NOPR in RM18-11, Fact Sheet

March 15, 2018
FERC Actions Regarding
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

Notice of Inquiry for All Commission-Jurisdictional Rates
The Commission seeks comment on the effect of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on Commission-jurisdictional rates,
including rates of public utilities, interstate natural gas pipelines, and oil pipelines.
• E-1, Inquiry Regarding the Effect of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on Commission-Jurisdictional Rates,
Docket No. RM18-12-000.

Electricity

Show-Cause Orders
The Commission, under section 206 of the Federal Power Act and Rule 209(a) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure, directs 48 individual public utilities with stated transmission rates or transmission formula rates with a
fixed line item of 35 percent for the federal income tax component either (1) to propose revisions to its transmission
rates under its open access transmission tariff or transmission owner tariff on file with the Commission, or (2) to show
cause why it should not be required to do so.
• E-2, Alcoa Power Generating Inc.―Long Sault Division, et al., Docket No. EL18-72-000, et al.
• E-3, AEP Appalachian Transmission Company, Inc., et al., Docket No. EL18-62-000, et al.
Waivers
• E-7, Xcel Energy Services Inc., Docket No. ER18-840-000. The Commission grants Xcel Energy’s request (on
behalf of Public Service Company of Colorado, PSCo) for waiver of certain provisions of the formula rate
protocols in PSCo’s tariffs for rate year 2018 to reflect the recent tax law changes.
• E-8, MISO Transmission Owners, Docket No. ER18-783-000. The Commission grants certain MISO transmission
owners’ request for waiver of certain provisions of the formula rate protocols in MISO’s Open Access
Transmission, Energy and Operating Reserve Markets Tariff for rate year 2018 to reflect the recent tax law
changes.

Natural Gas Pipelines

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
The Commission proposes how to determine which jurisdictional natural gas pipelines may be collecting unjust and
unreasonable rates in light of the recent reduction in the corporate income tax rate in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of
2017 and changes to the Commission’s income tax allowance policies following the United Airlines, Inc. v. FERC
decision.
• G-1, Interstate and Intrastate Natural Gas Pipelines; Rate Changes Relating to Federal Income Tax Rate,
Docket No. RM18-11-000.
Section 5 rate cases
The Commission initiated investigations under section 5 of the Natural Gas Act to determine whether these pipelines’
rates are just and reasonable.
• G-8, Dominion Energy Overthrust Pipeline, LLC, Docket No. RP18-442-000.
• G-9, Midwestern Gas Transmission Company, Docket No. RP18-441-000.

Oil Pipelines

MLP Income Tax Allowance
The Commission will address tax changes for the oil pipelines it regulates in the 2020 five-year review of the oil
pipeline index level. The Commission will no longer allow master limited partnership (MLP) interstate natural gas
pipeline and oil pipelines to recover an income tax allowance in cost of service rates.
• G-2, Inquiry Regarding the Commission’s Policy for Recovery of Income Tax Costs, Docket No. PL17-1-000.
• G-3, SFPP, L.P., Docket No. IS08-390-008 & -009.