roundtable questions topics list · 2017. 5. 17. · 1 . roundtable questions. topics list . please...
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1
ROUNDTABLE QUESTIONS
TOPICS LIST
Please indicate on the roundtable question sheet (under TOPIC) one of the following topics which most nearly fits your roundtable question. If a major topic has not been listed, please add your own topic.
□ Accounting □ Management Practices (Training/Staffing) □ Account Classification □ Minor Items of Property □ AFUDC □ Non-utility Plant □ Automated Systems □ Budgets
□ Nuclear □ Overheads
□ Capital vs. Expense □ Plant Life Extensions □ Capitalization □ Production Plant □ Cogeneration □ Rate Case Treatment □ Competition / Deregulation □ Records Retention □ Computer & Communication Equipment
□ Regulatory Matters □ Relocations
□ Construction Work in Process □ Research & Development □ Continuing Property Records □ Retirement Practices □ Cost Allocations □ Scrap Material □ Cost of Removal / Salvage □ Small Tools □ Contributions in Aid of Construction □ Standard Lost □ Depreciation □ Storm Damages □ FASB 96 / 106 / 109 / 121 & Others □ Tax Matters (Deferred, ITC, etc.) □ Fiber Optics □ Units of Property □ General Plant □ Unitization □ Insurance Recoveries □ Waste Disposal □ Inventories □ Work Order System □ Joint-Owned Facilities □ Other _______________________ □ Leases
2
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Pei Sue Ong________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Account Classification __________________________________________
Topic
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)___________________________________________
Company
[email protected]______________________________________________________________
Question
Which asset class do you assign to “retirement units” that are installed at a training facility for the purpose of employee training? E.g. Poles that are installed at training facilities for employees to learn how to climb poles.
(a) Functional account in Distribution or Transmission Plant (e.g. FERC Acct 364 Poles/Towers/Fixtures)
(b) Building Structure and Improvements in General Plant (e.g. FERC Acct 390 Structure and Improvements)
(c) Tools in General Plant (e.g. FERC Acct 394) (d) Other. Please describe_______________________________ (e) Expensed
3
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Pei Sue Ong________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Automated Systems __________________________________________
Topic
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)__________________________________________
Company
[email protected]______________________________________________________________
Question
(i) Does your company use Geographical Information System (GIS)? (ii) Has your company reconciled your plant accounting asset records with GIS? (iii) Has your company automated the receipt of quantity information from GIS into Plant
Accounting Asset records systems?
4
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Paul Mertens____________ ____________________________________________________
Submitted By
Benefit Costs __________________________________________
Topic
Ameren
Company
Question
When capitalizing benefits, does your company use actual expenses incurred or expected annual expenses?
5
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Duke Energy ______________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Betterments _________________________________
Topic
Duke Energy _____________________________________
Company
[email protected] _______________________________
Linda Miller, Manager Accounting _________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Pertaining to FERC CFR Electric Instruction No.10 regarding additions of minor items:
Would you capitalize the betterment of a minor item, even though it is not being replaced?
Example: a weld as a minor item to pipe, where the weld is being bettered to avoid degradation, but the pipe is not specifically benefiting because its durability is sufficient.
6
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Jessica Helland_____________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Capital Policy_______________________________________________________________
Topic
Xcel Energy_________________________________________________________________
Company
[email protected]_______________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Does your company have an Electric Vehicle program where the meter is embedded in the supply equipment? If so, is the cost to install the supply equipment/meter capitalized?
7
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Jessica Helland_____________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Capital Policy_______________________________________________________________
Topic
Xcel Energy________________________________________________________________
Company
[email protected]_______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Does your company currently capitalized SaaS software licenses if they meet accounting requirements (contractual right to take possession with no significant penalty and ability to move solution on premises)? If so, are they only capitalized if prepaid?
8
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Andee Hughes_____________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Capitalization vs Expense____________________________________________________
Topic
Southwest Gas Corporation _________________________________________________
Company
[email protected]__________________________________________________
Andee Hughes_____________________________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Do you capitalize employee time when updating the mapping system for new assets?
9
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Andee Hughes_____________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Capitalization vs Expense____________________________________________________
Topic
Southwest Gas Corporation _________________________________________________
Company
[email protected]__________________________________________________
Andee Hughes_____________________________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Do you capitalize or expense costs related to recertification of contractors that are performing construction work? Due to regulations, this recertification is required and the contractors will not be allowed to install pipe without it.
