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Regulatory Matters (All Registrants)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

As discussed in Note 3 — Regulatory Matters of the Exelon 2019 Form 10-K, the Registrants are involved in rate and regulatory proceedings at the FERC and their state commissions. The following discusses developments in 2020 and updates to the 2019 Form 10-K.

Utility Regulatory Matters (Exelon and the Utility Registrants)

Distribution Base Rate Case Proceedings

The following tables show the completed and pending distribution base rate case proceedings in 2020.

Completed Distribution Base Rate Case Proceedings



Registrant/Jurisdiction	Filing Date	Requested Revenue Requirement (Decrease) Increase			Approved Revenue Requirement (Decrease) Increase			Approved ROE		Approval Date	Rate Effective Date
ComEd - Illinois (Electric)^(a)	April 8, 2019	$	(6	)	$	(17	)	8.91	%	December 4, 2019	January 1, 2020

__________

(a)

Reflects an increase of $51 million for the initial revenue requirement for 2019 and a decrease of $68 million related to the annual reconciliation for 2018. The revenue requirement for 2019 and annual reconciliation for 2018 provides for a weighted average debt and equity return on distribution rate base of 6.51%, inclusive of an allowed ROE of 8.91%, reflecting the average rate on 30-year treasury notes plus 580 basis points.

Pending Distribution Base Rate Case Proceedings



Registrant/Jurisdiction	Filing Date	Requested Revenue Requirement (Decrease) Increase			Requested ROE		Expected Approval Timing
ComEd - Illinois (Electric)^(a)	April 16, 2020	$	(11	)	8.38	%	Fourth quarter of 2020
Pepco - District of Columbia (Electric)^(b)	May 30, 2019 (amended April 8, 2020)	147			10.3	%	Fourth quarter of 2020
DPL - Maryland (Electric)	December 5, 2019 (amended April 23, 2020)	17			10.3	%	Third quarter of 2020
DPL - Delaware (Gas)^(c)	February 21, 2020 (amended March 17, 2020)	9			10.3	%	First quarter of 2021
DPL - Delaware (Electric)^(d)	March 6, 2020 (amended April 16, 2020)	24			10.3	%	First quarter of 2021

__________

(a)

Reflects an increase of $51 million for the initial revenue requirement for 2020 and a decrease of $62 million related to the annual reconciliation for 2019. The revenue requirement for 2020 and annual reconciliation for 2019 provides for a weighted average debt and equity return on distribution rate base of 6.28%, inclusive of an allowed ROE of 8.38%, reflecting the average rate on 30-year treasury notes plus 580 basis points.


(b)	Reflects a three-year cumulative multi-year plan and total requested revenue requirement increases of $77 million, $37 million and $33 million for years 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively, to recover capital investments made in 2018 and 2019 and planned capital investments from 2020 to 2022.


(c)	The rates will go into effect on September 21, 2020, subject to refund.


(d)	The rates will go into effect on October 6, 2020, subject to refund.

Other Federal Regulatory Matters

Transmission-Related Income Tax Regulatory Assets (Exelon, ComEd, BGE, PHI, Pepco, DPL and ACE). On December 13, 2016 (and as amended on March 13, 2017), BGE filed with FERC to begin recovering certain existing and future transmission-related income tax regulatory assets through its transmission formula rate. BGE’s existing regulatory assets included (1) amounts that, if BGE’s transmission formula rate provided for recovery, would have been previously amortized and (2) amounts that would be amortized and recovered prospectively. On November 16, 2017, FERC issued an order rejecting BGE’s proposed revisions to its transmission formula rate to recover

these transmission-related income tax regulatory assets. In the fourth quarter of 2017, ComEd, BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE fully impaired their associated transmission-related income tax regulatory asset for the portion of the income tax regulatory asset that would have been previously amortized.

