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Regulatory Matters (All Registrants)
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2021
Regulated Operations [Abstract]  
Regulatory Matters (All Registrants) Regulatory Matters (All Registrants)
As discussed in Note 3 — Regulatory Matters of the Exelon 2020 Form 10-K, the Registrants are involved in rate and regulatory proceedings at the FERC and their state commissions. The following discusses developments in 2021 and updates to the 2020 Form 10-K.
Utility Regulatory Matters (Exelon, PHI, and the Utility Registrants)
Distribution Base Rate Case Proceedings
The following tables show the completed and pending distribution base rate case proceedings in 2021.
Completed Distribution Base Rate Case Proceedings
Registrant/JurisdictionFiling DateServiceRequested Revenue Requirement (Decrease) IncreaseApproved Revenue Requirement (Decrease) IncreaseApproved ROEApproval DateRate Effective Date
ComEd - Illinois(a)
April 16, 2020Electric$(11)$(14)8.38 %December 9, 2020January 1, 2021
PECO - PennsylvaniaSeptember 30, 2020Natural Gas69 29 10.24 %June 22, 2021July 1, 2021
BGE - Maryland(b)
May 15, 2020 (amended September 11, 2020)Electric203 140 9.50 %December 16, 2020January 1, 2021
Natural Gas108 74 9.65 %
Pepco - District of Columbia(c)
May 30, 2019 (amended June 1, 2020)Electric136 109 9.275 %June 8, 2021July 1, 2021
Pepco - Maryland(d)
October 26, 2020 (amended March 31, 2021)Electric104 52 9.55 %June 28, 2021June 28, 2021
ACE - New Jersey(e)
December 9, 2020 (amended February 26, 2021)Electric67 41 9.60 %July 14, 2021January 1, 2022
__________
(a)ComEd's 2021 approved revenue requirement reflects an increase of $50 million for the initial year revenue requirement for 2021 and a decrease of $64 million related to the annual reconciliation for 2019. The revenue requirement for 2021 and the revenue requirement for 2019 provide 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 monthly average yields for 30-year treasury bonds plus 580 basis points.
(b)Reflects a three-year cumulative multi-year plan for 2021 through 2023. The MDPSC awarded BGE electric revenue requirement increases of $59 million, $39 million, and $42 million, before offsets, in 2021, 2022, and 2023, respectively, and natural gas revenue requirement increases of $53 million, $11 million, and $10 million, before offsets, in 2021, 2022, and 2023, respectively. BGE proposed to use certain tax benefits to fully offset the increases in 2021 and 2022 and partially offset the increase in 2023. However, the MDPSC only utilized the tax benefits to fully offset the increases in 2021 such that customer rates will remain unchanged from 2020 to 2021. The MDPSC has deferred a decision on whether to use certain tax benefits to offset the customer rate increases in 2022 and 2023 and BGE cannot predict the outcome.
(c)Reflects a cumulative multi-year plan with 18-months remaining in 2021 through 2022. The DCPSC awarded Pepco electric incremental revenue requirement increases of $42 million and $67 million, before offsets, for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, respectively. However, the DCPSC utilized the acceleration of refunds for certain tax benefits along with other rate relief to partially offset the customer rate increases by $22 million and $40 million for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, respectively.
(d)Reflects a three-year cumulative multi-year plan for April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2024. The MDPSC awarded Pepco electric incremental revenue requirement increases of $21 million, $16 million, and $15 million, before offsets, for the 12-month periods ending March 31, 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively. Pepco proposed to utilize certain tax benefits to fully offset the increase through 2023 and partially offset customer rate increases in 2024. However, the MDPSC only utilized the acceleration of refunds for certain tax benefits to fully offset the increases such that customer rates remain unchanged through March 31, 2022. The MDPSC has deferred decision on whether to use additional tax benefits to offset customer rate increases for periods after March 31, 2022 and Pepco cannot predict the outcome.
