Regulatory Assets and Liabilities | Regulatory Assets and Liabilities Pursuant to the requirements concerning accounting for regulated operations, our utilities capitalize as regulatory assets incurred and accrued costs that are probable of recovery in future electric and natural gas rates. We base our assessment of whether recovery is probable on the existence of regulatory orders that allow for recovery of certain costs over a specific period, or allow for reconciliation or deferral of certain costs. When costs are not treated in a specific regulatory order, we use regulatory precedent to determine if recovery is probable. Our operating utilities also record, as regulatory liabilities, obligations to refund previously collected revenue or to spend revenue collected from customers on future costs. The primary items that are not included in rate base or accruing carrying costs are regulatory assets for qualified pension and other postretirement benefits, which reflect unrecognized actuarial gains and losses; debt premium; environmental remediation costs, which are primarily the offset of accrued liabilities for future spending; unfunded future income taxes, which are the offset to the unfunded future deferred income tax liability recorded; asset retirement obligations; hedge losses; and contracts for differences. As of March 31, 2023, the total net amount of these items is approximately $1,012 million. CMP Distribution Rate Case In an order issued on February 19, 2020, the MPUC authorized an increase in CMP's distribution revenue requirement of $17 million, or approximately 7.00%, based on an allowed ROE of 9.25% and a 50.00% equity ratio. The rate increase was effective March 1, 2020. Commencing on March 1, 2020, the MPUC also imposed a 1.00% ROE reduction (to 8.25%) for management efficiency associated with CMP’s customer service performance following the implementation of its new billing system in 2017 which would be removed after demonstrating satisfactory customer service performance. In September 2021, CMP met the 18-month required rolling average satisfactory customer service benchmarks and filed with the MPUC a request for removal of the management efficiency adjustment, which was approved by the MPUC effective as of its February 18, 2022 order. The order provided additional funding for staffing increases, vegetation management programs and storm restoration costs, while retaining the basic tiered structure for storm cost recovery implemented in the 2014 stipulation. The MPUC order also retained the RDM implemented in 2014. The order denied CMP’s request to increase rates for higher costs associated with services provided by its affiliates and ordered the initiation of a management audit to evaluate whether CMP's current management structure, and the management and other services from its affiliates, are appropriate and in the interest of Maine customers. The management audit was commenced in July 2020 by the MPUC's consultants and culminated with a report issued by the MPUC’s consultants in July 2021. On February 18, 2022, the MPUC opened a narrowly tailored follow-on investigation examining how CMP and its customers are affected by decisions made at the CMP corporate parent level about earnings, capital budgeting, and planning. In this context, the investigation will also examine regulatory approaches and structures including ratemaking and performance mechanisms. In an order dated February 7, 2023, the MPUC closed this investigation after consolidating its records with CMP’s pending rate case. In accordance with Chapter 120 of MPUC Rules, on May 26, 2022, CMP filed a nonbinding notice of intent to file a distribution rate case on or after sixty days from the issuance of the letter. In the notice, CMP signaled its intent to propose a three-year rate plan, which includes a multi-year capital investment plan to fund investments needed to improve reliability and resiliency, as well as to continue to improve the customer experience and cost-effectively advance clean energy transformation. CMP’s notice estimated a revenue change in the range of $45 to $50 million in the first year of the rate plan followed by increases in the range of $25 to $30 million in the second year and $20 to $25 million in the third year. We cannot predict the outcome of this matter. On August 11, 2022, CMP filed a three-year rate plan, with adjustments to the distribution revenue requirement in each year. In its filing, CMP has set the three rate years as May 10, 2023 to May 9, 2024 (“Rate Year 1”); May 10, 2024 to May 9, 2025 (“Rate Year 2”); and May 10, 2025 to May 9, 2026 (“Rate Year 3”). The requested Rate Year revenue