Code of Federal Regulations · Section

§ 1.468A-3 — a-3 Ruling Amount

26 C.F.R. § 1.468A-3

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(a) In general. (1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (g) of this section or in § 1.468A-8 (relating to deductions for special transfers into a nuclear decommissioning fund), an electing taxpayer is allowed a deduction under section 468A(a) for the taxable year in which the taxpayer makes a cash payment (or is deemed to make a cash payment) to a nuclear decommissioning fund only if the taxpayer has received a schedule of ruling amounts for the nuclear decommissioning fund that includes a ruling amount for such taxable year. Except as provided in paragraph (a)(4) or (5) of this section, a schedule of ruling amounts for a nuclear decommissioning fund (schedule of ruling amounts) is a ruling (within the meaning of § 601.201(a)(2) of this chapter) specifying the annual payments (ruling amounts) that, over the taxable years remaining in the funding period as of the date the schedule first applies, will result in a projected balance of the nuclear decommissioning fund as of the last day of the funding period equal to (and in no event greater than) the amount of decommissioning costs allocable to the fund. The projected balance of a nuclear decommissioning fund as of the last day of the funding period shall be calculated by taking into account the fair market value of the assets of the fund as of the first day of the first taxable year to which the schedule of ruling amounts applies and the estimated rate of return to be earned by the assets of the fund after payment of the estimated administrative costs and incidental expenses to be incurred by the fund (as defined in § 1.468A-5(a)(3)(ii)), including all Federal, State and local income taxes to be incurred by the fund (the after-tax rate of return). See paragraph (c) of this section for a definition of funding period and paragraph (d) of this section for guidance with respect to the amount of decommissioning costs allocable to a fund.

(2) Each schedule of ruling amounts must be consistent with the principles and provisions of this section and must be based on reasonable assumptions concerning—

(i) The after-tax rate of return to be earned by the assets of the qualified nuclear decommissioning fund;

(ii) The total estimated cost of decommissioning the nuclear power plant (see paragraph (d)(2) of this section); and

(iii) The frequency of contributions to a nuclear decommissioning fund for a taxable year (for example, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual contributions).

(3) The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) shall provide a schedule of ruling amounts that is identical to the schedule of ruling amounts proposed by the taxpayer in connection with the taxpayer's request for a schedule of ruling amounts (see paragraph (e)(2)(viii) of this section), but no schedule of ruling amounts shall be provided unless the taxpayer's proposed schedule of ruling amounts is consistent with the principles and provisions of this section and is based on reasonable assumptions. If a proposed schedule of ruling amounts is not consistent with the principles and provisions of this section or is not based on reasonable assumptions, the taxpayer may propose an amended schedule of ruling amounts that is consistent with such principles and provisions and is based on reasonable assumptions.

(4) The taxpayer bears the burden of demonstrating that the proposed schedule of ruling amounts is consistent with the principles and provisions of this section and is based on reasonable assumptions. If a public utility commission established or approved the currently applicable rates for the furnishing or sale by the taxpayer of electricity from the plant, the taxpayer can generally satisfy this burden of proof by demonstrating that the schedule of ruling amounts is calculated using the assumptions used by the public utility commission in its most recent order. In addition, a taxpayer that owns an interest in a deregulated nuclear plant may submit assumptions used by a public utility commission that formerly had regulatory jurisdiction over the plant as support for the assumptions used in calculating the taxpayer's proposed schedule of ruling amounts, with the understanding that the assumptions used by the public utility commission may be given less weight if they are out of date or were developed in a proceeding for a different taxpayer. The use of other industry standards, such as the assumptions underlying the taxpayer's most recent financial assurance filing with the NRC, are an alternative means of demonstrating that the taxpayer has calculated its proposed schedule of ruling amounts on a reasonable basis. Consistency with financial accounting statements is not sufficient, in the absence of other supporting evidence, to meet the taxpayer's burden of proof under this paragraph (a)(4).

(5) The IRS will approve, at the request of the taxpayer, a formula or method for determining a schedule of ruling amounts (rather than providing a schedule specifying a dollar amount for each taxable year) if the formula or method is consistent with the principles and provisions of this section and is based on reasonable assumptions. See paragraph (f)(1)(ii) of this section for a special rule relating to the mandatory review of ruling amounts that are determined pursuant to a formula or method.

(6) The IRS may, in its discretion, provide a schedule of ruling amounts that is determined on a basis other than the rules of paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section if—

(i) In connection with its request for a schedule of ruling amounts, the taxpayer explains the need for special treatment and sets forth an alternative basis for determining the schedule of ruling amounts; and

(ii) The IRS determines that special treatment is consistent with the purpose of section 468A.

