Variable Interest Entities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Variable Interest Entities Disclosure [Abstract]

Variable Interest Entities - MGE Energy and MGE.

a. MGE Power Elm Road.

MGE Power Elm Road is not a subsidiary of MGE; however, it has been consolidated in the financial statements of MGE. MGE Power Elm Road was created for the purpose of owning new generating assets. Its sole principal assets are an undivided ownership interest in two coal-fired generating plants located in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, which it leases to MGE pursuant to long-term leases. Based on the nature and terms of the contractual agreements, MGE is expected to absorb a majority of the expected losses, residual value, or both, associated with the ownership of MGE Power Elm Road and therefore holds a variable interest in MGE Power Elm Road, even though it has no equity interest in MGE Power Elm Road. MGE Energy and MGE consolidate VIEs for which they are the primary beneficiary. MGE has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the Elm Road Units' economic performance and is also the party most closely associated with MGE Power Elm Road. As a result, MGE is the primary beneficiary. At December 31, MGE has included the following significant accounts on its consolidated balance sheets related to its interest in this VIE:

(In thousands)		2017		2016
Property, plant, and equipment, net	$	176,002	$	175,502
Construction work in progress		1,225		3,241
Deferred income taxes^(a)		29,256		42,525
Long-term debt		59,416		62,021
Noncontrolling interest^(a)		97,635		80,362

(a) In 2017, there was a $14.8 million one-time tax impact as a result of the Tax Act for MGE Power Elm Road. See Footnote 12 for further information.

Long-term debt excluding debt issuance costs consists of $60.0 million at December 31, 2017, of senior secured notes that require that MGE Power Elm Road maintain a projected and actual debt service coverage ratio at the end of any calendar quarter of not less than 1.25 to 1.00 for the trailing 12-month period. The debt is secured by a collateral assignment of lease payments that MGE is making to MGE Power Elm Road for use of the Elm Road Units pursuant to the related long-term leases. As of December 31, 2017, MGE Power Elm Road is in compliance with the covenant requirements.

MGE has been and will continue to recover in rates the lease payments made to MGE Power Elm Road. MGE received approval from the PSCW to collect in rates the carrying costs incurred by MGE Power Elm Road. The total carrying costs on the Elm Road Units is $62.5 million. MGE collected carrying costs in rates over a six year period that began in 2010. Of these costs, $17.0 million relates to the capitalized interest and the debt portion of the units. These costs will be recognized over the period in which the generating units will be depreciated. The remaining $45.5 million represents the equity portion and was recognized over the period allowed for recovery in rates which ended in 2015.

b. MGE Power West Campus.

MGE Power West Campus is not a subsidiary of MGE; however, it has been consolidated in the financial statements of MGE. MGE Power West Campus was created for the purpose of owning new generating assets. Its sole principal asset is the WCCF, which it leases to MGE pursuant to a long-term lease. MGE is responsible for operation of the plant during the term of the lease. Based on the nature and terms of these contractual relationships, MGE absorbs a majority of the expected losses, residual value, or both, associated with the ownership and operation of the WCCF and therefore holds a variable interest in MGE Power West Campus, even though it has no equity interest in MGE Power West Campus. MGE has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact WCCF's economic performance and is also the party most closely associated with MGE Power West Campus. As a result, MGE is the primary beneficiary. At December 31, MGE has included the following significant accounts on its consolidated balance sheets related to its interest in this VIE:

(In thousands)		2017		2016
Property, plant, and equipment, net	$	80,282	$	81,588
Affiliate receivables		4,236		4,769
Deferred income taxes^(b)		13,795		19,912
Long-term debt		43,262		44,932
Noncontrolling interest^(b)		43,267		35,303

(b) In 2017, there was a $6.8 million one-time tax impact as a result of the Tax Act for MGE Power West Campus. See Footnote 12 for further information.

Long-term debt excluding debt issuance costs consists of $43.4 million at December 31, 2017, of senior secured notes that require that MGE Power West Campus maintain a projected debt service coverage ratio of not less than 1.25 to 1.00 and debt to total capitalization ratio of not more than 0.65 to 1.00. The debt is secured by a collateral assignment of lease payments that MGE is making to MGE Power West Campus for use of the cogeneration facility pursuant to the long-term lease. As of December 31, 2017, MGE Power West Campus is in compliance with the covenant requirements.

MGE has been and will continue to recover lease payments made to MGE Power West Campus in rates.

c. Other Variable Interest Entities.

MGE has a variable interest in entities through purchase power agreements relating to purchased energy from the facilities covered by the agreements. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, MGE had 61 megawatts and 51 megawatts, respectively, of capacity available under these agreements. MGE evaluated the variable interest entities for possible consolidation. The interest holder is considered the primary beneficiary of the entity and is required to consolidate the entity if the interest holder has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economics of the variable interest entity. MGE examined qualitative factors such as the length of the remaining term of the contracts compared with the remaining lives of the plants, who has the power to direct the operations and maintenance of the facilities, and other factors, and determined MGE is not the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entities. There is not a significant potential exposure to loss as a result of involvement with these variable interest entities.