Regulatory Matters

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Regulated Operations [Abstract]

Regulatory Matters [Text Block]

REGULATORY MATTERS

Regulatory matters are summarized in Note 4. Regulatory Matters to the Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2019 Form 10-K, with additional disclosure provided in the following paragraphs.

Electric Rates. Entities within our Regulated Operations segment file for periodic rate revisions with the MPUC, PSCW or FERC. As authorized by the MPUC, Minnesota Power also recognizes revenue under cost recovery riders for transmission, renewable, and environmental investments and expenditures. Revenue from cost recovery riders was $22.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 ($24.3 million for nine months ended September 30, 2019).

2020 Minnesota General Rate Case. In November 2019, Minnesota Power filed a retail rate increase request with the MPUC seeking an average increase of approximately 10.6 percent for retail customers. The rate filing sought a return on equity of 10.05 percent and a 53.81 percent equity ratio. On an annualized basis, the requested final rate increase would have generated approximately $66 million in additional revenue. In orders dated December 23, 2019, the MPUC accepted the filing as complete and authorized an annual interim rate increase of $36.1 million that began January 1, 2020.

On April 23, 2020, Minnesota Power filed a request with the MPUC that proposed a resolution of Minnesota Power’s 2020 general rate case. Key components of our proposal included removing the power marketing margin credit in base rates and reflecting actual power marketing margins in the fuel adjustment clause effective May 1, 2020; refunding to customers interim rates collected through April 2020; increasing customer rates 4.1 percent compared to the 5.8 percent increase reflected in interim rates; and a provision that Minnesota Power would not file another rate case until at least November 1, 2021, unless certain events occur. In an order dated June 30, 2020, the MPUC approved Minnesota Power’s petition and proposal to resolve and withdraw the general rate case. Effective May 1, 2020, customer rates were set at an increase of 4.1 percent with the removal of the power marketing margin credit from base rates. Actual power marketing margins will be reflected in the fuel adjustment clause on an ongoing basis. Reserves for interim rates of $11.7 million were recorded in the second quarter of 2020 of which $6.5 million were refunded in the third quarter. The remainder will be refunded in the fourth quarter of 2020.

NOTE 2. REGULATORY MATTERS (Continued)

Electric Rates (Continued)

Transmission Cost Recovery Rider. Minnesota Power has an approved cost recovery rider in place for certain transmission investments and expenditures. In a 2016 order, the MPUC approved Minnesota Power’s updated customer billing rates allowing Minnesota Power to charge retail customers on a current basis for the costs of constructing certain transmission facilities plus a return on the capital invested. On July 9, 2019, Minnesota Power filed a petition seeking MPUC approval to update the customer billing factor to include investments made for the GNTL, which was approved at a hearing on May 14, 2020. (See Note 6. Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies.)

Renewable Cost Recovery Rider. Minnesota Power has an approved cost recovery rider for certain renewable investments and expenditures. The cost recovery rider allows Minnesota Power to charge retail customers on a current basis for the costs of certain renewable investments plus a return on the capital invested. On August 15, 2019, Minnesota Power filed a petition seeking MPUC approval to update the customer billing factor, which was approved at a hearing on October 1, 2020.

On June 30, 2020, Minnesota Power filed a petition seeking MPUC approval of a customer billing rate for solar costs related to investments and expenditures for meeting the state of Minnesota’s solar energy standard.

Fuel Adjustment Clause Reform. In a 2017 order, the MPUC adopted a program to implement certain procedural reforms to Minnesota utilities’ automatic fuel adjustment clause (FAC) for fuel and purchased power. With this order, the method of accounting for all Minnesota electric utilities changed to a monthly budgeted, forward-looking FAC with annual prudence review and true-up to actual allowed costs. On May 1, 2019, Minnesota Power filed its fuel adjustment forecast for 2020, which was accepted by the MPUC in an order dated November 14, 2019, for purposes of setting fuel adjustment clause rates for 2020, subject to a true-up filing in 2021. On May 1, 2020, Minnesota Power filed its fuel adjustment forecast for 2021, subject to MPUC approval.

On March 2, 2020, Minnesota Power filed its fuel adjustment clause report covering July 2018 through December 2019. In an order dated September 16, 2020, the MPUC referred the review of Minnesota Power’s forced outage costs during the period of the report, which totaled approximately $8 million, to an administrative law judge for a contested case hearing to determine if any of those costs should be returned to customers. A decision by the administrative law judge is expected in mid-2021. We cannot predict the outcome of this proceeding.

COVID-19 Related Deferred Accounting. In an order dated March 24, 2020, the PSCW authorized public utilities, which includes SWL&P, to defer expenditures incurred by the utility resulting from its compliance with state government or regulator orders, and as otherwise required to ensure the provision of safe, reliable and affordable access to utility services during Wisconsin’s declared public health emergency for COVID-19. On April 20, 2020, Minnesota Power along with other regulated electric and natural gas service providers in Minnesota filed a joint petition to request MPUC authorization to track incremental costs and expenses incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to defer and record such costs as a regulatory asset, subject to recovery in a future proceeding. In an order dated May 22, 2020, the MPUC approved the joint petition requiring the joint petitioners to track cost and revenue impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic with review for recovery in a future rate proceeding.

