Joint Plant Ownership

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Regulated Operations [Abstract]

Joint Plant Ownership

Joint Plant Ownership - MGE Energy and MGE.

a.Columbia.

In 2016, MGE and WPL negotiated an amendment to the existing Columbia joint operating agreement that has been approved by the PSCW. Under the terms of the amendments, MGE has reduced its obligation to pay certain capital expenditures (other than SCR-related expenditures) at Columbia in exchange for a proportional reduction in MGE's ownership in Columbia. On January 1 of each year from 2017 through 2019 and then on June 1, 2020, the ownership percentage is adjusted through a partial sale based on the amount of capital expenditures foregone. In June 2017, the FERC approved the ownership transfer in Columbia, effective January 1, 2017.

During 2017, MGE accrued $8.8 million of 2017foregone capital expenditures as part of the ownership transfer agreement with WPL. As of December 31, 2017, MGE classified $8.8 million of Columbia assets as held-for-sale on the consolidated balance sheets. In January 2018, MGE reduced its ownership interest in Columbia from 20.4% to 19.4% as a result of the partial sale of plant assets to WPL.

During the three and nine months endedSeptember 30,2018, MGE accrued $0.4million and $1.8 million, respectively, of 2018foregone capital expenditures as part of the ownership transfer agreement. As of September 30,2018, MGE classified $1.8 million of Columbia assets as held-for-sale on the consolidated balance sheets. The assets recognized as held-for-sale are covered by the ownership transfer agreement relating to the sale of plant assets to WPL, and are expected to be sold and transferred in January 2019.

b. Forward Wind.

In April 2018, MGE, along with two other utilities, purchased the Forward Wind Energy Center (Forward Wind), which consists of 86 wind turbines located in Wisconsin with a total capacity of 129 MWs. The aggregate purchase price was approximately $174 million, of which MGE's proportionate share is 12.8%, or approximately $23 million. The purchase of Forward Wind replaced an existing purchase power agreement, under which MGE purchased 12.8% of the facility's energy output.

MGE Energy and MGE are required to record a liability for the fair value of an asset retirement obligation (ARO) to be recognized in the period in which it is incurred if it can be reasonably estimated. The offsetting associated asset retirement costs are capitalized as a long-lived asset and depreciated over the asset's useful life. As of September 30,2018, MGE recorded an obligation of $1.6 million for the fair value of its legal liability for AROs associated with Forward Wind. MGE has regulatory treatment and recognizes regulatory assets or liabilities for the timing differences between when we recover legal AROs in rates and when those costs would actually be recognized.