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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.

a. Basis of Presentation - MGE Energy and MGE.

The consolidated financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), which give recognition to the rate making accounting policies for regulated operations prescribed by the regulatory authorities having jurisdiction, principally the PSCW and FERC. MGE's accounting records conform to the FERC uniform system of accounts.

b. Principles of Consolidation - MGE Energy and MGE.

MGE, a wholly owned subsidiary of MGE Energy, is a regulated electric and gas utility headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. MGE Energy and MGE consolidate all majority owned subsidiaries in which they have a controlling influence.

Additional wholly owned subsidiaries of MGE Energy include CWDC, MAGAEL, MGE Power, MGE State Energy Services, MGE Services, MGE Transco, and MGEE Transco. CWDC owns 100% of North Mendota, a subsidiary created to serve as a development entity for property. MGE Power owns 100% of MGE Power Elm Road and MGE Power West Campus. MGE Power and its subsidiaries are part of MGE Energy's nonregulated energy operations, which were formed to own and lease electric generation projects to assist MGE. MGE Transco and MGEE Transco are nonregulated entities formed to manage the investments in ATC and ATC Holdco, respectively. On December 1, 2016, MGE's ownership interest in MGE Transco was transferred to MGE Energy. See Footnote 6 for further discussion of the transfer of MGE's investment in MGE Transco.

MGE Energy and MGE consolidate variable interest entities (VIEs) for which it is the primary beneficiary. Variable interest entities are legal entities that possess any of the following characteristics: equity investors who have an insufficient amount of equity at risk to finance their activities, equity owners who do not have the power to direct the significant activities of the entity (or have voting rights that are disproportionate to their ownership interest), or equity holders who do not receive expected losses or returns significant to the VIE. If MGE Energy or MGE is not the primary beneficiary and an ownership interest is held, the VIE is accounted for under the equity method of accounting. When assessing the determination of the primary beneficiary, all relevant facts and circumstances are considered, including: the power, through voting or similar rights, to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance and the obligation to absorb the expected losses and/or the right to receive the expected returns of the VIE. Ongoing reassessments of all VIEs are performed to determine if the primary beneficiary status has changed. MGE has consolidated MGE Power Elm Road and MGE Power West Campus. Both entities are VIEs. MGE is considered the primary beneficiary of these entities as a result of contractual agreements. See Footnote 3 for more discussion of these entities.

Prior to December 1, 2016, MGE Transco was jointly owned by MGE Energy and MGE. MGE's ownership interest in MGE Transco declined below a majority in July 2016. As a result of the change in majority ownership, MGE deconsolidated MGE Energy's proportionate share of the equity in MGE Transco. See Footnote 20 for further discussion regarding the deconsolidation of noncontrolling interest.

The consolidated financial statements reflect the application of certain accounting policies described in this note. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

c. Use of Estimates - MGE Energy and MGE.

In order to prepare consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP, management must make estimates and assumptions. These estimates could affect reported amounts of assets, liabilities, and disclosures at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from management's estimates.

d. Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash – MGE Energy and MGE.

The following table presents the components of total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash on the consolidated balance sheets.

(In thousands)MGE EnergyMGE
As of December 31,2018201720182017
Cash and cash equivalents$83,102$107,952$4,843$5,951
Restricted cash6341,6356341,635
Receivable - margin account1,1932,5071,1932,507
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash$84,929$112,094$6,670$10,093

Cash Equivalents

MGE Energy and MGE consider all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Restricted Cash

MGE has certain cash accounts that are restricted to uses other than current operations and designated for a specific purpose. MGE's restricted cash accounts include cash held by trustees for certain employee benefits and cash deposits held by third parties. These are included in "Other current assets" on the consolidated balance sheets.

Receivable – Margin Account

Cash amounts held by counterparties as margin collateral for certain financial transactions are recorded as Receivable – margin account in "Other current assets" on the consolidated balance sheets. The costs being hedged are fuel for electric generation, purchased power, and cost of gas sold.

Retrospective adjustments to cash flow amounts on MGE Energy's and MGE's consolidated statements of cash flows in accordance with the adoption of ASU 2016-18, Restricted Cash for the years ended December 31, were as follows:

(In thousands)20172016
Cash provided by operating activities$(1,618)$351
Cash used for investing activities8613
Change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash(1,532)364
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period5,6745,310
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period$4,142$5,674

e. Trade Receivables, Allowance for Doubtful Accounts, and Concentration Risk - MGE Energy and MGE.