requirement increases for the rate years are $48 million, $28 million and $23 million, respectively. The revenue requirement adjustments are based on a test year ending December 31, 2021. The requested revenue changes for each rate year of the proposal are subject to four adjustment mechanisms: (1) a yearly review of plant additions with potential downward reconciliation in the event of an underspend, (2) a capital adjustment mechanism for certain incremental pole replacements, broadband work, electric vehicle work, energy storage projects, and metering system upgrades, (3) a symmetrical inflation reconciliation adjustment, and (4) reconciliation of the benefits associated with the tax basis repair deduction. Other parties filed direct testimony in this proceeding on December 2, 2022 and CMP filed rebuttal testimony on February 7, 2023. Settlement discussions are on-going and technical conferences are scheduled for mid-May 2023. New rates are expected to take effect on or around August 2023. We cannot predict the outcome of this matter. NYSEG and RG&E Rate Plans On November 19, 2020, the NYPSC approved a new three-year rate plan for NYSEG & RG&E (2020 Joint Proposal), with modifications to the rate increases at the two electric businesses. The effective date of new tariffs was December 1, 2020 with a make-whole provision back to April 17, 2020. The proposed rates facilitate the companies’ transition to a cleaner energy future while allowing for important initiatives such as COVID-19 relief for customers and additional funding for vegetation management, hardening/resiliency and emergency preparedness. The rate plans continue the RAM designed to return or collect certain defined reconciled revenues and costs, have new depreciation rates and continue existing RDMs for each business. The 2020 Joint Proposal bases delivery revenues on an 8.80% ROE and 48.00% equity ratio; however, for the proposed earnings sharing mechanism, the equity ratio is the lower of the actual equity ratio or 50.00%. The below table provides a summary of the approved delivery rate increases and delivery rate percentages, including rate levelization and excluding energy efficiency, which is a pass-through, for all four businesses. Rate years two and three commence on May 1, 2021 and 2022, respectively: Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Rate Increase Delivery Rate % Rate Increase Delivery Rate % Rate Increase Delivery Rate % Utility (Millions) Increase (Millions) Increase (Millions) Increase NYSEG Electric $ 34 4.6 % $ 46 5.9 % $ 36 4.2 % NYSEG Gas $ — — % $ 2 0.8 % $ 3 1.6 % RG&E Electric $ 17 3.8 % $ 14 3.2 % $ 16 3.3 % RG&E Gas $ — — % $ — — % $ 2 1.3 % On May 26, 2022, NYSEG and RG&E filed for a new rate plan with the NYPSC. The rate filings are based on test year 2021 financial results adjusted to the rate year May 1, 2023 – April 30, 2024. Since these rate filings were submitted on May 26, 2022, the effective date of new rates, assuming an approximately 11-month approval period, will be May 1, 2023. NYSEG and RG&E filed for a one-year rate plan but expressed interest in exploring a multi-year plan during the pendency of the case (as is the custom in New York). On August 12, 2022, NYSEG and RG&E filed an update to its rate plan filing called for in the litigation schedule. In their filings, the following revenue changes were requested: Requested Revenue Change May 26, 2022 August 12, 2022 Difference Utility (Millions) (Millions) (Millions) NYSEG Electric $ 274 $ 274 $ — NYSEG Gas $ 43 $ 30 $ (13) RG&E Electric $ 94 $ 93 $ (1) RG&E Gas $ 38 $ 32 $ (6) On September 16, 2022, the NYPSC suspended new tariffs and rates through April 21, 2023. On October 19, 2022, consistent with the Administrative Law Judge’s’ July 1, 2022 Ruling on Schedule and Party Status, NYSEG and RG&E voluntarily agreed to 60-day extension of maximum suspension period through June 20, 2023, subject to a make-whole provision. On December 21, 2022, NYSEG and RG&E voluntarily agreed to further 60-day extension of maximum suspension period to postpone through August 19, 2023, subject to a make-whole provision. On February 16, 2023, NYSEG and RG&E voluntarily agreed to a further 30-day extension of the suspension period through September 18, 2023, subject to a make-whole provision. On April 11, 2023, the NYSEG and RG&E requested a further 30-day suspension through October 18, 2023, subject to a make-whole provision. During this time, the parties have conducted multi-party rate case settlement negotiations. We cannot predict the outcome of this proceeding. UI, CNG, SCG and BGC Rate Plans In 2016, the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) approved