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Regulatory Matters (Exelon, Generation, ComEd and PECO)
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Regulatory Matters [Abstract]  
Regulatory Matters (Exelon, Generation, ComEd and PECO)

 

4. Regulatory Matters (Exelon, Generation, ComEd, PECO and BGE)

 

Regulatory and Legislative Proceedings (Exelon, Generation, ComEd, PECO and BGE)

 

Except for the matters noted below, the disclosures set forth in Note 2 of the Exelon 2011 Form 10-K and Note 6 of Constellation's and BGE's 2011 Form 10-K appropriately represent, in all material respects, the current status of regulatory and legislative proceedings of the Registrants. The following is an update to that discussion.

 

Illinois Regulatory Matters

 

Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act (Exelon and ComEd).

 

Background

 

EIMA provides a structure for substantial capital investment over a ten-year period to modernize Illinois' electric utility infrastructure. EIMA allows the recovery of costs by a utility through a pre-established performance-based formula rate tariff, approved by the ICC and will provide greater certainty as to the recovery of those costs. ComEd made an initial contribution of $15 million (recognized as expense in 2011) to a new Science and Technology Innovation Trust fund on July 31, 2012, and will make recurring annual contributions of $4 million beginning in 2012, which will be used for customer education for as long as the AMI Deployment Plan remains in effect. In addition, ComEd will contribute $10 million per year for five years, as long as ComEd is subject to EIMA, to fund customer assistance programs for low-income customers, which amounts will not be recoverable through rates.

 

Capital Investment

 

On January 6, 2012, ComEd filed its Infrastructure Investment Plan with the ICC. Under that plan, ComEd will invest approximately $2.6 billion over ten years to modernize and storm-harden its distribution system and to implement smart grid technology. These investments will be incremental to ComEd's historical level of capital expenditures. The ICC filing specifically included ComEd's $233 million investment plan for 2012. On April 23, 2012, ComEd filed its initial AMI Deployment Plan with the ICC. On June 22, 2012, the ICC approved the AMI Deployment Plan with certain modifications. Implementation of the investment plan began in early 2012 while smart meter installation in homes and businesses is expected to begin later in 2012, but is subject to the rehearing below.

 

Formula Rate Tariff

 

On November 8, 2011, ComEd filed its initial formula rate tariff and associated testimony based on 2010 costs and 2011 plant additions. The primary purpose of that proceeding was to establish the formula rate under which rates will be calculated going-forward, and the initial rates, which went into effect in late June. On May 30, 2012, the ICC issued its final Order (Order) in that proceeding. The Order reduced the annual revenue requirement by $168 million, or approximately $110 million more than proposed by ComEd. Of this incremental revenue requirement reduction, approximately $50 million reflected the ICC's determination that certain costs should be recovered through alternative rate recovery tariffs available to ComEd or will be reflected in the annual reconciliation, thereby primarily delaying the timing of cash flows. The incremental revenue reduction also reflected a $35 million reduction for the disallowance of return on ComEd's pension asset, a $10 million reduction for incentive compensation related adjustments, and $15 million of reductions for various adjustments for cash working capital, operating reserves, and other technical items. In the second quarter of 2012, ComEd recorded a reduction of revenue of approximately $100 million pre-tax to decrease the regulatory asset for the 2011 periods and for the first three months of 2012 consistent with the terms of the Order. On June 5, 2012, ComEd filed its application for rehearing with the ICC. On June 22, 2012 the ICC granted expedited rehearing on ComEd's pension asset recovery, the use of average or year-end rate base in determining ComEd's reconciliation revenue requirement and the interest rate charged on over/under recovered costs. The expected schedule for the rehearing allows for a decision by September 19, 2012. As a further result of the Order, on July 6, 2012, ComEd filed for rehearing of the AMI Deployment Plan to amend the timing and amount of the capital investment under that plan. On July 11, 2012, the ICC granted rehearing on ComEd's AMI Deployment Plan. A final order on rehearing is due by December 7, 2012.