(e)Requested and approved increases are before New Jersey sales and use tax. The order allows ACE to retain approximately $11 million of certain tax benefits which will result in a decrease to income tax expense within Exelon's, PHI's, and ACE's Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income in the third quarter of 2021.
Pending Distribution Base Rate Case Proceedings
Registrant/JurisdictionFiling DateServiceRequested Revenue Requirement IncreaseRequested ROEExpected Approval Timing
ComEd - Illinois(a)
April 16, 2021Electric$51 7.36 %Fourth quarter of 2021
PECO - PennsylvaniaMarch 30, 2021Electric246 10.95 %Fourth quarter of 2021
DPL - Delaware(b)
March 6, 2020 (amended February 2, 2021)Electric23 10.3 %Third quarter of 2021
__________
(a)ComEd's 2022 requested revenue requirement reflects an increase of $40 million for the initial year revenue requirement for 2022 and an increase of $11 million related to the annual reconciliation for 2020. The revenue requirement for 2022 provides for a weighted average debt and equity return on distribution rate base of 5.72%, inclusive of an allowed ROE of 7.36%, reflecting the average monthly yields for 30-year treasury bonds plus 580 basis points. The reconciliation revenue requirement for 2020 provides for a weighted average debt and equity return on distribution rate base of 5.69%, inclusive of an allowed ROE of 7.29%, reflecting the average monthly yields for 30-year treasury bonds plus 580 basis points less a performance metrics penalty of 7 basis points.
(b)The rates went into effect on October 6, 2020, subject to refund.
Transmission Formula Rates
The Utility Registrants' transmission rates are each established based on a FERC-approved formula. ComEd, BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE are required to file an annual update to the FERC-approved formula on or before May 15, and PECO is required to file on or before May 31, with the resulting rates effective on June 1 of the same year. The annual update for ComEd is based on prior year actual costs and current year projected capital additions (initial year revenue requirement). The annual update for PECO is based on prior year actual costs and current year projected capital additions, accumulated depreciation, and accumulated deferred income taxes. The annual update for BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE is based on prior year actual costs and current year projected capital additions, accumulated depreciation, depreciation and amortization expense, and accumulated deferred income taxes. The update for ComEd also reconciles any differences between the revenue requirement in effect beginning June 1 of the prior year and actual costs incurred for that year (annual reconciliation). The update for PECO, BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE also reconciles any differences between the actual costs and actual revenues for the calendar year (annual reconciliation).
For 2021, the following total increases/(decreases) were included in the Utility Registrants’ electric transmission formula rate updates:
Registrant(a)
Initial Revenue Requirement Increase (Decrease)Annual Reconciliation Increase
Total Revenue Requirement Increase(b)
Allowed Return on Rate Base(c)
Allowed ROE(d)
ComEd$33 $12 $45 8.20 %11.50 %
PECO(2)26 24 7.37 %10.35 %
BGE38 27 65 7.35 %10.50 %
Pepco(9)21 12 7.68 %10.50 %
DPL19 33 52 7.20 %10.50 %
ACE27 24 51 7.45 %10.50 %
__________
(a)All rates are effective June 1, 2021 - May 31, 2022, subject to review by interested parties pursuant to review protocols of each Utility Registrants' tariff.
(b)In 2020, ComEd, BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE's transmission revenue requirement included a one-time decrease in accordance with the April 24, 2020 settlement agreement related to excess deferred income taxes which now completed has resulted in an increase to the 2021 transmission revenue requirement. In 2020, PECO's transmission revenue requirement included a one-time decrease in accordance with the December 5, 2019 settlement agreement related to refunds which now completed has resulted in an increase to the 2021 transmission revenue requirement.
(c)Represents the weighted average debt and equity return on transmission rate bases.
(d)As part of the FERC-approved settlements of ComEd’s 2007 and PECO's 2017 rate cases, the rate of return on common equity is 11.50% and 10.35%, respectively, inclusive of a 50-basis-point incentive adder for being a member of a RTO, and
the common equity component of the ratio used to calculate the weighted average debt and equity return for the transmission formula rate is currently capped at 55% and 55.75%, respectively. As part of the FERC-approved settlement of the ROE complaint against BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE, the rate of return on common equity is 10.50%, inclusive of a 50-basis-point incentive adder for being a member of a RTO.
