SECTION 56-609. Upstream natural gas supply infrastructure projects

A. As used in this section, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Eligible natural gas supply infrastructure costs" includes the investment in eligible natural gas supply infrastructure projects and the following:

1. Return on the investment. In calculating the return on investment, the Commission shall use the natural gas utility's then in effect weighted average cost of capital, including the cost of debt and equity, based on its regulatory capital structure used in determining the natural gas utility's base rates. The investment will be multiplied by the weighted average cost of capital to determine the return on investment;

2. A revenue conversion factor. Such factor, including income taxes, shall be applied to the required operating income resulting from the eligible natural gas supply infrastructure costs;

3. Operating and maintenance expense, which includes the amount of operating and maintenance expense utilized in production wells, processing the gas produced, and gathering, transmission, and distribution lines delivering the gas to a pipeline or distribution system;

4. Depreciation. In calculating depreciation, the Commission shall use the natural gas utility's current depreciation rates for investments in distribution infrastructure, as set out by appropriate asset class. The utility shall propose a basis for recovering for the depreciation or depletion of investments in other asset classes in the natural gas supply investment plan, including investments in natural gas reserves that will deplete based on their useful life or of associated facilities that may be retired upon depletion of natural gas reserves;

5. Property tax, severance tax, and any other taxes or government fees associated with production and transmission of natural gas; and

6. Carrying costs on the over-recovery or under-recovery of the eligible natural gas supply infrastructure costs. In calculating the carrying costs, the Commission shall use the natural gas utility's regulatory capital structure as determined in subdivision 1 of this definition.

"Eligible natural gas supply infrastructure projects" means capital investments in natural gas reserves and upstream pipelines and facilities that, alone or in combination with other projects or strategies, offer reasonably anticipated benefits to customers and markets, which benefits mean (i) savings in the delivered cost of gas versus long-term forward market projections available to the natural gas utility at the time of the capital investment or other alternatives, (ii) a reduction in the utility's overall portfolio price volatility, (iii) reduction in the utility's overall supply risk, or (iv) any combination of the savings or reductions described in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii). Any such customer benefit benchmarks shall be outlined in the natural gas utility's filings with the Commission pursuant to this section.

"Investment" means actual costs incurred on eligible natural gas supply infrastructure projects, including planning, development, and construction costs; actual costs of infrastructure associated therewith; and an allowance for funds used during construction. In calculating the allowance for funds used during construction, the Commission shall use the natural gas utility's actual regulatory capital structure as determined in subdivision 1 of the definition of eligible natural gas supply infrastructure costs.

"Natural gas reserves and upstream pipelines and facilities" means investments in natural gas reserves, production facilities (including equipment required to prepare the natural gas for use), gathering, transmission, and, within the natural gas utility's certificated service territory, any distribution pipelines necessary to deliver the reserves, and above-ground and below-ground storage used in the delivery of gas to existing natural gas transmission pipelines or distribution systems.

"Natural gas supply investment plan" means a plan filed by a natural gas utility that identifies proposed eligible natural gas supply infrastructure projects and its development of those projects with or without a third party.

B. A natural gas utility shall have the right to recover eligible natural gas supply infrastructure costs on an ongoing basis through the gas cost component of the utility's rate structure or other recovery mechanism approved by the Commission, provided that any such mechanism shall properly allocate costs. Natural gas utilities using the cost of service methodology set forth in § 56-235.2 or a performance-based regulation plan authorized by § 56-235.2 shall be eligible to file a plan. The plan shall include a timeline for the investment and completion of the proposed eligible natural gas supply infrastructure projects; provide for an estimated schedule for recovery of the related eligible natural gas supply infrastructure costs through the gas cost component of the utility's rate structure or other mechanism, including proposed depreciation rates for investments in non-distribution asset classes and how any revenue gains from the use of the pipelines by third parties will be used to offset eligible natural gas supply infrastructure costs; and demonstrate that the plan is in the public interest with due consideration to providing a portion of the utility's delivered supply at prices at or below the long-term projections as available and defined in the natural gas utility's filing, or reduction in the utility's overall supply risk, or reduction in the utility's overall portfolio price volatility, or a combination thereof. No project may provide an annual volume of natural gas that exceeds 12.5 percent of the natural gas utility's annual firm sales demand, and no combination of projects may provide an annual volume of natural gas that exceeds 25 percent of the natural gas utility's annual firm sales demand. The natural gas utility's weather-normalized firm sales demand for the calendar year preceding the application shall be deemed to establish the annual firm sales demand for the purposes of calculating the volume and volumetric limits of projects. In no case shall any investment in reserves exceed 20 years. The Commission shall approve such a plan upon a finding that it is in the public interest after notice and an opportunity for hearing in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

C. In addition to the items included in the plan as specified in subsection B, the plan may provide the utility with an option to receive the gas or sell the gas at market prices. A utility proposing this option as part of its plan shall propose how any revenue gains from the sale of the gas will be used to reduce the cost of gas to its customers. The Commission shall approve or deny, within 180 days, a natural gas utility's initial application for a natural gas supply infrastructure plan. A plan filed pursuant to this section shall not require the filing of rate case schedules. The Commission shall approve or deny, within 120 days, a natural gas utility's application to amend a previously approved plan. If the Commission denies such a plan or amendment, it shall set forth with specificity the reasons for such denial, and the utility shall have the right to refile, without prejudice, an amended plan or amendment within 60 days, and the Commission shall thereafter have 60 days to approve or deny the amended plan or amendment. If the plan is filed as part of a general rate case using the cost of service methodology set forth in § 56-235.2 or a performance-based regulation plan authorized by § 56-235.2 , then the Commission shall approve or deny the plan concurrent with or as part of the general rate case decision.

D. No other revenue requirement or ratemaking issues shall be examined in consideration of the initial plan filed pursuant to the provisions of this section.

E. A gas utility with an approved natural gas supply infrastructure plan shall annually file a report of the eligible natural gas supply infrastructure investment made, the eligible natural gas supply infrastructure costs incurred and the amount of such costs recovered, the volume of gas delivered to customers or sold to third parties during the 12-month reporting period, and an analysis of the price of gas delivered to the natural gas utility customers and the market cost of gas during the 12-month period. However, such analysis shall not affect a gas utility's right to recover all eligible natural gas supply infrastructure costs as set forth in subsection B. The report shall also identify the balance of over-recovery or under-recovery of the eligible natural gas supply infrastructure costs at the end of the reporting period and the projected investment to be made, the projected infrastructure costs to be incurred, and the projected costs to be recovered during the next 12-month reporting period.

F. Costs recovered pursuant to this section shall be in addition to all other costs that the natural gas utility is permitted to recover and shall not be considered an offset to other Commission-approved costs of service or revenue requirements.

2014, cc. 56-235.2 , 56-235.2 .