Q4 2021 California Water Service Group Earnings Call
Thank you for standing by and welcome to the California Water Service group fourth quarter and year end 2021 earnings call. At this time all participants are in a listen only mode. After the speaker's presentation. There will be a question and answer session to ask a question. During this session you'll need to press star one on your telephone as a reminder, today's program.
It's being recorded and now I'd like to introduce your host for today's program, Dave Healey Vice President Controller. Please go ahead Sir.
Thank you Jonathan.
Welcome everyone to the <unk> 2021 year end and fourth quarter earnings results call for California Water Service group.
With me today is Martin crop with Nike.
<unk> CEO .
Thomas Nagel, our vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Paul Townsley, Our Vice President of business development.
Replay dial in information for this call can be found in our year end earnings release, which was issued earlier today. The replay will be available until April 27th 2022.
As a reminder, before we begin the company has a slide deck to accompany the earnings call.
The slide deck was furnished with an 8-K. This morning and is also available at the company's website at Ww Dod Cal water group Dot com.
Before looking at this quarters results and year end results, we'd like to take a few moments to cover forward looking statements. During the course of the call. The company may make certain forward looking statements because these statements deal with future events. They are subject to very.
Risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially.
From the company's current expectations because of this the company strongly advises all current shareholders as well as interested parties to carefully read and understand the company's disclosures on risks and uncertainties.
In our Form 10-K .
Form 10-Q press releases and other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
I'm going to pass it over to Tom to begin.
Thanks, David and good morning, everyone.
I'm happy to be with you to talk about Cal water, California water service groups.
Results and expectations going forward for 2022.
I'm going to start on slide five of the slide deck and run through the financial results for the full year.
And then we'll pass it around as the slides go by I want to spend a little bit more time on this first slide than I normally do because there's a couple of new things and here are just to identify for the group.
First our operating revenue was down slightly for the year and and yet the net income attributable to the company was up $4 3 million. That's certainly good news and we're proud of that result, one.
One thing that you might take from that you might scratch your head a little bit the reason for the lower revenue and higher net income is that through the California regulatory process. We are returning to customers' excess deferred income taxes.
And that shows in the customer rates and therefore, the revenue, but also in lower income tax expense. So youll notice. If you look into the financials attached to the press release or into the 10-K that we have lower income tax for the gear. The other thing that you'll notice here as I mentioned net income attributable to CW T.
That is because we exclude the <unk>.
The impact of the minority interest in our <unk> entity that we co own in Texas, and so Youll see if you read the 10-K, a lot of disclosure and description around that but this is the net income attributable to CWT and Youll continue to see that language in the press release and in our.
SEC filings on a go forward basis on an earnings per share basis, we were down very slightly for the year from $1 97 to $1 96, and again the reason for the divergence between the the net income being up the earnings per share being down is that we did issue $3 3 million new <unk>.
Shares here.
Here in 2021 as part of our ATM program, we'll talk a little bit more about that later on in the slide deck.
Our financial results for the fourth quarter, which is on slide six.
We did see a decline in net income and earnings here for the fourth quarter. This is primarily due to the impact of reduced Unbilled revenue, we talked about this both in the second quarter and on the third quarter calls, where the company had experienced so much higher than normal.
Unbilled revenue accrual in the second and third quarter, and that's come back down to normal.
For the end of the year and so that is really impacting what you see for the fourth quarter results.
So that's the primary driver we can get into that with the bar charts in a few slides.
Next I want to turn it over to Marty to recap the year.
Thanks, Tom Good morning, everyone. Thanks for joining us this morning on what's a very busy news morning, and we appreciate you taking time to be here today as Tom mentioned, we had a very solid year in the face of dealing with the continued pandemic dealing with the drought and a lot of regulatory activities in particular in the state of California, where we have an opening the cost of capital proceeding.
And our 2021 general rate case during the year, we had total infrastructure investment of $293 million.
That's down slightly but we still we were we're basically happy with the outcome.
Given the continuation of Covid and also some of the supply chain issues that we've all seen heard and read about and certainly we're not.
Hi, immune to those supply chain issues and that has an effect on our ability to get some capital in the ground. Additionally, we continue to act on our growth opportunities, adding our Texas subsidiary.
And we'll talk more about that in a little bit and of course, we've continued on our quest to improve our ESG efforts, including published our first ever ESG report.
Additionally, at the state of California appropriated from the pandemic relief build a federal bill.
Monies for utilities for railroads management and in February we received a check for a little over $20 million.
