XML 125 R34.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.8
UTILITY PLANT AND JOINTLY-OWNED FACILITIES (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Regulatory Operations [Abstract]  
Public Utility Property, Plant, and Equipment
The following table shows Utility Plant in Service by major class:
 
UNS Energy
 
TEP
 
December 31,
 
December 31,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013
 
2012
 
Millions of Dollars
Plant in Service:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Electric Generation Plant
$
1,974

 
$
1,932

 
$
1,889

 
$
1,847

Electric Transmission Plant
912

 
842

 
825

 
796

Electric Distribution Plant
1,529

 
1,495

 
1,298

 
1,271

Gas Distribution Plant
252

 
240

 

 

Gas Transmission Plant
18

 
18

 

 

General Plant
356

 
347

 
312

 
309

Intangible Plant - Software Costs (1) (2)
142

 
124

 
141

 
123

Intangible Plant - Other
5

 
5

 

 

Electric Plant Held for Future Use
4

 
3

 
3

 
2

Total Plant in Service
$
5,192

 
$
5,006

 
$
4,468

 
$
4,348

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Utility Plant under Capital Leases(3)
$
638

 
$
583

 
$
638

 
$
583

(1) 
Unamortized computer software costs were $40 million for UNS Energy and $39 million for TEP as of December 31, 2013, and $36 million for UNS Energy and $35 million for TEP as of December 31, 2012.
(2) 
The amortization of computer software costs in UNS Energy’s and TEP's income statements was $14 million in 2013, $13 million in 2012, and $10 million in 2011.
(3) 
In 2013, TEP entered into agreements to purchase certain Springerville Unit 1 leased interests. See Note 6.
Amount Of Lease Expense Incurred Related Capital Leases
The following table shows the amount of lease expense incurred for TEP’s generation-related capital leases:
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
 
Millions of Dollars
Lease Expense:
 
 
 
 
 
Interest Expense – Included in:
 
 
 
 
 
Capital Leases
25

 
$
34

 
$
40

Operating Expenses – Fuel
2

 
3

 
4

Other Expense

 

 
1

Amortization of Capital Lease Assets – Included in:
 
 
 
 
 
Operating Expenses – Fuel
5

 
4

 
3

Operating Expenses – Amortization
15

 
14

 
14

Total Lease Expense
$
47

 
$
55

 
$
62

Depreciable Lives Of Utility Plant In Service
Utility plant depreciation rates and approximate average remaining service lives based on the most recent depreciation studies available at December 31, 2013, were as follows:
 
TEP
 
December 31, 2013
 
Annual Depreciation Rate (5)
 
Average Remaining Life in Years
Major Class of Utility Plant in Service:
 
 
 
Electric Generation Plant (1)
3.31%
 
22
Electric Transmission Plant
1.48%
 
32
Electric Distribution Plant (1)
2.08%
 
35
General Plant (1)
5.48%
 
11
Intangible Plant (2)
Various
 
Various
 
UNS Electric
 
December 31, 2013
 
Annual Depreciation Rate (5)
 
Average Remaining Life in Years
Major Class of Utility Plant in Service:
 
 
 
Electric Generation Plant
2.56%
 
36
Electric Transmission Plant
3.36%
 
19
Electric Distribution Plant
3.97%
 
15
General Plant
8.01%
 
7
Intangible Plant (3)
Various
 
Various
 
UNS Gas
 
December 31, 2013
 
Annual Depreciation Rate (5)
 
Average Remaining Life in Years
Major Class of Utility Plant in Service:
 
 
 
Gas Generation Plant
2.37%
 
41
Gas Transmission Plant
1.54%
 
54
General Plant
4.38%
 
7
Intangible Plant (4)
Various
 
Various
(1)
In June 2013, the ACC issued the 2013 TEP Rate Order that approved a change in depreciation rates which reflects changes in the remaining average useful lives for our generation, distribution, and general plant assets. See Note 3.
(2) 
The majority of TEP's investment in intangible plant represents computer software, which is being amortized over its expected useful life based on either the average lives of 3 to 5 years for smaller application software or remaining lives ranging from 5 to 19 years for large enterprise software.
(3) 
UNS Electric's intangible plant primarily represents capitalized interconnection costs, which are amortized based on either an average life of 23 years or a remaining life of 35 years.
(4) 
UNS Gas' intangible plant consists of miscellaneous intangible assets, which are amortized over an average life of either 15 or 25 years.
(5) 
The depreciation rates represent a composite of the depreciation rates of assets within each major class of utility plant.
Schedule of Jointly Owned Utility Plants
At December 31, 2013, TEP’s interests in jointly-owned generating stations and transmission systems were as follows:
 
Ownership Percentage
 
Plant in Service
 
Construction Work in
Progress
 
Accumulated Depreciation
 
Net Book Value
 
 
 
Millions of Dollars
San Juan Units 1 and 2
50.0%
 
$
448

 
$
6

 
$
230

 
$
224

Navajo Units 1, 2, and 3
7.5%
 
152

 
1

 
110

 
43

Four Corners Units 4 and 5
7.0%
 
101

 
2

 
75

 
28

Luna Energy Facility
33.3%
 
53

 

 
2

 
51

Transmission Facilities
Various
 
330

 
43

 
190

 
183

Total
 
 
$
1,084

 
$
52

 
$
607

 
$
529

Schedule of Asset Retirement Obligations
The following table reconciles the beginning and ending aggregate carrying amounts of ARO accruals on the balance sheets:
 
UNS Energy
 
December 31,
 
2013
 
2012
 
Millions of Dollars
Beginning Balance
$
14

 
$
13

Liabilities Incurred
1

 

Accretion Expense or Regulatory Deferral
1

 
1

Revisions to the Present Value of Estimated Cash Flows (1)
7

 

Ending Balance
$
23

 
$
14

(1)
Primarily related to changes in expected retirement dates of generating facilities.
The table above primarily reflects TEP's ARO obligations. UNS Electric's ARO obligations were less than $1 million at December 31, 2013 and 2012.