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Regulatory Matters
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Regulated Operations [Abstract]  
Regulatory Matters
Note B – Regulatory Matters
Rate Plans
The Utilities provide service to NY customers according to the terms of tariffs approved by the NYSPSC. Tariffs for service to customers of Rockland Electric Company (RECO), O&R’s NJ regulated utility subsidiary, are approved by the NJBPU. The tariffs include schedules of rates for service that limit the rates charged by the Utilities to amounts that the Utilities recover from their customers costs approved by the regulator, including capital costs, of providing service to customers as defined by the tariff. The tariffs implement rate plans adopted by state utility regulators in rate orders issued at the conclusion of rate proceedings. Pursuant to the Utilities’ rate plans, there generally can be no change to the charges to customers during the respective terms of the rate plans other than specified adjustments provided for in the rate plans. The Utilities’ rate plans each cover specified periods, but rates determined pursuant to a plan generally continue in effect until a new rate plan is approved by the state utility regulator.
Common provisions of the Utilities’ NY rate plans include:
Recoverable energy costs that allow the Utilities to recover on a current basis the costs for the energy they supply with no mark-up to their full-service customers.

Cost reconciliations that reconcile pension and other postretirement benefit costs, environmental remediation costs, property taxes, variable-rate tax-exempt debt and certain other costs to amounts reflected in delivery rates for such costs. In addition, changes in the Utilities' costs not reflected in rates, in excess of certain amounts, resulting from changes in tax or changes in legislation, regulation or related actions, are deferred as a regulatory asset or regulatory liability to be reflected in the Utilities' next rate plan or in a manner to be determined by the NYSPSC. Also, the Utilities generally retain the right to petition for recovery or accounting deferral of extraordinary and material cost increases and provision is sometimes made for the utility to retain a share of cost reductions, for example, property tax refunds.
Revenue decoupling mechanisms that reconcile actual energy delivery revenues to the authorized delivery revenues approved by the NYSPSC. The difference is accrued with interest for refund to, or recovery from customers, as applicable.
Earnings sharing that require the Utilities to defer for customer benefit a portion of earnings over specified rates of return on common equity. There is no symmetric mechanism for earnings below specified rates of return on common equity.
Negative revenue adjustments for failure to meet certain performance standards relating to service, reliability, safety and other matters.

Other revenue adjustments represent positive revenue adjustments, positive incentives, and earnings adjustments mechanisms for achievement of performance standards related to achievement of clean energy goals, safety and other matters.
Net utility plant reconciliations that require deferral as a regulatory liability of the revenue requirement impact of the amount, if any, by which actual average net utility plant balances are less than amounts reflected in rates. There is generally no symmetric mechanism if actual average net utility plant balances are more than amounts reflected in rates.
Rate base, as reflected in the rate plans, is, in general, the sum of the Utilities’ net plant, working capital and certain regulatory assets less deferred taxes and certain regulatory liabilities. For each rate plan, the NYSPSC uses a forecast of the average rate base for each year that new rates would be in effect (“rate year”). 
Weighted average cost of capital is determined based on the authorized common equity ratio, return on common equity, cost of long-term debt and cost of customer deposits reflected in each rate plan. For each rate plan, the revenues designed to provide the utility a return on invested capital for each rate year are determined by multiplying each utility rate base by its pretax weighted average cost of capital. The Utilities’ actual return on common equity will reflect their actual operations for each rate year, and may be more or less than the authorized return on equity reflected in their rate plans (and if more, may be subject to earnings sharing).
The following tables contain a summary of the Utilities’ rate plans:
CECONY – Electric    
Effective periodJanuary 2017 – December 2019   January 2020 – December 2022 (a)
Base rate changes
Yr. 1 – $195 million (b)
Yr. 2 – $155 million (b)
Yr. 3 – $155 million (b)
  
Yr. 1 – $113 million (c)
Yr. 2 – $370 million (c)
Yr. 3 – $326 million (c)
Amortizations to income of net regulatory (assets) and liabilities
Yr. 1 – $84 million
Yr. 2 – $83 million
Yr. 3 – $69 million
  
Yr. 1 – $267 million (d)
Yr. 2 – $269 million (d)
Yr. 3 – $272 million (d)
Other revenue sources
Retention of $75 million of annual transmission congestion revenues.

Potential earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency and other potential incentives of up to:
Yr. 1 – $28 million
Yr. 2 – $47 million
Yr. 3 – $64 million
In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company recorded $13 million, $25 million and $43 million of earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency, respectively. The company also achieved $5 million of incentives for service terminations in 2017, 2018 and 2019 that, pursuant to the rate plan, is being recorded ratably in earnings from 2018 to 2020. In 2018 and 2019, the company recorded $3 million and $7 million of incentives for service terminations, respectively.
  
Retention of $75 million of annual transmission congestion revenues.

Potential earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency and other potential incentives of up to:
Yr. 1 - $69 million
Yr. 2 - $74 million
Yr. 3 - $79 million
In 2020 and 2021, the company recorded $34 million and $64 million primarily related to earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency, respectively.
Revenue decoupling mechanisms
Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized electric delivery revenues.
In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company deferred for customer benefit $45 million, $(6) million and $169 million of revenues, respectively.
  
Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized electric delivery revenues.
In 2020 and 2021, the company deferred for recovery from customers $242 million and $226 million of revenues, respectively.
Recoverable energy costs Continuation of current rate recovery of purchased power and fuel costs.  Continuation of current rate recovery of purchased power and fuel costs.
Negative revenue adjustments
Potential charges if certain performance targets relating to service, reliability, safety and other matters are not met:
Yr. 1 – $376 million
Yr. 2 – $341 million
Yr. 3 – $352 million
In 2017 and 2018, the company did not record any negative revenue adjustments. In 2019, the company recorded negative revenue adjustments of $15 million.
  
Potential charges if certain performance targets relating to service, reliability, safety and other matters are not met:
Yr. 1 - $450 million
Yr. 2 - $461 million
Yr. 3 - $476 million
In 2020, the company recorded negative revenue adjustments of $5 million. In 2021, the company did not record any negative revenue adjustments.
Cost reconciliations
Continuation of reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, variable-rate tax-exempt debt, major storms, property taxes (e), municipal infrastructure support costs (f), the impact of new laws and environmental site investigation and remediation to amounts reflected in rates (g).
In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company deferred $35 million, $189 million and $10 million of net regulatory assets, respectively.
  
Continuation of reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, variable-rate debt, major storms, property taxes (e), municipal infrastructure support costs (f), the impact of new laws and environmental site investigation and remediation to amounts reflected in rates (g).
In 2020 and 2021, the company deferred $288 million and $191 million of net regulatory assets, respectively.
Net utility plant reconciliations
Target levels reflected in rates:
Electric average net plant target excluding advanced metering infrastructure (AMI):
Yr. 1 – $21,689 million
Yr. 2 – $22,338 million
Yr. 3 – $23,002 million
AMI:
Yr. 1 – $126 million
Yr. 2 – $257 million
Yr. 3 – $415 million
The company deferred $0.4 million as a regulatory asset in 2017. In 2018 and 2019, $0.4 and $11.8 million was deferred as a regulatory liability, respectively.


  
Target levels reflected in rates:
Electric average net plant target excluding advanced metering infrastructure (AMI):
Yr. 1 - $24,491 million
Yr. 2 - $25,092 million
Yr. 3 - $25,708 million
AMI:
Yr. 1 - $572 million
Yr. 2 - $740 million
Yr. 3 - $806 million (h)
The company deferred $4.1 million as a regulatory asset in 2020 and $3.2 million as a regulatory liability in 2021.
Average rate base
Yr. 1 – $18,902 million
Yr. 2 – $19,530 million
Yr. 3 – $20,277 million
  
Yr. 1 - $21,660 million
Yr. 2 - $22,783 million
Yr. 3 - $23,926 million
Weighted average cost of capital (after-tax)
Yr. 1 – 6.82 percent
Yr. 2 – 6.80 percent
Yr. 3 – 6.73 percent
  
Yr. 1 to Yr. 3 – 6.61 percent
Authorized return on common equity9.0 percent  8.80 percent
Actual return on common equity (i) (j)
Yr. 1 – 9.30 percent
Yr. 2 – 9.36 percent
Yr. 3 – 8.82 percent

  
Yr. 1 – 8.50 percent
Yr. 2 – 8.03 percent
Earnings sharing
Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.5 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year.

In 2017, the company had no earnings above the threshold but recorded a positive adjustment related to 2016 of $5.7 million in earnings.

In 2018 and 2019, the company had no earnings sharing above the threshold.
  
Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.3 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year.