(b) Level funding limitation. (1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, the ruling amount specified in a schedule of ruling amounts for any taxable year in the funding period (as defined in paragraph (c) of this section) shall not be less than the ruling amount specified in such schedule for any earlier taxable year.

(2) The ruling amount specified in a schedule of ruling amounts for a taxable year after the end of the funding period may be less than the ruling amount specified in such schedule for an earlier taxable year.

(3) The ruling amount specified in a schedule of ruling amounts for the last taxable year in the funding period may be less than the ruling amount specified in such schedule for an earlier taxable year if, when annualized, the amount specified for the last taxable year is not less than the amount specified for such earlier taxable year. The amount specified for the last taxable year is annualized by—

(i) Determining the number of days between the beginning of the taxable year and the end of the plant's estimated useful life;

(ii) Dividing the amount specified for the last taxable year by such number of days; and

(iii) Multiplying the result by the number of days in the last taxable year (generally 365).

(c) Funding period—(1) In general. For purposes of this section, the funding period for a nuclear decommissioning fund is the period that—

(i) Begins on the first day of the first taxable year for which a deductible payment is made (or deemed made) to such nuclear decommissioning fund (see § 1.468A-2(a) for rules relating to the first taxable year for which a payment may be made (or deemed made) to a nuclear decommissioning fund); and

(ii) Ends on the last day of the taxable year that includes the last day of the estimated useful life of the nuclear power plant to which the nuclear decommissioning fund relates.

(2) Estimated useful life. The last day of the estimated useful life of a nuclear power plant is determined under the following rules:

(i) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this section—

(A) The last day of the estimated useful life of a nuclear power plant that has been included in rate base for ratemaking purposes in any ratemaking proceeding that established rates for a period before January 1, 2006, is the date used in the first such ratemaking proceeding as the estimated date on which the nuclear power plant will no longer be included in the taxpayer's rate base for ratemaking purposes;

(B) The last day of the estimated useful life of a nuclear power plant that is not described in paragraph (c)(2)(i)(A) of this section is the last day of the estimated useful life of the plant determined as of the date it is placed in service;

(C) A taxpayer with an interest in a plant that is not described in paragraph (c)(2)(i)(A) of this section may use any reasonable method for determining the last day of such estimated useful life; and

(D) A reasonable method for purposes of paragraph (c)(2)(i)(C) of this section may include use of the period for which a public utility commission has included a comparable nuclear power plant in rate base for ratemaking purposes.

(ii) If it can be established that the estimated useful life of the nuclear power plant will end on a date other than the date determined under paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section, the taxpayer may use such other date as the last day of the estimated useful life but is not required to do so. If the last day of the estimated useful life was determined under paragraph (c)(2)(i)(A) of this section and the most recent ratemaking proceeding used an alternative date as the estimated date on which the nuclear power plant will no longer be included rate base, the most recent ratemaking proceeding will generally be treated as establishing such alternative date as the last day of the estimated useful life.

(iii) The estimated useful life of a nuclear power plant determined for purposes of paragraph (c)(1) of this section may end on a different date from the estimated useful life of a nuclear power plant determined for purposes of § 1.468A-8(b)(1) and (c)(1).

(d) Decommissioning costs allocable to a fund. The amount of decommissioning costs allocable to a nuclear decommissioning fund is determined for purposes of this section by applying the following rules and definitions:

(1) General rule. The amount of decommissioning costs allocable to a nuclear decommissioning fund is the taxpayer's share of the total estimated cost of decommissioning the nuclear power plant to which the fund relates.

(2) Total estimated cost of decommissioning. Under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, the taxpayer must demonstrate the reasonableness of the assumptions concerning the total estimated cost of decommissioning the nuclear power plant.

(3) Taxpayer's share. The taxpayer's share of the total estimated cost of decommissioning a nuclear power plant equals the total estimated cost of decommissioning such nuclear power plant multiplied by the percentage of such nuclear power plant that the qualifying interest of the taxpayer represents. (See § 1.468A-1(b)(2) for circumstances in which a taxpayer possesses a qualifying interest in a nuclear power plant).

(e) Manner of requesting schedule of ruling amounts—(1) In general. (i) In order to receive a ruling amount for any taxable year, a taxpayer must file a request for a schedule of ruling amounts that complies with the requirements of this paragraph (e), the applicable procedural rules set forth in § 601.201(e) of this chapter (Statement of Procedural Rules), and the requirements of any applicable revenue procedure that is in effect on the date the request is filed.

