, |
| 2020 |  |  | 2019 |
Rate Adjustment Mechanisms |  | $ | 4.1 |  |  | $ | 6.0 |
Income Taxes |  |  | 45.5 |  |  |  | 47.6 |
Other |  |  | 0.2 |  |  |  | 0.4 |
Total Regulatory Liabilities |  |  | 49.8 |  |  |  | 54.0 |
Less: Current Portion of Regulatory Liabilities |  |  | 5.5 |  |  |  | 7.4 |
Regulatory Liabilities—noncurrent |  | $ | 44.3 |  |  | $ | 46.6 |
Generally, the Company receives a return on investment on its regulated assets for which a cash outflow has been made. Included in Regulatory Assets as of December 31, 2020 are $8.0 million of environmental costs, rate case costs and other expenditures to be recovered over varying periods in the next seven years. Regulators have authorized recovery of these expenditures, but without a return. Regulatory commissions can reach different conclusions about the recovery of costs, which can have a material effect on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. The Company believes it is probable that its regulated distribution and transmission utilities will recover their investments in long-lived assets, including regulatory assets. If the Company, or a portion of its assets or operations, were to cease meeting the criteria for application of these accounting rules, accounting standards for businesses in general would become applicable and immediate recognition of any previously deferred costs, or a portion of deferred costs, would be required in the year in which the criteria are no longer met, if such deferred costs were not recoverable in the portion of the business that continues to meet the criteria for application of the FASB Codification topic on Regulated Operations. If unable to continue to apply the FASB Codification provisions for Regulated Operations, the Company would be required to apply the provisions for the Discontinuation of Rate-Regulated Accounting included in the FASB Codification. In the Company’s opinion, its regulated operations will be subject to the FASB Codification provisions for Regulated Operations for the foreseeable future.
Leases | Leases – The Company records assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases are classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. The Company has elected the practical expedient to not separate non-lease components from lease components and instead to account for both as a single lease component. The Company’s accounting policy election for leases with a lease term of 12 months or less is to recognize the lease payments as lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company recognizes those lease payments in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings on a straight-line basis over the lease term. See additional discussion in the “Leases” section of Note 5 (Debt and Financing Arrangements).
Derivatives | Derivatives —The Company’s regulated energy subsidiaries enter into energy supply contracts to serve their electric and gas customers. The Company follows a procedure for determining whether each contract qualifies as a derivative instrument under the guidance provided by the FASB Codification on Derivatives and Hedging. For each contract, the Company reviews and documents the key terms of the contract. Based on those terms and any additional relevant components of the contract, the Company determines and documents whether the contract qualifies as a derivative instrument as defined in the FASB Codification. The Company has determined that its energy supply contracts either do not qualify as a derivative instrument under the guidance set forth in the FASB Codification, have been elected as a normal purchase, or have contingencies that have not yet been met in order to establish a notional amount. The Company previously operated a regulatory approved hedging program for Northern Utilities designed to fix or cap a portion of its gas supply costs for the coming years of service, which included use of derivative instruments. The hedging program was terminated in 2018. Under the hedging program previously operated by Northern Utilities, any gains or losses resulting from the change in the fair value of these derivatives were passed through to ratepayers directly through Northern Utilities’ Cost of Gas Clause. The fair value of these derivatives was determined using Level 2 inputs (valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly), specifically based on the NYMEX closing prices for outstanding contracts as of the balance sheet date. As a result of the ratemaking process, the Company recorded gains and losses resulting from the change in fair value of the derivatives as regulatory liabilities or assets, then reclassified these gains or losses into Cost of Gas Sales when the gains and losses were passed through to customers through the Cost of Gas Clause. The Company had no derivative assets or liabilities recorded on its Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. There were no losses / (gains) recognized in Regulatory Assets / Liabilities for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. There were no losses / (gains) reclassified into the Consolidated Statements of Earnings for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018. Fitchburg has entered into power purchase agreements for which contingencies exist (see “Fitchburg – Massachusetts RFP’s” section of Note 8 (Commitments and Contingencies). Until these contingencies are satisfied, these contracts will not qualify for derivative accounting. The Company believes that the power purchase obligations under these long-term contracts will have a material effect on the contractual obligations of Fitchburg.