Other State Regulatory Matters
Illinois Regulatory Matters
Energy Efficiency Formula Rate (Exelon and ComEd). ComEd filed its annual energy efficiency formula rate update with the ICC on June 1, 2021. The filing establishes the revenue requirement used to set the rates that will take effect in January 2022 after the ICC’s review and approval. The requested revenue requirement update is based on a reconciliation of the 2020 actual costs plus projected 2022 expenditures.
Initial Revenue Requirement Increase Annual Reconciliation Decrease Total Revenue Requirement Increase
Requested Return on Rate Base(a)
Requested ROE
$55 $(1)$54 5.72 %7.36 %
__________
(a)The requested revenue requirement increase provides for a weighted average debt and equity return on the energy efficiency regulatory asset and rate base of 5.72% inclusive of an allowed ROE of 7.36%, reflecting the monthly average yields for 30-year treasury bonds plus 580 basis points. For the 2020 reconciliation year, the requested revenue requirement provides for a weighted average debt and equity return on the energy efficiency regulatory asset and rate base of 6.26% inclusive of an allowed ROE of 8.46%, which includes an upward performance adjustment that increased the ROE. The performance adjustment can either increase or decrease the ROE based upon the achievement of energy efficiency savings goals.
Maryland Regulatory Matters
Maryland Order Directing the Distribution of Energy Assistance Funds (Exelon, BGE, PHI, Pepco, and DPL). On June 15, 2021, the MDPSC issued an order authorizing the disbursal of funds to utilities in accordance with Maryland COVID-19 relief legislation. Upon receipt, the funds are to be used to reduce or eliminate certain qualifying past-due residential customer receivables. Under this order, BGE, Pepco, and DPL received funds of $50 million, $12 million, and $8 million, respectively, in July 2021.
New Jersey Regulatory Matters
Advanced Metering Infrastructure Filing (Exelon, PHI, and ACE). On August 26, 2020, ACE filed an application with the NJBPU as was required seeking approval to deploy a smart energy network in alignment with New Jersey’s Energy Master Plan and Clean Energy Act. The proposal consisted of estimated costs totaling $220 million with deployment taking place over a 3-year implementation period from approximately 2021 to 2024 that involves the installation of an integrated system of smart meters for all customers accompanied by the requisite communications facilities and data management systems.
On July 14, 2021, the NJBPU approved the settlement filed by ACE and the third parties to the proceeding. The approved settlement addresses all material aspects of ACE's smart energy network deployment plan, including cost recovery of the investment costs, incremental O&M expenses, and the unrecovered balance of existing infrastructure through future distribution rates.
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities
The Utility Registrants' regulatory assets and liabilities have not changed materially since December 31, 2020, unless noted below. See Note 3 — Regulatory Matters of the Exelon 2020 Form 10-K for additional information on the specific regulatory assets and liabilities.
ComEd. Regulatory assets increased $116 million primarily due to an increase of $67 million in the Electric Distribution Formula Rate Annual Reconciliations regulatory asset and $85 million in the Energy Efficiency Costs regulatory asset, partially offset by a decrease of $36 million in the renewable energy regulatory asset.
PECO. Regulatory assets increased $95 million primarily due to an increase of $81 million in the Deferred Income Taxes regulatory asset and $12 million in the Vacation Accrual regulatory asset. Regulatory liabilities
increased by $85 million primarily due to an increase of $96 million in the Nuclear Decommissioning regulatory liability partially offset by a $13 million decrease in the Electric Energy and Natural Gas Costs regulatory liability.
BGE. Regulatory liabilities decreased $109 million primarily due to a decrease of $111 million in the Deferred Income Taxes regulatory liability.
