Appendix B Application guidance (AASB14_06-14_COMPdec21_01-22)

Historically, rate regulation applied to all activities of an entity. However, with acquisitions, diversification and deregulation, rate regulation may now apply to only a portion of an entity’s activities, resulting in it having both regulated and non-regulated activities. This Standard applies only to the rate-regulated activities that are subject to statutory or regulatory restrictions through the actions of a rate regulator, regardless of the type of entity or the industry to which it belongs.

An entity shall not apply this Standard to activities that are self-regulated, ie activities that are not subject to a pricing framework that is overseen and/or approved by a rate regulator. This does not prevent the entity from being eligible to apply this Standard when:

(a) the entity’s own governing body or a related party establishes rates both in the interest of the customers and to ensure the overall financial viability of the entity within a specified pricing framework; and

(b) the framework is subject to oversight and/or approval by an authorised body that is empowered by statute or regulation.

For the purposes of this Standard, a regulatory deferral account balance is defined as the balance of any expense (or income) account that would not be recognised as an asset or a liability in accordance with other Standards, but that qualifies for deferral because it is included, or is expected to be included, by the rate regulator in establishing the rate(s) that can be charged to customers. Some items of expense (income) may be outside the regulated rate(s) because, for example, the amounts are not expected to be accepted by the rate regulator or because they are not within the scope of the rate regulation. Consequently, such an item is recognised as income or expense as incurred, unless another Standard permits or requires it to be included in the carrying amount of an asset or liability.

In some cases, other Standards explicitly prohibit an entity from recognising, in the statement of financial position, regulatory deferral account balances that might be recognised, either separately or included within other line items such as property, plant and equipment in accordance with previous GAAP accounting policies. However, in accordance with paragraph 11 of this Standard, an entity that elects to apply this Standard in its first Australian-Accounting-Standards financial statements applies the exemption from paragraph 11 of AASB 108 in order to continue to apply its previous GAAP accounting policies for the recognition, measurement, impairment, and derecognition of regulatory deferral account balances. Such accounting policies may include, for example, the following practices:

(a)    recognising a regulatory deferral account debit balance when the entity has the right, as a result of the actual or expected actions of the rate regulator, to increase rates in future periods in order to recover its allowable costs (ie the costs for which the regulated rate(s) is intended to provide recovery);

(b)        recognising, as a regulatory deferral account debit or credit balance, an amount that is equivalent to any loss or gain on the disposal or retirement of both items of property, plant and equipment and of intangible assets, which is expected to be recovered or reversed through future rates;

(c)    recognising a regulatory deferral account credit balance when the entity is required, as a result of the actual or expected actions of the rate regulator, to decrease rates in future periods in order to reverse over-recoveries of allowable costs (ie amounts in excess of the recoverable amount specified by the rate regulator); and

(d)    measuring regulatory deferral account balances on an undiscounted basis or on a discounted basis that uses an interest or discount rate specified by the rate regulator.
 

The following are examples of the types of costs that rate regulators might allow in rate-setting decisions and that an entity might, therefore, recognise in regulatory deferral account balances:

(i)    volume or purchase price variances;

(ii)    costs of approved ‘green energy’ initiatives (in excess of amounts that are capitalised as part of the cost of property, plant and equipment in accordance with AASB 116 Property, Plant and Equipment);

(iii)    non-directly-attributable overhead costs that are treated as capital costs for rate regulation purposes (but are not permitted, in accordance with AASB 116, to be included in the cost of an item of property, plant and equipment);

(iv)    project cancellation costs;

(v)    storm damage costs; and

(vi)    deemed interest (including amounts allowed for funds that are used during construction that provide the entity with a return on the owner’s equity capital as well as borrowings).
 

Regulatory deferral account balances usually represent timing differences between the recognition of items of income or expenses for regulatory purposes and the recognition of those items for financial reporting purposes. When an entity changes an accounting policy on the first-time adoption of Australian Accounting Standards or on the initial application of a new or revised Standard, new or revised timing differences may arise that create new or revised regulatory deferral account balances. The prohibition in paragraph 13 that prevents an entity from changing its accounting policy in order to start to recognise regulatory deferral account balances does not prohibit the recognition of the new or revised regulatory deferral account balances that are created because of other changes in accounting policies required by Australian Accounting Standards. This is because the recognition of regulatory deferral account balances for such timing differences would be consistent with the existing recognition policy applied in accordance with paragraph 11 and would not represent the introduction of a new accounting policy. Similarly, paragraph 13 does not prohibit the recognition of regulatory deferral account balances arising from timing differences that did not exist immediately prior to the date of transition to Australian Accounting Standards but are consistent with the entity’s accounting policies established in accordance with paragraph 11 (for example, storm damage costs).

