1 ______________________________________________________________________________ |
PHI Service Company, a subsidiary service company of PHI, provides a variety of support services, including legal, accounting, tax, purchasing and information technology services to Pepco Holdings and its operating subsidiaries. These services are provided pursuant to a service agreement among PHI, PHI Service Company, and the participating operating subsidiaries that has been filed with, and approved by, the SEC under PUHCA. The expenses of the service company are charged to PHI and the participating operating subsidiaries in accordance with costing methodologies set forth in the service agreement. |
For financial information relating to PHI's segments, see Note (4) Segment Information to the consolidated financial statements of PHI set forth in Item 8 of this Form 10-K/A. |
Investor Information |
PHI, Pepco, DPL, and ACE each is a reporting company under the Exchange Act. Their Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports, are made available free of charge on PHI's internet website as soon as reasonably practicable after such documents are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. These reports may be found at http://www.pepcoholdings.com/investors/index_secfilings.html. |
PHI has in place Corporate Business Policies, which in their totality constitute its code of business conduct and ethics. These Policies apply to all directors, employees and others working at PHI and its subsidiaries. The PHI Board of Directors has also adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines and charters for PHI's Audit Committee, Compensation/Human Resources Committee and Corporate Governance/Nominating Committee which conform to the requirements set forth in the NYSE listing standards. Copies of these documents are available on the PHI website at http://www.pepcoholdings.com/governance/index.html and also can be obtained by writing to: Ellen Sheriff Rogers, Vice President, Secretary and Assistant Treasurer, Pepco Holdings, Inc., 701 Ninth Street, N.W., Suite 1300, Washington, D.C. 20068. |
Any amendment to, or waiver of, any provision of the Corporate Business Policies with respect to any director or executive officer of PHI will be promptly reported to the shareholders through the filing of a Form 8-K with the SEC. |
The following is a description of each of PHI's areas of operation. |
Power Delivery |
The largest component of PHI's business is power delivery, which consists of the transmission and distribution of electricity and the distribution of natural gas. PHI's power delivery operations produced 55% of PHI's consolidated operating revenues and 86% of PHI's consolidated operating income in 2003. |
PHI's power delivery business is conducted by its subsidiaries Pepco, DPL and ACE, each of which is a regulated public utility in the jurisdictions in which it serves customers. DPL and ACE conduct their power delivery operations under the tradename Conectiv Power Delivery. In the aggregate, PHI's power delivery business delivers electricity to more than 1.7 million customers in 2 ______________________________________________________________________________ the mid-Atlantic region and distributes natural gas to approximately 117,000 customers in Delaware. |
Pepco, DPL and ACE each owns and operates a network of wires, substations and other equipment that are classified either as transmission facilities or distribution facilities. Transmission facilities are high-voltage systems that are used to carry wholesale electricity into, or across, the utility's service territory. Distribution facilities are low-voltage systems that are used to deliver electricity to end-use customers in the utility's regulated service territory. |
Transmission of Electricity and Relationship with PJM |
The transmission facilities of each of Pepco, DPL and ACE are interconnected with the transmission facilities of contiguous utilities and as such are part of an interstate power transmission grid over which wholesale electricity is transmitted throughout the mid-Atlantic region and the eastern United States. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has designated a number of regional transmission operators to coordinate the operation of portions of the interstate transmission grid. Each of Pepco, DPL and ACE is a member of PJM Interconnection, LLC (PJM), the regional transmission operator that coordinates the movement of electricity in all or parts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. The FERC has designated PJM as the sole provider of transmission service in the PJM territory. Any entity that wishes to deliver electricity at any point in PJM's territory must obt ain transmission services from PJM at rates approved by the FERC. In accordance with FERC rules, Pepco, DPL, ACE and the other utilities in the region make their transmission facilities available to PJM and PJM directs and controls the operation of these transmission facilities. In return for the use of their transmission facilities, PJM pays the member utilities transmission fees approved by the FERC. |
Distribution of Electricity and Deregulation |
Historically, electric utilities, including Pepco, DPL and ACE, were vertically integrated businesses that generated all or a substantial portion of the electric power that they delivered to customers in their service territories over their own distribution facilities. Customers were charged a bundled rate approved by the applicable regulatory authority that covered both the supply and delivery components of the retail electric service. However, as a result of legislative and regulatory actions over the last few years, major changes in the electric utility business have occurred in many states, including all of the service territories in which Pepco, DPL and ACE operate. These changes have resulted in the "unbundling" of the supply and delivery components of retail electric service and in the opening of the supply component to competition from non-regulated providers. |
While Pepco, DPL and ACE continue to be responsible for the distribution of electricity in their respective service territories, as the result of deregulation, customers in those service territories now are permitted to choose their electricity supplier from among a number of non-regulated, competitive suppliers. Customers who do not choose a competitive supplier receive default electricity supply from suppliers on terms that vary depending on the service territory, as described more fully below. |
In connection with the deregulation of electric power supply, Pepco, DPL and ACE each has divested substantially all of its generation assets, either by selling them to third parties or transferring them to the non-regulated 3 ______________________________________________________________________________ affiliates of PHI that comprise PHI's competitive energy businesses. Accordingly, Pepco, DPL and ACE are no longer engaged in generation operations, except for the limited generation activities of ACE described below. |
Seasonality |
The power delivery business is seasonal and weather patterns can have a material impact on operating performance. In the region served by PHI, demand for electricity is generally greater in the summer months associated with cooling and demand for electricity and gas is generally greater in the winter months associated with heating as compared to other times of the year. Historically, the power delivery operations of each of PHI's utility subsidiaries have generated less revenues and income when weather conditions are milder in the winter and cooler in the summer. |
Regulation |
The retail operations of PHI's utility subsidiaries, including the rates they are permitted to charge customers for the delivery of electricity and natural gas, are subject to regulation by governmental agencies in the jurisdictions in which they provide utility service. Pepco's operations are regulated in Maryland by the Maryland Public Service Commission (MPSC) and in Washington, D.C. by the District of Columbia Public Service Commission (DCPSC). DPL's operations are regulated in Maryland by the MPSC, in Virginia by the Virginia State Corporation Commission (VSCC) and in Delaware by the Delaware Public Service Commission (DPSC). DPL's gas distribution operations in Delaware are regulated by the DPSC. ACE's operations are regulated in New Jersey by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU). The wholesale and transmission operations of PHI's utility subsidiaries are regulated by the FERC. |
Pepco |
Pepco is engaged in the transmission and distribution of electricity in Washington, D.C. and major portions of Prince George's and Montgomery Counties in suburban Maryland. Pepco was incorporated in Washington, D.C. in 1896 and became a domestic Virginia corporation in 1949. Pepco's service territory covers approximately 640 square miles and has a population of approximately 2 million. As of December 31, 2003, Pepco delivered electricity to approximately 726,000 customers, as compared to 721,000 customers as of December 31, 2002. Pepco delivered a total of 25,993,972 megawatt hours of electricity in 2003, of which approximately 29% was delivered to residential customers, 52% to commercial customers, and 19% to United States, District of Columbia, Maryland and various local jurisdiction government customers. |
Under settlements approved by the MPSC and the DCPSC in connection with the divestiture of its generation assets in 2000, Pepco is required to provide default electricity supply, known as "standard offer service" or "SOS," to customers in Maryland until July 2004 and to customers in Washington, D.C. until February 2005 for which it is paid established rates. Pepco also is paid tariff delivery rates approved by the MPSC or the DCPSC for the electricity that it delivers over its distribution facilities to SOS customers and to users in its service territory who have selected a competitive energy supplier. |
Pepco obtains all of the energy and capacity needed to fulfill its fixed-rate SOS obligations in Maryland and Washington, D.C. from an affiliate of Mirant Corporation (Mirant). On July 14, 2003, Mirant and most of its 4 ______________________________________________________________________________ subsidiaries filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. See Item 7 -- "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations -- Relationship with Mirant Corporation." |
In April 2003, the MPSC approved a settlement to extend the provision of SOS in Maryland. Under the settlement, Pepco will continue to provide SOS supply to customers at market prices after the existing fixed SOS supply rate expires in July 2004 for periods of four years for residential and small commercial customers, two years for medium-sized commercial customers and one year for large commercial customers. In accordance with the settlement, Pepco will purchase the power supply required to satisfy its market rate SOS supply obligation from one or more wholesale suppliers under contracts entered into pursuant to a competitive bid procedure approved by the MPSC. The settlement provides for Pepco to recover from its SOS customers the costs associated with the acquisition of the SOS supply as well as an average margin of $0.002 per kilowatt hour. |
On March 1, 2004, the DCPSC issued an order under which Pepco would continue to provide SOS in the District of Columbia after February 2005. The order is still subject to reconsideration. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations -- Regulatory and Other Matters." |
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2003, 70% of Pepco's power delivery in Maryland (measured by megawatt hours) was to SOS customers, as compared to 68% in 2002, and 52% of Pepco's power delivery in the District of Columbia was to SOS customers, as compared to 51% in 2002. |
Conectiv Power Delivery |
DPL and ACE conduct their power delivery operations under the tradename Conectiv Power Delivery. |
DPL is engaged in the transmission and distribution of electricity in Delaware and portions of Maryland and Virginia and provides gas distribution service in northern Delaware. DPL was incorporated in Delaware in 1909 and became a domestic Virginia corporationin 1979. DPL's electricity distribution service territory covers approximately 6,000 square miles and has a population of approximately 1.25 million. DPL's natural gas distribution service territory covers approximately 275 square miles and has a population of approximately 523,000. As of December 31, 2003, DPL delivered electricity to approximately 493,000 customers and delivered natural gas to approximately 117,000 customers, as compared to 485,000 electricity customers and 115,000 gas customers as of December 31, 2002. |
In 2003, DPL delivered a total of 14,034,436 megawatt hours of electricity to its retail customers. Approximately 35% of DPL's retail deliveries were to residential customers, 35% were to commercial customers and 30% were to industrial customers. DPL also sold 940,114 megawatt hours of electricity to wholesale customers in 2003. All of DPL's sales agreements with wholesale customers terminated on December 31, 2003 and DPL does not expect to make any such wholesale sales in the future. In 2003, DPL delivered 23,884,125 Mcf (one thousand cubic feet) of gas to retail customers in its Delaware service territory. |
Under a settlement approved by the MPSC, DPL is required to provide SOS to non-residential customers in Maryland until May 2004 and to residential customers in Maryland until July 2004. Under a settlement approved by the 5 ______________________________________________________________________________ DPSC, DPL is required to provide default electricity supply, known as "provider of last resort" or "POLR" supply, to customers in Delaware until May 2006. Under a settlement approved by the VSCC, DPL is currently providing, and expects to continue to provide, POLR supply to customers in Virginia until July 2007. However, the VSCC could terminate DPL's obligation to provide POLR supply for some or all Virginia customer classes prior to July 2007 if it finds that an effectively competitive market exists. DPL is paid for SOS and POLR supply at rates established in the respective regulatory settlements. DPL is paid tariff delivery rates approved by the applicable state commission for the electricity that it delivers over its distribution facilities to SOS and POLR customers and to users in its service territory who have selected a competitive energy supplier. |
DPL obtains all of the energy and capacity needed to fulfill its fixed-rate SOS and POLR obligations under a supply agreement with a subsidiary of Conectiv Energy Holding Company (for a discussion of Conectiv Energy Holding Company's business, see the Competitive Energy section, below) that has a term that coincides with DPL's obligations to provide POLR and SOS supply. The price that DPL pays Conectiv Energy for power purchased under the supply agreement is equal to the rates that DPL charges its SOS and DPL customers. Thus, DPL does not make any profit or incur any loss on the supply component of the SOS and POLR power that it delivers. |
In April 2003, the MPSC approved a settlement to extend DPL's obligation to provide SOS in Maryland. Under the settlement, DPL will continue to provide SOS supply at market prices after the existing fixed SOS supply rate expires in July 2004 for periods of four additional years for residential and small commercial customers, for two additional years for medium-sized commercial customers and for one additional year for large commercial customers. In accordance with the settlement, DPL will purchase the power supply required to satisfy its market rate SOS obligation from one or more wholesale suppliers under contracts entered into pursuant to a competitive bid procedure approved by the MPSC. The settlement provides for DPL to recover from its SOS customers the costs associated with the acquisition of the SOS supply including an average margin of $0.002 per kilowatt hour. |
Neither the DPSC nor the VSCC has determined what POLR obligations DPL will have after expiration of its current POLR obligations. |
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2003, 96% of DPL's power delivery in Maryland (as measured by megawatt hours) was to SOS customers, as compared to 95% in 2002, 87% of DPL's retail electric power delivery in Delaware was to POLR customers, as compared to 96% in 2002, and in Virginia 100% of DPL's power delivery was to POLR customers in both 2003 and 2002. |
DPL also provides regulated natural gas supply and distribution to customers in its gas service territory. Large and medium volume commercial and industrial gas customers may purchase gas either from DPL or from other suppliers. Customers that purchase gas from other suppliers use DPL's transmission and distribution facilities to transport the gas to their premises, for which they pay DPL a rate approved by the DPSC. DPL purchases gas supplies for sale to customers from marketers and producers through a combination of next day delivery arrangements and long-term agreements. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2003, DPL delivered 23,884,125 Mcf of gas, of which it supplied 23,337,505 Mcf. In 2002, DPL delivered 22,887,282 Mcf of gas, of which it supplied 22,353,120 Mcf. |
ACE is engaged in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in southern New Jersey. ACE was incorporated in New Jersey in 6 ______________________________________________________________________________ 1924. ACE's service territory covers approximately 2,700 square miles and has a population of approximately 995,000. As of December 31, 2003, ACE delivered electricity to approximately 521,000 customers in its service territory, as compared to 514,000 customers as of December 31, 2002. ACE delivered a total of 9,642,644 megawatt hours of electricity in 2003, of which approximately 44% was delivered to residential customers, 44% was delivered to commercial customers and 12% was delivered to industrial customers. |
Customers in New Jersey who do not choose a competitive supplier receive default electricity supply, known as "basic generation service" or "BGS", from suppliers selected through auctions approved by the NJBPU. On behalf of the BGS customers, ACE has entered into supply agreements with the BGS suppliers. Each of these agreements requires the applicable BGS supplier to provide a portion of the BGS customer load with full requirements service, consisting of energy, ancillary services (generally reserves and reliability services), capacity and transmission. ACE delivers the BGS supply to BGS customers and provides other associated services to the BGS suppliers. ACE is paid tariff rates established by the NJBPU that compensate it for the costs associated with the BGS supply. ACE does not make any profit or incur any loss on the supply component of BGS. |
If any BGS supplier defaults on its supply commitments, ACE is required to offer the defaulted load to other BGS suppliers or to make arrangements to purchase the needed supply from wholesale markets administered by PJM. ACE would seek to recover any costs related to the replacement supply that are not paid by the BGS supplier in default through future customer rates. |
ACE is paid tariff delivery rates approved by the NJBPU for the electricity that it delivers over its distribution facilities to BGS customers and to users in its service territory who have selected a competitive energy supplier. |
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2003, 91% of ACE's power delivery (as measured in megawatt hours) was to BGS customers, as compared to 92% in 2002. |
As of December 31, 2003, ACE owned two electric generating stations, the Deepwater Generating Station and the B.L. England Generating Station, and interests in two facilities jointly owned with other companies. The combined generating capacity of these facilities is 740 megawatts. See Item 2 -- "Properties." On March 1, 2004, ACE transferred ownership of the 185 megawatt capacity Deepwater Generating Station to a non-regulated subsidiary of PHI. ACE also has contracts with non-utility generators under which ACE purchased 3.4 million megawatt hours of power in 2003. ACE sells the electricity produced by the generating stations and purchased under the non-utility generator contracts in the wholesale market administered by PJM. During 2003, ACE's generation and wholesale electricity sales operations produced less than 2% of ACE's operating revenue. |
In 2002, ACE and the City of Vineland, New Jersey entered into a condemnation settlement agreement that provides for ACE to sell the electric distribution facilities within the city limits, and the approximately 5,400 related customer accounts (to which ACE delivered approximately 103,000 megawatt hours of power in 2003), for $23.9 million. The proceeds are being received in installments as milestones are met, and currently both milestones and payments are on schedule. ACE expects to complete this sale in the second quarter of 2004. 7 ______________________________________________________________________________ |
In 2001, ACE formed ACE Funding. Under New Jersey law, ACE (or a financing entity) is permitted to securitize authorized portions of ACE's recoverable stranded costs through the issuance of bonds (Transition Bonds) and to collect from its customers charges sufficient to fund principal and interest payments on the Transition Bonds and related taxes, expenses and fees. The right to collect the Transition Bond charges is known as Bondable Transition Property. The sole purpose for the establishment of ACE Funding is to issue Transition Bonds, the proceeds of which are transferred to ACE in exchange for the related Bondable Transition Property. ACE Funding issued $152 million of transition bonds in December 2003 and $440 million of transition bonds in 2002. |
Competitive Energy |
PHI's competitive energy business provides non-regulated generation, marketing and supply of electricity and gas, and related energy management services, in the mid-Atlantic region. In 2003, PHI's competitive energy operations produced 43% of PHI's consolidated operating revenues and incurred an operating loss equal to 19% of PHI's consolidated operating income. PHI's competitive energy operations are conducted through subsidiaries of Conectiv Energy Holding Company (collectively, Conectiv Energy) and Pepco Energy Services and its subsidiaries (collectively, Pepco Energy Services). |
Conectiv Energy |
Conectiv Energy provides wholesale electric power, capacity, and ancillary services in the wholesale markets administered by PJM and also supplies electricity to other wholesale market participants under long-term bilateral contracts. Among its bilateral contracts is the power supply agreement under which Conectiv Energy sells to DPL its POLR and SOS supply. Conectiv Energy also sells BGS supply to customers in ACE's service territory and to other BGS customers in New Jersey. Other than its BGS sales in New Jersey, Conectiv Energy does not currently participate in the retail competitive power supply market. Conectiv Energy obtains the electricity required to meet its power supply obligations from its own generation plants, under bilateral contract purchases from other wholesale market participants and from purchases in the wholesale market administered by PJM. |
Conectiv Energy also sells natural gas to very large end-users and to wholesale market participants under bilateral agreements. Conectiv Energy obtains the natural gas required to meet its supply obligations through market purchases for next day delivery and under long-term bilateral contracts with other market participants. |
To lower its financial exposure related to commodity price fluctuations, Conectiv Energy routinely enters into contracts to hedge the value of its assets and operations. As part of this strategy, Conectiv Energy utilizes fixed-price, forward, physical purchase and sale contracts, tolling agreements, futures, financial swaps and option contracts traded in the over-the-counter markets or on exchanges. Conectiv Energy's goal is to hedge 75% of both the expected power output of its generation facilities and the expected costs of fuel used to operate those facilities. However, the actual level of hedging coverage may vary from this goal. In this regard, effective July 1, 2003, Conectiv Energy entered into an agreement consisting of a series of energy contracts with an international investment banking firm that is designed to more effectively hedge approximately 50% of Conectiv Energy's generation output and approximately 50% of its supply obli gations, with the intention of providing Conectiv Energy with a more predicable earnings stream during the term of the agreement. This 35-month agreement consists of two 8 ______________________________________________________________________________ major components: (i) a fixed price energy supply hedge that will be used to reduce Conectiv Energy's financial exposure under its current POLR and SOS supply commitment to DPL which extends through May 2006 and (ii) a generation off-take agreement under which Conectiv Energy will receive a fixed monthly payment from the counterparty, and the counterparty will receive the profit realized from the sale of approximately 50% of the electricity generated by Conectiv Energy's plants (excluding the Edge Moor facility). Conectiv Energy also engages in electric power transactions on a real-time basis that are primarily designed to take advantage of geographical arbitrage opportunities. At December 31, 2003, Conectiv Energy's generation output was 100% hedged for 2004 and its gas requirements were 83% hedged. As of March 1, 2004, Conectiv Energy held gas hedges for 98% of its estimated 2004 requirements and its generation output continued to be 100% hedged for t he remainder of the year. For the period 2004-2006, Conectiv Energy was meeting its objective to hedge 75% of its projected output. |
Conectiv Energy's generation asset strategy focuses on mid-merit plants with operating flexibility and multi-fuel capability that can quickly change their output level on an economic basis. Like "peak-load" plants, mid-merit plants generally operate during times when demand for electricity rises and prices are higher. However, mid-merit plants usually operate for longer periods of time and for more weeks in a year than peak-load plants. As of December 31, 2003, Conectiv Energy owned and operated mid-merit plants with a combined 2,561 megawatts of capacity, peak-load plants with a combined 650 megawatts of capacity and base-load generating plants with a combined 260 megawatts of capacity. In addition, on March 1, 2004, Conectiv Energy received ownership of the 185 megawatt capacity Deepwater Generating Station from ACE. This added an additional 80 megawatts of base-load capacity, 86 megawatts of mid-merit capacity, and 19 megawatts of pe aking capacity. See Item 2 -- "Properties." Conectiv Energy's most recently added mid-merit plant is a combined cycle plant located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Bethlehem facility consists of six combustion turbines that can be fueled by either natural gas or fuel oil and two steam turbines that generate electricity from the waste heat of the combustion turbines. The Bethlehem plant has become operational in stages since construction commenced in January 2002, and had 1,050 megawatts of capacity in operation as of December 31, 2003. An additional 50 megawatts of capacity is expected to become operational in 2004. Conectiv Energy also owns three uninstalled combustion turbines with a book value of $52.5 million. Conectiv Energy will determine whether to install these turbines as part of an existing or new generating facility or sell the turbines to a third party based upon market demand and transmission system needs and requirements. |
Pepco Energy Services |
Pepco Energy Services sells retail electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial and governmental customers in the mid-Atlantic region. Pepco Energy Services also provides integrated energy management solutions to commercial, industrial and governmental customers, including energy-efficiency contracting, development and construction of "green power" facilities, equipment operation and maintenance, fuel management, and home service agreements. Subsidiaries of Pepco Energy Services provide high voltage construction and maintenance services to utilities and other customers throughout the United States and low voltage electric and telecommunication construction and maintenance services in the Washington, D.C. area. |
9 ______________________________________________________________________________ |
Pepco Energy Services owns electricity generation plants with approximately 800 megawatts of peak-load capacity, the output of which is sold in the wholesale market administered by PJM. See Item 2 -- "Properties." |
In order to reduce the financial exposure related to commodity price and volume fluctuations, Pepco Energy Services routinely enters into a variety of wholesale contracts to hedge its commitments to sell electricity and natural gas to customers. Because of the age and design of Pepco Energy Services' power plants, these facilities have a higher variable cost of operation. Consequently, Pepco Energy Services infrequently locks in the forward value of these plants with wholesale contracts. Wholesale contracts include forward physical, exchange traded financial, forward financial, forward physical options, exchange traded financial options, and swaps. |
Competition |
The unregulated energy generation, supply and marketing businesses in the mid-Atlantic region are characterized by intense competition at both the wholesale and retail levels. At the wholesale level, Conectiv Energy and Pepco Energy Services compete with numerous non-utility generators, independent power producers, wholesale power marketers and brokers, and traditional utilities that continue to operate generation assets. At the retail level, Pepco Energy Services competes with numerous competitive energy marketers. Competition in both the wholesale and retail markets is based primarily on price and, to a lesser extent, the range of services offered to customers and quality of service. |
Seasonality |