(ii) A separate request for a schedule of ruling amounts is required for each nuclear decommissioning fund established by a taxpayer. (See paragraph (a) of § 1.468A-5 for rules relating to the number of nuclear decommissioning funds that a taxpayer can establish.)

(iii) Except as provided by §§ 1.468A-5(a)(1)(iv) (relating to certain unincorporated organizations that may be taxable as corporations) and 1.468A-8 (relating to a special transfer under section 468A(f)(1)), a request for a schedule of ruling amounts must not contain a request for a ruling on any other issue, whether the issue involves section 468A or another section of the Internal Revenue Code.

(iv) In the case of an affiliated group of corporations that join in the filing of a consolidated return, the common parent of the group may request a schedule of ruling amounts for each member of the group that possesses a qualifying interest in the same nuclear power plant by filing a single submission with the IRS.

(v) The IRS will not provide or revise a ruling amount applicable to a taxable year in response to a request for a schedule of ruling amounts that is filed after the deemed payment deadline date (as defined in § 1.468A-2(c)(1)) for such taxable year. In determining the date when a request is filed, the principles of sections 7502 and 7503 shall apply.

(vi) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(1)(vii) of this section, a request for a schedule of ruling amounts shall be considered filed only if such request complies substantially with the requirements of this paragraph (e).

(vii) If a request does not comply substantially with the requirements of this paragraph (e), the IRS will notify the taxpayer of that fact. If the information or materials necessary to comply substantially with the requirements of this paragraph (e) are provided to the IRS within 30 days after this notification, the request will be considered filed on the date of the original submission. In addition, the request will be considered filed on the date of the original submission in a case in which the information and materials are provided more than 30 days after the notification if the IRS determines that the electing taxpayer made a good faith effort to provide the applicable information or materials within 30 days after notification and also determines that treating the request as filed on the date of the original submission is consistent with the purposes of section 468A. In any other case in which the information or materials necessary to comply substantially with the requirements of this paragraph (e) are not provided within 30 days after the notification, the request will be considered filed on the date that all information or materials necessary to comply with the requirements of this paragraph (e) are provided.

(2) Information required. A request for a schedule of ruling amounts must contain the following information:

(i) The taxpayer's name, address, and taxpayer identification number.

(ii) Whether the request is for an initial schedule of ruling amounts, a mandatory review of the schedule of ruling amounts (see paragraph (f)(1) of this section), or an elective review of the schedule of ruling amounts (see paragraph (f)(2) of this section).

(iii) The name and location of the nuclear power plant with respect to which a schedule of ruling amounts is requested.

(iv) A description of the taxpayer's qualifying interest in the nuclear power plant and the percentage of such nuclear power plant that the qualifying interest of the taxpayer represents.

(v) Where applicable, an identification of each public utility commission that establishes or approves rates for the furnishing or sale by the taxpayer of electric energy generated by the nuclear power plant, and, for each public utility commission identified—

(A) Whether the public utility commission has determined the amount of decommissioning costs to be included in the taxpayer's cost of service for ratemaking purposes;

(B) The amount of decommissioning costs that are to be included in the taxpayer's cost of service for each taxable year under the current determination and amounts that otherwise are required to be included in the taxpayer's income under section 88 and the regulations thereunder;

(C) A description of the assumptions, estimates and other factors used by the public utility commission to determine the amount of decommissioning costs;

(D) A copy of such portions of any order or opinion of the public utility commission as pertain to the public utility commission's most recent determination of the amount of decommissioning costs to be included in cost of service; and

(E) A copy of each engineering or cost study that was relied on or used by the public utility commission in determining the amount of decommissioning costs to be included in the taxpayer's cost of service under the current determination.

(vi) A description of the assumptions, estimates and other factors that were used by the taxpayer to determine the amount of decommissioning costs, including each of the following if applicable:

(A) A description of the proposed method of decommissioning the nuclear power plant (for example, prompt removal/dismantlement, safe storage entombment with delayed dismantlement, or safe storage mothballing with delayed dismantlement).

(B) The estimated year in which substantial decommissioning costs will first be incurred.

(C) The estimated year in which the decommissioning of the nuclear power plant will be substantially complete (see § 1.468A-5(d)(3) for a definition of substantial completion of decommissioning).

(D) The total estimated cost of decommissioning expressed in current dollars (that is, based on price levels in effect at the time of the current determination).

(E) The total estimated cost of decommissioning expressed in future dollars (that is, based on anticipated price levels when expenses are expected to be paid).