On February 23, 2018 (as amended on July 9, 2018), ComEd, Pepco, DPL, and ACE each filed with FERC to revise their transmission formula rate mechanisms to permit recovery of transmission-related income tax regulatory assets, including those amounts that would have been previously amortized and recovered through rates had the transmission formula rate provided for such recovery.

On September 7, 2018, FERC issued orders rejecting 1) BGE's rehearing request of FERC's November 16, 2017 order; and 2) February 23, 2018 (as amended on July 9, 2018) filing by ComEd, Pepco, DPL and ACE for similar recovery.

On November 2, 2018, BGE filed an appeal of FERC’s September 7, 2018 order to the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. On March 27, 2020, the Court of Appeals denied BGE’s November 2, 2018 appeal.

On October 1, 2018, ComEd, BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE submitted filings to recover only ongoing non-TCJA amortization amounts and credit TCJA transmission-related income tax regulatory liabilities to customers for the prospective period starting on October 1, 2018. On April 26, 2019, FERC issued an order accepting ComEd’s, BGE’s, Pepco’s, DPL’s, and ACE’s October 1, 2018 filings, effective October 1, 2018, subject to refund and established hearing and settlement judge procedures. On April 24, 2020, ComEd, BGE, Pepco, DPL, ACE and other parties filed a settlement agreement with FERC. The settlement agreement provides for the recovery of ongoing transmission-related income tax regulatory assets and establishes the amount and amortization period for excess deferred income taxes resulting from TCJA. The accelerated amortization will result in a reduction to Operating revenues and an offsetting reduction to Income tax expense over the remaining amortization period.

While FERC has no deadline by which it must rule on the settlement, a final order from FERC is expected before the end of the third quarter of 2020. Exelon cannot predict the outcome of this proceeding. If FERC ultimately rules that the future, ongoing non-TCJA amortization amounts are not recoverable, Exelon, ComEd, BGE, PHI, Pepco, DPL and ACE would record additional charges to Income tax expense, which could be up to approximately $81 million, $51 million, $18 million, $12 million, $4 million, $6 million and $2 million, respectively, as of March 31, 2020.

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities

The Utility Registrants' regulatory assets and liabilities have not changed materially since December 31, 2019, unless noted below. See Note 3 — Regulatory Matters of the Exelon 2019 Form 10-K for additional information on the specific regulatory assets and liabilities.

ComEd. Regulatory assets increased $96 million primarily due to an increase of $45 million in Energy Efficiency Costs, $22 million in Electric Distribution Formula Rate Annual Reconciliations and $15 million due to increased Electric Energy Costs. Regulatory liabilities decreased $596 million primarily due to a decrease of $582 million in Nuclear Decommissioning.

PECO. Regulatory liabilities decreased $207 million primarily due to a decrease of $219 million in Nuclear Decommissioning offset by a $16 million increase in Electric Energy and Natural Gas Costs.

Capitalized Ratemaking Amounts Not Recognized (Exelon and the Utility Registrants)

The following table presents authorized amounts capitalized for ratemaking purposes related to earnings on shareholders’ investment that are not recognized for financial reporting purposes in Exelon's and the Utility Registrant's Consolidated Balance Sheets. These amounts will be recognized as revenues in the related Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income in the periods they are billable to our customers.



	Exelon		ComEd^(a)		PECO		BGE^(b)		PHI		Pepco^(c)		DPL^(c)		ACE
March 31, 2020	$	60	$	2	$	—	$	51	$	7	$	4	$	3	$	—
December 31, 2019	63		3		—		53		7		4		3		—

_________


(a)	Reflects ComEd's unrecognized equity returns earned for ratemaking purposes on its electric distribution formula rate regulatory assets.


(b)	BGE's authorized amounts capitalized for ratemaking purposes primarily relate to earnings on shareholders' investment on its AMI programs.


(c)	Pepco's and DPL's authorized amounts capitalized for ratemaking purposes relate to earnings on shareholders' investment on their respective AMI Programs and Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Programs. The earnings on energy efficiency are on Pepco DC and DPL DE programs only.