 

Annual Reconciliation

 

ComEd will file an annual reconciliation of the revenue requirement in effect in a given year to reflect actual costs that the ICC determines are prudently and reasonably incurred for such year. ComEd made its initial 2011 reconciliation filing on April 30, 2012, which reconciled the 2011 revenue requirement in effect to ComEd's actual 2011 costs incurred (the rates will take effect in January 2013). ComEd updated its 2011 reconciliation filing on June 12, 2012 to reflect the impacts of the Order discussed above. A similar reconciliation with respect to 2012 will be filed in second quarter 2013 with any adjustments to rates taking effect in January 2014. As of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, ComEd recorded an estimated net regulatory asset of $26 million and $84 million, respectively, which represents the ICC's approved distribution formula and associated rulings as of June 30, 2012 and ComEd's best estimate of the probable increase in distribution rates expected to be approved by the ICC to provide for recovery of prudent and reasonable costs incurred for the twelve months ended December 31, 2011 and for the six months ended June 30, 2012. The evidentiary hearing in ComEd's 2011 reconciliation rate case is expected to begin on September 25, 2012, with a final order due by December 26, 2012.

 

Appeal of 2007 Illinois Electric Distribution Rate Case (Exelon and ComEd). The ICC issued an order in ComEd's 2007 electric distribution rate case (2007 Rate Case) approving a $274 million increase in ComEd's annual delivery services revenue requirement, which became effective in September 2008. In the order, the ICC authorized a 10.3% rate of return on common equity. ComEd and several other parties filed appeals of the rate order with the Illinois Appellate Court (Court). The Court issued a decision on September 30, 2010, ruling against ComEd on the treatment of post-test year accumulated depreciation and the recovery of system modernization costs via a rider (Rider SMP). The ICC subsequently initiated a proceeding on remand. On February 23, 2012, the ICC issued an order in the remand proceeding requiring ComEd to provide a refund of approximately $37 million to customers related to the treatment of post-test year accumulated depreciation issue. On March 26, 2012, ComEd filed a notice of appeal. ComEd has recognized for accounting purposes its best estimate of any refund obligation.

 

Advanced Metering Program Proceeding (Exelon and ComEd). In October 2009, the ICC approved a modified version of Rider SMP (Rider AMP). ComEd collected approximately $24 million under Rider AMP through December 31, 2011. Several other parties, including the Illinois Attorney General, appealed the ICC's order on Rider AMP. In ComEd's 2010 electric distribution rate case, the ICC approved ComEd's transfer of other costs from recovery under Rider AMP to recovery through base electric distribution rates. On March 19, 2012, the Court reversed Rider AMP, concluding that the ICC's October 2009 approval of the rider constituted single-issue ratemaking. ComEd filed a Petition for Leave to Appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court on April 23, 2012. ComEd believes any refund obligation associated with Rider AMP should be prospective from no earlier than the date of the Court's order on March 19, 2012, which would have an immaterial impact at ComEd and Exelon.

Illinois Procurement Proceedings (Exelon, Generation and ComEd). ComEd is permitted to recover its electricity procurement costs from its retail customers without mark-up. Since June 2009, the IPA designs, and the ICC approves, an electricity supply portfolio for ComEd and the IPA administers a competitive process under which ComEd procures its electricity supply from various suppliers, including Generation. In order to fulfill a requirement of the Illinois Settlement Legislation, ComEd hedged the price of a significant portion of energy purchased in the spot market with a five-year variable-to-fixed financial swap contract with Generation that expires on May 31, 2013. EIMA contains a provision for the IPA to conduct procurement events for energy and REC requirements for the June 2013 through December 2017 period. The procurement events mandated under EIMA were completed during February 2012. See Note 16 – Commitments and Contingencies for additional information on ComEd's energy commitments.