In 2020 and 2021, the company had no earnings sharing above the threshold. A reserve of $4.3 million was recorded in 2021 related to a potential adjustment to the excess earnings sharing amount for 2016.
Cost of long-term debt
Yr. 1 – 4.93 percent
Yr. 2 – 4.88 percent
Yr. 3 – 4.74 percent
  
Yr. 1 to Yr. 3 – 4.63 percent
Common equity ratio48 percent  48 percent
(a)In January 2020, the NYSPSC approved the October 2019 Joint Proposal for CECONY's electric rate plan for January 2020 through December 2022. If at the end of any semi-annual period ending June 30 and December 31, Con Edison’s investments in its non-utility businesses exceed 15 percent of its total consolidated revenues, assets or cash flow, or if the ratio of holding company debt to total consolidated debt rises above 20 percent, CECONY is required to notify the NYSPSC and submit a ring-fencing plan or a demonstration why additional ring-fencing measures (see Note U) are not necessary.
(b)The electric base rate increases were in addition to a $48 million increase resulting from the December 2016 expiration of a temporary credit under the prior rate plan. At the NYSPSC’s option, these increases were implemented with increases of $199 million in each rate year. Base rates reflect recovery by the company of certain costs of its energy efficiency, system peak reduction and electric vehicle programs (Yr. 1 - $20.5 million; Yr. 2 - $49 million; and Yr. 3 - $107.5 million) over a 10-year period, including the overall pre-tax rate of return on such costs.
(c)Base rates reflect recovery by the company of certain costs of its energy efficiency, Reforming the Energy Vision demonstration projects, non-wire alternative projects (including the Brooklyn Queens demand management program), and off-peak electric vehicle charging programs (Yr. 1 - $206 million; Yr. 2 - $245 million; and Yr. 3 - $251 million) over a ten-year period, including the overall pre-tax rate of return on such costs.
(d)Amounts reflect amortization of the 2018 tax savings under the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) allocable to CECONY’s electric customers ($377 million) over a three-year period ($126 million annually), the protected portion of the regulatory liability for excess deferred income taxes allocable to CECONY’s electric customers ($1,663 million) over the remaining lives of the related assets ($49 million in Yr. 1, $50 million in Yr. 2, and $53 million in Yr. 3) and the unprotected portion of the net regulatory liability ($784 million) over five years ($157 million annually). Amounts also reflect amortization of the regulatory asset for deferred MTA power reliability costs ($238 million) over a five-year period ($48 million annually).
(e)Deferrals for property taxes are limited to 90 percent of the difference from amounts reflected in rates, subject to an annual maximum for the remaining difference of not more than a maximum number of basis points impact on return on common equity: Yr 1 - 10.0 basis points; Yr 2 - 7.5 basis points; and Yr 3 - 5.0 basis points.
(f)In general, if actual expenses for municipal infrastructure support (other than company labor) are below the amounts reflected in rates the company will defer the difference for credit to customers, and if the actual expenses are above the amount reflected in rates the company will defer for recovery from customers 80 percent of the difference subject to a maximum deferral, subject to certain conditions, of 30 percent of the amount reflected in the January 2017-December 2019 rate plan and 15 percent of the amount reflected in the January 2020-December 2022 rate plan.
(g)In addition, the NYSPSC staff has commenced a focused operations audit to investigate CECONY's income tax accounting. Any NYSPSC ordered adjustment to CECONY’s income tax accounting is expected to be refunded to or collected from customers, as determined by the NYSPSC. See "Other Regulatory Matters," below.
(h)Reconciliation of net utility plant for AMI will be done on a combined basis for electric and gas.
(i)Calculated in accordance with the earnings calculation method prescribed in the rate order.
(j)In November 2021, the NYSPSC issued an order that allowed CECONY to recover $43 million of late payment charges and fees that were not billed for the year ended December 31, 2020. The recalculated return on equity for 2020 which reflects the recovery of these fees is 8.81 percent.


In January 2022, CECONY filed a request with the NYSPSC for an electric rate increase of $1,199 million, effective January 2023. The filing reflects a return on common equity of 10.0 percent and a common equity ratio of 50 percent.

The company is requesting provisions pursuant to which expenses for pension and other post-retirement benefits, long-term debt, storm restoration, property taxes, municipal infrastructure support, the impact of new laws, late payment charges, and environmental site investigation and remediation are reconciled to amounts reflected in rates. In addition, the company is proposing a reconciliation and current recovery or surcharge mechanism of uncollectible write-offs to the level in rates and a reconciliation of the impacts of inflation on operation and maintenance expenses under certain circumstances. The company is proposing the continuation of earnings opportunities from Earnings Adjustment Mechanisms for meeting energy efficiency goals. The filing also reflects continuation of the revenue decoupling mechanism and the provisions pursuant to which the company recovers its purchased power and fuel costs from customers.
The filing includes supplemental information regarding electric rate plans for 2024 and 2025, which the company is not requesting, but would consider through settlement discussions. For purposes of illustration, rate increases of $853 million and $608 million effective January 2024 and 2025, respectively, were calculated based upon an assumed return on common equity of 10.0 percent and a common equity ratio of 50 percent.

CECONY – Gas    
Effective periodJanuary 2017 - December 2019   January 2020 – December 2022 (a)
Base rate changes
Yr. 1 – $(5) million (b)
Yr. 2 – $92 million
Yr. 3 – $90 million
  
Yr. 1 – $84 million (c)
Yr. 2 – $122 million (c)
Yr. 3 – $167 million (c)
Amortizations to income of net
regulatory (assets) and liabilities
Yr. 1 – $39 million
Yr. 2 – $37 million
Yr. 3 – $36 million
  
Yr. 1 – $45 million (d)
Yr. 2 – $43 million (d)
Yr. 3 – $10 million (d)
Other revenue sources
Retention of annual revenues from non-firm customers of up to $65 million and 15 percent of any such revenues above $65 million.

Potential incentives if performance targets related to gas leak backlog, leak prone pipe and service terminations are met:
Yr. 1 – $7 million
Yr. 2 – $8 million
Yr. 3 – $8 million
In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company achieved incentives of $7 million, $6 million and $7 million, respectively, that, pursuant to the rate plan, was recorded ratably in earnings from 2018 to 2020. In 2018 and 2019, the company recorded incentives of $5 million and $9 million, respectively, for gas leak backlog, leak prone pipe and service terminations.
  
Retention of annual revenues from non-firm customers of up to $65 million and 15 percent of any such revenues above $65 million.

Potential earnings adjusted mechanism incentives for energy efficiency and other potential incentives of up to:
Yr. 1 - $20 million
Yr. 2 - $22 million
Yr. 3 - $25 million
In 2020 and 2021, the company recorded $3 million and $26 million of earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency, respectively.

In 2020 and 2021, the company recorded positive incentives of $13 million and $7 million, respectively. In 2021, the company reversed $6 million of positive incentives recorded in 2020 pursuant to an order issued by the NYSPSC in December 2021.
Revenue decoupling mechanisms
Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized gas delivery revenues.
In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company deferred $3 million, $12 million and $10 million of regulatory liabilities, respectively.
  
Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized gas delivery revenues, modified to be calculated based upon revenue per customer class instead of revenue per customer.
In 2020 and 2021, the company deferred for recovery from customers $27 million and $100 million of revenues, respectively.
Recoverable energy costsContinuation of current rate recovery of purchased gas costs.  Continuation of current rate recovery of purchased gas costs.
Negative revenue adjustments
Potential charges if performance targets relating to service, safety and other matters are not met:
Yr. 1 – $68 million
Yr. 2 – $63 million
Yr. 3 – $70 million
In 2017 and 2018, the company recorded negative revenue adjustments of $5 million and $4 million, respectively. In 2019, the company did not record any negative revenue adjustments.
  
Potential charges if performance targets relating to service, safety and other matters are not met:
Yr. 1 - $81 million
Yr. 2 - $88 million
Yr. 3 - $96 million
In 2020 and 2021, the company did not record any negative revenue adjustments.
Cost reconciliations
Continuation of reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, variable-rate tax-exempt debt, major storms, property taxes (e), municipal infrastructure support costs (f), the impact of new laws and environmental site investigation and remediation to amounts reflected in rates (g).
In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company deferred $2 million of net regulatory liabilities, $44 million of net regulatory assets and $18 million of net regulatory assets, respectively.
  
Continuation of reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, variable-rate debt, major storms, property taxes (e), municipal infrastructure support costs (f), the impact of new laws and environmental site investigation and remediation to amounts reflected in rates (g).
In 2020 and 2021, the company deferred $91 million and $14 million of net regulatory assets, respectively.
Net utility plant reconciliations
Target levels reflected in rates:
Gas average net plant target excluding AMI:
Yr. 1 – $5,844 million
Yr. 2 – $6,512 million
Yr. 3 – $7,177 million
AMI:
Yr. 1 – $27 million
Yr. 2 – $57 million
Yr. 3 – $100 million
In 2017 and 2018 the company deferred $2.2 million as regulatory liabilities. In 2019, the company deferred $1.7 million as a regulatory liability.
  