Like the power delivery business, the power generation, supply and marketing businesses are seasonal and weather patterns can have a material impact on operating performance. Demand for electricity generally is greater in the summer months associated with cooling and demand for electricity and gas generally is greater in the winter months associated with heating as compared to other times of the year. Historically, the competitive energy operations of Conectiv Energy and Pepco Energy Services have generated less revenues and income when weather conditions are milder in the winter and cooler in the summer. |
Other Non-Regulated |
This component of PHI's business is conducted through its subsidiaries Potomac Capital Investment Corporation (PCI) and Pepco Communications, Inc. (Pepcom). |
PCI |
PCI manages a portfolio of financial investments, which primarily includes energy leverages leases. During the second quarter of 2003, PHI announced the discontinuation of further new investment activity by PCI. In January and February 2004, PCI sold two aircraft and PCI continues to pursue opportunities to divest its single remaining aircraft. PCI will continue to manage its existing portfolio of financial investments, which principally include energy leveraged leases. These transactions involve PCI's purchase and leaseback of utility assets located outside of the United States. For additional information relating to PCI's energy leveraged leases, see Note (5) to the consolidated financial statements of PHI set forth in Item 8 of this Form 10-K/A. |
10 ______________________________________________________________________________ |
On September 30, 2003, PCI sold its final real estate property, an office building known as Edison Place (that serves as headquarters for PHI and Pepco), for $151 million in cash and recognized a pre-tax gain of $68.8 million ($44.7 million after-tax). |
Pepcom |
Pepcom currently owns through a subsidiary a 50% interest in Starpower Communications, LLC (Starpower), a joint venture with RCN Corporation (RCN), which provides cable and telecommunication services to households in the Washington, D.C. area. As part of PHI's strategy of focusing on energy-related investments, PHI in January 2004 announced that Pepcom intends to sell its interest in Starpower. PHI cannot predict whether Pepcom's efforts to sell its interest in Starpower will be successful or, if successful, when a sale would be completed or what the sale proceeds would be. As discussed in Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," at December 31, 2003, PHI determined that its investment in Starpower was impaired and therefore recorded a noncash charge of $102.6 million ($66.7 million after-tax) during the fourth quarter of 2003. |
EMPLOYEES |
As of December 31, 2003, PHI had 5,719 employees, including 1,836 employed by Pepco, 904 employed by DPL, 689 employed by ACE and 1,668 employed by PHI Service Company. The balance were employed by PHI's competitive energy and other non-regulated businesses. |
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS |
PHI, through its subsidiaries, is subject to regulation by various federal, regional, state, and local authorities with respect to the environmental effects of its operations, including air and water quality control, solid and hazardous waste disposal, and limitations on land use. In addition, federal and state statutes authorize governmental agencies to compel responsible parties to clean up certain abandoned or unremediated hazardous waste sites. PHI's subsidiaries may incur costs to clean up currently or formerly owned facilities or sites found to be contaminated, as well as other facilities or sites that may have been contaminated due to past disposal practices. PHI currently estimates that capital expenditures for environmental control facilities by its subsidiaries will be $4.9 million in 2004 and $1.4 million in 2005. However, the actual costs of environmental compliance may be materially different from these estimates depending on the outcome of the matters addressed below or as a result of the imposition of additional environmental requirements or new or different interpretations of existing environmental laws and regulations. |
Air Quality Regulation |
The generation facilities and operations of PHI's subsidiaries are subject to Federal, state and local laws and regulations, including the federal Clean Air Act (CAA) that limit emissions of air pollutants, require permits for operation of facilities and impose recordkeeping and reporting requirements. |
Among other things, the CAA restricts total sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from affected generation units and allocates SO2 "allowances." The generation facilities of PHI's subsidiaries that require SO2 allowances use 11 ______________________________________________________________________________ allocated allowances or allowances purchased, as necessary, in the open market to satisfy applicable regulatory requirements. Also under current regulations implementing CAA standards, eleven northeastern states and the District of Columbia, limit nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from generation units and allocate NOx allowances. In May 2004, an additional eleven states, including Virginia, will limit NOx emissions and allocate NOx allowances. At that time, all of the generation units operated by PHI subsidiaries will be required to hold, either through allocations or purchases, NOx allowances as necessary to achieve compliance from May to September of each year and will be subject to NOx emission limits. |
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) administers CAA programs in New Jersey as well as air quality requirements imposed by New Jersey laws and regulations, including regulation of the sulfur content of coal burning generation facilities. On July 11, 2001, NJDEP denied ACE's request to renew a permit variance from sulfur in fuel requirements under New Jersey regulations, effective through July 30, 2001, that authorized Unit 1 at theB.L. EnglandGenerating Station to burn bituminous coal containing greater than 1% sulfur. ACE has appealed this decision. As a follow-up to the denial of the permit variance, on May 29, 2003, NJDEP authorized ACE to operate Unit 1 with coal containing greater than 1% sulfur. A condition of NJDEP's authorization was ACE's submission of an application for compliance plan changes to Unit 1's permit and certificate to operate. NJDEP issued a final permit and certificate to oper ate on January 30, 2004 which imposes monitoring and reporting obligations to facilitate NJDEP's development of short-term SO2 limits with which Unit 1 would be required to comply by May 1, 2005. ACE contends that NJDEP regulations do not authorize the imposition of such limits and has appealed the inclusion of these limits and other provisions in the permit and certificate to operate. ACE has requested consolidation of this appeal and the appeal of the July 11, 2001 denial of the sulfur in fuel variance. ACE is not able to predict the outcome of the appeals and whether it will be able to resolve satisfactorily the permit issues with NJDEP or what costs it might incur in complying with the provisions of the permit. Conectiv Energy's Deepwater plant is able to comply with NJDEP sulfur in fuel requirements. |
On May 4, 2002, ACE and Conectiv Energy entered into an administrative consent order with NJDEP to address the inability of ACE and Conectiv Energy to procure Discrete Emission Reduction (DER) credits to comply with New Jersey's NOx Reasonably Available Control Technology requirements, as well as NJDEP's allegations that ACE had failed to comply with DER credit use restrictions from 1996 to 2001. The administrative consent order (i) eliminates requirements for ACE and Conectiv Energy to purchase DER credits for certain generation units through May 1, 2005, (ii) provides for installation of new controls on certain Conectiv Energy electric generating units at an estimated cost of $9.3 million, (iii) imposes a $1 million penalty, (iv) requires the contribution of $1 million to promote, develop and enhance an urban air shed reforestation project, and (v) imposes operating hour limits at Conectiv Energy's Deepwater Generating Station Unit No. 4. |
In December 2003, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed regulations under the CAA that would require reductions in emissions of mercury from coal-fired power plants and nickel from oil-fired power plants through implementation of Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards. As an alternative, EPA proposed a "cap and trade" program for mercury emissions from coal-fired plants and limitations on nickel emissions 12 ______________________________________________________________________________ from oil-fired plants. In addition, EPA's proposed Interstate Air Quality rule, also issued in December 2003, would impose additional reductions of SO2 and NOx emissions from electricity generating units in 29 Eastern states and the District of Columbia. These regulations, if adopted as proposed, may require installation of pollution control devices and/or fuel modifications for coal- and oil-fired units owned by ACE, Conectiv Energy and Pepco Energy Services. However, the capital expenditures the regulations would require, if any, will not be known until the final regulations are published. |
On January 5, 2004, NJDEP proposed rules regulating mercury emissions from power plants and industrial facilities in New Jersey that would impose standards that are significantly stricter than EPA's proposed mercury MACT standard for coal-fired plants. In lieu of meeting these standards for all coal-fired units by December 2007, NJDEP's proposed rules would allow an owner or operator to enter into an enforceable agreement to comply with the mercury limits for 50% of a company's total coal-fired capacity by the December 2007 deadline and to comply with the mercury standards, as well as stringent standards regulating emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides and particulate matter, for the remaining 50% of its units by December 2012. If NJDEP's proposed mercury rules are finalized as proposed, they are likely to require significant capital expenditures for pollution controls on ACE's and Conectiv Energy's coal-fired units. |
In February 2000, EPA and NJDEP requested information from ACE regarding the operation of coal-fired boilers at ACE's B.L. England and Deepwater facilities to determine whether they are in compliance with the New Source Review (NSR), Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and non-attainment NSR requirements of the CAA. Generally, these regulations require major sources of certain air pollutants to obtain permits, install pollution control technology and obtain offsets in some circumstances when those sources undergo a "major modification," as defined in the regulations. Similar inquiries have resulted in the filing of federal lawsuits alleging NSR violations by utilities in the South and Midwest, and a number of settlements by affected utilities have been announced. During 2002, ACE participated in preliminary discussions with EPA and NJDEP on this matter, without successful resolution. |
On October 27, 2003, EPA published a final rule clarifying the types of activities that qualify as "routine maintenance, repair and replacement" rather than "major modifications" and are therefore excluded from NSR requirements. At the end of 2003, EPA has indicated it will continue to pursue active NSR cases and that it will reevaluate future litigation and Notices of Violation based on its interpretation of "routine maintenance" as set forth in a preamble to the final rule. Since that time, however, the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia stayed implementation of the final rule and EPA has issued a Notice of Violation to at least one midwestern utility and has filed a new lawsuit against a southern electric cooperative. |
PHI does not believe that any of its subsidiaries have violated NSR requirements, but cannot predict the impact of the EPA/NJDEP inquiries on B.L. England or Deepwater generating plant operations. |
13 ______________________________________________________________________________ |
Water Quality Regulation |
The federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water Act (CWA), establishes the basic regulatory structure for regulating the discharge of pollutants from point sources to ground and surface waters of the United States. Among other things, the CWA requires that any person wishing to discharge pollutants obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the EPA or by a state agency under a federally authorized state program. All of the steam generation facilities operated by PHI's subsidiaries require NPDES permits to operate. |
On February 16, 2004, the EPA issued final regulations under the CWA that are intended to minimize adverse environmental impacts on aquatic resources from power plant cooling water intake structures by establishing performance-based standards. These regulations may require changes to cooling water intake structures at facilities operated by ACE, Conectiv Energy and Pepco Energy Services. However, the capital expenditures the regulations will require, if any, will not be known until the final regulations are evaluated and requirements, as necessary, are included in a facility's NPDES permit. |
The EPA has delegated authority to administer the NPDES program to a number of state agencies including the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC). The NPDES permit for Conectiv Energy's Edge Moor Power Plant was scheduled to expire in October 2003, but was administratively extended through the submission of a renewal application to DNREC. Studies required under the existing permit to determine the impact on aquatic organisms of the plant's cooling water intake structures were completed in 2002. The results of these studies and additional site-specific studies on alternative technologies are expected to determine the extent of expenditures necessary to change cooling water intake structures in order to comply with EPA's final performance-based standards. |
Under the New Jersey Water Pollution Control Act, NJDEP implements regulations, administers the NPDES program with EPA oversight, and issues and enforces New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) permits. The NJPDES renewal permit for Conectiv Energy's Deepwater Generating Station, effective through September 30, 2007, will require several studies to determine whether or not the Deepwater cooling water intake structure meets the performance-based standards established in the final EPA regulations. NJDEP will consider the results of these studies in connection with the facility's permit renewal application, which will be filed in 2007. The NJPDES permit for the B.L. England Generating Station expired in December 1999 but has been administratively extended through submittal of a renewal application to NJDEP. The plant continues to operate under the conditions of the existing permit until NJDEP issues a renewal permit. |
Pepco and a subsidiary of Pepco Energy Services discharge water from a steam generation plant and service center located in the District of Columbia under an NPDES permit issued by EPA in November 2000. Pepco has filed a petition with the EPA Environmental Appeals Board seeking review and reconsideration of certain provisions of EPA's permit determination. In May 2001, Pepco and EPA reached a settlement on Pepco's petition, under which EPA withdrew certain contested provisions and agreed to issue a revised draft permit for public comment. The EPA has not issued the revised draft permit 14 ______________________________________________________________________________ and the companies are operating under the November 2000 permit, excluding the withdrawn conditions, in accordance with the settlement agreement. |
Hazardous Substance Regulation |
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), authorizes the EPA and, indirectly, the states, to issue orders and bring enforcement actions to compel responsible parties to investigate and take remedial actions at any site that is determined to present an actual or potential threat to human health or the environment because of an actual or threatened release of one or more hazardous substances. Parties that generated or transported hazardous substances to such sites, as well as the owners and operators of such sites, may be deemed liable under CERCLA. Pepco, DPL and ACE each has been named by the EPA or a state environmental agency as a potentially responsible party at certain contaminated sites. See Item 3 -- "Legal Proceedings." In addition, DPL and ACE have undertaken efforts to remediate currently or formerly owned facilities found to be contaminated including two former manufactured gas pla nt sites and other owned property. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis -- Capital Resources and Liquidity -- General --Environmental Obligations." |
Item 2. PROPERTIES |
Generation Facilities |
The following table identifies the electric generation facilities owned by PHI's subsidiaries. |
15 ______________________________________________________________________________ |
41 _____________________________________________________________________________ |
Sources Of Capital |
Pepco Holdings' sources to meet its long-term funding needs, such as capital expenditures and new investments, and its short-term funding needs, such as working capital and the temporary funding of long-term funding needs, include internally generated funds, securities issuances and bank financing under new or existing facilities. PHI's ability to generate funds from its operations and to access capital and credit markets is subject to risks and uncertainties. See "Risk Factors" for a discussion of important factors that may impact these sources of capital. |
Internally Generated Cash |
The primary source of Pepco Holdings' internally generated funds is the cash flow generated by its regulated utility subsidiaries in the power delivery business. A discussion of cash flows for 2003 is included above. |
Short-Term Funding Sources |
Pepco Holdings and its regulated utility subsidiaries have traditionally used a number of sources to fulfill short-term funding needs, such as commercial paper, short-term notes and bank lines of credit. Proceeds from short-term borrowings are used primarily to meet working capital needs but may also be used to temporarily fund long-term capital requirements. |
Pepco Holdings maintains an ongoing commercial paper program of up to $700 million. Pepco, DPL, and ACE have ongoing commercial paper programs of up to $300 million, up to $275 million, and up to $250 million, respectively. The commercial paper notes can be issued with maturities up to 270 days from the date of issue. |
In July 2003, Pepco Holdings, Pepco, DPL and ACE entered into (i) a three-year working capital credit facility with an aggregate credit limit of $550 million and (ii) a 364-day working capital credit facility with an aggregate credit limit of $550 million. Pepco Holdings' credit limit under these facilities is $700 million, and the credit limit of each of Pepco, DPL and ACE under these facilities is the lower of $300 million and the maximum amount of short-term debt authorized by the appropriate state commission, except that the aggregate amount of credit utilized by Pepco, DPL and ACE at any given time under these facilities may not exceed $400 million. Funds borrowed under these facilities are available for general corporate purposes. Either credit facility also can be used as credit support for the commercial paper programs of the respective companies. The three-year and 364-day credit agreements contain customary financial and other cov enants that, if not satisfied, could result in the acceleration of repayment obligations under the agreements or restrict the ability of the companies to borrow under the agreements. Among these covenants is the requirement that each borrowing company maintain a ratio of total indebtedness to total capitalization of 65% or less, computed in accordance with the terms of the credit agreements. As of December 31, 2003, the applicable ratios for Pepco Holdings, Pepco, DPL and ACE were 60.0%. 55.0%, 48.4% and 47.9%, respectively. The credit agreements also contain a number of customary events of default that could result in the acceleration of repayment obligations under the agreements, including (i) the failure of any borrowing company or any of its significant subsidiaries to pay when due, or the acceleration of, certain indebtedness under other borrowing arrangements, (ii) certain bankruptcy events, judgments or decrees against any borrowing company or its significant subsidiaries, and (iii) a change in cont rol (as defined in the credit agreements) of Pepco 42 _____________________________________________________________________________
Holdings or the failure of Pepco Holdings to own all of the voting stock of Pepco, DPL and ACE. |
Conectiv Bethlehem entered into a credit agreement with various banks and financial institutions in June 2002 in connection with the construction of the Bethlehem mid-merit power plant. Under this agreement, Conectiv Bethlehem may borrow up to $365 million as a construction loan and convert the construction loan to a term loan after completing the construction and testing of its mid-merit power plant. Conectiv Bethlehem expects that the construction loan will convert to a term loan in 2004 and that the term loan period will be approximately two years. Borrowings under the credit agreement bear interest at a variable interest rate and are secured by a lien on the membership interests of Conectiv Bethlehem and all tangible, intangible and real property of Conectiv Bethlehem. Conectiv Bethlehem entered into an interest rate swap agreement which effectively converted the variable interest rate on 75% of the expected loan balance to a fixed rate of 4.15%. As of December 31, 2003, the outstanding balance under the credit agreement was $310 million. The credit agreement contains a number of events of default, including defaults by Conectiv or Conectiv Bethlehem on other debt, events of bankruptcy, Conectiv Bethlehem's loss of collateral, defaults by Conectiv Bethlehem under agreements related to the project such as the power purchase agreement between Conectiv Energy and Conectiv Bethlehem, and material adverse changes in Conectiv Bethlehem's regulatory status. |
Long-Term Funding Sources |
The sources of long-term funding for PHI and its subsidiaries are the issuance of debt and equity securities and borrowing under long-term credit agreements. Proceeds from long-term financings are used primarily to fund long-term capital requirements, such as capital expenditures and new investments, and to refund or refinance existing securities. |
PUHCA Restrictions |
Because Pepco Holdings is a public utility holding company registered under PUHCA, it must obtain SEC approval to issue securities. PUHCA also prohibits Pepco Holdings from borrowing from its subsidiaries. Under an SEC Financing Order dated July 31, 2002 (the Financing Order), Pepco Holdings is authorized to issue equity, preferred securities and debt securities in an aggregate amount not to exceed $3.5 billion through an authorization period ending June 30, 2005, subject to a ceiling on the effective cost of these funds. Pepco Holdings is also authorized to enter into guarantees to third parties or otherwise provide credit support with respect to obligations of its subsidiaries for up to $3.5 billion. Of this amount, only $1.75 billion may be on behalf of subsidiaries engaged in energy marketing activities. |
Pepco Holdings may issue common stock to satisfy its obligations under its Shareholder Dividend Reinvestment Plan and various employee benefit plans. Under the Financing Order, Pepco Holdings is limited to issuing no more than an aggregate of 20 million shares of common stock under its Shareholder Dividend Reinvestment Plan and employee benefit plans during the period ending June 30, 2005. |
The Financing Order requires that, in order to issue debt or equity securities, including commercial paper, Pepco Holdings must maintain a ratio of common stock equity to total capitalization (consisting of common stock, preferred stock, if any, long-term debt and short-term debt) of at least 30 percent. At December 31, 2003, Pepco Holdings' common equity ratio was 32.5 percent. The Financing Order also requires that all rated securities issued 43 _____________________________________________________________________________ by Pepco Holdings be rated "investment grade" by at least one nationally recognized rating agency. Accordingly, if Pepco Holdings' common equity ratio were less than 30 percent or if no nationally recognized rating agency rated a security investment grade, Pepco Holdings could not issue the security without first obtaining an amendment to the Financing Order from the SEC. |
If an amendment to the Financing Order is required to enable Pepco Holdings or any of its subsidiaries to effect a financing, there is no certainty that such an amendment could be obtained or as to the timing of SEC action. The failure to obtain timely relief from the SEC, in such circumstances, could have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of Pepco Holdings and its subsidiaries. |
The foregoing financing limitations also generally apply to Pepco, DPL, ACE and certain other Pepco Holdings' subsidiaries. |
Money Pool |
Pepco Holdings has received SEC authorization under PUHCA to establish the Pepco Holdings system money pool. The money pool is a cash management mechanism used by Pepco Holdings to manage the short-term investment and borrowing requirements of the PHI subsidiaries that participate in the money pool. Pepco Holdings may invest in but not borrow from the money pool. Eligible subsidiaries with surplus cash may deposit those funds in the money pool. Deposits in the money pool are guaranteed by Pepco Holdings. Eligible subsidiaries with cash requirements may borrow from the money pool. Borrowings from the money pool are unsecured. Depositors in the money pool receive, and borrowers from the money pool pay, an interest rate based primarily on Pepco Holdings' short-term borrowing rate. Pepco Holdings deposits funds in the money pool to the extent that the pool has insufficient funds to meet the borrowing needs of its participants, which may require Pepco Holdings to borrow funds for deposit from external sources. Consequently, Pepco Holdings' external borrowing requirements fluctuate based on the amount of funds required to be deposited in the money pool. |
REGULATORY AND OTHER MATTERS |
Relationship with Mirant Corporation |
In 2000, Pepco sold substantially all of its electricity generation assets to Mirant Corporation, formerly Southern Energy, Inc. As part of the sale, Pepco entered into several ongoing contractual arrangements with Mirant and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, Mirant). On July 14, 2003, Mirant Corporation and most of its subsidiaries filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas (the Bankruptcy Court). Under bankruptcy law, a debtor generally may, with authorization from a bankruptcy court, assume or reject executory contracts. A rejection of an executory contract entitles the counterparty to file a claim as an unsecured creditor against the bankruptcy estate for damages incurred due to the rejection of the contract. In a bankruptcy proceeding, a debtor can normally restructure some or all of its pre-petition liabilities. |
Depending on the outcome of the matters discussed below, the Mirant bankruptcy could have a material adverse effect on the results of operations of Pepco Holdings and Pepco. However, management currently believes that Pepco Holdings and Pepco currently have sufficient cash, cash flow and borrowing capacity under their credit facilities and in the capital markets 44 _____________________________________________________________________________ to be able to satisfy the additional cash requirements that are expected to arise due to the Mirant bankruptcy. Accordingly, management does not anticipate that the Mirant bankruptcy will impair the ability of Pepco Holdings or Pepco to fulfill their contractual obligations or to fund projected capital expenditures. On this basis, management currently does not believe that the Mirant bankruptcy will have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of either company. |
Transition Power Agreements |
As part of the asset purchase and sale agreement for the Pepco generation assets (the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement), Pepco and Mirant entered into Transition Power Agreements for Maryland and the District of Columbia, respectively (collectively, the TPAs). Under these agreements, Mirant was obligated to supply Pepco with all of the capacity and energy needed to fulfill its standard offer service obligations in Maryland through June 2004 and its standard offer service obligations in the District of Columbia into January 2005, in each case at rates that were lower than the rates that Pepco charges to its customers. The original rates under the TPAs were less than the prevailing market rates. |
At the time Mirant filed for bankruptcy, the purchase prices for energy and capacity under the TPAs were below the prevailing market rates. To avoid the potential rejection of the TPAs Pepco and Mirant Corporation and its affiliate Mirant Americas Energy Marketing, LP (the Mirant Parties) entered into a settlement agreement, which was approved by the Bankruptcy Court on November 19, 2003 (the Settlement Agreement). Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the Mirant Parties have assumed both of the TPAs and the TPAs have been amended, effective October 1, 2003, to increase the purchase price of energy thereunder as described below. The Settlement Agreement also provides that Pepco has an allowed, pre-petition general unsecured claim against each of the Mirant Parties in the amount of $105 million (the Pepco TPA Claim), and has the right to assert the Pepco TPA Claim against other Mirant debtors. On December 15, 2003, Pepco filed Proofs of Claim in the amount of $105 million against the appropriate Mirant debtors. |