10
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Andee Hughes_____________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Capitalization vs Expense____________________________________________________
Topic
Southwest Gas Corporation _________________________________________________
Company
[email protected]__________________________________________________
Andee Hughes_____________________________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Do you capitalize or expense costs for refurbishing meters? The original meter is not retired. The meter is sent back to the manufacturer to refurbish these meters and the meters are placed back into the system once it is received back from the manufacturer. The cost to refurbish the meter is 1/3 the cost of purchasing a new meter.
11
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Pei Sue Ong________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Capital vs. Expense __________________________________________
Topic
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)__________________________________________
Company
[email protected]______________________________________________________________
Question
What’s your guideline on development costs for energy storage facilities?
i. Do you defer or expense preliminary survey and investigation costs as required by the competitive bid for specific energy storage facilities prior to the bid approval? Defer ______ Expense ______ (Please select your choice if not applicable)
ii. If expensed, how do you record the expense? O&M ______ Below-the-Line ______
iii. If deferred, how do you record the write-off for failed bid? O&M ______ Below-the-Line ______
12
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Sylvia Cunningham
Submitted By
Continuing Property Records______ ____________________________________________
Topic
NorthWestern Energy__________________________________________________________
Company
[email protected]____________________________________________
Sylvia Cunningham ______________________________________________
Member Name
Question
How does your company retain old source documents (i.e. journal entries, vouchers)? Property accounting related source documents?
Electronically (i.e. scanned)?
Paper files ?
Microfiche?
Microfilm?
13
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Duke Energy__________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Indirect Construction Costs _________________________________
Topic
Duke Energy _____________________________________
Company
[email protected] _______________________________
Linda Miller, Manager Accounting ________________________________________________
Member Name
Question
When office space is needed for incremental employees due to a specific construction initiative, and the leased space does not qualify for capital lease, would you capitalize the lease expenses because it is necessitated by the construction initiative?
14
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Vicky Schappell______________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Litigation Costs________________________________________________________________
Topic
UGI Utilities__________________________________________________________________
Company
[email protected]__________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Does your company capitalize or expense any litigation costs associated with moving meters
from inside to outside?
15
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Duke Energy__________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Substation Capitalization Thresholds _________________________________
Topic
Duke Energy _____________________________________
Company
[email protected] _______________________________
Linda Miller, Manager Accounting_________________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Do you have either a voltage or dollar floor for capitalization of substation instrumentation and control retirement units?
Example: relay greater than $5,000 or motor control greater than 480 Volts AC?
16
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Paul Mertens________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Unitization_____ ____________________________
Topic
Ameren
Company
Question
What is an acceptable unitization backlog for your company?
Less than 6 months – If less than 6 months, how do you record late charges? Do you have to re-unitize the incremental costs?
Six Months to a year
One to two years
Greater than two years
17
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Jim Dugan _______ __________________________________________
Submitted By
Asset Retirement Obligations ________________________________________
Topic
Eversource Energy _________________________________________________
Company
[email protected] ____________________________________
Michele Roncaioli _ _______________________________________
Member Name
Question
Do you get recovery on your Asset Retirement Obligations?
Does your company clear the regulatory asset and liability and charge the removal costs to COR?
18
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Janessa Stromberger _________________________________________________
Submitted By
Project Structure ____ ____________________________________
Topic
Avista Corporation _________________________________________________
Company
[email protected] ____________________________________
___________________ ______________________________
Member Name
Question
When setting up a project, do you have a different project for each functional group, one project that encompasses all of the work (tran, dist, substation, etc), or other?
19
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Caron Wold_____________________________ ____________________
Submitted By
Spare Equipment__________________________ ______________
Topic
American Transmission Co_________________________________________________
Company
[email protected] ___________________ _________________
________________________________ ______________ _
Member Name
Question
Do you capitalize spare minor units of property?
20
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Caron Wold______________________________ ___________________
Submitted By
Spare Equipment_____________________ ___________________
Topic
American Transmission Co_________________________________________________
Company
[email protected] _____________ _______________________
_______________________ __________________________
Member Name
Question
Does your company have a policy for capitalization of spare equipment that specifies how many units of each type of equipment can be kept as capital spares and included in rate base?
21
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Caron Wold_________________________________ ________________
Submitted By
Capital Work Orders________________________ ________________
Topic
American Transmission Co_________________________________________________
Company
[email protected] ____________________ ________________
________________________________________ _________
Member Name
Question
Does your company have a policy that addresses how long past the in-service date a work order may be charged? If so, is it 0-3 months? 3-6 months? 6-12 months? 12+ months?
