Investments
Ameren and Ameren Missouri evaluate for impairment the investments held in Ameren Missouri’s nuclear decommissioning trust fund. Losses on assets in the trust fund could result in higher funding requirements for decommissioning costs, which Ameren Missouri believes would be recovered in electric rates paid by its customers. Accordingly, Ameren and Ameren Missouri recognize a regulatory asset on their balance sheets for losses on investments held in the nuclear decommissioning trust fund.
Purchased Gas, Power and Fuel Rate-adjustment Mechanisms
Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois have various rate-adjustment mechanisms in place that provide for the recovery of purchased natural gas and electric fuel and purchased power costs. See Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters for the regulatory assets and liabilities recorded at December 31, 2013, and 2012, related to the rate-adjustment mechanisms discussed below.
In Ameren Missouri’s and Ameren Illinois’ retail natural gas utility jurisdictions, changes in natural gas costs are reflected in billings to their natural gas utility customers through PGA clauses. The differences between actual natural gas costs and costs billed to customers in a given period are deferred as regulatory assets or liabilities. The deferred amounts are either billed or refunded to natural gas utility customers in a subsequent period.
In Ameren Illinois’ retail electric utility jurisdictions, changes in purchased power and transmission service costs are reflected in billings to their electric utility customers through pass-through rate-adjustment clauses. The differences between actual purchased power and transmission service costs and costs billed to customers in a given period are deferred as regulatory assets or liabilities. The deferred amounts are either billed or refunded to electric utility customers in a subsequent period.
Ameren Missouri has a FAC that allows an adjustment of electric rates three times per year for a pass-through to customers of 95% of changes in fuel, certain fuel additives, emission allowances, purchased power costs, transmission costs and revenues, and MISO costs and revenues, net of off-system sales revenues, greater or less than the amount set in base rates without a traditional rate proceeding, subject to MoPSC prudency review. The differences between the cost of fuel incurred and the cost of fuel recovered from Ameren Missouri customers' base rates are deferred as regulatory assets or liabilities. The deferred amounts are either billed or refunded to Ameren Missouri’s electric utility customers in a subsequent period.
Accounting for MISO Transactions
Certain Ameren subsidiaries are regulated by the MoPSC, the ICC, and FERC. In accordance with authoritative accounting guidance regarding accounting for the effects of certain types of regulation, Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois defer certain costs as assets pursuant to actions of rate regulators or because of expectations that the companies will be able to recover such costs in rates charged to customers. Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois also defer certain amounts as liabilities pursuant to actions of rate regulators or based on the expectation that such amounts will be returned to customers in future rates. Regulatory assets and liabilities are amortized consistent with the period of expected regulatory treatment. In addition to the cost recovery mechanisms discussed in the Purchased Gas, Power and Fuel Rate-adjustment Mechanisms section below, Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois have approvals from regulators to use other cost recovery mechanisms. Ameren Missouri has a vegetation management and infrastructure inspection cost tracker, a pension and postretirement benefit cost tracker, an uncertain tax positions tracker, a renewable energy standards cost tracker, a storm restoration cost tracker, and the MEEIA energy efficiency rider. In addition to participating in the IEIMA's formula rate regulatory framework, Ameren Illinois has an environmental cost rider, an asbestos-related litigation rider, an energy efficiency rider, and a bad debt rider. See Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters for additional information on regulatory assets and liabilities. In addition, other costs that Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois expect to recover from customers are recorded as construction work in progress and property and plant, net. See Note 3 – Property and Plant, Net.
Environmental Costs
Liabilities for environmental costs are recorded on an undiscounted basis when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated. Costs are expensed or deferred as a regulatory asset when it is expected that the costs will be recovered from customers in future rates. If environmental expenditures are related to facilities currently in use, such as pollution control equipment, the cost is capitalized and depreciated over the expected life of the asset.
