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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Puget Energy is an energy services holding company that owns Puget Sound Energy (PSE). PSE is a public utility incorporated in the state of Washington that furnishes electric and natural gas services in a territory covering approximately 6,000 square miles, primarily in the Puget Sound region. Puget Energy also has a wholly-owned non-regulated subsidiary, Puget LNG, LLC (Puget LNG), which has the sole purpose of owning, developing and financing the non-regulated activity of the Tacoma liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility. PSE and Puget LNG are considered related parties with similar ownership by Puget Energy. Therefore, capital and operating costs that are incurred by PSE and allocated to Puget LNG are related party transactions by nature.

In 2009, Puget Holdings, LLC (Puget Holdings), owned by a consortium of long-term infrastructure investors, completed its merger with Puget Energy (the merger). As a result of the merger, all of Puget Energy’s common stock is indirectly owned by Puget Holdings. The acquisition of Puget Energy was accounted for in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 805, “Business Combinations” (ASC 805), as of the date of the merger. ASC 805 requires the acquirer to recognize and measure identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed at fair value as of the merger date.

The consolidated financial statements of Puget Energy reflect the accounts of Puget Energy and its subsidiaries. PSE’s consolidated financial statements include the accounts of PSE and its subsidiary. Puget Energy and PSE are collectively referred to herein as “the Company”. The consolidated financial statements are presented after elimination of all significant intercompany items and transactions. PSE’s consolidated financial statements continue to be accounted for on a historical basis and do not include any ASC 805, “Business Combinations” (ASC 805) purchase accounting adjustments. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Utility Plant

Puget Energy and PSE capitalize, at original cost, additions to utility plant, including renewals and betterments. Costs include indirect costs such as engineering, supervision, certain taxes, pension and other employee benefits and an allowance for funds used during construction (AFUDC). Replacements of minor items of property are included in maintenance expense. When the utility plant is retired and removed from service, the original cost of the property is charged to accumulated depreciation and costs associated with removal of the property, less salvage, are charged to the cost of removal regulatory liability.

Planned Major Maintenance

Planned major maintenance is an activity that typically occurs when PSE overhauls or substantially upgrades various systems and equipment on a scheduled basis. Costs related to planned major maintenance are deferred and amortized to the next scheduled major maintenance. This accounting method also follows the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (Washington Commission) regulatory treatment related to these generating facilities.

Other Property and Investments

For PSE, the costs of other property and investments (i.e., non-utility) are stated at historical cost. Expenditures for refurbishment and improvements that significantly add to productive capacity or extend useful life of an asset are capitalized. Replacements of minor items are expensed on a current basis. Gains and losses on assets sold or retired, which were previously recorded in utility plant, are apportioned between regulatory assets/liabilities and earnings. However, gains and losses on assets sold or retired, not previously recorded in utility plant, are reflected in earnings.

Depreciation and Amortization

The Company provides for depreciation and amortization on a straight-line basis. Amortization is recorded for intangibles such as regulatory assets and liabilities, computer software and franchises. The annual depreciation provision stated as a percent of a depreciable electric utility plant was 3.4%, 3.4%, and 3.5% in 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively; depreciable natural gas utility plant was 2.9%, 2.8%, and 2.9% in 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively; and depreciable common utility plant

was 7.1%, 6.8% and 7.3% in 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively. The cost of removal is collected from PSE’s customers through depreciation expense and any excess is recorded as a regulatory liability.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of demand bank deposits and short-term highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less at the time of purchase. The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents are reported at cost and approximate fair value, due to the short-term maturity.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash amounts primarily represent cash posted as collateral for derivative contracts as well as funds required to be set aside for contractual obligations related to transmission and generation facilities.

Materials and Supplies

Materials and supplies are used primarily in the operation and maintenance of electric and natural gas distribution and transmission systems as well as spare parts for combustion turbines used for the generation of electricity. The Company records these items at weighted-average cost.