new distribution rate schedules for The United Illuminating Company (UI) for three years, which became effective January 1, 2017 and, among other things, provide for annual tariff increases and an ROE of 9.10% based on a 50.00% equity ratio, continued UI’s existing earnings sharing mechanism (ESM) pursuant to which UI and its customers share on a 50/50 basis all distribution earnings above the allowed ROE in a calendar year, continued the existing decoupling mechanism and approved the continuation of the requested storm reserve. Any dollars due to customers from the ESM continue to be first applied against any storm regulatory asset balance (if one exists at that time) or refunded to customers through a bill credit if such storm regulatory asset balance does not exist. On September 9, 2022, UI filed a distribution revenue requirement case. UI’s filing proposes a three-year rate plan commencing September 1, 2023 through August 31, 2026. The filing is based on a test year ending December 31, 2021, for the rate years beginning September 1, 2023 (“UI Rate Year 1”), September 1, 2024 (“UI Rate Year 2”), and September 1, 2025 (“UI Rate Year 3”). UI is requesting that PURA approve new distribution rates to recover an increase in revenue requirements of approximately $102 million in UI Rate Year 1, an incremental approximately $17 million in UI Rate Year 2, and an incremental approximately $17 million in UI Rate Year 3, compared to total revenues that would otherwise be recovered under UI’s current rate schedules. UI’s Rate Plan also includes several measures to moderate the impact of the proposed rate update for all customers, including, without limitation a rate levelization proposal to spread the proposed total rate increase over the three rate years, which would result in a change in revenue in UI Rate Year 1 of approximately $54 million. Other parties filed direct testimony on December 13, 2022 and UI filed its rebuttal testimony on January 6, 2023. Rate case hearings started on February 16, 2023 and concluded on March 22, 2023 with initial briefs due April 27, 2023. Litigation of the case is expected to take approximately one year with new rates expected to go into effect on or around September 2023. We cannot predict the outcome of this matter. In 2017, PURA approved new tariffs for the Southern Connecticut Gas Company (SCG) effective January 1, 2018 for a three-year rate plan with annual rate increases. The new tariffs also include an RDM and Distribution Integrity Management Program (DIMP) mechanism, ESM, the amortization of certain regulatory liabilities (most notably accumulated hardship deferral balances and certain accumulated deferred income taxes) and tariff increases based on an ROE of 9.25% and an equity ratio of approximately 52.00%. Any dollars due to customers from the ESM will be first applied against any environmental regulatory asset balance as defined in the settlement agreement (if one exists at that time) or refunded to customers through a bill credit if such environmental regulatory asset balance does not exist. In 2018, PURA approved new tariffs for Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation (CNG) effective January 1, 2019 for a three-year rate plan with annual rate increases. The new tariffs continued the RDM and DIMP mechanism. ESM and tariff increases are based on an ROE of 9.30% and an equity ratio of 54.00% in 2019, 54.50% in 2020 and 55.00% in 2021. On June 24, 2022, BGC filed a Settlement Agreement with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) for DPU approval. The Settlement Agreement followed BGC’s December 14, 2021 filing of a Notice of Intent to File Rate Schedules. Following that filing, BGC and the AGO negotiated the Settlement Agreement in lieu of a fully litigated rate case before the DPU. The Settlement Agreement allows for agreed-upon adjustments to BGC’s revenue requirement as well as various step increases BGC shall be entitled to on January 1, 2023 and January 1, 2024. The Settlement Agreement provides that it shall be void unless approved in its entirety by the DPU by November 1, 2022. It provides for the opportunity to increase BGC’s revenue requirement by as much as $5.6 million over current rates (reflective of a 9.70% ROE and a 54.00% equity ratio as well as other stepped adjustments) through January 1, 2024. The Settlement Agreement was approved in its entirety by the DPU on October 27, 2022, and new rates went into effect January 1, 2023. Connecticut Energy Legislation On October 7, 2020, the Governor of Connecticut signed into law an energy bill that, among other things, instructs PURA to revise the rate-making structure in Connecticut