7. Utility Rate Regulation

(All Registrants)

The following table provides information about the regulatory assets and liabilities of cost-based rate-regulated utility operations.



	PPL				PPL Electric
	March 31, 2019		December 31, 2018		March 31, 2019		December 31, 2018
Current Regulatory Assets:
Gas supply clause	$	12	$	12	$	—	$	—
Smart meter rider	11		11		11		11
Plant outage costs	13		10		—		—
Other	2		3		—		—
Total current regulatory assets (a)	$	38	$	36	$	11	$	11

Noncurrent Regulatory Assets:
Defined benefit plans	$	953	$	963	$	553	$	558
Taxes recoverable through future rates	—		3		—		3
Storm costs	51		56		20		22
Unamortized loss on debt	43		45		20		22
Interest rate swaps	21		20		—		—
Terminated interest rate swaps	85		87		—		—
Accumulated cost of removal of utility plant	200		200		200		200
AROs	288		273		—		—
Act 129 compliance rider	16		19		16		19
Other	9		7		—		—
Total noncurrent regulatory assets	$	1,666	$	1,673	$	809	$	824



	PPL				PPL Electric
	March 31, 2019		December 31, 2018		March 31, 2019		December 31, 2018
Current Regulatory Liabilities:
Generation supply charge	$	24	$	33	$	24	$	33
Transmission service charge	7		3		7		3
Environmental cost recovery	13		16		—		—
Universal service rider	20		27		20		27
Transmission formula rate	—		3		—		3
TCJA customer refund	9		20		4		3
Storm damage expense rider	4		5		4		5
Generation formula rate	8		7		—		—
Other	15		8		1		—
Total current regulatory liabilities	$	100	$	122	$	60	$	74

Noncurrent Regulatory Liabilities:
Accumulated cost of removal of utility plant	$	675	$	674	$	—	$	—
Power purchase agreement - OVEC	57		59		—		—
Net deferred taxes	1,809		1,826		619		629
Defined benefit plans	40		37		7		5
Terminated interest rate swaps	70		72		—		—
TCJA customer refund (b)	41		41		41		41
Other	8		5		—		—
Total noncurrent regulatory liabilities	$	2,700	$	2,714	$	667	$	675



	LKE				LG&E				KU
	March 31, 2019		December 31, 2018		March 31, 2019		December 31, 2018		March 31, 2019		December 31, 2018
Current Regulatory Assets:
Plant outage costs	$	13	$	10	$	9	$	7	$	4	$	3
Gas supply clause	12		12		12		12		—		—
Other	2		3		1		2		1		1
Total current regulatory assets	$	27	$	25	$	22	$	21	$	5	$	4

Noncurrent Regulatory Assets:
Defined benefit plans	$	400	$	405	$	245	$	249	$	155	$	156
Storm costs	31		34		18		20		13		14
Unamortized loss on debt	23		23		15		15		8		8
Interest rate swaps	21		20		21		20		—		—
Terminated interest rate swaps	85		87		50		51		35		36
AROs	288		273		84		75		204		198
Other	9		7		2		1		7		6
Total noncurrent regulatory assets	$	857	$	849	$	435	$	431	$	422	$	418



	LKE				LG&E				KU
	March 31, 2019		December 31, 2018		March 31, 2019		December 31, 2018		March 31, 2019		December 31, 2018
Current Regulatory Liabilities:
Environmental cost recovery	$	13	$	16	$	5	$	6	$	8	$	10
TCJA customer refund	5		17		2		7		3		10
Generation formula rate	8		7		—		—		8		7
Other	14		8		3		4		11		4
Total current regulatory liabilities	$	40	$	48	$	10	$	17	$	30	$	31

Noncurrent Regulatory Liabilities:
Accumulated cost of removal of utility plant	$	675	$	674	$	278	$	279	$	397	395
Power purchase agreement - OVEC	57		59		40		41		17		18
Net deferred taxes	1,190		1,197		554		557		636		640
Defined benefit plans	33		32		—		—		33		32
Terminated interest rate swaps	70		72		35		36		35		36
Other	8		5		4		2		4		3
Total noncurrent regulatory liabilities	$	2,033	$	2,039	$	911	$	915	$	1,122	$	1,124


(a)	For PPL, these amounts are included in "Other current assets" on the Balance Sheets.

(b)

Relates to amounts owed to PPL Electric customers as a result of the reduced U.S. federal corporate income tax rate as enacted by the TCJA, for the period of January 1, 2018 through June 30, 2018 which is not yet reflected in distribution customer rates. The initial liability was recorded during the second quarter of 2018. The distribution method back to customers of this liability must be proposed to the PUC at the earlier of May 2021 or PPL Electric’s next rate case.

Regulatory Matters

Kentucky Activities

(PPL, LKE, LG&E and KU)

Rate Case Proceedings

On September 28, 2018, LG&E and KU filed requests with the KPSC for an increase in annual base electricity rates of approximately $112 million at KU and increases in annual base electricity and gas rates of approximately $35 million and $25 million at LG&E. LG&E’s and KU’s applications also sought to include changes associated with the TCJA and state tax reform in the calculation of the proposed base rates and to terminate the TCJA bill credit mechanism when new base rates go into effect. The elimination of the TCJA bill credit mechanism will result in an estimated annual electricity revenue increase of approximately $58 million at KU and increases in electricity and gas revenues of approximately $40 million and $12 million at LG&E. The applications are based on a forecasted test year of May 1, 2019 through April 30, 2020 with a requested return-on-equity of 10.42%.