<unk> to be used for offsetting and helping our customers reduce their debt associated from their water bills with a pandemic. So we're in the process of applying those funds. So overall from a from a net income per spot from an EPS perspective, we were down a penny a share but as Tom mentioned, we issued three 3 million shares for ATM program. So our net <unk>.
For the first time in our history.
It was over 100 million and we ended the year of $101 $1 million and ultimately that gave us some room to increase the dividend eight or eight 7% from 92 cents a share to a dollar a share for 2022.
Okay, and then I'm going to look at the fourth quarter highlights on slide eight.
As I mentioned, our net income decreased by $12 million to $3 5 million for the quarter.
And the major driver for that was at $9 $2 million decrease in our.
Accrued unbilled revenue just to give you an idea for the full year, our unbilled revenue decreased zero point $5 million. So it's very close to a zero change.
Or unbilled revenue for the year, but we obviously had a lot of swings during the year, both the second quarter in the third quarter and then here at the end of the year.
So not unexpected full year result for Unbilled revenue or rate increases had added $2 1 million.
We did have increases in depreciation and maintenance costs.
That increased expenses by $3 7 million and then the other driver which is a bit outside of our control we had a $2 million reduction in the unrealized gains associated with our non qualified retirement plan assets as compared to the prior year.
You can see these things on the earnings bridges.
On slide nine we have the earnings bridge for 'twenty to 'twenty, one again very similar results for the year, we have rate relief and the impact of reducing our bad debt expense associated with the receipt of the state funding for <unk> management and then the other factors.
To be the normal operating expenses for the company.
That are offsetting that that release.
On the earnings bridge for the quarter on Slide 10, Youll see the big impact there is a change to the Unbilled revenue.
And the mark to market as well.
Next I would like to focus on 2022 on slide 11, and just walk through a couple of.
Things that the analysts and observers of the stock should note.
We talk about these last year as well, but just to run through some kind of major factors in 2022.
Haven't adopted rate base in California of 184 billion and that gives us and adopted net income in California of $95 million. So that's what the commission would want us to earn on a normal basis. Our other states have about $110 million of rate base and you'd expect them to earn.
In line with the rate base.
Because this is the third year of the California Trc process in 2022, the new rates from the new case wouldn't be effective until 2023.
There are all of the things that go along with the third year of the general rate case do you have the expenses that were projected to five years ago and.
Normal normal course of things those expenses change over time.
And that usually provides some pressure to the company.
As you look at earnings in the third year of the California rate case in particular this year, we have inflationary pressures on a lot of aspects of the business.
That may impact us as well in 2022, so we need to be careful and watch for that we did have a significant step rate increase for 2020 to $21 7 million dollar general rate increase and part of that was associated with the recognition of inflation. So the commission's process.
There gave us a higher step increase due to the fact that <unk> recorded inflation had been higher.
Yeah.
The reduction in the cost of debt that we experienced.
I'm, sorry that we've proposed to the California Commission as part of the cost of capital case that wasn't challenged by the ratepayer advocate.
And just by itself lowering the cost of debt and our cost of capital from 551% to 4.2% to 3% would reduce revenues by $11 million win rates become effective in our cost of capital case.
The thing that Marty mentioned, a little bit earlier, our reduction in bad debt reserve. This year that was $4 6 million reduction in bad debt reserve associated with the $20 million that was received from the state of California.
We don't believe it is likely that additional funding would be available and continue to reduce that bad debt reserve. So that is.
Not likely to repeat in 2022, and then just as always a reminder, that our mark to market is a variable that we don't always know in the.
In.
2021 that increased $3 8 million in 2020 that had increased $4 3 million. So it's been both years the mark to market was a benefit to the company.
And then the Unbilled revenue.
A decrease in earnings of $1 3 million.
2021, and <unk> 8 million in 2020, so so that's been a relatively neutral factor out there, but that can change from time to time, so just to be aware of that.
So now I'm going to turn it over to Paul to give you an update on the California General rate case.
Thank you Tom.
Turning to slide 12 in your deck.
We're making good progress on our California General rate case, which we filed last July 1st.
Just as a reminder, we.
We are requesting a $1.02 billion in capital investment during the years 2022 to 2024.
Of that $913 million or new capital projects.
Two of our largest categories of investment included in this rate case.
A continuation of our.
Pipeline replacement program, we've been doing that for the last three rate case cycles and also a continuation of our wildfire Heartbeat program given the wildfires that California has experienced in the past few years.
