Regulatory Matters Involving Potential Loss Contingencies

As a result of issues generated in the ordinary course of business, the Companies are involved in various regulatory matters. Certain regulatory matters may ultimately result in a loss; however, as such matters are in an initial procedural phase, involve uncertainty as to the outcome of pending reviews or orders, and/or involve significant factual issues that need to be resolved, it is not possible for the Companies to estimate a range of possible loss. For regulatory matters that the Companies cannot estimate, a statement to this effect is made in the description of the matter. Other matters may have progressed sufficiently through the regulatory process such that the Companies are able to estimate a range of possible loss. For regulatory matters that the Companies are able to reasonably estimate a range of possible losses, an estimated range of possible loss is provided, in excess of the accrued liability (if any) for such matters. Any estimated range is based on currently available information, involves elements of judgment and significant uncertainties and may not represent the Companies’ maximum possible loss exposure. The circumstances of such regulatory matters will change from time to time and actual results may vary significantly from the current estimate. For current matters not specifically reported below, management does not anticipate that the outcome from such matters would have a material effect on the Companies’ financial position, liquidity or results of operations.

Other than the following matters, there have been no significant developments regarding the pending regulatory matters disclosed in Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the Companies’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

In July 2023, Virginia Power filed its base rate case and accompanying schedules in support of the 2023 Biennial Review in accordance with legislation enacted in Virginia in April 2023. Virginia Power’s earnings test analysis, as filed, demonstrated it earned a combined ROE of 9.04% on its generation and distribution services for the test period, within 70 basis points of its authorized ROE of 9.35% established in the 2021 Triennial Review. Virginia Power did not request an increase in base rates for generation and distribution services and proposed that base rates remain at their existing level utilizing an ROE of 9.70% for the prospective test periods and a common equity capitalization to total capitalization ratio of 52.10%. Virginia Power noted that while its prospective test periods would result in a revenue deficiency, it did not request an increase to base rates given that the combination of certain riders with an aggregate annual revenue requirement of at least $350 million into base rates effective July 2023 cannot serve as the basis for an increase in base rates as part of the 2023 Biennial Review.

In November 2023, Virginia Power, the Virginia Commission staff and other parties filed a comprehensive settlement agreement with the Virginia Commission for approval. The comprehensive settlement agreement indicates that Virginia Power demonstrated it earned a combined ROE of 9.05% on its generation and distribution services for the test period, requires previously unrecovered severe weather event costs of $45 million to be recovered through base rates during the 2023-2024 biennial period, with carrying costs, and provides for $15 million in one-time credits to customers by September 2024.

In February 2024, the Virginia Commission approved the comprehensive settlement agreement and issued its order in this matter. In doing so, the Virginia Commission determined that Virginia Power’s earnings for the test period, considered as a whole, were within 70 basis points above or below its authorized ROE of 9.35%. The Virginia Commission also authorized an ROE of 9.70%, as directed by legislation enacted in Virginia in April 2023, for Virginia Power that will be applied to Virginia Power’s riders prospectively and that will also be utilized to measure base rate earnings for the 2025 Biennial Review. In connection with the order, Virginia Power recorded a net benefit of $17 million ($12 million after-tax) in the first quarter of 2024 within impairment of assets and other charges in its Consolidated Statements of Income for a regulatory asset for previously unrecovered severe weather event costs, which will be amortized by the end of 2024.

In May 2023, Virginia Power filed its annual fuel factor filing with the Virginia Commission to recover an estimated $2.3 billion in Virginia jurisdictional projected fuel expense for the rate year beginning July 1, 2023 and a projected $1.3 billion under-recovered balance as of June 30, 2023. As discussed in Note 13 to the Companies’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, Virginia Power proposed two alternatives to recover these under-collected fuel costs, including an option based on an anticipated securitization of up to $1.3 billion under-recovered balance as of June 30, 2023 as permitted under legislation enacted in Virginia in April 2023, with such securitization approved by the Virginia Commission in November 2023 and completed by Virginia Power in February 2024. In March 2024, the Virginia Commission approved Virginia Power’s annual fuel factor based on the securitization option, which results in a net decrease in Virginia Power’s fuel revenues for the rate year of approximately $541 million. In addition, the Virginia Commission approved Virginia Power’s proposal to alter the order in which revenue from certain customers who elect to pay market-based rates would be allocated between base rates and fuel, which results in a reduction to fuel revenue of $13 million.

In May 2024, Virginia Power filed its annual fuel factor with the Virginia Commission to recover an estimated $2.2 billion in Virginia jurisdictional projected fuel expenses for the rate year beginning July 1, 2024 and to return an estimated $266 million net over-recovered balance through June 30, 2024. Virginia Power’s proposed fuel rate represents a fuel revenue decrease of $636 million when applied to projected kilowatt-hour sales for the rate year beginning July 1, 2024. This matter is pending.

In October 2023, Virginia Power filed a petition with the Virginia Commission for CPCNs to construct or acquire and operate four utility-scale projects totaling approximately 329 MW of solar generation as part of its efforts to meet the renewable generation development targets under the VCEA. The projects, as of October 2023, are expected to cost approximately $850 million in the aggregate, excluding financing costs, and be placed into service between 2024 and 2026. In March 2024, the Virginia Commission approved the petition.

