Property, Plant and Equipment

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

Property, Plant and Equipment [Text Block]

Property, Plant and Equipment



Property, Plant and Equipment
As of December 31	2011			2010
Millions
Regulated Utility		$2,794.8			$2,649.2
Construction Work in Progress	155.0			86.6
Accumulated Depreciation	(1,024.6		)	(975.8		)
Regulated Utility Plant - Net	1,925.2			1,760.0
Non-Rate Base Energy Operations	106.4			88.4
Construction Work-in-Progress	2.3			4.5
Accumulated Depreciation	(51.4		)	(48.0		)
Non-Rate Base Energy Operations Plant - Net	57.3			44.9
Other Plant - Net	0.2			0.7
Property, Plant and Equipment - Net		$1,982.7			$1,805.6

Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the various classes of assets. The MPUC and the PSCW have approved depreciation rates for our Regulated Utility plant.



Estimated Useful Lives of Property, Plant and Equipment

Regulated Utility –	Generation	4 to 35 years	Non-Rate Base Operations	3 to 61 years
	Transmission	42 to 61 years	Other Plant	5 to 25 years
	Distribution	14 to 65 years

Asset Retirement Obligations. We recognize, at fair value, obligations associated with the retirement of certain tangible, long-lived assets that result from the acquisition, construction or development and/or normal operation of the asset. Asset retirement obligations (ARO) relate primarily to the decommissioning of our coal-fired generating facilities and land reclamation at BNI Coal, and are included in Other Non-Current Liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet. The associated retirement costs are capitalized as part of the related long-lived asset and depreciated over the useful life of the asset. Removal costs associated with certain distribution and transmission assets have not been recognized, as these facilities have indeterminate useful lives.

Conditional asset retirement obligations have been identified for treated wood poles and remaining polychlorinated biphenyl and asbestos-containing assets; however, removal costs have not been recognized because they are considered immaterial to our consolidated financial statements.

Long-standing ratemaking practices approved by applicable state and federal regulatory commissions have allowed provisions for future plant removal costs in depreciation rates. These plant removal cost recoveries were included in accumulated depreciation. These plant removal cost recoveries are classified either as AROs or as a regulatory liability for non-ARO obligations. To the extent annual accruals for plant removal costs differ from accruals under approved depreciation rates, a regulatory asset has been established in accordance with the guidance for AROs. (See Note 5. Regulatory Matters.)



Asset Retirement Obligation
Millions
Obligation as of December 31, 2009		$44.6
Accretion Expense	2.9
Additional Liabilities Incurred in 2010	2.8
Obligation as of December 31, 2010	50.3
Accretion Expense	6.4
Additional Liabilities Incurred in 2011	0.3
Obligation as of December 31, 2011		$57.0

- Definition

The entire disclosure for long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include land, buildings, machinery and equipment, and other types of furniture and equipment including, but not limited to, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment and software. This disclosure may include property plant and equipment accounting policies and methodology, a schedule of property, plant and equipment gross, additions, deletions, transfers and other changes, depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, net, accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization expense and useful lives, income statement disclosures, assets held for sale and public utility disclosures.

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