(F) For each taxable year in the period that begins with the year specified in paragraph (e)(2)(vi)(B) of this section (the estimated year in which substantial decommissioning costs will first be incurred) and ends with the year specified in paragraph (e)(2)(vi)(C) of this section (the estimated year in which the decommissioning of the nuclear power plant will be substantially complete), the estimated cost of decommissioning expressed in future dollars.

(G) A description of the methodology used in converting the estimated cost of decommissioning expressed in current dollars to the estimated cost of decommissioning expressed in future dollars.

(H) The assumed after-tax rate of return to be earned by the assets of the qualified nuclear decommissioning fund.

(I) A copy of each engineering or cost study that was relied on or used by the taxpayer in determining the amount of decommissioning costs.

(vii) A proposed schedule of ruling amounts for each taxable year remaining in the funding period as of the date the schedule of ruling amounts will first apply.

(viii) A description of the assumptions, estimates and other factors that were used in determining the proposed schedule of ruling amounts, including, if applicable—

(A) The funding period (as such term is defined in paragraph (c) of this section);

(B) The assumed after-tax rate of return to be earned by the assets of the nuclear decommissioning fund;

(C) The fair market value of the assets (if any) of the nuclear decommissioning fund as of the first day of the first taxable year to which the schedule of ruling amounts will apply;

(D) The amount expected to be earned by the assets of the nuclear decommissioning fund (based on the after-tax rate of return applicable to the fund) over the period that begins on the first day of the first taxable year to which the schedule of ruling amounts will apply and ends on the last day of the funding period;

(E) The amount of decommissioning costs allocable to the nuclear decommissioning fund (as determined under paragraph (d) of this section);

(F) The total estimated cost of decommissioning (as determined under paragraph (d)(2) of this section); and

(G) The taxpayer's share of the total estimated cost of decommissioning (as such term is defined in paragraph (d)(3) of this section).

(ix) If the request is for a revised schedule of ruling amounts, the after-tax rate of return earned by the assets of the nuclear decommissioning fund for each taxable year in the period that begins with the date of the initial contribution to the fund and ends with the first day of the first taxable year to which the revised schedule of ruling amounts applies.

(x) If applicable, an explanation of the need for a schedule of ruling amounts determined on a basis other than the rules of paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section and a description of an alternative basis for determining a schedule of ruling amounts (see paragraph (a)(5) of this section).

(xi) A chart or table, based upon the assumed after-tax rate of return to be earned by the assets of the nuclear decommissioning fund, setting forth the years the fund will be in existence, the annual contribution to the fund, the estimated annual earnings of the fund and the cumulative total balance in the fund.

(xii) If the request is for a revised schedule of ruling amounts, a copy of the schedule of ruling amounts that the revised schedule would replace.

(xiii) If the request for a schedule of ruling amounts contains a request, pursuant to § 1.468A-5(a)(1)(iv), that the IRS rule whether an unincorporated organization through which the assets of the fund are invested is an association taxable as a corporation for Federal tax purposes, a copy of the legal documents establishing or otherwise governing the organization.

(xiv) Any other information required by the IRS that may be necessary or useful in determining the schedule of ruling amounts.

(3) Administrative procedures. The IRS may prescribe administrative procedures that supplement the provisions of paragraph (e)(1) and (2) of this section. In addition, the IRS may, in its discretion, waive the requirements of paragraph (e)(1) and (2) of this section under appropriate circumstances.

(f) Review and revision of schedule of ruling amounts—(1) Mandatory review. (i) Any taxpayer that has obtained a schedule of ruling amounts pursuant to paragraph (e) of this section must file a request for a revised schedule of ruling amounts on or before the deemed payment deadline date for the 10th taxable year that begins after the taxable year in which the most recent schedule of ruling amounts was received. If the taxpayer calculated its most recent schedule of ruling amounts on any basis other than an order issued by a public utility commission, the taxpayer must file a request for a revised schedule of ruling amounts on or before the deemed payment deadline date for the 5th taxable year that begins after the taxable year in which the most recent schedule of ruling amounts was received.

(ii) (A) Any taxpayer that has obtained a formula or method for determining a schedule of ruling amounts for any taxable year under paragraph (a)(5) of this section must file a request for a revised schedule on or before the earlier of the deemed payment deadline for the 5th taxable year that begins after its taxable year in which the most recent formula or method was approved or the deemed payment deadline for the first taxable year that begins after a taxable year in which there is a substantial variation in the ruling amount determined under the most recent formula or method. There is a substantial variation in the ruling amount determined under the formula or method in effect for a taxable year if the ruling amount for the year and the ruling amount for any earlier year since the most recent formula or method was approved differ by more than 50 percent of the smaller amount.

