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
	September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017		September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Current Regulatory Assets:
Environmental cost recovery	$	—	$	5	$	—	$	—
Generation formula rate	—		6		—		—
Smart meter rider	16		15		16		15
Plant outage costs	7		3		—		—
Gas supply clause	3		4		—		—
Other	3		1		2		1
Total current regulatory assets (a)	$	29	$	34	$	18	$	16



	PPL				PPL Electric
	September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017		September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Noncurrent Regulatory Assets:
Defined benefit plans	$	847	$	880	$	486	$	504
Taxes recoverable through future rates	3		3		3		3
Storm costs (b)	45		33		22		—
Unamortized loss on debt	47		54		23		29
Interest rate swaps	18		26		—		—
Terminated interest rate swaps	88		92		—		—
Accumulated cost of removal of utility plant	190		173		190		173
AROs	267		234		—		—
Act 129 compliance rider	12		—		12		—
Other	8		9		2		—
Total noncurrent regulatory assets	$	1,525	$	1,504	$	738	$	709



	PPL				PPL Electric
	September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017		September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Current Regulatory Liabilities:
Generation supply charge	$	35	$	34	$	35	$	34
Transmission service charge	2		9		2		9
Environmental cost recovery	22		1		—		—
Universal service rider	23		26		23		26
Transmission formula rate	8		9		8		9
Fuel adjustment clause	7		3		—		—
TCJA customer refund (c)	26		—		—		—
Storm damage expense rider	4		8		4		8
Other	9		5		—		—
Total current regulatory liabilities	$	136	$	95	$	72	$	86

Noncurrent Regulatory Liabilities:
Accumulated cost of removal of utility plant	$	678	$	677	$	—	$	—
Power purchase agreement - OVEC (d)	62		68		—		—
Net deferred taxes (e)	1,846		1,853		642		668
Defined benefit plans	33		27		—		—
Terminated interest rate swaps	72		74		—		—
TCJA customer refund (f)	41		—		41		—
Other	7		5		3		—
Total noncurrent regulatory liabilities	$	2,739	$	2,704	$	686	$	668



	LKE				LG&E				KU
	September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017		September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017		September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Current Regulatory Assets:
Plant outage costs	$	7	$	3	$	7	$	3	$	—	$	—
Generation formula rate	—		6		—		—		—		6
Gas supply clause	3		4		3		4		—		—
Other	1		5		1		5		—		—
Total current regulatory assets	$	11	$	18	$	11	$	12	$	—	$	6



	LKE				LG&E				KU
	September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017		September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017		September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Noncurrent Regulatory Assets:
Defined benefit plans	$	361	$	376	$	227	$	234	$	134	$	142
Storm costs	23		33		12		18		11		15
Unamortized loss on debt	24		25		15		16		9		9
Interest rate swaps	18		26		18		26		—		—
Terminated interest rate swaps	88		92		52		54		36		38
AROs	267		234		74		61		193		173
Other	6		9		2		2		4		7
Total noncurrent regulatory assets	$	787	$	795	$	400	$	411	$	387	$	384



	LKE				LG&E				KU
	September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017		September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017		September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Current Regulatory Liabilities:
Environmental cost recovery	$	22	$	1	$	11	$	—	$	11	$	1
Fuel adjustment clause	7		3		—		—		7		3
Gas line tracker	2		3		2		3		—		—
TCJA customer refund (c)	26		—		12		—		14		—
Other	7		2		1		—		6		2
Total current regulatory liabilities	$	64	$	9	$	26	$	3	$	38	$	6

Noncurrent Regulatory Liabilities:
Accumulated cost of removal of utility plant	$	678	$	677	$	280	$	282	$	398	395
Power purchase agreement - OVEC (d)	62		68		43		47		19		21
Net deferred taxes (e)	1,204		1,185		560		552		644		633
Defined benefit plans	33		27		—		—		33		27
Terminated interest rate swaps	72		74		36		37		36		37
Other	4		5		1		1		3		4
Total noncurrent regulatory liabilities	$	2,053	$	2,036	$	920	$	919	$	1,133	$	1,117


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


(b)	Storm costs incurred in PPL Electric's territory from a March 2018 storm will be amortized from 2019 through 2021.


