EXELON CORP

Utility Rates and Rate Proceedings

The Utility Registrants file rate cases with their regulatory commissions seeking increases or decreases to their electric transmission and distribution, and gas distribution rates to recover their costs and earn a fair return on their investments. The outcomes of these regulatory proceedings impact the Utility Registrants’ current and future results of operations, cash flows, and financial positions. See Note 3 — Regulatory Matters of the Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on these regulatory proceedings.

Legislative and Regulatory Developments

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the $1.2 trillion IIJA into law. IIJA provides for approximately $550 billion in new federal spending. Categories of funding include funding for a variety of infrastructure needs, including but not limited to: (1) power and grid reliability and resilience, (2) resilience for cybersecurity to address critical infrastructure needs, and (3) electric vehicle charging infrastructure for alternative fuel corridors. Federal agencies are developing guidelines to implement spending programs under IIJA. The time needed to develop these guidelines will vary with some limited program applications opened as early as the first quarter of 2022. The Registrants continue to evaluate programs under the legislation and consider possible opportunities to apply for funding, either directly or in potential collaborations with state and/or local agencies and key stakeholders. The Registrants cannot predict the ultimate timing and success of securing funding from programs under IIJA.

In September 2022, ComEd and BGE applied for the MMG, which establishes and funds construction, improvement, or acquisition of middle mile broadband infrastructure which creates high-speed internet services. The MMG addresses inequitable broadband access by expansion and extension of the middle mile infrastructure in underserved communities. In June 2023, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced it selected two of the applications submitted by BGE and ComEd; awarding ComEd and BGE $14.5 million and $15.4 million respectively. The applications selected by NTIA for BGE and ComEd proposed projects designed to enhance electric grid reliability and resiliency while leading and advancing shared local, state, and national goals to increase broadband connectivity, redundancy, affordability, and equity.

In March 2023, Exelon, ComEd, and PHI submitted three applications related to the Smart Grid Grants program under section 40107 of IIJA. These applications are focused on replacing existing Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) in support of distributed energy resources (DERs) and grid-edged technologies, strengthening interoperability and data architecture of systems in support of two-way power flows and accelerating advanced metering deployment in disadvantaged communities. In October 2023, ComEd’s project, Deployment of a Community-Oriented Interoperable Control Framework for Aggregating and Integrating Distributed Energy Resources and Other Grid-Edge Devices, was recommended by the Grid Deployment Office (GDO) for negotiation of a final award up to $50 million. This project will enable ComEd and its local partners to deploy the next generation of grid technologies that support the growth of solar and electric vehicles (EVs), while piloting new local workforce training initiatives to support job creation connected to the clean energy transition. The GDO has indicated the award negotiation process can take approximately 120 days.

In April 2023, ComEd, PECO, BGE, and PHI submitted seven applications related to the Grid Resilience Grants program under section 40101(c) of IIJA. These applications are broadly focused on improving grid resilience with an emphasis on disadvantaged communities, relief of capacity constraints and modernizing infrastructure, deployment of DER and microgrid technologies and providing improved resilience through storm hardening projects. In October 2023, PECO’s project, Creating a Resilient, Equitable, and Accessible Transformation in Energy for Greater Philadelphia (CREATE), was recommended by the GDO for negotiation of a final award up to $100 million. This project will support critical electric infrastructure investments to help reduce the impact of extreme weather and historic flooding on the Registrants' electric distribution system. The GDO has indicated the award negotiation process can take approximately 120 days.

The Registrants are supporting three different Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub opportunities, covering all five states that Exelon operates in plus Washington D.C. under a program that will create networks of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local connective infrastructure to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier that can deliver or store energy. Applications for the three opportunities under this program were submitted in April 2023. In October 2023 the DOE announced it selected two of the projects for further negotiation: (1) the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2), which is being supported by PECO and PHI, and (2) the Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2), which is being supported by ComEd.

In November 2023, the GDO announced up to $3.9 billion available through the second-round funding opportunity of the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025. This funding opportunity focuses on projects that will improve electric transmission by increasing funding and advancing interconnection processes for faster build out of energy projects, create comprehensive solutions that link grid communications systems and operations to increase resilience and reduce power outages and threats, and deploy advanced technologies such as distributed energy resources and battery systems to provide essential grid services to ensure American communities across the country have access to affordable, reliable, clean electricity. Exelon, ComEd, BGE, PHI, Pepco, DPL, and ACE submitted seven concept papers in response to the second round of the GRIP program. The concept papers are focused on improving the resilience of the electric grid and deployment of technologies to enhance grid flexibility and deliver benefits to customers and communities across the Exelon footprint. The GDO is expected to issue notifications of encouragement/discouragement for full applications in the first quarter of 2024. Exelon cannot predict if their concept papers will receive a notification of encouragement to submit a full application.

PJM Regional Transmission Expansion

On April 6, 2023, PJM received a deactivation notice for Brandon Shores, a 1,282 MW coal generation plant located in BGE service territory. The deactivation was requested for June 1, 2025 and will result in numerous reliability issues across the region. In June 2023, PJM assigned a portion of transmission system upgrades to mitigate these reliability impacts to PECO, BGE, and Pepco. In July 2023, PJM Board of Managers approved assigning Exelon transmission system upgrades to mitigate these reliability impacts to PECO, BGE, and Pepco. The initial projected capital expenditures associated with these upgrades are approximately $80 million, $650 million, and $80 million for PECO, BGE, and Pepco, respectively. These amounts include a scope reduction estimated by PJM for PECO of $60 million associated with a transmission proposal window, as disclosed at a Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee meeting on October 31, 2023. The upgrades are expected to be completed by the end of 2028.

Separately, PJM held a competitive transmission proposal window from February 24, 2023 through May 31, 2023 to address reliability issues driven by significant load increases in northern Virginia. PECO, BGE, and Pepco submitted four solution proposals. At a meeting of the Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee on October 31, 2023, PJM recommended that PECO, BGE, Pepco, and DPL be awarded a portion of the work for the proposed solution. Initial estimated costs for these upgrades are approximately $70 million, $700 million, $80 million, and $5 million for PECO, BGE, Pepco, and DPL, respectively. The PJM Board of Managers approved the solution in December 2023 and the upgrades are expected to be completed by the end of 2030.