Oncor Seeks Extension Of Deadline To File Base Rate Case

Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC filed a petition with the Public Utility Commission of Texas requesting that the PUC grant a good-cause exception to the October 2021 deadline under 16 Tex. Admin. Code ("TAC") § 25.247, and a prior Commission order, for Oncor to file its comprehensive base-rate review by October 1, 2021.

Oncor requested that the PUC extend the deadline for a rate case filing to June 1, 2022.

Oncor said in its petition, "Oncor is aware of the unique challenges presently facing our customers, the Commission, and the industry at large. In the wake of the historic February 2021 winter storm event, our customers, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas market and its market participants, and the utility industry as a whole have experienced significant, ongoing impacts. Stakeholders are now working with the Texas Legislature as it carefully examines the winter storm and its resulting impacts. Investigations and rulemakings will occupy much of the remainder of 2021 and beyond. Moreover, this historic event came on the heels of 2020 -- a year marked largely by the COVID19 pandemic, which is a challenge that, to some degree, continues to present logistical issues and constrain the resources of all potential parties to an Oncor base-rate case. Additionally, given that an entirely new slate of commissioners are in the process of joining the Commission, an approximately eight-month extension in the required filing of the next base-rate case for the Company -- the largest transmission and distribution utility in Texas -- will avoid further constraining the Commission and other parties' resources during this important transitional period."

Oncor said, "Oncor has discussed the extension to a June 1, 2022 deadline with Commission Staff and several of the parties that routinely intervene and most actively participate in the Company' s rate cases. The following parties have indicated that they either support or are unopposed to this extension: Commission Staff; Cities; AOC; OPUC; TIEC; TEAM; and ARM."

"In addition to the foregoing circumstances that support the requested extension, Oncor's 2020 Earnings Monitoring Report ('EMR'), as recently filed with the Commission, shows that for calendar year 2020 the Company under-earned by approximately 1.10% when compared to its Commission-authorized 7.44% rate of return. Oncor's customers, therefore, will not be harmed by the requested extension of the current rate filing deadline," Oncor said

"There are also practical considerations for extending the October 2021 deadline to the second calendar quarter in 2022. Extending the deadline to file the rate case will enable the use of a calendar year historical test year (2021), which requires fewer adjustments and other considerations than a test year not based on a calendar year. With Oncor filing in the spring, rather than the fall, this also provides the opportunity of largely avoiding the end-of-year holiday season and the scheduling challenges associated with that period," Oncor said

Docket 52100