to adopt performance-based rates for each electric distribution company, increases the maximum civil penalties assessable for failures in emergency preparedness, and provides for certain penalties and reimbursements to customers after storm outages greater than 96 hours and extends rate case timelines. Pursuant to the legislation, on October 30, 2020, PURA re-opened a docket related to new rate designs and review, expanding the scope to consider (a) the implementation of an interim rate decrease; (b) low-income rates; and (c) economic development rates. Separately, UI was due to make its annual RAM filing on March 8, 2021 for the approval of its RAM Rate Components reconciliations: Generation Services Charges, By-passable Federally Mandated Congestion Costs, System Benefits Charge, Transmission Adjustment Charge and RDM. On March 9, 2021, UI, jointly with the Office of the CT Attorney General, the Office of CT Consumer Counsel, DEEP and PURA’s Office of Education, Outreach, and Enforcement entered into a settlement agreement and filed a motion to approve the settlement agreement, which addressed issues in both dockets. In an order dated June 23, 2021, PURA approved the as amended settlement agreement in its entirety and it was executed by the parties. The settlement agreement includes a contribution by UI of $5 million and provides customers rate credits of $50 million while allowing UI to collect $52 million in RAM, all over a 22-month period ending April 2023 and also includes a distribution base rate freeze through April 2023. Pursuant to the legislation, PURA opened a docket to consider the implementation of the associated customer compensation and reimbursement provisions in emergency events where customers were without power for more than 96 consecutive hours. On June 30, 2021, PURA issued a final decision implementing the legislative mandate to create a program pursuant to which residential customers will receive $25 for each day without power after 96 hours and also receive reimbursement of $250 for spoiled food and medicine. The decision emphasizes that no costs incurred in connection with this program are recoverable from customers. The Company is reviewing the requirements of this program and evaluating next steps. PURA Investigation of the Preparation for and Response to the Tropical Storm Isaias and Connecticut Storm Reimbursement Legislation On August 6, 2020, PURA opened a docket to investigate the preparation for and response to Tropical Storm Isaias by the electric distribution companies in Connecticut including UI. Following hearings and the submission of testimony, PURA issued a final decision on April 15, 2021, finding that UI “generally met standards of acceptable performance in its preparation and response to Tropical Storm Isaias," subject to certain exceptions noted in the decision, but ordered a 15-basis point reduction to UI's ROE in its next rate case to incentivize better performance and indicated that penalties could be forthcoming in the penalty phase of the proceedings. On June 11, 2021, UI filed an appeal of PURA’s decision with the Connecticut Superior Court. On May 6, 2021, in connection with its findings in the Tropical Storm Isaias docket, PURA issued a Notice of Violation to UI for allegedly failing to comply with standards of acceptable performance in emergency preparation or restoration of service in an emergency and with orders of the Authority, and for violations of accident reporting requirements. PURA assessed a civil penalty in the total amount of approximately $2 million. PURA held a hearing on this matter and, in an order dated July 14, 2021, reduced the civil penalty to approximately $1 million. UI filed an appeal of PURA’s decision with the Connecticut Superior Court. This appeal and the appeal of PURA’s decision on the Tropical Storm Isaias docket have been consolidated. Oral arguments were held on October 11, 2022, and on October 17, 2022, the court denied UI’s appeal and affirmed PURA’s decisions in their entirety. UI filed a notice of appeal to Connecticut's Appellate court on November 7, 2022. We cannot predict the outcome of this proceeding. Regulatory Assets and Liabilities The regulatory assets and regulatory liabilities shown in the tables below result from various regulatory orders that allow for the deferral and/or reconciliation of specific costs. Regulatory assets and regulatory liabilities are classified as current when recovery or refund in the coming year is allowed or required through a specific order or when the rates related to a specific regulatory asset or regulatory liability are subject to automatic annual adjustment. Regulatory assets