This rate case filing also anticipates the loss of our decoupling mechanism. So in our filing we've we've sought to mitigate this loss by refining our sales forecasts.
Also our mix.
Relative production sources that we use and a new rate design.
It includes more revenue and fixed monthly cost customer bills.
Earlier this year, we received the testimony from the California public advocates.
In the rate case, and we are currently preparing our rebuttal.
On those issues and which we believe that they are wrong.
And the rate cases scheduled is still on schedule and as anticipated.
To have a commission decision before the end of this year.
With new rates going into effect January one 2023.
With that Tom I will hand, it back to you on the cost of capital.
Thanks, Paul So the other proceeding thats going on in California is our cost of capital filing on May <unk> of last year, we filed for a review of cost of capital.
Effective for the years 2022 through 2024, we had requested an ROE of 10, 35% on the same capital structure of 53, 4% equity capital structure, and our cost of debt, which I mentioned earlier, which was reduced to four 2% to 3%.
Cal Advocate's testimony came out.
Late January early February and that recommended a 781% ROE on a 49, 44% equity capital structure and agreed with our cost of debt analysis, a rebuttal will be filed here in March just in I O.
A couple of weeks.
We anticipate a final decision in the case in the third quarter of 2022.
And just to.
Add on to that we've done a lot of financing activities over the course of the last few years and particularly in 2021 and some of the big accomplishments for the company.
We're obviously selling $280 million in first mortgage bonds that was done in may.
Selling $197 9 million of stock through the ATM program throughout the year, So a lot of financing activity.
We are in part of our rebuttal pointing out to the commission and two the ratepayer advocate that the company has made a lot of investments. The company has done a lot of financing and it is really important to keep that equity capital structure up the company has a clear plan to to get to its equity capital structure.
As was proposed throughout the period of 2022 through 2024, however at the end of the year at the end of 2021, we see that Cal water has a 48, 5% equity.
And obviously through additional financing over the period of 2022 through 2024, we expect to raise that equity level to be in line with our request.
Next I'm going to turn it over Marty to talk about the drought great. Thanks, Tom.
Interesting in winter to say the least here on the West Coast somebody who may recall Governor Newsome and the state of California declared a drought emergency on October 19, 2021, we have had two major storms on the west coast that have been more.
What they call a cycle on storm or a bomb storm that broad kind of heavy rains and snows area, but then they've gone away. So they tend to have a real intense periods of storms and it goes away.
Despite the last storm that hit the last part of the year in Northern California. We have had no rain in January and February which is now the driest recorded January and February on record for for California. So accordingly, our drought plans havent changed.
All of our districts are in a drought emergency.
Remember there was a five stage plan for the drought emergency that state coordinates now so we're on the same planning phases. So.
Six of our districts are on a stage to drop the rest of our districts on our stage one drought. So we're going to continue to focus on water supply resiliency in all the districts are drought task force has continued to meet throughout the winter. Obviously, we have our eyes on what happens over the last six weeks of winter here that we have and hopefully we get more.
Rain and snow here in the March months, but we cant bank on that our bet on that so we're continuing down our path with the drought emergency planning accordingly, and while we hope for the best we always plan for the worst and we will continue to do so as we March into spring of 2022.
I'm going to hand, it over to Paul to give a recap of our 2021 .
Business development activities Paul.
Yes, Thank you Marty.
On Slide 15, you will see a recap of our 2021 acquisitions.
We were very busy in 2021.
Finalizing a number of acquisitions, while also prospecting for new ones.
Our investment in Texas continues to grow with a total of 2500 customer connections at the end of the year.
And we closed on our acquisition of a couple of little water and sewer in Hawaii last year.
Adding 1000 new customers.
And then earlier this year closed on Valencia Mesa water in new Mexico.
Adding another new system in that state.
In 2021, the California, PUC approves our Ccs.
For a new service area dollars in Madera County, California.
The service area is known as the preserve at Millard.
And we expect our first new customers, we added to that Greenfield system sometime later this year.
On Slide 16, you can see some of the other acquisitions that we are currently working on.
In New Mexico just.
Earlier this month, we received approval from the New Mexico Public regulatory Commission for the.
Animas Valley water system, which will add.
2000, new customers.
In that state.
In Hawaii, we are awaiting the Hawaii public utilities Commission approval of the two acquisitions.
Oh eight utilities on the island of Hawaii.
<unk> utility on the on the Big Island together.
True by the Commission these systems will add over 3300 wastewater customers to our Hawaii operations.
I have two small systems in California, and Washington.