22
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Caron Wold______________________________________ ___________
Submitted By
Capital Work Orders_________________________ _______________
Topic
American Transmission Co________________________________________ _________
Company
[email protected] ___________________________________ _
________________________________ _________________
Member Name
Question
Does your company have a policy regarding timely unitization? What is your target time from work order completion to unitization? 0-3 months? 3-6 months? 6+ months?
23
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Caron Wold__________ _______________________________________
Submitted By
ARO_________ _______________________________
Topic
American Transmission Co_________________________________________________
Company
[email protected] ______ ______________________________
____________ _____________________________________
Member Name
Question
If you had a requirement to either dispose of an asset in a certain way or recycle it, would you record an ARO for disposal costs if it is your practice to recycle?
24
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Caron Wold__________ _______________________________________
Submitted By
ARO_________ _______________________________
Topic
American Transmission Co_________________________________________________
Company
[email protected] ______ ______________________________
____________ _____________________________________
Member Name
Question
Do you record AROs for substation batteries?
25
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Joe Cedrone__________________________ _______________
Submitted By
Inside Plant Accounting Manual__________________ ________
Topic
Consolidated Edison _____________ ________________
Company
[email protected] ______________________________ ___
_________________________________________ ________
Member Name
Question
Does your company have capitalization manuals for Inside/Outside Plant? If so:
1) Are they available to Operations/Engineering employees? ____Y/N____ 2) Major update/review for updates: continuous, every 1-3, 4-6, 7-10, >10 3) Do you update your retirement unit catalogue based on new technology?
26
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Joe Cedrone__________________________ _______________
Submitted By
Replacing Transformer Cooling Fans______________ ________
Topic
Consolidated Edison _____________ ________________
Company
[email protected] ______________________________ ___
_________________________________________ ________
Member Name
Question
Would the replacement of Transformer Cooling Fans with dual speed capabilities (Minor Item of the Transformer at Con Edison) be considered Capital or Expense? If capital, is it a standalone asset, betterment, other…?
27
MULTIPLE CHOICE/ YES-NO
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Jessica Thayer________________________ _______________
Submitted By
Cost of Removal/Meters ______________ ________
Topic
CenterPoint Energy _____________ ________________
Company
[email protected]________________ ___
Jessica Thayer _________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Do you capitalize electric meters upon purchase? If so, do you accrue for cost of removal on electric meters?
28
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Pei Sue Ong________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Accounting Classification ______ ____________
Topic
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)___________________________________________
Company
[email protected]______________________________________________________________
Question
(a) Does your company track transmission asset designations between ISO and non-ISO assets?
(b) If yes, please describe your tracking mechanism and process.
29
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Paul Mertens____________________________ ____________________________________
Submitted By
Asset Splits ______ ____________
Topic
Ameren
Company
Question
Does your company split physical assets between affiliates?
Yes – If yes, what is the GAAP guidance which allows for the splitting of a physical asset? Is there an agreement which specifies the ability of one company to divest of their share?
No
30
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Duke Energy _____________________________________
Submitted By
Agile – Software project development methodology_________________________________
Topic
Duke Energy _____________________________________
Company
[email protected] _______________________________
Linda Miller, Manager Accounting_______________________________________________
Member Name
Question
For Agile developed projects with multiple release dates, what criteria do you use to determine when to put a release in-service and begin depreciation? Please provide your GAAP support.
31
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Duke Energy _____________________________________
Submitted By
Agile – Software project development methodology_________________________________
Topic
Duke Energy _____________________________________
Company
[email protected] _______________________________
Linda Miller, Manager Accounting_________________________________________________
Member Name
Question
For Agile developed projects with multiple release dates, do you consider the number or proportion of total end-users using the new system/functionality when determining whether the release is in production and should begin depreciation?
For example, subject matter experts that “beta test” the functionality prior to wider release may use portions of the functionality as others are being developed.
32
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Duke Energy _____________________________________
Submitted By
Agile – Software project development methodology_________________________________
Topic
Duke Energy _____________________________________
Company
[email protected] _______________________________
Linda Miller, Manager Accounting_______________________________________________
Member Name
Question
For Agile developed projects with multiple release dates, if you use Power Plan or another project accounting system, do you set up a separate capital charging project for each release? Please explain your process.
