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Investment in Transmission Affiliates
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]  
INVESTMENT IN TRANSMISSION AFFILATES INVESTMENT IN TRANSMISSION AFFILIATES
We own approximately 60% of ATC, a for-profit, transmission-only company regulated by the FERC for cost of service and certain state regulatory commissions for routing and siting of transmission projects. We also own approximately 75% of ATC Holdco, a separate entity formed in December 2016 to invest in transmission-related projects outside of ATC's traditional footprint. ATC's corporate manager has a ten-member board of directors, and ATC Holdco's corporate manager has a four-member board of directors. We have one representative on each board. Each member of the board has only one vote. The following tables provide a reconciliation of the changes in our investments in ATC and ATC Holdco:
2020
(in millions)ATCATC HoldcoTotal
Balance at January 1$1,684.7 $36.1 $1,720.8 
Add: Earnings from equity method investment174.3 1.5 175.8 
Add: Capital contributions21.2  21.2 
Less: Distributions146.7  146.7 
Less: Return of capital 6.8 6.8 
Balance at December 31$1,733.5 $30.8 $1,764.3 

2019
(in millions)ATCATC HoldcoTotal
Balance at January 1$1,625.3 $40.0 $1,665.3 
Add: Earnings (loss) from equity method investment132.8 (5.2)127.6 
Add: Capital contributions51.3 1.3 52.6 
Less: Distributions 124.7 — 124.7 
Balance at December 31$1,684.7 $36.1 $1,720.8 

2018
(in millions)ATCATC HoldcoTotal
Balance at January 1$1,515.8 
(1)
$37.6 $1,553.4 
Add: Earnings (loss) from equity method investment139.6 (2.9)136.7 
Add: Capital contributions48.2 5.3 53.5 
Less: Distributions 78.2 — 78.2 
Less: Other0.1 — 0.1 
Balance at December 31$1,625.3 $40.0 $1,665.3 
(1)    Distributions of $39.9 million, received in the first quarter of 2018, were approved and recorded as a receivable from ATC in other current assets at December 31, 2017.

In November 2019 and May 2020, the FERC issued orders that addressed complaints related to ATC's allowed ROE. Due to the various outstanding petitions filed related to these orders, our financials continue to include a $39.1 million liability for potential future refunds that ATC may be required to provide, reducing our equity earnings from ATC. This liability reflects a 10.52% ROE for all periods covered by the complaints.

We pay ATC for network transmission and other related services it provides. In addition, we provide a variety of operational, maintenance, and project management work for ATC, which is reimbursed by ATC. We are also required to initially fund the construction of transmission infrastructure upgrades needed for new generation projects. ATC owns these transmission assets and reimburses us for these costs when the new generation is placed in service.

The following table summarizes our significant related party transactions with ATC during the years ended December 31:
(in millions)202020192018
Charges to ATC for services and construction$27.5 $25.9 $21.8 
Charges from ATC for network transmission services350.5 348.1 338.1 
Net refund from ATC related to FERC ROE orders10.7 — — 
Refund from ATC related to a FERC audit — 22.0 

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, our balance sheets included the following receivables and payables for services provided to or received from ATC:
(in millions)20202019
Accounts receivable for services provided to ATC$3.7 $3.5 
Accounts payable for services received from ATC29.3 29.0 
Amounts due from ATC for transmission infrastructure upgrades4.6 
(1)
2.8 
(2)

(1)    The transmission infrastructure upgrades were primarily related to WE's and WPS's construction of their new solar projects, Badger Hollow II and Badger Hollow I, respectively.

(2)    The transmission infrastructure upgrades were related to WPS's construction of its two new solar projects, Badger Hollow I and Two Creeks. Amounts due related to Two Creeks were largely reimbursed by ATC in December 2020 as the new generation was placed in service.

Summarized financial data for ATC is included in the tables below:
Year Ended December 31
(in millions)202020192018
Income statement data
Operating revenues$758.1 $744.4 $690.5 
Operating expenses372.5 373.5 358.7 
Other expense, net110.8 110.5 108.3 
Net income$274.8 $260.4 $223.5 

(in millions)December 31, 2020December 31, 2019
Balance sheet data
Current assets$92.7 $84.7 
Noncurrent assets5,400.6 5,244.2 
Total assets$5,493.3 $5,328.9 
Current liabilities$310.8 $502.6 
Long-term debt2,512.2 2,312.8 
Other noncurrent liabilities378.2 298.9 
Members' equity2,292.1 2,214.6 
Total liabilities and members' equity$5,493.3 $5,328.9