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Regulatory matters
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Regulated Operations [Abstract]  
Regulatory matters Regulatory matters
The Company regularly reviews the need for electric and natural gas rate changes in each of the jurisdictions in which service is provided. The Company files for rate adjustments to seek recovery of operating costs and capital investments, as well as reasonable returns as allowed by regulators. The Company's most recent cases by jurisdiction are discussed in the following paragraphs. The jurisdictions in which the Company provides service have requested the Company furnish plans for the effect of the reduced corporate tax rate due to the enactment of the TCJA which may impact the Company's rates. The following paragraphs include additional details on each jurisdiction's request.
IPUC
On January 17, 2018, the IPUC issued a general order initiating the investigation of the impacts of the TCJA. The order required the tax rate reduction to be deferred as a regulatory liability and for companies to report on the expected impacts of the TCJA by March 30, 2018. On March 12, 2018, the Idaho governor signed into law a decrease in the state corporate income tax rate from 7.4 percent to 6.9 percent retroactive to January 1, 2018. On March 23, 2018, Intermountain filed an application and supporting tariffs incorporating the effects of the decreases in both federal and state income taxes resulting in a decrease in revenues of approximately $5.0 million annually. Until the final order is received, a regulatory liability will be recorded, beginning on January 1, 2018, to capture the customer benefits associated with these lower taxes.
MNPUC
On December 29, 2017, the MNPUC issued a notice of investigation related to tax changes with the enactment of the TCJA. On January 19, 2018, the MNPUC issued a notice of request for information, commission planning meeting and subsequent comment period. Pursuant to the notice, Great Plains provided preliminary impacts of the TCJA on January 30, 2018. On March 2, 2018, Great Plains submitted its initial filing addressing the impacts of the TCJA and is advocating existing rates are reasonable and a reduction in rates is not warranted. This matter is pending before the MNPUC.
MTPSC
On September 25, 2017, Montana-Dakota filed an application with the MTPSC for a natural gas rate increase of approximately $2.8 million annually or approximately 4.1 percent above current rates. The requested increase is primarily to recover the increased investment in distribution facilities to enhance system safety and reliability and the depreciation and taxes associated with the increase in investment. Montana-Dakota is also introducing an SSIP and the proposed adjustment mechanism required to fund the SSIP. Montana-Dakota requested an interim increase of approximately $1.6 million or approximately 2.3 percent, subject to refund. On December 27, 2017, the MTPSC requested Montana-Dakota identify a plan for the impacts of the TCJA for the natural gas segment within the existing natural gas rate case. On January 12, 2018, Montana-Dakota filed a revised interim increase of approximately $764,000, subject to refund, incorporating the estimated impacts of the TCJA reduction in the federal corporate income tax rate. On February 23, 2018, supplemental testimony, regarding the effects of the TCJA, was submitted reducing Montana-Dakota's initial request of $2.8 million to $1.6 million. On March 6, 2018, the interim request for rate relief was denied by the MTPSC. On April 24, 2018, a stipulation was filed with the MTPSC reflecting an annual increase of $975,000 or 1.4 percent. A hearing was held on April 26, 2018. This matter is pending before the MTPSC.
On December 27, 2017, the MTPSC requested Montana-Dakota identify a plan for the impacts of the TCJA and to file a proposal for the impacts on the electric segment by March 31, 2018. On April 2, 2018, Montana-Dakota submitted its plan requesting the MTPSC recognize the identified need for additional rate relief and to consider the effects of the TCJA in a general electric rate case to be submitted by September 30, 2018. This matter is pending before the MTPSC.
NDPSC
On July 21, 2017, Montana-Dakota filed an application with the NDPSC for a natural gas rate increase of approximately $5.9 million annually or approximately 5.4 percent above current rates. The requested increase is primarily to recover the increased investment in distribution facilities to enhance system safety and reliability and the depreciation and taxes associated with the increase in investment. Montana-Dakota is also introducing an SSIP and the proposed adjustment mechanism required to fund the SSIP. Montana-Dakota requested an interim increase of approximately $4.6 million or approximately 4.2 percent, subject to refund. On September 6, 2017, the NDPSC approved the request for interim rates effective with service rendered on or after September 19, 2017. On January 12, 2018, Montana-Dakota requested a delay of the rate case as a result of the enactment of the TCJA to allow the Company time to investigate the implications of the TCJA on the rate case. On February 14, 2018, the NDPSC approved the delay of hearing and scheduled it to begin on May 30, 2018. Also on February 14, 2018, Montana-Dakota filed a revised interim increase request of approximately $2.7 million, subject to refund, incorporating the estimated impacts of the TCJA reduction in the federal corporate income tax rate. On March 1, 2018, the updated interim rates were implemented. The impact of the TCJA was submitted as part of a rebuttal testimony identifying a reduction of the adjusted revenue requirement to $3.6 million. A hearing is scheduled for May 30, 2018. This matter is pending before the NDPSC.
