2.4.0.82108100 - Disclosure - Litigationtruefalsefalse1falsefalsefalseD2013Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001085392duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:001true1psd_LitigationDisclosureAbstractpsd_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse02false2us-gaap_LegalMattersAndContingenciesTextBlockus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboseLabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Litigation</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:4px;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Residential Exchange</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:4px;text-align:justify;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">The Northwest Power Act, through the Residential Exchange Program (REP), provides access to the benefits of low-cost federal power for residential and small farm customers of regional utilities, including PSE.  The program is administered by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).  Pursuant to agreements (including settlement agreements) between the BPA and PSE, the BPA has provided payments of REP benefits to PSE, which PSE has passed through to its residential and small farm customers in the form of electricity bill credits.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:4px;text-align:justify;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">In 2007, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Ninth Circuit) ruled that REP agreements of the BPA with PSE and a number of other investor-owned utilities were inconsistent with the Northwest Power Act.  Since that time, those investor-owned utilities, including PSE, the BPA and other parties have been involved in ongoing litigation at the Ninth Circuit relating to the amount of REP benefits paid to utilities, including PSE, for the fiscal year 2002 through fiscal year 2011 period and the amount of REP benefits to be paid going forward.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:4px;text-align:justify;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">In July 2011, the BPA, PSE and a number of other parties entered into a settlement agreement that by its terms, if upheld in its entirety, would resolve the disputes between BPA and PSE regarding REP benefits paid for fiscal years 2002-2011 and determine REP benefits for fiscal years 2012-2028.  In October 2011, certain other parties challenged BPA decisions with regard to its entering into this most recent settlement agreement.  Oral argument in the Ninth Circuit on this litigation occurred on February 19, 2013. Pending disposition of this challenge, the other pending Ninth Circuit litigation regarding REP benefits has been stayed by the Ninth Circuit.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:4px;text-align:justify;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Due to the pending and ongoing proceedings, PSE is unable to reasonably estimate any amounts of REP payments either to be recovered by the BPA or to be paid for any future periods to PSE, and is unable to determine the impact, if any, these proceedings and litigation may have on PSE.  However, the Company believes it is unlikely that any unfavorable outcome would have a material adverse effect on PSE because REP benefits received by PSE are passed through to PSE's residential and small farm customers.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:4px;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:4px;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Colstrip</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">PSE has a </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">50%</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> ownership interest in Colstrip Units 1 and 2, and a </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">25%</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> interest in Colstrip Units 3 and 4. On March 6, 2013, Sierra Club and Montana Environmental Information Center (MEIC) filed a Clean Air Act citizen suit against all Colstrip owners (including PSE) alleging </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">39</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> claims for relief, most which relate to alleged prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) violations. </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">One</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> claim relates to the alleged failure to update the Title V permit to reflect the major modifications alleged in the first </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">thirty-six</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> claims, another claim alleges that the previous Title V compliance certifications have been incomplete because they did not address the alleged major modifications, and the last claim alleges opacity violations since 2007. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District of Montana, Billings Division requesting injunctive relief and civil penalties, including a request that the owners remediate environmental damage and that </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">$100,000</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> of the civil penalties be used for beneficial mitigation projects. This lawsuit followed various Notices of Intent to Sue sent to Colstrip owners (including PSE) from the Sierra Club and the MEIC between July and December 2012.  Discovery in the case has begun, and a prehearing conference took place in July 2013. The case has been bifurcated into separate liability and remedy trials set for October 2014 and August 2015, respectively. PSE is evaluating the allegations set forth in the notices and cannot at this time predict the outcome of this matter.  </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Other Proceedings</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:24px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">The Company is also involved in litigation relating to claims arising out of its operations in the normal course of business. The Company has recorded reserves of </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">$1.2 million</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> and </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">$3.4 million</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> relating to these claims as of </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">June 30, 2013</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> and </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">December 31, 2012</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">, respectively.</font></div></div>falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaThe entire disclosure for legal proceedings, legal contingencies, litigation, regulatory and environmental matters and other contingencies.No definition available.false0falseLitigationUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.pugetenergy.com/role/Litigation12