(c)	Relates to estimated amounts owed to LG&E and KU customers as a result of the reduced U.S. federal corporate income tax rate as enacted by the TCJA, effective January 1, 2018. Amounts owed will be distributed through the TCJA bill credit.


(d)	This liability was recorded as an offset to an intangible asset that was recorded at fair value upon the acquisition of LKE by PPL.


(e)	Primarily relates to excess deferred taxes recorded as a result of the TCJA, which reduced the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate effective January 1, 2018, requiring deferred tax balances and the associated regulatory liabilities to be remeasured as of December 31, 2017. LG&E and KU began distributing amounts through the TCJA bill credit effective April 1, 2018.

(f)

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 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, respectively, at LG&E. The proposed base rate increases would result in an electricity rate increase of 6.9% at KU and electricity and gas rate increases of 3% and 7.5%, respectively, at LG&E. As discussed in the "TCJA Impact on LG&E and KU Rates" section below, LG&E’s and KU’s applications seek to include applicable changes associated with the TCJA in the calculation of the proposed base rates and to terminate the TCJA bill credit mechanism when the new base rates go into effect.

New rates are expected to become effective on May 1, 2019. 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%. LG&E and KU cannot predict the outcome of these proceedings.

CPCN Filing

On January 10, 2018, LG&E and KU filed an application for a CPCN with the KPSC requesting approval to implement Advanced Metering Systems across their Kentucky service territories, including gas operations for LG&E. The application projected completion in 2021 with estimated capital costs of $166 million and $155 million for LG&E and KU. On August 30, 2018, the KPSC issued an Order denying the CPCN for full deployment of the Advanced Metering Systems. The KPSC acknowledged the benefits of Advanced Metering Systems, expanded LG&E's and KU's Advanced Metering System pilot programs and encouraged LG&E and KU to consider other items to enhance the customer experience. This decision is not expected to have a significant impact on LG&E's and KU's results of operations.

TCJA Impact on LG&E and KU Rates

On December 21, 2017, Kentucky Industrial Utility Customers, Inc. submitted a complaint with the KPSC against LG&E and KU, as well as other utility companies in Kentucky, alleging that their respective rates would no longer be fair, just and reasonable following the enactment of the TCJA reducing the federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%. The complaint requested the KPSC to issue an Order requiring LG&E and KU to begin deferring, as of January 1, 2018, the revenue requirement effect of all income tax expense savings resulting from the federal corporate income tax reduction, including the amortization of excess deferred income taxes by recording those savings in a regulatory liability account and establishing a process by which the federal corporate income tax savings will be passed back to customers.

On January 29, 2018, LG&E, KU, Kentucky Industrial Utility Customers, Inc. and the Office of the Attorney General reached a settlement agreement to commence returning savings related to the TCJA to their customers through their ECR, DSM and LG&E's GLT rate mechanisms beginning in March 2018 and through a new bill credit mechanism from April 1, 2018 through April 30, 2019 and thereafter until tax-reform related savings are reflected in changes in base rates. The estimated impact of the rate reduction represents approximately $91 million in KU electricity revenues ($70 million through the new bill credit and $21 million through existing rate mechanisms), $69 million in LG&E electricity revenues ($49 million through the new bill credit and $20 million through existing rate mechanisms) and $17 million in LG&E gas revenues (substantially all through the new bill credit) for the period January 2018 through April 2019.

On March 20, 2018, the KPSC issued an Order approving, with certain modifications, the settlement agreement reached between LG&E, KU, Kentucky Industrial Utility Customers, Inc. and the Office of the Attorney General. The KPSC estimates that, pursuant to its modifications, electricity revenues would incorporate reductions of approximately $108 million for KU ($87 million through the new bill credit and $21 million through existing rate mechanisms) and $79 million for LG&E ($59 million through the new bill credit and $20 million through existing rate mechanisms). This represents $27 million ($17 million at KU and $10 million at LG&E) in additional reductions from the amounts proposed by the settlement. The KPSC's modifications to the settlement include certain changes in assumptions or inputs used in assessing tax reform or calculating LG&E's and KU's electricity rates. LG&E gas rate reductions were not modified significantly from the amount included in the settlement agreement.

