Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Act was enacted. This legislation made significant changes to the federal income tax laws, including a reduction in the corporate tax rate to 21% effective January 1, 2018. As a result of this rate reduction, the Company recognized a $1.14 billion reduction in its net deferred income tax liabilities as of December 31, 2017.

In accordance with accounting for regulated companies, the effect of this rate reduction is substantially offset by a net regulatory liability. As of December 31, 2017, to reflect the $1.14 billion reduction in its net deferred income tax liabilities caused by the rate reduction, APS has recorded a net regulatory liability of $1.52 billion and a new $377 million net deferred tax asset. The Company will amortize the net regulatory liability in accordance with applicable federal income tax laws, which require the amortization of a majority of the balance over the remaining regulatory life of the related property. As a result of the modifications made to the annual transmission formula rate during the second quarter, the Company has recorded amortization of FERC jurisdictional net excess deferred tax liabilities, retroactive to January 1, 2018. The Company continues to work with the ACC on a plan to amortize the remaining net excess deferred tax liabilities subject to its jurisdiction. See Note 4 for more details.

Several sections of the Tax Act contain technical ambiguities. Management has recognized tax positions which it believes are more likely than not to be sustained upon examination based upon its interpretation of this legislation.

In August 2018, Treasury proposed regulations that would clarify bonus depreciation rules under the Tax Act for property placed in service after September 27, 2017.  During the third quarter the Company recorded deferred tax liabilities of approximately $11 million and an increase in its net regulatory liability for excess deferred taxes of approximately $9 million, primarily related to bonus depreciation benefits claimed on the Company’s 2017 tax return as a result of this clarifying guidance.

Additional clarifying guidance may be issued through additional legislation, Treasury regulations, or other technical guidance, which may impact the income tax effects of the Tax Act as recorded by the Company. As of September 30, 2018, the Company does not have a reasonable estimate of what the income tax effects of additional clarifying guidance may be.

For the quarter ending March 31, 2018, the Company early adopted  ASU 2018-02, Income Statement-Reporting Comprehensive Income: Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income and elected to reclassify the income tax effects of the Tax Act on items within accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings. See Note 13 for additional information.

Net income associated with the Palo Verde sale leaseback VIEs is not subject to tax (see Note 6).  As a result, there is no income tax expense associated with the VIEs recorded on the Pinnacle West Condensed Consolidated and APS Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.

As of the balance sheet date, the tax year ended December 31, 2015 and all subsequent tax years remain subject to examination by the IRS.  With a few exceptions, we are no longer subject to state income tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2013.