

REGULATORY ASSETS (LIABILITIES)
(Dollars in millions)
	March 31, 2020			December 31, 2019

SDG&E:
Fixed-price contracts and other derivatives	$	23		$	8
Deferred income taxes refundable in rates	(68		)	(108		)
Pension and other postretirement benefit plan obligations	105			103
Removal obligations	(1,999		)	(2,056		)
Environmental costs	45			45
Sunrise Powerlink fire mitigation	122			121
Regulatory balancing accounts⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾
Commodity – electric	116			102
Gas transportation	9			22
Safety and reliability	75			77
Public purpose programs	(138		)	(124		)
2019 GRC retroactive impacts	98			111
Other balancing accounts	124			106
Other regulatory liabilities, net⁽²⁾	(126		)	(153		)
Total SDG&E	(1,614		)	(1,746		)
SoCalGas:
Deferred income taxes refundable in rates	(133		)	(203		)
Pension and other postretirement benefit plan obligations	416			400
Employee benefit costs	44			44
Removal obligations	(719		)	(728		)
Environmental costs	38			40
Regulatory balancing accounts⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾
Commodity – gas, including transportation	(202		)	(118		)
Safety and reliability	315			295
Public purpose programs	(269		)	(273		)
2019 GRC retroactive impacts	351			400
Other balancing accounts	(155		)	(7		)
Other regulatory liabilities, net⁽²⁾	(88		)	(101		)
Total SoCalGas	(402		)	(251		)
Sempra Mexico:
Deferred income taxes recoverable in rates	83			83
Other regulatory assets	3			6
Total Sempra Energy Consolidated	$	(1,930	)	$	(1,908	)

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a significant impact on the economy and people’s livelihoods in California. On March 4, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency in California as a result of the threat of COVID-19. In response, on March 17, 2020, the CPUC announced that, retroactive to March 4, 2020, all energy companies under its jurisdiction, including the California Utilities, should take action to implement several emergency customer protection measures to support California customers. On April 16, 2020, the CPUC approved a resolution establishing a disaster relief plan for residential and small business customers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolution also authorizes each of the California Utilities to establish a CPPMA to track and request recovery of incremental costs associated with complying with the resolution, including, but not limited to, costs associated with suspending disconnections (such as costs that arise from customers’ failure to pay). The customer relief measures are effective March 4, 2020 and shall continue for up to one year. SDG&E extended these accommodations to all of its customers and may continue to do so, while SoCalGas provides these benefits to its core gas customers. The California Utilities expect to pursue recovery in rates of the costs associated with the consumer protections that are offered in a future proceeding, subject to CPUC approval, which is not assured.

As we discuss in Note 4 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report, in September 2019, the CPUC issued a final decision in the 2019 GRC. The 2019 GRC FD was effective retroactive to January 1, 2019. In the third quarter of 2019, SDG&E and SoCalGas recorded the retroactive after-tax earnings impact of $36 million and $84 million, respectively, for the first quarter of 2019 and $30 million and $46 million, respectively, for the second quarter of 2019.

The 2019 GRC FD approved SDG&E’s and SoCalGas’ test year revenues for 2019 and attrition year adjustments for 2020 and 2021. In January 2020, the CPUC issued a final decision implementing a four-year GRC cycle for California IOUs. The California Utilities were directed to file a petition for modification to revise their 2019 GRC to add two additional attrition years, resulting in a transitional five-year GRC period (2019-2023). The California Utilities filed the petition in April 2020 and requested authorization of their post-test year ratemaking mechanism for two additional years. If adopted, the estimated incremental increase in the revenue requirement for SDG&E and SoCalGas would be approximately $106 million and $155 million, respectively, for 2022, and $108 million and $137 million, respectively, for 2023. These amounts include revenues for both O&M and capital cost attrition. The California Utilities requested a decision by the end of 2020.

The 2019 GRC FD clarified that differences between incurred and forecasted income tax expense due to forecasting differences are not subject to tracking in the income tax expense memorandum account beginning in 2019. SDG&E and SoCalGas recorded regulatory liabilities associated with the 2016 through 2018 tracked forecasting differences of $86 million and $89 million, respectively. In April 2020, the CPUC confirmed treatment of the two-way income tax expense memorandum account for these 2016 through 2018 balances, at which time the California Utilities released these regulatory liability balances to revenues.

In December 2019, the CPUC approved the cost of capital and rate structures (shown in the table below) for SDG&E and SoCalGas that are effective January 1, 2020 and will remain in effect through December 31, 2022. SDG&E did not propose a 2020 cost of preferred equity in this proceeding. In January 2020, SDG&E filed an advice letter to continue the cost of preferred equity for test year 2020 at 6.22%, which the CPUC approved in March 2020.



