REGULATORY MATTERS

Regulation

DTE Electric is subject to the regulatory jurisdiction of the MPSC, which issues orders pertaining to rates, recovery of certain costs, including the costs of generating facilities and regulatory assets, conditions of service, accounting and operating-related matters. DTE Electric is also regulated by the FERC with respect to financing authorization and wholesale electric activities. Regulation results in differences in the application of generally accepted accounting principles between regulated and non-regulated businesses.

The Company is unable to predict the outcome of the unresolved regulatory matters discussed herein. Resolution of these matters is dependent upon future MPSC orders and appeals, which may materially impact the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company.

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities

DTE Electric is required to record regulatory assets and liabilities for certain transactions that would have been treated as revenue or expense in non-regulated businesses. Continued applicability of regulatory accounting treatment requires that rates be designed to recover specific costs of providing regulated services and be charged to and collected from customers. Future regulatory changes or changes in the competitive environment could result in the discontinuance of this accounting treatment for regulatory assets and liabilities for some or all of our businesses and may require the write-off of the portion of any regulatory asset or liability that was no longer probable of recovery through regulated rates. Management believes that currently available facts support the continued use of regulatory assets and liabilities and that all regulatory assets and liabilities are recoverable or refundable in the current regulatory environment.

The following are balances and a brief description of the regulatory assets and liabilities at December 31:



	2013			2012
	(In millions)
Assets
Recoverable pension and other postretirement costs:
Pension	$	1,257		$	1,815
Other postretirement costs	—			316
Asset retirement obligation	394			424
Recoverable Michigan income taxes	237			253
Recoverable income taxes related to securitized regulatory assets	126			226
Other recoverable income taxes	71			76
Cost to achieve Performance Excellence Process	64			82
Unamortized loss on reacquired debt	38			37
Enterprise Business Systems costs	13			16
Choice incentive mechanism	3			66
Accrued PSCR revenue	—			87
Recoverable restoration expense	—			49
Other	85			63
	2,288			3,510
Less amount included in current assets	(13		)	(162		)
	$	2,275		$	3,348
Securitized regulatory assets	$	231		$	413



	2013			2012
	(In millions)
Liabilities
Renewable energy	$	277		$	230
Refundable revenue decoupling / deferred gain	127			127
Over recovery of Securitization	72			54
Accrued PSCR refund	53			—
Refundable other postretirement costs	48			—
Asset removal costs	33			81
Fermi 2 refueling outage	26			12
Energy optimization	25			26
Refundable uncollectible expense	—			10
Other	3			9
	664			549
Less amount included in current liabilities	(278		)	(66		)
	$	386		$	483

As noted below, regulatory assets for which costs have been incurred have been included (or are expected to be included, for costs incurred subsequent to the most recently approved rate case) in DTE Electric's rate base, thereby providing a return on invested costs (except as noted). Certain other regulatory assets are not included in rate base but accrue recoverable carrying charges until surcharges to collect the assets are billed. Certain regulatory assets do not result from cash expenditures and therefore do not represent investments included in rate base or have offsetting liabilities that reduce rate base.

ASSETS

•

Recoverable pension and other postretirement costs — Accounting rules for pension and other postretirement benefit costs require, among other things, the recognition in other comprehensive income of the actuarial gains or losses and the prior service costs that arise during the period but that are not immediately recognized as components of net periodic benefit costs. The Company records the impact of actuarial gains and losses and prior service costs as a regulatory asset since the traditional rate setting process allows for the recovery of pension and other postretirement costs. The asset will reverse as the deferred items are amortized and recognized as components of net periodic benefit costs. (a)


•	Asset retirement obligation — This obligation is primarily for Fermi 2 decommissioning costs. The asset captures the timing differences between expense recognition and current recovery in rates and will reverse over the remaining life of the related plant. (a)

•

Recoverable Michigan income taxes — In July 2007, the Michigan Business Tax (MBT) was enacted by the State of Michigan. A State deferred tax liability was established, and an offsetting regulatory asset was recorded as the impact of the deferred tax liability will be reflected in rates as the related taxable temporary difference reverses and flows through current income tax expense. In May 2011, the MBT was repealed and the MCIT was enacted. The regulatory asset was remeasured to reflect the impact of the MCIT tax rate. (a)