Trade accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. However, a 1% late payment charge is recorded on all receivables unpaid after the due date. The allowance for doubtful accounts associated with these receivables represents our best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in our existing accounts receivable. We determine our allowance for doubtful accounts based on historical write-off experience, regional economic data, and review of the accounts receivable aging. MGE manages this concentration and the related credit risk through its credit and collection policies, which are consistent with state regulatory requirements.

f. Inventories - MGE Energy and MGE.

Inventories consist of natural gas in storage, fuel for electric generation, materials and supplies, and renewable energy credits (RECs). MGE values natural gas in storage, fuel for electric generation, and materials and supplies using average cost.

REC allowances are included in "Materials and supplies" on the consolidated balance sheets and are recorded based on specific identification. These allowances are charged to purchase power expense as they are used in operations. MGE's REC allowance balance as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, was $0.7 million and $0.5 million, respectively.

g. Chattel Paper Agreements - MGE Energy and MGE.

MGE makes available to qualifying customers a financing program for the purchase and installation of energy-related equipment that will provide more efficient use of utility service at the customer's property. The energy-related equipment installed at the customer sites is used to secure the customer loans. MGE is a party to a chattel paper purchase agreement with a financial institution under which MGE can sell, transfer, and assign to the financial institution an undivided interest with recourse, in up to $10.0 million of the financing program receivables, until July 31, 2019. The length of the MGE guarantee to the financial institution varies from one to ten years depending on the term of the underlying customer loan. The loan balances outstanding as of December 31, 2018, approximates the fair value of the energy-related equipment acting as collateral. MGE accounts for these agreements as secured borrowings.

As of December 31, 2018, the remaining contractual maturities of the chattel paper agreements were as follows:

(In thousands)20192020202120222023Thereafter
Repurchase-to-Maturity Transactions:
Loans$396$407$392$354$510$122

h. Regulatory Assets and Liabilities - MGE Energy and MGE.

Regulatory assets and regulatory liabilities are recorded consistent with regulatory treatment. Regulatory assets represent costs which are deferred due to the probable future recovery from customers through regulated rates. Regulatory liabilities represent the excess recovery of costs or accrued credits which were deferred because MGE believes it is probable such amounts will be returned to customers through future regulated rates. Regulatory assets and liabilities are amortized in the consolidated statements of income consistent with the recovery or refund included in customer rates. MGE believes that it is probable that its recorded regulatory assets and liabilities will be recovered and refunded, respectively, in future rates. See Footnote 7 for further information.

i. Debt Issuance Costs - MGE Energy and MGE.

Premiums, discounts, and expenses incurred with the issuance of outstanding long-term debt are amortized over the life of the debt issue. Any call premiums or unamortized expenses associated with refinancing higher-cost debt obligations used to finance utility-regulated assets and operations are amortized consistent with regulatory treatment of those items. These costs are included as a direct reduction to the related debt liability on the consolidated balance sheets.

j. Property, Plant, and Equipment - MGE Energy and MGE.

Property, plant, and equipment is recorded at original cost. Cost includes indirect costs consisting of payroll taxes, pensions, postretirement benefits, other fringe benefits, and administrative and general costs. Also, included in the cost is AFUDC for utility property and capitalized interest for nonregulated property. Additions for significant replacements of property are charged to property, plant, and equipment at cost; and minor items are charged to maintenance expense. Depreciation rates on utility property are approved by the PSCW, based on the estimated economic lives of property, and include estimates for salvage value and removal costs. Removal costs of utility property, less any salvage value, are adjusted through regulatory liabilities. Depreciation rates on nonregulated property are based on the estimated economic lives of the property. See Footnote 4 for further information.

Provisions at composite straight-line depreciation rates approximate the following percentages for the cost of depreciable property:

201820172016
Electric(a)(b)2.9 %3.0 %2.5 %
Gas(a)2.1 %2.1 %2.1 %
Nonregulated 2.3 %2.3 %2.3 %

(a) In December 2015, the PSCW approved new depreciation rates, which were implemented and became effective as of January 1, 2016.

(b) In September 2016, the PSCW approved new depreciation rates for Columbia effective January 1, 2017.

k. Asset Retirement Obligations - MGE Energy and MGE.

A liability is recorded for the fair value of an asset retirement obligation (ARO) to be recognized in the period in which it is incurred if it can be reasonably estimated. The offsetting associated asset retirement costs are capitalized as a long-lived asset and depreciated over the asset's useful life. The expected present value technique used to calculate the fair value of ARO liabilities includes assumptions about costs, probabilities, settlement dates, interest accretion, and inflation. Revisions to the assumptions, including the timing or amount of expected asset retirement costs, could result in increases or decreases to the AROs. All asset retirement obligations are recorded as "Other long-term liabilities" on the consolidated balance sheets. MGE has regulatory treatment and recognizes regulatory assets or liabilities for the timing differences between when it recovers legal AROs in rates and when it would recognize these costs. See Footnote 18 for further information.

l. Repairs and Maintenance Expense - MGE Energy and MGE.