On March 26, 2018, LG&E and KU filed a petition for reconsideration and request for hearing with the KPSC, taking exception to the KPSC's modifications and the process, and also requested certain relief from implementing the amounts represented by the additional reductions until the matter is fully resolved. On March 28, 2018, the Office of the Attorney General filed a response to the petition and gave notice of its withdrawal from the settlement agreement.

On March 28, 2018, the KPSC issued an Order granting LG&E's and KU's request for reconsideration and amending its March 20, 2018 Order by suspending the approved rates, allowing LG&E and KU, on an interim basis, to return savings related to the TCJA at the rates agreed to in the January 29, 2018 settlement.

On September 28, 2018, the KPSC issued an Order on reconsideration, implementing rates reflecting electricity revenue reductions of $101 million for KU ($80 million through the new bill credit and $21 million through existing rate mechanisms), $74 million for LG&E electricity revenues ($54 million through the new bill credit and $20 million through existing rate mechanisms) and $16 million LG&E gas revenues (substantially all through the new bill credit) for the period January 2018 through April 2019. This represents lower revenue reduction amounts than the March 20, 2018 Order of approximately $13 million ($7 million at KU and $6 million at LG&E). LG&E and KU have been implementing interim partial rate reductions since April 2018, as authorized by the KPSC on March 28, 2018, and recording reserves up to the higher reduction amounts originally approved in the March 20, 2018 Order. The September 28, 2018 Order is not expected to have a material adverse impact on LG&E's and KU's financial condition or results of operations.

Additionally, on January 8, 2018, the VSCC ordered KU, as well as other utilities in Virginia, to accrue regulatory liabilities reflecting the Virginia jurisdictional revenue requirement impacts of the reduced federal corporate tax rate. On March 22, 2018, KU reached a settlement agreement regarding its rate case in Virginia. New rates, inclusive of TCJA impacts, were effective June 1, 2018. The settlement also stipulates that actual tax savings for the five month period prior to new rates taking effect would be addressed through KU's annual information filing for calendar year 2018. On May 8, 2018, the VSCC approved the settlement agreement. The TCJA and rate case are not expected to have a significant impact on KU's financial condition or results of operations related to Virginia.

On March 15, 2018, the FERC issued a Notice of Inquiry seeking information on whether and how it should address changes relating to accumulated deferred income taxes and bonus depreciation resulting from passage of the TCJA on FERC-jurisdictional rates. LG&E and KU have not made any submission in response to the Notice of Inquiry, but do not anticipate the impact of the TCJA related to their FERC-jurisdictional rates to be significant.

Gas Franchise (LKE and LG&E)

LG&E’s gas franchise agreement for the Louisville/Jefferson County service area expired in March 2016. In August 2016, LG&E and Louisville/Jefferson County entered into a revised franchise agreement with a 5-year term (with renewal options). The franchise fee may be modified at Louisville/Jefferson County's election upon 60 days' notice. However, any franchise fee is capped at 3% of gross receipts for natural gas service within the franchise area. The agreement further provides that if the KPSC determines that the franchise fee should be recovered from LG&E's Louisville/Jefferson county customers in the franchise areas as a separate line item on their bill, the franchise fee will revert to zero. In August 2016, LG&E filed an application requesting the KPSC to review and rule upon the recoverability of the franchise fee.

On March 14, 2018, the KPSC issued an Order authorizing the franchise fee to be recovered only from LG&E's Louisville/Jefferson County customers in the franchise area. As a result, the franchise fee will continue to be zero in accordance with the terms of the August 2016, 5-year gas franchise agreement.