as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, consisted of: March 31, December 31, As of 2023 2022 (Millions) Pension and other post-retirement benefits cost deferrals $ 363 $ 365 Pension and other post-retirement benefits 70 93 Storm costs 766 671 Rate adjustment mechanism 55 41 Revenue decoupling mechanism 66 52 Transmission revenue reconciliation mechanism 7 11 Contracts for differences 52 56 Hardship programs 31 33 Plant decommissioning 1 1 Deferred purchased gas 9 56 Environmental remediation costs 247 248 Debt premium 62 64 Unamortized losses on reacquired debt 20 19 Unfunded future income taxes 504 492 Federal tax depreciation normalization adjustment 135 137 Asset retirement obligation 20 20 Deferred meter replacement costs 57 55 COVID-19 cost recovery and late payment surcharge 14 17 Low income arrears forgiveness 68 31 Excess generation service charge 77 24 System Expansion 16 21 Non-bypassable charge 46 14 Hedges losses 50 13 Other 226 234 Total regulatory assets 2,962 2,768 Less: current portion 489 447 Total non-current regulatory assets $ 2,473 $ 2,321 “Pension and other post-retirement benefits” represent the actuarial losses on the pension and other post-retirement plans that will be reflected in customer rates when they are amortized and recognized in future pension expenses. “Pension and other post-retirement benefits cost deferrals” include the difference between actual expense for pension and other post-retirement benefits and the amount provided for in rates for certain of our regulated utilities. A portion of this balance is amortized through current rates, the remaining portion will be refunded in future periods through future rate cases. “Storm costs” for CMP, NYSEG, RG&E and UI are allowed in rates based on an estimate of the routine costs of service restoration. The companies are also allowed to defer unusually high levels of service restoration costs resulting from major storms when they meet certain criteria for severity and duration. A portion of this balance is amortized through current rates, and the remaining portion will be determined through future rate cases. “Rate adjustment mechanism” represents an interim rate change to return or collect certain defined reconciled revenues and costs for NYSEG and RG&E following the approval of the Joint Proposal by the NYPSC. The RAM, when triggered, is implemented in rates on July 1 of each year for return or collection over a twelve-month period. "Revenue decoupling mechanism" represents the mechanism established to disassociate the utility's profits from its delivery/commodity sales. "Transmission revenue reconciliation mechanism" reflects differences in actual costs in the rate year from those used to set rates. This mechanism contains the Annual Transmission True up (ATU), which is recovered over the subsequent June to May period. “Contracts for Differences” represent the deferral of unrealized gains and losses on contracts for differences derivative contracts. The balance fluctuates based upon quarterly market analysis performed on the related derivatives. The amounts, which do not earn a return, are fully offset by a corresponding derivative asset/liability. “Hardship Programs” represent hardship customer accounts deferred for future recovery to the extent they exceed the amount in rates. “Plant decommissioning” represents decommissioning and demolition expenses related to closing fossil plant facilities - Beebe & Russell. “Deferred Purchased Gas” represents the difference between actual gas costs and gas costs collected in rates. “Environmental remediation costs” includes spending that has occurred and is eligible for future recovery in customer rates. Environmental costs are currently recovered through a reserve mechanism whereby projected spending is included in rates with any variance recorded as a regulatory asset or a regulatory liability. The amortization period will be established in future proceedings and will depend upon the timing of spending for the remediation costs. It also includes the anticipated future rate recovery of costs that are recorded as environmental liabilities since these will be recovered when incurred. Because no funds have yet been expended for the regulatory asset related to future spending, it does not accrue carrying costs and is not included within rate base. “Debt premium” represents the regulatory asset recorded to offset the fair value adjustment to the regulatory component of the non-current debt of UIL at the acquisition date. This amount is being amortized to interest expense over the remaining term of the related outstanding debt instruments. “Unamortized losses on reacquired