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Investments
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]  
Investments
INVESTMENTS
(a) Unconsolidated Equity Investments - Alliant Energy’s and WPL’s unconsolidated investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting are as follows (in millions):
 
Ownership Interest at
 
Carrying Value at December 31,
 
Equity (Income) / Loss
 
December 31, 2016
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Alliant Energy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ATC (a)
16%
 

$317.6

 

$293.3

 

($39.1
)
 

($34.2
)
 

($41.9
)
Other
Various
 
8.4

 
9.6

 
(0.5
)
 
0.4

 
1.5

 
 
 

$326.0

 

$302.9

 

($39.6
)
 

($33.8
)
 

($40.4
)
WPL
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ATC
—%
 

$—

 

$293.3

 

($39.1
)
 

($34.2
)
 

($41.9
)
Wisconsin River Power Company
50%
 
7.7

 
8.7

 
(0.7
)
 
(0.9
)
 
(0.9
)
 
 
 

$7.7

 

$302.0

 

($39.8
)
 

($35.1
)
 

($42.8
)

(a)
Alliant Energy currently has the ability to exercise significant influence over ATC’s financial and operating policies through its participation on ATC’s Board of Directors. Refer to Note 18 for information regarding related party transactions with ATC.

Summary aggregate financial information from the financial statements of these investments is as follows (in millions):
 
Alliant Energy
 
WPL
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Operating revenues

$658

 

$624

 

$643

 

$658

 

$624

 

$643

Operating income
331

 
299

 
330

 
331

 
299

 
330

Net income
232

 
186

 
240

 
234

 
202

 
240

As of December 31:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Current assets
82

 
88

 
 
 
6

 
87

 
 
Non-current assets
4,340

 
3,987

 
 
 
19

 
3,977

 
 
Current liabilities
498

 
332

 
 
 
3

 
332

 
 
Non-current liabilities
2,144

 
2,052

 
 
 
7

 
2,052

 
 


MISO Transmission Owner Return on Equity Complaints - A group of MISO cooperative and municipal utilities previously filed two complaints with FERC requesting a reduction of the base return on equity used by MISO transmission owners, including ATC. In September 2016, FERC issued an order on the first complaint to reduce the base return on equity for the refund period from November 12, 2013 through February 11, 2015. In June 2016, a FERC administrative law judge issued an initial decision regarding the second complaint recommending a reduction of the base return on equity for the refund period from February 12, 2015 through May 11, 2016. A final decision on the second complaint from FERC is currently expected in the first half of 2017. Alliant Energy and WPL have realized a cumulative $24 million of reductions in the amount of equity income from ATC as a result of the two complaints through December 31, 2016, including $9 million, $12 million and $3 million realized in 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

WPL’s Noncontrolling Interest and Investment in ATC - Prior to 2014, WPL owned 100% of WPL Transco, which held Alliant Energy’s investment in ATC. In 2014, WPL Transco’s operating agreement was amended to allow ATI, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AEF, to become a member of WPL Transco in addition to WPL. In 2014, ATI began funding capital contributions that WPL Transco made to ATC. WPL Transco’s equity income from ATC and ATC dividends received by WPL Transco were allocated between WPL and ATI based on their respective ownership interests at the time the equity income was generated and at the time of the dividend payments. Prior to the transfer of the investment in ATC to ATI discussed below, WPL consolidated WPL Transco, and ATI’s ownership in WPL Transco was recorded as a noncontrolling interest in total equity on WPL’s balance sheets.

In June 2016, WPL received an order from the PSCW requiring WPL to transfer its investment in ATC to Alliant Energy or an Alliant Energy subsidiary by December 31, 2022. On December 31, 2016, pursuant to the PSCW order, WPL Transco was liquidated and WPL transferred its investment in ATC to ATI. In conjunction with the transfer of the investment in ATC, a deferred intercompany tax gain recognized by WPL was assumed by ATI. The impact of WPL’s transfer of the ATC investment, including the assumption of such intercompany tax gain by ATI, was recorded as a net reduction in total equity of $163.6 million on WPL’s balance sheet. WPL’s income statement includes all of the equity earnings from ATC through December 31, 2016, the date of transfer. There were no impacts of this transfer to Alliant Energy’s consolidated financial statements. As of December 31, 2016, ATI owns Alliant Energy’s entire investment in ATC.
(b) Cash Surrender Value of Life Insurance Policies - Various life insurance policies cover certain current and former employees and directors. In 2016, certain of Alliant Energy’s and IPL’s company-owned life insurance policies were liquidated. The related proceeds of $31 million and $19 million were recorded in investing activities in Alliant Energy’s and IPL’s cash flow statements, respectively. At December 31, the cash surrender value of these investments was as follows (in millions):
 
Alliant Energy
 
IPL
 
WPL
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
Cash surrender value
$10.6
 
$42.3
 
$—
 
$18.9
 
$5.8
 
$6.4
IPL [Member]  
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]  
Investments
INVESTMENTS
(b) Cash Surrender Value of Life Insurance Policies - Various life insurance policies cover certain current and former employees and directors. In 2016, certain of Alliant Energy’s and IPL’s company-owned life insurance policies were liquidated. The related proceeds of $31 million and $19 million were recorded in investing activities in Alliant Energy’s and IPL’s cash flow statements, respectively. At December 31, the cash surrender value of these investments was as follows (in millions):
 
