Income Taxes (Tables)
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12 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2012
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Income Taxes [Abstract] |
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Reconciliation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits |
A reconciliation of the amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:
(Millions of Dollars) | | Dec. 31, 2012 | | | Dec. 31, 2011 | | Unrecognized tax benefit - Permanent tax positions | | $ | 0.1 | | | $ | - | | Unrecognized tax benefit - Temporary tax positions | | | 1.2 | | | | 1.5 | | Total unrecognized tax benefit | | $ | 1.3 | | | $ | 1.5 | |
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefit is as follows: (Millions of Dollars) | | 2012 | | | 2011 | | | 2010 | | Balance at Jan. 1 | | $ | 1.5 | | | $ | 1.9 | | | $ | 1.2 | | Additions based on tax positions related to the current year | | | 0.5 | | | | 0.6 | | | | 0.7 | | Reductions based on tax positions related to the current year | | | (0.2 | ) | | | (0.1 | ) | | | - | | Additions for tax positions of prior years | | | 0.3 | | | | 0.7 | | | | 0.1 | | Reductions for tax positions of prior years | | | (0.8 | ) | | | (0.3 | ) | | | (0.1 | ) | Settlements with taxing authorities | | | - | | | | (1.2 | ) | | | - | | Lapse of applicable statutes of limitations | | | - | | | | (0.1 | ) | | | - | | Balance at Dec. 31 | | $ | 1.3 | | | $ | 1.5 | | | $ | 1.9 | |
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Tax Benefits Associated with NOL and Tax Credit Carryforwards |
The unrecognized tax benefit balance was reduced by the tax benefits associated with NOL and tax credit carryforwards. The amounts of tax benefits associated with NOL and tax credit carryfowards are as follows:
(Millions of Dollars) | | Dec. 31, 2012 | | | Dec. 31, 2011 | | NOL and tax credit carryforwards | | $ | (0.9 | ) | | $ | (1.1 | ) |
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NOL and Tax Credit Carryforwards |
Other Income Tax Matters — NOL amounts represent the amount of the tax loss that is carried forward and tax credits represent the deferred tax asset. NOL and tax credit carryforwards as of Dec. 31 were as follows:
(Millions of Dollars) | | 2012 | | | 2011 | | Federal NOL carryforward | | $ | 44.3 | | | $ | 59.3 | | Federal tax credit carryforwards | | | 8.0 | | | | 8.0 | | State NOL carryforward | | | 3.4 | | | | 3.5 | |
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Reconciliation of Effective Tax Rate |
Total income tax expense from operations differs from the amount computed by applying the statutory federal income tax rate to income before income tax expense. The following reconciles such differences for the years ending Dec. 31:
| | 2012 | | | 2011 | | | 2010 | | Federal statutory rate | | | 35.0 | % | | | 35.0 | % | | | 35.0 | % | Increases (decreases) in tax from: | | | | | | | | | | | | | State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit | | | 3.4 | | | | 4.4 | | | | 3.5 | | Change in unrecognized tax benefits | | | 0.1 | | | | (0.2 | ) | | | - | | Tax credits recognized | | | (0.9 | ) | | | (0.9 | ) | | | (1.1 | ) | Regulatory differences — utility plant items | | | (0.3 | ) | | | 0.5 | | | | (0.7 | ) | Medicare Part D | | | - | | | | - | | | | 1.0 | | Other, net | | | (0.1 | ) | | | 0.9 | | | | 0.2 | | Effective income tax rate | | | 37.2 | % | | | 39.7 | % | | | 37.9 | % |
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Components of Income Tax Expense |
The components of income tax expense for the years ending Dec. 31 were:
(Thousands of Dollars) | | 2012 | | | 2011 | | | 2010 | | Current federal tax expense (benefit) | | $ | 930 | | | $ | (1,540 | ) | | $ | 3,754 | | Current state tax expense | | | 2,216 | | | | 1,573 | | | | 1,536 | | Current change in unrecognized tax (benefit) expense | | | (69 | ) | | | (1,418 | ) | | | 730 | | Deferred federal tax expense | | | 25,089 | | | | 30,251 | | | | 19,133 | | Deferred state tax expense | | | 1,890 | | | | 4,105 | | | | 2,288 | | Deferred change in unrecognized tax expense (benefit) | | | 128 | | | | 1,254 | | | | (707 | ) | Deferred investment tax credits | | | (626 | ) | | | (611 | ) | | | (622 | ) | Total income tax expense | | $ | 29,558 | | | $ | 33,614 | | | $ | 26,112 | |
The components of deferred income tax expense for the years ending Dec. 31 were:
(Thousands of Dollars) | | 2012 | | | 2011 | | | 2010 | | Deferred tax expense excluding items below | | $ | 27,995 | | | $ | 34,017 | | | $ | 20,987 | | Amortization and adjustments to deferred income taxes on | | | | | | | | | | | | | income tax regulatory assets and liabilities | | | (837 | ) | | | 1,644 | | | | (222 | ) | Tax expense allocated to other comprehensive income | | | (51 | ) | | | (51 | ) | | | (51 | ) | Deferred tax expense | | $ | 27,107 | | | $ | 35,610 | | | $ | 20,714 | |
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Components of Net Deferred Tax Liability |
The components of the net deferred tax liability (current and noncurrent portions) at Dec. 31 were:
(Thousands of Dollars) | | 2012 | | | 2011 | | Deferred tax liabilities: | | | | | | | Difference between book and tax bases of property | | $ | 265,202 | | | $ | 241,003 | | Regulatory assets | | | 52,898 | | | | 52,131 | | Employee benefits | | | 16,862 | | | | 21,013 | | Other | | | 10,535 | | | | 9,328 | | Total deferred tax liabilities | | $ | 345,497 | | | $ | 323,475 | | | | | | | | | | | Deferred tax assets: | | | | | | | | | Environmental remediation | | $ | 43,344 | | | $ | 44,154 | | NOL carryforward | | | 17,588 | | | | 22,318 | | Tax credit carryforward | | | 8,011 | | | | 7,998 | | Regulatory liabilities | | | 5,927 | | | | 6,222 | | Deferred investment tax credits | | | 5,766 | | | | 5,705 | | Other | | | 2,191 | | | | 2,403 | | Total deferred tax assets | | $ | 82,827 | | | $ | 88,800 | | Net deferred tax liability | | $ | 262,670 | | | $ | 234,675 | |
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