In accordance with the Settlement Agreement, the purchase price of energy under the TPAs has increased from $35.50 to $41.90 per megawatt hour during summer months (May 1 through September 30) and from $25.30 to $31.70 per megawatt hour during winter months (October 1 through April 30) under the District of Columbia TPA and has increased from $40.00 to $46.40 per megawatt hour during summer months and from $22.20 to $28.60 per megawatt hour during winter months under the Maryland TPA. Under the amended TPAs, the purchase prices paid by Pepco for capacity in the District of Columbia and Maryland remain $3.50 per megawatt hour and the charge paid by Pepco for certain ancillary services remain $.50 per megawatt hour. The amendments to the TPAs have resulted in an increase in the average purchase price to Pepco for energy from approximately 3.4 cents per kilowatt hour under the original terms of the TPAs to an average purchase price of approximatel y 4.0 cents per kilowatt hour. The revenues produced by the currently approved tariff rates that Pepco charges its customers for providing standard offer service average approximately 4.1 cents per kilowatt hour. |
Pepco estimates that, as a result of the price increases, it will pay Mirant an additional $105 million for the purchase of energy beginning October 1, 2003 through the remaining terms of the TPAs. These payments will be offset by a reduction of payments by Pepco to customers for the period 2003 through 2006 of approximately $45 million pursuant to the generation procurement credit established pursuant to regulatory settlements entered 45 _____________________________________________________________________________ into in the District of Columbia and Maryland under which Pepco and its customers share any margin between the price paid by Pepco to procure standard offer service and the price paid by customers for standard offer service. As a result, Pepco currently anticipates that it will incur a net additional cash outlay of approximately $60 million due to the amendments of the respective TPAs. The foregoing estimates are based on current service territory load served by competitive suppliers and by standard offer service and does not include financing costs, all of which could be subject to fluctuation. |
The amount, if any, that Pepco will be able to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate in respect of the Pepco TPA Claim will depend on the amount of assets available for distribution to creditors. At the current stage of the bankruptcy proceeding, there is insufficient information to determine the amount, if any, that Pepco might be able to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate. No receivable has been recorded in Pepco's accounting records in respect of the Pepco TPA Claim. Any recovery would be shared with customers pursuant to the generation procurement credit. |
Power Purchase Agreements |
Under agreements with FirstEnergy Corp., formerly Ohio Edison (FirstEnergy), and Allegheny Energy, Inc., both entered into in 1987, Pepco is obligated to purchase from FirstEnergy 450 megawatts of capacity and energy annually through December 2005 (the FirstEnergy PPA). Under an agreement with Panda, entered into in 1991, Pepco is obligated to purchase from Panda 230 megawatts of capacity and energy annually through 2021 (the Panda PPA). In each case, the purchase price is substantially in excess of current market prices. As a part of the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, Pepco entered into a "back-to-back" arrangement with Mirant. Under this arrangement, Mirant is obligated, among other things, to purchase from Pepco the capacity and energy that Pepco is obligated to purchase under the FirstEnergy PPA and the Panda PPA at a price equal to the price Pepco is obligated to pay under the PPAs (the PPA-Related Obligations). |
Pepco Pre-Petition Claims |
When Mirant filed its bankruptcy petition on July 14, 2003, Mirant had unpaid obligations to Pepco of approximately $29 million, consisting primarily of payments due to Pepco in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations (the Mirant Pre-Petition Obligations). The Mirant Pre-Petition Obligations constitute part of the indebtedness for which Mirant is seeking relief in its bankruptcy proceeding. Pepco has filed Proofs of Claim in the Mirant bankruptcy proceeding in the amount of approximately $26 million to recover this indebtedness; however, the amount of Pepco's recovery, if any, is uncertain. The $3 million difference between Mirant's unpaid obligation to Pepco and the $26 million Proofs of Claim filed by Pepco primarily represents a TPA settlement adjustment which is included in the $105 million Proofs of Claim filed by Pepco on December 15, 2003 against the Mirant debtors. In view of this uncertainty, Pepco, in the third quarter of 2003 , expensed $14.5 million ($8.7 million after-tax) to establish a reserve against the $29 million receivable from Mirant. The amount expensed represents Pepco's estimate of the possible outcome in bankruptcy, although the amount ultimately recoverable could be higher or lower. |
Mirant's Attempt to Reject the PPA-Related Obligations |
On August 28, 2003, Mirant filed with the Bankruptcy Court a motion seeking authorization to reject its PPA-Related Obligations. Mirant's motion 46 _____________________________________________________________________________ also sought injunctions to prohibit Pepco from initiating, or encouraging any person or entity to initiate, any proceedings before the FERC that seek to require Mirant to perform the PPA-Related Obligations and to prohibit FERC from taking any action to require Mirant to perform the PPA-Related Obligations. |
On September 25, 2003, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order stating that it was not necessary to issue an injunction against Pepco because the automatic stay provisions of the Bankruptcy Code prohibit Pepco from commencing or continuing any judicial or administrative proceedings against Mirant. The Bankruptcy Court's order did grant a preliminary injunction that prohibits FERC from (i) taking any action to require or coerce Mirant to abide by the terms of the PPA-Related Obligations or commencing or continuing any proceeding outside of the Bankruptcy Court with respect to the PPA-Related Obligations and (ii) taking any action, or encouraging any person or entity to take an action, to require or coerce Mirant to abide by the terms of the TPAs. The Bankruptcy Court also ordered Mirant to continue to perform the PPA-Related Obligations and its obligations under the TPAs until relieved of those obligations by an order of an appropriate court. |
Upon motions filed by Pepco and FERC, on October 9, 2003, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas (the District Court) withdrew jurisdiction over both the rejection and preliminary injunction proceedings from the Bankruptcy Court. On December 23, 2003, the District Court denied Mirant's motion to reject the PPA-Related Obligations. On January 5, 2004 Mirant filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (the Circuit Court) a notice of appeal of the District Court's December 23 decision. On January 6, 2004, The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Mirant Corporation (the Creditors Committee) filed with the Circuit Court a separate notice of appeal of the December 23 decision. Also on January 6, 2004, the District Court entered an order dissolving all injunctive relief granted by the Bankruptcy Court in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations, and Mirant and the Creditors Committee each subsequently filed a motion with the Circuit Court for a stay of the dissolution order pending resolution of the appeals, as well as motions to expedite the appeals. On January 23, 2004, the Circuit Court denied Mirant's and the Creditors Committee's motions to expedite the appeal. On January 26, 2004, the Circuit Court denied Mirant's and the Creditors Committee's motions to stay the District Court's Order. Oral argument will be scheduled the week of May 3, 2004. |
Pepco is exercising all available legal remedies and vigorously opposing Mirant's continued attempts to reject the PPA-Related Obligations in order to protect the interests of its customers and shareholders. While Pepco believes that it has substantial legal bases to oppose the attempt to reject the agreements, the outcome of Mirant's efforts to reject the PPA-Related Obligations is uncertain. |
In accordance with the Bankruptcy Court's September 25 order, Mirant is continuing to perform the PPA-Related Obligations pending the resolution of the ongoing proceedings. However, if Mirant ultimately is successful in rejecting, and is otherwise permitted to stop performing the PPA-Related Obligations, Pepco could be required to repay to Mirant, for the period beginning on the effective date of the rejection (which date could be prior to the date of the court's order and possibly as early as September 18, 2003) and ending on the date Mirant is entitled to cease its purchases of energy and capacity from Pepco, all amounts paid by Mirant to Pepco in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations, less an amount equal to the price at which Mirant resold the purchased energy and capacity. Pepco estimates that the 47 _____________________________________________________________________________ amount it could be required to repay to Mirant in the unlikely event September 18, 2003, is determined to be the effective date of rejection, as of March 1, 2004, is approximately $51.4 million. This repayment would entitle Pepco to file a claim against the bankruptcy estate in an amount equal to the amount repaid. Mirant has also asked the Bankruptcy Court to require Pepco to disgorge all amounts paid by Mirant to Pepco in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations, less an amount equal to the price at which Mirant resold the purchased energy and capacity, for the period July 14, 2003 (the date on which Mirant filed its bankruptcy petition) to September 18, 2003, on the theory that Mirant did not receive value for those payments. Pepco estimates that the amount it would be required to repay to Mirant on the disgorgement theory is approximately $22.8 million. Pepco believes a claim based on this theory should be entitled to administrative expense status for whi ch complete recovery could be expected. If Pepco were required to repay any such amounts for either period, the payment would be expensed at the time the payment is made. |
The following are estimates prepared by Pepco of its additional exposure if Mirant's motion to reject its PPA-Related Obligations ultimately is successful. These estimates are based in part on current market prices and forward price estimates for energy and capacity, and do not include financing costs, all of which could be subject to significant fluctuation. The estimates assume no recovery from the Mirant bankruptcy estate and no regulatory recovery, either of which would mitigate the effect of the estimated loss. Pepco does not consider it realistic to assume that there will be no such recoveries. Based on these assumptions, Pepco estimates that its pre-tax exposure as of March 1, 2004, representing the loss of the future benefit of the PPA-Related Obligations to Pepco, is as follows: |
The ability of Pepco to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate in respect of the Mirant Pre-Petition Obligations and damages if the PPA-Related Obligations are successfully rejected will depend on whether Pepco's claims are allowed, the amount of assets available for distribution to creditors and Pepco's priority relative to other creditors. At the current stage of the bankruptcy proceeding, there is insufficient information to determine the amount, if any, that Pepco might be able to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate, whether the recovery would be in cash or another form of payment, or the timing of any recovery. |
48 _____________________________________________________________________________ |
If Mirant ultimately is successful in rejecting the PPA-Related Obligations and Pepco's full claim is not recovered from the Mirant bankruptcy estate, Pepco may seek authority from the MPSC and the DCPSC to recover its additional costs. Pepco is committed to working with its regulatory authorities to achieve a result that is appropriate for its shareholders and customers. Under the provisions of the settlement agreements approved by the MPSC and the DCPSC in the deregulation proceedings in which Pepco agreed to divest its generation assets under certain conditions, the PPAs were to become assets of Pepco's distribution business if they could not be sold. Pepco believes that, if Mirant ultimately is successful in rejecting the PPA-Related Obligations, these provisions would allow the stranded costs of the PPAs that are not recovered from the Mirant bankruptcy estate to be recovered through Pepco's distribution rates. If Pepco's interpretation o f the settlement agreements is confirmed, Pepco expects to be able to establish the amount of its anticipated recovery as a regulatory asset. However, there is no assurance that Pepco's interpretation of the settlement agreements would be confirmed by the respective public service commissions. |
If the PPA-Related Obligations are successfully rejected, and there is no regulatory recovery, Pepco will incur a loss. However, the accounting treatment of such a loss depends on a number of legal and regulatory factors, and is not determinable at this time. |
The SMECO Agreement |
As a term of the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, Pepco assigned to Mirant a facility and capacity agreement with Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SMECO) under which Pepco was obligated to purchase the capacity of an 84-megawatt combustion turbine installed and owned by SMECO at a former Pepco generating station (the SMECO Agreement). The agreement contemplates a monthly payment to SMECO of approximately $.5 million. Pepco is responsible to SMECO for the performance of the SMECO Agreement if Mirant fails to perform its obligations thereunder. At this time, Mirant continues to make post-petition payments due to SMECO. |
Rate Proceedings |
On February 3, 2003, ACE filed a petition with the NJBPU to increase its electric distribution rates and its Regulatory Asset Recovery Charge (RARC) in New Jersey. The petition was based on actual data for the nine months ended September 30, 2002, and forecasted data for the three months ended December 31, 2002 and sought an overall rate increase of approximately $68.4 million, consisting of an approximately $63.4 million increase in electricity distribution rates and $5 million for recovery of regulatory assets through the RARC. On October 28, 2003, ACE updated the filing with actual data for the full twelve-month test year ended December 31, 2002 and made other corrections. The update supported an overall rate increase of approximately $41.3 million, consisting of a $36.8 million increase in electricity distribution rates and a RARC of $4.5 million. This petition is ACE's first increase request for electric distribution rates since 1991. The requested increase would apply to all rate schedules in ACE's tariff. The Ratepayer Advocate filed testimony on January 3, 2004, proposing an annual rate decrease of $11.7 million. Intervenor groups representing industrial users and local generators filed testimony that did not take a position with respect to an overall rate change but their proposals, if implemented, would affect the way in which an overall rate increase or decrease would be applied to the particular rates under which they receive service. ACE's rebuttal testimony, filed February 20, 2004, makes some changes to its October filing and proposes an overall rate increase of 49 _____________________________________________________________________________ approximately $35.1 million, consisting of a $30.6 increase in distribution rates and a $4.5 million increase in the RARC. |
On July 31, 2003, the NJBPU issued an order transferring to the base rate proceeding consideration of $25.4 million of actual and projected deferred restructuring costs for which ACE was seeking recovery in a separate proceeding, which is discussed below, relating to the restructuring of ACE's electric utility business under the New Jersey Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act (EDECA). In its October 28, 2003 filing, ACE presented testimony supporting recovery of an increase in the amount of deferred restructuring costs recoverable from $25.4 million to $36.1 million, consisting of: (i) $3.7 million associated with BGS costs, (ii) $27.3 million of restructuring transition-related costs and (iii) $5.1 of transition costs related to fossil generation divestiture efforts. |
On December 12, 2003, the NJBPU issued an order also consolidating outstanding issues from several other proceedings into the base rate case proceeding. On December 22, 2003, ACE filed a Motion for Reconsideration in which it suggested that these issues be dealt with in a Phase II to the base rate case to address the outstanding issues identified in the December 12, 2003 Order. After discussion with the parties to the base rate case, it was agreed that a Phase II to the base rate case to these issues, along with the $36.1 million of deferred restructuring costs previously moved into the base rate case, would be initiated in April 2004. ACE cannot predict at this time the outcome of these proceeding. |
On March 31, 2003, DPL filed with the DPSC for an annual gas base rate increase of $16.8 million, or an increase of 12.7% in total operating revenue for DPL's gas business. The filing included a request for a ROE of 12.5%. DPL is currently authorized a ROE of 11.5% in Delaware. This is the first increase requested for DPL's gas distribution business since 1994. On May 30, 2003, DPL exercised its statutory right to implement an interim base rate increase of $2.5 million, or 1.9% of total operating revenue for DPL's gas business, subject to refund.On October 7, 2003, a settlement agreement was filed with the DPSC that provides for an annual gas base revenue increase of $7.75 million, with a 10.5% ROE, which equates to a 5.8% increase in total revenues for DPL's gas business. The settlement agreement provides that DPL is not required to refund the previously implemented int erim rate increase. In addition, the settlement agreement provides for establishment of an Environmental Surcharge to recover costs associated with remediation of a coal gas site. On December 9, 2003, the DPSC approved the settlement, making the interim $2.5 million increase final with no refunds and implementing an additional $5.25 million increase effective as of December 10, 2003. At the same time the DPSC approveda supplemental settlement which addresses customer service issues in the electric cost of service filing described below. DPL filed on February 13, 2004 for a change in electric ancillary service rates that has an aggregate effect of increasing annual revenues by $13.1 million or 2.4%. This filing was prompted by the increasing ancillary service costs charged to DPL by PJM. The PHI merger agreement, approved by the DPSC in Docket No. 01-194, provides that "Delmarva shall have the right to file to change in Ancillary components of rates to reflect the then applicable ancillary ch arges billed to Delmarva by PJM or successor organization." On February 24, 2004, the DPSC accepted DPL's filing and placed the rates into effect on March 15, 2004, subject to refund. DPL made this filing on February 13, 2004. In future years DPL will make filings to update the analysis of out of pocket environmental costs recoverable through the Environmental Surcharge rate. |
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On March 1, 2002 DPL submitted a cost of service study with the DPSC demonstrating it was not over-earning on its electric distribution rates. On October 21, 2003, the DPSC approved a settlement with respect to the March 1, 2002 filing confirming that no increase or decrease in DPL's electric distribution rates was necessary. This settlement was consistent with the provisions of settlement approved by the DPSC in connection with the Pepco and Conectiv merger that provided for no change in DPL's distribution base rates until May 1, 2006. The rate settlement also establishes objectives and procedures to reduce the number of customers whose bills are estimated over 6 or more months due to difficulties in obtaining access to the meter and to establish a reduced interest charge for customers who are paying past due bills under a payment arrangement. The DPSC also approved a supplemental settlement on December 9, 2003, regarding quality of service by DPL. In the supplemental settlement, DPL agreed to additional customer service provisions, including opening full time walk-in facilities that accept payments, and standards for call center performance. |
On August 29, 2003, DPL submitted its annual Gas Cost Recovery (GCR) rate filing to the DPSC. In its filing, DPL sought to increase its GCR rate by approximately 15.8% in anticipation of increasing natural gas commodity costs. The rate, which passes DPL's increased gas costs along to its customers, became effective November 1, 2003 and is subject to refund pending evidentiary hearings that will commence in April 2004. |
In compliance with the merger settlement approved by the MPSC in connection with the merger of Pepco and Conectiv, on December 4, 2003, DPL and Pepco submitted testimony and supporting schedules to establish electricity distribution rates in Maryland effective July 1, 2004, when the current distribution rate freeze/caps end. DPL's filing demonstrates that it is in an under-earning situation and, as allowed in the merger settlement, DPL requested that a temporary rate reduction implemented on July 1, 2003 for non-residential customers be terminated effective July 1, 2004. DPL estimates that the termination of the rate reduction would increase its annual revenues by approximately $1.1 million. With limited exceptions, the merger settlement does not permit DPL to file for any additional rate increase until December 31, 2006. Pepco's filing also demonstrates that it is in an under-earning situation. However the merger settlement provides that Pepco's distribution rates after July 1, 2004 can only remain the same or be decreased. With limited exceptions, Pepco is not entitled to file for a rate increase until December 31, 2006. Although the outcome of these proceedings cannot be predicted, DPL and Pepco each believes that the likelihood that its distribution rate will be reduced as of July 1, 2004 is remote. |
Stranded Cost Determination and Securitization |
On January 31, 2003, ACE filed a petition with the NJBPU seeking an administrative determination of stranded costs associated with the B. L. England Generating Station. The net after tax stranded costs included in the petition were approximately $151 million. An administrative determination of the stranded costs was needed due to the cancelled sale of the plant. On July 25, 2003 the NJBPU rendered an oral decision approving the administrative determination of stranded costs at a level of $149.5 million. As a result of this order, ACE reversed $10.0 million ($5.9 million after-tax) of previously accrued liability for possible disallowance of stranded costs. This credit to expense is classified as an extraordinary item in PHI's and ACE's Consolidated Statements of Earnings because the original accrual was part of an extraordinary charge resulting from the |
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discontinuation of SFAS No. 71 in conjunction with the deregulation of ACE's energy business in September 1999. |
On February 5, 2003, the NJBPU issued an order on its own initiative seeking input from ACE and the Ratepayer Advocate as to whether and by how much to reduce the 13% pre-tax return that ACE was then authorized to earn on B. L. England. ACE responded on February 18 with arguments that: (1) reduced costs to ratepayers could be achieved legally through timely approvals by the NJBPU of the stranded cost filing made by ACE on January 31, 2003 and a securitization filing made the week of February 10, 2003; and (2) it would be unlawful, perhaps unconstitutional, and a breach of settlement and prior orders for the NJBPU to deny a fair recovery on prudently incurred investment and to do so without evidentiary hearings or other due process. On April 21, 2003, the NJBPU issued an order making the return previously allowed on B. L. England interim, as of the date of the order, and directing that the issue of the appropriate return for B. L. England be included in the stranded cost proceeding. On July 25, 2003, the NJBPU voted to approve a pre-tax return reflecting a 9.75% ROE for the period April 21, 2003 through August 1, 2003. The rate authorized by the NJBPU from August 1, 2003, through such time as ACE securitizes the stranded costs was 5.25%, which the NJBPU represented as being approximately equivalent to the securitization rate. On September 25, 2003, the NJBPU issued a written order memorializing its July 25, 2003 decision. |
On February 14, 2003, ACE filed a Bondable Stranded Costs Rate Order Petition with the NJBPU. The petition requested authority to issue $160 million of Transition Bonds to finance the recovery of stranded costs associated with B. L. England and costs of issuance. On September 25, 2003 the NJBPU issued a bondable stranded cost rate order authorizing the issuance of up to $152 million of Transition Bonds. On December 23, 2003, ACE Funding issued $152 million of Transition Bonds. See "Long-Term Debt" above. |
Restructuring Deferral |
Pursuant to a July 15, 1999 summary order issued by the NJBPU under EDECA (which was subsequently affirmed by a final decision and order issued March 30, 2001), ACE was obligated to provide basic generation service from August 1, 1999 to at least July 31, 2002 to retail electricity customers in ACE's service territory who did not choose a competitive energy supplier. The order allowed ACE to recover through customer rates certain costs incurred in providing BGS. ACE's obligation to provide BGS was subsequently extended to July 31, 2003. At the allowed rates, for the period August 1, 1999 through July 31, 2003, ACE's aggregate allowed costs exceeded its aggregate revenues from supplying BGS. These under-recovered costs were partially offset by a $59.3 million deferred energy cost liability existing as of July 31, 1999 (LEAC Liability) that was related to ACE's Levelized Energy Adjustment Clause and ACE's Demand Side Management Programs. ACE established a regulatory asset in an amount equal to the balance. |
On August 1, 2002, ACE filed a petition with the NJBPU for the recovery of approximately $176.4 million in actual and projected deferred costs relating to the provision of BGS and other restructuring related costs incurred by ACE over the four-year period August 1, 1999 through July 31, 2003. The deferred balance is net of the $59.3 offset for the LEAC Liability. The petition also requests that ACE's rates be reset as of August 1, 2003 so that there will be no under-recovery of costs embedded in the rates on or after that date. The increase sought represents an overall 8.4% annual increase in electric rates and is in addition to the base rate |
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increase discussed above.ACE's recovery of the deferred costs is subject to review and approval by the NJBPU in accordance with EDECA. |
On July 31, 2003, the NJBPU issued a summary order permitting ACE to begin collecting a portion of the deferred costs and to reset rates to recover on-going costs incurred as a result of EDECA. The summary order approved the recovery of $125 million of the deferred balance over a ten-year amortization period beginning August 1, 2003. The summary order also transferred to ACE's pending base rate case for further consideration approximately $25.4 million of the deferred balance. The NJBPU estimated the overall deferral balance as of July 31, 2003 at $195 million, of which $44.6 million was disallowed recovery by ACE. Since the amounts included in this decision are based on estimates through July 31, 2003, the actual ending deferred cost balance will be subject to review and finalization by the NJPBU and ACE. The approved rates became effective on August 6, 2003. Based on an analysis of the summary order and in accordance with prevailing accounting rules, ACE recorded a charge of $27.5 million ($16.3 million after-tax) during the second quarter of 2003. This charge is in addition to amounts previously accrued for disallowance. ACE believes the record does not justify the level of disallowance imposed by the NJBPU. ACE is awaiting the final written order from the NJBPU and is evaluating its options related to this decision. The NJBPU's action is not appealable until a final written order has been issued. |
Pepco Regulatory Matters |
Divestiture Cases |
Final briefs on Pepco's District of Columbia divestiture proceeds sharing application were filed on July 31, 2002 following an evidentiary hearing in June 2002. That application was filed to implement a provision of Pepco's DCPSC approved divestiture settlement that provided for a sharing of any net proceeds from the sale of Pepco's generation-related assets. One of the principal issues in the case is whether Pepco should be required to share with customers, on an approximately 50/50 basis, the excess deferred income taxes (EDIT) and accumulated deferred investment tax credits (ADITC) associated with the sold assets and, if so, whether such sharing would violate the normalization provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and its implementing regulations. As of December 31, 2003, the District of Columbia allocated portions of EDIT and ADITC associated with the divested generation assets were, respectively, approximately $6.5 million and $5 .8 million, respectively. Other issues in the proceeding deal with the treatment of internal costs and cost allocations as deductions from the gross proceeds of the divestiture. |
Pepco believes that a sharing of EDIT and ADITC would violate the normalization rules. If Pepco were required to share EDIT and ADITC and, as a result, the normalization rules were violated, Pepco would be unable to use accelerated depreciation on District of Columbia allocated or assigned property. Pepco, in addition to sharing with customers an amount equal to approximately 50% of the generation-related ADITC balance, would have to pay to the IRS an amount equal to Pepco's $5.8 million District of Columbia jurisdictional generation-related ADITC balance as well as its District of Columbia jurisdictional transmission and distribution-related ADITC balance as of the later of the date a DCPSC order is issued and all rights to appeal have been exhausted or lapsed, or the date the DCPSC order becomes operative.