Minnesota Power submitted a petition in November 2020 to the MPUC requesting authority to track and record as a regulatory asset lost large industrial customer revenue resulting from the idling of USS Corporation’s Keetac plant and Verso Corporation’s paper mill in Duluth, Minnesota. Keetac and Verso represent revenue of approximately $30 million annually, net of associated expense savings such as fuel costs. Minnesota Power proposed in this petition to defer any lost revenue related to the idling of the Keetac facility and the Verso paper mill to its next general rate case or other proceeding for review for recovery by the MPUC.

NOTE 2. REGULATORY MATTERS (Continued)

Integrated Resource Plan. In a 2016 order, the MPUC approved Minnesota Power’s 2015 IRP with modifications. The order accepted Minnesota Power’s plans for the economic idling of Taconite Harbor Units 1 and 2 and the ceasing of coal-fired operations at Taconite Harbor in 2020, directed Minnesota Power to retire Boswell Units 1 and 2 no later than 2022, required an analysis of generation and demand response alternatives to be filed with a natural gas resource proposal, and required Minnesota Power to conduct requests for proposal for additional wind, solar and demand response resource additions. Minnesota Power retired Boswell Units 1 and 2 in the fourth quarter of 2018. The MPUC also has required a baseload retirement evaluation in Minnesota Power’s next IRP filing analyzing its existing fleet, including potential early retirement scenarios of Boswell Units 3 and 4, as well as a securitization plan. Minnesota Power’s next IRP filing was due October 1, 2020; however, on May 29, 2020, Minnesota Power filed a request to extend the deadline for submitting its next IRP filing citing the COVID-19 pandemic. In an order dated September 25, 2020, the MPUC granted an extension of the deadline for submission until February 1, 2021, with interim reports due in the fourth quarter of 2020. On October 1, 2020, Minnesota Power submitted an initial securitization report regarding Boswell Units 3 and 4 as required in the MPUC’s order.

Nemadji Trail Energy Center. In 2017, Minnesota Power submitted a resource package to the MPUC which included requesting approval of a 250 MW natural gas capacity dedication agreement. The natural gas capacity dedication agreement was subject to MPUC approval of the construction of NTEC, a 525 MW to 550 MW combined-cycle natural gas-fired generating facility which will be jointly owned by Dairyland Power Cooperative and a subsidiary of ALLETE. Minnesota Power would purchase approximately 50 percent of the facility's output starting in 2025. In an order dated January 24, 2019, the MPUC approved Minnesota Power’s request for approval of the NTEC natural gas capacity dedication agreement. On December 23, 2019, the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed and remanded the MPUC’s decision to approve certain affiliated-interest agreements. The MPUC was ordered to determine whether NTEC may have the potential for significant environmental effects and, if so, to prepare an environmental assessment before reassessing the agreements. On January 22, 2020, Minnesota Power filed a petition for further review with the Minnesota Supreme Court requesting that it review and overturn the Minnesota Court of Appeals decision, which petition was accepted for review by the Minnesota Supreme Court with oral arguments held on October 6, 2020. There is no deadline for the Minnesota Supreme Court to issue a ruling. On January 8, 2019, an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for NTEC was submitted to the PSCW, which was approved by the PSCW at a hearing on January 16, 2020. Construction of NTEC is subject to obtaining additional permits from local, state and federal authorities. The total project cost is estimated to be approximately $700 million, of which ALLETE’s portion is expected to be approximately $350 million. ALLETE’s portion of NTEC project costs incurred through September 30, 2020, is approximately $14 million.

Conservation Improvement Program. On July 1, 2020, Minnesota Power submitted its CIP triennial filing for 2021 through 2023 to the MPUC, which outlines Minnesota Power’s CIP spending and energy-saving goals for those years. Minnesota Power’s CIP investment goals are $10.5 million for 2021, $10.7 million for 2022 and $10.9 million for 2023, subject to MPUC approval.

On May 1, 2020, Minnesota Power submitted its 2019 consolidated filing detailing Minnesota Power’s CIP program results and requesting a CIP financial incentive of $2.4 million based upon MPUC procedures, which was recognized in the third quarter of 2020 upon approval by the MPUC in an order dated August 18, 2020. In 2019, the CIP financial incentive of $2.8 million was recognized in the third quarter upon approval by the MPUC of Minnesota Power’s 2018 CIP consolidated filing. CIP financial incentives are recognized in the period in which the MPUC approves the filing.

MISO Return on Equity Complaint. MISO transmission owners, including ALLETE and ATC, have an authorized return on equity of 10.02 percent, or 10.52 percent including an incentive adder for participation in a regional transmission organization, based on a May 21, 2020, FERC order that granted rehearing of a November 2019 FERC order, which had reduced the base return on equity for regional transmission organizations to 9.88 percent, or 10.38 percent including an incentive adder.