Generation Regulatory Matters (Exelon and Generation)

New Jersey Regulatory Matters

New Jersey Clean Energy Legislation. On May 23, 2018, New Jersey enacted legislation that established a ZEC program that provides compensation for nuclear plants that demonstrate to the NJBPU that they meet certain requirements, including that they make a significant contribution to air quality in the state and that their revenues are insufficient to cover their costs and risks. Under the legislation, the NJBPU will issue ZECs to qualifying nuclear power plants and the electric distribution utilities in New Jersey, including ACE, will be required to purchase those ZECs. On April 18, 2019, the NJBPU approved the award of ZECs to Salem 1 and Salem 2. Upon approval, Generation began recognizing revenue for the sale of New Jersey ZECs in the month they are generated and has recognized $18 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. On May 15, 2019, New Jersey Rate Counsel appealed the NJBPU's decision to the New Jersey Superior Court. Exelon and Generation cannot predict the outcome of the appeal. See Note 6 — Early Plant Retirements for additional information related to Salem.

New York Regulatory Matters

New York Clean Energy Standard. On August 1, 2016, the NYPSC issued an order establishing the New York CES, a component of which is a Tier 3 ZEC program targeted at preserving the environmental attributes of zero-emissions nuclear-powered generating facilities that meet the criteria demonstrating public necessity as determined by the NYPSC to be Generation's FitzPatrick, Ginna and Nine Mile Point nuclear facilities.

On November 30, 2016 (as amended on January 13, 2017), a group of parties filed a Petition in New York State court seeking to invalidate the ZEC program, which argued that the NYPSC did not have authority to establish the program, that it violated state environmental law and that it violated certain technical provisions of the State Administrative Procedures Act when adopting the ZEC program. On January 22, 2018, the court dismissed the environmental claims and the majority of the plaintiffs from the case but denied the motions to dismiss with respect to the remaining five plaintiffs and claims, without commenting on the merits of the case. On October 8, 2019, the court dismissed all remaining claims. The petitioners filed a notice of appeal on November 4, 2019 and originally had until May 4, 2020 to file their brief. However, on March 17, 2020, the court suspended all filing deadlines indefinitely due to COVID-19, so the new deadline will not be known until the court lifts the suspension.

See Note 6 — Early Plant Retirements for additional information related to Ginna and Nine Mile Point.

Federal Regulatory Matters

PJM and NYISO MOPR Proceedings. PJM and NYISO capacity markets include a Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR). If a resource is subjected to a MOPR, its offer is adjusted to effectively remove the revenues it receives through a government-provided financial support program - resulting in a higher offer that may not clear the capacity market. Prior to December 19, 2019, the MOPR in PJM applied only to certain new gas-fired resources. Currently, the MOPR in NYISO applies only to certain resources in downstate New York.

For Generation’s facilities in PJM and NYISO that are currently receiving ZEC compensation, an expanded MOPR would require exclusion of ZEC compensation when bidding into future capacity auctions, resulting in an increased risk of these facilities not receiving capacity revenues in future auctions. While FERC issued a set of orders on MOPR in NYISO on February 20, 2020, it did not expand mitigation to include Generation's nuclear assets in upstate New York. However, FERC has taken action to expand the MOPR in PJM.

