Regulatory Matters

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

REGULATORY MATTERS

Regulatory matters are summarized in Note 4. Regulatory Matters to the Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2021 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 $6.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 ($9.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021).

2022 Minnesota General Rate Case. On November 1, 2021, Minnesota Power filed a retail rate increase request with the MPUC seeking an average increase of approximately 18 percent for retail customers. The rate filing seeks a return on equity of 10.25 percent and a 53.81 percent equity ratio. On an annualized basis, the requested final rate increase would generate approximately $108 million in additional revenue. In orders dated December 30, 2021, the MPUC accepted the filing as complete and authorized an annual interim rate increase beginning January 1, 2022, with approximately $80 million expected to be collected in cash and approximately $8 million of interim rates for residential customers deferred with a final determination on recovery at the end of the rate case. We cannot predict the level of final rates that may be authorized by the MPUC.

2022 Wisconsin General Rate Case. On April 29, 2022, SWL&P filed a rate increase request with the PSCW seeking an average increase of 2.7 percent for retail customers. The filing seeks an overall return on equity of 10.4 percent and a 55 percent equity ratio. On an annualized basis, the requested final rate increase would generate approximately $3.3 million in additional revenue.

Renewable Cost Recovery Rider. Minnesota Power has an approved cost recovery rider in place to charge retail customers on a current basis for the costs of certain renewable investments and expenditures, including a return on the capital invested. Current customer billing rates for the renewable cost recovery rider were approved by the MPUC in a 2020 order. On February 2, 2022, Minnesota Power submitted its 2022 renewable factor filing, which included a request to recover a regulatory asset of $3.8 million related to the recognition of production tax credits due to a metering error at Bison. If the filing is approved, Minnesota Power would be authorized to include updated billing rates on customer bills; any portion disallowed would be charged to earnings.

Fuel Adjustment Clause. In 2020, Minnesota Power filed its fuel adjustment forecast for 2021, which was approved by the MPUC in a December 2020 order, subject to the annual prudence review and true-up filing in 2022. During 2021, Minnesota Power incurred higher fuel and purchased power costs than those forecasted in its May 2020 filing, which resulted in the recognition of an approximately $56 million regulatory asset through December 31, 2021. Minnesota Power submitted its annual true-up filing and a significant events filing in March 2022 requesting recovery of these under-collected fuel adjustment clause recoveries. No parties objected to the request; recovery of the regulatory asset began in April 2022 and will continue through mid-2023, subject to final approval by the MPUC which is expected in mid-2022.

2021 Integrated Resource Plan. On February 1, 2021, Minnesota Power filed its latest IRP with the MPUC, which outlines its clean-energy transition plans through 2035. These plans include expanding its renewable energy supply, achieving coal-free operations at its facilities by 2035, and investing in a resilient and flexible transmission and distribution grid. As part of these plans, Minnesota Power anticipates adding approximately 400 MW of new wind and solar energy resources, retiring Boswell Unit 3 by 2030 and transforming Boswell Unit 4 to be coal-free by 2035. Minnesota Power’s plans recognize that advances in technology will play a significant role in completing its transition to carbon-free energy supply, reliably and affordably. A final decision on the IRP is expected in the second half of 2022.

NOTE 2. REGULATORY MATTERS (Continued)

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	March 31, 2022	December 31, 2021
Millions
Current Regulatory Assets (a)
Fuel Adjustment Clause	$39.8	—
Total Current Regulatory Assets	39.8	—
Non-Current Regulatory Assets
Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans	223.2	$226.4
Income Taxes	101.5	104.7
Cost Recovery Riders	60.6	63.2
Asset Retirement Obligations	33.5	33.1
Fuel Adjustment Clause	18.5	56.4
Manufactured Gas Plant	17.4	17.0
PPACA Income Tax Deferral	4.3	4.3


Residential Customer Interim Rate Adjustment	2.0	—
Other	3.2	6.7
Total Non-Current Regulatory Assets	464.2	511.8
Total Regulatory Assets	$504.0	$511.8

Current Regulatory Liabilities (b)
Fuel Adjustment Clause	$4.1	$5.0

Transmission Formula Rates Refund	2.9	3.1
Other	0.7	0.5
Total Current Regulatory Liabilities	7.7	8.6
Non-Current Regulatory Liabilities
Income Taxes	344.8	353.4
Wholesale and Retail Contra AFUDC	83.0	83.7
Plant Removal Obligations	54.2	52.6
North Dakota Investment Tax Credits	13.7	12.2
Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans	26.5	28.1




Boswell Units 1 and 2 Net Plant and Equipment	1.6	0.4
Other	9.6	5.7
Total Non-Current Regulatory Liabilities	533.4	536.1
Total Regulatory Liabilities	$541.1	$544.7

(a)Current regulatory assets are presented within Prepayments and Other on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

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