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Regulatory Matters (All Registrants)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Regulated Operations [Abstract]  
Regulatory Matters (All Registrants) Regulatory Matters (All Registrants)
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/JurisdictionFiling DateRequested Revenue Requirement (Decrease) IncreaseApproved Revenue Requirement (Decrease) IncreaseApproved ROEApproval DateRate Effective Date
ComEd - Illinois (Electric)(a)
April 8, 2019$(6)$(17)8.91 %December 4, 2019January 1, 2020
DPL - Maryland (Electric)December 5, 2019 (amended April 23, 2020)17 12 9.60 %July 14, 2020July 16, 2020
__________
(a)Reflects an increase of $51 million for the initial revenue requirement for 2019 and a decrease of $68 million related to the annual reconciliation for 2018. The revenue requirement for 2019 and annual reconciliation for 2018 provides for a weighted average debt and equity return on distribution rate base of 6.51%, inclusive of an allowed ROE of 8.91%, reflecting the average rate on 30-year treasury notes plus 580 basis points.
Pending Distribution Base Rate Case Proceedings
Registrant/JurisdictionFiling DateRequested Revenue Requirement (Decrease) IncreaseRequested ROEExpected Approval Timing
ComEd - Illinois (Electric)(a)
April 16, 2020$(11)8.38 %Fourth quarter of 2020
PECO - Pennsylvania (Natural Gas)September 30, 202069 10.95 %Second quarter of 2021
BGE - Maryland (Electric and Natural Gas)(b)
May 15, 2020
(amended September 11, 2020)
228 10.1 %Fourth quarter of 2020
Pepco - District of Columbia (Electric)(c)
May 30, 2019 (amended June 1, 2020)136 9.7 %First quarter of 2021
Pepco - Maryland (Electric)(d)
October 26, 2020110 10.2 %Second quarter of 2021
DPL - Delaware (Natural Gas)(e)
February 21, 2020 (amended October 9, 2020)10.3 %First quarter of 2021
DPL - Delaware (Electric)(f)
March 6, 2020 (amended October 26, 2020)24 10.3 %Second 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 for 2021 through 2023 and total requested revenue requirement increases in 2023 of $137 million related to electric distribution and $91 million related to natural gas distribution to recover capital investments made in late 2019 and planned capital investments from 2020 to 2023.
(c)Pepco filed the multi-year plan enhanced proposal as an alternative to address the impacts of COVID-19. Reflects a three-year cumulative multi-year plan for 2020 through 2022 and requested revenue requirement increases of $73 million in 2022 and $63 million in 2023, to recover capital investments made during 2018 through 2020 and planned capital investments through the end of 2022.
(d)Reflects a three-year cumulative multi-year plan for April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2024 and total requested revenue requirement increases of $56 million effective April 1, 2023 and $54 million effective April 1, 2024 to recover capital investments made in 2019 and 2020 and planned capital investments through March 31, 2024.
(e)The rates went into effect on September 21, 2020, subject to refund.
(f)The rates went into effect on October 6, 2020, subject to refund.
Transmission Formula Rates
Transmission Formula Rate (Exelon and the Utility Registrants). ComEd’s, PECO's, BGE’s, Pepco's, DPL's, and ACE's 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, BGE, DPL, and ACE 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 Pepco 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, BGE, DPL, and ACE 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 and Pepco also reconciles any differences between the actual costs and actual revenues for the calendar year (annual reconciliation).
For 2020, the following total increases/(decreases) were included in ComEd’s, PECO's, BGE’s, Pepco's, DPL's, and ACE's electric transmission formula rate filings:
Registrant(a)
Initial Revenue Requirement Increase (Decrease)Annual Reconciliation Decrease
Total Revenue Requirement Increase (Decrease)(c)
Allowed Return on Rate Base(d)
Allowed ROE(e)
ComEd$18 $(4)$14 8.17 %11.50 %
PECO(b)
(28)(23)7.47 %10.35 %
BGE16 (3)7.26 %10.50 %
Pepco(46)(44)7.81 %10.50 %
DPL(4)(40)(44)7.20 %10.50 %
ACE(25)(20)7.40 %10.50 %
__________
(a)All rates are effective June 2020, subject to review by interested parties, which is anticipated to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2020 or first quarter of 2021 for ComEd, BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE and second quarter of 2021 for PECO.
(b)PECO posted a revised filing to the PJM website on July 17, 2020 reflecting updates to the formula rate based on the FERC order dated July 9, 2020.