On March 1, 2019, LG&E and KU, along with substantially all intervening parties to the proceeding, filed stipulation and recommendation agreements (stipulations) with the KPSC resolving all material issues with the parties. In addition to terminating the TCJA bill credit mechanism, the proposed stipulations provided for increases in annual revenue requirements associated with base electricity rates of approximately $58 million at KU and increases in annual base electricity and gas rates of approximately $4 million and $20 million at LG&E, based on a return-on-equity of 9.725%.

On April 30, 2019, the KPSC issued orders ruling on open issues and approving the proposed stipulations filed in March 2019. The orders provide for increases in annual revenue requirements associated with base electricity rates of $56 million at KU and increases associated with base electricity and gas rates of $2 million and $19 million at LG&E. With the termination of the TCJA bill credit mechanism, this represents annual revenue increases of $187 million ($114 million at KU and $73 million at LG&E). The new base rates and all elements of the orders became effective on May 1, 2019.

Federal Matters

FERC Transmission Rate Filing

(PPL, LKE, LG&E and KU)

In August 2018, LG&E and KU submitted an application to the FERC requesting elimination of certain on-going credits to a sub-set of transmission customers relating to the 1998 merger of LG&E’s and KU's parent entities and the 2006 withdrawal of LG&E and KU from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (MISO), a regional transmission operator and energy market. The application seeks termination of LG&E's and KU's commitment to provide mitigation for certain horizontal market power concerns arising out of the 1998 merger for certain transmission service between MISO and LG&E and KU. The affected transmission customers are a limited number of municipal entities in Kentucky. The amounts at issue are generally waivers or credits granted to such customers for either LG&E and KU or MISO transmission charges incurred depending upon the direction of certain transmission service incurred by the municipalities. Due to the development of robust, accessible energy markets over time, LG&E and KU believe the mitigation commitments are no longer relevant or appropriate. On March 21, 2019, the FERC issued an Order granting LG&E's and KU's request to remove the on-going credits, conditioned upon the implementation by LG&E and KU of a transition mechanism for certain existing power supply arrangements, which transition mechanism will be subject to FERC review and approval. LG&E and KU are currently evaluating the Order. LG&E and KU currently receive recovery of waivers and credits provided through other rate mechanisms.

(PPL and PPL Electric)

In April 2019, PPL Electric filed its annual transmission formula rate update with the FERC, reflecting a revised revenue requirement, which includes the impact of the TCJA. The filing establishes the revenue requirement used to set rates that will take effect in June 2019.

Transmission Customer Complaint (PPL, LKE, LG&E and KU)

In September 2018, a transmission customer filed a complaint with the FERC against LG&E and KU alleging LG&E and KU have violated and continue to violate their obligations under an existing rate schedule to credit this customer for certain transmission charges from MISO. In October 2018, LG&E and KU filed an answer to the complaint arguing such MISO transmission transactions are not covered by the rate schedule, and the amounts in question are not eligible for credits. On February 21, 2019, the FERC issued an Order concluding that the MISO transmission charges in question did qualify for credits under the rate schedule, and required LG&E and KU to reimburse the customer for the eligible credits. The reimbursement was not significant and was completed by LG&E and KU in March 2019. LG&E and KU currently receive recovery for such credits through other rate mechanisms.

TCJA Impact on FERC Rates (All Registrants)

In November 2018, the FERC issued a Policy Statement stating that the appropriate ratemaking treatment for changes in accumulated deferred income taxes as a result of the TCJA will be addressed in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. Also in November 2018, the FERC issued the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking which proposes that public utility transmission providers include mechanisms in their formula rates to deduct excess accumulated deferred income taxes from, or add deficient accumulated deferred income taxes to, rate base and adjust their income tax allowances by amortized excess or deficient accumulated deferred income taxes. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking did not prescribe the mechanism companies should use to adjust their formula rates.

LG&E and KU are currently assessing the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and are continuing to monitor guidance issued by the FERC. On February 5, 2019, in connection with a separate element of federal and Kentucky state tax reform effects, LG&E and KU filed a request with the FERC to amend their transmission formula rates, effective June 1, 2019, to incorporate reductions to corporate income tax rates as a result of the TCJA and HB 487. LG&E and KU do not anticipate the impact of the TCJA and HB 487 related to their FERC-jurisdictional rates to be significant.

On February 28, 2019, PPL Electric filed with the FERC proposed revisions to its transmission formula rate template pursuant to Section 205 of the Federal Power Act and Section 35.13 of the Rules and Regulation of the FERC. Specifically, PPL Electric proposed to modify its formula rate to permit the return or recovery of excess or deficient accumulated deferred income taxes (ADIT) resulting from the TCJA and permit PPL Electric to prospectively account for the income tax expense associated with the depreciation of the equity component of the AFUDC. On April 29, 2019, the FERC accepted the proposed revisions to the formula rate template, which will be effective June 1, 2019, as well as the proposed adjustments to accumulated deferred income taxes, effective January 1, 2018. The changes related to ADIT impacting the transmission formula rate revenues have not been significant since the new rate went into effect on June 1, 2018.

Other

Purchase of Receivables Program

(PPL and PPL Electric)

In accordance with a PUC-approved purchase of accounts receivable program, PPL Electric purchases certain accounts receivable from alternative electricity suppliers at a discount, which reflects a provision for uncollectible accounts. The alternative electricity suppliers have no continuing involvement or interest in the purchased accounts receivable. Accounts receivable that are acquired are initially recorded at fair value on the date of acquisition. During the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, PPL Electric purchased $348 million and $376 million of accounts receivable from alternate suppliers.