Pepco. Regulatory liabilities decreased $53 million primarily due to a decrease of $46 million in the Deferred Income Taxes regulatory liability and $14 million in the Transmission Formula Rate regulatory liability partially offset by an increase of $10 million in various regulatory liabilities as a result of the Pepco DC multi-year plan.
DPL. Regulatory liabilities decreased $32 million primarily due to a decrease of $26 million in the Deferred Income Taxes regulatory liability and $9 million in the Transmission Formula Rate regulatory liability.
ACE. Regulatory liabilities decreased $27 million primarily due to a decrease of $20 million in the Deferred Income Taxes regulatory liability and $6 million in the Transmission Formula Rate regulatory liability.
Capitalized Ratemaking Amounts Not Recognized
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 the Utility Registrants' customers.
Exelon
ComEd(a)
PECO
BGE(b)
PHI
Pepco(c)
DPL(c)
ACE
June 30, 2021$48 $$— $41 $$$$— 
December 31, 202051 (1)— 45 — 
__________
(a)Reflects ComEd's unrecognized equity returns/(losses) earned/(incurred) 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)
Impacts of the February 2021 Extreme Cold Weather Event and Texas-based Generating Assets Outages
Beginning on February 15, 2021, Generation’s Texas-based generating assets within the ERCOT market, specifically Colorado Bend II, Wolf Hollow II, and Handley, experienced outages as a result of extreme cold weather conditions. In addition, those weather conditions drove increased demand for service, dramatically increased wholesale power prices, and also increased gas prices in certain regions. In response to the high demand and significantly reduced total generation on the system, the PUCT directed ERCOT to use an administrative price cap of $9,000 per MWh during firm load shedding events.
The estimated impact to Exelon’s and Generation’s Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2021 arising from these market and weather conditions was a reduction of approximately $880 million. The estimated impact to Exelon's and Generation's Net income for the three months ended June 30, 2021 was not material. The ultimate impact to Exelon’s and Generation’s consolidated financial statements for the full year 2021 may be affected by a number of factors, including final settlement data, the impacts of customer and counterparty credit losses, any state or federal solutions to address the financial challenges caused by the event, and related litigation and contract disputes.
During February and March 2021, various parties with differing interests, including generators and retail providers, filed requests with the PUCT to void the PUCT’s orders setting prices at $9,000 per MWh during firm load shedding events. Other requests were made for the PUCT to enforce its order and reduce prices for 33 hours between February 18 and February 19 after firm load shedding ceased, and to cap ancillary services at $9,000 per MWh. On March 2, 2021, a third party filed a notice of appeal in the Court of Appeals for the Third
District of Texas challenging the validity of the PUCT’s actions. Generation intervened in that appeal and filed its initial brief on June 2, 2021. On April 19, 2021, Generation filed a declaratory action and request for judicial review of the PUCT’s orders setting prices at $9,000 per MWh in District Court of Travis County, Texas. Generation subsequently requested that the District Court of Travis County, Texas stay its proceeding pending action by the Court of Appeals in the third party proceeding. On May 17, 2021, Generation amended its petition for declaratory action and request for judicial review pending in the District Court of Travis County, Texas. Exelon and Generation cannot predict the outcome of these proceedings or the financial statement impact.
