v3.26.1
Regulatory Matters
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Regulatory Matters Regulatory Matters
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities
The following presents our current and long-term regulatory assets and liabilities as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025 and the period we expect to recover or refund such amounts:
Period ofMarch 31, 2026December 31, 2025
(in thousands)Recovery/RefundCurrentLong-TermCurrentLong-Term
Regulatory Assets
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans1
Various$2,765 $72,864 $2,765 $72,762 
Alternative Revenue Program Riders2
Up to 2 years
9,972 3,065 7,834 1,036 
Deferred Income Taxes1
Asset lives 8,761 — 9,007 
Fuel Clause Adjustments1
Up to 1 year
11,019  6,558 — 
Derivative Instruments1
Up to 2 years
862 563 2,717 — 
Other1
Various813 1,689 563 3,257 
Total Regulatory Assets$25,431 $86,942 $20,437 $86,062 
Regulatory Liabilities
Deferred Income TaxesAsset lives$ $124,156 $— $125,413 
Plant Removal ObligationsAsset lives 131,795 — 130,686 
Fuel Clause Adjustments
Up to 1 year
2,238  1,231 — 
Alternative Revenue Program Riders
Up to 1 year
10,405  9,961 — 
North Dakota PTC RefundsAsset lives 33,127 — 29,169 
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit PlansVarious3,174 9,862 3,174 9,187 
OtherVarious3,285 3,135 2,234 2,943 
Total Regulatory Liabilities$19,102 $302,075 $16,600 $297,398 
1Costs subject to recovery without a rate of return.
2Amounts eligible for recovery include an incentive or rate of return.
South Dakota Rate Case
On June 4, 2025, Otter Tail Power Company (OTP) filed a request with the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (SDPUC) for an increase in revenue recoverable under general rates in South Dakota. In its filing, OTP requested a net increase in annual revenue of $5.7 million, or 12.50%, based on an allowed rate of return on rate base of 8.29%. Interim rates went into effect on December 1, 2025, and were subject to potential refund until the finalization of the rate case.
On March 10, 2026, the SDPUC approved a settlement agreement between OTP and the commission staff in the general rate case. The key provisions of the order include a net increase in annual revenue of $3.3 million, or 7.7%, based on a return on rate base of 7.09%. Through the settlement of the case, the parties also agreed to a moratorium on increases to base rates until December 1, 2029, with certain exceptions. New base rates in South Dakota went into effect on April 1, 2026, and interim rate refunds totaling $1.3 million will be refunded to customers beginning in May 2026.
Minnesota Rate Case
On October 31, 2025, OTP filed a request with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) for an increase in revenue recoverable under general rates in Minnesota. In its filing, OTP requested a net increase in annual revenue of $44.8 million, or 17.7%, based on an allowed rate of return on rate base of 7.92% and an allowed return on equity (ROE) of 10.65% on an equity ratio of 53.5% of total capital. The request includes, among other items, accelerated recovery of the remaining investment of the jurisdictionally allocated share of Coyote Station, which has a $4.3 million annual impact. The request for accelerated recovery is driven by the MPUC’s order in OTP’s most recent Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to discontinue serving Minnesota customers with capacity and energy from Coyote Station by December 2031. If this part of the request is granted, we anticipate the amounts collected would be deferred and recognized over the remaining estimated useful life of the plant, which extends until 2041. The filing also included an interim rate request for a net increase in annual revenue of $31.8 million, or 12.6%.
On December 23, 2025, the MPUC approved the interim rate request with a modification to exclude the impact of the accelerated recovery of the remaining investment of the jurisdictionally allocated share of Coyote Station from interim rates. The resulting interim net increase in annual revenue is $28.6 million, or 11.3%. Interim rates went into effect on January 1, 2026, and are subject to potential refund until the finalization of the rate case.