Company: L
Filing Date: 2025-02-11
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000060086-25-000036
Chunk: 215

Company: LOEWS CORP
Filing Date: 2025-02-11
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 215
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 adverse FERC action in any of these areas could affect Boardwalk Pipelines’ ability to compete for business, construct new facilities, offer new services or recover the full cost of operating its pipelines or storage operations, including earning a reasonable return. This regulatory oversight can result in longer lead times to develop and complete any future project than competitors that are not subject to the FERC’s regulations. The FERC can also deny Boardwalk Pipelines the right to abandon certain facilities from service.

The FERC regulates the rates Boardwalk Pipelines can charge for its natural gas transportation and storage and interstate ethane transportation operations. For cost-based services, the FERC establishes both the maximum and minimum rates Boardwalk Pipelines can charge. The basic elements that the FERC considers are the costs of providing service, the volumes of gas being transported, the rate design, the allocation of costs between services, the capital structure and the rate of return a pipeline is permitted to earn. Boardwalk Pipelines may not be able to recover its costs, including certain costs associated with pipeline integrity, through existing or future rates.

The FERC and/or Boardwalk Pipelines’ customers could challenge the maximum applicable rates that any of its regulated pipelines can charge in accordance with Section 5 of the NGA. The adoption of potential legislation that would amend Section 5 of the NGA to add refund provisions could increase the likelihood of such a challenge. If such a challenge is successful for any of Boardwalk Pipelines’ pipelines or if its rates are found not to be just and reasonable, then the revenues associated with transportation and storage services the pipeline provides pursuant to cost-of-service rates could materially decrease in the future, which would adversely affect, perhaps substantially, the revenues on that pipeline going forward.

Over time, the FERC may change, amend or announce that it will undertake a review of its existing policies. There were no major policy changes announced by the FERC during 2024.

The FERC has authority to impose civil penalties for violations of the NGA and NGPA, and the implementing regulations thereunder, up to a maximum amount that is adjusted annually for inflation, which for 2025 is approximately $1.6 million per day per violation. Should Boardwalk Pipelines fail to comply with applicable statutes, rules, regulations and orders administered by the FERC, it could be subject to substantial penalties and fines, in addition to reputational damage. 

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Boardwalk Pipelines’ operations, and those of Boardwalk Pipelines’ customers, are subject to a series of