(c)The decrease in PECO's transmission revenue requirement relates to refunds from December 1, 2017, in accordance with the settlement agreement dated July 22, 2019. The increase in BGE's transmission revenue requirement includes a $9 million reduction related to a FERC-approved dedicated facilities charge to recover the costs of providing transmission service to specifically designated load by BGE. ComEd, BGE, Pepco, DPL, and ACE’s transmission revenue requirement include a decrease related to the April 24, 2020 settlement agreement related to excess deferred income taxes. Refer to Transmission-Related Income Tax Regulatory Assets below for additional information.
(d)Represents the weighted average debt and equity return on transmission rate bases.
(e)As part of the FERC-approved settlements of ComEd’s 2007 and PECO's 2017 transmission 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 May 21, 2020. The filing establishes the revenue requirement used to set the rates that will take effect in January 2021 after the ICC’s review and approval. The revenue requirement requested is based on a reconciliation of the 2019 actual costs plus projected 2020 and 2021 expenditures.
Initial Revenue Requirement Increase Annual Reconciliation Increase Total Revenue Requirement Increase Requested Return on Rate BaseRequested ROE
$45 $$48 
(a)
6.28 %8.38 %
__________
(a)The requested revenue requirement increase provides for a weighted average debt and equity return on rate base of 6.28% inclusive of an allowed ROE of 8.38%. The ROE reflects the average rate on 30-year treasury notes plus 580 basis points. The ROE applicable to the 2019 reconciliation year is 8.96% and the return on rate base is 6.56%, which includes a performance adjustment that can either increase or decrease the ROE.
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 consists 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. ACE is seeking authority to recover these estimated investments through a combination of the ACE Infrastructure Investment Program rider mechanism and future distribution base rates. ACE currently expects a decision in this matter in the third quarter of 2021 but cannot predict if the NJBPU will approve the application as filed.
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) the 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, which FERC approved on September 24, 2020. 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 settlement resulted in a reduction to Operating revenues and an offsetting reduction to Income tax expense in the second quarter of 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 $255 million primarily due to an increase of $145 million in the Energy Efficiency Costs regulatory asset, $58 million in the Electric Distribution Formula Rate Significant One-time Events regulatory asset, $47 million in the ARO regulatory asset, and $18 million in the COVID-19 regulatory asset recorded in 2020, partially offset by a decrease of $37 million in the Electric Distribution Formula Rate Annual Reconciliations regulatory asset. Refer to COVID-19 disclosure below for additional information.
PECO. Regulatory assets increased $135 million primarily due to an increase of $119 million in the Deferred Income Taxes regulatory asset and $20 million in new COVID-19 regulatory asset recorded in the third quarter of 2020. Refer to COVID-19 disclosure below for additional information.
BGE. Regulatory liabilities decreased $68 million primarily due to a decrease of $73 million in the Deferred Income Taxes regulatory liability.
Pepco. Regulatory liabilities decreased $58 million primarily due to a decrease of $99 million in the Deferred Income Taxes regulatory liability, partially offset by a $24 million increase in the Transmission FERC Formula Rate regulatory liability, and $24 million in the Electric Energy and Natural Gas Costs regulatory liability.
DPL. Regulatory liabilities decreased $49 million primarily due to a decrease of $54 million in the Deferred Income Taxes regulatory liability, $4 million in the Removal Costs regulatory liability, and $3 million in the Electric Energy and Natural Gas Costs regulatory liability, partially offset by a $16 million increase in the Transmission FERC Formula Rate regulatory liability.
ACE. Regulatory assets increased $58 million primarily due to an increase of $29 million in the Deferred Storm Costs regulatory asset, $19 million in the Uncollectible Deferral regulatory asset, and $17 million in the Electric Energy Costs regulatory asset, partially offset by a decrease of $9 million in the Securitized Stranded Costs regulatory asset. Regulatory liabilities decreased $55 million primarily due to a decrease of $80 million in the Deferred Income Taxes regulatory liability, partially offset by a $13 million increase in Transmission FERC Formula Rate regulatory liability, and $9 million in Stranded Costs regulatory liability.
COVID-19 (Exelon and the Utility Registrants). Starting in March of 2020, the Utility Registrants temporarily suspended customer disconnections for non-payment and temporarily ceased new late payment fees for all customers and restored service to customers upon request who were disconnected in the last twelve months. The duration and extent of these measures varies by jurisdiction. While these measures are no longer in place for some jurisdictions, they are expected to continue through the first quarter of 2021 in other jurisdictions. Typically, the Utility Registrants recover credit loss expense through rate required programs or distribution base rate cases. ComEd and ACE have existing mechanisms for recovery of credit loss expense. For those jurisdictions without an existing rate required program to recover credit loss expense, the Utility Registrants are pursuing strategies to recover incremental costs being incurred as a result of COVID-19:
In the period of April to July of 2020, the MDPSC, the DCPSC, the DPSC, and the NJBPU issued orders authorizing the creation of regulatory assets to track incremental COVID-19 related costs.