•	Recoverable income taxes related to securitized regulatory assets — Receivable for the recovery of income taxes to be paid on the non-bypassable securitization bond surcharge. A non-bypassable securitization tax surcharge recovers the income tax over a fourteen-year period ending 2015. (a)


•	Other recoverable income taxes — Income taxes receivable from DTE Electric customers representing the difference in property-related deferred income taxes and amounts previously reflected in DTE Electric's rates. This asset will reverse over the remaining life of the related plant. (a)


•	Cost to achieve Performance Excellence Process (PEP) — The MPSC authorized the deferral of costs to implement the PEP. These costs consist of employee severance, project management and consultant support. These costs are amortized over a ten-year period beginning with the year subsequent to the year the costs were deferred.


•	Unamortized loss on reacquired debt — The unamortized discount, premium and expense related to debt redeemed with a refinancing are deferred, amortized and recovered over the life of the replacement issue.


•	Enterprise Business Systems (EBS) costs — The MPSC approved the deferral and amortization over ten years beginning in January 2009 of EBS costs that would otherwise be expensed.


•	Choice incentive mechanism (CIM) — Receivable for non-fuel revenues lost as a result of fluctuations in electric Customer Choice sales. The CIM was terminated in the October 20, 2011 MPSC order issued to DTE Electric.


•	Accrued PSCR revenue — Receivable for the temporary under-recovery of and carrying costs on fuel and purchased power costs incurred by DTE Electric which are recoverable through the PSCR mechanism.


•	Recoverable restoration expense — Receivable for the MPSC approved restoration expense tracking mechanism that tracked the difference between actual restoration expense and the amount provided for in base rates, recognized pursuant to MPSC authorization. The restoration expense tracking mechanism was terminated in the October 20, 2011 MPSC order issued to DTE Electric.

•

Securitized regulatory assets — The net book balance of the Fermi 2 nuclear plant was written off in 1998 and an equivalent regulatory asset was established. In 2001, the Fermi 2 regulatory asset and certain other regulatory assets were securitized pursuant to PA 142 and an MPSC order. A non-bypassable securitization bond surcharge recovers the securitized regulatory asset over a fourteen-year period ending in 2015.

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(a)	Regulatory assets not earning a return or accruing carrying charges.

LIABILITIES


•	Renewable energy — Amounts collected in rates in excess of renewable energy expenditures.

•

Refundable revenue decoupling / deferred gain — Amounts were originally accrued as refundable to DTE Electric customers for the change in revenue resulting from the difference between actual average sales per customer compared to the base level of average sales per customer established by the MPSC. In 2012, the Michigan Court of Appeals issued a decision reversing the MPSC's decision to authorize a RDM for DTE Electric. The revenue decoupling liability was reversed and, after receiving an order from the MPSC to defer the resulting gain for future amortization, DTE Electric created a regulatory liability representing its obligation to refund the gain. The deferred gain will be amortized into earnings in 2014.


•	Over recovery of Securitization — Over recovery of securitization bond expenses.


•	Accrued PSCR refund — Liability for the temporary over-recovery of and a return on power supply costs and transmission costs incurred by DTE Electric which are recoverable through the PSCR mechanism.

•

Refundable other postretirement costs — Accounting rules for other postretirement benefit costs require, among other things, the recognition in other comprehensive income of the actuarial gains or losses and the prior service costs or credits that arise during the period but that are not immediately recognized as components of net periodic benefit costs. DTE Electric records the favorable impact of actuarial gains or losses and prior service credits as a regulatory liability since the impact will reduce expense in a future rate setting process as the deferred items are recognized as a component of net periodic benefit costs.


•	Asset removal costs — The amount collected from customers for the funding of future asset removal activities.


•	Fermi 2 refueling outage — Accrued liability for refueling outage at Fermi 2 pursuant to MPSC authorization.


•	Energy optimization (EO) — Amounts collected in rates in excess of energy optimization expenditures.


