Requested Deferred Storm Costs

  
  
2021 Louisiana Storm Cost Filing  
In 2020, Hurricanes Laura and Delta caused power outages and extensive damage to the SWEPCo service territories, primarily impacting the Louisiana jurisdiction. Following both hurricanes, the LPSC issued orders allowing Louisiana utilities, including SWEPCo, to establish regulatory assets to track and defer expenses associated with these storms. In February 2021, severe winter weather impacted the Louisiana jurisdiction and in March 2021, the LPSC approved the deferral of incremental storm restoration expenses related to the winter storm. In October 2021, SWEPCo filed a request with the LPSC for recovery of $145 million in deferred storm costs associated with the three storms. As part of the filing, SWEPCo requested recovery of the carrying charges on the deferred regulatory asset at a weighted average cost of capital through a rider beginning in January 2022. In May 2022, LPSC staff testimony was submitted to the LPSC. In July 2022, SWEPCo filed rebuttal testimony which agreed to make a request for securitization as the LPSC staff had recommended in their testimony. An order is expected before the end of 2022. If any of the storm costs are not recoverable, it could reduce future net income and cash flows and impact financial condition.  
February 2021 Severe Winter Weather Impacts in SPP  
As discussed in the “PSO Rate Matters” section above, severe winter weather had a significant impact in SPP, resulting in significantly increased market prices for natural gas power plants to meet reliability needs for the SPP electric system. For the time period of February 9, 2021, to February 20, 2021, SWEPCo’s natural gas expenses and purchases of electricity still to be recovered from customers are $375 million as of June 30, 2022, of which $95 million, $134 million and $146 million is related to the Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas jurisdictions, respectively.   
In March 2021, the APSC issued an order authorizing recovery of the Arkansas jurisdictional share of the retail customer fuel costs over five years, with the appropriate carrying charge to be determined at a later date. Subsequently, SWEPCo began recovery of these fuel costs. In April 2021, SWEPCo filed testimony supporting a five-year recovery with a carrying charge of 6.05%. In June 2022, the APSC ordered SWEPCo to recover the Arkansas jurisdictional share of the fuel costs over six years with a carrying charge equal to its weighted average cost of capital, subject to a prudency review and true-up.  
In March 2021, the LPSC approved a special order granting a temporary modification to the FAC and shortly after SWEPCo began recovery of its Louisiana jurisdictional share of these fuel costs based on a five-year recovery period inclusive of an interim carrying charge of 3.25%. SWEPCo will work with the LPSC to finalize the actual recovery period and determine the appropriate carrying charge in future proceedings.   
In August 2021, SWEPCo filed an application with the PUCT to implement a net interim fuel surcharge for the Texas jurisdictional share of these retail fuel costs. The application requested a five-year recovery with a carrying charge of 7.18%. In March 2022, the PUCT ordered SWEPCo to recover the Texas jurisdictional share of the fuel costs over five years with a carrying charge of 1.65% and ordered SWEPCo to file a fuel reconciliation addressing fuel costs from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021.  
If SWEPCo is unable to recover any of the costs relating to the extraordinary fuel and purchases of electricity, or obtain authorization of a reasonable carrying charge on these costs, it could reduce future net income and cash flows and impact financial condition.  
FERC Rate Matters  
FERC SPP Transmission Formula Rate Challenge (Applies to AEP, AEPTCo, PSO and SWEPCo)  
In May 2021, certain joint customers submitted a formal challenge at the FERC related to the 2020 Annual Update of the 2019 SPP Transmission Formula Rates of the AEP transmission owning subsidiaries within SPP. In March 2022, the FERC issued an order on the formal challenge which ruled in favor of the joint customers on several issues. Management has determined that the result of the order will have an immaterial impact to the financial statements of AEP, AEPTCo, PSO and SWEPCo. 166