 

Pennsylvania Regulatory Matters

 

Pennsylvania Procurement Proceedings (Exelon and PECO). PECO's PAPUC-approved DSP Program, under which PECO is providing default electric service, has a 29-month term that began January 1, 2011 and ends May 31, 2013. Under the DSP Program, PECO is permitted to recover its electric procurement costs from retail default service customers without mark-up through the GSA. The GSA provides for the recovery of energy, capacity, ancillary costs and administrative costs and is subject to adjustments at least quarterly for any over or under collections. The filing and implementation costs of the DSP Program were recorded as a regulatory asset and are being recovered through the GSA over its 29-month term. In January and April 2012, PECO entered into contracts with PAPUC-approved bidders, including Generation, for electric supply for default electric service which included full requirements fixed price contracts for its residential, small commercial and medium commercial procurement classes that commenced in June 2012, hourly spot market price full requirements contracts for its small and medium commercial and large commercial and industrial procurement classes that commenced in June 2012 and block contracts for its residential class beginning in December 2012. Charges incurred for electric supply procured through contracts with Generation are included in purchased power from affiliates on PECO's Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income. PECO has one competitive procurement remaining over the term of this DSP Program.

 

On January 13, 2012, PECO filed its second DSP Plan for approval with the PAPUC. The plan outlined how PECO will purchase electricity for default customers from June 1, 2013 through May 31, 2015. To continue to ensure a competitive procurement process for residential customers, PECO proposed to procure electricity through a combination of one-year and two-year full requirements fixed price contracts, reduce the amount of time between when the energy is procured and when it is provided to customers and complete an annual, rather than quarterly, reconciliation of costs for actual versus forecasted energy use. The DSP Plan also proposed to eliminate the AEPS rider and recover AEPS costs through the GSA. Hearings on the filing concluded on May 22, 2012 and a PAPUC ruling is expected in mid-October 2012.

 

Smart Meter and Smart Grid Investments (Exelon and PECO). In April 2010, the PAPUC approved PECO's $550 million Smart Meter Procurement and Installation Plan under which PECO will install more than 1.6 million smart meters and deploy advanced communication networks by 2020. In 2010, PECO entered into a Financial Assistance Agreement with the DOE for SGIG funds under the ARRA of 2009. Under the SGIG, PECO was awarded $200 million, the maximum grant allowable under the program, for its SGIG project – Smart Future Greater Philadelphia. Through 2020, PECO plans to spend up to $650 million on its smart grid and smart meter infrastructure. The $200 million SGIG is being used to reduce the impact of these investments on PECO ratepayers.

 

As of June 30, 2012, PECO received $119 million in reimbursements from the DOE. PECO's outstanding receivable from the DOE for reimbursable costs was $14 million as of June 30, 2012, which has been recorded in other accounts receivable, net on Exelon's and PECO's Consolidated Balance Sheets.

 

Energy Efficiency Program (Exelon and PECO).  On August 2, 2012, the PAPUC issued a final order regarding the next phase (Phase 2) of the EE&C Program. The final order provides details on the design and implementation of Phase 2, which will go into effect on June 1, 2013.  The order tentatively establishes PECO's three year cumulative consumption reduction target of 2.9%. The order also provides the opportunity for any electric utility to challenge its proposed target in an evidentiary hearing. PECO is evaluating these new requirements prior to filing its Phase 2 plan.

 

Natural Gas Choice Supplier Tariff (Exelon and PECO). During 2011, the PAPUC approved PECO's tariff supplements to its Gas Choice Supplier Coordination Tariff and its Retail Gas Service Tariff to address the new licensing requirements for natural gas suppliers (NGS) set forth in the PAPUC's final rulemaking order, which became effective January 1, 2011. The new licensing requirements broaden the types of collateral that PECO can require to mitigate its risk related to a NGS default, as well as PECO's ability to adjust collateral when material changes in supplier creditworthiness occur. PECO has completed its creditworthiness determinations and notified affected NGSs of their new collateral levels. As a result, PECO has obtained $14 million of collateral.

 

Investigation of PA Retail Electricity Market (Exelon and PECO). On July 28, 2011, the PAPUC issued an order outlining the next steps in its investigation into the status of competition in Pennsylvania's retail electric market. The PAPUC found that the existing default service model presents substantial impediments to the development of a vibrant retail market in Pennsylvania and directed its Office of Competitive Markets Oversight to evaluate potential intermediate and long-term structural changes to the default service model. On January 13, 2012, PECO filed its second DSP for approval with the PAPUC, which proposed several new programs to continue PECO's support of retail market competition in Pennsylvania in accordance with the order issued by the PAPUC on December 15, 2011. On March 1, 2012, the PAPUC issued the final order describing more detailed recommendations to be implemented prior to an expiration of the electric distribution company's current default service plan and providing guidelines for electric distribution companies for the development of their next default service plan.

