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Utility Regulatory Assets and Liabilities and Regulatory Matters
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Regulated Operations [Abstract]  
Utility Regulatory Assets and Liabilities and Regulatory Matters
Note 9 — Utility Regulatory Assets and Liabilities and Regulatory Matters
The following regulatory assets and liabilities associated with our Utilities reportable segment are included in our Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30:
20242023
Regulatory assets (a):  
Income taxes recoverable$105 $94 
Underfunded pension plans106 111 
Environmental costs28 28 
Deferred fuel and power costs— 27 
Removal costs, net28 23 
Other52 64 
Total regulatory assets$319 $347 
Regulatory liabilities (a):  
Postretirement benefits$13 $12 
Deferred fuel and power refunds17 55 
State income tax benefits — distribution system repairs44 43 
Excess federal deferred income taxes247 254 
Other
Total regulatory liabilities$329 $366 
(a)    Current regulatory assets are recorded in “Other current assets” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Regulatory liabilities are recorded in “Other current liabilities” and “Other noncurrent liabilities” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Other than removal costs, Utilities currently does not recover a rate of return on the regulatory assets included in the table above.

Income taxes recoverable. This regulatory asset is the result of recording deferred tax liabilities pertaining to temporary tax differences principally as a result of the pass through to ratepayers of the tax benefit on accelerated tax depreciation for state income tax purposes, and the flow through of accelerated tax depreciation for federal income tax purposes for certain years prior to 1981. These deferred taxes have been reduced by deferred tax assets pertaining to utility deferred investment tax credits. Utilities has recorded regulatory income tax assets related to these deferred tax liabilities representing future revenues recoverable through the ratemaking process over the average remaining depreciable lives of the associated property ranging from 1 to approximately 65 years.
Underfunded pension plans. This regulatory asset represents the portion of net actuarial losses and prior service costs (credits) associated with Gas Utility and Electric Utility pension benefits which are probable of being recovered through future rates based upon established regulatory practices. These regulatory assets are adjusted annually or more frequently under certain circumstances when the funded status of the plans is remeasured. These costs are amortized over the average remaining future service lives of plan participants.
Environmental costs. Environmental costs principally represent estimated probable future environmental remediation and investigation costs that PA Gas Utility expects to incur, primarily at MGP sites in Pennsylvania, in conjunction with a remediation COA with the PADEP. Pursuant to base rate orders, PA Gas Utility receives ratemaking recognition of its estimated environmental investigation and remediation costs associated with its environmental sites. This ratemaking recognition balances the accumulated difference between historical costs and rate recoveries with an estimate of future costs associated with the sites. The period over which PA Gas Utility expects to recover these costs will depend upon future remediation activity. For additional information on environmental costs, see Note 16.
Removal costs, net. This regulatory asset represents costs incurred, net of salvage, associated with the retirement of depreciable utility plant of UGI Utilities. As required by PAPUC ratemaking, removal costs include actual costs incurred associated with asset retirement obligations. Consistent with prior ratemaking treatment, UGI Utilities expects to recover these costs over five years.
Postretirement benefits. This regulatory liability represents the difference between amounts recovered through rates by PA Gas Utility and Electric Utility and actual costs incurred in accordance with accounting for postretirement benefits. A portion of this liability will be refunded to customers over the average remaining future service lives of plan participants. Another portion of this liability represents overcollections for which refund periods have been established within ratemaking proceedings. With respect to Gas Utility, postretirement benefit overcollections are generally being refunded to customers over a ten-year period beginning October 19, 2016. With respect to Electric Utility, the overcollections are being refunded to ratepayers over a 20-year period effective October 27, 2018.
Deferred fuel and power - costs and refunds. Utilities’ tariffs contain clauses that permit recovery of all prudently incurred purchased gas and power costs through the application of PGC rates, PGA rates and DS tariffs. These clauses provide for periodic adjustments to PGC, PGA and DS rates for differences between the total amount of purchased gas and electric generation supply costs billed to customers and recoverable costs incurred. Net underbilled costs are classified as a regulatory asset and net overbillings are classified as a regulatory liability.
Mountaineer uses fixed-price contracts to reduce volatility in the cost of gas it purchases for retail core-market customers. To lower winter bills for residential customers, the WVPSC removed transportation and storage costs from the volumetric rate and created a fixed monthly pipeline demand charge applicable only to residential customers effective December 1, 2022.
PA Gas Utility uses derivative instruments to reduce volatility in the cost of gas it purchases for retail core-market customers. Realized and unrealized gains or losses on natural gas derivative instruments are included in deferred fuel and power costs or refunds. Net unrealized gains (losses) on such contracts at September 30, 2024 and 2023 were $2 and $(2), respectively.