MGE utilizes the direct expensing method for planned major maintenance projects. Under this method, MGE expenses all costs associated with major planned maintenance activities as incurred.

m. Purchased Gas Adjustment Clause - MGE Energy and MGE.

MGE's natural gas rates are subject to a fuel adjustment clause designed to recover or refund the difference between the actual cost of purchased gas and the amount included in rates. Differences between the amounts billed to customers and the actual costs recoverable are deferred and recovered or refunded in future periods by means of prospective monthly adjustments to rates. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, MGE had over collected $1.2 million and $1.4 million, respectively. These amounts are included in "Regulatory liabilities – current" on the consolidated balance sheets.

n. Revenue Recognition - MGE Energy and MGE.

Operating revenues are recorded as service is rendered or energy is delivered to customers. Meters are read on a systematic basis throughout the month based on established meter-reading schedules. At the end of the month, MGE accrues an estimate for the unbilled amount of energy delivered to customers. The unbilled revenue estimate is based on daily system demand volumes, weather factors, estimated line losses, estimated customer usage by class, and applicable customer rates. See Footnote 19 for further information.

o. Utility Cost Recovery - MGE Energy and MGE.

MGE's tariff rates include a provision for fuel cost recovery. The PSCW allows Wisconsin utilities to defer electric fuel-related costs, less excess revenues, that fall outside a symmetrical cost tolerance band. Any over/under recovery of the actual costs in a given year is determined in the following year and is then reflected in future billings to electric retail customers. Over-collection of fuel-related costs that are outside the approved range will be recognized as a reduction of revenue. Prior to adoption of the new revenue recognition guidance, effective January 1, 2018, over-collected fuel-related costs were reflected in "Purchased power" expense. Under-collection of these costs will continue to be recognized in "Purchased power" expense in the consolidated statements of income of MGE Energy and MGE. The cumulative effects of these deferred amounts will be recorded in "Regulatory assets" or "Regulatory liabilities" on the consolidated balance sheets of MGE Energy and MGE until they are reflected in future billings to customers. See Footnote 8.b. for further information.

p. Regional Transmission Organizations - MGE Energy and MGE.

MGE reports on a net basis transactions on the MISO markets in which it buys and sells power within the same hour to meet electric energy delivery requirements. This treatment resulted in a $90.3 million, a $87.9 million, and a $77.2 million reduction to sales to the market and purchase power expense for MISO markets for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively.

q. Allowance for Funds Used During Construction - MGE Energy and MGE.

Allowance for funds used during construction is included in utility plant accounts and represents the cost of borrowed funds used during plant construction and a return on shareholder's capital used for construction purposes. In the consolidated income statements, the cost of borrowed funds (AFUDC-debt) is presented as an offset to "Interest expense" and the return on shareholder's capital (AFUDC-equity funds) is shown as an item within "Other income." For both 2018 and 2017, as approved by the PSCW, MGE capitalized AFUDC-debt and equity on 50% of applicable average construction work in progress at 7.87%. For 2016, as approved by the PSCW, MGE capitalized AFUDC-debt and equity on 50% of applicable average construction work in progress at 7.93%. For 2018, 2017, and 2016, MGE received specific approval to recover 100% AFUDC on certain environmental costs for Columbia. For 2018 and 2017, MGE received specific approval to recover 100% AFUDC on certain costs for the Saratoga Wind Farm project. These amounts are recovered under the ratemaking process over the service lives of the related properties.

r. Investments - MGE Energy and MGE.

Investments in limited liability companies that have specific ownership accounts in which MGE Energy or MGE's ownership interest is more than minor and are considered to have significant influence are accounted for using the equity method. All other investments are carried at fair value, with changes in fair value recognized through net income. See Footnote 6 for further information.

s. Capitalized Software Costs - MGE Energy and MGE.

Property, plant, and equipment includes the net book value of capitalized costs of internal use software totaling $15.1 million and $11.1 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. During 2018, 2017, and 2016, MGE recorded $4.7 million, $3.3 million, and $3.0 million, respectively, of amortization expense related to these costs. These costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. For internal use software, the useful lives range from five to fifteen years.

t. Capitalized Software Assets – Hosting Arrangements – MGE Energy and MGE.