Target levels reflected in rates:
Gas average net plant target excluding AMI:
Yr. 1 - $8,108 million
Yr. 2 - $8,808 million
Yr. 3 - $9,510 million
AMI:
Yr. 1 - $142 million
Yr. 2 - $183 million
Yr. 3 - $211 million (h)
In 2020 and 2021, the company deferred $24.7 million and $26 million as a regulatory liability, respectively.
Average rate base
Yr. 1 – $4,841 million
Yr. 2 – $5,395 million
Yr. 3 – $6,005 million
  
Yr. 1 - $7,171 million
Yr. 2 - $7,911 million
Yr. 3 - $8,622 million
Weighted average cost of capital
(after-tax)
Yr. 1 – 6.82 percent
Yr. 2 – 6.80 percent
Yr. 3 – 6.73 percent
  
Yr. 1 to Yr. 3 – 6.61 percent

Authorized return on common equity9.0 percent  8.8 percent
Actual return on common equity (i) (j)
Yr. 1 – 9.22 percent
Yr. 2 – 9.04 percent
Yr. 3 – 8.72 percent

  
Yr. 1 – 8.40 percent
Yr. 2 – 8.48 percent
Earnings sharing
Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.5 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year.

In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the company had no earnings above the threshold.
  
Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.3 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year.

In 2020 and 2021, the company had no earnings above the threshold.
Cost of long-term debt
Yr. 1 – 4.93 percent
Yr. 2 – 4.88 percent
Yr. 3 – 4.74 percent
  
Yr. 1 to Yr. 3 – 4.63 percent
Common equity ratio48 percent  48 percent
(a)In January 2020, the NYSPSC approved the October 2019 Joint Proposal for CECONY's gas rate plan for January 2020 through December 2022. If at the end of any semi-annual period ending June 30 and December 31, Con Edison’s investments in its non-utility businesses exceed 15 percent of its total consolidated revenues, assets or cash flow, or if the ratio of holding company debt to total consolidated debt rises above 20 percent, CECONY is required to notify the NYSPSC and submit a ring-fencing plan or a demonstration why additional ring-fencing measures (see Note U) are not necessary.
(b)The gas base rate decrease was offset by a $41 million increase resulting from the December 2016 expiration of a temporary credit under the prior rate plan.
(c)The gas base rate increases shown above will be implemented with increases of $47 million in Yr. 1; $176 million in Yr. 2; and $170 million in Yr. 3 in order to levelize customer bill impacts. Base rates reflect recovery by the company of certain costs of its energy efficiency program (Yr. 1 - $30 million; Yr. 2 - $37 million; and Yr. 3 - $40 million) over a ten-year period, including the overall pre-tax rate of return on such costs.
(d)Amounts reflect amortization of the remaining 2018 TCJA tax savings allocable to CECONY’s gas customers ($63 million) over a two year period ($32 million annually), the protected portion of the regulatory liability for excess deferred income taxes allocable to CECONY’s gas customers ($725 million) over the remaining lives of the related assets ($14 million in Yr. 1, $14 million in Yr. 2, and $12 million in Yr. 3) and the unprotected portion of the net regulatory liability ($107 million) over five years ($21 million annually)
(e)-(i) See footnotes (e) - (i) to the table under “CECONY Electric,” above.
(j)    In November 2021, the NYSPSC issued an order that allowed CECONY to recover $7 million of late payment charges and fees that were not billed for the year ended December 31, 2020. The recalculated return on equity for 2020 which reflects the recovery of these fees is 8.56 percent.


In January 2022, CECONY filed a request with the NYSPSC for a gas rate increase of $503 million, effective January 2023. The filing reflects a return on common equity of 10.0 percent and a common equity ratio of 50 percent.

The company is requesting provisions pursuant to which expenses for pension and other post-retirement benefits, long-term debt, storm restoration, property taxes, municipal infrastructure support, the impact of new laws, late payment charges, and environmental site investigation and remediation are reconciled to amounts reflected in rates. In addition, the company is proposing a reconciliation and current recovery or surcharge mechanism of uncollectible write-offs to the level in rates and a reconciliation of the impacts of inflation on operation and maintenance expenses under certain circumstances. The company is proposing the continuation of earnings opportunities from Earnings Adjustment Mechanisms for meeting energy efficiency goals. The filing also reflects continuation of the revenue decoupling mechanism and the provisions pursuant to which the company recovers its purchased power and fuel costs from customers. The filed gas revenue requirement includes additional depreciation expense of $48 million. Included in this increase is the impact of the company’s proposal to decrease the service lives for the longer-lived gas accounts by five years.

The filing includes supplemental information regarding gas rate plans for 2024 and 2025, which the company is not requesting, but would consider through settlement discussions. For purposes of illustration, rate increases of $234 million and $218 million effective January 2024 and 2025, respectively, were calculated based upon an assumed return on common equity of 10.0 percent and a common equity ratio of 50 percent.
CECONY – Steam    
Effective periodJanuary 2014 – December 2016 (a)  
Base rate changes
Yr. 1 – $(22.4) million (b)
Yr. 2 – $19.8 million (b)
Yr. 3 – $20.3 million (b)
Yr. 4 – None
Yr. 5 – None
Yr. 6 – None
Yr. 7 – None
Yr. 8 – None
  
Amortizations to income of net
regulatory (assets) and liabilities
$37 million over three years
  
Recoverable energy costsCurrent rate recovery of purchased power and fuel costs.  
Negative revenue adjustments
Potential charges (up to $1 million annually) if certain steam performance targets are not met. In years 2014 through 2021, the company did not record any negative revenue adjustments.
  
Cost reconciliations (c)(d)
In 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, the company deferred $42 million of net regulatory liabilities, $17 million of net regulatory assets, $8 million and $14 million of net regulatory liabilities, $1 million of net regulatory assets, $8 million of net regulatory liabilities, $35 million of net regulatory assets and $32 million of net regulatory assets, respectively.
  
Net utility plant reconciliations
Target levels reflected in rates were:
Production:
Yr. 1 – $1,752 million
Yr. 2 – $1,732 million
Yr. 3 – $1,720 million
Distribution:
Yr. 1 – $6 million
Yr. 2 – $11 million
Yr. 3 – $25 million
The company reduced its regulatory liability by $0.1 million in 2014 and immaterial amounts in 2015 and 2016 and no deferrals were recorded in 2017, 2018, 2019. The company reduced its regulatory liability by $1.6 million in 2020 and by $0.6 million in 2021.
  
Average rate base
Yr. 1 – $1,511 million
Yr. 2 – $1,547 million
Yr. 3 – $1,604 million
  
Weighted average cost of capital (after-tax)
Yr. 1 – 7.10 percent
Yr. 2 – 7.13 percent
Yr. 3 – 7.21 percent
  
Authorized return on common equity9.3 percent  
Actual return on common equity (e)
Yr. 1 – 9.82 percent
Yr. 2 – 10.88 percent
Yr. 3 – 10.54 percent
Yr. 4 – 9.51 percent
Yr. 5 – 11.73 percent
Yr. 6 – 10.45 percent
Yr. 7 – 7.91 percent
Yr. 8 – 5.99 percent
  
Earnings sharing
Weather normalized earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.9 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs.
In 2014, the company had no earnings above the threshold. Actual earnings were $11.5 million and $7.8 million above the threshold in 2015 and 2016, respectively. In 2017, actual earnings were $8.5 million above the threshold, offset in part by a positive adjustment related to 2016 of $4 million. In 2018, actual earnings were $16.5 million above the threshold, and an additional $1.1 million related to 2017 was recorded. In 2019 actual earnings were $5 million above the threshold, offset in part by an adjustment related to 2018 of $2.3 million. In 2020 and 2021, the company had no earnings sharing above the threshold. Reserve adjustments of $0.4 million and $0.2 million were recorded in 2021 related to potential adjustment to the excess earnings sharing amounts for 2016 and 2018, respectively.
  
Cost of long-term debt
Yr. 1 – 5.17 percent
Yr. 2 – 5.23 percent
Yr. 3 – 5.39 percent
  
Common equity ratio48 percent  
(a)Rates determined pursuant to this rate plan continue in effect until a new rate plan is approved by the NYSPSC.
(b)The impact of these base rate changes was deferred which resulted in an $8 million regulatory liability at December 31, 2016.
(c)Deferrals for property taxes are limited to 90 percent of the difference from amounts reflected in rates, subject to an annual maximum for the remaining difference of not more than a 10 basis point impact on return on common equity.
(d)In addition, the NYSPSC staff has commenced a focused operations audit to investigate CECONY’s income tax accounting. Any NYSPSC ordered adjustment to CECONY’s income tax accounting is expected to be refunded to or collected from customers, as determined by the NYSPSC. CECONY’s historical inadvertent understatement of its calculation of total federal income tax expense for ratemaking purposes has not been addressed in the current steam rate plan. See "Other Regulatory Matters," below.
(e)Calculated in accordance with the earnings calculation method prescribed in the rate order.
In October 2021, O&R, the New York State Department of Public Service (NYSDPS) and other parties entered into a Joint Proposal for new electric and gas rate plans for the three-year period January 2022 through December 2024 (the Joint Proposal). The Joint Proposal is subject to NYSPSC approval. The Joint Proposal includes certain COVID-19 provisions, such as: recovery of 2020 late payment charges over three years ($2.8 million); reconciliation of late payment charges to amounts reflected in rates for years 2021 through 2024, with full recovery/refund via surcharge/sur-credit once the annual variance equals or exceeds 5 basis points of return on equity; and reconciliation of write-offs of customer accounts receivable balances to amounts reflected in rates from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2024, with full recovery/refund via surcharge/sur-credit once the annual variance equals or exceeds 5 basis points of return on equity. The following tables contain a summary of the current and proposed rate plans.