Fuel and Gas Inventory

Fuel and Natural Gas InventoryFuel and natural gas inventory is used in the generation of electricity and for future sales to the Company’s natural gas customers. Fuel inventory consists of coal, diesel and natural gas used for generation. Natural gas inventory consists of natural gas and LNG held in storage for future sales. The Company records fuel inventory and natural gas inventory for unregulated operations at the lower of cost or net realizable value and natural gas inventory for regulated operations at average cost.

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities

PSE accounts for its regulated operations in accordance with ASC 980, “Regulated Operations” (ASC 980). ASC 980 requires PSE to defer certain costs or losses that would otherwise be charged to expense, if it is probable that future rates will permit recovery of such costs. It similarly requires deferral of revenues or gains that are expected to be returned to customers in the future. Accounting under ASC 980 is appropriate as long as rates are established by or subject to approval by independent third-party regulators; rates are designed to recover the specific enterprise’s cost of service; and in view of demand for service, it is reasonable to assume that rates set at levels that will recover costs can be charged to and collected from customers. In most cases, PSE classifies regulatory assets and liabilities as long-term when amortization periods extend longer than one year. For further details regarding regulatory assets and liabilities, see Note 4, "Regulation and Rates" to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this report.

Puget Energy recorded regulatory assets and liabilities at the time of the merger related to power purchase contracts.

Allowance for Funds Used During Construction

AFUDC represents the cost of both the debt and equity funds used to finance utility plant additions during the construction period. The amount of AFUDC recorded in each accounting period varies depending primarily upon the level of construction work in progress and the AFUDC rate used. AFUDC is capitalized as a part of the cost of utility plant; the AFUDC debt portion is credited to interest expense, while the AFUDC equity portion is credited to other income. Cash inflow related to AFUDC does not occur until these charges are reflected in rates. The AFUDC rate authorized by the Washington Commission for natural gas and electric utility plant additions effective December 19, 2017, was 7.60%. Effective October 1, 2020 for natural gas and October 15, 2020 for electric the authorized AFUDC rate is 7.39%.

The Washington Commission authorized the Company to calculate AFUDC using its allowed rate of return. To the extent amounts calculated using this rate exceed the AFUDC calculated rate using the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) formula, PSE capitalizes the excess as a deferred asset, crediting other income. The deferred asset is being amortized over the average useful life of PSE’s non-project electric utility plant which is approximately 30 years.

Revenue Recognition

Operating utility revenue is recognized when the basis of services is rendered, which includes estimated unbilled revenue. Revenue from retail sales is billed based on tariff rates approved by the Washington Commission. PSE's estimate of unbilled revenue is based on a calculation using meter readings from its automated meter reading system. The estimate calculates unbilled usage at the end of each month as the difference between the customer meter readings on the last day of the month and the last customer meter readings billed. The unbilled usage is then priced at published rates for each tariff rate schedule to estimate the unbilled revenues by customer.

PSE collected Washington State excise taxes (which are a component of general retail customer rates) and municipal taxes totaling $292.8 million, $268.5 million and $240.8 million for 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively. The Company reports the collection of such taxes on a gross basis in operation revenue and as expense in taxes other than income taxes in the accompanying consolidated statements of income.