 

Pennsylvania Act 11 of 2012 (Exelon and PECO). On February 13, 2012, Act 11 was signed into law by the Governor. Act 11 seeks to clarify the PAPUC's authority to approve alternative ratemaking mechanisms, which would allow for the implementation of a distribution system improvement charge (DSIC) in rates designed to recover capital project costs incurred to repair, improve or replace utilities' aging electric and natural gas distribution systems in Pennsylvania. Act 11 also includes a provision that allows utilities to use a fully projected future test year under which the PAPUC may permit the inclusion of projected capital costs in rate base for assets that will be placed in service in future test years. On August 2, 2012, the PAPUC issued a final order establishing rules and procedures to implement the ratemaking provisions of Act 11.

 

Maryland Regulatory Matters

 

2011 Maryland Electric and Gas Distribution Rate Case (Exelon and BGE). In March 2011, the MDPSC issued a comprehensive rate order setting forth the details of the decision contained in its abbreviated electric and gas distribution rate order issued in December 2010. As part of the March 2011 comprehensive rate order, BGE was authorized to defer $19 million of costs as regulatory assets. These costs will be recovered over a 5-year period beginning December 2010 and include the deferral of $16 million of storm costs incurred in February 2010. The regulatory asset for the storm costs earns a regulated rate of return.

 

Smart Meter and Smart Grid Investments (Exelon and BGE). In August 2010, the MDPSC approved a comprehensive smart grid initiative for BGE which includes the planned installation of 2 million residential and commercial electric and gas smart meters at an expected total cost of $480 million. The MDPSC's approval ordered BGE to defer the associated incremental costs, depreciation and amortization, and an appropriate return, in a regulatory asset until such time as a cost-effective advanced metering system is implemented. Under a grant from the DOE, BGE is a recipient of $200 million in federal funding for its smart grid and other related initiatives, which substantially reduces the total cost of these initiatives. The project to install the smart meters began in late April 2012.

 

As of June 30, 2012, BGE had received $114 million in reimbursements from the DOE. As of June 30, 2012, BGE's outstanding receivable from the DOE for reimbursable costs was $9 million, which has been recorded in other accounts receivable, net on Exelon's and BGE's Consolidated Balance Sheets.

 

New Electric Generation (Exelon and BGE).  On April 12, 2012, the MDPSC issued an order directing BGE and two other Maryland utilities to enter into a contract for differences (CfD) with CPV Maryland, LLC (CPV), under which CPV will construct a 700 MW natural gas-fired combined-cycle generation plant in Waldorf, Maryland, with an assumed commercial operation date of June 1, 2015. The initial term of the proposed contract is 20 years. The CfD will provide that the utilities will pay (or receive) the difference between CPV's contract prices and the revenues CPV receives for capacity and energy from bidding the unit into the PJM markets. The three Maryland utilities are required to enter into a CfD in amounts proportionate to their relative SOS load as of the date of execution.  Pursuant to the MDPSC's Order, between the period of April 12, 2012 and July 6, 2012, the utilities met with CPV and the consultant for the MDPSC, Boston Pacific Company, Inc. (Boston Pacific), to negotiate changes to the CfD for submission to the MDPSC for approval.  On July 10, 2012, Boston Pacific filed a revised version of the CfD with the MDPSC, along with a memorandum detailing the parties' negotiations and the changes included in the revised CfD.  BGE, the two other Maryland utilities, and other interested parties have filed written comments on the revised CfD proposed by Boston Pacific and have provided further comments at a hearing held July 31, 2012.  Depending on the precise terms of the CfD, the eventual market conditions, and the manner of cost recovery, the CfD could have a material impact on Exelon's and BGE's results of operations, cash flows and financial positions. On April 27, 2012, a civil complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland by certain unaffiliated parties that challenges the actions taken by the MDPSC on federal law grounds.  Among other requests for relief, the plaintiffs seek to enjoin the MDPSC from executing or otherwise putting into effect any part of its order. The MDPSC and CPV filed motions to dismiss the federal lawsuit, which remain pending.  On May 4, 2012, BGE filed a petition in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, Maryland, seeking judicial review of the MDPSC order.  That petition was subsequently transferred to the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, where similar appeals have been filed by other interested parties.  The two other Maryland utilities also filed petitions for judicial review in other Maryland state courts, which are also expected to be transferred to the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.  Once transferred, it is likely that the cases will be consolidated and heard together.

