State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > Wisconsin > 196 > 196.09196.09
196.09 Depreciation rates and practices; findings by commission; dividends from reserves; retirements.196.09(1)
(1) In this section, "public utility" does not include a telecommunications cooperative or an unincorporated telecommunications cooperative association except as provided under s. 196.205. In subs. (2) to (7), "public utility" does not include a telecommunications utility. Subsection (9) only applies to a telecommunications utility. Every public utility shall file with the commission, within such time as may be required by the commission, its estimate of the annual rate of depreciation required for each of its classes of fixed capital used for public utility purposes, and of the composite annual rate of depreciation required for such fixed capital as an aggregate, which shall constitute the public utility's estimates of the amount which should be returned to it out of its rates for service, to meet the depreciation of its property.196.09(2)
(2) After the submission of the estimates under sub. (1), the commission shall review the estimates. If the commission determines that the estimates submitted are reasonable and proper, it shall certify its determination to the public utility. If the commission determines that the estimates submitted are not reasonable and proper, it shall certify to the public utility the percentages which it considers reasonable and proper. If the fixed capital accounts of the public utility are not subdivided to permit the rates for the various classes of fixed capital used for public utility purposes to be applied, the estimates submitted by the public utility and the percentages determined by the commission may be based upon the aggregate of such fixed capital.196.09(3)
(3) After the commission certifies to the public utility its findings as to the percentages required for depreciation under sub. (2), the public utility shall have 30 days within which to make application to the commission for a hearing and order. If the public utility does not make application to the commission for a hearing and order within the time set, the commission's certification of findings shall have the effect of an order and the public utility shall have the right of appeal from the certification as provided in this chapter.196.09(4)
(4) The commission may provide, in order to meet changing conditions, that a public utility submit from time to time the estimate required under sub. (1). If it requires such resubmission of estimates, the commission shall follow the procedure for certifying its findings under sub. (2). In revising the reasonable and proper percentages of depreciation, the commission shall give consideration to the experience of the public utility in accumulating a depreciation reserve under previous rates, any retirements actually made and any other relevant factor.196.09(5)
(5) If the commission establishes, by certification or order, the reasonable and proper percentages of depreciation, the percentages shall constitute the percentages to be used in any proceeding involving the rates or practices of the public utility, except that if at the time of such proceeding the commission finds that the percentages of depreciation previously established are no longer reasonable and proper, the commission shall establish reasonable and proper percentages for the purpose of such proceeding and certify the new percentages under this section.196.09(6)
(6)196.09(6)(a)
(a) If the commission establishes for any public utility, by certification or order, the percentages necessary for depreciation on fixed capital used for public utility purposes, the public utility shall credit to its depreciation reserve in each accounting period the amount required to provide for depreciation at the percentage established. If the public utility is a corporation, the corporation may not pay any dividend out of earnings for any fiscal period subsequent to the commission's certification or order, or carry any portion of its earnings to its surplus account, except out of earnings remaining after crediting its depreciation reserve in accordance with the rates established by the commission, except as provided under par. (b).196.09(6)(b)
(b) After application and hearing the commission, upon a finding that it is necessary in the public interest, may exempt a public utility from the duty of crediting to the depreciation reserve in any accounting period a greater amount than is possible without impairing its ability to pay dividends for the current calendar year. Nothing in this section shall be construed to modify the requirements of ss. 180.0623 and 180.0640.196.09(7)
(7) If a public utility desires to account for depreciation on a sinking fund basis and the commission determines that such basis of accounting for depreciation reasonably may be employed, the commission shall establish, under sub. (2), the composite rate to be applied to the aggregate fixed capital used for public utility purposes to determine the amount which shall be charged to operating expenses, and the interest rate applicable to the reserve balance at which additional credits to the reserve shall be computed. If a public utility accounts for depreciation on a sinking fund basis, the public utility shall:196.09(7)(a)
(a) Credit to the reserve the amount charged to operating expenses plus the amount obtained by applying the interest rate to the reserve balance.196.09(7)(b)
(b) Be subject to the same restrictions and regulations in its accounting for the entire amount to be credited to the depreciation reserve as are applicable to other public utilities which account for depreciation by other methods under this section.196.09(8)
(8) No public utility may charge to its depreciation reserve anything except losses on property actually retired from service.196.09(9)
(9)196.09(9)(a)
(a)196.09(9)(a)1.
1. The commission shall create by order guidelines establishing classes of fixed capital that telecommunications utilities use for public utility purposes, a range of annual depreciation rates for each of those classes and a composite range of annual depreciation rates for all classes of fixed capital.196.09(9)(a)2.
2. The commission shall review triennially the guidelines established under subd. 1., except that if the commission receives, more than 365 days before the deadline for a review, a written request from a telecommunications utility for a review, the commission shall review the guidelines no later than 365 days after receiving the request.196.09(9)(b)
(b) The commission shall determine that an annual depreciation rate is just and reasonable if the rate falls within the range established for that class under par. (a) 1., if the composite annual depreciation rate falls within the composite range established under par. (a) 1. for all classes of fixed capital or if the commission previously determined that the rate is just and reasonable.196.09(9)(c)
(c) A telecommunications utility may implement an annual composite depreciation rate, for all classes of fixed capital that is outside the range established under par. (a) 1. by filing the rate with the commission. The proposed annual composite depreciation rate shall be effective on the date specified in the filing but not sooner than 90 days from the date of filing with the commission, unless any of the following occurs:196.09(9)(c)1.
1. During the 90-day period the commission determines that the rate is not just and reasonable or in the public interest.196.09(9)(c)2.
2. The commission directs that the depreciation rate be made effective at an earlier date.196.09 - ANNOT.
History: 1981 c. 148; 1983 a. 53; 1985 a. 297; 1989 a. 303, 344; 1993 a. 496; 2005 a. 441; 2009 a. 238.196.09 - ANNOT.
An order establishing depreciation rates for a utility's nuclear plant did not require an environmental impact statement. Wisconsin Environmental Decade, Inc. v. PSC, 105 Wis. 2d 457, 313 N.W.2d 863 (Ct. App. 1981).