PSE's electric and natural gas operations contain a revenue decoupling mechanism under which PSE's actual energy delivery revenues related to electric transmission and distribution, natural gas operations and general administrative costs are compared with authorized revenues allowed under the mechanism. The mechanism mitigates volatility in revenue and gross margin erosion due to weather and energy efficiency. Any differences in revenue are deferred to a regulatory asset for under recovery or regulatory liability for over recovery under alternative revenue recognition standard. Revenue is recognized under this program when deemed collectible within 24 months based on alternative revenue recognition guidance. Decoupled rate increases are effective May 1 of each year subject to a soft rate cap of total revenue for decoupled rate schedules, where rate cap is applied to under-collected revenue and any over-collected revenues are passed back to customers at 100%. Any excess under-recovered revenue above the rate cap will be included in the following year's decoupled rate and the Company will only be able to recognize revenue below the rate cap of total revenue for decoupled rate schedules. For revenue deferrals exceeding the annual rate cap of total revenue for decoupled rate schedules, the Company will assess the excess amount to determine its ability to be collected within 24 months per GAAP rules. The soft rate cap test, which limits the amount of revenues PSE can collect in its annual filings, is 5.0% for natural gas customers and 3.0% for electric customers. The Company will not record any decoupling revenue that is expected to take longer than 24 months to collect following the end of the annual period in which the revenues would have otherwise been recognized. Once determined to be collectible within 24 months, any previously non-recognized amounts will be recognized. Revenues associated with energy costs under the power cost adjustment (PCA) mechanism and purchased gas adjustment (PGA) mechanism are excluded from the decoupling mechanism.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Allowance for Credit Losses

The Company measures expected credit losses on trade receivables on a collective basis by receivable type, which include electric retail receivables, gas retail receivables, and electric wholesale receivables. The estimate of expected credit losses considers historical credit loss information that is adjusted for current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts.

The following table presents the activity in the allowance for credit losses for accounts receivable at December 31, 2022, and 2021:


Puget Energy and Puget Sound Energy
(Dollars in Thousands)	Year Ended December 31,
Allowance for credit losses:	2022		2021
Beginning balance	$	34,958	20,080
Provision for credit loss expense1	28,316		27,204
Receivables charged-off	(21,312)		(12,326)

Total ending allowance balance	$	41,962	$	34,958

1 $7.1 million and $2.8 million of provision were deferred as cost specific to COVID-19 in 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Federal Income Taxes

For presentation in Puget Energy's and PSE’s separate financial statements, income taxes are allocated to the subsidiaries on the basis of separate company computations of tax, modified by allocating certain consolidated group limitations which are attributed to the separate company. Taxes payable or receivable are settled with Puget Holdings, which is the ultimate taxpayer.

Natural Gas Off System Sales and Capacity Release

Natural Gas Off-System Sales and Capacity Release

PSE contracts for firm natural gas supplies and holds firm transportation and storage capacity sufficient to meet the expected peak winter demand for natural gas by its firm customers. Due to the variability in weather, winter peaking consumption of natural gas by most of its customers and other factors, PSE holds contractual rights to natural gas supplies and transportation and storage capacity in excess of its average annual requirements to serve firm customers on its distribution system. For much of the year, there is excess capacity available for third-party natural gas sales, exchanges and capacity releases. PSE sells excess natural gas supplies, enters into natural gas supply exchanges with third parties outside of its distribution area and releases to third parties excess interstate natural gas pipeline capacity and natural gas storage rights on a short-term basis to mitigate the costs of firm transportation and storage capacity for its core natural gas customers. The proceeds from such activities, net of transactional costs, are accounted for as reductions in the cost of purchased natural gas and passed on to customers through the PGA mechanism, with no direct impact on net income. As a result, PSE nets the sales revenue and associated cost of sales for these transactions in purchased natural gas.

Non-Core Gas Sales

As part of the Company’s electric operations, PSE purchases natural gas for its gas-fired generation facilities. The projected volume of natural gas for power is relative to the price of natural gas. Based on the market prices for natural gas, PSE may use the natural gas it has already purchased to generate power or PSE may sell the already purchased natural gas. The net proceeds from selling natural gas, previously purchased for power generation, are accounted for in electric operating revenue and are included in the PCA mechanism.

