CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP

We maintain our accounting records in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and as directed by the Commissions to which our operations are subject. The process of preparing financial statements requires the use of estimates on the part of management. The estimates used by management are based on historic experience and an understanding of current facts and circumstances. A summary of our significant accounting policies is listed in Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. The following sections describe those policies where the level of subjectivity, judgment, and variability of estimates could have a material impact on the financial condition, operating performance, and cash flows of the business.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue from contracts with customers

The Company principally generates operating revenue from contracts with customers by providing regulated water and wastewater services at tariff-rates authorized by the Commissions in the states in which they operate and non-regulated water and wastewater services at rates authorized by contracts with government agencies. Revenue from contracts with customers reflects amounts billed for the volume of consumption at authorized per unit rates, for a service charge, and for other authorized charges.

The Company satisfies its performance obligation to provide water and wastewater services over time as services are rendered. The Company applies the invoice practical expedient and recognizes revenue from contracts with customers in the amount for which the Company has a right to invoice. The Company has a right to invoice for the volume of consumption, for the service charge, and for other authorized charges. The measurement of sales to customers is generally based on the reading of their meters, which occurs on a systematic basis throughout the month.

Contract terms are generally short-term and at will by customers and, as a result, no separate financing component is recognized for the Company's collections from customers, which generally require payment within 30 days of billing. The Company applies judgment, based principally on historical payment experience, in estimating its customers’ ability to pay.

Certain customers are not billed for volumetric consumption, but are instead billed a flat rate at the beginning of each monthly service period. The amount billed is initially deferred and subsequently recognized over the monthly service period, as the performance obligation is satisfied. The deferred revenue balance or contract liability, which is included in "other accrued liabilities" on the consolidated balance sheets, is inconsequential.

Regulatory balancing account revenue

Regulatory balancing account revenue is revenue related to revenue mechanisms authorized in California by the CPUC, which the Company recognizes as revenue when it is objectively determinable, probable of recovery and expected to be collected within 24 months following the end of the accounting period. Regulatory balancing account revenues are not considered contracts with customers. To the extent that revenue is estimated to be collectible beyond 24 months, recognition is deferred. Due to a delay in resolution of the 2021 GRC, the Company did not recognize a benefit from regulatory revenue mechanisms in 2023. For 2022, the Company's authorized regulatory revenue mechanisms included the WRAM.

The WRAM decoupled revenue from the volume of the sales and allowed the Company to recognize the adopted level of volumetric revenues. The variance between adopted volumetric revenues and actual billed volumetric revenues for metered accounts was recorded as regulatory balancing account revenue. The WRAM concluded on December 31, 2022.

Regulatory balancing accounts also include revenue that is recognized for balancing accounts when it is probable that future recovery of previously incurred costs or future refunds that are to be credited to customers will occur through the ratemaking process. These mechanisms, such as the Modified Cost Balancing Account (MCBA), Conservation Expense Balancing Account (CEBA), Pension Cost Balancing Account (PCBA), and Health Cost Balancing Account (HCBA), generally provide for recovery of the adopted levels of expenses for purchased water, purchased power, pump taxes, water conservation program costs, pension, and health care. Variances between adopted and actual costs were recorded as regulatory balancing account revenue in 2022. In 2023, in connection with the CPUC's decision to discontinue the use of the WRAM, the variances for CEBA, HCBA, and PCBA are recorded against the originating expense. The MCBA concluded on December 31, 2022.

The CPUC issued a decision effective August 27, 2020 requiring that Class A companies submitting GRC filings after the effective date be (i) precluded from proposing the use of a full decoupling WRAM in their next GRCs and (ii) allowed the use of MWRAM. In addition, the CPUC's decision allowed for ICBAs to replace the MCBA. The MWRAM tracks the difference between the revenue received for actual metered sales through the tiered volumetric rate and the revenue that would have been received with the same actual metered sales if a uniform rate had been in effect. The ICBA tracks differences between the authorized per-unit prices of water production costs and actual per-unit prices of water production costs. Cal Water complied with this decision in its 2021 GRC and the MWRAM and ICBAs are expected to be effective retroactive to January 1, 2023 once approved. The Company did not record a regulatory asset or regulatory liability for the MWRAM or ICBAs for 2023.