33
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Jessica Helland_____________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Capital Policy________________________________________________________________
Topic
Xcel Energy_________________________________________________________________
Company
[email protected]________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Does your company have additional major units identified for larger property units? For example, a regular pump has one set of capitalizable major components (i.e., assemblies, motor) but a pump over 1,000 HP has those components, plus additional major components (i.e., pulleys, housings, piping, etc.)?
34
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Paul Mertens________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Capitalization of Cloud Accounting ______ ____________
Topic
Ameren
Company
Question
These questions have to do with capitalizing cloud applications.
Has your company capitalized any cloud applications to date?
If so, what is the largest project you have capitalized?
What were your biggest hurdles in capitalization?
Have your auditors expressed an opinion on capitalization of the cloud application?
If looking at capitalizing, how do you analyze significant penalty when assessing the cost to bring the cloud software in-house? Is it based on the penalty per the software vendor contract or the penalty per the cost of the entire project? What percentage do you consider significant? 10%, 25%,??
35
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Pei Sue Ong________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Continuing Property Records ______ ____________
Topic
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)___________________________________________
Company
[email protected]______________________________________________________________
Question
How many categories of “tools” does your company maintain in your continuing property records?
(a) One (b) Two or more. Please describe: _______________________________
36
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Pei Sue Ong________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Continuing Property Records ______ ____________
Topic
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)___________________________________________
Company
[email protected]______________________________________________________________
Question
(a) Do you break out electric tower foundation as a retirement unit? Yes____ No ____ (b) Do you break down electric tower foundation into multiple retirement units? Yes_____
No_____ If yes, please describe related retirement units___________________________________
37
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Donna Wheeler________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Cost of Removal / Salvage _________________________________
Topic
Idaho Power Company ______ _______________________________
Company
[email protected] _______________________________
Idaho Power Company _______________________________________________
Member Name
Background: “When retirement, costs of removal and salvage are entered originally in retirement work orders, the net total of such work orders may be included in a separate subaccount hereunder. Upon completion of the work order, the proper distributions of subdivisions of this account shall be made”
CFR, Balance Sheet Accounts, 108 Accumulated provision for depreciation of electric utility plant, paragraph B.
Question: How does your utility allocate the entries for removal costs to plant subaccounts upon completion of a work order, if the work order activities are associated with multiple subaccounts?
1. Allocation based upon the value of the work order retirement units a. Using retirement unit historical average book cost (across all vintages) b. Using retirement unit average book cost by vintage year(s) retired in the work
order c. Other
2. A standard cost method of estimated cost to remove retirement units (i.e. based upon time and motion studies)
3. Other
38
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Duke Energy__________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Indirect Construction Costs _________________________________
Topic
Duke Energy _____________________________________
Company
[email protected] _______________________________
Linda Miller, Manager Accounting __________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Regarding construction overhead costs, what administrative/back-office roles charge some or all of their time to capital, where their costs are incremental due to construction work?
Is the answer different for a shorter-term capital initiative where the personnel’s time is easily identifiable and tracked?
Does the role need to be specifically identifiable to a project?
39
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Duke Energy__________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Indirect Construction Costs _________________________________
Topic
Duke Energy _____________________________________
Company
[email protected] _______________________________
Linda Miller, Manager Accounting _______________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Do you capitalize any portion of capitalization governance personnel time?
If so, what activities do you view as capital in nature?
40
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Pei Sue Ong________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Other – Operative Date for IT Projects ______ ____________
Topic
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)___________________________________________
Company
[email protected]______________________________________________________________
Question
What is your guideline for determining the “used-and-useful” date for you IT software asset, that has phased roll-out dates, that will include continued software development? (E.g. When rolling out a new AP software, the Company may roll-out the software for IT organization first, then continue with additional software development/customizations before rolling it out to the Electric organization four months later)
(a) Asset is used-and useful when all development work is complete (when it is rolled out to the Electric organization).
(b) Asset is used-and-useful upon first roll-out to IT. Subsequent software development work is charged to the SAME order.
(c) Asset is used-and-useful upon first roll-out to IT. Subsequent software development work is charged to a SEPARATE order and marked operative four months later.
(d) Project should have had 2 separate orders that were set up at the beginning of the project. All common costs would be allocated to the 2 separate orders, with the IT order being marked used and useful when rolled-out, and the 2nd order is marked “used and useful” at a later point in time.