Production Tax Credit

Production Tax Credits (PTCs) represent federal income tax incentives available to taxpayers that generate energy from qualifying renewable sources during the first ten years of operation. Before the 2017 GRC, the tax savings from these credits were intended to be refunded by PSE to its customers when monetized, used on the income tax return, through its revenue requirement as initially approved by the Washington Commission. As the Company had not generated taxable income with which to monetize the credits, they had not been refunded to customers. Amounts to be refunded have been recorded as a regulatory liability with an offsetting reduction to revenue as it was intended to be refunded through the revenue requirement. A deferred tax asset and reduction to deferred tax expense were also recorded for the regulatory liability. These entries resulted

in no net income impact. In connection with the GRC settlement in 2017, the Washington Commission authorized the Company to utilize the tax savings associated with the monetization of the PTCs to fund the following: (i) Colstrip Community Transition Fund, (ii) unrecovered Colstrip plant and (iii) incurred decommissioning and remediation costs for Colstrip. As PTCs will no longer be refunded to customers through the revenue requirement, a non-cash increase to revenue and deferred tax expense will be recorded as the PTCs are monetized. These entries will result in no net income impact. For the tax year ending December 31, 2022, there was no PTC monetized as there were no PTC carryforwards from 2021. For the tax years ending December 31, 2021 and 2020, $45.6 million and $39.8 million of PTCs were monetized through tax filings.

Accounting for Derivatives

ASC 815, "Derivatives and Hedging" (ASC 815) requires that all contracts considered to be derivative instruments be recorded on the balance sheet at their fair value unless the contracts qualify for an exception. PSE enters into derivative contracts to manage its energy resource portfolio and interest rate exposure including forward physical and financial contracts and swaps. Some of PSE’s physical electric supply contracts qualify for the normal purchase normal sale (NPNS) exception to derivative accounting rules. PSE may enter into financial fixed price contracts to economically hedge the variability of certain index-based contracts. Those contracts that do not meet the NPNS exception are marked-to-market to current earnings in the statements of income, subject to deferral under ASC 980, for natural gas related derivatives due to the PGA mechanism. For additional information, see Note 10, "Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities" to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this report.

Fair Value Measurements of Derivatives

ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (ASC 820), defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (exit price). As permitted under ASC 820, the Company utilizes a mid-market pricing convention (the mid-point price between bid and ask prices) as a practical expedient for valuing the majority of its assets and liabilities measured and reported at fair value. The Company utilizes market data or assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk and the risks inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. These inputs can be readily observable, market corroborated or generally unobservable. The Company primarily applies the market approach for recurring fair value measurements as it believes that the approach is used by market participants for these types of assets and liabilities. Accordingly, the Company utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.

The Company values derivative instruments based on daily quoted prices from an independent external pricing service. When external quoted market prices are not available for derivative contracts, the Company uses a valuation model that uses volatility assumptions relating to future energy prices based on specific energy markets and utilizes externally available forward market price curves. All derivative instruments are sensitive to market price fluctuations that can occur on a daily basis. For additional information, see Note 11, "Fair Value Measurements" to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this report.

Debt Related Costs

Debt-Related Costs

Debt premiums, discounts, expenses and amounts received or incurred to settle hedges are amortized over the life of the related debt for the Company. The premiums and costs associated with reacquired debt are deferred and amortized over the life of the related new issuance, in accordance with ratemaking treatment for PSE and presented net of long-term liabilities on the balance sheet.

Lessee, Leases

Leases

PSE determines if an arrangement is, or contains, a lease at inception of the contract. If the arrangement is, or contains a lease, PSE assesses whether the lease is operating or financing for income statement and balance sheet classification. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use (ROU) assets, operating lease current liabilities, and operating lease liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets. Finance leases are included in utility plant, other current liabilities, and finance lease liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets.

ROU assets represent the right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, and consist of the amount of the initial measurement of the lease liability, any lease payments made to the lessor at or before the commencement date, minus any lease incentives received, and any initial direct costs incurred by the lessee. Lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease and are measured at present value of the lease payments not yet paid, discounted using the discount rate for the lease, determined based on PSE's incremental borrowing rate, at commencement. As most of PSE's leases do not provide an implicit interest rate, PSE uses the incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at

commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. For fleet, IT and wind farm leases, this rate is applied using a portfolio approach. The lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that PSE will exercise that option. On the statement of income, operating leases are generally accounted for under a straight-line expense model, while finance leases, which were previously referred to as capital leases, are generally accounted for under a financing model. Consistent with the previous lease guidance, however, the standard allows rate-regulated utilities to recognize expense consistent with the timing of recovery in rates.PSE has lease agreements with lease and non-lease components. Non-lease components comprise common area maintenance and utilities, and are accounted for separately from lease components.

