Rate Matters

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Rate Matters - MGE Energy and MGE.

Rate Proceedings.


	Rate increase	Return on Common Equity	Common Equity Component of Regulatory Capital Structure	Effective Date
Approved 2022/2023 settlement(a)
Electric	8.81%	9.8%	55.6%	1/1/2022
Gas	2.15%	9.8%	55.6%	1/1/2022
Gas	0.96%	9.8%	55.6%	1/1/2023
Approved limited 2023 reopener(b)
Electric	9.01%	9.8%	55.6%	1/1/2023
Proposed 2024/2025 rate proceeding(c)
Electric(d)	3.75%	9.8%	56.1%	1/1/2024
Gas(d)	2.56%	9.8%	56.1%	1/1/2024
Electric(e)	3.41%	9.8%	56.1%	1/1/2025
Gas(e)	1.66%	9.8%	56.1%	1/1/2025

(a)

The electric and gas rate increases were driven by an increase in rate base including our investments in Badger Hollow I and a new customer information system. Also driving the requested electric increase were higher fuel and purchased power costs as well as the completion in 2021 of the one-time return of the electric excess deferred tax credit related to the 2017 Tax Act not restricted by IRS normalization rules. Included in the electric residential rate is a reduction in the customer charge.

(b)

The electric rate increase was driven by generation assets including our investments in Badger Hollow II (solar), Paris (solar and battery), Red Barn (wind), and West Riverside (natural gas). In addition, the reopener request included an increase in fuel costs and the recovery of deferred 2021 fuel costs. The reopener also revised the depreciation schedule for Columbia Unit 2 and shared equipment to 2029 to align with the depreciation schedule for Unit 1.

(c)

In April 2023, MGE filed a proposed 2-year rate case and PSCW approval is pending. A final order is expected before the end of the year.

(d)

The proposed electric rate increase is driven by an increase in rate base including our investments made in West Riverside, local solar, and continued investment in grid modernization. Also driving the requested electric increase is higher costs for transmission, pension and OPEB, and uncollectible costs (including costs previously deferred from prior years). This increase in electric costs is offset by a decrease in fuel costs and benefit from lower tax expense (including impacts from the Inflation Reduction Act). The proposed gas rate increase is also attributable to our investment made in grid modernization and higher pension and OPEB and uncollectible costs (including costs previously deferred from prior years). The proposed gas increase is offset by a tax benefit related to excess deferred taxes.

(e)

The proposed electric and gas rate increases are driven by an increase in rate base for our continued investment in grid modernization projects and an increase in labor costs.

Sierra Club and Vote Solar have filed petitions with the Dane County Circuit Court seeking review of the PSCW decision approving MGE's electric and gas 2022/2023 rate settlement and 2023 electric limited reopener. The Dane County Circuit Court affirmed the PSCW's decision to approve the 2022/2023 rate settlement, and Sierra Club and Vote Solar have now appealed that decision to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. The PSCW is named as the responding party; MGE is not named as a party. The petitions challenge the amount of customer fixed charge that does not vary with usage. The requested relief is unclear. The revenue requirement approved by the PSCW in the settlement and limited reopener have not been challenged. The PSCW is expected to vigorously defend its approval of the rate case settlement and limited reopener. MGE has intervened in the proceedings to further defend the PSCW's decision.

Fuel Rules.

Fuel rules require Wisconsin utilities to defer electric fuel-related costs that fall outside a symmetrical cost tolerance band around the amount approved for a utility in its annual fuel proceedings. Any over- or under-recovery of the actual costs is determined in the following year and is then reflected in future billings to electric retail customers. The fuel rules bandwidth is set at plus or minus 2% in 2023 and 1% in 2022. The electric fuel-related costs are subject to an excess revenues test. Excess revenues are defined as revenues in the year in question that provide MGE with a greater return on common equity than authorized by the PSCW in MGE's latest rate order. The recovery of under-collected electric fuel-related costs would be reduced by the amount that exceeds the excess revenue test. These costs are subject to the PSCW's annual review of fuel costs completed in the year following the deferral. The following table summarized deferred electric fuel-related costs:


	Fuel Costs (in millions)	Refund or Recovery Period
2021 deferred fuel costs	$3.3(a)	January 2023 through December 2023(b)
2022 deferred fuel costs	$8.8	(c)

(a)

There was no change to the recovery in the fuel rules proceedings from the amount MGE deferred.

(b)

In August 2022, the PSCW issued a final decision in the 2021 fuel rules proceedings for MGE to include the recovery of these costs as part of the 2023 electric limited reopener.

(c)

These costs will be subject to the PSCW's annual review of 2022 fuel costs, expected to be completed in 2023. MGE has proposed to recover these costs over a 12-month period from October 2023 through September 2024.