The FASB issued authoritative guidance of accounting for software in a hosted arrangement. MGE Energy and MGE adopted the authoritative guidance as of September 30, 2018. See Footnote 2 for further information.

The net book value of capitalized costs of internal use software incurred in a hosting arrangement was $9.2 million and $0.5 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. During 2018, MGE implemented an enterprise resource planning platform which was placed in service as of January 1, 2019. As of December 31, 2018, accumulated amortization expense was $0.1 million. There was no accumulated amortization expense as of December 31, 2017. Capitalized software assets for hosted arrangements and the related accumulated amortization expense are recorded in "Other deferred assets and other" on the consolidated balance sheets.

During 2018, MGE recorded $0.1 million of amortization expense related to software assets for hosted arrangements. During 2017 and 2016, no amortization expense was recorded. These costs are recognized in "Other operations and maintenance" expense in the consolidated statements of income and are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Software assets for hosted arrangements have useful lives ranging from five to ten years.

u. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets - MGE Energy and MGE.

MGE reviews plant and equipment and other property for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be recoverable. MGE's policy for determining when long-lived assets are impaired is to recognize an impairment loss if the sum of the expected future cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges) from an asset are less than the carrying amount of that asset. If an impairment loss is recognized, the amount that will be recorded will be measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset. There was no impairment of long-lived assets as of December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016.

v. Income Taxes and Excise Taxes - MGE Energy and MGE.

Income taxes

Under the liability method, income taxes are deferred for all temporary differences between pretax financial and taxable income and between the book and tax basis of assets and liabilities using the tax rates scheduled by law to be in effect when the temporary differences reverse. Future tax benefits are recognized to the extent that realization of such benefits is more likely than not. A valuation allowance is recorded for those benefits that do not meet this criterion.

Accounting for uncertainty in income taxes applies to all tax positions and requires a recognition threshold and measurement standard for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken, or expected to be taken, in an income tax return. The threshold is defined for recognizing tax return positions in the financial statements as "more likely than not" that the position is sustainable, based on its merits. Subsequent recognition, derecognition, and measurement is based on management's best judgment given the facts, circumstances, and information available at the reporting date.

Regulatory and accounting principles have resulted in a regulatory liability related to income taxes. Excess deferred income taxes result from past taxes provided at rates higher than current rates. The income tax regulatory liability and deferred investment tax credit reflect the revenue requirement associated with the return of these tax benefits to customers.

Investment tax credits from regulated operations are amortized over related property service lives.

Excise taxes

MGE Energy, through its utility operations, pays a state license fee tax in lieu of property taxes on property used in utility operations. License fee tax is calculated as a percentage of adjusted operating revenues of the prior year. The electric tax rate is 3.19% for retail sales and 1.59% for sales of electricity for resale by the purchaser. The tax rate on sales of natural gas is 0.97%. The tax is required to be estimated and prepaid in the year prior to its computation and expensing. License fee tax expense, included in "Other general taxes," was $14.4 million, $14.1 million, and $14.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively.

Operating income taxes, including tax credits and license fee tax, are included in rates for utility related items.

w. Share-Based Compensation - MGE Energy and MGE.

Under two separate incentive plans, eligible participants, including employees and non-employee directors, may receive performance units that entitle the holder to receive a cash payment equal to the value of a designated number of shares of MGE Energy's common stock, plus dividend equivalent payments thereon, at the end of the set performance period set in the award. Under the plans, these awards are subject to a prescribed vesting schedule and must be settled in cash. Accordingly, no new shares of common stock are issued in connection with the plans.

On the grant, date the cost of the employee or director services received in exchange for a performance unit award is measured based on the current market value of MGE Energy common stock. The fair value of the awards is re-measured quarterly through the settlement date. Changes in fair value as well as the original grant are recognized as compensation cost.

See Footnote 16 for additional information regarding the plans.

x. Derivative and Hedging Instruments - MGE Energy and MGE.

As part of regular operations, MGE enters into contracts, including options, swaps, futures, forwards, and other contractual commitments, to manage its exposure to commodity prices. MGE recognizes all derivatives in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value, with changes in the fair value of derivative instruments to be recorded in current earnings or deferred in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), depending on whether a derivative is designated as, and is effective as, a hedge and on the type of hedge transaction. Derivative activities are in accordance with the company's risk management policy.

If the derivative qualifies for regulatory deferral, the derivatives are marked to fair value and are offset with a corresponding regulatory asset or liability. Cash flows from such derivative instruments are classified on a basis consistent with the nature of the underlying hedged item.