XML 25 R14.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.5.0.2
Balancing and Memorandum Account Recovery Procedures
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Regulated Operations [Abstract]  
BALANCING AND MEMORANDUM ACCOUNT RECOVERY PROCEDURES
Balancing and Memorandum Account Recovery Procedures
In California, San Jose Water Company has established a balancing account mechanism for the purpose of tracking the under-collection or over-collection associated with expense changes and the revenue authorized by the CPUC to offset those expense changes. San Jose Water Company also maintains memorandum accounts to track revenue impacts due to catastrophic events, certain unforeseen water quality expenses related to new federal and state water quality standards, energy efficiency, WCMA, drought surcharges, Monterey Water Revenue Adjustment Mechanism, and other approved activities or as directed by the CPUC.
Balancing and memorandum accounts are recognized by San Jose Water Company when it is probable that future recovery of previously incurred costs or future refunds that are to be credited to customers will occur through the ratemaking process. In addition, in the case of special revenue programs such as the WCMA, San Jose Water Company follows the requirements of ASC Topic 980-605-25—“Alternative Revenue Programs” in determining revenue recognition, including the requirement that such revenues will be collected within 24 months of the year-end in which the revenue is recorded. A reserve will be recorded for amounts SJW Corp. estimates will not be collected within the 24-month period. This reserve is based on the difference between authorized usage in the last general rate case decision and an estimate of actual usage over the recovery period, offset by applicable drought surcharges. In assessing the probability criteria for balancing and memorandum accounts between general rate cases, San Jose Water Company considers evidence that may exist prior to CPUC authorization that would satisfy ASC Topic 980 subtopic 340-25 recognition criteria. Such evidence may include regulatory rules and decisions, past practices, and other facts and circumstances that would indicate that recovery or refund is probable. When such evidence provides sufficient support, the balances are recorded in SJW Corp.'s financial statements.
Based on ASC Topic 980-605-25, San Jose Water Company recognized $3,747 and $6,761 of lost revenues accumulated in the 2016 WCMA account for three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively. This regulatory asset was offset by a regulatory liability in the amount of $3,747 and $6,761 for three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively, created by Tariff Rule 14.1 drought surcharges collected during the same period as allowed for in Advice Letter 473A which was approved by the CPUC and became effective June 15, 2015. These amounts have been recorded in the 2016 WCMA row shown in the tables below.
On June 28, 2016, San Jose Water Company filed Advice Letter 492 for a surcharge of $8,767 to true-up the difference between interim rates and 2015 General Rate Case authorized rates, which is expected to be collected during a 12-month recovery period once approved. The $8,767 of revenue was recorded in the 2015 General Rate Case true-up row in the table below. This amount includes $185 related to water supply accounts that have previously been recorded and have been deducted from the appropriate row in the table below.
 
Three months ended June 30, 2016
 
Three months ended June 30, 2015
Beginning Balance
 
Revenue Increase (Reduction)
 
Refunds (Collections)
 
Surcharge Offset
 
Ending Balance
 
Beginning Balance
 
Revenue Increase (Reduction)
 
Refunds (Collections)
 
Surcharge Offset
 
Ending Balance
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Memorandum accounts:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2014 WCMA*
$
2,427

 
(152
)
 
(712
)
 

 
1,563

 
$

 

 

 

 

2015 WCMA*
5,352

 
(77
)
 
(528
)
 

 
4,747

 

 

 

 

 

2016 WCMA

 
3,747

 

 
(3,747
)
 

 

 

 

 

 

All others
1,110

 
551

 

 

 
1,661

 
(789
)
 
397

 
163

 

 
(229
)
Total memorandum accounts
8,889

 
4,069

 
(1,240
)
 
(3,747
)
 
7,971

 
(789
)
 
397

 
163

 

 
(229
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Balancing accounts, net assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Water supply costs
2,436

 
257

 
(52
)
 

 
2,641

 
825

 
304

 
(59
)
 

 
1,070

Drought surcharges
(512
)
 

 
(4,951
)
 
3,747

 
(1,716
)
 

 

 
(80
)
 

 
(80
)
Pension
(427
)
 
280

 
(373
)
 

 
(520
)
 
423

 
143

 
(427
)
 

 
139

2012 General Rate Case true-up
30,572

 

 
(2,832
)
 

 
27,740

 
43,517

 
61

 
(3,211
)
 

 
40,367

2015 General Rate Case true-up

 
8,767

 

 

 
8,767

 

 

 

 

 

All others
1,225

 
(97
)
 
(27
)
 

 
1,101

 
1,593

 
(108
)
 
(32
)
 

 
1,453

Total balancing accounts
$
33,294

 
9,207

 
(8,235
)
 
3,747

 
38,013

 
$
46,358

 
400

 
(3,809
)
 

 
42,949

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total
$
42,183

 
13,276

 
(9,475
)
 

 
45,984

 
$
45,569

 
797

 
(3,646
)
 

 
42,720


 
Six months ended June 30, 2016
 
Six months ended June 30, 2015
Beginning Balance
 
Revenue Increase (Reduction)
 
Refunds (Collections)
 
Surcharge Offset
 
Ending Balance
 
Beginning Balance
 
Revenue Increase (Reduction)
 
Refunds (Collections)
 
Surcharge Offset
 
Ending Balance
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Memorandum accounts:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2014 WCMA*
$
2,944

 
(152
)
 
(1,229
)
 

 
1,563

 
$

 

 

 

 

2015 WCMA*
5,372

 
(97
)
 
(528
)
 

 
4,747

 

 

 

 

 

2016 WCMA

 
6,761

 

 
(6,761
)
 

 

 

 

 

 

All others
594

 
1,068

 
(1
)
 

 
1,661

 
(1,377
)
 
821

 
327

 

 
(229
)
Total memorandum accounts
8,910

 
7,580

 
(1,758
)
 
(6,761
)

7,971

 
(1,377
)
 
821

 
327

 

 
(229
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Balancing accounts, net assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Water supply costs
2,771

 
(56
)
 
(74
)
 

 
2,641

 
890

 
292

 
(112
)
 

 
1,070

Drought surcharges
(359
)
 

 
(8,118
)
 
6,761

 
(1,716
)
 

 

 
(80
)
 

 
(80
)
Pension
(552
)
 
560

 
(528
)
 

 
(520
)
 
1,412

 
(463
)
 
(810
)
 

 
139

2012 General Rate Case true-up
33,070

 

 
(5,330
)
 

 
27,740

 
44,400

 
1,937

 
(5,970
)
 

 
40,367

2015 General Rate Case true-up

 
8,767

 

 

 
8,767

 

 

 

 

 

All others
1,366

 
(227
)
 
(38
)
 

 
1,101

 
1,736

 
(223
)
 
(60
)
 

 
1,453

Total balancing accounts
$
36,296

 
9,044

 
(14,088
)
 
6,761


38,013

 
$
48,438

 
1,543

 
(7,032
)
 

 
42,949

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total
$
45,206


16,624


(15,846
)



45,984

 
$
47,061

 
2,364

 
(6,705
)
 

 
42,720

* As of June 30, 2016, the reserve balance for the 2014 WCMA and 2015 WCMA was $1,431 and $2,420, respectively, which has been netted from the balances above.
As of June 30, 2016, the total balance in San Jose Water Company's balancing and memorandum accounts combined, including interest, that has not been recorded into the financial statements was a net under-collection of $3,074. All balancing accounts and memorandum-type accounts not included for recovery or refund in the current general rate case will be reviewed by the CPUC in San Jose Water Company's next general rate case or at the time an individual account reaches a threshold of 2% of authorized revenue, whichever occurs first.