O&R New York – Electric
Effective period (a)January 2019 – December 2021January 2022 – December 2024
Base rate changes
Yr. 1 – $13.4 million (b)
Yr. 2 – $8.0 million (b)
Yr. 3 – $5.8 million (b)
Yr. 1 – $4.9 million (i)
Yr. 2 – $16.2 million (i)
Yr. 3 – $23.1 million (i)
Amortizations to income of net
regulatory (assets) and liabilities
Yr. 1 – $(1.5) million (c)
Yr. 2 – $(1.5) million (c)
Yr. 3 – $(1.5) million (c)
Yr. 1 – $11.8 million (j)
Yr. 2 – $13.5 million (j)
Yr. 3 – $15.2 million (j)
Other revenue sources
Potential earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for peak reduction, energy efficiency, Distributed Energy Resources utilization and other potential incentives of up to:
Yr. 1 - $3.6 million
Yr. 2 - $4.0 million
Yr. 3 - $4.2 million

Potential incentive if performance target related to customer service is met: $0.5 million annually.

In 2019, 2020 and 2021, the company recorded $2.6 million, $1.9 million and $1.8 million of earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency, respectively. In 2019 and 2020, the company recorded $0.2 million and $0.5 million of incentives for customer service, respectively. In 2021, the company did not record incentives for customer service. In 2021, the company reversed the $0.5 million of incentives recorded in 2020 pursuant to the October 2021 Joint Proposal.
Potential earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency and other potential incentives of up to:
Yr. 1 – $3.3 million
Yr. 2 – $2.3 million
Yr. 3 – $4.0 million

Revenue decoupling mechanisms
Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized electric delivery revenues.

In 2019 and 2020, the company deferred $0.1 million and $6 million regulatory assets, respectively. In 2021, $10 million was deferred as regulatory liabilities.
Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized electric delivery revenues.
Recoverable energy costsContinuation of current rate recovery of purchased power costs.Continuation of current rate recovery of purchased power and fuel costs.
Negative revenue adjustments
Potential charges if certain performance targets relating to service, reliability and other matters are not met:
Yr. 1 - $4.4 million
Yr. 2 - $4.4 million
Yr. 3 - $4.5 million

In 2019,2020 and 2021, the company did not record any negative revenue adjustments.
 
Potential charges if certain performance targets relating to service, reliability, safety and other matters are not met:
Yr. 1 – $4.3 million
Yr. 2 – $4.4 million
Yr. 3 – $5.1 million
Cost reconciliations
Reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, environmental remediation costs, property taxes (d), energy efficiency program (e), major storms, the impact of new laws and certain other costs to amounts reflected in rates (f).

In 2019, 2020 and 2021, the company deferred $4.3 million, $30.3 million and $24 million as net regulatory assets, respectively.

Reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, environmental remediation costs, property taxes (d), energy efficiency program (k), major storms, and certain other costs to amounts reflected in rates.
Net utility plant reconciliations
Target levels reflected in rates were:
Electric average net plant target excluding advanced metering infrastructure (AMI):
Yr. 1 - $1,008 million
Yr. 2 - $1,032 million
Yr. 3 - $1,083 million
AMI (g):
Yr. 1 - $48 million
Yr. 2 - $58 million
Yr. 3 - $61 million

The company increased regulatory asset by an immaterial amount in 2019, $0.4 million as a regulatory liability in 2020 and an immaterial amount as a regulatory liability in 2021.
Target levels reflected in rates: Electric average net plant target
Yr. 1 – $1,175 million
Yr. 2 – $1,198 million
Yr. 3 – $1,304 million
Average rate base
Yr. 1 – $878 million
Yr. 2 – $906 million
Yr. 3 – $948 million
Yr. 1 – $1,021 million
Yr. 2 – $1,044 million
Yr. 3 – $1,144 million
Weighted average cost of capital (after-tax)
Yr. 1 – 6.97 percent
Yr. 2 – 6.96 percent
Yr. 3 – 6.96 percent
Yr. 1 – 6.77 percent
Yr. 2 – 6.73 percent
Yr. 3 – 6.72 percent
Authorized return on common equity9.0 percent9.2 percent
Actual return on common equity (h)
Yr. 1 – 9.6 percent
Yr. 2 – 8.76 percent
Yr. 3 – 9.16 percent
Earnings sharing
Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.6 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year.

In 2019, 2020 and 2021, earnings did not exceed the earnings threshold.
Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.7 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year.


Cost of long-term debt
Yr. 1 – 5.17 percent
Yr. 2 – 5.14 percent
Yr. 3 – 5.14 percent
Yr. 1 – 4.58 percent
Yr. 2 – 4.51 percent
Yr. 3 – 4.49 percent
Common equity ratio48 percent48 percent
(a)If at the end of any year, Con Edison’s investments in its non-utility businesses exceed 15 percent of Con Edison’s total consolidated revenues, assets or cash flow, or if the ratio of holding company debt to total consolidated debt rises above 20 percent, O&R is required to notify the NYSPSC and submit a ring-fencing plan or a demonstration why additional ring-fencing measures (see Note U) are not necessary.
(b)The electric base rate increases were implemented with increases of: Yr. 1 - $8.6 million; Yr. 2 - $12.1 million; and Yr. 3 - $12.2 million.
(c)Reflects amortization of, among other things, the company’s net benefits under the TCJA prior to January 1, 2019, amortization of net regulatory liability for future income taxes and reduction of previously incurred regulatory assets for environmental remediation costs. Also, for electric, reflects amortization over a six year period of previously incurred incremental major storm costs. See "Other Regulatory Matters," below.
(d)Deferrals for property taxes are limited to 90 percent of the difference from amounts reflected in rates, subject to an annual maximum for the remaining difference of not more than a maximum number of basis points impact on return on common equity: Yr. 1 - 10.0 basis points; Yr. 2 - 7.5 basis points; and Yr. 3 - 5.0 basis points.
(e)Energy efficiency costs are expensed as incurred. Such costs are subject to a downward-only reconciliation over the terms of the electric and gas rate plans. The company will defer for the benefit of customers any cumulative shortfall over the terms of the electric and gas rate plans between actual expenditures and the levels provided in rates.
(f)In addition, the NYSPSC staff has commenced a focused operations audit to investigate O&R’s income tax accounting. Any NYSPSC ordered adjustment to O&R’s income tax accounting is expected to be refunded to or collected from customers, as determined by the NYSPSC. See "Other Regulatory Matters," below.
(g)Net plant reconciliation for AMI expenditures will be implemented for a single category of AMI capital expenditures that includes amounts allocated to both electric and gas customers.
(h)Calculated in accordance with the earnings calculation method prescribed in the rate order.
(i)The Joint Proposal recommends that these base rate changes may be implemented with increases of: Yr. 1 - $11.7 million; Yr. 2 - $11.7 million; and Yr. 3 - $11.7 million.
(j)Reflects amortization of, among other things, previously incurred incremental deferred storm costs over a five-year period. See "Other Regulatory Matters," below
(k)Energy efficiency costs are expensed as incurred. Such costs are subject to a cumulative reconciliation that is evenly distributed over the term of the rate plan subject to the caps set forth in the January 2020 NYSPSC New Efficiency New York (“NENY”) order. If the NYSPSC modifies O&R's NENY budgets during the rate term, such modifications will be reflected at the time of the cumulative reconciliations.
O&R New York – Gas
Effective period (a)January 2019 – December 2021 January 2022 – December 2024
Base rate changes
Yr. 1 – $(7.5) million (b)
Yr. 2 – $3.6 million (b)
Yr. 3 – $0.7 million (b)

Yr. 1 – $0.7 million (i)
Yr. 2 – $7.4 million (i)
Yr. 3 – $9.9 million (i)
Amortization to income of net regulatory (assets) and liabilities
Yr. 1 – $1.8 million (c)
Yr. 2 – $1.8 million (c)
Yr. 3 – $1.8 million (c)


Yr. 1 – $0.8 million
Yr. 2 – $0.7 million
Yr. 3 – $0.3 million
Other revenue sources
Continuation of retention of annual revenues from non-firm customers of up to $4.0 million, with variances to be shared 80 percent by customers and 20 percent by company.

Potential earnings adjustment mechanism incentives of up to $0.3 million annually.