•	Refundable uncollectible expense (UETM) — Liability for the MPSC approved uncollectible expense tracking mechanism that tracks the difference in the fluctuation in uncollectible accounts and amounts recognized pursuant to the MPSC authorization. The UETM was terminated in the October 20, 2011 MPSC order issued to DTE Electric.

2009 Electric Rate Case Filing - Court of Appeals Decision

In April 2012, the Michigan Court of Appeals (COA) issued a decision relating to an appeal of the January 2010 MPSC rate order in DTE Electric's January 2009 rate case filing. The COA found that the record of evidence in the January 2010 rate order was insufficient to support the MPSC's authorization to recover costs for the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) program and remanded this matter to the MPSC. On October 17, 2013, the MPSC issued an order affirming the approximately $8 million rate increase authorized in the MPSC's January 2010 rate order for the AMI program and further concluded that the evidence presented after remand supports the authorized cost recovery.

2010 Electric Rate Case Filing - Court of Appeals Decision

In July 2013, the COA issued a decision relating to an appeal of the October 2011 MPSC order in DTE Electric's October 2010 rate case filing. The COA found that the record of evidence in the 2010 rate case order was insufficient to support the MPSC's authorization to recover costs for the AMI program and remanded this matter to the MPSC. The MPSC had approved an approximately $11 million rate increase related to the AMI program in the October 2011 order. DTE Electric is currently operating its AMI program pursuant to the MPSC's approval set forth in the October 2011 order. On August 29, 2013, the MPSC reopened the 2010 electric rate case for the limited purpose of addressing the COA's opinion on AMI. The Company is unable to predict the outcome of this matter or the timing of its resolution.

Transition of the City of Detroit's Public Lighting Department's (PLD) Customers to DTE Electric's Distribution System

Accounting Authority

On June 28, 2013, DTE Electric filed an application for accounting authority to defer certain costs associated with the transition of the City of Detroit's PLD customers to the DTE Electric distribution system over a five to seven year system conversion period. The Company requested authority to defer as a regulatory asset, all net incremental revenue requirement associated with the transition. The net incremental revenue requirement includes costs to install meters and attach customers; system and customer facility upgrades and repairs; and the difference between DTE Electric's tariff rates and any transitional rates approved in the future. On July 11, 2013, the MPSC approved DTE Electric's request to defer, for accounting purposes, the net incremental revenue requirement.

The approval excludes the request to defer the difference between DTE Electric's tariff rates and any transitional rates that might be approved by the MPSC in the future. The MPSC will address proposed rates and recovery matters in a future contested proceeding. As the accounting order did not provide a regulatory recovery mechanism, a regulatory asset will not be recognized until a regulatory recovery mechanism is put into place and the recovery of the regulatory asset becomes probable.

Transitional Reconciliation Mechanism (TRM)

On July 19, 2013, DTE Electric filed its TRM application proposing a transitional tariff option for certain former PLD customers and a modified line extension provision. The application also proposed a recovery mechanism for the deferred net incremental revenue requirement described above. The application further discussed that DTE Electric will be requesting recovery, in subsequent PSCR cases, of PLD transmission delivery service costs incurred while DTE Electric is temporarily relying upon PLD to operate and maintain PLD's system during the system conversion period. If the MPSC determines that the transmission costs are not recoverable in the PSCR, the Company requested recovery as part of the TRM.

Energy Optimization (EO) Plans

The EO plan is designed to help customers reduce their electric usage by: 1) building customer awareness of energy efficiency options and 2) offering a diverse set of programs and participation options that result in energy savings for each customer class.

In May 2013, DTE Electric filed an application for approval of its reconciliation of its 2012 EO plan expenses. DTE Electric’s EO reconciliation included a cumulative $26 million net over-recovery. DTE Electric proposed that the calculated over-recovery for 2012 be carried forward into 2013 and used as the beginning balance for the 2013 reconciliation. On December 6, 2013, the MPSC approved a settlement agreement of the DTE Electric 2012 EO reconciliation that carried forward to 2013 the 2012 over-recovery. In addition, the MPSC authorized performance incentive surcharges, over a 12-month period effective January 1, 2014, of approximately $10 million for DTE Electric..