Consolidation, Variable Interest Entity, Policy

Variable Interest Entities

On April 12, 2017, PSE entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project, LLC (Skookumchuck) in which Skookumchuck would develop a wind generation facility and, once completed, sell bundled energy and associated attributes, namely renewable energy credits to PSE over a term of 20 years. Skookumchuck commenced commercial operation in November 2020. PSE has no equity investment in Skookumchuck but is Skookumchuck’s only customer. Based on the terms of the contract, PSE will receive all of the output of the facility, subject to curtailment rights. PSE has concluded that it is not the primary beneficiary of this VIE since it does not control the commercial and operating activities of the facility. Additionally, PSE does not have the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits. Therefore, PSE will not consolidate the VIE. Purchased energy of $14.6 million was recognized in purchased electricity on the Company's consolidated statements of income for the year ended December 31, 2022 and $1.4 million is included in accounts payable on the Company's consolidated balance sheet for the year ended December 31, 2022. Purchased energy of $19.0 million was recognized in purchased electricity on the Company's consolidated statements of income and $2.7 million included in accounts payable on the Company's consolidated balance sheet for the year ended December 31, 2021.

On May 28, 2020, PSE entered into a PPA with Golden Hills Wind Farm, LLC (Golden Hills) pursuant to which Golden Hills would develop a wind generation facility and, once completed, sell bundled energy and associated attributes, namely RECs to PSE over a term of 20 years. On April 29, 2022, Golden Hills commenced commercial operations. PSE has no equity investment in Golden Hills but is Golden Hills’s only customer. Based on the terms of the contract, PSE will receive all of the output of the facility, subject to curtailment rights. PSE has concluded that Golden Hills is a VIE and that PSE is not the primary beneficiary of this VIE since it does not control the commercial and operating activities of the facility. Additionally, PSE does not have the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits. Therefore, PSE will not consolidate the VIE. Purchased energy of $18.3 million was recognized in purchased electricity on the Company's consolidated statements of income for the year ended December 31, 2022. There was no balance in accounts payable on the Company's balance sheet as of December 31, 2022.

On February 3, 2021, PSE entered into a PPA with Clearwater Wind Project, LLC (Clearwater) in which Clearwater will develop a wind generation facility on a site located in Rosebud, Custer and Garfield counties, Montana; and, once completed, sell energy and associated attributes to PSE over a term of 25 years. On November 8th, 2022, Clearwater commenced commercial operations. PSE has no equity investment in Clearwater but is Clearwater’s only customer. Based on the terms of the contract, PSE will receive all of the output of the facility, subject to curtailment rights. PSE has concluded that Clearwater is a VIE and that PSE is not the primary beneficiary of this VIE since it does not control the commercial and operating activities of the facility. Additionally, PSE does not have the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits. Therefore, PSE will not consolidate the VIE. Purchased energy of $5.7 million was recognized in purchased electricity on the Company's consolidated statements of income for the year ended December 31, 2022. Additionally, $2.5 million was included in accounts payable on the Company's balance sheet as of December 31, 2022.

Self Insurance Reserve

Self-Insurance

PSE is self-insured for storm damage and certain environmental contamination associated with current operations occurring on PSE-owned property. In addition, PSE is required to meet a deductible for a portion of the risk associated with comprehensive liability, workers’ compensation claims and catastrophic property losses other than those which are storm related. The cumulative annual cost threshold for deferral of storms under the mechanism is $10.0 million. Additionally, costs may only be deferred if the outage meets the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers outage criteria for system average interruption duration index and qualifying costs exceed $0.5 million per qualified storm.