(e) Other. Please describe: ___________________
41
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Pei Sue Ong________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Other - Process ______________________ ____________
Topic
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)___________________________________________
Company
[email protected]______________________________________________________________
Question
What is your guideline for managing projects that contain both electric transmission (ET) and electric distribution (ED) jobs? (e.g. a new electric transmission tower may require changes made to an existing electric distribution underbuild asset)
(i) For Plant Asset Records: (a) Separate job orders are used to track different work – one for ET and one for ED. (b) Costs are initially charged to one order, and manual journal entry is processed to
transfer distribution costs to distribution assets. (c) Costs are initially charged to one order, and system allows one order to track/record
separate ET and ED assets. (d) Other: Please describe____________________
(ii) For capital forecast purposes:
(a) If one order is used for a major ET project that requires ED work, do you forecast in rate case for ED work that is embedded in the project? Yes_____ or No______
(b) If yes, what process is used? Please describe: __________________________________
42
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Terrie Reingold ___________________________________ ______________
Submitted By
Special Facilities ______________________ __________________
Topic
Idaho Power Company ______________________________ ___________________
Company
[email protected] _________ __________________________
Terrie Reingold ____________________ ____________________
Member Name
Background info: Our facilities charge option is way to assist large-load customers in their efforts to expand and increase energy usage, where the utility owns, operates, and maintains facilities beyond the point of delivery in consideration for a monthly fee. Currently, the only other option is for the customer is to own and maintain their own facilities beyond the point of delivery. Customers are seeking other options such as paying up front for facilities that the utility would still own, operate, and maintain with a lower monthly facilities charge.
Question: Do you offer an arrangement to your Primary Service Level (Large Power) customers to provide transformers and other facilities installed beyond the point of delivery, that the utility owns, operates and maintains, in consideration for a monthly fee?
a.) Yes b.) No
If so, what is the basis of the fee?
a.) A monthly fee based on a percentage of the initial investment of the facilities installed. b.) A monthly fee based on the total transformation (KVA) on site. c.) Customer pays total work order cost for installations and removals up front;
with a monthly maintenance fee without a monthly maintenance fee
d.) Other.
If the utility does offer such an arrangement for Primary Service Level customers, how do you track your plant assets / facilities at each customer’s site?
43
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Paul Mertens ________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
Useful Life ______________________ __________________
Topic
Ameren
Company
Question
Does the useful life of any of your software assets fall into the following categories?
* 0-4 years
* 5-9 years
* 10-14 years (how many)
* 15-19 years (how many)
* 20+ years (how many) - What type of assets do you have in this category?
44
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Pei Sue Ong________________________________________________________________
Submitted By
AFUDC ______________________ __________________
Topic
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)___________________________________________
Company
[email protected]______________________________________________________________
Question
When calculating whether any short term debt is used in the AFUDC rate calculation, which of the following are offset as uses of ST debt? (choose all that apply): 1. short term deposits 2. balancing account/memo account balances (trackers) 3. nuclear fuel 4. Fuel Oil Inventory 5. Gas Inventory 6. Net cash collateral postings (for procurement) 7. Other (please fill in ______________________)
45
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Jim Dugan___________________________________ ______________
Submitted By
Asset Retirement Obligations______________________ __________________
Topic
Eversource Energy______________________________ ___________________
Company
[email protected]__________ __________________________
Michele Roncaioli____________________ ____________________
Member Name
Question
Do you account for gain/loss associated with ARO Settlement for your regulated companies?
If yes what FERC accounts do you use?
46
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Lindsay Ekblade _________________________________________________
Submitted By
Fuel Cells in substations ________________________________________
Topic
Eversource Energy _________________________________________________
Company
[email protected] ____________________________________
Michele Roncaioli ________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Eversource engineering has proposed a project to install fuel cells in several distribution substations.
1) Does your company currently utilize fuel cells in distribution substations? 2) If yes, are they classified as distribution or generation assets? 3) What utility account do they reside in?
47
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Andrienne Ashmeade _________________________________________________
Submitted By
Transmission ________________________________________
Topic
Eversource Energy _________________________________________________
Company
[email protected] ____________________________________
Michele Roncaioli ________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Should chemical trace injection and the fees associated with this process be capitalized cost or expense? Purpose: Contractor shall provide tracer leak location services on an emergency response basis for the mitigation of dielectric fluid leak on and underground Transmission pipe type cable lines. Scope of work: Contractor shall respond and begin injection to the underground lines. Upon completion of injection the contractor shall begin leak searching using vehicle mounted instrumentation. Contractor will supply tracer and injection equipment to inoculate proper concentrations of dielectric tracer into the transmission pipe type cable system circulating at given GPM rates. Costs applied to: Mobilization, prep fee, injection, and single leak search.