Investments in Marketable Securities | Investments in Marketable Securities —The Company maintains a trust through which it invests in a money market fund. This fund is intended to satisfy obligations under the Company’s SERP (See additional discussion of the SERP in Note 10 (Retirement Benefit Plans)). At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the fair value of the Company’s investments in these trading securities, which are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets in Other Assets, were $5.7 million and $5.6 million, respectively, as shown in the table below. These investments are valued based on quoted prices from active markets and are categorized in Level 1 as they are actively traded and no valuation adjustments have been applied. Changes in the fair value of these investments are recorded in Other (Income) Expense, Net.
Fair Value of Marketable Securities (millions) |  | December 31, |
|  | 2020 |  |  | 2019 |
Money Market Funds |  | $ | 5.7 |  |  | $ | 5.6 |
Total Marketable Securities |  | $ | 5.7 |  |  | $ | 5.6 |
The Company also sponsors the Unitil Corporation Deferred Compensation Plan (the DC Plan). The DC Plan is a non-qualified deferred compensation plan that provides a vehicle for participants to accumulate tax-deferred savings to supplement retirement income. The DC Plan, which was effective January 1, 2019, is open to senior management or other highly compensated employees as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors, and may also be used for recruitment and retention purposes for newly hired senior executives. The DC Plan design mirrors the Company’s Tax Deferred Savings and Investment Plan formula, but provides for contributions on compensation above the IRS limit, which will allow participants to defer up to 85% of base salary, and up to 85% of any cash incentive for retirement. The Company may also elect to make discretionary contributions on behalf of any participant in an amount determined by the Company’s Board of Directors. A trust has been established to invest the funds associated with the DC Plan. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the fair value of the Company’s investments in these trading securities related to the DC Plan, which are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets in Other Assets, were $0.5 million and $0.2 million, respectively . These investments are valued based on quoted prices from active markets and are categorized in Level 1 as they are actively traded and no valuation adjustments have been applied. Changes in the fair value of these investments are recorded in Other (Income) Expense, Net.
Fair Value of Marketable Securities (millions) |  | December 31, |
|  | 2020 |  |  | 2019 |
Equity Funds |  | $ | 0.2 |  |  | $ | 0.1 |
Money Market Funds |  |  | 0.3 |  |  |  | 0.1 |
Total Marketable Securities |  | $ | 0.5 |  |  | $ | 0.2 |
Energy Supply Obligations | Energy Supply Obligations —The following discussion and table summarize the nature and amounts of the items recorded as Energy Supply Obligations (current portion) and Other Noncurrent Liabilities (noncurrent portion) on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.
|  | December 31, |
Energy Supply Obligations consist of the following: (millions) |  | 2020 |  |  | 2019 |
Current: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Exchange Gas Obligation |  | $ | 4.4 |  |  | $ | 5.5 |
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards |  |  | 5.7 |  |  |  | 4.7 |
Power Supply Contract Divestitures |  |  | 0.3 |  |  |  | 0.3 |
Total Energy Supply Obligations—Current |  |  | 10.4 |  |  |  | 10.5 |
Noncurrent: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Power Supply Contract Divestitures |  |  | — |  |  |  | 0.3 |
Total Energy Supply Obligations |  | $ | 10.4 |  |  | $ | 10.8 |
Exchange Gas Obligation— Northern Utilities enters into gas exchange agreements under which Northern Utilities releases certain natural gas pipeline and storage assets, resells the natural gas storage inventory to an asset manager and subsequently repurchases the inventory over the course of the natural gas heating season at the same price at which it sold the natural gas inventory to the asset manager. The gas inventory related to these agreements is recorded in Exchange Gas Receivable on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets while the corresponding obligations are recorded in Energy Supply Obligations. Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards - Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (RPS) require retail electricity suppliers, including public utilities, to demonstrate that required percentages of their sales are met with power generated from certain types of resources or technologies. Compliance is demonstrated by purchasing and retiring Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) generated by facilities approved by the state as qualifying for REC treatment. Unitil Energy and Fitchburg purchase RECs in compliance with RPS legislation in New Hampshire and Massachusetts for supply provided to default service customers. RPS compliance costs are a supply cost that is recovered in customer default service rates. Unitil Energy and Fitchburg collect RPS compliance costs from customers throughout the year and demonstrate compliance for each calendar year on the following July 1. Due to timing differences between collection of revenue from customers and payment of REC costs to suppliers, Unitil Energy and Fitchburg typically defer costs for RPS compliance which are recorded within Accrued Revenue with a corresponding liability in Energy Supply Obligations on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. Fitchburg has entered into long-term renewable contracts for the purchase of clean energy and/or RECs pursuant to Massachusetts legislation, specifically, An Act