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As of December 31, 2003, the District of Columbia jurisdictional transmission and distribution-related ADITC balance was approximately $8 million. |
Pepco believes that its calculation of the District of Columbia customers' share of divestiture proceeds is correct. However, depending on the ultimate outcome of this proceeding, Pepco could be required to make additional gain-sharing payments to D.C. customers, including the payments described above related to EDIT and ADITC. Such additional payments (which, other than the EDIT and ADITC related payments, cannot be estimated) would be charged to expense in the quarter and year in which a final decision is rendered and could have a material adverse effect on Pepco's and PHI's results of operations for those periods. However, neither PHI nor Pepco believes that additional gain-sharing payments, if any, or the ADITC-related payments to the IRS, if required, would have a material adverse impact on its financial condition. It is uncertain when the DCPSC will issue a decision. |
Pepco filed its divestiture proceeds plan application in Maryland in April 2001. Reply briefs were filed in May 2002. The principal issue in the Maryland case is the same EDIT and ADITC sharing issue that was raised in the D.C. case. As of December 31, 2003, the Maryland allocated portions of EDIT and ADITC associated with the divested generation assets were approximately $9.1 million and $10.4 million, respectively. Other issues deal with the treatment of certain costs as deductions from the gross proceeds of the divestiture. On November 21, 2003, the Hearing Examiner in the Maryland proceeding issued a proposed order that concluded that Pepco's Maryland divestiture settlement agreement provided for a sharing between Pepco and customers of the EDIT and ADITC associated with the sold assets. Pepco believes that such a sharing would violate the normalization rules and would result in Pepco's inability to use accelerated depreciation on Mary land allocated or assigned property. If the proposed order is affirmed, Pepco would have to share with its Maryland customers, on an approximately 50/50 basis, the Maryland allocated portion of the generation-related EDIT,i.e., $9.1 million, and the generation-related ADITC. If such sharing were to violate the normalization rules, Pepco, in addition to sharing with customers an amount equal to approximately 50% of the generation-related ADITC balance, would be unable to use accelerated depreciation on Maryland allocated or assigned property. Furthermore, Pepco would have to pay to the IRS an amount equal to Pepco's $10.4 million Maryland jurisdictional generation-related ADITC balance, as well as its Maryland retail jurisdictional ADITC transmission and distribution-related balance as of the later of the date a MPSC order is issued and all rights to appeal have been exhausted or lapsed, or the date the MPSC order becomes operative. As of December 31, 2003, the Maryland retail jurisdictional t ransmission and distribution-related ADITC balance was approximately $12 million. The Hearing Examiner decided all other issues in favor of Pepco, except that only one-half of the severance payments that Pepco included in its calculation of corporate reorganization costs should be deducted from the sales proceeds before sharing of the net gain between Pepco and customers. |
Under Maryland law, if the proposed order is appealed to the MPSC, the proposed order is not a final, binding order of the MPSC and further action by the MPSC is required with respect to this matter. Pepco has appealed the Hearing Examiner's decision on the treatment of EDIT and ADITC and corporate reorganization costs to the MPSC. Pepco cannot predict what the outcome of the appeal will be or when the appeal might be decided. Pepco believes that its calculation of the Maryland customers' share of divestiture proceeds is correct. However, depending on the ultimate outcome of this proceeding, Pepco could be required to share with its customers approximately 50% of the EDIT and ADITC balances described above and make additional gain-sharing payments 54 _____________________________________________________________________________ related to the disallowed severance payments. Such additional payments would be charged to expense in the quarter and year in which a final decision is rendered and could have a material adverse effect on results of operations for those periods. However, neither PHI nor Pepco believes that additional gain-sharing payments, if any, or the ADITC-related payments to the IRS, if required, would have a material adverse impact on its financial condition. |
Standard Offer Service (SOS) |
District of Columbia |
On February 21, 2003, the DCPSC opened a new proceeding to consider issues relating to (a) the establishment of terms and conditions for providing SOS in the District of Columbia after Pepco's obligation to provide SOS terminates on February 7, 2005, and (b) the selecting of a new SOS provider. Under current District of Columbia law, if the DCPSC selects a retail SOS provider (i.e., some entity or entities other than Pepco) to provide SOS after February 7, 2005, it must make the selection(s) before July 2, 2004; however, if the DCPSC decides to have Pepco continue as the SOS provider after February 7, 2005, it need not complete the procurement process before July 2, 2004. The law also allows the selection of Pepco as the SOS provider in the event of insufficient or inadequate bids from potential SOS providers other than Pepco. |
On December 31, 2003, the DCPSC issued an order which sets forth the terms and conditions for the selection of a new SOS provider(s) and the provision of SOS by Pepco on a contingency basis. |
On December 31, 2003, the DCPSC also issued an order adopting terms and conditions that would apply if Pepco continues as the SOS provider after February 7, 2005. On January 9, 2004, the DCPSC issued an order in which it requested initial and reply comments by January 29, 2004, and February 9, 2004, respectively, on which SOS model (i.e., the wholesale SOS model, under which Pepco would continue as the SOS provider after February 7, 2005, or the retail model, under which some entity or entities other than Pepco would be the SOS provider after February 7, 2005) would best meet the needs of the DC SOS customers after February 7, 2005. |
Pepco and most of the other parties in the case filed applications for reconsideration and/or clarification of various parts of the two DCPSC orders that set forth the terms and conditions that would apply under the retail and wholesale SOS models. Pepco and most parties also filed initial and reply comments on which SOS model would best serve the needs of the SOS customers in DC. In its comments, Pepco supported the wholesale SOS model. |
On March 1, 2004, the DCPSC issued an order adopting the wholesale SOS model,i.e., Pepco will continue to be the SOS provider in the District of Columbia after February 7, 2005. The DCPSC also granted in part and denied in part the applications for reconsideration and/or clarification of the order adopting the terms and conditions applicable to the wholesale model. Finally, the DCPSC denied as moot the applications for reconsideration and/or clarification of the order adopting the terms and conditions applicable to the retail SOS model because the DCPSC adopted the wholesale SOS model. |
Parties have until March 31, 2004 to apply for reconsideration of the order adopting the wholesale model. Generally, parties have until April 30, 2004 to seek judicial review of the order denying reconsideration of the order that adopted the terms and conditions applicable to the retail SOS |
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model and the order granting in part and denying in part the order adopting the terms and conditions applicable to the wholesale SOS model. |
Virginia |
On December 3, 2003, DPL and Conectiv Energy filed with the VSCC an amendment to extend the power supply Agreement for one year,i.e., through December 31, 2004, and on a month to month basis thereafter, as it applies to power supply for DPL's Virginia POLR customers. The VSCC approved the amendment in an order issued on March 1, 2004. After December 31, 2004 either DPL or Conectiv Energy can terminate Conectiv Energy's obligation to provide supplies to meet DPL's Virginia POLR obligations by giving 30 days written notice to the other party. |
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
General |
The SEC has defined a company's most critical accounting policies as the ones that are most important to the portrayal of its financial condition and results of operations, and which require it to make its most difficult and subjective judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates of matters that are inherently uncertain. Critical estimates represent those estimates and assumptions that may be material due to the levels of subjectivity and judgment necessary to account for highly uncertain matters or the susceptibility of such matters to change, and that have a material impact on financial condition or operating performance. |
Accounting Policy Choices |
Pepco Holdings' management believes that based on the nature of the businesses that its subsidiaries operate, Pepco Holdings has very little choice regarding the accounting policies it utilizes. For instance, the most significant portion of Pepco Holdings' business consists of its regulated utility operations, which are subject to the provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 71 "Accounting for the Effects of Certain Types of Regulation" (SFAS No. 71). SFAS No. 71 allows regulated entities, in appropriate circumstances, to establish regulatory assets and liabilities and to defer the income statement impact of certain costs that are expected to be recovered in future rates. However, in the areas that Pepco Holdings is afforded accounting policy choices, management does not believe that the application of different accounting policies than those that it chose would materially impact its financial condition or resu lts of operations. |
Use of Estimates |
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, such as Statement of Position 94-6 "Disclosure of Certain Significant Risks and Uncertainties," requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Examples of significant estimates used by Pepco Holdings include the calculation of future cash flows and fair value amounts for use in goodwill and asset impairment evaluations, fair value calculations (based on estimating market pricing) associated with derivative instruments, pension and other post-retirement benefits assumptions, unbilled revenue calculations, and judgment 56 _____________________________________________________________________________ involved with assessing the probability of recovery of regulatory assets. Although Pepco Holdings believes that its estimates and assumptions are reasonable, they are based upon information presently available. Actual results may differ significantly from these estimates. |
Goodwill Impairment Evaluation |
Pepco Holdings believes that the estimates involved in its goodwill impairment evaluation process represent "Critical Accounting Estimates" because they (1) may be susceptible to change from period to period because management is required to make assumptions and judgments about the discounting of future cash flows, which are inherently uncertain, (2) actual results could vary from those used in Pepco Holdings' estimates and the impact of such variations could be material, and (3) the impact that recognizing an impairment would have on Pepco Holdings' assets and the net loss related to an impairment charge could be material. |
The provisions of SFAS No. 142, "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets" (SFAS No. 142), require the evaluation of goodwill for impairment at least annually or more frequently if events and circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. SFAS No. 142 indicates that if the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, including goodwill, an impairment charge may be necessary. In order to estimate fair value Pepco Holdings may discount the estimated future cash flows associated with the asset using a single interest rate that is commensurate with the risk involved with such an investment, or employ other valuation techniques. Substantially all of Pepco Holdings' goodwill was generated in the merger transaction between Pepco and Conectiv during 2002 and was allocated to Pepco Holdings' rate regulated entities. During 2003 Pepco Holdings tested its goodwill for impairment as of July 1, 2003. This testing concluded t hat Pepco Holdings' goodwill balance was not impaired. |
Long Lived Assets Impairment Evaluation |
Pepco Holdings believes that the estimates involved in its long term asset impairment evaluation process represent "Critical Accounting Estimates" because they (1) are highly susceptible to change from period to period because management is required to make assumptions and judgments about undiscounted and discounted future cash flows and fair values, which are inherently uncertain, (2) actual results could vary from those used in Pepco Holdings' estimates and the impact of such variations could be material, and (3) the impact that recognizing an impairment would have on Pepco Holdings' assets as well as the net loss related to an impairment charge could be material. |
In accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 144, "Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets" (SFAS No. 144), an impairment loss shall only be recognized if the carrying amount of an asset is not recoverable and the carrying amount exceeds its fair value. The asset is deemed to not be recoverable when its carrying amount exceeds the sum of the undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the asset. In order to estimate an asset's future cash flows, Pepco Holdings considers historical cash flows. Pepco Holdings uses its best estimates in making these evaluations and considers various factors, including forward price curves for energy, fuel costs, legislative initiatives, and operating costs. The process of determining fair value is done consistent with the process described in assessing the fair value of goodwill, discussed above. For a discussion of the impairment testing |
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results related to Conectiv Energy's combustion turbines, refer to Part II, Item 8, Note (13) Conectiv Energy Events, herein. |
Investment Impairment Evaluation |
Pepco Holdings is required to evaluate its equity-method investments to determine whether or not they are impaired. In accordance with Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) No. 18 "The Equity Method of Accounting for Investments in Common Stock" (APB No. 18), the standard for determining whether an impairment must be recorded under APB No. 18 is whether the investment has experienced a loss in value that is considered to be "other than a temporary" decline in value. The evaluation and measurement of impairments under APB No. 18 involves the same uncertainties as described above for long-lived assets that we own directly and account for in accordance with SFAS No. 144. However, additional judgment is required by management in order to determine whether a loss in value is "other than temporary." |
During early 2004, Pepco Holdings announced plans to sell its 50 percent interest in Starpower as part of an ongoing effort to redirect Pepco Holdings' investments and to focus on its energy related businesses. At December 31, 2003, Pepco Holdings had an investment in Starpower of $141.8 million. However, because of the distressed telecommunications market and the changed expectations ofStarpower's future performance, Pepco Holdings has determined that the fair value of its investment in Starpower at December 31, 2003 is $39.2 million. Accordingly, during the fourth quarter of 2003, Pepco Holdings recorded a noncash charge to its consolidated earnings of $102.6 million ($66.7 million after-tax). |
Derivative Instruments |
Pepco Holdings believes that the estimates involved in accounting for its derivative instruments represent "Critical Accounting Estimates" because (1) the fair value of the instruments are highly susceptible to changes in market value and interest rate fluctuations, (2) there are significant uncertainties in modeling techniques used to measure fair value in certain circumstances, (3) actual results could vary from those used in Pepco Holdings' estimates and the impact of such variations could be material, and (4) changes in fair values and market prices could result in material impacts to Pepco Holdings' assets, liabilities, other comprehensive income (loss), and results of operations. |
Pepco Holdings and its subsidiaries use derivative instruments primarily to manage risk associated with commodity prices and interest rates. SFAS No. 133 "Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities," as amended,governs the accounting treatment for derivatives and requires that derivative instruments be measured at fair value. The fair value of derivatives is determined using quoted exchange prices where available. For instruments that are not traded on an exchange, external broker quotes are used to determine fair value. For some custom and complex instruments, an internal model is used to interpolate broker quality price information. Models are also used to estimate volumes for certain transactions. The same valuation methods are used to determine the value of non-derivative, commodity exposure for risk management purposes. |
Pension and Other Post-retirement Benefit Plans |
Pepco Holdings believes that the estimates involved in reporting the costs of providing pension and other post-retirement benefits represent 58 _____________________________________________________________________________ "Critical Accounting Estimates" because (1) they are based on an actuarial calculation that includes a number of assumptions which are subjective in nature, (2) they are dependent on numerous factors resulting from actual plan experience and assumptions of future experience, and (3)changes in assumptions could impact Pepco Holdings' expected future cash funding requirements for the plans and would have an impact on the projected benefit obligations, the reported pension and other post-retirement benefit liability on the balance sheet, and the reported annual net periodic pension and other post-retirement benefit cost on the income statement. In terms of quantifying the anticipated impact of a change in assumptions, Pepco Holdings estimates that a .25% change in the discount rate used to value the benefit obligations could result in a $5 million impact on its consolidated balance sheets and income statements. Additionally, Pepco Holdings estimates that a .25% change in the expected return on plan assets could result in a $3 million impact on the consolidated balance sheets and income statements and a .25% change in the assumed healthcare cost trend rate could result in a $.6 million impact on its consolidated balance sheets and income statements. Pepco Holdings' management consults with its actuaries and investment consultants when selecting its plan assumptions. |
Pepco Holdings follows the guidance of SFAS No. 87, "Employers' Accounting for Pensions" (SFAS No. 87), and SFAS No. 106, "Employers' Accounting for Post-retirement Benefits Other Than Pensions" (SFAS. No. 106), when accounting for these benefits. Under these accounting standards, assumptions are made regarding the valuation of benefit obligations and the performance of plan assets. In accordance with these standards, the impact of changes in these assumptions and the difference between actual and expected or estimated results on pension and post-retirement obligations is generally recognized over the working lives of the employees who benefit under the plans rather than immediately recognized in the income statement. Plan assets are stated at their market value as of the measurement date, December 31. |
Regulation of Power Delivery Operations |
The requirements of SFAS No. 71 apply to the Power Delivery businesses of Pepco, DPL, and ACE. Pepco Holdings believes that the judgment involved in accounting for its regulated activities represent "Critical Accounting Estimates" because (1) a significant amount of judgment is required (including but not limited to the interpretation of laws and regulatory commission orders) to assess the probability of the recovery of regulatory assets, (2) actual results and interpretations could vary from those used in Pepco Holdings' estimates and the impact of such variations could be material, and (3) the impact that writing off a regulatory asset would have on Pepco Holdings' assets and the net loss related to the charge could be material. |
NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS |
New Accounting Policies Adopted |
SFAS No. 143 |
Pepco Holdings adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Statement No. 143 entitled "Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations" (SFAS No. 143) on January 1, 2003. This Statement establishes the accounting and reporting standards for measuring and recording asset retirement obligations. Based on the implementation of SFAS No. 143, at December 31, 2003, $257.9 million in asset removal costs ($181.5 million for DPL and $76.4 59 _____________________________________________________________________________ million for Pepco) and $245.3 million in asset removal costs at December 31, 2002 ($173.2 million for DPL and $72.1 million for Pepco) have been reclassified from accumulated depreciation to a regulatory liability in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. |
SFAS No. 150 |
Effective July 1, 2003 Pepco Holdings implemented SFAS No. 150 entitled "Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both Liabilities and Equity" (SFAS No. 150). This Statement established standards for how an issuer classifies and measures in its Consolidated Balance Sheet certain financial instruments with characteristics of both liabilities and equity. The Statement resulted in Pepco Holdings' reclassification (initially as of September 30, 2003) of its "Company Obligated Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Securities of Subsidiary Trust Which Holds Solely Parent Junior Subordinated Debentures" (TOPrS) and "Mandatorily Redeemable Serial Preferred Stock" on its Consolidated Balance Sheet to a long term liability classification. Additionally, in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 150, dividends on the TOPrS and Mandatorily Redeemable Serial Preferred Stock, declared subsequent to the July 1, 2003 implement ation of SFAS No. 150, are recorded as interest expense in Pepco Holdings' Consolidated Statement of Earnings for the year ended December 31, 2003. In accordance with the transition provisions of SFAS No. 150, prior period amounts were not reclassified on either the consolidated balance sheet or consolidated statement of earnings. In 2003, Potomac Electric Power Company Trust I redeemed all $125 million of its 7.375% Trust Originated Preferred Securities at par. Also during 2003, Atlantic Capital I redeemed all $70 million of its 8.25% Quarterly Income Preferred Securities at par. |
Effective with the December 31, 2003 implementation of FASB Interpretation No. 46 "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities" (FIN 46), Pepco Holdings' subsidiaries' TOPrS were deconsolidated and therefore not included in its Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2003. Additionally, based on the provisions of FIN 46 Pepco Holdings recorded its investments in its TOPrS trusts and its Debentures issued to the trusts on its Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2003 (these items were previously eliminated in consolidation). For additional information regarding Pepco Holdings' implementation of FIN 46 refer to the "FIN 46" implementation section below. Accordingly, Pepco Holdings' Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2003 reflects only the reclassification of Pepco's Mandatorily Redeemable Serial Preferred Stock into its long term liability section. |
In December 2003, the FASB deferred for an indefinite period the application of the guidance in SFAS No. 150 to non-controlling interests that are classified as equity in the financial statements of a subsidiary but would be classified as a liability in the parent's financial statements under SFAS No. 150. The deferral is limited to mandatorily redeemable non-controlling interests associated with finite-lived subsidiaries. Pepco Holdings does not have an interest in any such applicable entities as of December 31, 2003, but will continue to evaluate the applicability of this deferral to entities which may be consolidated as a result of FASB Interpretation No. 46, "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities." |
FIN 45 |
Pepco Holdings and its subsidiaries applied the provisions of FASB Interpretation No. 45, "Guarantor's Accounting and Disclosure Requirements for Guarantees, Including Indirect Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others" (FIN 45), commencing in 2003 to their agreements that contain guarantee and 60 _____________________________________________________________________________ indemnification clauses. These provisions expand those required by FASB Statement No. 5, "Accounting for Contingencies," by requiring a guarantor to recognize a liability on its balance sheet for the fair value of obligation it assumes under certain guarantees issued or modified after December 31, 2002 and to disclose certain types of guarantees, even if the likelihood of requiring the guarantor's performance under the guarantee is remote. |
As of December 31, 2003, Pepco Holdings and its subsidiaries did not have material obligations under guarantees or indemnifications issued or modified after December 31, 2002, which are required to be recognized as a liability on its consolidated balance sheets. |
FIN 46 |
In January 2003 FIN 46 was issued. FIN 46 was revised and superseded by FASB Interpretation No. 46 (revised December 2003), "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities" (FIN 46R) which clarified some of the provisions of FIN 46 and exempted certain entities from its requirements. |
FIN 46R requires the application of either FIN 46 or FIN 46R by "Public Entities" to all Special Purpose Entities, as defined in FIN 46R (SPEs), created prior to February 1, 2003 at the end of the first interim or annual reporting period ending after December 15, 2003 (Pepco Holdings year end 2003 financial statements). All entities created after January 31, 2003 by Public Entities were already required to be analyzed under FIN 46, and they must continue to do so, unless FIN 46R is adopted early. FIN 46R will be applicable to all non-SPEs created prior to February 1, 2003 by public entities that are not small business issuers at the end of the first interim or annual reporting period ending after March 15, 2004 (Pepco Holdings first quarter ended March 31, 2004 financial statements). |
As a result of the implementation of FIN 46, the following entities were impacted at December 31, 2003: |
(1) Trust Preferred Securities |
DPL and ACE have wholly owned financing subsidiary trusts that have common and preferred trust securities outstanding and hold Junior Subordinated Debentures (the Debentures) issued by DPL and ACE. DPL and ACE own all of the common securities of the trusts, which constitute approximately 3% of the liquidation amount of all of the trust securities issued by the trusts. The trusts use interest payments received on the Debentures, which are the trusts' only assets, to make cash distributions on the trust securities. The obligations of DPL and ACE pursuant to the Debentures and guarantees of distributions with respect to the trusts' securities, to the extent the trusts have funds available therefore, constitute full and unconditional guarantees of the obligations of the trusts under the trust securities the trusts have issued. The preferred trust securities are subject to mandatory redemption upon payment of the Debentures at maturity or upon redem ption. The Debentures mature in 2028 to 2036. The Debentures are subject to redemption, in whole or in part, at the option of DPL or ACE, as applicable, at 100% of their principal amount plus accrued interest. |
In accordance with the provisions of FIN 46, and as a result of the deconsolidation of the trusts from PHI's financial statements, DPL and ACE's Debentures held by the trusts and DPL and ACE's investments in the trusts are included in PHI's Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2003 and the previously recorded preferred trust securities have been removed from PHI's 61 _____________________________________________________________________________ Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2003. Accordingly, the deconsolidation of the trusts overall does not significantly impact PHI's Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2003. |
(2) ACE Funding |
ACE formed ACE Funding during 2001. ACE Funding is a wholly owned subsidiary of ACE. ACE Funding was organized for the sole purpose of purchasing and owning Bondable Transition Property, issuing Transition Bonds to fund the purchasing of Bondable Transition Property, pledging its interest in Bondable Transition Property and other collateral to the trustee for the Transition Bonds to collateralize the Transition Bonds, and to perform activities that are necessary, suitable or convenient to accomplish these purposes. |
In accordance with the provisions of FIN 46, ACE Funding was assessed and it was determined that it should remain consolidated with Pepco Holdings' and ACE's financial statements as of December 31, 2003. Accordingly, the implementation of FIN 46 did not impact Pepco Holdings' or ACE's Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2003. |
(3) Leveraged Leases |
PCI manages a portfolio of financial investments in leveraged leases. These leveraged lease transactions involve PCI's purchase and leaseback of utility assets, located outside of the United States, that are designed to provide a long-term, stable stream of cash flow and earnings. The leases are in separate legally isolated Trusts established to hold the leased assets and the majority of the financing for such transactions has been third party, non-recourse debt over the base term. |
In accordance with the provisions of FIN 46, and as a result of the deconsolidation of the leveraged lease trusts from PHI's financial statements, the underlying leases held by the leveraged lease trusts are excluded and PHI's investments in the trusts are included in PHI's Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2003 using the line item "Investment in Finance Leases Held in Trust." The deconsolidation of the leveraged lease trusts did not significantly impact Pepco Holdings' Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2003. |
(4) Other |
In accordance with the provisions of FIN 46, two small entities created after January 31, 2003 were required to be consolidated at December 31, 2003 which previously were not consolidated. These entities are not material to Pepco holdings' operations and therefore their consolidation did not have a significant impact on Pepco Holdings' overall financial condition or results of operations. |
Additionally, Pepco Holdings has analyzed its interests in entities with which it has power sale agreements and has determined those entities do not qualify as SPE as defined in FIN 46R. The Company will continue to analyze interests in investments and contractual relationships including power sale agreements to determine if such entities should be consolidated or deconsolidated in accordance with FIN 46R. Pepco Holdings is presently unable to determine the effect, if any, on its financial statements of applying FIN 46R to these entities. |
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New Accounting Standards Issued |
In July 2003, the EITF reached a consensus on EITF Issue No. 03-11, "Reporting Realized Gains and Losses on Derivative Instruments That Are Subject to FASB Statement No. 133, 'Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities,' and not 'Held for Trading Purposes' as Defined in EITF Issue No. 02-3 'Issues Involved in Accounting for Derivative Contracts Held for Trading Purposes and Contracts Involved in Energy Trading and Risk Management Activities'" (EITF 03-11). This EITF concluded that determining whether realized gains and losses on physically settled derivative contracts not "held for trading purposes" should be reported in the income statement on a gross or net basis is a matter of judgment that depends on the relevant facts and circumstances. Pepco Holdings is in the process of completing its evaluation of the extent of its subsidiaries operating revenue and operating expense reclassifications that may be required. Pepco Hold ings anticipates that the implementation of EITF 03-11, including the associated reclassification of certain operating revenues and operating expenses, will not have an impact on its overall financial position or net results of operations. |
RISK FACTORS |
The business and operations of PHI and its subsidiaries are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the events or conditions identified below. These events or conditions could have an adverse effect on the business of PHI and its subsidiaries, including, depending on the circumstances, their results of operations and financial condition. |
PHI and its subsidiaries are subject to substantial governmental regulation. If PHI or any of its subsidiaries receives unfavorable regulatory treatment, PHI's business could be negatively affected. |
PHI is a registered public utility holding company that is subject to regulation by the SEC under PUHCA. As a registered public utility holding company, PHI requires SEC approval to, among other things, issue securities, acquire or dispose of utility assets or securities of utility companies and acquire other businesses. In addition, under PUHCA transactions among PHI and its subsidiaries generally must be performed at cost and subsidiaries are prohibited from paying dividends out of an accumulated deficit or paid-in capital without SEC approval. |
The utility businesses conducted by PHI's power delivery subsidiaries are subject to regulation by various federal, state and local regulatory agencies that significantly affects their operations. Each of Pepco, DPL and ACE is regulated by public service commissions in its service territories, with respect to, among other things, the rates it can charge retail customers for the delivery of electricity. In addition, the rates that the companies can charge for electricity transmission are regulated by the FERC. The companies cannot change delivery or transmission rates without approval by the applicable regulatory authority. While the approved delivery and transmission rates are intended to permit the companies to recover their costs of service and earn a reasonable rate of return, the profitability of the companies is affected by the rates they are able to charge. In addition, if the costs incurred by any of the companies in operatin g its transmission and distribution facilities exceed the allowed amounts for costs included in the approved rates, the financial results of that company, and correspondingly, PHI, will be adversely affected. |
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PHI's subsidiaries also are required to have numerous permits, approvals and certificates from governmental agencies that regulate their businesses. PHI believes that its subsidiaries have obtained the material permits, approvals and certificates necessary for their existing operations and that their businesses are conducted in accordance with applicable laws; however, PHI is unable to predict the impact of future regulatory activities of any of these agencies on its business. Changes in or reinterpretations of existing laws or regulations, or the imposition of new laws or regulations, may require PHI's subsidiaries to incur additional expenses or to change the way they conduct their operations. |