Potential incentives if performance targets related to gas leak backlog, leak prone pipe, emergency response, damage prevention and customer service are met: Yr. 1 - $1.2 million; Yr. 2 - $1.3 million; and Yr. 3 - $1.3 million.

In 2019, 2020 and 2021, the company recorded $0.5 million of earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency. In 2019, 2020 and 2021, the company recorded $0.7 million, $0.3 million and $0.2 million of positive incentives, respectively. In 2021, the company reversed $0.3 million of positive incentives recorded in 2020 pursuant to the October 2021 Joint Proposal.
Potential earnings adjustment mechanism incentives for energy efficiency and other potential incentives of up to:
Yr. 1 - $0.2 million
Yr. 2 - $0.2 million
Yr. 3 - $0.4 million

Potential positive rate adjustment for gas safety and performance of up to:
Yr. 1 – $1.2 million
Yr. 2 – $1.3 million
Yr. 3 – $1.4 million
Revenue decoupling mechanisms
Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized gas delivery revenues.

In 2019 and 2020, the company deferred $0.8 million and $0.5 million as regulatory assets, respectively. In 2021, $4 million was deferred as a regulatory liability.
Continuation of reconciliation of actual to authorized gas delivery revenues.
Recoverable energy costsContinuation of current rate recovery of purchased gas costs.Continuation of current rate recovery of purchased gas costs.
Negative revenue adjustments
Potential charges if performance targets relating to service, safety and other matters are not met: Yr. 1 - $5.5 million; Yr. 2 - $5.7 million; and Yr. 3 - $6.0 million.

In 2019, the company recorded a $0.2 million. In 2020 and 2021, the company recorded an immaterial amount of negative revenue adjustments.
Potential charges if performance targets relating to service, safety and other matters are not met:
Yr. 1 – $6.3 million
Yr. 2 – $6.7 million
Yr. 3 – $7.3 million
Cost reconciliations
Reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, environmental remediation costs, property taxes (d), energy efficiency program (e), the impact of new laws and certain other costs to amounts reflected in rates (f).

In 2019 and 2020, the company deferred $6 million as net regulatory liabilities, $1.8 million as net regulatory assets, respectively. In 2021 $8 million were deferred as regulatory assets.

Reconciliation of expenses for pension and other postretirement benefits, environmental remediation costs, property taxes (j), energy efficiency program (k), major storms and certain other costs to amounts reflected in rates.
Net utility plant reconciliations
Target levels reflected in rates were:
Gas average net plant target excluding AMI:
Yr. 1 - $593 million
Yr. 2 - $611 million
Yr. 3 - $632 million
AMI (g):
Yr. 1 - $20 million
Yr. 2 - $24 million
Yr. 3 - $25 million

In 2019, 2020 and 2021, the company deferred immaterial amounts as regulatory assets.


Target levels reflected in rates: Gas average net plant target
Yr. 1 – $720 million
Yr. 2 – $761 million
Yr. 3 – $803 million
Average rate base
Yr. 1 – $454 million
Yr. 2 – $476 million
Yr. 3 – $498 million
Yr. 1 – $566 million
Yr. 2 – $607 million
Yr. 3 – $649 million
Weighted average cost of capital (after-tax)
Yr. 1 – 6.97 percent
Yr. 2 – 6.96 percent
Yr. 3 – 6.96 percent
Yr. 1 – 6.77 percent
Yr. 2 – 6.73 percent
Yr. 3 – 6.72 percent
Authorized return on common equity9.0 percent9.2 percent
Actual return on common equity (h)
Yr. 1 – 8.90 percent
Yr. 2 – 9.58 percent
Yr. 3 – 10.11 percent

Earnings sharing
Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.6 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year. In 2019 and 2020, earnings did not exceed the earnings threshold. In 2021, actual earnings were $1.7 million above the threshold.

Most earnings above an annual earnings threshold of 9.7 percent are to be applied to reduce regulatory assets for environmental remediation and other costs accumulated in the rate year.
Cost of long-term debt
Yr. 1 – 5.17 percent
Yr. 2 – 5.14 percent
Yr. 3 – 5.14 percent
Yr. 1 – 4.58 percent
Yr. 2 – 4.51 percent
Yr. 3 – 4.49 percent
Common equity ratio0.4848 percent
(a)If at the end of any year, Con Edison’s investments in its non-utility businesses exceed 15 percent of Con Edison’s total consolidated revenues, assets or cash flow, or if the ratio of holding company debt to total consolidated debt rises above 20 percent, O&R is required to notify the NYSPSC and submit a ring-fencing plan or a demonstration why additional ring-fencing measures (see Note U) are not necessary.
(b)The gas base rate changes were implemented with changes of: Yr. 1 - $(5.9) million; Yr. 2 - $1.0 million; and Yr. 3 - $1.0 million.
(c)-(h) See footnotes (c) - (h) to the table under “O&R New York - Electric,” above.
(i) The Joint Proposal recommends that these base rate changes may be implemented with increases of: Yr. 1 – $4.4 million; Yr. 2 - $4.4 million; and Yr. 3 - $4.4 million.
(j)     Deferrals for property taxes are limited to 90 percent of the difference from amounts reflected in rates, subject to an annual maximum for the remaining difference of not more than a maximum number of basis points impact on return on common equity: Yr. 1 - 10.0 basis points; Yr. 2 - 7.5 basis points; and Yr. 3 - 5.0 basis points.
(k)    See footnote (l) to the table under "O&R New York - Electric," above.
Rockland Electric Company (RECO)
In December 2021, the NJBPU approved an electric rate increase, effective January 1, 2022, of $9.65 million for RECO. The following table contains a summary of the terms of the distribution rate plans.

RECO    
Effective periodMarch 2017 – January 2020  February 2020 – December 2021January 2022
Base rate changes
 $1.7 million
  
 $12 million
$9.65 million
Amortization to income of net
regulatory (assets) and liabilities
$0.2 million over three years and continuation of $(25.6) million of deferred storm costs over four years which expired on July 31, 2018 (a)
  
$4.8 million over four years.
$0.2 million over three years and $9.2 million of deferred storm costs over a three-year period (excluding $2.4 million of costs for Tropical Storm Henri which will be deferred over a three year period in base rates) and continuation of $10 million over 3 years
COVID-19 costs
Recovery of RECO’s COVID-19 related expenditures will be addressed in a separate petition
Recoverable energy costsCurrent rate recovery of purchased power costs.  Current rate recovery of purchased power costs.Current rate recovery of purchased power costs.
Cost reconciliationsNone  NoneReconciliation of uncollectible accounts, Demand Side Management and Clean Energy Program.
Average rate base
$178.7 million
  
$229.9 million
$262.8 million
Weighted average cost of capital
(after-tax)
7.47 percent  7.11 percent7.08 percent
Authorized return on common equity9.6 percent  9.5 percent9.6 percent
Actual return on common equity
Yr. 1 – 7.5 percent
Yr. 2 – 5.7 percent

  
Yr. 1 – 5.4 percent
Yr. 2 – 2.3 percent

Cost of long-term debt5.37 percent  4.88 percent4.74 percent
Common equity ratio49.7 percent  48.32 percent48.51 percent
(a)In January 2016, the NJBPU approved RECO’s plan to spend $15.7 million in capital over three years to harden its electric system against storms, the costs of which RECO, beginning in 2017, is collecting through a customer surcharge.

In January 2022, RECO filed a request with FERC for an increase to its annual transmission revenue requirement from $16.9 million to $20.4 million, effective March 30, 2022. The filing reflects a return on common equity of 11.04 percent and a common equity ratio of 47 percent.


COVID - 19 Regulatory Matters
Governors, public utility commissions and other regulatory agencies in the states in which the Utilities operate have issued orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic that impact the Utilities as described below.

New York State Regulation
In March 2020, former New York State Governor Cuomo declared a State Disaster Emergency for the State of New York due to the COVID-19 pandemic and signed the "New York State on PAUSE" executive order that temporarily closed all non-essential businesses statewide. The former Governor then lifted these closures over time and ended the emergency declaration in June 2021. As a result of the emergency declaration, and due to economic conditions, the NYSPSC and the Utilities have worked to mitigate the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Utilities, their customers and other stakeholders.
In March 2020, the Utilities began suspending service disconnections, certain collection notices, final bill collection agency activity, new late payment charges and certain other fees for all customers. The Utilities also began providing payment extensions for all customers that were scheduled to be disconnected prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2020, the state of NY enacted a law prohibiting NY utilities, including CECONY and O&R, from disconnecting residential customers, and starting in May 2021 small business customers, during the COVID-19 state of emergency, which ended in June 2021. In addition, such prohibitions applied for an additional 180 days after the state of emergency ended (December 21, 2021) for residential and small business customers who experienced a change in financial circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2021, the NYSPSC issued an order establishing a surcharge recovery mechanism for CECONY to collect, commencing December 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022, $43 million and $7 million for electric and gas, respectively, of late payment charges and fees that were not billed for the year ended December 31, 2020. The company recorded such amounts as revenue for the year ended December 31, 2021, as permitted under the accounting rules for regulated utilities, and also accrued such amounts as a current asset at December 31, 2021. Pursuant to the November 2021 order, the company also established a recovery mechanism for CECONY to collect, commencing January 2023 through December 2023, $19 million and $4 million for electric and gas, respectively, of late payment charges and fees that were not billed for the year ended December 31, 2021 and the company recorded such amounts as revenue for the year ended December 31, 2021, as permitted under the accounting rules for regulated utilities, and also accrued such amounts as a current asset at December 31, 2021. In addition, pursuant to the November 2021 order, CECONY established a reserve of $7 million toward addressing customer arrearages for the year ended December 31, 2021. The order also established a surcharge recovery or surcredit mechanism for any late payment charges and fee deferrals, subject to offsetting related savings resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, for 2022 starting in January of 2024 over a twelve-month period. CECONY resumed late payment charges for commercial and residential customers who have not experienced a change in financial circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic on September 3, 2021 and October 1, 2021, respectively. O&R resumed late payment charges for commercial and residential customers who have not experienced a change in financial circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic on October 1, 2021.