 

2012 Maryland Electric and Gas Distribution Rate Case (Exelon and BGE). On July 27, 2012, BGE filed an application for increases of $151 million and $53 million to its electric and gas base rates, respectively, with the MDPSC. The requested rate of return on equity in the application is 10.5%. The new electric and gas distribution base rates are expected to take effect in late February 2013. BGE cannot predict how much of the requested increases, if any, the MDPSC will approve.

Federal Regulatory Matters

 

PJM Minimum Offer Price Rule (Exelon and Generation). PJM's capacity market rules include a Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) intended to ensure that a competitive capacity offer is based on the costs and competitive market revenues of a new entry unit. On February 1, 2011, in response to the enactment of New Jersey Senate Bill 2381, Exelon Generation joined the PJM Power Providers Group (P3) complaint at FERC seeking a revision to PJM's MOPR to preclude the exercise of buyer market power. In response to P3's complaint, PJM filed revisions to the MOPR which were largely approved by FERC in its April 12, 2011 Order. The revised MOPR, among other things, sets a minimum price level for sell offers for capacity from certain types of new generation resources submitted in PJM's capacity market auctions. While a number of state regulators and consumer groups opposed the MOPR revision, the changes were in line with recent FERC orders regarding capacity markets in the New York and New England ISOs. A number of parties filed for rehearing of the FERC order.

 

In May 2012, PJM announced the results of its capacity auction covering 2015/2016. Several new units with state-sanctioned subsidy contracts cleared in the auction at prices below the MOPR. There is potential that states will expand such state-sanctioned subsidy programs or that other states may seek to establish similar programs. Exelon believes that further revisions to the MOPR may be necessary to ensure that the potential to artificially reduce capacity auction prices is appropriately limited in PJM.

 

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Exelon, ComEd, PECO and BGE)

 

Exelon, ComEd, PECO and BGE prepare their consolidated financial statements in accordance with the authoritative guidance for accounting for certain types of regulation. Under this guidance, regulatory assets represent incurred costs that have been deferred because of their probable future recovery from customers through regulated rates. Regulatory liabilities represent the excess recovery of costs or accrued credits that have been deferred because it is probable such amounts will be returned to customers through future regulated rates or represent billings in advance of expenditures for approved regulatory programs.

 

The following tables provide information about the regulatory assets and liabilities of Exelon, ComEd, PECO and BGE as of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011. Upon consummation of the merger, the Registrants reclassified certain regulatory asset and liability balances as of December 31, 2011 in order to align the reporting of the regulated utilities. For additional information on the specific regulatory assets and liabilities, refer to Note 2 of the Exelon 2011 Form 10-K for Exelon, ComEd and PECO and Note 6 of BGE's 2011 Form 10-K.