48
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Theresa Nanny_______________________________ __________________
Submitted By
Transmission Asset Retirements___________________________ _____________
Topic
Avista Corporation_____________________________________ ____________
Company
[email protected] ___________________ _________________
Catherine Mueller___________________________ _____________
Member Name
Question
How are companies retiring transmission assets? Do you look through property records to identify assets to retire? Do you use the Handy Whitman index to come up with values to retire?
49
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Catherine Mueller__________________________________________ _______
Submitted By
Auto Retirement of Communication Assets__ ______________________________
Topic
Avista Corporation________________________ _________________________
Company
[email protected] _________________ ___________________
Kellee Quick _________________ ___________________
Member Name
Question
Do other utilities auto retire Communication assets from 397 FERC accounts?
This is an area where there’s concern that ware are not receiving property removal notices in a timely manner, and perhaps not at all. If you practice auto retirements for 397, how is your experience?
50
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Catherine Mueller__________________________________________ _______
Submitted By
Auto Retirement of Fleet Assets__________ ______________________________
Topic
Avista Corporation________________________ _________________________
Company
[email protected] _________________ ___________________
Kellee Quick _________________ ___________________
Member Name
Question
Do other utilities auto retire Fleet assets from 392 and 396 FERC accounts?
Fleet can provide information as to the expected life of the asset and if set up as automatic retirements, we would not have to track down property removal notices from the people in the Fleet department. Any thoughts or feedback?
51
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Caron Wold___________________________ ______________________
Submitted By
Spare Equipment__________________________ ______________
Topic
American Transmission Co____________________________ _____________________
Company
[email protected] _______________________ _____________
_______________________________ __________________
Member Name
Question
How do you differentiate between capital spares and inventory?
52
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Caron Wold__________________________ _______________
Submitted By
Capitalization________________________________ ________
Topic
American Transmission Co_____________ ________________
Company
[email protected] _________________________________ ___
_________________________________________ ________
Member Name
Question
Do you capitalize steel structure painting? If so, what is your justification?
53
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Joe Cedrone__________________________ _______________
Submitted By
Electric/Gas Meter Inventory_____________________ ________
Topic
Consolidated Edison _____________ ________________
Company
[email protected] ______________________________ ___
_________________________________________ ________
Member Name
Question
The Electric/Gas meter is considered a retirement unit at Con Edison. Does your company consider any other minor components of the meter a unit of property? Example: Current Transformer, Potential Transformer, Communication Equipment, Relays?
54
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Joe Cedrone__________________________ _______________
Submitted By
Design Deficiencies of Fixed Assets_____________________ __
Topic
Consolidated Edison _____________ ________________
Company
[email protected] ______________________________ ___
_________________________________________ ________
Member Name
Question
Is your capitalization policy different for your regulated vs. non-regulated companies?
Does your utility or non-regulated business capitalize costs related to design deficiencies?
If so, does your company require that the operating group demonstrates a certain level of added value from remediating such deficiencies in order to treat as capital rather than expense?
55
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Joe Cedrone__________________________ _______________
Submitted By
Rate Case Revenue _____________________ __
Topic
Consolidated Edison _____________ ________________
Company
[email protected] ______________________________ ___
_________________________________________ ________
Member Name
Question
How does your Company prepare the rate case revenue requirement model, including the rate base and cost of service schedules?
a) System b) Spreadsheets c) Other____________________________________________
How does your Company track and analyze the actual vs. allowed ROEs?
a) System b) Spreadsheets c) Other____________________________________________
56
OPEN DISCUSSION
AGA/EEI ROUNDTABLE QUESTION
Jessica Thayer________________________ _______________
Submitted By
AR 15 for General Plant ______________ ________
Topic
CenterPoint Energy _____________ ________________
Company
[email protected]________________ ___
Jessica Thayer _________________________________________
Member Name
Question
Do you apply AR 15 on the allowable general plant asset classes? If so, have you ever received objections from your state commissions that the “used and useful” test is not being satisfied where AR 15 is being applied? Have you ever had to make adjustments to rate base as a result of applying AR 15?