State income tax benefits — distribution system repairs. This regulatory liability represents Pennsylvania state income tax benefits, net of federal benefit, resulting from the deduction for income tax purposes of repair and maintenance costs associated with UGI Utilities’ assets that are capitalized for regulatory and GAAP reporting. The tax benefits associated with these repair and maintenance deductions will be reflected as a reduction to income tax expense over the remaining tax lives of the related book assets.

Excess federal deferred income taxes. This regulatory liability is the result of remeasuring Utilities’ federal deferred income tax liabilities on utility plant due to the enactment of the TCJA on December 22, 2017. In order for our utility assets to continue to be eligible for accelerated tax depreciation, current law requires that excess federal deferred income taxes resulting from the remeasurement be amortized no more rapidly than over the remaining lives of the assets that gave rise to the excess federal deferred income taxes, ranging from 1 year to approximately 65 years. This regulatory liability has been increased to reflect the tax benefit generated by the amortization of the excess deferred federal income taxes and is being amortized and credited to tax expense.
Other. Other regulatory assets and liabilities comprise a number of deferred items including, among others, certain fair value adjustments related to the Mountaineer Acquisition, certain information technology costs, energy efficiency conservation costs and rate case expenses.
Other Regulatory Matters
UGI Utilities. On January 27, 2023, Electric Utility filed a request with the PAPUC to increase its annual base distribution revenues by $11. On September 21, 2023, the PAPUC issued a final order approving a settlement providing for a $9 annual base distribution rate increase for Electric Utility, effective October 1, 2023.
On January 28, 2022, PA Gas Utility filed a request with the PAPUC to increase its base operating revenues for residential, commercial and industrial customers by $83 annually. On September 15, 2022, the PAPUC issued a final order approving a settlement providing for a $49 annual base distribution rate increase for PA Gas Utility, through a phased approach, with $38 beginning October 29, 2022 and an additional $11 beginning October 1, 2023. In accordance with the terms of the final order, PA Gas Utility was not permitted to file a rate case prior to January 1, 2024. Also in accordance with the terms of the final order, PA Gas Utility was authorized to implement a weather normalization adjustment rider as a five-year pilot program beginning on November 1, 2022. Under this rider, when weather deviates from normal by more than 3%, residential and small commercial customer billings for distribution services are adjusted monthly for weather related impacts exceeding the 3% threshold. Additionally, under the terms of the final order, PA Gas Utility was authorized to implement a DSIC once its total property, plant and equipment less accumulated depreciation reached $3,368 (which threshold was achieved in September 2022).
Mountaineer. On July 31, 2024, Mountaineer submitted its 2024 IREP filing to the WVPSC requesting recovery of $19, which includes $3 of prior year under-recovery, for costs associated with capital investments after December 31, 2022, that total $197, including $74 in calendar year 2025. The filing included capital investments totaling $418 over the 2025 - 2029 period. On October 28, 2024, the WVPSC issued an order approving Mountaineer’s request.
On July 31, 2023, Mountaineer submitted its 2023 IREP filing to the WVPSC requesting recovery of $10, an increase of $6, for costs associated with capital investments after December 31, 2022, that total $131, including $67 in calendar year 2024. With new base rates expected to be effective January 1, 2024, revenues from IREP rates would decrease by $12. The filing included capital investments totaling $383 over the 2024 - 2028 period. On December 20, 2023, the WVPSC issued a final order approving a settlement effective January 1, 2024.
On March 6, 2023, Mountaineer submitted a base rate case filing with the WVPSC seeking a net revenue increase of $20, which consisted of an increase in base rates of $38 and a decrease in the IREP rates of $18 annually to be effective on April 5, 2023. On March 31, 2023, the WVPSC suspended the effective date of the requested rate change increase until January 1, 2024 to allow for a full review of the filing. On October 6, 2023, Mountaineer filed a joint stipulation and agreement for settlement of the base rate case, which included a $14 net revenue increase. On December 21, 2023, the WVPSC issued a final order approving the joint stipulation and agreement, except the WVPSC authorized Mountaineer to implement a weather normalization adjustment rider as a five-year pilot program beginning on October 1, 2024. The new rates went into effect on January 1, 2024. On April 11, 2024, the WVPSC approved the calculation methodology submitted by Mountaineer on March 28, 2024. Under this rider, when weather deviates from normal by more than 2%, for service rendered during the period October 1 through May 31, residential and small commercial customer billings for distribution services are adjusted for weather related impacts exceeding the 2% threshold.
On July 29, 2022, Mountaineer submitted its 2022 IREP filing to the WVPSC requesting recovery of costs associated with capital investments totaling $354 over the 2023 - 2027 period, including $64 in calendar year 2023. On November 16, 2022, Mountaineer and the intervening parties submitted a joint stipulation and agreement for settlement to the WVPSC requesting approval of 2023 IREP revenue of $22 to be charged effective January 1, 2023, which includes the recovery of a $1 under-recovery of 2021 IREP revenue. On December 21, 2022, the WVPSC issued an order approving the joint stipulation and agreement for settlement as filed.