PHI's business could be adversely affected by the Mirant bankruptcy. |
In 2000, Pepco sold substantially all of its electricity generation assets to Mirant. As part of the sale, Pepco entered into several ongoing contractual arrangements with Mirant and certain of its subsidiaries. On July 14, 2003, Mirant and most of its subsidiaries filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. Depending on the outcome of the proceedings, the Mirant bankruptcy could adversely affect PHI's business. See " -- Relationship with Mirant Corporation." |
Pepco may be required to make additional divestiture proceeds gain-sharing payments to customers in the District of Columbia and Maryland. |
Pepco currently is involved in regulatory proceedings in Maryland and the District of Columbia related to the sharing of the net proceeds from the sale of its generation-related assets. The principal issue in the proceedings is whether Pepco should be required to share with customers the excess deferred income taxes and accumulated deferred investment tax credits associated with the sold assets and, if so, whether such sharing would violate the normalization provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and its implementing regulations. Depending on the outcome of the proceedings, Pepco could be required to make additional gain-sharing payments to customers and payments to the IRS in the amount of the associated accumulated deferred investment tax credits, and Pepco might be unable to use accelerated depreciation on District of Columbia and Maryland allocated or assigned property. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition an d Results of Operations -- Regulatory and Other Matters." |
The operating results of PHI's power delivery and competitive energy subsidiaries fluctuate on a seasonal basis and can be adversely affected by changes in weather. |
The businesses of PHI's power delivery and competitive energy subsidiaries are seasonal and weather patterns can have a material impact on their operating performance. Demand for electricity is generally greater in the summer months associated with cooling and demand for electricity and gas is generally greater in the winter months associated with heating as compared to other times of the year. Accordingly, PHI's power delivery and competitive energy subsidiaries historically have generated less revenues and income when weather conditions are milder in the winter and cooler in the summer. |
The facilities of PHI's subsidiaries may not operate as planned or may require significant maintenance expenditures, which could decrease their revenues or increase their expenses. |
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Operation of generation, transmission and distribution facilities involves many risks, including the breakdown or failure of equipment, accidents, labor disputes and performance below expected levels. Older facilities and equipment, even if maintained in accordance with good engineering practices, may require significant capital expenditures for additions or upgrades to keep them operating at peak efficiency, to comply with changing environmental requirements, or to provide reliable operations. Natural disasters and weather-related incidents, including tornadoes, hurricanes and snow and ice storms, also can disrupt generation, transmission and distribution delivery systems. Operation of generation, transmission and distribution facilities below expected capacity levels can reduce revenues and result in the incurrence of additional expenses that may not be recoverable from customers or through insurance. Furthermore, if PHI's operatin g subsidiaries are unable to perform their contractual obligations for any of these reasons, they may incur penalties or damages. |
The transmission facilities of PHI's power delivery subsidiaries are interconnected with the facilities of other transmission facility owners whose actions could have a negative impact on the operations of PHI's subsidiaries. |
The transmission facilities of Pepco, DPL and ACE are directly interconnected with the transmission facilities of contiguous utilities and as such are part of an interstate power transmission grid. The FERC has designated a number of regional transmission operators to coordinate the operation of portions of the interstate transmission grid. Each of Pepco, DPL and ACE is a member of PJM, which is the regional transmission operator that coordinates the movement of electricity in all or parts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Pepco, DPL and ACE operate their transmission facilities under the direction and control of PJM. PJM and the other regional transmission operators have established sophisticated systems that are designed to ensure the reliability of the operation of transmission facilities and prevent the operations of one utility from having an adverse impa ct on the operations of the other utilities. However, the systems put in place by PJM and the other regional transmission operators may not always be adequate to prevent problems at other utilities from causing service interruptions in the transmission facilities of Pepco, DPL or ACE. If any of Pepco, DPL or ACE were to suffer such a service interruption, it could have a negative impact on its and PHI's business. |
The cost of compliance with environmental laws is significant and new environmental laws may increase the expenses of PHI and its subsidiaries. |
The operations of PHI's subsidiaries, both regulated and unregulated, are subject to extensive federal, state and local environmental statutes, rules and regulations, relating to air quality, water quality, spill prevention, waste management, natural resources, site remediation, and health and safety. These laws and regulations require PHI's subsidiaries to make capital expenditures and to incur other expenditures to, among other things, meet emissions standards, conduct site remediation and perform environmental monitoring. PHI's subsidiaries also may be required to pay significant remediation costs with respect to third party sites. If PHI's subsidiaries fail to comply with applicable environmental laws and regulations, even if caused by factors beyond their control, such failure could result in the assessment of civil or criminal penalties and liabilities and the need to expend significant sums to come into compliance. |
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In addition, PHI's subsidiaries incur costs to obtain and comply with a variety of environmental permits, licenses, inspections and other approvals. If there is a delay in obtaining any required environmental regulatory approval or if PHI's subsidiaries fail to obtain, maintain or comply with any such approval, operations at affected facilities could be halted or subjected to additional costs. |
New environmental laws and regulations, or new interpretations of existing laws and regulations, could impose more stringent limitations on the operations of PHI's subsidiaries or require them to incur significant additional costs. PHI's current compliance strategy may not successfully address the relevant standards and interpretations of the future. |
PHI's competitive energy business is highly competitive. |
The unregulated energy generation, supply and marketing businesses in the mid-Atlantic region are characterized by intense competition at both the wholesale and retail levels. PHI's competitive energy businesses compete with numerous non-utility generators, independent power producers, wholesale power marketers and brokers, and traditional utilities that continue to operate generation assets. This competition generally has the effect of reducing margins and requires a continual focus on controlling costs. |
PHI's competitive energy businesses rely on some transmission and distribution assets that they do not own or control to deliver wholesale electricity and to obtain fuel for their generation facilities. |
PHI's competitive energy businesses depend upon transmission facilities owned and operated by others for delivery to customers. The operation of their generation facilities also depends upon coal, natural gas or diesel fuel supplied by others. If electric transmission is disrupted or capacity is inadequate or unavailable, the competitive energy businesses' ability to sell and deliver wholesale power, and therefore to fulfill their contractual obligations, could be adversely affected. Similarly, if the fuel supply to one or more of their generation plants is disrupted and storage or other alternative sources of supply are not available the competitive energy businesses' ability to operate their generating facilities could be adversely affected. |
Changes in technology may adversely affect PHI's power delivery and competitive energy businesses. |
Research and development activities are ongoing to improve alternative technologies to produce electricity, including fuel cells, microturbines and photovoltaic (solar) cells. It is possible that advances in these or other alternative technologies will reduce the costs of electricity production from these technologies, thereby making the generating facilities of PHI's competitive energy businesses less competitive. In addition, increased conservation efforts and advances in technology could reduce demand for electricity supply and distribution, which could adversely affect PHI's power delivery and competitive energy businesses. Changes in technology also could alter the channels through which retail electric customers buy electricity, which could adversely affect PHI's power delivery businesses. |
PHI's risk management procedures may not prevent losses in the operation of its competitive energy businesses. |
The operations of PHI's competitive energy businesses are conducted in accordance with sophisticated risk management systems that are designed to 66 _____________________________________________________________________________ quantify risk. However, actual results sometimes deviate from modeled expectations. In particular, risks in PHI's energy activities were measured and monitored utilizing value-at-risk models to determine the effects of the potential one-day favorable or unfavorable price movement. These estimates are based on historical price volatility and assume a normal distribution of price changes. Consequently, if prices significantly deviate from historical prices, PHI's risk management systems, including assumptions supporting risk limits, may not protect PHI from significant losses. In addition, adverse changes in energy prices may result in economic losses in PHI's earnings and cash flows and reductions in the value of assets on its balance sheet under applicable accounting rules. |
The commodity hedging procedures used by PHI's competitive energy businesses may not protect them from significant losses caused by volatile commodity prices. |
To lower the financial exposure related to commodity price fluctuations, PHI's competitive energy businesses routinely enter into contracts to hedge the value of their assets and operations. As part of this strategy, PHI's competitive energy businesses utilize fixed-price, forward, physical purchase and sales contracts, tolling agreements, futures, financial swaps and option contracts traded in the over-the-counter markets or on exchanges. Conectiv Energy's goal is to hedge 75% of both the expected power output of its generation facilities and the costs of fuel used to operate those facilities. However, the actual level of hedging coverage may vary from these goals. Due to the high heat rate of the Pepco Energy Services power plant generation, Pepco Energy Services infrequently locks in the forward value of these plants with wholesale contracts. To the extent that PHI's competitive energy businesses have unhedged positions or their h edging procedures do not work as planned, fluctuating commodity prices could result in significant losses. |
Acts of terrorism could adversely affect PHI's businesses. |
The threat of or actual acts of terrorism may affect the operations of PHI and its subsidiaries in unpredictable ways and may cause changes in the insurance markets, force PHI and its subsidiaries to increase security measures and cause disruptions of fuel supplies and markets. If any of PHI's infrastructure facilities, such as its electric generation, fuel storage, transmission or distribution facilities, were to be a direct target, or an indirect casualty, of an act of terrorism, its operations could be adversely affected. Instability in the financial markets as a result of terrorism also could affect the ability of PHI and its subsidiaries to raise needed capital. |
The insurance coverage of PHI and its subsidiaries may not be sufficient to cover all casualty losses that they might incur. |
PHI and its subsidiaries currently have insurance coverage for their facilities and operations in amounts and with deductibles that they consider appropriate. However, there is no assurance that such insurance coverage will be available in the future on commercially reasonable terms. In addition, some risks, such as weather related casualties, may not be insurable. In the case of loss or damage to property, plant or equipment, there is no assurance that the insurance proceeds, if any, received will be sufficient to cover the entire cost of replacement or repair. |
PHI and its subsidiaries may be adversely affected by economic conditions. |
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Periods of slowed economic activity generally result in decreased demand for power, particularly by industrial and large commercial customers. As a consequence, recessions or other downturns in the economy may result in decreased revenues and cash flows for PHI's power delivery and competitive energy businesses. |
PHI and its subsidiaries are dependent on their ability to successfully access capital markets. An inability to access capital may adversely affect their business. |
PHI and its subsidiaries rely on access to both short-term money markets and longer-term capital markets as a source of liquidity and to satisfy their capital requirements not satisfied by the cash flow from their operations. Capital market disruptions, or a downgrade in credit ratings of PHI or its subsidiaries, would increase the cost of borrowing or could adversely affect their ability to access one or more financial markets. Disruptions to the capital markets could include, but are not limited to: |
Sources Of Capital |
Pepco's sources to meet its long-term funding needs, such as capital expenditures, and its short-term funding needs, such as working capital and the temporary funding of long-term funding needs, include internally generated funds, securities issuances and bank financing under new or existing facilities. Pepco's ability to generate funds from its operations and to access capital and credit markets is subject to risks and uncertainties. See "Risk Factors" for a discussion of important factors that may impact these sources of capital. |
Short-Term Funding Sources |
Pepco has traditionally used a number of sources to fulfill short-term funding needs, such as commercial paper, short-term notes and bank lines of credit. Proceeds from short-term borrowings are used primarily to meet working capital needs but may also be used to temporarily fund long-term capital requirements. |
Pepco maintains an ongoing commercial paper program of up to $300 million. The commercial paper notes can be issued with maturities up to 270 days from the date of issue. |
In July 2003, Pepco Holdings, Pepco, DPL and ACE entered into (i) a three-year working capital credit facility with an aggregate credit limit of $550 million and (ii) a 364-day working capital credit facility with an aggregate credit limit of $550 million. Pepco Holdings' credit limit under these facilities is $700 million, and the credit limit of each of Pepco, DPL and ACE under these facilities is the lower of $300 million and the maximum amount of short-term debt authorized by the appropriate state commission, except that the aggregate amount of credit utilized by Pepco, DPL and ACE at any given time under these facilities may not exceed $400 million. Funds borrowed under these facilities are available for general corporate purposes. Either credit facility also can be used as credit support for the commercial paper programs of the respective companies. The three-year and 364-day credit agreements contain customary financial and other cove nants that, if not satisfied, could result in the acceleration of repayment obligations under the agreements or restrict the ability of the companies to borrow under the agreements. Among these covenants is the requirement that each borrowing company maintain a ratio of total indebtedness to total capitalization of 65% or less, computed in accordance with the terms of the credit agreements. As of December 31, 2003, the applicable ratios for Pepco Holdings, Pepco, DPL and ACE were 60.0%. 55.0%, 48.4% and 47.9%, respectively. The credit agreements also contain a number of customary events of default that could result in the acceleration of repayment obligations under the agreements, including (i) the failure of any borrowing company or any of its significant 78 _____________________________________________________________________________ subsidiaries to pay when due, or the acceleration of, certain indebtedness under other borrowing arrangements, (ii) certain bankruptcy events, judgments or decrees against any borrowing company or its significant subsidiaries, and (iii) a change in control (as defined in the credit agreements) of Pepco Holdings or the failure of Pepco Holdings to own all of the voting stock of Pepco, DPL and ACE. |
Long-Term Funding Sources |
The sources of long-term funding for Pepco are the issuance of debt and equity securities and borrowing under long-term credit agreements. Proceeds from long-term financings are used primarily to fund long-term capital requirements, such as capital expenditures and new investments, and to refund or refinance existing securities. |
PUHCA Restrictions |
An SEC Financing Order dated July 31, 2002 (the "Financing Order"), requires that, in order to issue debt or equity securities, including commercial paper, Pepco must maintain a ratio of common stock equity to total capitalization (consisting of common stock, preferred stock, if any, long-term debt and short-term debt) of at least 30 percent. At December 31, 2003, Pepco's common equity ratio was 43.4 percent. The Financing Order also requires that all rated securities issued by Pepco be rated "investment grade" by at least one nationally recognized rating agency. Accordingly, if Pepco's common equity ratio were less than 30 percent or if no nationally recognized rating agency rated a security investment grade, Pepco could not issue the security without first obtaining from the SEC an amendment to the Financing Order. |
If an amendment to the Financing Order is required to enable Pepco to effect a financing, there is no certainty that such an amendment could be obtained, as to the terms and conditions on which an amendment could be obtained or as to the timing of SEC action. The failure to obtain timely relief from the SEC, in such circumstances, could have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of Pepco. |
Other Liquidity Considerations |
For a discussion of the potential impact of the Mirant bankruptcy on liquidity, see "Relationship with Mirant Corporation" section that follows. |
REGULATORY AND OTHER MATTERS |
Relationship with Mirant Corporation |
In 2000, Pepco sold substantially all of its electricity generation assets to Mirant Corporation, formerly Southern Energy, Inc. As part of the sale, Pepco entered into several ongoing contractual arrangements with Mirant and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, Mirant). On July 14, 2003, Mirant Corporation and most of its subsidiaries filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas (the Bankruptcy Court). Under bankruptcy law, a debtor generally may, with authorization from a bankruptcy court, assume or reject executory contracts. A rejection of an executory contract entitles the counterparty to file a claim as an unsecured creditor against the bankruptcy estate for damages incurred due to the |
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rejection of the contract. In a bankruptcy proceeding, a debtor can normally restructure some or all of its pre-petition liabilities. |
Depending on the outcome of the matters discussed below, the Mirant bankruptcy could have a material adverse effect on the results of operations of Pepco. However, management currently believes that Pepco currently have sufficient cash, cash flow and borrowing capacity under their credit facilities and in the capital markets to be able to satisfy the additional cash requirements that are expected to arise due to the Mirant bankruptcy. Accordingly, management does not anticipate that the Mirant bankruptcy will impair the ability of Pepco to fulfill their contractual obligations or to fund projected capital expenditures. On this basis, management currently does not believe that the Mirant bankruptcy will have a material adverse effect on Pepco's financial condition. |
Transition Power Agreements |
As part of the asset purchase and sale agreement for the Pepco generation assets (the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement), Pepco and Mirant entered into Transition Power Agreements for Maryland and the District of Columbia, respectively (collectively, the TPAs). Under these agreements, Mirant was obligated to supply Pepco with all of the capacity and energy needed to fulfill its standard offer service obligations in Maryland through June 2004 and its standard offer service obligations in the District of Columbia into January 2005, in each case at rates that were lower than the rates that Pepco charges to its customers. The original rates under the TPAs were less than the prevailing market rates. |
At the time Mirant filed for bankruptcy, the purchase prices for energy and capacity under the TPAs were below the prevailing market rates. To avoid the potential rejection of the TPAs Pepco and Mirant Corporation and its affiliate Mirant Americas Energy Marketing, LP (the Mirant Parties) entered into a settlement agreement, which was approved by the Bankruptcy Court on November 19, 2003 (the Settlement Agreement). Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the Mirant Parties have assumed both of the TPAs and the TPAs have been amended, effective October 1, 2003, to increase the purchase price of energy thereunder as described below. The Settlement Agreement also provides that Pepco has an allowed, pre-petition general unsecured claim against each of the Mirant Parties in the amount of $105 million (the Pepco TPA Claim), and has the right to assert the Pepco TPA Claim against other Mirant debtors. On December 15, 2003, Pepco filed Proofs of Claim in the amount of $105 million against the appropriate Mirant debtors. |
In accordance with the Settlement Agreement, the purchase price of energy under the TPAs has increased from $35.50 to $41.90 per megawatt hour during summer months (May 1 through September 30) and from $25.30 to $31.70 per megawatt hour during winter months (October 1 through April 30) under the District of Columbia TPA and has increased from $40.00 to $46.40 per megawatt hour during summer months and from $22.20 to $28.60 per megawatt hour during winter months under the Maryland TPA. Under the amended TPAs, the purchase prices paid by Pepco for capacity in the District of Columbia and Maryland remain $3.50 per megawatt hour and the charge paid by Pepco for certain ancillary services remain $.50 per megawatt hour. The amendments to the TPAs have resulted in an increase in the average purchase price to Pepco for energy from approximately 3.4 cents per kilowatt hour under the original terms of the TPAs to an average purchase price of approximatel y 4.0 cents per kilowatt hour. The revenues produced by the currently approved tariff rates |
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that Pepco charges its customers for providing standard offer service average approximately 4.1 cents per kilowatt hour. |
Pepco estimates that, as a result of the price increases, it will pay Mirant an additional $105 million for the purchase of energy beginning October 1, 2003 through the remaining terms of the TPAs. These payments will be offset by a reduction of payments by Pepco to customers for the period 2003 through 2006 of approximately $45 million pursuant to the generation procurement credit established pursuant to regulatory settlements entered into in the District of Columbia and Maryland under which Pepco and its customers share any margin between the price paid by Pepco to procure standard offer service and the price paid by customers for standard offer service. As a result, Pepco currently anticipates that it will incur a net additional cash outlay of approximately $60 million due to the amendments of the respective TPAs. The foregoing estimates are based on current service territory load served by competitive suppliers and by standard offer se rvice and does not include financing costs, all of which could be subject to fluctuation. |
The amount, if any, that Pepco will be able to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate in respect of the Pepco TPA Claim will depend on the amount of assets available for distribution to creditors. At the current stage of the bankruptcy proceeding, there is insufficient information to determine the amount, if any, that Pepco might be able to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate. No receivable has been recorded in Pepco's accounting records in respect of the Pepco TPA Claim. Any recovery would be shared with customers pursuant to the generation procurement credit. |
Power Purchase Agreements |
Under agreements with FirstEnergy Corp., formerly Ohio Edison (FirstEnergy), and Allegheny Energy, Inc., both entered into in 1987, Pepco is obligated to purchase from FirstEnergy 450 megawatts of capacity and energy annually through December 2005 (the FirstEnergy PPA). Under an agreement with Panda, entered into in 1991, Pepco is obligated to purchase from Panda 230 megawatts of capacity and energy annually through 2021 (the Panda PPA). In each case, the purchase price is substantially in excess of current market prices. As a part of the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, Pepco entered into a "back-to-back" arrangement with Mirant. Under this arrangement, Mirant is obligated, among other things, to purchase from Pepco the capacity and energy that Pepco is obligated to purchase under the FirstEnergy PPA and the Panda PPA at a price equal to the price Pepco is obligated to pay under the PPAs (the PPA-Related Obligations). |
Pepco Pre-Petition Claims |
When Mirant filed its bankruptcy petition on July 14, 2003, Mirant had unpaid obligations to Pepco of approximately $29 million, consisting primarily of payments due to Pepco in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations (the Mirant Pre-Petition Obligations). The Mirant Pre-Petition Obligations constitute part of the indebtedness for which Mirant is seeking relief in its bankruptcy proceeding. Pepco has filed Proofs of Claim in the Mirant bankruptcy proceeding in the amount of approximately $26 million to recover this indebtedness; however, the amount of Pepco's recovery, if any, is uncertain. The $3 million difference between Mirant's unpaid obligation to Pepco and the $26 million Proofs of Claim filed by Pepco primarily represents a TPA settlement adjustment which is included in the $105 million Proofs of Claim filed by Pepco on December 15, 2003 against the Mirant debtors. In view of this uncertainty, Pepco, in the third quarter of 2003 , expensed $14.5 81 _____________________________________________________________________________ million ($8.7 million after-tax) to establish a reserve against the $29 million receivable from Mirant. The amount expensed represents Pepco's estimate of the possible outcome in bankruptcy, although the amount ultimately recoverable could be higher or lower. |
Mirant's Attempt to Reject the PPA-Related Obligations |
On August 28, 2003, Mirant filed with the Bankruptcy Court a motion seeking authorization to reject its PPA-Related Obligations. Mirant's motion also sought injunctions to prohibit Pepco from initiating, or encouraging any person or entity to initiate, any proceedings before the FERC that seek to require Mirant to perform the PPA-Related Obligations and to prohibit FERC from taking any action to require Mirant to perform the PPA-Related Obligations. |
On September 25, 2003, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order stating that it was not necessary to issue an injunction against Pepco because the automatic stay provisions of the Bankruptcy Code prohibit Pepco from commencing or continuing any judicial or administrative proceedings against Mirant. The Bankruptcy Court's order did grant a preliminary injunction that prohibits FERC from (i) taking any action to require or coerce Mirant to abide by the terms of the PPA-Related Obligations or commencing or continuing any proceeding outside of the Bankruptcy Court with respect to the PPA-Related Obligations and (ii) taking any action, or encouraging any person or entity to take an action, to require or coerce Mirant to abide by the terms of the TPAs. The Bankruptcy Court also ordered Mirant to continue to perform the PPA-Related Obligations and its obligations under the TPAs until relieved of those obligations by an order of an appropriate court. |
Upon motions filed by Pepco and FERC, on October 9, 2003, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas (the District Court) withdrew jurisdiction over both the rejection and preliminary injunction proceedings from the Bankruptcy Court. On December 23, 2003, the District Court denied Mirant's motion to reject the PPA-Related Obligations. On January 5, 2004 Mirant filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (the Circuit Court) a notice of appeal of the District Court's December 23 decision. On January 6, 2004, The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Mirant Corporation (the Creditors Committee) filed with the Circuit Court a separate notice of appeal of the December 23 decision. Also on January 6, 2004, the District Court entered an order dissolving all injunctive relief granted by the Bankruptcy Court in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations, and Mirant and the Creditors Committee each subsequently filed a motion with the Circuit Court for a stay of the dissolution order pending resolution of the appeals, as well as motions to expedite the appeals. On January 23, 2004, the Circuit Court denied Mirant's and the Creditors Committee's motions to expedite the appeal. On January 26, 2004, the Circuit Court denied Mirant's and the Creditors Committee's motions to stay the District Court's Order. Oral argument will be scheduled the week of May 3, 2004. |
Pepco is exercising all available legal remedies and vigorously opposing Mirant's continued attempts to reject the PPA-Related Obligations in order to protect the interests of its customers and shareholders. While Pepco believes that it has substantial legal bases to oppose the attempt to reject the agreements, the outcome of Mirant's efforts to reject the PPA-Related Obligations is uncertain. |
In accordance with the Bankruptcy Court's September 25 order, Mirant is continuing to perform the PPA-Related Obligations pending the resolution of 82 _____________________________________________________________________________ the ongoing proceedings. However, if Mirant ultimately is successful in rejecting, and is otherwise permitted to stop performing the PPA-Related Obligations, Pepco could be required to repay to Mirant, for the period beginning on the effective date of the rejection (which date could be prior to the date of the court's order and possibly as early as September 18, 2003) and ending on the date Mirant is entitled to cease its purchases of energy and capacity from Pepco, all amounts paid by Mirant to Pepco in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations, less an amount equal to the price at which Mirant resold the purchased energy and capacity. Pepco estimates that the amount it could be required to repay to Mirant in the unlikely event September 18, 2003, is determined to be the effective date of rejection, as of March 1, 2004, is approximately $51.4 million. This repayment would entitle Pepco to file a claim against the bankruptcy estate in an amount equal to the amount repaid. Mirant has also asked the Bankruptcy Court to require Pepco to disgorge all amounts paid by Mirant to Pepco in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations, less an amount equal to the price at which Mirant resold the purchased energy and capacity, for the period July 14, 2003 (the date on which Mirant filed its bankruptcy petition) to September 18, 2003, on the theory that Mirant did not receive value for those payments. Pepco estimates that the amount it would be required to repay to Mirant on the disgorgement theory is approximately $22.8 million. Pepco believes a claim based on this theory should be entitled to administrative expense status for which complete recovery could be expected. If Pepco were required to repay any such amounts for either period, the payment would be expensed at the time the payment is made. |
The following are estimates prepared by Pepco of its additional exposure if Mirant's motion to reject its PPA-Related Obligations ultimately is successful. These estimates are based in part on current market prices and forward price estimates for energy and capacity, and do not include financing costs, all of which could be subject to significant fluctuation. The estimates assume no recovery from the Mirant bankruptcy estate and no regulatory recovery, either of which would mitigate the effect of the estimated loss. Pepco does not consider it realistic to assume that there will be no such recoveries. Based on these assumptions, Pepco estimates that its pre-tax exposure as of March 1, 2004, representing the loss of the future benefit of the PPA-Related Obligations to Pepco, is as follows: |
The ability of Pepco to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate in respect of the Mirant Pre-Petition Obligations and damages if the PPA-Related 83 _____________________________________________________________________________ Obligations are successfully rejected will depend on whether Pepco's claims are allowed, the amount of assets available for distribution to creditors and Pepco's priority relative to other creditors. At the current stage of the bankruptcy proceeding, there is insufficient information to determine the amount, if any, that Pepco might be able to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate, whether the recovery would be in cash or another form of payment, or the timing of any recovery. |
If Mirant ultimately is successful in rejecting the PPA-Related Obligations and Pepco's full claim is not recovered from the Mirant bankruptcy estate, Pepco may seek authority from the MPSC and the DCPSC to recover its additional costs. Pepco is committed to working with its regulatory authorities to achieve a result that is appropriate for its shareholders and customers. Under the provisions of the settlement agreements approved by the MPSC and the DCPSC in the deregulation proceedings in which Pepco agreed to divest its generation assets under certain conditions, the PPAs were to become assets of Pepco's distribution business if they could not be sold. Pepco believes that, if Mirant ultimately is successful in rejecting the PPA-Related Obligations, these provisions would allow the stranded costs of the PPAs that are not recovered from the Mirant bankruptcy estate to be recovered through Pepco's distribution rates. If Pepco's interpretation o f the settlement agreements is confirmed, Pepco expects to be able to establish the amount of its anticipated recovery as a regulatory asset. However, there is no assurance that Pepco's interpretation of the settlement agreements would be confirmed by the respective public service commissions. |