An entity that is within the scope of, and that elects to apply, the requirements of this Standard shall continue to apply its previous GAAP accounting policies for the recognition, measurement, impairment and derecognition of regulatory deferral account balances. However, paragraphs 16–17 state that, in some situations, other Standards might also need to be applied to regulatory deferral account balances in order to reflect them appropriately in the financial statements. The following paragraphs outline how some other Standards interact with the requirements of this Standard. In particular, the following paragraphs clarify specific exceptions to, and exemptions from, other Standards and additional presentation and disclosure requirements that are expected to be applicable.

An entity may need to use estimates and assumptions in the recognition and measurement of its regulatory deferral account balances. For events that occur between the end of the reporting period and the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue, the entity shall apply AASB 110 to identify whether those estimates and assumptions should be adjusted to reflect those events.

AASB 112 requires, with certain limited exceptions, an entity to recognise a deferred tax liability and (subject to certain conditions) a deferred tax asset for all temporary differences. A rate-regulated entity shall apply AASB 112 to all of its activities, including its rate-regulated activities, to identify the amount of income tax that is to be recognised.

In some rate-regulatory schemes, the rate regulator permits or requires an entity to increase its future rates in order to recover some or all of the entity’s income tax expense. In such circumstances, this might result in the entity recognising a regulatory deferral account balance in the statement of financial position related to income tax, in accordance with its accounting policies established in accordance with paragraphs 11–12. The recognition of this regulatory deferral account balance that relates to income tax might itself create an additional temporary difference for which a further deferred tax amount would be recognised.

Notwithstanding the presentation and disclosure requirements of AASB 112, when an entity recognises a deferred tax asset or a deferred tax liability as a result of recognising regulatory deferral account balances, the entity shall not include that deferred tax amount within the total deferred tax asset (liability) balances. Instead, the entity shall present the deferred tax asset (liability) that arises as a result of recognising regulatory deferral account balances either:

(a) with the line items that are presented for the regulatory deferral account debit balances and credit balances; or

(b) as a separate line item alongside the related regulatory deferral account debit balances and credit balances.

Similarly, when an entity recognises the movement in a deferred tax asset (liability) that arises as a result of recognising regulatory deferral account balances, the entity shall not include the movement in that deferred tax amount within the tax expense (income) line item that is presented in the statement(s) of profit or loss and other comprehensive income in accordance with AASB 112. Instead, the entity shall present the movement in the deferred tax asset (liability) that arises as a result of recognising regulatory deferral account balances either:

(a)    with the line items that are presented in the statement(s) of profit or loss and other comprehensive income for the movements in regulatory deferral account balances; or

(b)    as a separate line item alongside the related line items that are presented in the statement(s) of profit or loss and other comprehensive income for the movements in regulatory deferral account balances.
 

Paragraph 66 of AASB 133 requires some entities to present, in the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, basic and diluted earnings per share both for profit or loss from continuing operations and profit or loss that is attributable to the ordinary equity holders of the parent entity. In addition, paragraph 68 of AASB 133 requires an entity that reports a discontinued operation to disclose the basic and diluted amounts per share for the discontinued operation, either in the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income or in the notes.

For each earnings per share amount presented in accordance with AASB 133, an entity applying this Standard shall present additional basic and diluted earnings per share amounts that are calculated in the same way, except that those amounts shall exclude the net movement in the regulatory deferral account balances. Consistent with the requirement in paragraph 73 of AASB 133, an entity shall present the earnings per share required by paragraph 26 of this Standard with equal prominence to the earnings per share required by AASB 133 for all periods presented.

Paragraphs 11–12 require an entity to continue to apply its previous GAAP accounting policies for the identification, recognition, measurement and reversal of any impairment of its recognised regulatory deferral account balances. Consequently, AASB 136 does not apply to the separate regulatory deferral account balances recognised.

However, AASB 136 might require an entity to perform an impairment test on a cash-generating unit (CGU) that includes regulatory deferral account balances. This test might be required because the CGU contains goodwill, or because one or more of the impairment indicators described in AASB 136 have been identified relating to the CGU. In such situations, paragraphs 74–79 of AASB 136 contain requirements for identifying the recoverable amount and the carrying amount of a CGU. An entity shall apply those requirements to decide whether any of the regulatory deferral account balances recognised are included in the carrying amount of the CGU for the purpose of the impairment test. The remaining requirements of AASB 136 shall then be applied to any impairment loss that is recognised as a result of this test.

The core principle of AASB 3 is that an acquirer of a business recognises the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed at their acquisition-date fair values. AASB 3 provides limited exceptions to its recognition and measurement principles. Paragraph B18 of this Standard provides an additional exception.

Paragraphs 11–12 require an entity to continue to apply its previous GAAP accounting policies for the recognition, measurement, impairment and derecognition of regulatory deferral account balances. Consequently, if an entity acquires a business, it shall apply, in its consolidated financial statements, its accounting policies established in accordance with paragraphs 11–12 for the recognition and measurement of the acquiree’s regulatory deferral account balances at the date of acquisition. The acquiree’s regulatory deferral account balances shall be recognised in the consolidated financial statements of the acquirer in accordance with the acquirer’s policies, irrespective of whether the acquiree recognises those balances in its own financial statements.