CPUC AUTHORIZED COST OF CAPITAL AND RATE STRUCTURE

SDG&E							SoCalGas
Authorized weighting		Return on rate base		Weighted return on rate base			Authorized weighting		Return on rate base		Weighted return on rate base
45.25	%	4.59	%	2.08	%	Long-Term Debt	45.60	%	4.23	%	1.93	%
2.75		6.22		0.17		Preferred Equity	2.40		6.00		0.14
52.00		10.20		5.30		Common Equity	52.00		10.05		5.23
100.00	%			7.55	%		100.00	%			7.30	%

The CCM was reauthorized in the 2020 cost of capital proceeding to continue through 2022. The CCM benchmark rate for the 2020 cost of capital is the average monthly utility bond index, as published by Moody’s, for the 12-month period from October 2018 through September 2019. SDG&E’s CCM benchmark rate, based on its filing pending approval with the CPUC, is 4.498%, based on Moody’s Baa- utility bond index. SoCalGas’ CCM benchmark rate, based on its filing pending approval with the CPUC, is 4.029%, based on Moody’s A- utility bond index. The index applicable to each utility is based on such utility’s credit rating.

The CCM benchmark rates for SDG&E and SoCalGas are the basis of comparison to determine if future measurement periods “trigger” the CCM. The 12 months ending September 2020 will be the first “CCM Period” to determine if there has been a trigger at SDG&E or SoCalGas. The trigger occurs if the change in the applicable average Moody’s utility bond index relative to the CCM benchmark is larger than plus or minus 1.000%. Accordingly, if a change of more than plus or minus 1.000% occurs, SDG&E’s, SoCalGas’, or both utilities’ authorized ROE would be adjusted, upward or downward, by one half of the difference between the CCM benchmark and the 12-month average determined during the CCM Period. In addition, the authorized recovery rate for the utilities’ cost of debt and preferred equity would be adjusted to their respective actual weighted-average cost, with no change to the authorized capital structure. In the event of a CCM trigger, the CCM benchmark is also re-established. These adjustments would become effective in authorized rates on January 1 of the year following the CCM trigger.

In October 2018, SDG&E submitted its TO5 filing to the FERC to establish its transmission revenue requirement, including rate of return, for SDG&E’s FERC-regulated electric transmission operations and assets. In December 2018, the FERC issued its order accepting and suspending SDG&E’s TO5 filing for five months, during which the existing TO4 rates remained in effect, and established hearing and settlement procedures. The suspension period ended on June 1, 2019, when the proposed TO5 rates took effect, subject to refund and the outcome of the rate filing. As a result, the TO4 ROE of 10.05% was the basis of SDG&E’s FERC-related revenue recognition until March 2020, when the FERC approved the settlement terms that SDG&E and all settling parties reached in October 2019.

The settlement agreement provides for a ROE of 10.60%, consisting of a base ROE of 10.10% plus an additional 50 bps for participation in the California ISO. If the FERC issues an order ruling that California IOUs are no longer eligible for the additional California ISO ROE, SDG&E would refund the additional 50 bps of ROE associated with the California ISO as of the refund effective date (June 1, 2019) in this proceeding. The TO5 term is effective June 1, 2019 and shall remain in effect indefinitely, with parties having the annual right to terminate the agreement beginning in 2022.

We provide below updates to ongoing matters related to SONGS, a nuclear generating facility near San Clemente, California that ceased operations in June 2013, and in which SDG&E has a 20% ownership interest. We discuss SONGS further in Note 15 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report.

As a result of Edison’s decision to permanently retire SONGS Units 2 and 3, Edison began the decommissioning phase of the plant. We expect the majority of the decommissioning work to take 10 years after receipt of the required permits. The coastal development permit was issued in October 2019. The Samuel Lawrence Foundation filed a writ petition under the California Coastal Act in LA Superior Court in December 2019 seeking to invalidate the permit and to obtain injunctive relief to stop decommissioning work. Major decommissioning work began in 2020. Decommissioning of Unit 1, removed from service in 1992, is largely complete. The remaining work for Unit 1 will be completed once Units 2 and 3 are dismantled and the spent fuel is removed from the site. The spent fuel is currently being stored on-site, until the DOE identifies a spent fuel storage facility and puts in place a program for the fuel’s disposal, as we discuss below. SDG&E is responsible for approximately 20% of the total contract price.

In accordance with state and federal requirements and regulations, SDG&E has assets held in the NDT to fund its share of decommissioning costs for SONGS Units 1, 2 and 3. The amounts collected in rates for SONGS’ decommissioning are invested in the NDT, which is comprised of externally managed trust funds. Amounts held by the NDT are invested in accordance with CPUC regulations. SDG&E classifies debt and equity securities held in the NDT as available-for-sale. The NDT assets are presented on the Sempra Energy and SDG&E Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value with the offsetting credits recorded in noncurrent Regulatory Liabilities.

Except for the use of funds for the planning of decommissioning activities or NDT administrative costs, CPUC approval is required for SDG&E to access the NDT assets to fund SONGS decommissioning costs for Units 2 and 3. In March 2020, SDG&E received authorization from the CPUC to access NDT funds of up to $109 million for forecasted 2020 costs.

