American States Water Company Announces CPUC Decision Which Approves New Electric Rates at GSWC

American States Water Company (NYSE:AWR) announced that on August 15, 2019, the California Public Utilities Commission ("CPUC”) approved a settlement agreement resolving all issues in the electric general rate case of AWR’s wholly owned subsidiary, Golden State Water Company ("GSWC”). GSWC, on behalf of its Bear Valley Electric Service ("BVES”) division, had filed a general rate case application in May 2017 to determine new electric rates effective January 1, 2018. In November 2018, BVES and the CPUC’s Public Advocates Office filed a joint motion to adopt a settlement agreement between the two parties resolving all issues in connection with the general rate case.

The CPUC’s final decision approves the settlement agreement in its entirety, which among other things, (i) extends the rate cycle by one year (new rates will be effective for 2018-2022), (ii) increases the electric gross margin for 2018 by approximately $2.0 million compared to the 2017 adopted electric gross margin, adjusted for tax reform, and (iii) authorizes BVES to construct all the capital projects requested in its application, which are dedicated to improving system safety and reliability and total approximately $44 million over the 5-year rate cycle. In addition, the final decision authorizes increases in the adopted electric gross margin of $1.2 million for each of the years 2019 and 2020, of $1.1 million in 2021, and of $1.0 million in 2022. The rate increases for 2019 – 2022 are not subject to an earnings test.

Due to the delay in receiving a final decision by the CPUC, billed electric revenues for all of 2018 and year-to-date for 2019 have been based on 2017 adopted rates. Because the new rates are retroactive to January 1, 2018, the cumulative impact from the rate changes for 2018 and the first six months of 2019 will be recorded during the third quarter of 2019. The cumulative impact includes an increase in pretax income for the electric segment of approximately $2.0 million, or $0.04 per share, for the full year ended December 31, 2018, and an additional increase in pretax income of $1.7 million, or approximately $0.03 per share, for the first six months of 2019.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain matters discussed in this news release with regard to the company’s expectations may be forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The assumptions and risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, include those described in the company’s Form 10-Q and Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About American States Water

American States Water Company is the parent of Golden State Water Company and American States Utility Services, Inc., serving over one million people in nine states. Through its utility subsidiary, Golden State Water Company, the company provides water service to approximately 260,000 customer connections located within more than 80 communities in Northern, Coastal and Southern California. The company also distributes electricity to approximately 24,000 customer connections in the City of Big Bear and surrounding areas in San Bernardino County, California. Through its contracted services subsidiary, American States Utility Services, Inc., the company provides operations, maintenance and construction management services for water distribution and wastewater collection and treatment facilities located on military bases throughout the country under 50-year privatization contracts with the U.S. government.

American States Water Company has paid dividends to shareholders every year since 1931, increasing the dividends received by shareholders each calendar year for 65 consecutive years, which places it in an exclusive group of companies on the New York Stock Exchange that have achieved that result.

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