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Regulatory matters
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2023
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. Certain regulatory proceedings and cases may also contain recurring mechanisms that can have an annual true-up. Examples of these recurring mechanisms include: infrastructure riders, transmission trackers, renewable resource cost adjustment riders, as well as weather normalization and decoupling mechanisms. The following paragraphs summarize the Company's significant open regulatory proceedings and cases by jurisdiction including updates to those reported in the 2022 Annual Report and should be read in conjunction with previous filings. The Company is unable to predict the ultimate outcome of these matters, the timing of final decisions of the various regulators and courts, or the effect on the Company's results of operations, financial position or cash flows.
IPUC
Intermountain filed a request with the IPUC for a natural gas general rate increase on December 1, 2022. The request was for an increase of $11.3 million annually or 3.2 percent above current rates, which was revised on March 9, 2023, to $6.8 million annually or 1.9 percent above current rates. The requested increase was primarily to recover investments made since the last rate case in 2016 and the depreciation, operation and maintenance expenses and taxes associated with the increased investments. A settlement in principle for an increase of approximately $3.1 million or 0.7 percent was filed with the IPUC on May 4, 2023. On June 30, 2023, the settlement was approved by the IPUC with rates effective July 1, 2023.
MTPSC
On November 4, 2022, Montana-Dakota filed an application with the MTPSC for an electric general rate increase of approximately $10.5 million annually or 15.2 percent above current rates, which was revised on March 15, 2023, to $11.5 million annually or 17.0 percent above current rates to reflect the loss of a large industrial customer. The requested increase is primarily to recover investments made since the last rate case, including Heskett Unit 4, increases in operation and maintenance expenses, and increases in property taxes. On January 24, 2023, the MTPSC approved Montana-Dakota's request for an interim increase of approximately $1.7 million or 2.7 percent above current rates, subject to refund, effective February 1, 2023. On June 12, 2023, an all-party settlement agreement was filed reflecting an annual revenue increase of $6.1 million or 9.1 percent overall. The reduction from the original filing includes a return on equity of 9.65 percent and removal of Heskett Unit 4 due to not being in service until the second half of 2023. The matter is pending before the MTPSC.
NDPSC
On May 16, 2022, Montana-Dakota filed an application with the NDPSC for an electric general rate increase of approximately $25.4 million annually or 12.3 percent above current rates. The requested increase is primarily to recover investments in production, transmission and distribution facilities and the associated depreciation, operation and maintenance expenses and taxes associated with the increased investment. On July 14, 2022, the NDPSC approved an interim rate increase of approximately $10.9 million annually or 5.3 percent above current rates, subject to refund, for service rendered on and after July 15, 2022. The lower interim rate increase is largely due to excluding the recovery of Heskett Unit 4 from interim rates due to not being in service until the second half of 2023. On April 26, 2023, the Company filed with the NDPSC an all-party settlement reflecting an annual revenue increase of $15.3 million or 7.4 percent overall. The reduction from the original filing includes a return on equity of 9.75 percent and maintaining depreciation expense at current levels. A hearing was held May 2, 2023. On June 6, 2023, the all-party settlement was approved by the NDPSC with rates effective July 1, 2023.

On July 14, 2023, Montana-Dakota filed an application with the NDPSC to request an update to its transmission cost adjustment rider requesting to recover revenues of $2.2 million, which includes a true-up of a prior period adjustment, resulting in a decrease of $10.7 million from current rates. The request is to recover transmission-related expenses and the revenue requirement for transmission facilities not currently recovered through electric service rates. The request also reflects the inclusion of the proposed net benefit of a large customer now taking service under Rate 45, as discussed in Part I, Item 2, which accounted for approximately $7.6 million of the decrease. The request proposes the rates be effective for service rendered on and after November 1, 2023. This matter is pending before the NDPSC.
WUTC
On June 1, 2023, Cascade filed its annual pipeline cost recovery mechanism requesting an increase in annual revenue of approximately $3.1 million or 0.9 percent, which will be adjusted as necessary prior to the effective date. The filing includes a proposed effective date of November 1, 2023. This matter is pending before the WUTC.
FERC
On January 27, 2023, WBI Energy Transmission filed a general rate case with the FERC for increases in its transportation and storage services rates that also includes a Greenhouse Gas Cost Recovery Mechanism for anticipated future costs. On July 31, 2023, the Company filed motion rates with the FERC for its transportation and storage services which will be effective August 1, 2023. The motion rates are subject to refund until a rate case settlement agreement is reached or a FERC order is issued approving the final rates.