Paragraphs 11–12 require an entity to continue to apply its previous accounting policies for the recognition, measurement, impairment and derecognition of regulatory deferral account balances. Consequently, the measurement requirements of AASB 5 shall not apply to the regulatory deferral account balances recognised.

Paragraph 33 of AASB 5 requires a single amount to be presented for discontinued operations in the statement(s) of profit or loss and other comprehensive income. Notwithstanding the requirements of that paragraph, when an entity that elects to apply this Standard presents a discontinued operation, it shall not include the movement in regulatory deferral account balances that arose from the rate-regulated activities of the discontinued operation within the line items that are required by paragraph 33 of AASB 5. Instead, the entity shall present the movement in regulatory deferral account balances that arose from the rate-regulated activities of the discontinued operation either:

(a)    within the line item that is presented for movements in the regulatory deferral account balances related to profit or loss; or

(b)    as a separate line item alongside the related line item that is presented for movements in the regulatory deferral account balances related to profit or loss.
 

Similarly, notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph 38 of AASB 5, when an entity presents a disposal group, the entity shall not include the total of the regulatory deferral account debit balances and credit balances that are part of the disposal group within the line items that are required by paragraph 38 of AASB 5. Instead, the entity shall present the total of the regulatory deferral account debit balances and credit balances that are part of the disposal group either:

(a)    within the line items that are presented for the regulatory deferral account debit balances and credit balances; or

(b)    as separate line items alongside the other regulatory deferral account debit balances and credit balances.
 

If the entity chooses to include the regulatory deferral account balances and movements in those balances that are related to the disposal group or discontinued operation within the related regulated deferral account line items, it may be necessary to disclose them separately as part of the analysis of the regulatory deferral account line items described by paragraph 33 of this Standard.

Paragraph 19 of AASB 10 requires that a “parent shall prepare consolidated financial statements using uniform accounting policies for like transactions and other events in similar circumstances”. Paragraph 8 of this Standard requires that an entity that is within the scope of, and elects to apply, this Standard shall apply all of its requirements to all regulatory deferral account balances arising from all of the entity’s rate-regulated activities. Consequently, if a parent recognises regulatory deferral account balances in its consolidated financial statements in accordance with this Standard, it shall apply the same accounting policies to the regulatory deferral account balances arising in all of its subsidiaries. This shall apply irrespective of whether the subsidiaries recognise those balances in their own financial statements.

Similarly, paragraphs 35–36 of AASB 128 require that, in applying the equity method, an “entity’s financial statements shall be prepared using uniform accounting policies for like transactions and events in similar circumstances”. Consequently, adjustments shall be made to make the associate’s or joint venture’s accounting policies for the recognition, measurement, impairment and derecognition of regulatory deferral account balances conform to those of the investing entity in applying the equity method.

Paragraph 12(e) of AASB 12 requires an entity to disclose, for each of its subsidiaries that have non-controlling interests that are material to the reporting entity, the profit or loss that was allocated to non-controlling interests of the subsidiary during the reporting period. An entity that recognises regulatory deferral account balances in accordance with this Standard shall disclose the net movement in regulatory deferral account balances that is included within the amounts that are required to be disclosed by paragraph 12(e) of AASB 12.

Paragraph 12(g) of AASB 12 requires an entity to disclose, for each of its subsidiaries that have non-controlling interests that are material to the reporting entity, summarised financial information about the subsidiary, as specified in paragraph B10 of AASB 12. Similarly, paragraph 21(b)(ii) of AASB 12 requires an entity to disclose, for each joint venture and associate that is material to the reporting entity, summarised financial information as specified in paragraphs B12–B13 of AASB 12. Paragraph B16 of AASB 12 specifies the summary financial information that an entity is required to disclose for all other associates and joint ventures that are not individually material in accordance with paragraph 21(c) of AASB 12.

In addition to the information specified in paragraphs 12, 21, B10, B12–B13 and B16 of AASB 12, an entity that recognises regulatory deferral account balances in accordance with this Standard shall also disclose the total regulatory deferral account debit balance, the total regulatory deferral account credit balance and the net movements in those balances, split between amounts recognised in profit or loss and amounts recognised in other comprehensive income, for each entity for which those AASB 12 disclosures are required.

Paragraph 19 of AASB 12 specifies the information that an entity is required to disclose when the entity recognises a gain or loss on losing control of a subsidiary, calculated in accordance with paragraph 25 of AASB 10. In addition to the information required by paragraph 19 of AASB 12, an entity that elects to apply this Standard shall disclose the portion of that gain or loss that is attributable to derecognising regulatory deferral account balances in the former subsidiary at the date when control is lost.