Other than the following matters, there have been no significant developments regarding the riders associated with various Virginia Power projects disclosed in Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the Companies’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

        Rider Name

        Application Date

        Approval Date

        Rate Year 
Beginning

        Total Revenue
Requirement
(millions)(1)

        Increase (Decrease)
from Previous
(millions)

Rider CCR

March 2024

Pending

December 2024

103

(91

)

Rider CE(2)

October 2023

March 2024

May 2024

133

44

Rider GT

August 2023

May 2024

June 2024

145

131

Rider T1(3)

May 2024

Pending

September 2024

1,170

291

(1)

In addition, Virginia Power has various riders associated with other projects with an aggregate total annual revenue requirement of approximately $120 million as of March 31, 2024.

(2)

The Virginia Commission approved four solar generation projects and 13 power purchase agreements in addition to previously approved Rider CE projects. In addition, the approved total revenue requirement includes amounts which had previously been collected under a separate rider.

(3)

Consists of $532 million for the transmission component of Virginia Power’s base rates and $638 million for Rider T1.

Other than the following matters, there have been no significant developments regarding the Virginia Power electric transmission projects disclosed in Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the Companies’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

        Description and Location 
of Project

        Application Date

        Approval Date

        Type of 
Line

        Miles of 
Lines

        Cost Estimate 
(millions)(1)

Construct new Aspen and Golden substations, 
  transmission lines and related projects in Loudoun
  County, Virginia

March 2024

Pending

500-
230 kV

10

690

Partial rebuild Fredericksburg-Aquia Harbour
  transmission lines and related projects in Stafford
  County and the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia

March 2024

Pending

230-
115 kV

24

135

Construct new Apollo-Twin Creeks transmission
  lines, new substations and related projects in
  Loudoun County, Virginia

March 2024

Pending

230 kV

2

285

Rebuild Dooms-Harrisonburg transmission lines
  and related projects in the Counties of Augusta
  and Rockingham and the Town of Grottoes,
  Virginia

April 2024

Pending

230 kV

22

60

(1)

Represents the cost estimate included in the application except as updated in the approval if applicable. In addition, Virginia Power had various other transmission projects approved or applied for and currently pending approval with aggregate cost estimates of approximately $45 million and $100 million, respectively.

In March 2024, Virginia Power filed its base rate case and schedules with the North Carolina Commission. Virginia Power proposed a non-fuel, base rate increase of $57 million effective November 1, 2024 on an interim basis subject to refund, with any permanent rates ordered by the North Carolina Commission effective February 1, 2025. The base rate increase was proposed to recover the significant investments in generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure for the benefit of North Carolina customers. Virginia Power presented an earned return of 5.01% based upon a fully-adjusted test period, compared to its authorized 9.75% return, and proposed a 10.60% ROE. This matter is pending.

PSNC utilizes a customer usage tracker, a decoupling mechanism, which allows it to adjust its base rates semi-annually for residential and commercial customers based on average per customer consumption. In March 2024, PSNC submitted a filing with the North Carolina Commission for a $31 million decrease relating to the customer usage tracker. The North Carolina Commission approved the filing in March 2024 with rates effective April 2024.

In March 2024, DESC filed its retail electric base rate case and schedules with the South Carolina Commission. DESC proposed a non-fuel, base rate increase of $295 million, partially offset by a net decrease in storm damage and DSM components of $4 million. If approved, the overall proposed rate increase of $291 million, or 12.59%, would be effective on and after the first billing cycle of September 2024. The base rate increase was proposed to recover the significant investment in assets and operating resources required to serve an expanding customer base, maintain the safety, reliability and efficiency of DESC’s system and meet increasingly stringent reliability, security and environmental requirements for the benefit of South Carolina customers. DESC presented an earned ROE of 4.32% based upon a fully-adjusted test period. The proposed rates would provide for an earned ROE of 10.60% compared to the currently authorized ROE of 9.50%. This matter is pending.

DESC’s retail electric rates include a cost of fuel component approved by the South Carolina Commission which may be adjusted periodically to reflect changes in the price of fuel purchased by DESC. In February 2024, DESC filed with the South Carolina Commission a proposal to decrease the total fuel cost component of retail electric rates. DESC’s proposed adjustment is designed to recover DESC’s current base fuel costs, including its existing under-collected balance, over the 12-month period beginning with the first billing cycle of May 2024. In addition, DESC proposed an increase to its variable environmental and avoided capacity cost component. The net effect is a proposed annual decrease of $315 million. In March 2024, DESC, the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff and another party of record filed a settlement agreement with the South Carolina Commission for approval to make certain adjustments to the February 2024 filing that would result in a net annual decrease of $316 million. In April 2024, the South Carolina Commission voted to approve the settlement agreement, with rates effective May 2024.

DESC has approval for a DSM rider through which it recovers expenditures related to its DSM programs. In January 2024, DESC filed an application with the South Carolina Commission seeking approval to recover $47 million of costs and net lost revenues associated with these programs, along with an incentive to invest in such programs. DESC requested that rates be effective with the first billing cycle of May 2024. In April 2024, the South Carolina Commission approved the request, effective with the first billing cycle of May 2024.

In March 2024, DESC filed an application with the South Carolina Commission requesting approval of a CPCN to construct and operate the Church Creek - Charleston Transmission Line, comprised of a 7 mile 230 kV transmission line and associated facilities in Charleston County, South Carolina with an estimated total project cost of $40 million. This matter is pending.