In December 2016, the IRS and the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued proposed regulations that clarify the definition of “nuclear decommissioning costs,” which are costs that may be paid for or reimbursed from a qualified trust fund. The proposed regulations state that costs related to the construction and maintenance of independent spent fuel management installations are included in the definition of “nuclear decommissioning costs.” The proposed regulations will be effective prospectively once they are finalized. SDG&E is awaiting the adoption of, or additional refinement to, the proposed regulations before determining whether the proposed regulations will allow SDG&E to access the NDT funds for reimbursement or payment of the spent fuel management costs incurred in 2017 and subsequent years. Further clarification of the proposed regulations could enable SDG&E to access the NDT to recover spent fuel management costs before Edison reaches final settlement with the DOE regarding the DOE’s reimbursement of these costs. Historically, the DOE’s reimbursements of spent fuel storage costs have not resulted in timely or complete recovery of these costs. We discuss the DOE’s responsibility for spent nuclear fuel below. The IRS held public hearings on the proposed regulations in October 2017. It is unclear when clarification of the proposed regulations might be provided or when the proposed regulations will be finalized.



NUCLEAR DECOMMISSIONING TRUSTS
(Dollars in millions)
	Cost		Gross unrealized gains		Gross unrealized losses			Estimated fair value
At March 31, 2020:
Debt securities:
Debt securities issued by the U.S. Treasury and other U.S. government corporations and agencies⁽¹⁾	$	68	$	2	$	—		$	70
Municipal bonds⁽²⁾	320		12		(2		)	330
Other securities⁽³⁾	276		4		(11		)	269
Total debt securities	664		18		(13		)	669
Equity securities	141		185		(22		)	304
Cash and cash equivalents	14		—		—			14
Total	$	819	$	203	$	(35	)	$	987
At December 31, 2019:
Debt securities:
Debt securities issued by the U.S. Treasury and other U.S. government corporations and agencies	$	57	$	—	$	—		$	57
Municipal bonds	270		12		—			282
Other securities	218		9		(1		)	226
Total debt securities	545		21		(1		)	565
Equity securities	176		339		(6		)	509
Cash and cash equivalents	8		—		—			8
Total	$	729	$	360	$	(7	)	$	1,082

Net unrealized gains and losses, as well as realized gains and losses that are reinvested in the NDT, are included in noncurrent Regulatory Liabilities on Sempra Energy’s and SDG&E’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. We determine the cost of securities in the trusts on the basis of specific identification.

The present value of SDG&E’s ARO related to decommissioning costs for the SONGS units was $608 million at March 31, 2020. That amount includes the cost to decommission Units 2 and 3, and the remaining cost to complete the decommissioning of Unit 1, which is substantially complete. The ARO for all three units is based on a cost study prepared in 2017 that is pending CPUC approval. The ARO for Units 2 and 3 reflects the acceleration of the start of decommissioning of these units as a result of the early closure of the plant. SDG&E’s share of total decommissioning costs in 2020 dollars is approximately $860 million.

Spent nuclear fuel from SONGS is currently stored on-site in an ISFSI licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or temporarily in spent fuel pools. In October 2015, the California Coastal Commission approved Edison’s application to expand the ISFSI. The ISFSI expansion began construction in 2016 and the transfer of the spent nuclear fuel from Units 2 and 3 to the ISFSI began in 2018. The ISFSI will operate until 2049, when it is assumed that the DOE will have taken custody of all the SONGS spent fuel. The ISFSI would then be decommissioned, and the site restored to its original environmental state. Until then, SONGS owners are responsible for interim storage of spent nuclear fuel at SONGS.

The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 made the DOE responsible for accepting, transporting, and disposing of spent nuclear fuel. However, it is uncertain when the DOE will begin accepting spent nuclear fuel from SONGS. This delay will lead to increased costs for spent fuel storage. In November 2019, Edison filed a claim for spent fuel management costs in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims for the time period from January 2017 through July 2018. It is unclear when Edison will pursue litigation claims for spent fuel management costs incurred on or after August 1, 2018. SDG&E will continue to support Edison in its pursuit of claims on behalf of the SONGS co-owners against the DOE for its failure to timely accept the spent nuclear fuel.

SDG&E and the other owners of SONGS have insurance to cover claims from nuclear liability incidents arising at SONGS. Currently, this insurance provides $450 million in coverage limits, the maximum amount available, including coverage for acts of terrorism. In addition, the Price-Anderson Act provides an additional $110 million of coverage. If a nuclear liability loss occurs at SONGS and exceeds the $450 million insurance limit, this additional coverage would be available to provide a total of $560 million in coverage limits per incident.

As a result of updated coverage assessments, the SONGS owners have nuclear property damage insurance of $130 million, which exceeds the minimum federal requirements of $50 million. This insurance coverage is provided through NEIL. The NEIL policies have specific exclusions and limitations that can result in reduced or eliminated coverage. Insured members as a group are subject to retrospective premium assessments to cover losses sustained by NEIL under all issued policies. SDG&E could be assessed up to $3.5 million of retrospective premiums based on overall member claims.

The nuclear property insurance program includes an industry aggregate loss limit for non-certified acts of terrorism (as defined by the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act) of $3.24 billion. This is the maximum amount that will be paid to insured members who suffer losses or damages from these non-certified terrorist acts.