 

June 30, 2012Exelon ComEd PECO BGE
                             
Regulatory assetsCurrent Noncurrent  Current Noncurrent  Current Noncurrent  Current Noncurrent 
Pension and other postretirement                           
 benefits(a)$262 $3,476  $0 $0  $3 $0  $2 $0 
Deferred income taxes 12  1,244   5  62   0  1,118   7  64 
AMI and smart meter programs 2  50   2  5   0  24   0  21 
Under-recovered distribution service                            
 costs 0  54   0  54   0  0   0  0 
Debt costs 14  75   11  68   3  7   2  9 
Fair value of BGE long-term debt (b) 48  232   0  0   0  0   0  0 
Fair value of BGE supply contract (c) 110  51   0  0   0  0   0  0 
Severance 29  42   25  25   0  0   4  17 
Asset retirement obligations  0  77   0  53   0  24   0  0 
MGP remediation costs  48  236   41  205   6  29   1  2 
RTO start-up costs  3  3   3  3   0  0   0  0 
Under-recovered electric universal                            
 service fund costs 9  0   0  0   9  0   0  0 
Financial swap with Generation 0  0   506  0   0  0   0  0 
Renewable energy and associated                            
 RECs 19  92   19  92   0  0   0  0 
Under-recovered energy and                            
 transmission costs  151  0   101  0   10(d) 0   40  0 
DSP Program costs 2  2   0  0   2  2   0  0 
Deferred storm costs 3  8   0  0   0  0   3  8 
Electric generation-related                            
 regulatory asset 16  48   0  0   0  0   16  48 
Rate stabilization deferral 65  269   0  0   0  0   65  269 
Energy efficiency and demand                           
 response programs 39  108   0  0   0  0   39  108 
Other  35  36   13  16   21  12   0  4 
                             
Total regulatory assets$867  6,103  $726 $583  $54 $1,216  $179 $550 

June 30, 2012Exelon ComEd PECO BGE
                             
Regulatory liabilitiesCurrent Noncurrent  Current Noncurrent  Current Noncurrent  Current Noncurrent 
Nuclear decommissioning$0 $2,352  $0 $1,960  $0 $392  $0 $0 
Removal costs  87  1,397   65  1,189   0  0   22  208 
Energy efficiency and demand                            
 response programs 31  72   19  0   12  72   0  0 
Electric distribution tax repairs 19  142   0  0   19  142   0  0 
Over-recovered distribution service                           
 costs 28  0   28  0   0  0   0  0 
Over-recovered uncollectible                            
 accounts 27  0   27  0   0  0   0  0 
Over-recovered energy and                            
 transmission costs 60  0   7  0   53(e) 0   0  0 
Over-recovered gas universal                            
 service fund costs 3  0   0  0   3  0   0  0 
Over-recovered AEPS costs 4  0   0  0   4  0   0  0 
                             
Total regulatory liabilities $259 $3,963  $146 $3,149  $91 $606  $22 $208 
                            

December 31, 2011Exelon ComEd PECO BGE
                             
Regulatory assetsCurrent Noncurrent  Current Noncurrent  Current Noncurrent  Current Noncurrent 
Pension and other postretirement                           
 benefits$204 $2,794  $0 $0  $7 $0  $3 $0 
Deferred income taxes 5  1,176   5  66   0  1,110   7  64 
AMI and smart meter programs 2  28   2  6   0  22   0  15 
Under-recovered distribution service                            
 costs 14  70   14  70   0  0   0  0 
Debt costs 18  81   15  73   3  8   2  10 
Severance 25  38   25  38   0  0   0  1 
Asset retirement obligations  0  74   0  50   0  24   0  0 
MGP remediation costs  30  129   24  91   6  38   1  2 
RTO start-up costs  3  4   3  4   0  0   0  0 
Under-recovered electric universal                            
 service fund costs 3  0   0  0   3  0   0  0 
Financial swap with Generation 0  0   503  191   0  0   0  0 
Renewable energy and associated                            
 RECs 9  97   9  97   0  0   0  0 
Under-recovered energy and                            
 transmission costs  57  0   48  0   9(d) 0   50  0 
DSP Program costs 3  2   0  0   3  2   0  0 
Deferred storm costs 0  0   0  0   0  0   3  9 
Electric generation-related                            
 regulatory asset 0  0   0  0   0  0   16  56 
Rate stabilization deferral 0  0   0  0   0  0   63  295 
Energy efficiency and demand                           
 response programs 0  0   0  0   0  0   29  95 
Other  17  25   9  13   8  12   0  3 
                             