(PPL and PPL Electric)

Pennsylvania Activities

TCJA Impact on PPL Electric Rates

On February 12, 2018, the PUC issued a Secretarial Letter requesting certain information from regulated utilities and inviting comment from interested parties on potential revision to customer rates as a result of enactment of the TCJA. PPL Electric submitted its response to the Secretarial Letter on March 9, 2018. On March 15, 2018, the PUC issued a Temporary Rates Order to allow time to determine the manner in which rates could be adjusted in response to the TCJA. The PUC issued another Temporary Rates Order on May 17, 2018 to address the impact of the TCJA and indicated that utilities without a currently pending general rate proceeding would receive a utility specific order. The PUC issued an Order specific to PPL Electric on May 17, 2018 which required PPL Electric to file a tariff or tariff supplement by June 15, 2018 to establish (a) temporary rates to include a negative surcharge of 0.56%, which was based on PPL Electric's 2017 taxable income, to be effective July 1, 2018, and (b) to record a deferred regulatory liability to reflect the tax savings associated with the TCJA for the period January 1 through June 30, 2018. On June 8, 2018, PPL Electric submitted a petition to the PUC to increase the negative surcharge proposed in the May 17, 2018 Order from 0.56% to 7.05% to reflect the estimated 2018 tax savings associated with the TCJA. The PUC approved PPL Electric's petition on June 14, 2018 and PPL Electric filed a tariff on June 15, 2018 reflecting the increased negative surcharge. The estimated 2018 full year impact of the rate reduction is $72 million in PPL Electric's operating revenues, of which $39 million relates to the period January 1, 2018 through June 30, 2018 and was recorded as a noncurrent regulatory liability in the second quarter of 2018 to be distributed to customers pursuant to a future rate adjustment. The remaining $33 million is the estimated impact for the period July 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 and is being passed back to customers through the negative surcharge which began on July 1, 2018.

On March 15, 2018, the FERC issued a Notice of Inquiry seeking information on whether and how it should address changes to FERC-jurisdictional rates relating to accumulated deferred income taxes and bonus depreciation resulting from passage of the TCJA. On March 16, 2018, PPL Electric filed a waiver request, pursuant to Rule 207(a)(5) of the Rules of Practice and Procedure of the FERC, to accelerate incorporation of the changes to the federal corporate income tax rate in its transmission formula rate commencing on June 1, 2018 rather than allowing the TCJA tax rate reduction to be initially incorporated in PPL Electric's June 1, 2019 transmission formula rate. The waiver was approved on April 23, 2018 and PPL Electric submitted its transmission formula rate, reflecting the TCJA rate reduction, on April 27, 2018. In addition, on May 21, 2018, PPL Electric, as part of a PJM Transmission Owners joint filing, submitted comments in response to the FERC's March 15, 2018 Notice of Inquiry. The filing requested guidance on how the reduction in accumulated deferred income taxes, resulting from the TCJA reduced federal corporate income tax rate, should be treated for ratemaking purposes. PPL Electric is currently awaiting FERC's decision on this matter. The changes, related to accumulated deferred income taxes impacting the transmission formula rate revenues, have not been significant since the new rate went into effect on June 1, 2018.

Federal Matters

(PPL, LKE, LG&E and KU)

FERC Transmission Rate Filing

On August 3, 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 or Tennessee. The amounts at issue are generally waivers or credits for either LG&E and KU or for MISO transmission charges depending upon the direction of transmission service incurred by the municipalities. LG&E and KU estimate that such charges may average approximately $22 million annually, depending upon actual transmission customer and market volumes, structures and prices, with such charges allocated according to LG&E's and KU’s respective transmission system ownership ratio. 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. LG&E and KU currently receive recovery of such expenses in other rate mechanisms. LG&E and KU cannot predict the outcome of the proceeding, including any effects on their financial condition or results of operations.

Transmission Customer Complaint

On September 21, 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. On October 11, 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. LG&E and KU cannot predict the outcome of the proceeding, but believe that any potential required credits would be subject to rate recovery.

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 and nine months ended September 30, 2018, PPL Electric purchased $334 million and $1 billion of accounts receivable from alternate suppliers. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, PPL Electric purchased $324 million and $968 million of accounts receivable from alternate suppliers.