Regulatory Matters |
6 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Jun. 30, 2015 | |
| Regulatory Assets and Liabilities Disclosure [Abstract] | |
| Regulatory Matters | Regulatory Matters Columbia Gas Transmission Customer Settlement. In January 2015, Columbia Gas Transmission commenced the third year of the Columbia Gas Transmission long-term system modernization program. Columbia Gas Transmission expects to invest approximately $300 million in modernization investments during the year. Recovery of approximately $320 million of investments made in 2014 began on February 1, 2015. Cost Recovery Trackers and other similar mechanisms. A significant portion of the transmission and storage regulated companies' revenue is related to the recovery of their operating costs, the review and recovery of which occurs via standard regulatory proceedings with the FERC under section 4 of the Natural Gas Act. However, certain operating costs of the Columbia OpCo regulated transmission and storage companies are significant and recurring in nature, such as fuel for compression and lost and unaccounted for gas. The FERC allows for the recovery of such costs via cost tracking mechanisms. These tracking mechanisms allow the transmission and storage companies' rates to fluctuate in response to changes in certain operating costs or conditions as they occur to facilitate the timely recovery of its costs incurred. The tracking mechanisms involve a rate adjustment that is filed at a predetermined frequency, typically annually, with the FERC and is subject to regulatory review before new rates go into effect. Other such costs under regulatory tracking mechanisms include upstream pipeline transmission, electric compression, operational purchases and sales of natural gas, and the revenue requirement for capital investments made under Columbia Gas Transmission's long-term plan to modernize its interstate transmission system as discussed above. |