Total regulatory assets$390 $4,518  $657 $699  $39 $1,216  $174 $550 

December 31, 2011Exelon ComEd PECO BGE
                             
Regulatory liabilitiesCurrent Noncurrent  Current Noncurrent  Current Noncurrent  Current Noncurrent 
Nuclear decommissioning$0 $2,222  $0 $1,857  $0 $365  $0 $0 
Removal costs  61  1,185   61  1,185   0  0   18  200 
Energy efficiency and demand                            
 response programs 49  69   49  0   0  69   0  0 
Electric distribution tax repairs 19  151   0  0   19  151   0  0 
Over-recovered uncollectible                            
 accounts 15  0   15  0   0  0   0  0 
Over-recovered energy and                            
 transmission costs 42  0   12  0   30(e) 0   0  0 
Over-recovered gas universal                            
 service fund costs 3  0   0  0   3  0   0  0 
Over-recovered AEPS costs 8  0   0  0   8  0   0  0 
                             
Total regulatory liabilities $197 $3,627  $137 $3,042  $60 $585  $18 $200 
                            

       

  • As of June 30, 2012, pension and other postretirement benefit regulatory assets include a regulatory asset established at the date of the merger related to the recognition of BGE's share of the underfunded status of the defined benefit postretirement plan as a liability on Exelon's Consolidated Balance Sheets. The regulatory asset is being amortized in accordance with the authoritative guidance for pensions and postretirement benefits over a period of approximately 12 years. BGE is currently recovering these costs through base rates. BGE is not earning a return on the recovery of these costs in base rates.
  • Represents the regulatory asset recorded at Exelon Corporate for the difference in the fair value of the long-term debt of BGE as of the merger date.
  • Represents the regulatory asset recorded at Exelon Corporate representing the fair value of BGE's supply contracts as of the close of the merger date. BGE is allowed full recovery of the costs of its electric and gas supply contracts through approved, regulated rates.
  • Relates to the under-recovered transmission costs.
  • Includes $12 million and $5 million related to the over-recovered natural gas costs under the PGC and $41 million and $25 million related to the over-recovered electric supply costs under the GSA as of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively.

 

Purchase of Receivables Programs (Exelon, ComEd, PECO, and BGE)

 

ComEd, PECO and BGE are required, under separate legislation and regulations in Illinois, Pennsylvania and Maryland, respectively, to purchase certain receivables from retail electric and natural gas suppliers. For retail suppliers participating in the utilities' consolidated billing, ComEd, PECO and BGE must purchase their customer accounts receivables. ComEd and BGE purchase receivables at a discount to primarily recover uncollectible accounts expense from the suppliers. PECO is required to purchase receivables at face value and permitted to recover uncollectible accounts expense from customers through distribution rates. Purchased receivables are classified in other accounts receivable, net on Exelon's, ComEd's, PECO's and BGE's Consolidated Balance Sheets. The following tables provide information about the purchased receivables of the Registrants as of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011.

As of June 30, 2012Exelon ComEd PECO BGE
Purchased receivables (a)$ 156 $ 29 $ 63 $ 64
Allowance for uncollectible accounts (b)  (11)   (2)   (5)   (4)
Purchased receivables, net$ 145 $ 27 $ 58 $ 60
             
As of December 31, 2011Exelon ComEd PECO BGE
Purchased receivables (a)$ 68 $ 16 $ 52 $ 61
Allowance for uncollectible accounts (b)  (5)   -   (5)   (3)
Purchased receivables, net$ 63 $ 16 $ 47 $ 58

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(a)       PECO's gas POR program became effective on January 1, 2012 and includes a 1% discount on purchased receivables in order to recover the implementation costs of the program. If the costs are not fully recovered when PECO files its next gas distribution rate case, PECO will propose a mechanism to recover the remaining implementation costs as a distribution charge to low volume transportation customers or apply future discounts on purchased receivables from natural gas suppliers serving those customers.

(b)       For ComEd and BGE, reflects the incremental allowance for uncollectible accounts recorded, which is in addition to the purchase discount. For ComEd, the incremental uncollectible accounts expense is recovered through its Purchase of Receivables with Consolidated Billing (PORCB) tariff.