The Utilities’ New York rate plans allow them to defer costs resulting from a change in legislation, regulation and related actions that have taken effect during the term of the rate plans once the costs exceed a specified threshold. The total reserve increases to the allowance for uncollectible accounts from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021 reflecting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for CECONY electric and gas operations and O&R electric and gas operations were $239 million and $7 million, respectively, and were deferred pursuant to the legislative, regulatory and related actions provisions of the rate plans as a result of the New York State on PAUSE and related executive orders, that have since been lifted, as described above. The Utilities’ NY rate plans also provide for an allowance for write-offs of customer accounts receivable balances. The above amounts deferred pursuant to the legislative, regulatory and related actions provisions were reduced by the amount that the actual write-offs of customer accounts receivable balances were below the allowance reflected in rates which differences were $8 million and $3 million for CECONY and O&R, respectively, from March 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021.

In June 2020, the NYSPSC directed CECONY to implement a summer cooling credit program to help mitigate the cost of staying home and operating air conditioning for health-vulnerable low-income customers due to the limited availability of public cooling facilities as a result of the COVID-19 social distancing measures. The $63.4 million cost of the program is being recovered over a five-year period that began January 2021.

As of December 31, 2020, CECONY deferred, for New York City residential customers, $54.9 million of higher summer generation capacity supply costs. CECONY recovered such costs from customers as of October 31, 2021.

In April 2021, New York State passed a law that creates a program that allows eligible residential renters in New York State who require assistance with rent and utility bills to have up to twelve months of electric and gas utility bill arrears forgiven, provided that such arrears were accrued on or after March 13, 2020. The program will be administered by the State Office of Temporary Disability Assistance in coordination with the NYSDPS. Under the program, CECONY and O&R would qualify for a refundable tax credit for New York State gross-receipts tax equal to the amount of arrears waived by the Utilities in the year that the arrears are waived and certified by the NYSPSC.
In May 2021, CECONY and O&R, along with other large NY utilities, submitted joint comments to the NYSDPS' February 2021 report on New York State’s Energy Affordability Policy. The report recommends, among other things, that residential and commercial customers’ late payment fees and interest on deferred payment agreements be waived until two years after the expiration of the NY State moratorium on utility terminations (the moratorium expired on December 21, 2021) and each utility develop an arrears management program to mitigate the financial burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic on NY households and that program costs be shared, perhaps equally, between shareholders and customers. The May 2021 joint comments stated that it is not necessary for the NYSPSC to adopt
the report’s COVID-19 related recommendations because NY State already passed laws that address the issues in the report, as described above.

The Utilities’ rate plans have revenue decoupling mechanisms in their NY electric and gas businesses that largely reconcile actual energy delivery revenues to the authorized delivery revenues approved by the NYSPSC per month and reconcile the deferred balances semi-annually under CECONY's electric rate plan (January through June and July through December, respectively) and annually under CECONY's gas rate plan and O&R's NY electric and gas rate plans (January through December). Differences are accrued with interest each month for CECONY's and O&R's NY electric customers and after the annual deferral period ends for CECONY's and O&R's NY gas customers for refund to, or recovery from customers, as applicable. Generally, the refund to or recovery from customers begins August and February of each year over an ensuing six-month period for CECONY's electric customers and February of each year over an ensuing twelve-month period for CECONY's gas and O&R's NY electric and gas customers.

New Jersey State Regulation
In March 2020, New Jersey Governor Murphy declared a Public Health Emergency and State of Emergency for the State of NJ. In June 2021, the Governor ended the emergency declaration. As a result of the emergency declaration, and due to economic conditions, the NJBPU and RECO have worked to mitigate the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on RECO, its customers and other stakeholders. In March 2020, RECO began suspending late payment charges, terminations for non-payment, and no access fees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspension of these fees continued through July 31, 2021 and are not material.

In July 2020, the NJBPU authorized RECO and other NJ utilities to create a COVID-19-related regulatory asset by deferring prudently incurred incremental costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic beginning on March 9, 2020, and has extended such deferrals through December 31, 2022. RECO deferred net incremental COVID-19 related costs of $0.9 million through December 31, 2021.


Other Regulatory Matters
In August 2018, the NYSPSC ordered CECONY to begin on January 1, 2019 to credit the company's electric and gas customers, and to begin on October 1, 2018 to credit its steam customers, with the net benefits of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) as measured based on amounts reflected in its rate plans prior to the enactment of the TCJA in December 2017. The net benefits include the revenue requirement impact of the reduction in the corporate federal income tax rate to 21 percent, the elimination for utilities of bonus depreciation and the amortization of excess deferred federal income taxes.

CECONY, under its electric rate plan that was approved in January 2020, is amortizing its TCJA net benefits prior to January 1, 2019 allocable to its electric customers ($377 million) over a three-year period, the IRS “protected” portion of its net regulatory liability for future income taxes related to certain accelerated tax depreciation benefits allocable to its electric customers ($1,663 million) over the remaining lives of the related assets and the remainder, or “unprotected” portion of the net regulatory liability allocable to its electric customers ($784 million) over a five-year period. CECONY, under its gas rate plan that was approved in January 2020, amortized TCJA net benefits prior to January 1, 2019 allocable to its gas customers ($63 million) over a two-year period. The protected portion of its net regulatory liability for future income taxes allocable to its gas customers ($725 million) is being amortized over the remaining lives of the related assets and the unprotected portion of the net regulatory liability allocable to its gas customers ($107 million) over a five-year period.

CECONY’s net regulatory liability for future income taxes, including both the protected and unprotected portions, allocable to the company’s steam customers ($185 million) is being amortized over the remaining lives of the related assets (with the amortization period for the unprotected portion subject to review in its next steam rate proceeding).

O&R, under its current electric and gas rate plans, has reflected its TCJA net benefits in its electric and gas rates beginning as of January 1, 2019. Under the rate plans, O&R amortized its net benefits prior to January 1, 2019 ($22 million) over a three-year period. The protected portion of its net regulatory liability for future income taxes ($123 million) is being amortized over the remaining lives of the related assets. See "Rate Plans" above. Pursuant to the October 2021 Joint Proposal, O&R will amortize the remaining unprotected portion of its net regulatory liability for future income taxes ($34 million) over a six-year period beginning January 1, 2022.

In January 2018, the NYSPSC issued an order initiating a focused operations audit of the Utilities’ financial accounting for income taxes. The audit is investigating the Utilities’ inadvertent understatement of a portion, the amount of which may be material, of their calculation of total federal income tax expense for ratemaking purposes. The understatement was related to the calculation of plant retirement-related cost of removal. As a result of such
understatement, the Utilities accumulated significant income tax regulatory assets that were not reflected in O&R’s rate plans prior to 2014, CECONY’s electric and gas rate plans prior to 2015 and 2016, respectively, and is currently not reflected in CECONY’s steam rate plan. This understatement of historical income tax expense materially reduced the amount of revenue collected from the Utilities' customers in the past. As part of the audit, the Utilities plan to pursue a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that is expected to confirm, among other things, that in order to comply with IRS normalization rules, such understatement may not be corrected through a write-down of a portion of the regulatory asset and must be corrected through an increase in future years’ revenue requirements. The regulatory asset ($1,176 million and $26 million for CECONY and O&R, respectively, as of December 31, 2021 and $1,200 million and $29 million for CECONY and O&R, respectively, as of December 31, 2020) is netted against the future income tax regulatory liability on the Companies’ consolidated balance sheet. The Utilities are unable to estimate the amount or range of their possible loss, if any, related to this matter. At December 31, 2021, the Utilities have not accrued a liability related to this matter.