If the PPA-Related Obligations are successfully rejected, and there is no regulatory recovery, Pepco will incur a loss. However, the accounting treatment of such a loss depends on a number of legal and regulatory factors, and is not determinable at this time. |
The SMECO Agreement |
As a term of the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, Pepco assigned to Mirant a facility and capacity agreement with Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SMECO) under which Pepco was obligated to purchase the capacity of an 84-megawatt combustion turbine installed and owned by SMECO at a former Pepco generating station (the SMECO Agreement). The agreement contemplates a monthly payment to SMECO of approximately $.5 million. Pepco is responsible to SMECO for the performance of the SMECO Agreement if Mirant fails to perform its obligations thereunder. At this time, Mirant continues to make post-petition payments due to SMECO. |
Regulatory Matters |
Divestiture Cases |
Final briefs on Pepco's District of Columbia divestiture proceeds sharing application were filed on July 31, 2002 following an evidentiary hearing in June 2002. That application was filed to implement a provision of Pepco's DCPSC approved divestiture settlement that provided for a sharing of any net proceeds from the sale of Pepco's generation-related assets. One of the principal issues in the case is whether Pepco should be required to share with customers, on an approximately 50/50 basis, the excess deferred income taxes (EDIT) and accumulated deferred investment tax credits (ADITC) associated with the sold assets and, if so, whether such sharing would violate the normalization provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and its implementing regulations. As of December 31, 2003, the District of Columbia allocated portions of EDIT and ADITC associated with the divested generation 84 _____________________________________________________________________________ assets were, respectively, approximately $6.5 million and $5.8 million, respectively. Other issues in the proceeding deal with the treatment of internal costs and cost allocations as deductions from the gross proceeds of the divestiture. |
Pepco believes that a sharing of EDIT and ADITC would violate the normalization rules. If Pepco were required to share EDIT and ADITC and, as a result, the normalization rules were violated, Pepco would be unable to use accelerated depreciation on District of Columbia allocated or assigned property. Pepco, in addition to sharing with customers an amount equal to approximately 50% of the generation-related ADITC balance, would have to pay to the IRS an amount equal to Pepco's $5.8 million District of Columbia jurisdictional generation-related ADITC balance as well as its District of Columbia jurisdictional transmission and distribution-related ADITC balance as of the later of the date a DCPSC order is issued and all rights to appeal have been exhausted or lapsed, or the date the DCPSC order becomes operative. As of December 31, 2003, the District of Columbia jurisdictional transmission and distribution-related ADITC balance was approxima tely $8 million. |
Pepco believes that its calculation of the District of Columbia customers' share of divestiture proceeds is correct. However, depending on the ultimate outcome of this proceeding, Pepco could be required to make additional gain-sharing payments to D.C. customers, including the payments described above related to EDIT and ADITC. Such additional payments (which, other than the EDIT and ADITC related payments, cannot be estimated) would be charged to expense in the quarter and year in which a final decision is rendered and could have a material adverse effect on Pepco's and PHI's results of operations for those periods. However, neither PHI nor Pepco believes that additional gain-sharing payments, if any, or the ADITC-related payments to the IRS, if required, would have a material adverse impact on its financial condition. It is uncertain when the DCPSC will issue a decision. |
Pepco filed its divestiture proceeds plan application in Maryland in April 2001. Reply briefs were filed in May 2002. The principal issue in the Maryland case is the same EDIT and ADITC sharing issue that was raised in the D.C. case. As of December 31, 2003, the Maryland allocated portions of EDIT and ADITC associated with the divested generation assets were approximately $9.1 million and $10.4 million, respectively. Other issues deal with the treatment of certain costs as deductions from the gross proceeds of the divestiture. On November 21, 2003, the Hearing Examiner in the Maryland proceeding issued a proposed order that concluded that Pepco's Maryland divestiture settlement agreement provided for a sharing between Pepco and customers of the EDIT and ADITC associated with the sold assets. Pepco believes that such a sharing would violate the normalization rules and would result in Pepco's inability to use accelerated depreciation on Maryland allocated or assigned property. If the proposed order is affirmed, Pepco would have to share with its Maryland customers, on an approximately 50/50 basis, the Maryland allocated portion of the generation-related EDIT,i.e., $9.1 million, and the generation-related ADITC. If such sharing were to violate the normalization rules, Pepco, in addition to sharing with customers an amount equal to approximately 50% of the generation-related ADITC balance, would be unable to use accelerated depreciation on Maryland allocated or assigned property. Furthermore, Pepco would have to pay to the IRS an amount equal to Pepco's $10.4 million Maryland jurisdictional generation-related ADITC balance, as well as its Maryland retail jurisdictional ADITC transmission and distribution-related balance as of the later of the date a MPSC order is issued and all rights to appeal have been exhausted or lapsed, or the date the MPSC order becomes operative. As of December 31, 2003, the Maryland retail jurisdict ional transmission and distribution-related ADITC 85 _____________________________________________________________________________ balance was approximately $12 million. The Hearing Examiner decided all other issues in favor of Pepco, except that only one-half of the severance payments that Pepco included in its calculation of corporate reorganization costs should be deducted from the sales proceeds before sharing of the net gain between Pepco and customers. |
Under Maryland law, if the proposed order is appealed to the MPSC, the proposed order is not a final, binding order of the MPSC and further action by the MPSC is required with respect to this matter. Pepco has appealed the Hearing Examiner's decision on the treatment of EDIT and ADITC and corporate reorganization costs to the MPSC. Pepco cannot predict what the outcome of the appeal will be or when the appeal might be decided. Pepco believes that its calculation of the Maryland customers' share of divestiture proceeds is correct. However, depending on the ultimate outcome of this proceeding, Pepco could be required to share with its customers approximately 50% of the EDIT and ADITC balances described above and make additional gain-sharing payments related to the disallowed severance payments. Such additional payments would be charged to expense in the quarter and year in which a final decision is rendered and could have a material adverse e ffect on results of operations for those periods. However, neither PHI nor Pepco believes that additional gain-sharing payments, if any, or the ADITC-related payments to the IRS, if required, would have a material adverse impact on its financial condition. |
Standard Offer Service (SOS) |
District of Columbia |
On February 21, 2003, the DCPSC opened a new proceeding to consider issues relating to (a) the establishment of terms and conditions for providing SOS in the District of Columbia after Pepco's obligation to provide SOS terminates on February 7, 2005, and (b) the selecting of a new SOS provider. Under current District of Columbia law, if the DCPSC selects a retail SOS provider (i.e., some entity or entities other than Pepco) to provide SOS after February 7, 2005, it must make the selection(s) before July 2, 2004; however, if the DCPSC decides to have Pepco continue as the SOS provider after February 7, 2005, it need not complete the procurement process before July 2, 2004. The law also allows the selection of Pepco as the SOS provider in the event of insufficient or inadequate bids from potential SOS providers other than Pepco. |
On December 31, 2003, the DCPSC issued an order which sets forth the terms and conditions for the selection of a new SOS provider(s) and the provision of SOS by Pepco on a contingency basis. |
On December 31, 2003, the DCPSC also issued an order adopting terms and conditions that would apply if Pepco continues as the SOS provider after February 7, 2005. On January 9, 2004, the DCPSC issued an order in which it requested initial and reply comments by January 29, 2004, and February 9, 2004, respectively, on which SOS model (i.e., the wholesale SOS model, under which Pepco would continue as the SOS provider after February 7, 2005, or the retail model, under which some entity or entities other than Pepco would be the SOS provider after February 7, 2005) would best meet the needs of the DC SOS customers after February 7, 2005. |
Pepco and most of the other parties in the case filed applications for reconsideration and/or clarification of various parts of the two DCPSC orders that set forth the terms and conditions that would apply under the retail and wholesale SOS models. Pepco and most parties also filed initial and reply |
86 _____________________________________________________________________________ |
comments on which SOS model would best serve the needs of the SOS customers in DC. In its comments, Pepco supported the wholesale SOS model. |
On March 1, 2004, the DCPSC issued an order adopting the wholesale SOS model,i.e., Pepco will continue to be the SOS provider in the District of Columbia after February 7, 2005. The DCPSC also granted in part and denied in part the applications for reconsideration and/or clarification of the order adopting the terms and conditions applicable to the wholesale model. Finally, the DCPSC denied as moot the applications for reconsideration and/or clarification of the order adopting the terms and conditions applicable to the retail SOS model because the DCPSC adopted the wholesale SOS model. |
Parties have until March 31, 2004 to apply for reconsideration of the order adopting the wholesale model. Generally, parties have until April 30, 2004 to seek judicial review of the order denying reconsideration of the order that adopted the terms and conditions applicable to the retail SOS model and the order granting in part and denying in part the order adopting the terms and conditions applicable to the wholesale SOS model. |
Maryland |
In April 2003, the MPSC approved a settlement to extend the provision of SOS in Maryland. Under the settlement, Pepco will continue to provide SOS supply to customers at market prices after the existing fixed SOS supply rate expires in July 2004 for periods of four years for residential and small commercial customers, two years for medium-sized commercial customers and one year for large commercial customers. In accordance with the settlement, Pepco will purchase the power supply required to satisfy its market rate SOS supply obligation from one or more wholesale suppliers under contracts entered into pursuant to a competitive bid procedure approved by the MPSC. The settlement provides for Pepco to recover from its SOS customers the costs associated with the acquisition of the SOS supply as well as an average margin of $0.002 per kilowatt hour. |
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
General |
The SEC has defined a company's most critical accounting policies as the ones that are most important to the portrayal of its financial condition and results of operations, and which require it to make its most difficult and subjective judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates of matters that are inherently uncertain. Critical estimates represent those estimates and assumptions that may be material due to the levels of subjectivity and judgment necessary to account for highly uncertain matters or the susceptibility of such matters to change, and that have a material impact on financial condition or operating performance. |
Accounting Policy Choices |
Pepco's management believes that based on the nature of the business in which it operates, it has very little choice regarding the accounting policies it utilizes. For instance, its operations are subject to the provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 71 "Accounting for the Effects of Certain Types of Regulation" (SFAS No. 71). SFAS No. 71 allows regulated entities, in appropriate circumstances, to establish regulatory assets and liabilities and to defer the income statement impact of certain costs that are expected to be recovered in future rates. However, in the areas that Pepco is afforded accounting policy choices, 87 _____________________________________________________________________________ management does not believe that the application of different accounting policies than those that it chose would materially impact its financial condition or results of operations. |
Use of Estimates |
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, such as Statement of Position 94-6 "Disclosure of Certain Significant Risks and Uncertainties," requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Examples of significant estimates used by Pepco include the calculation of future cash flows and fair value amounts for use in asset impairment evaluations, pension and other post-retirement benefits assumptions, unbilled revenue calculations, and judgment involved with assessing the probability of recovery of regulatory assets. Although Pepco believes that its estimates and assumptions are reasonable, they are based upon information presently available . Actual results may differ significantly from these estimates. |
Long Lived Assets Impairment Evaluation |
Pepco believes that the estimates involved in its long term asset impairment evaluation process represent "Critical Accounting Estimates" because they (1) are highly susceptible to change from period to period because management is required to make assumptions and judgments about undiscounted and discounted future cash flows and fair values, which are inherently uncertain, (2) actual results could vary from those used in Pepco estimates and the impact of such variations could be material, and (3) the impact that recognizing an impairment would have on Pepco's assets as well as the net loss related to an impairment charge could be material. |
In accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 144, "Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets" (SFAS No. 144), an impairment loss shall only be recognized if the carrying amount of an asset is not recoverable and the carrying amount exceeds its fair value. The asset is deemed to not be recoverable when its carrying amount exceeds the sum of the undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the asset. In order to estimate an asset's future cash flows, Pepco considers historical cash flows. Pepco uses its best estimates in making these evaluations and considers various factors, including forward price curves for energy, fuel costs, legislative initiatives, and operating costs. |
Pension and Other Post-retirement Benefit Plans |
Pepco believes that the estimates involved in reporting the costs of providing pension and other post-retirement benefits represent "Critical Accounting Estimates" because (1) they are based on an actuarial calculation that includes a number of assumptions which are subjective in nature, (2) they are dependent on numerous factors resulting from actual plan experience and assumptions of future experience, and (3)changes in assumptions could impact Pepco's expected future cash funding requirements for the plans and would have an impact on the projected benefit obligations, the reported pension and other post-retirement benefit liability on the balance sheet, and the reported annual net periodic pension and other post-retirement benefit cost on the income statement. In terms of quantifying the anticipated impact of a change in assumptions, Pepco estimates that a .25% change in the 88 _____________________________________________________________________________ discount rate used to value the benefit obligations could result in a $5 million impact on its consolidated balance sheets and income statements. Additionally, Pepco estimates that a .25% change in the expected return on plan assets could result in a $3 million impact on the consolidated balance sheets and income statements and a .25% change in the assumed healthcare cost trend rate could result in a $.6 million impact on its consolidated balance sheets and income statements. Pepco's management consults with its actuaries and investment consultants when selecting its plan assumptions. |
Pepco follows the guidance of SFAS No. 87, "Employers' Accounting for Pensions" (SFAS No. 87), and SFAS No. 106, "Employers' Accounting for Post-retirement Benefits Other Than Pensions" (SFAS. No. 106), when accounting for these benefits. Under these accounting standards, assumptions are made regarding the valuation of benefit obligations and the performance of plan assets. In accordance with these standards, the impact of changes in these assumptions and the difference between actual and expected or estimated results on pension and post-retirement obligations is generally recognized over the working lives of the employees who benefit under the plans rather than immediately recognized in the income statement. |
Regulation of Power Delivery Operations |
The requirements of SFAS No. 71 apply to Pepco's business. Pepco believes that the judgment involved in accounting for its regulated activities represent "Critical Accounting Estimates" because (1) a significant amount of judgment is required (including but not limited to the interpretation of laws and regulatory commission orders) to assess the probability of the recovery of regulatory assets, (2) actual results and interpretations could vary from those used in Pepco's estimates and the impact of such variations could be material, and (3) the impact that writing off a regulatory asset would have on Pepco's assets and the net loss related to the charge could be material. |
NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS |
New Accounting Policies Adopted |
SFAS No. 143 |
Pepco adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Statement No. 143 entitled "Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations" (SFAS No. 143) on January 1, 2003. This Statement establishes the accounting and reporting standards for measuring and recording asset retirement obligations. Based on the implementation of SFAS No. 143, $76.4 million and $72.1 million in asset removal costs at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively, have been reclassified from accumulated depreciation to a regulatory liability in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. |
SFAS No. 150 |
Effective July 1, 2003 Pepco implemented SFAS No. 150 entitled "Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both Liabilities and Equity" (SFAS No. 150). This Statement established standards for how an issuer classifies and measures in its Consolidated Balance Sheet certain financial instruments with characteristics of both liabilities and equity. The Statement resulted in Pepco's reclassification (initially as of September 30, 2003) of its "Company Obligated Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Securities of Subsidiary Trust Which Holds Solely Parent Junior Subordinated Debentures" (TOPrS) and "Mandatorily Redeemable Serial Preferred 89 _____________________________________________________________________________ Stock" on its Consolidated Balance Sheet to a long term liability classification. Additionally, in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 150, dividends on the TOPrS and Mandatorily Redeemable Serial Preferred Stock, declared subsequent to the July 1, 2003 implementation of SFAS No. 150, are recorded as interest expense in Pepco's Consolidated Statement of Earnings for the year ended December 31, 2003. In accordance with the transition provisions of SFAS No. 150, prior period amounts were not reclassified on either the consolidated balance sheet or consolidated statement of earnings. |
In the fourth quarter of 2003, Potomac Electric Power Company Trust I redeemed all $125 million of its 7.375% Trust Originated Preferred Securities at par and therefore they were not included on the accompanying December 31, 2003 Consolidated Balance Sheet. Accordingly, Pepco's Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2003 reflects only the reclassification of Pepco's Mandatorily Redeemable Serial Preferred Stock into its long term liability section. |
FIN 45 |
Pepco applied the provisions of FASB Interpretation No. 45, "Guarantor's Accounting and Disclosure Requirements for Guarantees, Including Indirect Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others" (FIN 45), commencing in 2003 to their agreements that contain guarantee and indemnification clauses. These provisions expand those required by FASB Statement No. 5, "Accounting for Contingencies," by requiring a guarantor to recognize a liability on its balance sheet for the fair value of obligation it assumes under certain guarantees issued or modified after December 31, 2002 and to disclose certain types of guarantees, even if the likelihood of requiring the guarantor's performance under the guarantee is remote. |
As of December 31, 2003, Pepco did not have material obligations under guarantees or indemnifications issued or modified after December 31, 2002, which are required to be recognized as a liability on its consolidated balance sheets. |
FIN 46 |
In January 2003 FIN 46 was issued. FIN 46 was revised and superseded by FASB Interpretation No. 46 (revised December 2003), "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities" (FIN 46R) which clarified some of the provisions of FIN 46 and exempted certain entities from its requirements. As of December 31, 2003, Pepco did not have any entities that were impacted by the provisions of FIN 46. |
RISK FACTORS |
The business and operations of Pepco are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the events or conditions identified below. These events or conditions could have an adverse effect on the business of Pepco, including, depending on the circumstances, its results of operations and financial condition. |
Pepco is a public utility that is subject to substantial governmental regulation. If Pepco receives unfavorable regulatory treatment, Pepco's business could be negatively affected. |
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Pepco's utility business is subject to regulation by various federal, state and local regulatory agencies that significantly affects its operations. Pepco's operations are regulated in Maryland by the MPSC and in Washington, D.C. by the DCPSC with respect to, among other things, the rates it can charge retail customers for the delivery of electricity. In addition, the rates that Pepco can charge for electricity transmission are regulated by the FERC. Pepco cannot change delivery or transmission rates without approval by the applicable regulatory authority. While the approved delivery and transmission rates are intended to permit Pepco to recover its costs of service and earn a reasonable rate of return, Pepco's profitability is affected by the rates it is able to charge. In addition, if the costs incurred by Pepco in operating its transmission and distribution facilities exceed the allowed amounts for costs included in the approved rates, Pepco's financial results will be adversely affected. |
Pepco also is required to have numerous permits, approvals and certificates from governmental agencies that regulate its business. Pepco believes that it has obtained the material permits, approvals and certificates necessary for its existing operations and that its business is conducted in accordance with applicable laws; however, Pepco is unable to predict the impact of future regulatory activities of any of these agencies on its business. Changes in or reinterpretations of existing laws or regulations, or the imposition of new laws or regulations, may require Pepco to incur additional expenses or to change the way it conducts its operations. |
Pepco's business could be adversely affected by the Mirant bankruptcy. |
In 2000, Pepco sold substantially all of its electricity generation assets to Mirant. As part of the sale, Pepco entered into several ongoing contractual arrangements with Mirant and certain of its subsidiaries. On July 14, 2003, Mirant and most of its subsidiaries filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. Depending on the outcome of the proceedings, the Mirant bankruptcy could adversely affect on Pepco's business. See "Relationship with Mirant Corporation." |
Pepco could be required to make additional divestiture proceeds gain-sharing payments to customers in the District of Columbia and Maryland. |
Pepco currently is involved in regulatory proceedings in Maryland and the District of Columbia related to the sharing of the net proceeds from the sale of its generation-related assets. The principal issue in the proceedings is whether Pepco should be required to share with customers the excess deferred income taxes and accumulated deferred investment tax credits associated with the sold assets and, if so, whether such sharing would violate the normalization provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and its implementing regulations. Depending on the outcome of the proceedings, Pepco could be required to make additional gain-sharing payments to customers and payments to the IRS in the amount of the associated accumulated deferred investment tax credits, and Pepco might be unable to use accelerated depreciation on District of Columbia and Maryland allocated or assigned property. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition an d Results of Operations -- Regulatory and Other Matters." |
The operating results of Pepco fluctuate on a seasonal basis and can be adversely affected by changes in weather. |
Pepco's electric utility business is seasonal and weather patterns can have a material impact on its operating performance. Demand for electricity 91 _____________________________________________________________________________ is generally greater in the summer months associated with cooling and the winter months associated with heating as compared to other times of the year. Accordingly, Pepco historically has generated less revenues and income when weather conditions are milder in the winter and cooler in the summer. |
Pepco's facilities may not operate as planned or may require significant maintenance expenditures, which could decrease its revenues or increase its expenses. |
Operation of transmission and distribution facilities involves many risks, including the breakdown or failure of equipment, accidents, labor disputes and performance below expected levels. Older facilities and equipment, even if maintained in accordance with good engineering practices, may require significant capital expenditures for additions or upgrades to keep them operating at peak efficiency, to comply with changing environmental requirements, or to provide reliable operations. Natural disasters and weather-related incidents, including tornadoes, hurricanes and snow and ice storms, also can disrupt transmission and distribution delivery systems. Operation of transmission and distribution facilities below expected capacity levels can reduce revenues and result in the incurrence of additional expenses that may not be recoverable from customers or through insurance. Furthermore, if Pepco is unable to perform its contractual obligat ions for any of these reasons, it may incur penalties or damages. |
Pepco's transmission facilities are interconnected with the facilities of other transmission facility owners whose actions could have a negative impact on Pepco's operations. |
The transmission facilities of Pepco are directly interconnected with the transmission facilities of contiguous utilities and as such are part of an interstate power transmission grid. The FERC has designated a number of regional transmission operators to coordinate the operation of portions of the interstate transmission grid. Pepco is a member of PJM, which is the regional transmission operator that coordinates the movement of electricity in all or parts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Pepco operates its transmission facilities under the direction and control of PJM. PJM and the other regional transmission operators have established sophisticated systems that are designed to ensure the reliability of the operation of transmission facilities and prevent the operations of one utility from having an adverse impact on the operations of the other utilities. Ho wever, the systems put in place by PJM and the other regional transmission operators may not always be adequate to prevent problems at other utilities from causing service interruptions in the transmission facilities of Pepco. If Pepco were to suffer such a service interruption, it could have a negative impact on its business. |
The cost of compliance with environmental laws is significant and new environmental laws may increase Pepco's expenses. |
Pepco's operations are subject to extensive federal, state and local environmental statutes, rules and regulations, relating to air quality, water quality, waste management, natural resources, site remediation, and health and safety. These laws and regulations require Pepco to incur expenses to, among other things, conduct site remediation and perform environmental monitoring. Pepco also may be required to pay significant remediation costs with respect to third party sites. If Pepco fails to comply with applicable environmental laws and regulations, even if caused by factors beyond its control, such failure could result in the assessment of civil or criminal 92 _____________________________________________________________________________ penalties and liabilities and the need to expend significant sums to come into compliance. |
In addition, Pepco incurs costs to obtain and comply with a variety of environmental permits, licenses, inspections and other approvals. If there is a delay in obtaining any required environmental regulatory approval or if Pepco fails to obtain, maintain or comply with any such approval, operations at affected facilities could be halted or subjected to additional costs. |
New environmental laws and regulations, or new interpretations of existing laws and regulations, could impose more stringent limitations on Pepco's operations or require it to incur significant additional costs. Pepco's current compliance strategy may not successfully address the relevant standards and interpretations of the future. |
Changes in technology may adversely affect Pepco's electricity delivery businesses. |
Increased conservation efforts and advances in technology could reduce demand for electricity supply and distribution, which could adversely affect Pepco's business. In addition, changes in technology also could alter the channels through which retail electric customers buy electricity, which could adversely affect Pepco's business. |
Acts of terrorism could adversely affect Pepco's business. |
The threat of or actual acts of terrorism may affect Pepco's operations in unpredictable ways and may cause changes in the insurance markets, force Pepco to increase security measures and cause disruptions of power markets. If any of Pepco's transmission or distribution facilities were to be a direct target, or an indirect casualty, of an act of terrorism, its operations could be adversely affected. Instability in the financial markets as a result of terrorism also could affect the ability of Pepco to raise needed capital. |
Pepco's insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover all casualty losses that it might incur. |
Pepco currently has insurance coverage for its facilities and operations in amounts and with deductibles that it considers appropriate. However, there is no assurance that such insurance coverage will be available in the future on commercially reasonable terms. In addition, some risks, such as weather related casualties, may not be insurable. In the case of loss or damage to property, plant or equipment, there is no assurance that the insurance proceeds, if any, received will be sufficient to cover the entire cost of replacement or repair. |
Pepco may be adversely affected by economic conditions. |
Periods of slowed economic activity generally result in decreased demand for power, particularly by industrial and large commercial customers. As a consequence, recessions or other downturns in the economy may result in decreased revenues and cash flows for Pepco. |
Pepco is dependent on its ability to successfully access capital markets. An inability to access capital may adversely affect its business. |
Pepco relies on access to both short-term money markets and longer-term capital markets as a source of liquidity and to satisfy its capital requirements not satisfied by the cash flow from its operations. Capital 93 _____________________________________________________________________________ market disruptions, or a downgrade in Pepco's credit ratings, would increase the cost of borrowing or could adversely affect its ability to access one or more financial markets. Disruptions to the capital markets could include, but are not limited to: |
DPL has gas revenues from natural gas sales to retail customers connected to DPL's gas distribution facilities, which generally are subject to price regulation, and from the transportation of natural gas for customers. The table above shows the amounts of gas revenues from sources that were subject to price regulation (regulated) and that were not subject to price regulation (non-regulated). |
The increase in "Regulated gas revenues" primarily resulted from higher revenues of $17.9 million from colder winter weather in 2003, and a $5.6 million increase in residential space heating sales. The increases were partially offset by rate decreases of $15.2 million primarily resulting from Gas Cost Rate decreases effective November 2002 and 2003, 98 ____________________________________________________________________________ and other variances totaling a $2.7 million decrease. Heating degree days increased by 16% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2003. |
The increase in "Non-regulated gas revenues" is primarily due to an increase in sales to large industrial customers. |
Operating Expenses |
Electric Fuel and Purchased Energy |
"Electric fuel and purchased energy" increased by $22.5 million to $699.5 million for 2003, from $677.0 million for 2002. The increase was due to increased POLR and SOS sales during 2003. |
Gas Purchased |
"Gas purchased" increased by $7.4 million to $132.3 million for 2003, from $124.9 million for 2002. The over all increase was due to increased costs of natural gas for the regulated gas delivery business. |
Merger-related Costs |
DPL's operating results for 2002 included costs related to the Conectiv/Pepco Merger of $9.7 million ($5.8 million after income taxes). The $9.7 million of costs included the following: (i) $8.2 million for severances and stock options settled in cash; and (ii) $1.5 million for contributions to certain funds based on the terms of orders issued by the MPSC and DPSC. Based on the terms of the settlement agreements and Commission orders in the States having regulatory jurisdiction over DPL, none of the costs related to the Conectiv/Pepco Merger are recoverable in future customer rate increases. Such costs are, and will be, excluded from studies submitted in base rate filings. |
Other Operation and Maintenance |