Announced and are currently proceeding through the process of due diligence.
Regulatory filings and other closing processes.
And in Texas, we have added another new utility to our portfolio in our <unk> partnership.
Which is known as the rail yard utility and that will open up another new growth area for us in Texas.
So that's the status.
Of our business.
Business development and I will turn this back over to Marty.
Thanks, Paul I want to talk about our 2021 ESG accomplishments of which there were many.
The last couple of years as many of you know we have been very focused on the.
The ESG components of our business and changing our business strategy to better incorporate ESG goals and objectives in particular around climate change climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation.
First and foremost we published our first ever ESG.
CT that align with what the SaaS B and it was got it by the T. CFT principles, we adopted for new ESG related policies, including human rights and environmental sustainability political involvement and diversity equality and inclusion.
We published our ESG framework and it's in our proxy and in our 10-K that clearly shows there's board level oversight of ESG efforts from our nominating nominating corporate governance committee of our board of directors.
We have officer level accountability through our officer ESG Oversight Committee and then we have subject matter experts within our company.
That has established the ESG working group that help us set our goals and objectives.
Yesterday with our board, we updated them on our on our climate change strategy. In particular, we just completed a new climate change study, we have a five point plan for or how we fit in the climate change with our five goals are as follows we want to reduce our own and our customers' contribution to climate change we want to understand it.
<unk> for our climate change impacts to our business. So not just mitigation, but adaptation of climate change, we want to ramp up collaboration advocacy both at the consumer level, but also at the state and agency level, where we can have a broader impact on coordinating our efforts to.
Dampen the effects of climate change on the environment, we want to set time bound goals and report on those goals and we want to continue to mature our disclosures and how we communicate these goals to our stockholders.
And I am interested parties in California water service group.
Additionally, we completed a re.
<unk> completed a very robust ESG goal setting process that sets short term and long term objectives very proud to say that yesterday, our board of directors our compensation Committee of our board of directors approved five ESG goals for our long term incentive plan.
Our previous incentive plan had one ESG goals. So we're going from one to five. So this is a long term incentive plan that we'll pay out three years from now which aligns all the officer and Department head.
Goals keeps us focused on the same goals for officers and department heads throughout the companies in all five states.
So there's a lot going on on the ESG front and Cal water. We got good accolades for the progress that we made in 2022, and we will be publishing our new ESG report here shortly in the month of April so look for that to come out here shortly and we look forward to talking about that in the future months in 2022 and beyond.
Tom.
Thanks, Marty on slide 18, and 19, we have done.
Just a slight update here to conclude the year 2021.
With again $293 million of capital investment.
As shown on the Capex Slide and then if you flip to slide 19. The 195 billion represents the current adopted rate base of the company as a whole.
And confirming that number.
The yellow bars on both slides on 18 and 19 reflect the ask in the California General rate case, plus our expectations in other states for capital investment and rate base growth. So keep in mind that results may be different as we go through the regulatory process in California and in other states.
But that is the current projection that we have and I'm going to turn it back to Marty to talk about our business priorities.
On slide 20, we talk about our business priorities, but I want to briefly mentioned some management changes the company made effective January one 2022 to help us.
Achieve our goals and objectives first and foremost Ms. Sophie James was named Chief water quality Officer for California, Water Service group and all of our operating entities.
He has been our lab manager and she was promoted director of water quality.
She is uniquely qualified to lead our wallet water quality efforts within our company. She has a master's degree in analytical chemistry, and Ibs and chemistry with a minor in mathematics. She holds various certifications, including laboratory management water treatment and water distributions.
In addition, continuing our efforts to improve ESG sustainability, Ken Jenkins was promoted to chief water resource sustainability officer, and he will play a major role in our sustainability efforts and climate change adaptation Ken.
<unk> started with the company 17 years ago and Canadian governmental affairs.
He was promoted to lead our drought response team and conservation team from 2008 to 2020 and did a fantastic job as you may recall, we hit our reduction targets in the last drop of 25% across our service territories.
And the state of California, He was promoted to water resource sustainability director in 2020.
<unk> plays a major role in leading our sustainability efforts in the company as well as our planning for climate change and how we're going to adapt to those strategies. So I want to congratulate both Sophie and Ken on their promotions can be an officers.
California Water service group.
And California water service company and Additionally, we had some management changes I want to talk about it Lisa <unk> was promoted to vice president of facilities fleet and procurement effective January one 2020 to Elisa has played a major role obviously in our supply chain efforts and during the pandemic.