In October 2020, the NYSPSC issued an order instituting a proceeding to consider requiring NY’s large, investor-owned utilities, including CECONY and O&R, to annually disclose what risks climate change poses to their companies, investors and customers going forward. The order notes that some holding companies, including Con Edison, already disclose climate change risks at the holding company level, but states that the NYSPSC believes that climate-related risk disclosures should be issued specific to the operating companies in NY, such as CECONY and O&R, and that such climate-related risk disclosures should be included annually with the utilities’ financial reports. In December 2020, CECONY and O&R, along with other large NY utilities, filed comments supporting climate change risk disclosures in annual reports filed with the NYSPSC and recommended the use of an industry-specific template.

In May 2020, the president of the United States issued the "Securing the United States Bulk-Power System" executive order, which has since expired. The executive order declared threats to the bulk-power system by foreign adversaries constitute a national emergency and prohibits the acquisition, importation, transfer or installation of certain bulk-power system electric equipment that is sourced from foreign adversaries. In April 2021 and November 2021, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued requests for information to: (1) assist the DOE in developing additional orders and/or regulations to secure the United States’ critical electric infrastructure and (2) enable the DOE to perform an energy sector supply chain review. In September 2021, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Institute of Standards and Technology issued preliminary cybersecurity goals for critical infrastructure control systems, with final goals to be issued by September 2022. The Companies are unable to predict the impact on them of any orders or regulations that may be adopted regarding critical infrastructure.

In July 2021, the NYSPSC approved a settlement agreement among CECONY, O&R and the NYSDPS that fully resolves all issues and allegations that have been raised or could have been raised by the NYSPSC against CECONY and O&R with respect to: (1) the July 2018 rupture of a CECONY steam main located on Fifth Avenue and 21st Street in Manhattan (the “2018 Steam Incident”); (2) the July 2019 electric service interruptions to approximately 72,000 CECONY customers on the west side of Manhattan and to approximately 30,000 CECONY customers primarily in the Flatbush area of Brooklyn (the “2019 Manhattan and Brooklyn Outages”); (3) the August 2020 electric service interruptions to approximately 330,000 CECONY customers and approximately 200,000 O&R customers following Tropical Storm Isaias (the “Tropical Storm Isaias Outages”) and (4) the August 2020 electric service interruptions to approximately 190,000 customers resulting from faults at CECONY’s Rainey substation following Tropical Storm Isaias (the “Rainey Outages”). Pursuant to the settlement agreement, CECONY and O&R agreed to a total settlement amount of $75.1 million and $7.0 million, respectively. CECONY and O&R agreed to forgo recovery from customers of $25 million and $2.5 million, respectively, associated with the return on existing storm hardening assets beginning with the next rate plan for each utility (over a period of 35 years). CECONY and O&R also agreed to incur ongoing operations and maintenance costs of up to $15.8 million and $2.9 million, respectively, for, among other things, costs to maintain a certain level of contractor and vehicle storm emergency support and storm preparation audits. For CECONY, the settlement agreement includes previously incurred or accrued costs of $34.3 million, including negative revenue adjustments of $5 million for the Rainey Outages and $15 million for the 2019 Manhattan and Brooklyn Outages and $14.3 million in costs to reimburse customers for food and medicine spoilage and other previously incurred expenses related to Tropical Storm Isaias and the 2018 Steam Incident. For O&R, the settlement agreement includes previously incurred costs of $1.6 million to reimburse customers for food and medicine spoilage and other expenses related to the Tropical Storm Isaias Outages.

Additional information relating to the 2018 Steam Incident, 2019 Manhattan and Brooklyn Outages and Tropical Storm Isaias Outages follow.

2018 Steam Incident: In July 2018, the NYSPSC commenced an investigation into the rupture of a CECONY steam main located on Fifth Avenue and 21st Street in Manhattan. Debris from the incident included dirt and mud containing asbestos. The response to the incident required the closing of buildings and streets for various periods.
As of June 30, 2021, with respect to the incident, the company incurred operating costs of $17 million for property damage, clean-up and other response costs and invested $9 million in capital and retirement costs. During the second quarter of 2020, the company accrued a $3 million liability related to this matter. As described above, in July 2021, CECONY entered into a settlement agreement that fully resolves all issues and allegations with respect to this matter.

2019 Manhattan and Brooklyn Outages: In July 2019, electric service was interrupted to approximately 72,000 CECONY customers on the west side of Manhattan. Also in July 2019, electric service was interrupted to approximately 30,000 CECONY customers primarily in the Flatbush area of Brooklyn. In November 2020, the NYSPSC issued an order in its proceedings investigating these July 2019 power outages ordering CECONY to show cause why the NYSPSC should not commence a review of the prudency of CECONY’s actions and/or omissions prior to, during, and after the July 2019 outages in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and pursue civil or administrative penalties in the amount of up to $24.8 million for CECONY’s alleged failure to comply with certain requirements. The order further indicated that should the NYSPSC confirm some or all of the apparent violations identified in the order or other orders issued by the NYSPSC in the future in connection with this proceeding, and should such confirmed violations be classified as findings of repeated violations of the Public Service Law or rules or regulations adopted pursuant thereto that demonstrate a failure of CECONY to continue to provide safe and adequate service, the NYSPSC would be authorized to commence a proceeding under Public Service Law Section 68(2) to revoke or modify CECONY’s certificate as it relates to its service territory or any portion thereof.

In December 2020, CECONY filed a response to the NYSPSC order demonstrating why the NYSPSC should not commence a penalty or prudence action against CECONY. CECONY stated that the NYSPSC order misapplied Section 25-a of the Public Service Law by ignoring the reasonable compliance standard under the statute and instead, was imposing a strict liability standard. For both outages, CECONY presented evidence that it either had complied or reasonably complied with NYSPSC requirements. With respect to the Manhattan outage, CECONY stated that a prudency proceeding was not justified because CECONY’s actions with respect to the Manhattan outage were reasonable based on the information the company had at the time. With respect to the Brooklyn outage, the company stated that the order failed to allege that improper company actions caused the outage. During 2019, CECONY recorded negative revenue adjustments associated with reliability performance provisions of $15 million in aggregate primarily related to these outages. As described above, in July 2021, CECONY entered into a settlement agreement that fully resolves all issues and allegations with respect to this matter.

Tropical Storm Isaias Outages: In August 2020, Tropical Storm Isaias caused significant damage to the Utilities’ electric distribution systems and interrupted service to approximately 330,000 CECONY electric customers and approximately 200,000 O&R electric customers. As of December 31, 2021, CECONY incurred costs for Tropical Storm Isaias of $174 million (including $84 million of operation and maintenance expenses charged against a storm reserve pursuant to its electric rate plan, $64 million of capital investments and $26 million (including $7.5 million for food and medicine spoilage claims) of operation and maintenance expenses). As of December 31, 2021, O&R incurred costs for Tropical Storm Isaias of $26.5 million (including $19.2 million of operation and maintenance expenses charged against a storm reserve pursuant to its NY electric rate plan, $5.7 million of capital investments and $1.6 million for food and medicine spoilage claims). As of December 31, 2021, RECO incurred costs for Tropical Storm Isaias of $11.4 million (including $7.6 million of operation and maintenance expenses charged against a storm reserve pursuant to its rate plan, $2.5 million of capital investments and $1.3 million for food and medicine spoilage claims). The Utilities’ electric rate plans provide for recovery of operating costs and capital investments under different provisions. The Utilities’ incremental operating costs attributable to storms are to be deferred for recovery as a regulatory asset under their electric rate plans, while capital investments, up to specified levels, are reflected in rates under their electric rate plans. The provisions of the Utilities’ NY electric rate plans that impose negative revenue adjustments for operating performance provide for exceptions for major storms and catastrophic events beyond the control of the companies, including natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods.

In November 2020, the NYSPSC issued an order in its proceedings investigating the NY utilities’ preparation for and response to Tropical Storm Isaias that ordered the Utilities to show cause why (i) civil penalties or appropriate injunctive relief should not be imposed against CECONY (in the amount of up to $102.3 million relating to 33 alleged violations) and against O&R (in the amount of up to $19 million relating to 38 alleged violations) to remedy such noncompliance, and (ii) a prudence proceeding should not be commenced against the Utilities for potentially imprudent expenditures of ratepayer funds related to the matter. The order stated that given the continuing nature of the investigation of this matter by the NYSDPS, the NYSPSC may amend the order to include any subsequently determined apparent violations identified by the NYSDPS. In addition, the order indicated that should the NYSPSC confirm some or all of the apparent violations identified in the order or other orders issued by the NYSPSC in the future in connection with this proceeding, and should such respective confirmed violations be classified as findings of repeated violations of the Public Service Law or rules or regulations adopted pursuant thereto that demonstrate a failure of CECONY and/or O&R to continue to provide safe and adequate service, the NYSPSC would be
authorized to commence a proceeding under Public Service Law Section 68(2) to revoke or modify CECONY’s and/or O&R’s certificate as it relates to its service territory or any portion thereof.