Due to these events, a number of ERCOT market participants experienced bankruptcies or defaulted on payments to ERCOT, resulting in approximately a $3.0 billion payment shortfall in collections, which is allocated to the remaining ERCOT market participants. As of June 30, 2021, Generation has recorded its portion of this obligation of approximately $17 million on a discounted basis, which is to be paid over a term of 83 years. ERCOT rules historically have limited recovery of default from market participants to $2.5 million per month market-wide. In February 2021, the PUCT gave ERCOT discretion to disregard those rules, but ERCOT has declined to exercise that discretion thus far. On March 8, 2021, a third party filed a notice of appeal in the Court of Appeals for the Third District of Texas challenging the validity of the PUCT's order to ERCOT in February 2021. Generation intervened in that appeal and filed its initial brief on July 7, 2021. On May 7, 2021, Generation filed a declaratory action and request for judicial review of the PUCT's order in the District Court of Travis County, Texas. Generation subsequently requested that the District Court of Travis County, Texas stay its proceeding pending action by the Court of Appeals in the third party proceeding. Exelon and Generation cannot predict the outcome of these proceedings or the financial statement impact. Additionally, several legislative proposals were introduced in the Texas legislature during February and March 2021 concerning the amount, timing and allocation of recovery of the $3.0 billion shortfall, as well as recovery of other costs associated with the PUCT's directive to set prices at $9,000 per MWh. Two of these proposals were enacted into law in June 2021 and establish financing mechanisms that ERCOT and certain market participants can utilize to fund amounts owed to ERCOT. Exelon and Generation are monitoring the implementation of the legislation, which could result in further adjustment to Generation's portion of the obligation.
In addition, other legislative proposals were introduced in the Texas legislature during February and March 2021 addressing cold-weather preparation for power plants and natural gas production and transportation infrastructure and the market structure for reliability services. The Texas legislature addressed these proposals by enacting a bill with a broad set of market reforms that, among other things, directed the PUCT to establish weatherization standards for electric generators within six months of enactment and gave the PUCT authority to impose administrative penalties if the new proposed standards, once adopted, are not met. On June 9, 2021, PUCT staff issued a request for comments regarding the conditions under which the PUCT should require the operation of electric generation facilities and Generation and other third parties responded on June 23, 2021. Exelon and Generation are monitoring and cannot predict the outcome of this proceeding, which could have a material adverse impact in Exelon’s and Generation’s consolidated financial statements. The legislation also directs the PUCT to evaluate whether additional ancillary services are needed for reliability in the ERCOT power region to provide adequate incentives for dispatchable generation. This evaluation is expected to be taken up by the PUCT later in 2021.
In February 2021, more than 70 local distribution companies (LDCs) and natural gas pipelines in multiple states throughout the mid-continent region, where Generation serves natural gas customers, issued operational flow orders (OFOs), curtailments or other limitations on natural gas transportation or use to manage the operational integrity of the applicable LDC or pipeline system. When in effect, gas transportation or use above these limitations is subject to significant penalties according to the applicable LDCs’ and natural gas pipelines’ tariffs. Gas transportation and supply in many states became restricted due to wells freezing and pipeline compression disruption, while demand was increasing due to the extreme cold temperatures, resulting in extremely high natural gas prices. Due to the extraordinary circumstances, many LDCs and natural gas pipelines have either voluntarily waived or have sought applicable regulatory approvals to waive the tariff penalties associated with the extreme weather event. During March 2021, three natural gas pipelines filed individual petitions with the FERC requesting approval to waive OFO penalties. Generation also filed motions in March 2021 to intervene and filed comments in support of these FERC waiver requests. On March 25, 2021, the FERC issued an order on one of the petitions approving a pipeline’s request for a limited waiver of penalties for February 15, 2021. On April 23, 2021, Generation and several other entities filed a request for rehearing and a complaint requesting that FERC expand the order to include additional days of the weather event in February, from February 16 through February 19, 2021. During April 2021, the FERC issued orders on the remaining petitions approving the requests to waive the penalties. During May 2021, an LDC filed a motion with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC)
requesting the KCC to grant a waiver from the tariff and allow the LDC to reduce the amounts assessed by permitting the removal of a multiplier from the penalty calculation. Exelon and Generation cannot predict the outcome of the pending FERC complaint proceeding, the KCC proceeding, or the determinations made by the LDCs and natural gas pipelines.