Relative to Green Communities (Green Communities Act, 2008), An Act Relative to Competitively Priced Electricity in the Commonwealth (2012) and An Act to Promote Energy Diversity (Energy Diversity Act, 2016). The generating facilities associated with seven of these contracts have been constructed and are now operating. In 2020, three of the long-term contracts were terminated due to an inability to meet critical milestones. In 2018, the Company filed two long-term contracts with the MDPU, one for offshore wind generation and another for imported hydroelectric power and associated transmission. Those contracts were approved in 2019. In 2019, the Company participated in an additional statewide procurement for offshore wind generation and the resulting contracts were filed with the MDPU during the first quarter of 2020. An Order approving the contracts was issued by the MDPU in November 2020 but the Attorney General’s Office immediately filed a Motion for Reconsideration on the issue of remuneration. The matter is pending at the MDPU. In compliance with An Act to Promote a Clean Energy Future (2018), in late 2020 in coordination with the other electric utilities in Massachusetts, the Company began efforts on the next long-term renewable procurement which will seek up to an additional 1,600MW of offshore wind generation. Fitchburg recovers the costs associated with long-term renewable contracts on a fully reconciling basis through a MDPU-approved cost recovery mechanism. Power Supply Contract Divestitures— Unitil Energy’s and Fitchburg’s customers are entitled to purchase their electric or natural gas supplies from third-party suppliers. In connection with the implementation of retail choice, Unitil Power, which formerly functioned as the wholesale power supply provider for Unitil Energy, and Fitchburg divested their long-term power supply contracts through the sale of the entitlements to the electricity sold under those contracts. Unitil Energy and Fitchburg recover in their rates all the costs associated with the divestiture of their power supply portfolios and have secured regulatory approval from the NHPUC and MDPU, respectively, for the recovery of power supply-related stranded costs. As of December 31, 2020, Fitchburg has fully-recovered its power supply-related stranded costs and Unitil Energy has $0.3 million remaining to recover. The obligations related to these divestitures are recorded in Energy Supply Obligations (current portion) and Other Noncurrent Liabilities (noncurrent portion) on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets with corresponding regulatory assets recorded in Accrued Revenue (current portion) and Regulatory Assets (noncurrent portion).
Retirement Benefit Obligations | Retirement Benefit Obligations —The Company sponsors the Pension Plan, which is a defined benefit pension plan. Effective January 1, 2010, the Pension Plan was closed to new non-union employees. For union employees, the Pension Plan was closed on various dates between December 31, 2010 and June 1, 2013, depending on the various Collective Bargaining Agreements of each union. The Company also sponsors a non-qualified retirement plan, the SERP, covering certain executives of the Company, and an employee 401(k) savings plan. Additionally, the Company sponsors the PBOP Plan, primarily to provide health care and life insurance benefits to retired employees. The Company records on its balance sheets as an asset or liability the overfunded or underfunded status of its retirement benefit obligations (RBO) based on the projected benefit obligations. The Company has recognized a corresponding Regulatory Asset, reflecting ultimate recovery from customers through rates. The regulatory asset (or regulatory liability) is amortized as the actuarial gains and losses and prior service cost are amortized to net periodic benefit cost for the Pension and PBOP plans. All amounts are remeasured annually. (See Note 10 (Retirement Benefit Plans).
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies —The Company’s accounting policy is to record and/or disclose commitments and contingencies in accordance with the FASB Codification as it applies to an existing condition, situation, or set of circumstances involving uncertainty as to possible loss that will ultimately be resolved when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. As of December 31, 2020, the Company is not aware of any material commitments or contingencies other than those disclosed in Note 8 (Commitments and Contingencies).
Environmental Matters | Environmental Matters —The Company’s past and present operations include activities that are generally subject to extensive federal and state environmental laws and regulations. The Company has recovered or will recover substantially all of the costs of the environmental remediation work performed to date from customers or from its insurance carriers. The Company believes it is in compliance with all applicable environmental and safety laws and regulations, and the Company believes that as of December 31, 2020, there are no material losses that would require additional liability reserves to be recorded other than those disclosed in Note 8 (Commitments and Contingencies). Changes in future environmental compliance regulations or in future cost estimates of environmental remediation costs could have a material effect on the Company’s financial position if those amounts are not recoverable in regulatory rate mechanisms.
Subsequent Events | Subsequent Events —The Company evaluates all events or transactions through the date of the related filing. During the period through the date of this filing, the Company did not have any material subsequent events that would result in adjustment to or disclosure in its Consolidated Financial Statements.

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