In September 2020, Cal Water filed an Application for Rehearing at the CPUC seeking to reverse the August 27, 2020 CPUC decision. In September 2021, the CPUC denied the Application for Rehearing. On or about October 27, 2021, Cal Water along with four other Class A California water utilities filed Petitions for a Writ of Review with the California Supreme Court (Court). On May 18, 2022, the Court issued writs granting review and ordered the CPUC and other filing parties to submit additional pleadings to the Court. The final pleadings were submitted on January 13, 2023. Cal Water anticipates that the Court will schedule an oral argument before it begins deliberations and issues its decision.

Regulated Utility Accounting

Because we operate almost exclusively in a regulated business, we are subject to the accounting standards for regulated utilities. The Commissions in the states in which we operate establish rates that are designed to permit the recovery of the cost of service and a return on investment. We capitalize and record regulatory assets for costs that would otherwise be charged to expense if it is probable that the incurred costs will be recovered in future rates. Regulatory assets are amortized over the future periods that the costs are expected to be recovered. If costs expected to be incurred in the future are currently being recovered through rates, we record those expected future costs as regulatory liabilities. In addition, we record regulatory liabilities when it is probable the Commissions will require a refund to be made to our customers over future periods.

Determining probability requires significant judgment by management and includes, but is not limited to, consideration of testimony presented in regulatory hearings, proposed regulatory decisions, final regulatory orders, and the strength or status of applications for rehearing or state court appeals.

If we determine that a portion of our assets used in utility operations is not recoverable in customer rates, we would be required to recognize the loss of the disallowed assets.

We account for income taxes using the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis. We measure deferred tax assets and liabilities at enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. We recognize the effect on the deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rate in the period that includes the enactment date. We also assess the likelihood that deferred tax assets will be recovered in future taxable income and, to the extent recovery is not probable, a valuation allowance would be recorded.

We anticipate that future rate actions by the regulatory commissions will reflect revenue requirements for the tax effects of temporary differences recognized, which have previously been passed through to customers. The regulatory commissions have granted the Company permission to reflect the normalization of the tax benefits of the federal accelerated methods and available Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) for all assets placed in service after 1980. ITCs are deferred and amortized over the lives of the related properties for book purposes. The CPUC requires flow through accounting for state deferred taxes.

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted expansive tax legislation commonly referred to as the TCJA. Among other provisions, the TCJA reduced the federal income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent beginning on January 1, 2018 and eliminated bonus depreciation for utilities. The TCJA required the Company to re-measure all existing deferred income tax assets and liabilities to reflect the federal tax rate reduction.

As of December 31, 2023, the TCJA refund liability was $92.5 million. We continue working with other state regulators to finalize the refund to confirm compliance with federal normalization rules.

Pension and Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions (PBOP)

We incur costs associated with our pension and PBOP plans. To measure the expense of these benefits, our management must estimate compensation increases, mortality rates, future health cost increases and discount rates used to value related liabilities and to determine appropriate funding. Different estimates used by our management could result in significant variances in the cost recognized for pension and PBOP plans. The estimates used are based on historical experience, current facts, future expectations, and recommendations from independent advisors and actuaries. We use an investment advisor to provide advice in managing the plan's investments. We anticipate any increases in funding for the pension benefits plans will be recovered in future rate filings, thereby mitigating the financial impact. We believe it is probable that future costs will be recovered in future rates and therefore have recorded a regulatory asset in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Changes to the pension benefits actuarial assumptions can significantly affect pension costs, regulatory assets, and liabilities.

The following table reflects the sensitivity of pension amounts reported for the year ended December 31, 2023, to changes in actuarial assumptions:

1. The cost of living adjustment was assumed at 2.23% and has a floor of 2.0%.