Alliant Energy
 
IPL
 
WPL
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
Cash surrender value
$10.6
 
$42.3
 
$—
 
$18.9
 
$5.8
 
$6.4
WPL [Member]  
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]  
Investments
INVESTMENTS
(a) Unconsolidated Equity Investments - Alliant Energy’s and WPL’s unconsolidated investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting are as follows (in millions):
 
Ownership Interest at
 
Carrying Value at December 31,
 
Equity (Income) / Loss
 
December 31, 2016
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Alliant Energy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ATC (a)
16%
 

$317.6

 

$293.3

 

($39.1
)
 

($34.2
)
 

($41.9
)
Other
Various
 
8.4

 
9.6

 
(0.5
)
 
0.4

 
1.5

 
 
 

$326.0

 

$302.9

 

($39.6
)
 

($33.8
)
 

($40.4
)
WPL
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ATC
—%
 

$—

 

$293.3

 

($39.1
)
 

($34.2
)
 

($41.9
)
Wisconsin River Power Company
50%
 
7.7

 
8.7

 
(0.7
)
 
(0.9
)
 
(0.9
)
 
 
 

$7.7

 

$302.0

 

($39.8
)
 

($35.1
)
 

($42.8
)

(a)
Alliant Energy currently has the ability to exercise significant influence over ATC’s financial and operating policies through its participation on ATC’s Board of Directors. Refer to Note 18 for information regarding related party transactions with ATC.

Summary aggregate financial information from the financial statements of these investments is as follows (in millions):
 
Alliant Energy
 
WPL
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Operating revenues

$658

 

$624

 

$643

 

$658

 

$624

 

$643

Operating income
331

 
299

 
330

 
331

 
299

 
330

Net income
232

 
186

 
240

 
234

 
202

 
240

As of December 31:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Current assets
82

 
88

 
 
 
6

 
87

 
 
Non-current assets
4,340

 
3,987

 
 
 
19

 
3,977

 
 
Current liabilities
498

 
332

 
 
 
3

 
332

 
 
Non-current liabilities
2,144

 
2,052

 
 
 
7

 
2,052

 
 


MISO Transmission Owner Return on Equity Complaints - A group of MISO cooperative and municipal utilities previously filed two complaints with FERC requesting a reduction of the base return on equity used by MISO transmission owners, including ATC. In September 2016, FERC issued an order on the first complaint to reduce the base return on equity for the refund period from November 12, 2013 through February 11, 2015. In June 2016, a FERC administrative law judge issued an initial decision regarding the second complaint recommending a reduction of the base return on equity for the refund period from February 12, 2015 through May 11, 2016. A final decision on the second complaint from FERC is currently expected in the first half of 2017. Alliant Energy and WPL have realized a cumulative $24 million of reductions in the amount of equity income from ATC as a result of the two complaints through December 31, 2016, including $9 million, $12 million and $3 million realized in 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

WPL’s Noncontrolling Interest and Investment in ATC - Prior to 2014, WPL owned 100% of WPL Transco, which held Alliant Energy’s investment in ATC. In 2014, WPL Transco’s operating agreement was amended to allow ATI, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AEF, to become a member of WPL Transco in addition to WPL. In 2014, ATI began funding capital contributions that WPL Transco made to ATC. WPL Transco’s equity income from ATC and ATC dividends received by WPL Transco were allocated between WPL and ATI based on their respective ownership interests at the time the equity income was generated and at the time of the dividend payments. Prior to the transfer of the investment in ATC to ATI discussed below, WPL consolidated WPL Transco, and ATI’s ownership in WPL Transco was recorded as a noncontrolling interest in total equity on WPL’s balance sheets.

In June 2016, WPL received an order from the PSCW requiring WPL to transfer its investment in ATC to Alliant Energy or an Alliant Energy subsidiary by December 31, 2022. On December 31, 2016, pursuant to the PSCW order, WPL Transco was liquidated and WPL transferred its investment in ATC to ATI. In conjunction with the transfer of the investment in ATC, a deferred intercompany tax gain recognized by WPL was assumed by ATI. The impact of WPL’s transfer of the ATC investment, including the assumption of such intercompany tax gain by ATI, was recorded as a net reduction in total equity of $163.6 million on WPL’s balance sheet. WPL’s income statement includes all of the equity earnings from ATC through December 31, 2016, the date of transfer. There were no impacts of this transfer to Alliant Energy’s consolidated financial statements. As of December 31, 2016, ATI owns Alliant Energy’s entire investment in ATC.
(b) Cash Surrender Value of Life Insurance Policies - Various life insurance policies cover certain current and former employees and directors. In 2016, certain of Alliant Energy’s and IPL’s company-owned life insurance policies were liquidated. The related proceeds of $31 million and $19 million were recorded in investing activities in Alliant Energy’s and IPL’s cash flow statements, respectively. At December 31, the cash surrender value of these investments was as follows (in millions):
 
Alliant Energy
 
IPL
 
WPL
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
Cash surrender value
$10.6
 
$42.3
 
$—
 
$18.9
 
$5.8
 
$6.4