In December 2020, CECONY and O&R filed responses to the NYSPSC order demonstrating why the NYSPSC should not commence penalty or prudence actions against them. The Utilities stated that the NYSPSC orders misapplied Section 25-a of the Public Service Law by ignoring the reasonable compliance standard under the statute and instead, was imposing a strict liability standard. CECONY and O&R also presented evidence that the order either misrepresented the applicable requirements or ignored that the Utilities were acting pursuant to practices approved by the NYSPSC. Finally, CECONY and O&R stated that there was no basis to commence a prudence proceeding because the Utilities acted reasonably based on the information available and the circumstances at the time. As described above, in July 2021, CECONY and O&R entered into a settlement agreement that fully resolves all issues and allegations with respect to this matter.
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities
Regulatory assets and liabilities at December 31, 2021 and 2020 were comprised of the following items:
                  Con Edison                CECONY
(Millions of Dollars)2021202020212020
Regulatory assets
Unrecognized pension and other postretirement costs$128$3,241$110$3,065
Environmental remediation costs938865860791
Pension and other postretirement benefits deferrals496315435272
Revenue taxes395356378342
System peak reduction and energy efficiency programs285124284124
COVID - 19 Deferrals282115277113
Deferred storm costs27619515883
Property tax reconciliation202241202239
MTA power reliability deferral140188140188
Deferred derivative losses5112045111
Municipal infrastructure support costs44624462
Brooklyn Queens demand management program36363636
Meadowlands heater odorization project29322932
Non-wire alternative projects23182318
Preferred stock redemption20212021
Unamortized loss on reacquired debt16211419
Recoverable REV demonstration project costs16201518
Gate station upgrade project14251425
Other248200232186
Regulatory assets – noncurrent3,6396,1953,3165,745
Deferred derivative losses141190133177
Recoverable energy costs65765567 
Regulatory assets – current206266188244
Total Regulatory Assets$3,845$6,461$3,504$5,989
Regulatory liabilities
Future income tax*$1,984$2,207$1,840$2,062
Allowance for cost of removal less salvage1,1991,0901,033932
Net unbilled revenue deferrals209198209198
TCJA net benefits125295123286
Net proceeds from sale of property103137103137
Pension and other postretirement benefit deferrals102855546
System benefit charge carrying charge70646357
Deferred derivative gains - long term615554
Property tax refunds35363535
Unrecognized other postretirement costs3211— — 
BQDM and REV Demo reconciliations25272225
Sales and use tax refunds17161616
Energy efficiency portfolio standard unencumbered funds15119— 
Earnings sharing - electric, gas and steam13151010
Settlement of gas proceedings12211221
Workers’ compensation8383
Settlement of prudence proceeding 6565
Other365297312257
Regulatory liabilities – noncurrent4,3814,5133,9214,094
Refundable energy costs322824
Deferred derivative gains14281327
Revenue decoupling mechanism11— — — 
Regulatory liabilities—current1853613411
Total Regulatory Liabilities$4,566$4,549$4,055$4,105
* See "Federal Income Tax" in Note A, "Other Regulatory Matters," above, and Note L.

Unrecognized pension and other postretirement costs represent the net regulatory asset associated with the accounting rules for retirement benefits. See Note A.
MTA power reliability deferral represents CECONY’s costs in excess of those reflected in its prior electric rate plan to take certain actions relating to the electrical equipment that serves the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) subway system. The company is recovering this regulatory asset pursuant to its current electric rate plan. See footnote (d) to the CECONY - Electric table under “Rate Plans,” above.

Deferred storm costs represent response and restoration costs, other than capital investments, in connection with Tropical Storm Isaias and other major storms that were deferred by the Utilities.

Settlement of prudence proceeding represents the remaining amount to be credited to customers pursuant to a Joint Proposal, approved by the NYSPSC in April 2016, with respect to the prudence of certain CECONY expenditures and related matters.

Settlement of gas proceedings represents the amount to be credited to customers pursuant to a settlement agreement approved by the NYSPSC in February 2017 related to CECONY’s practices of qualifying persons to perform plastic fusions on gas facilities and alleged violations of gas safety violations identified by the NYSPSC staff in its investigation of a March 2014 Manhattan explosion and fire (see Note H).

COVID - 19 Deferrals represents both the amount to be collected from customers related to the Emergency Summer Cooling Credits program for CECONY and amounts related to the increase in the allowance for uncollectible accounts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and New York on PAUSE and related executive orders, for electric and gas operations for CECONY and electric operations for O&R.

Property tax reconciliation represents the amount deferred between actual property taxes incurred and the level included in rates subject to the provisions of the respective rate plans.

System Peak Reduction and Energy Efficiency Programs represent programs designed to increase energy efficiency achievements through a combination of responding to locational needs, bundling offerings, leveraging market-based approaches through market solicitations, time-variant pricing and other market transformation efforts.

Allowance for cost of removal less salvage represents cash previously collected from customers to fund future anticipated removal expenditures

The NYSPSC has authorized CECONY to accrue unbilled electric, gas and steam revenues. CECONY has deferred the net margin on the unbilled revenues for the future benefit of customers by recording a regulatory liability of $209 million and $198 million at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, for the difference between the unbilled revenues and energy cost liabilities.

In general, the Utilities receive or are being credited with a return at the Other Customer-Provided Capital rate for regulatory assets that have not been included in rate base, and receive or are being credited with a return at the pre-tax weighted average cost of capital once the asset is included in rate base. Similarly, the Utilities pay to or credit customers with a return at the Other Customer-Provided Capital rate for regulatory liabilities that have not been included in rate base, and pay to or credit customers with a return at the pre-tax weighted average cost of capital once the liability is included in rate base. The Other Customer-Provided Capital rate for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 was 1.80 percent and 2.65 percent, respectively.

In general, the Utilities are receiving or being credited with a return on their regulatory assets for which a cash outflow has been made ($1,962 million and $1,639 million for Con Edison, and $1,751 million and $1,454 million for CECONY at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively). Regulatory assets of RECO for which a cash outflow has been made ($25 million and $31 million at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively) are not receiving or being credited with a return. RECO recovers regulatory assets over a period of up to four years or until they are addressed in its next base rate case in accordance with the rate provisions approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Regulatory liabilities are treated in a consistent manner.

Regulatory assets that represent future financial obligations and were deferred in accordance with the Utilities’ rate plans or orders issued by state regulators do not earn a return until such time as a cash outlay has been made. Regulatory liabilities are treated in a consistent manner. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, regulatory assets for Con Edison and CECONY that did not earn a return consisted of the following items:
Regulatory Assets Not Earning a Return*
                  Con Edison                CECONY
(Millions of Dollars)2021202020212020
Unrecognized pension and other postretirement costs$128$3,241$110$3,065
Environmental remediation costs928855850781
Revenue taxes375336359323
Deferred derivative losses - long term5112045111
COVID-19 Deferral for Uncollectible Accounts Receivable
2365723155
Other24242424
Deferred derivative losses - current141190134177
Total$1,883$4,823$1,753$4,536
*This table presents regulatory assets not earning a return for which no cash outlay has been made.

The recovery periods for regulatory assets for which a cash outflow has not been made and that do not earn a return have not yet been determined, except as noted below, and are expected to be determined pursuant to the Utilities’ future rate plans to be filed or orders issued by the state regulators in connection therewith.

The Utilities recover unrecognized pension and other postretirement costs over 10 years, and the portion of investment gains or losses recognized in expense over 15 years, pursuant to NYSPSC policy.

The deferral for revenue taxes represents the New York State metropolitan transportation business tax surcharge on the cumulative temporary differences between the book and tax basis of assets and liabilities of the Utilities, as well as the difference between taxes collected and paid by the Utilities to fund mass transportation. The Utilities recover the majority of the revenue taxes over the remaining book lives of the electric and gas plant assets, as well as the steam plant assets for CECONY.

The Utilities recover deferred derivative losses – current within one year, and noncurrent generally within three years.
Electricity Purchase Agreements
The Utilities have electricity purchase agreements with non-utility generators and others for generating capacity. The Utilities recover their purchased power costs in accordance with provisions approved by the applicable state public utility regulators. See “Recoverable Energy Costs” in Note A. The Utilities also conducted auctions and have entered into various other electricity purchase agreements. Assuming performance by the parties to the electricity purchase agreements, the Utilities are obligated over the terms of the agreements to make capacity and other fixed payments.
The future capacity and other fixed payments under the electricity purchase agreements are estimated to be as follows:
(Millions of Dollars)20222023202420252026
All Years
Thereafter
Con Edison$126$78$55$55$56$434
CECONY12478555556434
For energy delivered under most of the electricity purchase agreements, CECONY is obligated to pay variable prices. The company’s payments under the significant terms of the agreements for capacity, energy and other fixed payments in 2021, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:
               For the Years Ended December 31,
(Millions of Dollars)202120202019
Astoria Generating Company (a)$20$26$116
Brooklyn Navy Yard (b)139113115
Total$159$139$231
(a) Capacity purchase agreements with terms ending in 2021 through 2023.
(b) Contract for plant output, which started in 1996 and ends in 2036.