NOTE 2. REGULATORY MATTERS (Continued)

Minnesota Solar Energy Standard. On May 20, 2020, the MPUC issued a notice requesting all regulated gas and electric utilities provide a list of all ongoing, planned, or possible investments that support Minnesota’s energy policy objectives and aid economic recovery in Minnesota, among other items. On June 17, 2020, Minnesota Power filed a response which included outlining a proposal to accelerate its plans for solar energy with an estimated $40 million investment in approximately 20 MW of solar energy projects in Minnesota.

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities. Our regulated utility operations are subject to accounting guidance for the effect of certain types of regulation. Regulatory assets represent incurred costs that have been deferred as they are probable for recovery in customer rates. Regulatory liabilities represent obligations to make refunds to customers and amounts collected in rates for which the related costs have not yet been incurred. The Company assesses quarterly whether regulatory assets and liabilities meet the criteria for probability of future recovery or deferral. With the exception of the regulatory asset for Boswell Units 1 and 2 net plant and equipment, no other regulatory assets are currently earning a return. The recovery, refund or credit to rates for these regulatory assets and liabilities will occur over the periods either specified by the applicable regulatory authority or over the corresponding period related to the asset or liability.

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities	September 30, 2020	December 31, 2019
Millions
Non-Current Regulatory Assets
Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans	$204.9	$212.9
Income Taxes	122.3	123.4
Cost Recovery Riders	46.8	24.7
Asset Retirement Obligations	31.6	32.0
Manufactured Gas Plant	8.7	8.2
Boswell Units 1 and 2 Net Plant and Equipment	6.4	10.7
PPACA Income Tax Deferral	4.6	4.8
Other	2.6	3.8
Total Non-Current Regulatory Assets	$427.9	$420.5
Current Regulatory Liabilities (a)
Fuel Adjustment Clause (b)	$10.3	—
Provision for Interim Rate Refund (c)	5.2	—
Transmission Formula Rates Refund	1.0	$1.7
Other	1.6	0.2
Total Current Regulatory Liabilities	18.1	1.9
Non-Current Regulatory Liabilities
Income Taxes	388.0	407.2
Wholesale and Retail Contra AFUDC	86.9	79.3
Plant Removal Obligations	41.1	35.5
Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans	12.6	17.0
North Dakota Investment Tax Credits	12.1	12.3
Conservation Improvement Program	3.1	5.4
Other	3.3	3.6
Total Non-Current Regulatory Liabilities	547.1	560.3
Total Regulatory Liabilities	$565.2	$562.2

(a)Current regulatory liabilities are presented within Other Current Liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

(b)Fuel adjustment clause regulatory liability represents the amount expected to be refunded to customers for the over-collection of fuel adjustment clause recoveries. (See Fuel Adjustment Clause Reform.)

(c)Provision for Interim Rate Refund represents reserves for interim rates resulting from the MPUC’s approval of Minnesota Power’s petition and proposal to resolve and withdraw its rate case. This amount is expected to be refunded to Minnesota Power regulated retail customers in the fourth quarter of 2020. (See 2020 Minnesota General Rate Case.)

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities	September 30, 2020	December 31, 2019
Millions
Non-Current Regulatory Assets
Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans	$204.9	$212.9
Income Taxes	122.3	123.4
Cost Recovery Riders	46.8	24.7
Asset Retirement Obligations	31.6	32.0
Manufactured Gas Plant	8.7	8.2
Boswell Units 1 and 2 Net Plant and Equipment	6.4	10.7
PPACA Income Tax Deferral	4.6	4.8
Other	2.6	3.8
Total Non-Current Regulatory Assets	$427.9	$420.5
Current Regulatory Liabilities (a)
Fuel Adjustment Clause (b)	$10.3	—
Provision for Interim Rate Refund (c)	5.2	—
Transmission Formula Rates Refund	1.0	$1.7
Other	1.6	0.2
Total Current Regulatory Liabilities	18.1	1.9
Non-Current Regulatory Liabilities
Income Taxes	388.0	407.2
Wholesale and Retail Contra AFUDC	86.9	79.3
Plant Removal Obligations	41.1	35.5
Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans	12.6	17.0
North Dakota Investment Tax Credits	12.1	12.3
Conservation Improvement Program	3.1	5.4
Other	3.3	3.6
Total Non-Current Regulatory Liabilities	547.1	560.3
Total Regulatory Liabilities	$565.2	$562.2

(a)Current regulatory liabilities are presented within Other Current Liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

(b)Fuel adjustment clause regulatory liability represents the amount expected to be refunded to customers for the over-collection of fuel adjustment clause recoveries. (See Fuel Adjustment Clause Reform.)

(c)Provision for Interim Rate Refund represents reserves for interim rates resulting from the MPUC’s approval of Minnesota Power’s petition and proposal to resolve and withdraw its rate case. This amount is expected to be refunded to Minnesota Power regulated retail customers in the fourth quarter of 2020. (See 2020 Minnesota General Rate Case.)