§ 35.18 Asset retirement obligations.

(a) A public utility that files a rate schedule, tariff or service agreement under § 35.12 or § 35.13 and has recorded an asset retirement obligation on its books must provide a schedule, as part of the supporting work papers, identifying all cost components related to the asset retirement obligations that are included in the book balances of all accounts reflected in the cost of service computation supporting the proposed rates. However, all cost components related to asset retirement obligations that would impact the calculation of rate base, such as electric plant and related accumulated depreciation and accumulated deferred income taxes, may not be reflected in rates and must be removed from the rate base calculation through a single adjustment. (b) A public utility seeking to recover nonrate base costs related to asset retirement costs in rates must provide, with its filing under § 35.12 or § 35.13, a detailed study supporting the amounts proposed to be collected in rates. (c) A public utility that has recorded asset retirement obligations on its books, but is not seeking recovery of the asset retirement costs in rates, must remove all asset-retirement-obligations-related cost components from the cost of service supporting its proposed rates.