(B) Any taxpayer that has determined its ruling amount for any taxable year under a formula prescribed by § 1.468A-6 (which prescribes ruling amounts for the taxable year in which there is a disposition of a qualifying interest in a nuclear power plant) must file a request for a revised schedule of ruling amounts on or before the deemed payment deadline for its first taxable year that begins after the disposition.

(iii) A taxpayer requesting a schedule of deduction amounts for a nuclear decommissioning fund under § 1.468A-8 must also request a revised schedule of ruling amounts for the fund. The revised schedule of ruling amounts must apply beginning with the first taxable year following the first year in which a deduction is allowed under the schedule of deduction amounts.

(iv) If the operating license of the nuclear power plant to which a nuclear decommissioning fund relates is renewed, the taxpayer maintaining the fund must request a revised schedule of ruling amounts. The request for the revised schedule must be submitted on or before the deemed payment deadline for the taxable year that includes the date on which the operating license is renewed.

(v) A request for a schedule of ruling amounts required by this paragraph (f)(1) must be made in accordance with the rules of paragraph (e) of this section. If a taxpayer does not properly file a request for a revised schedule of ruling amounts by the date provided in paragraph (f)(1)(i), (ii) or (iv) of this section (whichever is applicable), the taxpayer's ruling amount for the first taxable year to which the revised schedule of ruling amounts would have applied and for all succeeding taxable years until a new schedule is obtained shall be zero dollars, unless, in its discretion, the IRS provides otherwise in such new schedule of ruling amounts. Thus, if a taxpayer is required to request a revised schedule of ruling amounts under any provision of this section, and each ruling amount in the revised schedule would equal zero dollars, the taxpayer may, instead of requesting a new schedule of ruling amounts, begin treating the ruling amounts under its most recent schedule as equal to zero dollars.

(2) Elective review. Any taxpayer that has obtained a schedule of ruling amounts pursuant to paragraph (e) of this section can request a revised schedule of ruling amounts. Such a request must be made in accordance with the rules of paragraph (e) of this section; thus, the IRS will not provide a revised ruling amount applicable to a taxable year in response to a request for a schedule of ruling amounts that is filed after the deemed payment deadline date for such taxable year (see paragraph (e)(1)(vi) of this section).

(3) Determination of revised schedule of ruling amounts. A revised schedule of ruling amounts for a nuclear decommissioning fund shall be determined under this section without regard to any schedule of ruling amounts for such nuclear decommissioning fund that was issued prior to such revised schedule. Thus, a ruling amount specified in a revised schedule of ruling amounts for any taxable year in the funding period can be less than one or more ruling amounts specified in a prior schedule of ruling amounts for a prior taxable year.

(g) Special rule permitting payments to a nuclear decommissioning fund before receipt of an initial or revised ruling amount applicable to a taxable year. (1) If an electing taxpayer has filed a timely request for an initial or revised ruling amount for a taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2006, and does not receive the ruling amount on or before the deemed payment deadline date for such taxable year, the taxpayer may make a payment to a nuclear decommissioning fund on the basis of the ruling amount proposed in the taxpayer's request. Thus, under the preceding sentence, an electing taxpayer may make a payment to a nuclear decommissioning fund for such taxable year that does not exceed the ruling amount proposed by the taxpayer for such taxable year in a timely filed request for a schedule of ruling amounts.

(2) If an electing taxpayer makes a payment to a nuclear decommissioning fund for any taxable year pursuant to paragraph (g)(1) of this section and the ruling amount that is provided by the IRS is greater than the ruling amount proposed by the taxpayer for such taxable year, the taxpayer is not allowed to make an additional payment to the fund for such taxable year after the deemed payment deadline date for such taxable year.

(3) If the payment or transfer that an electing taxpayer makes to a nuclear decommissioning fund for any taxable year pursuant to paragraph (g)(1) of this section exceeds the ruling amount that is provided by the IRS for such taxable year, the following rules apply:

(i) The amount of the excess is an excess contribution (as defined in § 1.468A-5(c)(2)(ii)) for such taxable year.

(ii) The amount of the excess contribution is not deductible (see § 1.468A-2(b)(2)) and must be withdrawn by the taxpayer pursuant to the rules of § 1.468A-5(c)(2)(i).

(iii) The taxpayer must withdraw the after-tax earnings on the excess contribution.

(iv) If the taxpayer claimed a deduction for the excess contribution, the taxpayer should file an amended return for the taxable year.

26 C.F.R. § 1.468A-2 26 C.F.R. § 1.468A-4

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