Other operation and maintenance expenses decreased by $4.2 million to $174.5 million for 2003, from $178.7 million for 2002. The decrease was primarily due to a reduction in estimated uncollectible accounts receivable which resulted in lower bad debt expense of approximately $6.9 million and a $1.5 million decrease in rent expense due to lower building and property rents. The decreases were partially offset by incremental storm costs of $2.5 million incurred due to Hurricane Isabel. |
Depreciation and Amortization |
Depreciation and amortization expenses decreased by $8.4 million to $73.7 million for 2003, from $82.1 million for 2002. The decrease was primarily due a $10.3 million reduction in the amortization of recoverable stranded costs partially offset by an increase of $1.9 million in depreciation of plant-in-service. |
Other Income (Expenses) |
Other expenses decreased by $0.3 million to a net expense of $33.0 million for 2003, from a net expense of $33.3 million for 2002 primarily due to the following: (i) $9.3 million decrease in interest charges can be attributed to the reduction in long-term debt from prior year, (ii) a $3.7 million decrease in money pool interest income, and (iii) a $2.8 million 99 ____________________________________________________________________________ increase in interest expense due to distributions on mandatorily redeemable preferred securities that in accordance with SFAS No. 150 were reclassified to interest expense. |
Income Taxes |
DPL's effective tax rate in 2003 and 2002 was 41% and 40%, respectively, as compared to the federal statutory rate of 35%. In both years, the major reason for this difference is state income taxes (net of federal benefit). |
RISK FACTORS |
The business and operations of DPL are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the events or conditions identified below. These events or conditions could have an adverse effect on the business of DPL, including, depending on the circumstances, its results of operations and financial condition. |
DPL is a public utility that is subject to substantial governmental regulation. If DPL receives unfavorable regulatory treatment, DPL's business could be negatively affected. |
DPL's utility business is subject to regulation by various federal, state and local regulatory agencies that significantly affects its operations. DPL's operations are regulated in Maryland by the MPSC, in Delaware by the DPSC and in Virginia by the VSCC with respect to, among other things, the rates it can charge retail customers for the delivery of electricity and gas. In addition, the rates that DPL can charge for electricity transmission are regulated by the FERC. DPL cannot change delivery or transmission rates without approval by the applicable regulatory authority. While the approved delivery and transmission rates are intended to permit DPL to recover its costs of service and earn a reasonable rate of return, DPL's profitability is affected by the rates it is able to charge. In addition, if the costs incurred by DPL in operating its transmission and distribution facilities exceed the allowed amounts for costs included in the approv ed rates, DPL's financial results will be adversely affected. |
DPL also is required to have numerous permits, approvals and certificates from governmental agencies that regulate its business. DPL believes that it has obtained the material permits, approvals and certificates necessary for its existing operations and that its business is conducted in accordance with applicable laws; however, DPL is unable to predict the impact of future regulatory activities of any of these agencies on its business. Changes in or reinterpretations of existing laws or regulations, or the imposition of new laws or regulations, may require DPL to incur additional expenses or to change the way it conducts its operations. |
The operating results of DPL fluctuate on a seasonal basis and can be adversely affected by changes in weather. |
DPL's electric utility business is seasonal and weather patterns can have a material impact on its operating performance. Demand for electricity is generally greater in the summer months associated with cooling and demand for electricity and gas is generally greater in the winter months associated with heating as compared to other times of the year. Accordingly, DPL |
100 ____________________________________________________________________________ |
historically has generated less revenues and income when weather conditions are milder in the winter and cooler in the summer. |
DPL's facilities may not operate as planned or may require significant maintenance expenditures, which could decrease its revenues or increase its expenses. |
Operation of transmission and distribution facilities involves many risks, including the breakdown or failure of equipment, accidents, labor disputes and performance below expected levels. Older facilities and equipment, even if maintained in accordance with good engineering practices, may require significant capital expenditures for additions or upgrades to keep them operating at peak efficiency, to comply with changing environmental requirements, or to provide reliable operations. Natural disasters and weather-related incidents, including tornadoes, hurricanes and snow and ice storms, also can disrupt transmission and distribution delivery systems. Operation of transmission and distribution facilities below expected capacity levels can reduce revenues and result in the incurrence of additional expenses that may not be recoverable from customers or through insurance. Furthermore, if DPL is unable to perform its contractual obligations for any of these reasons, it may incur penalties or damages. |
DPL's transmission facilities are interconnected with the facilities of other transmission facility owners whose actions could have a negative impact on the DPL's operations. |
The electricity transmission facilities of DPL are directly interconnected with the transmission facilities of contiguous utilities and as such are part of an interstate power transmission grid. The FERC has designated a number of regional transmission operators to coordinate the operation of portions of the interstate transmission grid. DPL is a member of PJM, which is the regional transmission operator that coordinates the movement of electricity in all or parts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. DPL operates its transmission facilities under the direction and control of PJM. PJM and the other regional transmission operators have established sophisticated systems that are designed to ensure the reliability of the operation of transmission facilities and prevent the operations of one utility from having an adverse impact on the operations of the other utilities. How ever, the systems put in place by PJM and the other regional transmission operators may not always be adequate to prevent problems at other utilities from causing service interruptions in the transmission facilities of DPL. If DPL were to suffer such a service interruption, it could have a negative impact on its business. |
The cost of compliance with environmental laws is significant and new environmental laws may increase DPL's expenses. |
DPL's operations are subject to extensive federal, state and local environmental statutes, rules and regulations, relating to air quality, water quality, spill prevention, waste management, natural resources, site remediation, and health and safety. These laws and regulations require DPL to incur expenses to, among other things, conduct site remediation and obtain permits. DPL also may be required to pay significant remediation costs with respect to third party sites. If DPL fails to comply with applicable environmental laws and regulations, even if caused by factors beyond its control, such failure could result in the assessment of civil or |
101 ____________________________________________________________________________ |
criminal penalties and liabilities and the need to expend significant sums to come into compliance. |
In addition, DPL incurs costs to obtain and comply with a variety of environmental permits, licenses, inspections and other approvals. If there is a delay in obtaining any required environmental regulatory approval or if DPL fails to obtain, maintain or comply with any such approval, operations at affected facilities could be halted or subjected to additional costs. |
New environmental laws and regulations, or new interpretations of existing laws and regulations, could impose more stringent limitations on DPL's operations or require it to incur significant additional costs. DPL's current compliance strategy may not successfully address the relevant standards and interpretations of the future. |
Changes in technology may adversely affect DPL's electricity and gas delivery businesses. |
Increased conservation efforts and advances in technology could reduce demand for electricity and gas supply and distribution, which could adversely affect DPL's business. In addition, changes in technology also could alter the channels through which retail electric customers buy electricity, which could adversely affect DPL's business. |
Acts of terrorism could adversely affect DPL's business. |
The threat of or actual acts of terrorism may affect DPL's operations in unpredictable ways and may cause changes in the insurance markets, force DPL to increase security measures and cause disruptions of power markets. If any of DPL's transmission or distribution facilities were to be a direct target, or an indirect casualty, of an act of terrorism, its operations could be adversely affected. Instability in the financial markets as a result of terrorism also could affect the ability of DPL to raise needed capital. |
DPL's insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover all casualty losses that it might incur. |
DPL currently has insurance coverage for its facilities and operations in amounts and with deductibles that it considers appropriate. However, there is no assurance that such insurance coverage will be available in the future on commercially reasonable terms. In addition, some risks, such as weather related casualties, may not be insurable. In the case of loss or damage to property, plant or equipment, there is no assurance that the insurance proceeds, if any, received will be sufficient to cover the entire cost of replacement or repair. |
DPL may be adversely affected by economic conditions. |
Periods of slowed economic activity generally result in decreased demand for power, particularly by industrial and large commercial customers. As a consequence, recessions or other downturns in the economy may result in decreased revenues and cash flows for DPL. |
102 ____________________________________________________________________________ |
DPL is dependent on its ability to successfully access capital markets. An inability to access capital may adversely affect its business. |
DPL relies on access to both short-term money markets and longer-term capital markets as a source of liquidity and to satisfy its capital requirements not satisfied by the cash flow from its operations. Capital market disruptions, or a downgrade in DPL's credit ratings, would increase the cost of borrowing or could adversely affect its ability to access one or more financial markets. Disruptions to the capital markets could include, but are not limited to: |
The table above shows the amounts of electric revenues earned that are subject to price regulation (regulated) and that are not subject to price regulation (non-regulated). "Regulated electric revenues" include revenues for delivery (transmission and distribution) service and electricity supply service within the service areas of ACE. |
Regulated Electric Revenues |
The increase in "Regulated electric revenues" was due to the following: (i) regulated electric retail revenues increased $18.4 million. The $18.4 million increase was attributed to: (i) $18.9 million increase from residential and small commercial business growth, (ii) $9.6 million increase from August 2003 rate increase, (iii) a $12.5 million decrease from more customers choosing alternative suppliers, (iv) $4.7 million decrease in weather related sales, and (v) a $7.1 million increase from other sales and rate variances. Customers who have chosen alternate suppliers accounted for 11% of billed sales for the 2003 period compared to 8% for the corresponding 2002 period. Interchange sales increased $126.3 million due to the New Jersey NJBPU mandate that each New Jersey utility participate in an auction to allow third-party energy suppliers to provide Basic Generation Service to the customers in its territory. As of August 1, 2002, approximately 80% of the customer megawatts per hour load, which ACE was serving, began to be served by other suppliers. This means that ACE now has generation to sell to PJM, which was previously used by supply customers in the territory. As of December 31, 2003, 100% of the ACE customer BGS megawatts per hour load is being supplied by other suppliers through the auction process, so now all ACE generation is sold to PJM. |
Operating Expenses |
Electric Fuel and Purchased Energy |
"Electric fuel and purchased energy" increased by $92.6 million to $775.1 million for 2003, from $682.5 million for 2002. There was a $147.4 million increase due to colder winter weather, higher prices and increased interchange sales partially offset by a decrease of $50.1 million in purchased capacity. In August 2002, due to the NJBPU required auction sale 106 ____________________________________________________________________________ of BGS load, ACE began supplying 22% of its BGS energy requirements. With the drop in energy supply, there was a corresponding drop in capacity obligations under PJM formulas. |
Merger-related Costs |
ACE's operating results for 2002 include costs related to the Conectiv/Pepco Merger of $38.1 million ($22.6 million after income taxes). The $38.1 million of costs included the following: (i) a $30.5 million write-down of deferred electric service costs based on the terms of the Decision and Order issued by the NJBPU on July 3, 2002 that required ACE to forgo recovery of such costs effective upon the Conectiv/Pepco Merger; (ii) $6.6 million for severances and stock options settled in cash; and (iii) $1.0 million for a contribution to a certain fund based on the terms of an order issued by the NJBPU. Based on the terms of the settlement agreements and Commission orders in the States having regulatory jurisdiction over ACE, none of the costs related to the Conectiv/Pepco Merger are recoverable in future customer rate increases. Such costs are, and will be, excluded from studies submitted in base rate filings. |
Other Operation and Maintenance |
Other operation and maintenance expenses decreased by $32.0 million to $211.6 million for 2003, from $243.6 million for 2002. The decrease was primarily due to a reduction in estimated uncollectible accounts which resulted in a $17.4 million decrease in bad debt expense, a $6.0 million decrease in general expenses and a $7.9 million decrease resulting from a severance accrual reversal made for Deepwater. The decreases were partially offset by incremental storm restoration costs of $1.0 million incurred due to Hurricane Isabel. |
Impairment Losses |
The impairment loss of $9.5 million in 2002 represents the write-down of the Deepwater power plant due to impairment of value based on the results of a competitive bidding process. |
Depreciation and Amortization |
Depreciation and amortization expenses increased by $43.3 million to $112.5 million for 2003, from $69.2 million for 2002 primarily due to the following: (i) $24.1 million for amortization of bondable transition property as result of transition bonds issued in December 2002, and (ii) $18.1 million for amortization of a regulatory tax asset related to New Jersey stranded costs. |
Deferred Electric Service Costs |
Deferred electric service costs decreased by $64.3 million due to lower costs related to ACE providing Basic Generation Service and due to the $27.5 million charge described below. The balance for ACE's deferred electric service costs was $185.9 million as of December 31, 2003. On July 31, 2003, the NJBPU issued its Summary Order permitting ACE to begin collecting a portion of the deferred costs that were incurred as a result of EDECA and to reset rates to recover on-going costs incurred as a result of EDECA. |
The Summary Order approved the recovery of $125 million of the deferred balance over a ten-year amortization period beginning August 1, 2003. The Summary Order also transferred to ACE's pending base case for further 107 ____________________________________________________________________________ consideration approximately $25.4 million of the deferred balance. The Summary Order estimated the overall deferral balance as of July 31, 2003 at $195 million, of which $44.6 million was disallowed recovery by ACE. Since the amounts included in this decision are based on estimates through July 31, 2003, the actual ending deferred cost balance will be subject to review and finalization by the NJPBU and ACE. The approved rates became effective on August 6, 2003. Based on analysis of the order and in accordance with prevailing accounting rules, ACE recorded a charge of $27.5 million ($16.3 million after-tax) during the second quarter of 2003. This charge is in addition to amounts previously accrued for disallowance. ACE believes the record does not justify the level of disallowance imposed by the NJBPU. ACE is awaiting the final written order from the NJBPU and is evaluating its options related to this decision. The NJBPU's action is not appealable un til a final written order has been issued. |
Other Income (Expenses) |
Other expenses increased by $13.2 million to a net expense of $49.4 million for 2003, from a net expense of $36.2 million for 2002. This increase is primarily due to higher interest expense of $6.1 million due to increased amounts of outstanding long-term debt, a $1.7 million decrease in billings to customers to recover ACE's income tax expense on contributions-in-aid of construction, a $2.4 million decrease in interest income accrued in 2003 on deferred electric service costs and a $0.9 million increase in interest expense due to distributions on mandatorily redeemable preferred securities that in accordance with SFAS No. 150 were reclassified to interest expense. |
Income Taxes |
ACE's effective tax rate in 2003 was 40% as compared to the federal statutory rate of 35%. The major reason for this difference is state income taxes (net of federal benefit). In 2002, the effective rate was 37% as compared to the federal statutory rate of 35%. The major reasons for this difference are state income taxes (net of federal benefit) partially offset by the flow through Deferred Investment Tax Credits and other book tax differences. |
Extraordinary Item |
On July 25, 2003, the NJBPU approved the determination of stranded costs related to ACE's January 31, 2003 petition relating to its B.L. England generating facility. The NJBPU approved recovery of $149.5 million. As a result of the order, ACE reversed $10 million of accruals in June 2003 for the possible disallowances related to these stranded costs. The credit to income of $5.9 million (after-tax) is classified as an extraordinary gain in ACE's financial statements, since the original accrual was part of an extraordinary charge in conjunction with the accounting for competitive restructuring in 1999. |
RISK FACTORS |
The business and operations of ACE are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the events or conditions identified below. These events or conditions could have an adverse effect on the business of ACE, including, depending on the circumstances, its results of operations and financial condition. |
108 ____________________________________________________________________________ |
ACE is a public utility that is subject to substantial governmental regulation. If ACE receives unfavorable regulatory treatment, ACE's business could be negatively affected. |
ACE's utility business is subject to regulation by various federal, state and local regulatory agencies that significantly affects its operations. ACE's operations are regulated by the NJBPU with respect to, among other things, the rates it can charge retail customers for the delivery of electricity. In addition, the rates that ACE can charge for electricity transmission are regulated by the FERC. ACE cannot change delivery or transmission rates without approval by the applicable regulatory authority. While the approved delivery and transmission rates are intended to permit ACE to recover its costs of service and earn a reasonable rate of return, ACE's profitability is affected by the rates it is able to charge. In addition, if the costs incurred by ACE in operating its transmission and distribution facilities exceed the allowed amounts for costs included in the approved rates, ACE's financial results will be adversely affected. |
ACE also is required to have numerous permits, approvals and certificates from governmental agencies that regulate its business. ACE believes that it has obtained the material permits, approvals and certificates necessary for its existing operations and that its business is conducted in accordance with applicable laws; however, ACE is unable to predict the impact of future regulatory activities of any of these agencies on its business. Changes in or reinterpretations of existing laws or regulations, or the imposition of new laws or regulations, may require ACE to incur additional expenses or to change the way it conducts its operations. |
The operating results of ACE fluctuate on a seasonal basis and can be adversely affected by changes in weather. |
ACE's electric utility business is seasonal and weather patterns can have a material impact on its operating performance. Demand for electricity is generally greater in the summer months associated with cooling and the winter months associated with heating as compared to other times of the year. Accordingly, ACE historically has generated less revenues and income when weather conditions are milder in the winter and cooler in the summer. |
ACE's facilities may not operate as planned or may require significant maintenance expenditures, which could decrease its revenues or increase its expenses. |
Operation of generation, transmission and distribution facilities involves many risks, including the breakdown or failure of equipment, accidents, labor disputes and performance below expected levels. Older facilities and equipment, even if maintained in accordance with good engineering practices, may require significant capital expenditures for additions or upgrades to keep them operating at peak efficiency, to comply with changing environmental requirements, or to provide reliable operations. Natural disasters and weather-related incidents, including tornadoes, hurricanes and snow and ice storms, also can disrupt generation, transmission and distribution delivery systems. Operation of generation, transmission and distribution facilities below expected capacity levels can reduce revenues and result in the incurrence of additional expenses that may not be recoverable from customers or through insurance. Furthermore, if ACE is unable to perf orm its contractual obligations for any of these reasons, it may incur penalties or damages. |
109 ____________________________________________________________________________ |
ACE's transmission facilities are interconnected with the facilities of other transmission facility owners whose actions could have a negative impact on the ACE's operations. |
The transmission facilities of ACE are directly interconnected with the transmission facilities of contiguous utilities and as such are part of an interstate power transmission grid. The FERC has designated a number of regional transmission operators to coordinate the operation of portions of the interstate transmission grid. ACE is a member of PJM, which is the regional transmission operator that coordinates the movement of electricity in all or parts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. ACE operates its transmission facilities under the direction and control of PJM. PJM and the other regional transmission operators have established sophisticated systems that are designed to ensure the reliability of the operation of transmission facilities and prevent the operations of one utility from having an adverse impact on the operations of the other utilities. However, the sy stems put in place by PJM and the other regional transmission operators may not always be adequate to prevent problems at other utilities from causing service interruptions in the transmission facilities of ACE. If ACE were to suffer such a service interruption, it could have a negative impact on its business. |
The cost of compliance with environmental laws is significant and new environmental laws may increase ACE's expenses. |
ACE's operations are subject to extensive federal, state and local environmental statutes, rules and regulations, relating to air quality, water quality, spill prevention, waste management, natural resources, site remediation, and health and safety. These laws and regulations require ACE to incur expenses to, among other things, conduct site remediation and obtain permits. ACE also may be required to pay significant remediation costs with respect to third party sites. If ACE fails to comply with applicable environmental laws and regulations, even if caused by factors beyond its control, such failure could result in the assessment of civil or criminal penalties and liabilities and the need to expend significant sums to come into compliance. |
In addition, ACE incurs costs to obtain and comply with a variety of environmental permits, licenses, inspections and other approvals. If there is a delay in obtaining any required environmental regulatory approval or if ACE fails to obtain, maintain or comply with any such approval, operations at affected facilities could be halted or subjected to additional costs. |
New environmental laws and regulations, or new interpretations of existing laws and regulations, could impose more stringent limitations on ACE's operations or require it to incur significant additional costs. ACE's current compliance strategy may not successfully address the relevant standards and interpretations of the future. |
Changes in technology may adversely affect ACE's electricity delivery businesses |
Increased conservation efforts and advances in technology could reduce demand for electricity supply and distribution, which could adversely affect ACE's business. In addition, changes in technology also could alter the channels through which retail electric customers buy electricity, which could adversely affect ACE's business. |
110 ____________________________________________________________________________ |
Acts of terrorism could adversely affect ACE's business. |
The threat of or actual acts of terrorism may affect ACE's operations in unpredictable ways and may cause changes in the insurance markets, force ACE to increase security measures and cause disruptions of power markets. If any of ACE's generation, transmission or distribution facilities were to be a direct target, or an indirect casualty, of an act of terrorism, its operations could be adversely affected. Instability in the financial markets as a result of terrorism also could affect the ability of ACE to raise needed capital. |
ACE's insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover all casualty losses that it might incur. |
ACE currently has insurance coverage for its facilities and operations in amounts and with deductibles that it considers appropriate. However, there is no assurance that such insurance coverage will be available in the future on commercially reasonable terms. In addition, some risks, such as weather related casualties, may not be insurable. In the case of loss or damage to property, plant or equipment, there is no assurance that the insurance proceeds, if any, received will be sufficient to cover the entire cost of replacement or repair. |
ACE may be adversely affected by economic conditions. |
Periods of slowed economic activity generally result in decreased demand for power, particularly by industrial and large commercial customers. As a consequence, recessions or other downturns in the economy may result in decreased revenues and cash flows for ACE. |
ACE is dependent on its ability to successfully access capital markets. An inability to access capital may adversely affect its business. |
ACE relies on access to both short-term money markets and longer-term capital markets as a source of liquidity and to satisfy its capital requirements not satisfied by the cash flow from its operations. Capital market disruptions, or a downgrade in ACE's credit ratings, would increase the cost of borrowing or could adversely affect its ability to access one or more financial markets. Disruptions to the capital markets could include, but are not limited to: |
Included in net unrealized gains/losses are gross unrealized losses of zero and gross unrealized gains of $4.5 million at December 31, 2003 and gross unrealized losses of $2.0 million (which consisted of $1.6 million in preferred stock and $.4 million in equity securities) and gross unrealized gains of $1.1 million at December 31, 2002. At December 31, 2003, the contractual maturities for mandatorily redeemable preferred stock held by PCI are $6.6 million within one year, $6.2 million from one to five years, $10.6 million from five to 10 years and zero over 10 years. |
Accounting for Goodwill |
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of an acquisition over the fair value of the net assets acquired. The accounting for goodwill 143 ____________________________________________________________________________ is governed by SFAS No. 141, "Business Combinations," and SFAS No. 142, "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets." SFAS No. 141 requires business combinations initiated after June 30, 2001 to be accounted for using the purchase method of accounting and broadens the criteria for recording intangible assets apart from goodwill. SFAS No. 142 requires that purchased goodwill and certain indefinite-lived intangibles no longer be amortized, but instead be tested for impairment. Substantially all of Pepco Holdings' goodwill was generated by the acquisition of Conectiv by Pepco that closed in 2002. For additional information about Pepco Holdings' goodwill balance, refer to Note (2) 2002 Merger Transaction, herein. |
Goodwill Impairment Evaluation |
The provisions of SFAS No. 142 require the evaluation of goodwill for impairment at least annually or more frequently if events and circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. Examples of such events and circumstances include an adverse action or assessment by a regulator, a significant adverse change in legal factors or in the business climate, and unanticipated competition. SFAS No. 142 indicates that if the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, including goodwill, an impairment charge may be necessary. During 2003 Pepco Holdings tested its goodwill for impairment as of July 1, 2003. This testing concluded that none of Pepco Holdings' goodwill balance was impaired. |
Long Lived Assets Impairment Evaluation |
Pepco Holdings is required to evaluate certain assets that have long lives (for example, generating property and equipment and real estate) to determine if they are impaired when certain conditions exist. SFAS No. 144 "Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets," governs the accounting treatment for impairments of long-lived assets and indicates that companies are required to test long-lived assets for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. Examples of such events or changes include a significant decrease in the market price of a long-lived asset or if there is a significant adverse change in the manner an asset is being used or its physical condition. |
For long-lived assets that are expected to be held and used, SFAS No. 144 requires that an impairment loss shall only be recognized if the carrying amount of an asset is not recoverable and exceeds its fair value. For long-lived assets that can be classified as assets to be disposed of by sale under SFAS No. 144, an impairment loss shall be recognized to the extent their carrying amount exceeds their fair value, including costs to sell. |
During the first quarter of 2003, Conectiv Energy cancelled an order for four GE combustion turbines (CTs), due to the uncertainty in the energy markets and current levels of capacity reserves within PJM. As a result, Pepco Holdings recognized a net pre-tax charge of $50.1 million ($29.5 million). Then in the fourth quarter of 2003, Conectiv Energy determined that its CT inventory was impaired and recorded a net pre-tax loss of $3.2 million ($1.7 million after-tax). |
During 2001, PCI (while wholly owned by Pepco) determined that its aircraft portfolio was impaired and wrote the portfolio down to its fair value by recording a pre-tax impairment loss of $55.5 million ($36.1 million after-tax). Also during 2001 PCI recorded a pre-tax write-off of $10.0 |
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million ($6.5 million after-tax) related to its preferred stock investment in a wholly owned subsidiary of Enron. |
During the fourth quarter of 2003 PCI recorded a writedown of approximately $11.0 million related to a leased aircraft. Refer to Note (5) "Leasing Activities" to the consolidated financial statements for additional information. |
Investment Impairment Evaluation |
Pepco Holdings is required to evaluate its equity-method and cost-method investments to determine whether or not they are impaired. In accordance with Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) No. 18 "The Equity Method of Accounting for Investments in Common Stock," the standard for determining whether an impairment must be recorded under APB No. 18 is whether the investment has experienced a loss in value that is considered an "other than a temporary" decline in value. |
During early 2004, Pepco Holdings announced plans to sell its 50 percent interest in Starpower as part of an ongoing effort to redirect Pepco Holdings' investments and to focus on its energy related businesses. At December 31, 2003, Pepco Holdings had an investment in Starpower of $141.8 million. However, because of the distressed telecommunications market and the changed expectations ofStarpower's future performance, Pepco Holdings has determined that the fair value of its investment in Starpower at December 31, 2003 is $39.2 million. Accordingly, during the fourth quarter of 2003, Pepco Holdings recorded a noncash charge to its consolidated earnings of $102.6 million ($66.7 million after-tax). |
Cash and Cash Equivalents |
Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, money market funds, and commercial paper with original maturities of three months or less. Additionally, investments in PHI's "money pool," which PHI and certain of its subsidiaries may invest in, are considered cash equivalents. |
Restricted Cash |
Restricted cash represents cash restricted for costs incurred on the CBI project. |
Other Non-Current Assets |
The other assets balance principally consists of real estate under development, equity and other investments, and deferred compensation trust assets. |
Other Current Liabilities |
The other current liability balance principally consists of customer deposits, accrued vacation liability, and the current portion of deferred income taxes. |
Other Deferred Credits |
The other deferred credits balance principally consists of accrued other post retirement benefit liabilities and miscellaneous deferred liabilities. |
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Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts |
Pepco Holdings' subsidiaries' accounts receivable balances primarily consist of customer accounts receivable, other accounts receivable, and accrued unbilled revenue. Accrued unbilled revenue represents revenue earned in the current period but not billed to the customer until a future date, usually within one month. PHI uses the allowance method to account for uncollectible accounts receivable. |
