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Regulatory Assets and Liabilities
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities Disclosure [Abstract]  
REGULATORY ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
 REGULATORY ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

Our primary regulator, the PSCW, considers our regulatory assets and liabilities in two categories, escrowed and deferred. In escrow accounting we expense amounts that are included in rates. If actual costs exceed or are less than the amounts that are allowed in rates, the difference in cost is escrowed on the balance sheet as a regulatory asset or regulatory liability and the escrowed balance is considered in setting future rates. Under deferred cost accounting, we defer amounts to our balance sheet based upon orders or correspondence with our regulators. These deferred costs will be considered in future rate setting proceedings. As of December 31, 2014, we had $12.8 million of regulatory assets not earning a return and $115.1 million of regulatory assets earning a return based on short-term interest rates.

In December 2014, the PSCW issued a rate order effective January 1, 2015 that, among other things, reaffirmed our accounting for the regulatory assets and liabilities identified below.

Our regulatory assets and liabilities as of December 31 consist of:

 
2014
 
2013
 
(Millions of Dollars)
Regulatory Assets
 
 
 
Deferred unrecognized pension costs
$
629.5

 
$
537.6

Deferred income tax related
176.0

 
169.5

Escrowed electric transmission costs
146.0

 
126.8

Escrowed PTF
66.6

 
49.3

Escrowed conservation
58.0

 
66.9

Deferred plant related -- capital lease
42.3

 
56.5

Deferred environmental costs
45.9

 
47.0

Other, net
106.9

 
54.9

Total regulatory assets
$
1,271.2

 
$
1,108.5

 
 
 
 
Regulatory Liabilities
 
 
 
Deferred cost of removal obligations
$
741.1

 
$
724.5

Escrowed bad debt costs
30.1

 
64.6

Other, net
59.4

 
90.0

Total regulatory liabilities
$
830.6

 
$
879.1