While we saw some third party suppliers struggled a little bit the company actually has done quite well in the most important thing.
Last couple of years has really been making sure we have the right PP&E for all of our employees and at least has just done a fantastic job, making sure all of our employees have what they need to be at work everyday during the pandemic because we have never shut down our employees have been at work 24 hours a day seven days a week 365 days a year.
Additionally.
Paul Townsley.
<unk> bought a pair cowboy boots, and a great to move to Texas for Us. So Paul for the first time is not physically in the room with US he is calling in from Austin, Texas.
Paul in his previous role had business development as well as our Chief regulatory Affairs officer, but given how busy business development has been and how well Pauls team has done in the last couple of years. We've asked Paul just to focus on business development, and we relocated into Texas to lead our business development efforts.
Likewise.
Greg Mill Man was VP of rates for California is now VP of rates and regulatory affairs for all of our regulatory operations in all five states are another way of saying it is for group what we'd say is group. So Greg took over what was the other half Paul's job, which is managing all of our regulatory activities in rate case processes in all five.
States dish.
Additionally, Michel Martin sentiment was promoted to vice President corporate Secretary and Chief of staff, helping me manage the company and helping with.
Corresponding with the board and coordinate in board meetings and everything that goes on with the public companies. So she was promoted effective January one 2022, so I want to congratulate Paul Gregg Elisa Michel Sophie and Ken on their promotions as we said of course going into 2022 now.
Now, having said that kind of what are our priorities for 2022. There are six things. We are keenly focused on first and foremost we have the California General rate case, right. We want to try to keep that on track and get a successful outcome on that rate case number two we have the California cost of capital and as Tom mentioned that we're well underway on that.
And we are responding to advocate comments right now and hope to have that wrapped up sometime mid year, we want to continue our capital investment and continue to successfully navigate the supply chain challenges that we're seeing from some of our suppliers and continue to get that capital in the ground.
We want to respond to the California drought, obviously, what happens in the next six weeks will have a profound effect on what the drop outlook is for the year for the state of California, and we want to stay on top of that and be ready for any drought challenges that the company faces in 2022.
And then lastly, we have we want to continue to do our ESG make our ESG progress as I mentioned, we have changed our LTI to encompass five LTI goals around ESG.
Just finished our latest climate change study that we shared with our board and we will have an updated ESG report that gets published in April for our stockholders. So there is no shortage of our priorities in 2022, but these are the things that the company is going to be keenly focused on.
So in summary, as we look back on 2021 solid year performance as our net income for the first time exceeded $100 million very happy with that.
Earnings in Capex, we performed well despite the challenges of the pandemic and supply chain. Another strong year of business development, which ultimately landed Paul in Texas I'm sure. He is polishing his boots right now as these things on the line with us.
And so we look forward to another continued year strong year from our business development team and of course, we look forward to wrapping up the regulatory proceedings in 2022, and staying focused on the drought and our sustainability efforts to adapt to climate change so with that Jonathan we will open it up to questions.
Certainly ladies and gentlemen.
At this time. Please press Star then one if your question has been answered and you'd like to remove yourself from the queue. Please press the pound key.
Our first question comes from the line of Ben <unk> from Baird. Your question. Please.
Hey, guys. Thanks for taking my question.
Hey.
Just maybe first on the Unbilled revenue Tom could you just walk us through maybe how we should think about it for 'twenty two a little bit more than just maybe if you could just talk about the mechanics of it a bit too.
So we better understand that.
Sure So unbilled revenue.
As a accounting.
Perform every quarter and actually do it every month, but for financial reporting every quarter.
And what we're looking at is the customers who have used water and taken service from us, but have not yet been billed and that is always an estimate and what's what's called an accrual.
So when we get to the end of the period, we accrue the number of days that had been unbilled multiplied by the average.
The average bill that the customer might have I might have had if they had been built for that day.
And what you see is over the course of the year. The Unbilled revenue goes up because the unbilled usage in June and in September is much higher than it is in December and in March and so you have this curve that goes on through the year.
Where it's a relatively low value for unbilled revenue at the beginning in the end of the year and then a relatively high number in the second and third quarter.
Just going back and if you can look at this from our presentations both in the second quarter in the third quarter.
Had an extraordinarily high amount of Unbilled revenue.
In June and September and Theres, a couple of different possibilities for factors for that one is.
If you look at weather.
And you look at customer usage that occurs during that time.
And so youre evaluating the average that potentially average bill.
During during that month and trying to put up an estimate for unbilled.