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. On March 19, 2021, a three-judge panel of the Superior Court of New Jersey Appellate Division unanimously affirmed the NJBPU’s April 2019 order awarding ZECs for the first eligibility period. On April 8, 2021, New Jersey Rate Counsel filed a notice asking the New Jersey Supreme Court to hear the appeal of the Superior Court’s order. On July 9, 2021, the New Jersey Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal. On October 1, 2020, PSEG and Generation filed applications seeking ZECs for the second eligibility period (June 2022 through May 2025). On April 27, 2021, the NJBPU approved the award of ZECs to Salem 1 and Salem 2 for the second eligibility period. On May 11, 2021, the New Jersey Rate Counsel appealed the April 27, 2021 decision to the Superior Court of New Jersey Appellate Division. Exelon and Generation cannot predict the outcome of this proceeding. See Note 7 — Early Plant Retirements for additional information related to Salem.
New England Regulatory Matters
Mystic Units 8 & 9 and Everett Marine Terminal Cost of Service Agreement. On March 29, 2018, Generation notified grid operator ISO-NE of its plans to early retire Mystic Units 8 and 9 absent regulatory reforms on June 1, 2022. On May 16, 2018, Generation made a filing with FERC to establish cost-of-service compensation and terms and conditions of service for Mystic Units 8 & 9 for the period between June 1, 2022 - May 31, 2024. On December 20, 2018, FERC issued an order accepting the cost of service compensation, reflecting a number of adjustments to the annual fixed revenue requirement and allowing for recovery of a substantial portion of the costs associated with the adjacent Everett Marine Terminal acquired by Generation in October 2018. Those adjustments were reflected in a compliance filing made on March 1, 2019. In the December 20, 2018 order, FERC also directed a paper hearing on ROE using a new methodology. On January 22, 2019, Exelon and several other parties filed requests for rehearing of certain findings in the order. On July 15, 2021, FERC issued an order establishing the ROE to be used in the cost of service agreement for Mystic 8 and 9 at 9.33%.
On July 17, 2020, FERC issued three orders, which together affirmed the recovery of key elements of Mystic's cost of service compensation, including recovery of costs associated with the operation of the Everett Marine Terminal. FERC directed a downward adjustment to the rate base for Mystic Units 8 and 9, the effect of which will be partially offset by elimination of a crediting mechanism for third party gas sales during the term of the cost of service agreement. In addition, several parties filed protests to a compliance filing by Generation on September 15, 2020, taking issue with how gross plant in-service was calculated, and Generation filed an answer to the protests on October 21, 2020. On December 21, 2020, FERC issued an order on rehearing of the three July 17, 2020 orders, clarifying several cost of service provisions. Several parties appealed the December 21, 2020 order to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and that appeal was consolidated with appeals of orders issued December 20, 2018 and July 17, 2020 in the Mystic proceeding. The briefing schedule for the consolidated appeal has not yet been set.
On February 25, 2021, Mystic made its filing to comply with the December 21, 2020 order. On April 26, 2021, FERC rejected Mystic’s language and directed another compliance filing relating to the claw back provision language, which only applies if Mystic 8 and 9 were to continue operation after the conclusion of the cost-of-service period. FERC’s April 26, 2021 order also accepted in part and rejected in part Mystic’s September 15, 2020 compliance filing. It directed a further compliance filing in 60 days consistent with the information provided in Mystic’s October 21, 2020 answer to protests, which Mystic filed on June 2, 2021.
On August 25, 2020, a group of New England generators filed a complaint against Generation seeking to extend the scope of the claw back provision in the cost-of-service agreement, whereby Generation would refund certain amounts recovered during the term of the cost of service if it returns to market afterwards. On April 15, 2021 FERC dismissed the complaint.
On February 16, 2021, Generation filed an unopposed motion to voluntarily dismiss an appeal filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit stemming from a June 2020 complaint filed with the FERC against ISO-NE over failures to follow its tariff in evaluating Mystic for transmission security for the 2024 to 2025 Capacity Commitment Period, which was granted on February 18, 2021.
See Note 7 — Early Plant Retirements for additional information on the impacts of Generation’s August 2020 decision to retire Mystic Units 8 & 9 upon expiration of the cost of service agreement.