Specifically, on December 19, 2019, FERC issued an order in the PJM MOPR proceeding that broadly applies the MOPR to all new and existing resources including nuclear, renewables, demand response, energy efficiency, storage and all resources owned by vertically-integrated utilities, greatly expanding the breadth and scope of PJM’s MOPR, effective as of PJM’s next capacity auction. While FERC included some limited exemptions (generally available to existing renewable, energy efficiency, demand response, storage and existing vertically-integrated utility resources) in its order, no exemptions were available to state-supported nuclear resources. In addition, FERC provided no new mechanism for accommodating state-supported resources other than the existing FRR mechanism under which an entire utility zone would be removed from PJM’s capacity auction along with sufficient resources to support the load in such zone. FERC directed PJM to make a compliance filing within 90 days, which was filed on March 18, 2020. In that filing, PJM proposes tariff language interpreting and implementing FERC's directives and proposes a schedule for resuming capacity auctions that is contingent on the timing of FERC's action on the compliance filing. FERC has no deadline for such action, and FERC could accept, reject or direct further revisions to all or part of PJM's proposed tariff revisions and auction schedule. In addition, on April 16, 2020, FERC issued orders largely denying requests for rehearing of FERC's December 2019 order and another order in this proceeding. In those orders, FERC also granted a few clarifications that will require an additional PJM compliance filing that could also delay the timing for FERC to issue its compliance order(s) and PJM to resume its capacity auctions.

Unless Illinois and New Jersey can implement an FRR program in their PJM zones, the MOPR will apply to Generation's owned or jointly owned nuclear plants in those states receiving a benefit under the Illinois ZES or the New Jersey ZEC program, as applicable, increasing the risk that those units may not clear the capacity market.

Exelon is currently working with PJM and other stakeholders to pursue the FRR option prior to the next capacity auction in PJM. If Illinois implements the FRR option, Generation’s Illinois nuclear plants could be removed from PJM’s capacity auction and instead supply capacity and be compensated under the FRR program, which has the potential to mitigate the current economic distress being experienced by Generation's nuclear plants in Illinois, as discussed in Note 6 - Early Plant Retirements. Implementing the FRR program in Illinois will require both legislative and regulatory changes. Legislation may be introduced in New Jersey as well. Exelon cannot predict whether such legislative and regulatory changes can be implemented prior to the next capacity auction in PJM.

If Generation’s state-supported nuclear plants in PJM are subjected to the MOPR or equivalent without compensation under an FRR or similar program, it could have a material adverse impact on Exelon's and Generation's financial statements, which Exelon and Generation cannot reasonably estimate at this time.

Operating License Renewals

Conowingo Hydroelectric Project. On August 29, 2012, Generation submitted a hydroelectric license application to FERC for a new license for the Conowingo Hydroelectric Project (Conowingo). In connection with Generation’s efforts to obtain a water quality certification pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (401 Certification) from MDE for Conowingo, Generation has been working with MDE and other stakeholders to resolve water quality licensing issues, including: (1) water quality, (2) fish habitat, and (3) sediment.

On October 29, 2019, Generation and MDE filed with FERC a Joint Offer of Settlement (Offer of Settlement) that would resolve all outstanding issues relating to the 401 Certification. Pursuant to the Offer of Settlement, the parties submitted Proposed License Articles to FERC to be incorporated by FERC into the new license in accordance with FERC’s discretionary authority under the Federal Power Act. Among the Proposed License Articles are modifications to river flows to improve aquatic habitat, eel passage improvements and initiatives to support rare, threatened and endangered wildlife. If FERC approves the Offer of Settlement and incorporates the Proposed License Articles into the new license without modification, then MDE would waive its rights to issue a 401 Certification and Generation would agree, pursuant to a separate agreement with MDE (MDE Settlement), to implement additional environmental protection, mitigation and enhancement measures over the anticipated 50-year term of the new license. These measures address mussel restoration and other ecological and water quality matters, among other commitments. Exelon’s commitments under the various provisions of the Offer of Settlement and MDE Settlement are not effective unless and until FERC approves the Offer of Settlement and issues the new license with the Proposed License Articles. Generation cannot currently predict when FERC will issue the new license.

Peach Bottom Units 2 and 3. On July 10, 2018, Generation submitted a second 20-year license renewal application with the NRC for Peach Bottom Units 2 and 3, which was approved on March 6, 2020. Peach Bottom Units 2 and 3 are now licensed to operate through 2053 and 2054, respectively.