debt” represent deferred losses on debt reacquisitions that will be recovered over the remaining original amortization period of the reacquired debt. “Unfunded future income taxes” represent unrecovered federal and state income taxes primarily resulting from regulatory flow through accounting treatment and are the offset to the unfunded future deferred income tax liability recorded. The income tax benefits or charges for certain plant related timing differences, such as removal costs, are immediately flowed through to, or collected from, customers. This amount is being amortized as the amounts related to temporary differences that give rise to the deferrals are recovered in rates. These amounts are being collected over a period of 46 years, and the NYPSC staff has initiated an audit, as required, of the unfunded future income taxes and other tax assets to verify the balances. “Federal tax depreciation normalization adjustment” represents the revenue requirement impact of the difference in the deferred income tax expense required to be recorded under the IRS normalization rules and the amount of deferred income tax expense that was included in cost of service for rate years covering 2011 forward. The recovery period in New York is from 25 to 35 years and for CMP 32.5 years beginning in 2020. “Asset retirement obligations” represents the differences in timing of the recognition of costs associated with our AROs and the collection of such amounts through rates. This amount is being amortized at the related depreciation and accretion amounts of the underlying liability. “Deferred meter replacement costs” represent the deferral of the book value of retired meters which were replaced or are planned to be replaced by AMI meters. This amount is being amortized over the initial depreciation period of related retired meters. "COVID-19 cost recovery and late payment surcharge" represents: a) deferred COVID-19-related costs in the state of Connecticut based on the order issued by PURA on April 29, 2020, requiring utilities to track COVID-19-related expenses and lost revenue and create a regulatory asset, and b) deferred lost late payment revenue in the state of New York based on the order issued by the NYPSC on June 17, 2022, approving deferral and surcharge/sur-credit mechanism to recover/return deferred balances starting July 1, 2022. “Low-income arrears forgiveness” represents deferred bill credits in the state of New York based on the order issued by the NYPSC on June 16, 2022, approving deferral of bill credits for low-income customers and recovery of regulatory asset from all customers over five years for RG&E and three years for NYSEG. Surcharge will start August 1, 2022. “Excess generation service charge” represents deferred generation-related costs or revenues for future recovery from or return to customers. The amount fluctuates based upon timing differences between revenues collected from rates and actual costs incurred. “System expansion” represents expenses not covered by system expansion rates related to expanding the natural gas system and converting customers to natural gas. “Non-bypassable charges” represent non-bypassable federally mandated congestion costs or revenues for future recovery from or return to customers. The amount fluctuates based upon timing differences between revenues collected from rates and actual costs incurred. “Hedge losses” represents the deferred fair value losses on electric and gas hedge contracts. “Other” includes post-term amortization deferrals and various items subject to reconciliation including debt rate reconciliation and deferred property tax. Regulatory liabilities as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, consisted of: March 31, December 31, As of 2023 2022 (Millions) Energy efficiency portfolio standard $ 25 $ 30 Gas supply charge and deferred natural gas cost 28 15 Pension and other post-retirement benefits cost deferrals 112 117 Carrying costs on deferred income tax bonus depreciation 5 9 Carrying costs on deferred income tax - Mixed Services 263(a) 2 3 2017 Tax Act 1,218 1,232 Rate Change Levelization 13 25 Revenue decoupling mechanism 8 13 Accrued removal obligations 1,167 1,178 Economic development 17 20 Positive benefit adjustment 14 16 Theoretical reserve flow thru impact 3 3 Deferred property tax 17 17 Net plant reconciliation 9 11 Debt rate reconciliation 27 32 Rate refund – FERC ROE proceeding 36 36 Transmission congestion contracts 32 31 Merger-related rate credits 9 10 Accumulated deferred investment tax credits 22 22 Asset retirement obligation 17 18 Earning sharing provisions 8 13 Middletown/Norwalk local transmission network service collections 