What we saw in December was obviously it had rained quite a bit at the end of December .
Bills came down and that's where you're seeing that number come down and the unbilled revenue accrual come down so it was it.
It was definitely something that we highlighted.
Again, if you go back to our earnings presentations in the second and third quarter, we knew that that was high and we knew that that.
Suspected I guess that that would come down because it always comes down at the end of the year.
And so looking at 'twenty two.
You can't tell what it's going to be in June and in September , but I do know that with a reasonable degree of certainty by the end of 2022 that will not be a major factor in the company's earnings for the entire year.
Because because.
Generally you are speaking about the same type of.
Same type of weather at the end of December and every year, particularly in California.
And the same number of Unbilled days, and so that really that's the way to look at it is these might be variations from quarter to quarter, we certainly had pull.
Pull into the second and third quarter of Unbilled revenue this year.
But ultimately by the end of the year it wasn't a factor.
And so hopefully that explains event.
Does.
Can we talk a little bit in depth about maybe Marty or.
Tom or Paul about.
The new rate design.
Mitigating the loss of decoupling.
Sure.
Paul you want me to start or we're all equally provisions in this.
Yeah.
So Paul you start go ahead.
Alright, so what we've attempted to do.
Is to take more of the revenue.
That we collect from customers that has typically been.
Collected through the various variable usage part of the customer sale.
And move more of that into the fixed part of our customer base, what we call their monthly service charge that would give us greater revenue stability.
In the face of variations in consumption and over time, we've been working to increase that amount.
All of our different service areas and in this rate case, we have also attempted to.
Increase that.
Not to a significant amount, but to our hiring so that.
As sales vary.
From.
From what was modeled in a rate case.
The revenue will continue to be.
More stable than it has in the past of course with the decoupling mechanisms. There is variations in consumption relative to what was in the rate case.
Operating mechanism.
Compensates for that.
The loss of that with a lot of that compensation.
Our goal has been to increase the amount of revenue that is attributed to customers on the service charge.
Got it makes sense and then Tom just on the.
The capital.
Capital structure could you just talk a little bit about that so it looks like good.
You could go up Youre up to 494, 4% of equity Bureau scores are higher so yes. So remember we're just dealing with the ratepayer advocates testimony at this point, Okay got it a one party there one party in this case.
We had proposed 53, 4% equity capital structure as we've had at the company for.
For many years adopted by the California Commission, they're coming in and saying we will historically over the last couple of years, we've been lower than that and so that the commission should adopt a lower number than what we're going to point out in our rebuttal testimony is that we frankly did all of that debt financing for the benefit of our customers.
We issued $280 million of.
That that at a very rare remarkably low rate lowers the weighted average cost of debt for 30 or 40 years for these for these customers and just the fact that for one year or two years, we had a little bit more debt in the capital structure then.
Than was typical that shouldnt be determinative to the to the commission that they should adopt a lower capital structure. So we think we're going to be successful in that argument ultimately comes down to what the commission decides.
But it's something it's something to continue to watch and Thomas I think the one thing I'd add if I did the math right.
<unk> team lowered the average cost at about almost 130 basis points range right that that is substantial so so as we go into the cost of capital settlement discussions the cost of debt is a pass through so.
There is room in the authorized rate of return, which is that they adopted cap structure.
Debt and equate it to have a fairly substantial give back to ratepayers, because we're not supposed to make anything on the on the debt side. So.
I give tom's team huge kudos for acting when they did on the market to take advantage of those lower rates and we did it on behalf of customers. So we don't believe the commission should be punitive about that.
Great. Thank you guys alright.
Alright, Thank you Ben.
Ben Thanks.
Thank you once again, if you'd like to ask aligned part of your question at this time. Please press Star then one.
I'm not showing any further questions from the phone lines at this time I'd like to hand, the program back to Marty.
Great. Thank you Jonathan.
Everyone can look for our 10-K to be on file later on today, we're in the Finalization process and we'll sign off everything here. This morning, once we hang ups, allowing them on file so look for that as I mentioned look for our ESG report to be published in April and we will be sharing that and put that up on our website and I just wanted to take a moment just to thank everybody.
<unk> for your continued interest and support of California Water Service group.
Hopefully, we're getting back to what is more a normal environment as we wrap up two years of the pandemic and hopefully get back to normal operating environment. So we appreciate your support and consideration of us and we look forward to seeing everyone really soon thank you and have a good day bye everyone.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen for your participation in today's conference. This does conclude the program you may now disconnect good day.
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