Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000092122-25-000018
Chunk: 1807

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 8
Chunk 1807
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 distribution utilities are authorized by the relevant regulatory agencies in the states in which they serve to use natural gas cost recovery mechanisms that adjust rates to reflect changes in the wholesale cost of natural gas and ensure recovery of all costs prudently incurred in purchasing natural gas for customers. The natural gas distribution utilities defer or accrue the difference between the actual cost of natural gas and the amount of commodity revenue 

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    Table of Contents                                Index to Financial StatementsCOMBINED NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

earned in a given period. The deferred or accrued amount is either billed or refunded to customers prospectively through adjustments to the commodity rate. Deferred natural gas costs are reflected as regulatory assets and accrued natural gas costs are reflected as regulatory liabilities. Natural gas costs generally do not have a significant effect on Southern Company's or Southern Company Gas' net income but could have a significant effect on cash flows. Since Atlanta Gas Light does not sell natural gas directly to its end-use customers, it does not utilize a traditional natural gas cost recovery mechanism. However, Atlanta Gas Light does maintain natural gas inventory for the Marketers in Georgia and recovers the cost through recovery mechanisms approved by the Georgia PSC. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, the over recovered balance was $193 million and $214 million, respectively, which is included in natural gas cost over recovery on Southern Company's and Southern Company Gas' balance sheets.Rate ProceedingsNicor GasIn November 2023, the Illinois Commission approved a $223 million annual base rate increase for Nicor Gas, which became effective December 1, 2023. The base rate increase was based on an ROE of 9.51% and an equity ratio of 50.00%.In connection with Nicor Gas' 2023 general base rate case proceeding, the Illinois Commission disallowed $126.8 million of capital investments that have been completed or were planned to be completed through December 31, 2024. This includes $31 million for capital investments placed in service in 2022 and 2023 under the Investing in Illinois program and $95.9 million for other transmission and distribution capital investments. Nicor Gas recorded a pre-tax charge to income in the fourth quarter 2023 of $58 million ($44 million after tax) associated with the disallowances, with the remaining $69 million related to prospective projects that will be postponed and/or reevaluated. The disallowance