16 17 Low income programs 19 18 Non-firm margin sharing credits 24 27 New York 2018 winter storm settlement 1 1 Non by-passable charges 63 76 Transmission revenue reconciliation mechanism 73 75 Other 251 204 Total regulatory liabilities 3,236 3,269 Less: current portion 352 354 Total non-current regulatory liabilities $ 2,884 $ 2,915 “Energy efficiency portfolio standard” represents the costs of energy efficiency programs deferred for future recovery to the extent they exceed the amount in rates. A portion of this balance is amortized through current rates, the remaining portion will be refunded in future periods through future rate cases. The amortization period in current rates is three years and began in 2020. “Gas supply charge and deferred natural gas cost" reflects the actual costs of purchasing, transporting and storing of natural gas. Gas supply reconciliation is determined by comparing actual gas supply expenses to the monthly gas cost recoveries in rates. Prior rate year balances are collected/returned to customers beginning the next calendar year. “Pension and other postretirement benefits cost deferrals” include the difference between actual expense for pension and other post-retirement benefits and the amount provided for in rates for certain of our regulated utilities. A portion of this balance is amortized through current rates, the remaining portion will be refunded in future periods through future rate cases. “Carrying costs on deferred income tax bonus depreciation” represent the carrying costs benefit of increased accumulated deferred income taxes created by the change in tax law allowing bonus depreciation. A portion of this balance is amortized through current rates, the remaining portion will be refunded in future periods through future rate cases. The amortization period in current rates is three years and began in 2020. "Carrying costs on deferred income tax - Mixed Services 263(a)" represent the carrying costs benefit of increased accumulated deferred income taxes created by Section 263 (a) IRC. A portion of this balance is amortized through current rates, the remaining portion will be refunded in future periods through future rate cases. The amortization period in current rates is three years and began in 2020. “2017 Tax Act” represents the impact from remeasurement of deferred income tax balances as a result of the Tax Act enacted by the U.S. federal government on December 22, 2017. Reductions in accumulated deferred income tax balances due to the reduction in the corporate income tax rates from 35% to 21% under the provisions of the Tax Act will result in amounts previously and currently collected from utility customers for these deferred taxes to be refundable to such customers, generally through reductions in future rates. The NYPSC, MPUC, PURA, DPU and the FERC held separate proceedings in New York, Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts and the FERC, respectively, and for the majority of our regulated utilities, authorized the amortization periods for the return of regulatory liabilities and the recovery regulatory assets, including the authorization of sur-credits to return the related benefits to rate payers in certain jurisdictions. “Rate change levelization" adjusts the New York delivery rate increases across the three-year plan to avoid unnecessary spikes and offsetting dips in customer rates. A portion of this balance is amortized through current rates, the remaining portion will be refunded in future periods through future rate cases. The amortization period in current rates is five years and began in 2020. “Revenue decoupling mechanism" represents the mechanism established to disassociate the utility's profits from its delivery/commodity sales. “Accrued removal obligations” represent the differences between asset removal costs recorded and amounts collected in rates for those costs. The amortization period is dependent upon the asset removal costs of underlying assets and the life of the utility plant. “Economic development” represents the economic development program, which enables NYSEG and RG&E to foster economic development through attraction, expansion and retention of businesses within its service territory. If the level of actual expenditures for economic development allocated to NYSEG and RG&E varies in any rate year from the level provided for in rates, the difference is refunded to customers. A portion of this balance is amortized through current rates, the remaining portion will be refunded in future periods through future rate cases. The amortization period in current rates is three years and began in 2020. “Positive benefit adjustment” resu |