In July 2013, DTE Electric filed an application with the MPSC for the biennial review of its EO plan. On December 19, 2013, the MPSC approved settlement agreements for the EO plan of DTE Electric.

DTE Electric Restoration Expense Tracker Mechanism (RETM) and Line Clearance Tracker (LCT) Reconciliation

In January 2012, DTE Electric filed an application with the MPSC for approval of the reconciliation of its 2011 RETM and LCT. The Company's 2011 restoration expenses were higher than the amount provided in rates. Accordingly, DTE Electric requested net recovery of approximately $44 million. On February 28, 2013, the MPSC approved a settlement agreement and authorized a $44 million net surcharge to recover the costs over a three-month period beginning April 1, 2013.

DTE Electric Uncollectible Expense True-Up Mechanism (UETM)

In February 2012, DTE Electric filed an application with the MPSC for approval of its UETM for 2011 requesting authority to refund approximately $9 million consisting of costs related to 2011 uncollectible expense. On February 28, 2013, the MPSC approved a settlement agreement and authorized a $9 million credit to refund the over-recovery over a one month period beginning April 1, 2013.

Low Income Energy Assistance Fund (LIEAF)

On July 1, 2013, Michigan Public Act 95 was signed into law and created the LIEAF. The legislation allows the use of a LIEAF funding factor to be determined by the MPSC and assessed on all customer classes of Michigan electric utilities to fund the LIEAF. On July 29, 2013, the MPSC adopted a funding factor of $0.99 per meter per month for all Michigan electric utilities that are participating in the program, including DTE Electric, effective with the September 2013 billing month. The surcharge billed by DTE Electric is remitted to the State of Michigan for subsequent distribution through a grant process to social service agencies and utilities to assist low income customers.

Renewable Energy Plan (REP)

In June 2013, DTE Electric filed an application for the biennial review and approval of its amended REP with the MPSC requesting authority to reduce its annual surcharge revenue recovery from approximately $100 million to $15 million. The proposed level is appropriate to continue to properly implement DTE Electric’s 20-year REP, designed to deliver cleaner, renewable electric generation to its customers, to further diversify DTE Electric’s and the State of Michigan’s sources of electric supply, and to address the state and national goals of increasing energy independence. On December 19, 2013, the MPSC approved DTE Electric’s amended REP.

Power Supply Cost Recovery Proceedings

The PSCR process is designed to allow DTE Electric to recover all of its power supply costs if incurred under reasonable and prudent policies and practices. DTE Electric's power supply costs include fuel and related transportation costs, purchased and net interchange power costs, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emission allowances costs, urea costs, transmission costs and MISO costs. The MPSC reviews these costs, policies and practices for prudence in annual plan and reconciliation filings.

2010 PSCR Year - On April 25, 2013, the MPSC approved the 2010 PSCR net under-recovery of $52.6 million and the recovery of this amount as part of the 2011 PSCR reconciliation. The order also approved DTE Electric's Pension Equalization Mechanism reconciliation and authorized a one month surcharge in June 2013 and approved the recovery of the over-refund of the self-implemented rate increase related to the 2009 electric rate case filing as part of the 2011 PSCR reconciliation.

2012 PSCR Year - In March 2013, DTE Electric filed the 2012 PSCR reconciliation calculating a net under-recovery of approximately $87 million that includes an under-recovery of approximately $148 million for the 2011 PSCR year. The reconciliation includes purchased power costs related to the manual shutdown of our Fermi 2 nuclear power plant in June 2012 caused by the failure of one of the plant's two non-safety related feed-water pumps. The plant was restarted on July 30, 2012, which restored production to nominal 68% of full capacity. In September 2013, the repair to the plant was completed and production was returned to full capacity. DTE Electric was able to purchase sufficient power from MISO to continue to provide uninterrupted service to our customers. Certain intervenors in the reconciliation case have challenged the recovery of up to $32 million of the Fermi-related purchased power costs. Resolution of this matter is expected in 2014.