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Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities
Regulatory assets and liabilities include the following:
At December 31,
2012

2011

(millions)
 
 
Dominion
 
 
Regulatory assets:
 
 
Unrecovered gas costs(1)
$
59

$
48

Deferred rate adjustment clause costs(2)
55

113

Virginia sales taxes(3)
37

32

Plant retirement(4)
25

27

Deferred cost of fuel used in electric generation(5)

249

Derivatives(6)

45

Other
27

27

Regulatory assets-current
203

541

Unrecognized pension and other postretirement benefit costs(7)
1,210

887

Deferred rate adjustment clause costs(2)
173

107

Income taxes recoverable through future rates(8)
140

121

Derivatives(6)
105

49

Other postretirement benefit costs(9)
21

26

Plant retirement(4)
11

25

Deferred cost of fuel used in electric generation(5)

122

Other
57

45

Regulatory assets-non-current
1,717

1,382

Total regulatory assets
$
1,920

$
1,923

Regulatory liabilities:
 

 

PIPP(10)
$
100

$
58

Provision for rate proceedings(11)
8

150

Other
28

35

Regulatory liabilities-current
136

243

Provision for future cost of removal and AROs(12)
985

901

Decommissioning trust(13)
501

399

Other
28

24

Regulatory liabilities-non-current
1,514

1,324

Total regulatory liabilities
$
1,650

$
1,567

Virginia Power
 

 

Regulatory assets:
 

 

Deferred rate adjustment clause costs(2)
$
51

$
113

Virginia sales taxes(3)
37

32

Plant retirement(4)
25

27

Deferred cost of fuel used in electric generation(5)

249

Derivatives(6)

45

Other
6

13

Regulatory assets-current
119

479

Deferred rate adjustment clause costs(2)
127

70

Income taxes recoverable through future rates(8)
110

100

Derivatives(6)
105

49

Plant retirement(4)
11

25

Deferred cost of fuel used in electric generation(5)

122

Other
43

33

Regulatory assets-non-current
396

399

Total regulatory assets
$
515

$
878

Regulatory liabilities:
 

 

Provision for rate proceedings(11)
$
7

$
150

Other
25

28

Regulatory liabilities-current
32

178

Provision for future cost of removal(12)
763

687

Decommissioning trust(13)
501

399

Other
21

9

Regulatory liabilities-non-current
1,285

1,095

Total regulatory liabilities
$
1,317

$
1,273

(1)
Reflects unrecovered gas costs at Dominion's regulated gas operations, which are recovered through quarterly or annual filings with the applicable regulatory authority.
(2)
Reflects deferrals under the electric transmission FERC formula rate and the deferral of costs associated with certain current and prospective rider projects. See Note 13 for more information.
(3)
Amounts to be recovered through an annual surcharge to reimburse Virginia Power for incremental sales taxes being incurred due to the repeal of the public service company sales tax exemption in Virginia.
(4)
Reflects costs anticipated to be recovered in base rates for certain coal units expected to be retired.
(5)
Primarily reflects deferred fuel expenses for the Virginia jurisdiction of Virginia Power's generation operations. See Note 13 for more information.
(6)
As discussed under Derivative Instruments in Note 2, for jurisdictions subject to cost-based rate regulation, changes in the fair value of derivative instruments result in the recognition of regulatory assets or regulatory liabilities as they are expected to be recovered from or refunded to customers.
(7)
Represents unrecognized pension and other postretirement benefit costs expected to be recovered through future rates generally over the expected remaining service period of plan participants by certain of Dominion's rate-regulated subsidiaries.
(8)
Amounts to be recovered through future rates to pay income taxes that become payable when rate revenue is provided to recover AFUDC-equity and depreciation of property, plant and equipment for which deferred income taxes were not recognized for ratemaking purposes, including amounts attributable to tax rate changes.
(9)
Primarily reflects costs recognized in excess of amounts included in regulated rates charged by Dominion's regulated gas operations before rates were updated to reflect a change in accounting method for other postretirement benefit costs.
(10)
Under PIPP, eligible customers can receive energy assistance based on their ability to pay. The difference between the customer's total bill and the PIPP plan amount is deferred and collected or returned annually under the PIPP rider according to East Ohio tariff provisions. See Note 13 for more information regarding PIPP.
(11)
Reflects a reserve associated with the Biennial Review Order. See Note 13 for more information.
(12)
Rates charged to customers by the Companies' regulated businesses include a provision for the cost of future activities to remove assets that are expected to be incurred at the time of retirement.
(13)
Primarily reflects a regulatory liability representing amounts collected from Virginia jurisdictional customers and placed in external trusts (including income, losses and changes in fair value thereon) for the future decommissioning of Virginia Power's utility nuclear generation stations, in excess of the related ARO.