On January 10, 2018, the NDPSC issued a general order initiating the investigation into the effects of the TCJA. The order required regulatory deferral accounting on the impacts of the TCJA and for companies to file comments and the expected impacts. On February 15, 2018, Montana-Dakota filed a summary of the primary impacts of the TCJA on the electric and natural gas utilities. On March 9, 2018, Montana-Dakota submitted a request to decrease its electric rates by $7.2 million or 3.9 percent annually. This matter is pending before the NDPSC.
OPUC
On September 29, 2017, Cascade filed an application with the OPUC for an annual pipeline replacement safety cost recovery mechanism of approximately $784,000 or approximately 1.2 percent of additional revenue. The requested increase includes incremental pipeline replacement investments associated with qualifying pipeline integrity projects. This filing was withdrawn on March 6, 2018, and will be incorporated into an upcoming rate increase filing.
On December 29, 2017, Cascade filed a request with the OPUC to use deferral accounting for the 2018 net benefits associated with the implementation of the TCJA. This matter is pending before the OPUC.
SDPUC
On December 29, 2017, the SDPUC issued an order initiating the investigation into the effects of the TCJA. The order required Montana-Dakota to provide comments by February 1, 2018, regarding the general effects of the TCJA on the cost of service in South Dakota and possible mechanisms for adjusting rates. The order also stated that all rates impacted by the federal income tax shall be adjusted effective January 1, 2018, subject to refund. The Company expects to file detailed plans of the TCJA impact in the second quarter of 2018.
WUTC
On August 31, 2017, Cascade filed an application with the WUTC for a natural gas rate increase of approximately $5.9 million annually or approximately 2.7 percent above current rates. The requested increase includes costs associated with increased infrastructure investment and the associated operating expenses. Also included in the request is recovery of operation and maintenance costs associated with a maximum allowable operating pressure validation plan. On January 3, 2018, the WUTC filed a bench request requiring Cascade to provide information related to the impacts of the TCJA on Cascade's revenue requirement and a proposed ratemaking treatment of those impacts. On March 23, 2018, Cascade filed its rebuttal testimony revising the revenue requirement to a decrease of $1.7 million annually, which includes the impacts of the TCJA. This matter is pending before the WUTC.
WYPSC
On December 29, 2017, the WYPSC issued a general order requiring regulatory deferral accounting on the impacts of the TCJA. A technical conference was held on February 6, 2018, to discuss the implications of the TCJA. On March 23, 2018, the WYPSC issued an order requiring all public utilities to submit an initial assessment of the overall effects on the TCJA on their rates by March 30, 2018. On March 30, 2018, Montana-Dakota submitted its initial assessment indicating a rate reduction for its electric rates in the amount of $1.1 million annually or 4.2 percent with a commitment to submit a request to revise electric rates by May 15, 2018. Montana-Dakota reported its natural gas earnings do not support a decrease in rates and requested the WYPSC allow the impacts of the TCJA be addressed in a natural gas rate case to be submitted by June 1, 2019. This matter is pending before the WYPSC.
FERC
Montana-Dakota and certain MISO Transmission Owners with projected rates submitted a filing to the FERC on February 1, 2018, requesting the FERC to waive certain provisions of the MISO tariff in order for Montana-Dakota and certain MISO Transmission Owners with projected rates to revise their rates to reflect the reduction in the corporate tax rate. Under the MISO tariff, rates are to be changed only on an annual basis with any changes reflected in subsequent true-ups. On March 15, 2018, the FERC approved the waiver request and new rates reflecting the effects of the TCJA were implemented by MISO on March 1, 2018. MISO also retroactively re-billed the January and February 2018 services to reflect the new rates. The total revenue requirement for the Company's multivalue project was reduced to $12.0 million from $13.6 million, which was previously effective on January 1, 2018.
The FERC has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking, subject to notice and comment, that will require pipeline companies to make a one-time informational filing to evaluate the impact of the lower corporate income tax rate and also select one of four options presented by FERC. On April 10, 2018, WBI Energy Transmission held an initial rate change pre-filing settlement meeting with customers. In accordance with WBI Energy Transmission’s offer of settlement and stipulation and agreement with the FERC dated June 4, 2014, the Company is to make a filing with new proposed rates to be effective no later than May 1, 2019. Assuming a five-month suspension period, WBI Energy Transmission would expect to file by October 31, 2018.