In May of 2020, the PAPUC issued a Secretarial Letter authorizing the creation of regulatory assets to track incremental credit loss expense related to COVID-19.
The Utility Registrants have also incurred direct costs related to COVID-19 consisting primarily of costs to acquire personal protective equipment, costs for cleaning supplies and services, and costs to hire healthcare professionals to monitor the health of their employees.
The Utility Registrants have recorded regulatory assets for the impacts of COVID-19 reflecting primarily incremental credit losses and direct costs, partially offset by a decrease in travel costs at BGE and PHI. The Utility Registrants expect to seek recovery in upcoming distribution base rate cases. Exelon and the Utility Registrants recorded the following regulatory assets related to COVID-19:
ExelonComEdPECOBGEPHIPepcoDPLACE
September 30, 2020$60 $18 $20 $11 $11 $$$— 
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
September 30, 2020$54 $— $— $47 $$$$— 
December 31, 201963 — 53 — 
_________
(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 $56 million and $31 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. On May 15, 2019, New Jersey Rate Counsel appealed the NJBPU's decision to the New Jersey Superior Court. Briefing has been completed and oral argument is scheduled for December 9, 2020. 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. Due to COVID-19 related restrictions, the court extended the deadline to July 29, 2020. Petitioners did not file a brief by the deadline, so the case is deemed dismissed. Petitioners are permitted up to one year from July 29, 2020 to file a motion to vacate the dismissal if they can show good cause for the delay.
See Note 6 — Early Plant Retirements for additional information related to Ginna and Nine Mile Point.
New England Regulatory Matters
Mystic Units 8 & 9 and Everett Marine Terminal Cost of Service Agreement (Exelon and Generation). 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 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. A compliance filing was submitted on September 15, 2020. Several parties filed protests to the compliance filing on the issue of how gross plant in-service was calculated, and Generation filed an answer to the protests on October 21, 2020. On July 28, 2020, FERC ordered additional briefings in the ROE proceeding.
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 September 14, 2020, Generation filed an answer to the complaint arguing that the complaint is procedurally improper and a collateral attack on existing FERC orders and pointing out that the ISO-NE tariff contains protections against the New England generators' concerns that they failed to mention. Generation cannot predict the outcome of this proceeding.
On June 10, 2020, Generation filed a complaint with FERC against ISO-NE on the grounds that ISO-NE failed to follow its tariff with respect to its evaluation of Mystic for transmission security for the 2024 to 2025 Capacity Commitment Period (FCA 15) and that the modifications that ISO-NE made to its unfiled planning procedures to avoid retaining Mystic should have been filed with FERC for approval. On July 27, 2020, ISO-NE issued a memo to NEPOOL announcing its determination pursuant to its unfiled planning procedures that Mystic Units 8 and 9 are not needed for FCA 15 for transmission security. It had previously determined Mystic Units 8 and 9 are not needed for fuel security. On August 17, 2020, FERC issued an order denying the complaint. On September 16, 2020, Generation filed a request for rehearing with FERC. The timing and the outcome of this proceeding is uncertain.
See Note 6 — Early Plant Retirements and Note 8 — Asset Impairments 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 accepted 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 but did not specify when that schedule would commence given that a key element of the MOPR level computation remains pending before FERC in another proceeding.
FERC issued an order on May 21, 2020 involving reforms to PJM’s day-ahead and real-time reserves markets that need to be reflected in the calculation of MOPR levels. In approving reforms to PJM’s reserves markets, FERC also directed PJM to develop a new methodology for estimating revenues that resources will receive for sales of energy and related services (referred to as the Energy and Ancillary Services Offset) and to use that new methodology in calculating a number of parameters and assumptions used in the capacity market, including MOPR levels. PJM submitted all elements of its new Energy and Ancillary Services Offset revenue projection methodology on August 5, 2020. On review of this compliance filing, FERC is expected to address how these additional reforms will impact MOPR levels, the timeline for implementing the new revenue projection methodology, and the timing for commencing the capacity auction schedule.
Unless Illinois and New Jersey can implement an FRR program in their PJM zones, the MOPR will apply in the next 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, 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 as an alternative to the PJM capacity auction. 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. Whether legislation is needed in New Jersey would depend on how the state chooses to structure an FRR program. Exelon cannot predict whether or when such legislative and regulatory 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 plans to strenuously oppose expansion of FERC’s MOPR policies in the NYISO market. While it is too early in the proceeding to predict its outcome, 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 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.