Federal Regulatory Matters
PJM and NYISO MOPR Proceedings. PJM and NYISO capacity markets include a MOPR. If a resource is subjected to a MOPR, its offer is adjusted to effectively remove the revenues it receives through a state 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.

On December 19, 2019, FERC required PJM to broadly apply the MOPR to all new and existing resources including nuclear, renewables, demand response, energy efficiency, storage, and all resources owned by vertically-integrated utilities. This greatly expands the breadth and scope of PJM’s MOPR, which is effective as of PJM’s next capacity auction. While FERC included some limited exemptions, no exemptions were available to state-supported nuclear resources.

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). In response to FERC’s order, PJM submitted a compliance filing on March 18, 2020 wherein PJM proposed tariff language interpreting and implementing FERC's directives, and proposed a schedule for resuming capacity auctions that is contingent on the timing of FERC's action on the compliance filing.

On April 16, 2020, FERC issued an order largely denying most requests for rehearing of FERC's December 2019 order but granting a few clarifications that required an additional PJM compliance filing which PJM submitted on June 1, 2020.
On October 15, 2020, FERC issued an order denying requests for rehearing of its April 16, 2020 order and accepting PJM’s two compliance filings, subject to a further compliance filing to revise minor aspects of the proposed MOPR methodology. As part of that order, FERC also accepted PJM’s proposal to condense the schedule of activities leading up to the next capacity auction. A number of parties, including Exelon, have filed petitions for review of FERC's orders in this proceeding, which remain pending before the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
In November 2020, PJM announced that it will conduct its next capacity auction beginning on May 19, 2021 and ending on May 25, 2021 and will post the results on June 2, 2021. PJM conducted the auction as scheduled and, because neither Illinois nor New Jersey implemented an FRR program in their PJM zones, the MOPR applied in the capacity auction 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. The MOPR prevented Quad Cities from clearing in the capacity auction.
At the direction of the PJM Board of Managers, PJM and its stakeholders are considering MOPR reforms to ensure that the capacity market rules respect and accommodate state resource preferences such as the ZEC
programs which PJM filed at FERC on July 30, 2021. Exelon cannot predict whether or when such changes can be implemented.
On February 20, 2020, FERC issued an order rejecting requests to expand NYISO’s version of the MOPR (referred to as buyer-side mitigation rules) beyond its current limited applicability to certain resources in downstate. However, on October 14, 2020, two natural gas-fired generators in New York filed a complaint at FERC seeking to expand the MOPR in NYISO to apply to all resources, new and existing, across the entire NYISO market. Exelon is strenuously opposing expansion of FERC’s MOPR policies in the NYISO market. While it is too early in the proceeding to predict its outcome and there are significant differences between the NYISO and PJM markets that would justify a different result, if FERC follows its MOPR precedent in PJM and applies the MOPR in NYISO broadly as requested in the complaint, Generation’s facilities in NYISO that are receiving ZEC compensation may be at increased risk of not clearing the capacity auction.
If Generation’s state-supported nuclear plants in PJM or NYISO 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 had been working with MDE and other stakeholders to resolve water quality licensing issues, including: (1) water quality, (2) fish habitat, and (3) sediment.
On April 27, 2018, MDE issued its 401 Certification for Conowingo. 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.
On March 19, 2021, FERC issued a new 50-year license for Conowingo, effective March 1, 2021. FERC adopted the Proposed License Articles into the new license only making modifications it deemed necessary to allow FERC to enforce the Proposed License Articles. Consistent with the Offer of Settlement, FERC found that MDE waived its 401 Certification. On April 19, 2021, a few environmental groups filed with FERC a petition for rehearing requesting that FERC reconsider the issuance of the new Conowingo license, which was denied by operation of law on May 20, 2021. On June 17, 2021, the petitioners appealed FERC’s ruling to the United States Court of Appeals. On July 15, 2021, FERC issued an order addressing the arguments raised on rehearing, affirming the determinations of its March 19, 2021 order. Generation cannot predict the outcome of this proceeding.