Capitalized Interest and Allowance for Funds Used During Construction |
In accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 34, "Capitalization of Interest Cost," the cost of financing the construction of Pepco Holdings' non-regulated subsidiaries electric generating plants is capitalized. Other non-utility construction projects also include financing costs in accordance with SFAS No. 34. The cost of additions to, and replacements or betterments of, retirement units of property and plant is capitalized. Such costs include material, labor, the capitalization of an Allowance for Funds Used During Construction (AFUDC) and applicable indirect costs, including engineering, supervision, payroll taxes and employee benefits. |
Leasing Activities |
Pepco Holdings accounts for leases entered into by its subsidiaries in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 13, "Accounting for Leases." Income from investments in direct financing leases and leveraged lease transactions, in which PCI is an equity participant, is accounted for using the financing method and is recorded as other non-regulated operating revenue. In accordance with the financing method, investments in leased property are recorded as a receivable from the lessee to be recovered through the collection of future rentals. For direct financing leases, unearned income is amortized to income over the lease term at a constant rate of return on the net investment. Income, including investment tax credits, on leveraged equipment leases is recognized over the life of the lease at a constant rate of return on the positive net investment. Investments in equipment under operating leases are stated at cost, less accumulated depre ciation. Depreciation is recorded on a straight-line basis over the equipment's estimated useful life. |
Amortization of Debt Issuance and Reacquisition Costs |
Expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of long-term debt, including premiums and discounts associated with such debt, are deferred and amortized over the lives of the respective debt issues. Costs associated with the reacquisition of debt for PHI's regulated operations are also deferred and amortized over the lives of the new issues. |
Classification Items |
Pepco Holdings recorded AFUDC for borrowed funds of $3.0 million, $3.4 million, and $4.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively. These amounts are recorded as a reduction of "interest expense" in the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings. |
Pepco Holdings recorded amounts for AFUDC for equity income of $4.6 million, $3.0 million and $1.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. The amounts are included in the "other income" caption of the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings. |
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Pepco Holdings recorded amounts for unbilled revenue of $184.6 million and $161.0 million as of December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively. These amounts are included in the "accounts receivable" line item in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. |
Pension and Other Post Retirement Benefit Plans |
Pepco Holdings sponsors the Retirement Plan that covers substantially all employees of Pepco, DPL, ACE and certain employees of other Pepco Holdings' subsidiaries. Following the consummation of the acquisition of Conectiv by Pepco on August 1, 2002, the Pepco General Retirement Plan and the Conectiv Retirement Plan were merged into the Retirement Plan on December 31, 2002. The provisions and benefits of the merged Retirement Plan for Pepco employees are identical to those of the original Pepco plan and for DPL and ACE employees the provisions and benefits of the merged Retirement Plan are identical to the original Conectiv plan. Pepco Holdings also provides supplemental retirement benefits to certain eligible executive and key employees through nonqualified retirement plans. In addition to sponsoring non-contributory retirement plans, Pepco Holdings provides certain post-retirement health care and life insurance benefits for eligible re tired employees. |
The Company accounts for the Retirement Plan in accordance with SFAS No. 87, "Employers' Accounting for Pensions" and its post-retirement health care and life insurance benefits for eligible employees in accordance with SFAS No. 106, "Employers' Accounting for Post-retirement Benefits Other Than Pensions." PHI's financial statement disclosures were prepared in accordance with SFAS No. 132, "Employers' Disclosures about Pensions and Other Post-retirement Benefits," as amended. |
Severance Costs |
During 2002, Pepco Holdings' management approved initiatives by Pepco and Conectiv to streamline its operating structure by reducing the number of employees at each company. These initiatives met the criteria for the accounting treatment provided under EITF No. 94-3 "Liability Recognition for Certain Employee Termination Benefits and Other Costs to Exit an Activity (including Certain Costs Incurred in a Restructuring)." A roll forward of the severance accrual balance is as follows. (Amounts in millions) |
The methods and assumptions below were used to estimate, at December 31, 2003 and 2002, the fair value of each class of financial instruments shown above for which it is practicable to estimate that value. |
The fair value of the Marketable Securities was derived based on quoted market prices. |
The fair values of the Long-term Debt, which includes First Mortgage Bonds and Medium-Term Notes, excluding amounts due within one year, were derived based on current market prices, or for issues with no market price available, were based on discounted cash flows using current rates for similar issues with similar terms and remaining maturities. The fair values of the Recourse and the Non-Recourse Debt held by PCI, excluding amounts due within one year, were based on current rates offered to similar companies for debt with similar remaining maturities. |
The fair values of the Debentures issued to Financing Trust, Serial Preferred Stock, Redeemable Serial Preferred Stock, and Company Obligated Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Securities of Subsidiary Trust (TOPrS), excluding amounts due within one year, were derived based on quoted market prices or discounted cash flows using current rates of preferred stock with similar terms. |
The carrying amounts of all other financial instruments in Pepco Holdings' accompanying financial statements approximate fair value. |
(13) CONECTIV ENERGY EVENTS |
On June 25, 2003, Conectiv Energy entered into an agreement consisting of a series of energy contracts with an international investment banking firm 177 ____________________________________________________________________________ with a senior unsecured debt rating of A+ / Stable from Standard & Poors (the Counterparty). The agreement is designed to more effectively hedge approximately fifty percent of Conectiv Energy's generation output and approximately fifty percent of its supply obligations, with the intention of providing Conectiv Energy with a more predictable earnings stream during the term of the agreement.The 35-month agreement consists of two major components: a fixed price energy supply hedge and a generation off-take agreement.The fixed price energy supply hedge will be used to reduce Conectiv Energy's financial exposure under its current supply commitment to DPL. Under this commitment, which extends through May 2006, Conectiv Energy is obligated to supply to DPL the electric power necessary to enable DPL to meet its SO S and POLR load obligations. Under the energy supply hedge, the volume and price risks associated with fifty percent of the SOS and POLR load obligation are effectively transferred from Conectiv Energy to the Counterparty through a financial "contract-for-differences." The contract-for-differences establishes a fixed cost for the energy required by Conectiv Energy to satisfy fifty percent of the SOS and POLR load, and any deviations of the market price from the fixed price are paid by Conectiv Energy to, or are received by Conectiv Energy from, the Counterparty. The contract does not cover the cost of capacity or ancillary services. Under the generation off-take agreement, Conectiv Energy will receive a fixed monthly payment from the Counterparty and the Counterparty will receive the profit realized from the sale of approximately 50% of the electricity generated by Conectiv Energy's plants (excluding the Edge Moor facility). This portion of the agreement is designed to hedge sales of approximately 50% of Conectiv Energy's generation output, and under assumed operating parameters and market conditions should effectively transfer this portion of Conectiv Energy's wholesale energy market risk to the Counterparty, while providing a more stable stream of revenues to Conectiv Energy. The 35-month agreement also includes several standard energy price swaps under which Conectiv Energy has locked in a sales price for approximately 50% of the output from its Edge Moor facility and has financially hedged other on-peak and off-peak energy price exposures in its portfolio to further reduce market price exposure.In total, the transaction is expected to improve Conectiv Energy's risk profile by providing hedges that are tailored to the characteristics of its generation fleet and its SOS and POLR supply obligation. |
During 2003, Conectiv Energy had a loss of $79.0 million, which includes the unfavorable impact of a $64.1 million loss resulting primarily from the cancellation of a combustion turbine (CT) contract with General Electric for the purchase of four CTs. The loss at the Pepco Holdings level is $29.5 million, substantially lower than the Conectiv Energy loss due to the fair market adjustment recognized by Pepco Holdings at the time of the acquisition of Conectiv as further discussed below. |
Through April 25, 2003, payments totaling approximately $131 million had been made for the CTs.As part of the acquisition of Conectiv by Pepco Holdings in August of 2002, the book value related to the CTs and associated equipment (including the payments already made as well as the future payments called for under thecontracts) was adjusted downward by approximately 35%, to the then-fair market value. Approximately $54 million of the August 2002 fair value adjustment was related to the CTs, and another $4 million of the adjustment was related to ancillary equipment. The adjustment was recorded by PepcoHoldings and was not pushed down to, and recorded by, Conectiv. |
Because of uncertainty in the energy markets, the decline in the market for CTs and the current high level of capacity reserves within the PJM power pool, Conectiv Energy provided notice to General Electric canceling the 178 ____________________________________________________________________________ contract for delivery of the CTs. The netunfavorable impact on Pepco Holdings of this cancellation, recorded in 2003, is $31.1 million, comprised of the fees associated with cancellation of the CTs, allassociated site development and engineering costs and the costs associated with cancellation of ancillary equipment orders. The unfavorable impact of the cancellation specified above is also net of over $51 million in cashassociated with pre-payments on the CT orders, which General Electric was required to refund as a result of the cancellation. There was a positive cash impact in the second quarter related to this refund. |
After the cancellation of the four General Electric CTs discussed above, Conectiv Energy continues to own three CTs which were delivered in 2002. The CTs have a carrying value of $57.0 million when adjusted to reflect the fair market adjustment made at the time Conectiv was acquired by Pepco Holdings. This fair market value adjustment was recorded by Pepco Holdings and was not pushed down to, and recorded by Conectiv. Due to the decline in wholesale energy prices, further analysis of energy markets and projections of future demand for electricity, among other factors, Conectiv delayed the construction and installation of these CTs. Conectiv Energy will determine whether to install these turbines as part of an existing or new generating facility or sell the turbines to a third party based upon market demand and transmission system needs and requirements. In December, 2003 Conectiv Energy reclassified the CTs from construction work in process to other non current assets to reflect the uncertain timing and future use of the CTs. Conectiv Energy adjusted the value of the CTs to fair market value resulting in a loss of $19.4 million. The loss at the Pepco Holdings level is $1.7 million, substantially lower than the Conectiv Energy loss due to the fair market adjustment recognized by Pepco Holdings at the time of the acquisition of Conectiv. Conectiv Energy's 2003 loss also includes the unfavorable impact of net trading losses of $26.6 million that resulted from a dramatic rise in natural gas futures prices during February 2003, net of an after-tax gain of $15 million on the sale of a purchase power contract in February 2003. In response to the trading losses, in early March 2003, Conectiv Energy ceased all proprietary trading activities. |
(14) COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
REGULATORY AND OTHER MATTERS |
Relationship with Mirant Corporation |
In 2000, Pepco sold substantially all of its electricity generation assets to Mirant Corporation, formerly Southern Energy, Inc. As part of the sale, Pepco entered into several ongoing contractual arrangements with Mirant and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, Mirant). On July 14, 2003, Mirant Corporation and most of its subsidiaries filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas (the Bankruptcy Court). Under bankruptcy law, a debtor generally may, with authorization from a bankruptcy court, assume or reject executory contracts. A rejection of an executory contract entitles the counterparty to file a claim as an unsecured creditor against the bankruptcy estate for damages incurred due to the rejection of the contract. In a bankruptcy proceeding, a debtor can normally restructure some or all of its pre-petition liabilities. |
Depending on the outcome of the matters discussed below, the Mirant bankruptcy could have a material adverse effect on the results of operations of Pepco Holdings and Pepco. However, management currently believes that Pepco Holdings and Pepco currently have sufficient cash, cash flow and 179 ____________________________________________________________________________ borrowing capacity under their credit facilities and in the capital markets to be able to satisfy the additional cash requirements that are expected to arise due to the Mirant bankruptcy. Accordingly, management does not anticipate that the Mirant bankruptcy will impair the ability of Pepco Holdings or Pepco to fulfill their contractual obligations or to fund projected capital expenditures. On this basis, management currently does not believe that the Mirant bankruptcy will have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of either company. |
Transition Power Agreements |
As part of the asset purchase and sale agreement for the Pepco generation assets (the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement), Pepco and Mirant entered into Transition Power Agreements for Maryland and the District of Columbia, respectively (collectively, the TPAs). Under these agreements, Mirant was obligated to supply Pepco with all of the capacity and energy needed to fulfill its standard offer service obligations in Maryland through June 2004 and its standard offer service obligations in the District of Columbia into January 2005, in each case at rates that were lower than the rates that Pepco charges to its customers. The original rates under the TPAs were less than the prevailing market rates. |
At the time Mirant filed for bankruptcy, the purchase prices for energy and capacity under the TPAs were below the prevailing market rates. To avoid the potential rejection of the TPAs Pepco and Mirant Corporation and its affiliate Mirant Americas Energy Marketing, LP (the Mirant Parties) entered into a settlement agreement, which was approved by the Bankruptcy Court on November 19, 2003 (the Settlement Agreement). Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the Mirant Parties have assumed both of the TPAs and the TPAs have been amended, effective October 1, 2003, to increase the purchase price of energy thereunder as described below. The Settlement Agreement also provides that Pepco has an allowed, pre-petition general unsecured claim against each of the Mirant Parties in the amount of $105 million (the Pepco TPA Claim), and has the right to assert the Pepco TPA Claim against other Mirant debtors. On December 15, 2003, Pepco filed Proofs of Claim in the amount of $105 million against the appropriate Mirant debtors. |
In accordance with the Settlement Agreement, the purchase price of energy under the TPAs has increased from $35.50 to $41.90 per megawatt hour during summer months (May 1 through September 30) and from $25.30 to $31.70 per megawatt hour during winter months (October 1 through April 30) under the District of Columbia TPA and has increased from $40.00 to $46.40 per megawatt hour during summer months and from $22.20 to $28.60 per megawatt hour during winter months under the Maryland TPA. Under the amended TPAs, the purchase prices paid by Pepco for capacity in the District of Columbia and Maryland remain $3.50 per megawatt hour and the charge paid by Pepco for certain ancillary services remain $.50 per megawatt hour. The amendments to the TPAs have resulted in an increase in the average purchase price to Pepco for energy from approximately 3.4 cents per kilowatt hour under the original terms of the TPAs to an average purchase price of approximatel y 4.0 cents per kilowatt hour. The revenues produced by the currently approved tariff rates that Pepco charges its customers for providing standard offer service average approximately 4.1 cents per kilowatt hour. |
Pepco estimates that, as a result of the price increases, it will pay Mirant an additional $105 million for the purchase of energy beginning October 1, 2003 through the remaining terms of the TPAs. These payments will be offset by a reduction of payments by Pepco to customers for the period 2003 through 2006 of approximately $45 million pursuant to the generation 180 ____________________________________________________________________________ procurement credit established pursuant to regulatory settlements entered into in the District of Columbia and Maryland under which Pepco and its customers share any margin between the price paid by Pepco to procure standard offer service and the price paid by customers for standard offer service. As a result, Pepco currently anticipates that it will incur a net additional cash outlay of approximately $60 million due to the amendments of the respective TPAs. The foregoing estimates are based on current service territory load served by competitive suppliers and by standard offer service and does not include financing costs, all of which could be subject to fluctuation. |
The amount, if any, that Pepco will be able to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate in respect of the Pepco TPA Claim will depend on the amount of assets available for distribution to creditors. At the current stage of the bankruptcy proceeding, there is insufficient information to determine the amount, if any, that Pepco might be able to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate. No receivable has been recorded in Pepco's accounting records in respect of the Pepco TPA Claim. Any recovery would be shared with customers pursuant to the generation procurement credit. |
Power Purchase Agreements |
Under agreements with FirstEnergy Corp., formerly Ohio Edison (FirstEnergy), and Allegheny Energy, Inc., both entered into in 1987, Pepco is obligated to purchase from FirstEnergy 450 megawatts of capacity and energy annually through December 2005 (the FirstEnergy PPA). Under an agreement with Panda, entered into in 1991, Pepco is obligated to purchase from Panda 230 megawatts of capacity and energy annually through 2021 (the Panda PPA). In each case, the purchase price is substantially in excess of current market prices. As a part of the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, Pepco entered into a "back-to-back" arrangement with Mirant. Under this arrangement, Mirant is obligated, among other things, to purchase from Pepco the capacity and energy that Pepco is obligated to purchase under the FirstEnergy PPA and the Panda PPA at a price equal to the price Pepco is obligated to pay under the PPAs (the PPA-Related Obligations). |
Pepco Pre-Petition Claims |
When Mirant filed its bankruptcy petition on July 14, 2003, Mirant had unpaid obligations to Pepco of approximately $29 million, consisting primarily of payments due to Pepco in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations (the Mirant Pre-Petition Obligations). The Mirant Pre-Petition Obligations constitute part of the indebtedness for which Mirant is seeking relief in its bankruptcy proceeding. Pepco has filed Proofs of Claim in the Mirant bankruptcy proceeding in the amount of approximately $26 million to recover this indebtedness; however, the amount of Pepco's recovery, if any, is uncertain. The $3 million difference between Mirant's unpaid obligation to Pepco and the $26 million Proofs of Claim filed by Pepco primarily represents a TPA settlement adjustment which is included in the $105 million Proofs of Claim filed by Pepco on December 15, 2003 against the Mirant debtors. In view of this uncertainty, Pepco, in the third quarter of 2003 , expensed $14.5 million ($8.7 million after-tax) to establish a reserve against the $29 million receivable from Mirant. The amount expensed represents Pepco's estimate of the possible outcome in bankruptcy, although the amount ultimately recoverable could be higher or lower. |
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Mirant's Attempt to Reject the PPA-Related Obligations |
On August 28, 2003, Mirant filed with the Bankruptcy Court a motion seeking authorization to reject its PPA-Related Obligations. Mirant's motion also sought injunctions to prohibit Pepco from initiating, or encouraging any person or entity to initiate, any proceedings before the FERC that seek to require Mirant to perform the PPA-Related Obligations and to prohibit FERC from taking any action to require Mirant to perform the PPA-Related Obligations. |
On September 25, 2003, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order stating that it was not necessary to issue an injunction against Pepco because the automatic stay provisions of the Bankruptcy Code prohibit Pepco from commencing or continuing any judicial or administrative proceedings against Mirant. The Bankruptcy Court's order did grant a preliminary injunction that prohibits FERC from (i) taking any action to require or coerce Mirant to abide by the terms of the PPA-Related Obligations or commencing or continuing any proceeding outside of the Bankruptcy Court with respect to the PPA-Related Obligations and (ii) taking any action, or encouraging any person or entity to take an action, to require or coerce Mirant to abide by the terms of the TPAs. The Bankruptcy Court also ordered Mirant to continue to perform the PPA-Related Obligations and its obligations under the TPAs until relieved of those obligations by an order of an appropriate court. |
Upon motions filed by Pepco and FERC, on October 9, 2003, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas (the District Court) withdrew jurisdiction over both the rejection and preliminary injunction proceedings from the Bankruptcy Court. On December 23, 2003, the District Court denied Mirant's motion to reject the PPA-Related Obligations. On January 5, 2004 Mirant filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (the Circuit Court) a notice of appeal of the District Court's December 23 decision. On January 6, 2004, The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Mirant Corporation (the Creditors Committee) filed with the Circuit Court a separate notice of appeal of the December 23 decision. Also on January 6, 2004, the District Court entered an order dissolving all injunctive relief granted by the Bankruptcy Court in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations, and Mirant and the Creditors Committee each subsequently filed a motion with the Circuit Court for a stay of the dissolution order pending resolution of the appeals, as well as motions to expedite the appeals. On January 23, 2004, the Circuit Court denied Mirant's and the Creditors Committee's motions to expedite the appeal. On January 26, 2004, the Circuit Court denied Mirant's and the Creditors Committee's motions to stay the District Court's Order. Oral argument will be scheduled the week of May 3, 2004. |
Pepco is exercising all available legal remedies and vigorously opposing Mirant's continued attempts to reject the PPA-Related Obligations in order to protect the interests of its customers and shareholders. While Pepco believes that it has substantial legal bases to oppose the attempt to reject the agreements, the outcome of Mirant's efforts to reject the PPA-Related Obligations is uncertain. |
In accordance with the Bankruptcy Court's September 25 order, Mirant is continuing to perform the PPA-Related Obligations pending the resolution of the ongoing proceedings. However, if Mirant ultimately is successful in rejecting, and is otherwise permitted to stop performing the PPA-Related Obligations, Pepco could be required to repay to Mirant, for the period beginning on the effective date of the rejection (which date could be prior to the date of the court's order and possibly as early as September 18, 2003) 182 ____________________________________________________________________________ and ending on the date Mirant is entitled to cease its purchases of energy and capacity from Pepco, all amounts paid by Mirant to Pepco in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations, less an amount equal to the price at which Mirant resold the purchased energy and capacity. Pepco estimates that the amount it could be required to repay to Mirant in the unlikely event September 18, 2003, is determined to be the effective date of rejection, as of March 1, 2004, is approximately $51.4 million. This repayment would entitle Pepco to file a claim against the bankruptcy estate in an amount equal to the amount repaid. Mirant has also asked the Bankruptcy Court to require Pepco to disgorge all amounts paid by Mirant to Pepco in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations, less an amount equal to the price at which Mirant resold the purchased energy and capacity, for the period July 14, 2003 (the date on which Mirant filed its bankruptcy petition) to September 18, 2003, on the theory that Mirant did not receive value for those payments. Pepco estimates that the amount it would be required to repay to Mirant on the disgorgement theory is approximately $22.8 million. Pepco believes a claim based on this theory should be entitled to administrative expense status for which complete recovery could be expected. If Pepco were required to repay any such amounts for either period, the payment would be expensed at the time the payment is made. |
The following are estimates prepared by Pepco of its additional exposure if Mirant's motion to reject its PPA-Related Obligations ultimately is successful. These estimates are based in part on current market prices and forward price estimates for energy and capacity, and do not include financing costs, all of which could be subject to significant fluctuation. The estimates assume no recovery from the Mirant bankruptcy estate and no regulatory recovery, either of which would mitigate the effect of the estimated loss. Pepco does not consider it realistic to assume that there will be no such recoveries. Based on these assumptions, Pepco estimates that its pre-tax exposure as of March 1, 2004, representing the loss of the future benefit of the PPA-Related Obligations to Pepco, is as follows: |
The ability of Pepco to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate in respect of the Mirant Pre-Petition Obligations and damages if the PPA-Related Obligations are successfully rejected will depend on whether Pepco's claims are allowed, the amount of assets available for distribution to creditors and Pepco's priority relative to other creditors. At the current stage of the bankruptcy proceeding, there is insufficient information to determine the 183 ____________________________________________________________________________ amount, if any, that Pepco might be able to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate, whether the recovery would be in cash or another form of payment, or the timing of any recovery. |
If Mirant ultimately is successful in rejecting the PPA-Related Obligations and Pepco's full claim is not recovered from the Mirant bankruptcy estate, Pepco may seek authority from the MPSC and the DCPSC to recover its additional costs. Pepco is committed to working with its regulatory authorities to achieve a result that is appropriate for its shareholders and customers. Under the provisions of the settlement agreements approved by the MPSC and the DCPSC in the deregulation proceedings in which Pepco agreed to divest its generation assets under certain conditions, the PPAs were to become assets of Pepco's distribution business if they could not be sold. Pepco believes that, if Mirant ultimately is successful in rejecting the PPA-Related Obligations, these provisions would allow the stranded costs of the PPAs that are not recovered from the Mirant bankruptcy estate to be recovered through Pepco's distribution rates. If Pepco's interpretation o f the settlement agreements is confirmed, Pepco expects to be able to establish the amount of its anticipated recovery as a regulatory asset. However, there is no assurance that Pepco's interpretation of the settlement agreements would be confirmed by the respective public service commissions. |
If the PPA-Related Obligations are successfully rejected, and there is no regulatory recovery, Pepco will incur a loss. However, the accounting treatment of such a loss depends on a number of legal and regulatory factors, and is not determinable at this time. |
The SMECO Agreement |
As a term of the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, Pepco assigned to Mirant a facility and capacity agreement with Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SMECO) under which Pepco was obligated to purchase the capacity of an 84-megawatt combustion turbine installed and owned by SMECO at a former Pepco generating station (the SMECO Agreement). The agreement contemplates a monthly payment to SMECO of approximately $.5 million. Pepco is responsible to SMECO for the performance of the SMECO Agreement if Mirant fails to perform its obligations thereunder. At this time, Mirant continues to make post-petition payments due to SMECO. |
Rate Proceedings |
On February 3, 2003, ACE filed a petition with the NJBPU to increase its electric distribution rates and its Regulatory Asset Recovery Charge (RARC) in New Jersey. The petition was based on actual data for the nine months ended September 30, 2002, and forecasted data for the three months ended December 31, 2002 and sought an overall rate increase of approximately $68.4 million, consisting of an approximately $63.4 million increase in electricity distribution rates and $5 million for recovery of regulatory assets through the RARC. On October 28, 2003, ACE updated the filing with actual data for the full twelve-month test year ended December 31, 2002 and made other corrections. The update supported an overall rate increase of approximately $41.3 million, consisting of a $36.8 million increase in electricity distribution rates and a RARC of $4.5 million. This petition is ACE's first increase request for electric distribution rates s ince 1991. The requested increase would apply to all rate schedules in ACE's tariff. The Ratepayer Advocate filed testimony on January 3, 2004, proposing an annual rate decrease of $11.7 million. Intervenor groups representing industrial users and local generators filed testimony that did not take a position with respect to an overall rate change but their proposals, if 184 ____________________________________________________________________________ implemented, would affect the way in which an overall rate increase or decrease would be applied to the particular rates under which they receive service. ACE's rebuttal testimony, filed February 20, 2004, makes some changes to its October filing and proposes an overall rate increase of approximately $35.1 million, consisting of a $30.6 increase in distribution rates and a $4.5 million increase in the RARC. |
On July 31, 2003, the NJBPU issued an order transferring to the base rate proceeding consideration of $25.4 million of actual and projected deferred restructuring costs for which ACE was seeking recovery in a separate proceeding, which is discussed below, relating to the restructuring of ACE's electric utility business under the New Jersey Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act (EDECA). In its October 28, 2003 filing, ACE presented testimony supporting recovery of an increase in the amount of deferred restructuring costs recoverable from $25.4 million to $36.1 million, consisting of: (i) $3.7 million associated with BGS costs, (ii) $27.3 million of restructuring transition-related costs and (iii) $5.1 of transition costs related to fossil generation divestiture efforts. |
On December 12, 2003, the NJBPU issued an order also consolidating outstanding issues from several other proceedings into the base rate case proceeding. On December 22, 2003, ACE filed a Motion for Reconsideration in which it suggested that these issues be dealt with in a Phase II to the base rate case to address the outstanding issues identified in the December 12, 2003 Order. After discussion with the parties to the base rate case, it was agreed that a Phase II to the base rate case to these issues, along with the $36.1 million of deferred restructuring costs previously moved into the base rate case, would be initiated in April 2004. ACE cannot predict at this time the outcome of these proceeding. |
On March 31, 2003, DPL filed with the DPSC for an annual gas base rate increase of $16.8 million, or an increase of 12.7% in total operating revenue for DPL's gas business. The filing included a request for a ROE of 12.5%. DPL is currently authorized a ROE of 11.5% in Delaware. This is the first increase requested for DPL's gas distribution business since 1994. On May 30, 2003, DPL exercised its statutory right to implement an interim base rate increase of $2.5 million, or 1.9% of total operating revenue for DPL's gas business, subject to refund. On October 7, 2003, a settlement agreement was filed with the DPSC that provides for an annual gas base revenue increase of $7.75 million, with a 10.5% ROE, which equates to a 5.8% increase in total revenues for DPL's gas business. The settlement agreement provides that DPL is not required to refund the previously implemented interim rate increase. In addition, the settlement agreement provid es for establishment of an Environmental Surcharge to recover costs associated with remediation of a coal gas site. On December 9, 2003, the DPSC approved the settlement, making the interim $2.5 million increase final with no refunds and implementing an additional $5.25 million increase effective as of December 10, 2003. At the same time the DPSC approved a supplemental settlement which addresses customer service issues in the electric cost of service filing described below. DPL filed on February 13, 2004 for a change in electric ancillary service rates that has an aggregate effect of increasing annual revenues by $13.1 million or 2.4%. This filing was prompted by the increasing ancillary service costs charged to DPL by PJM. The PHI merger agreement, approved by the DPSC in Docket No. 01-194, provides that "Delmarva shall have the right to file to change in Ancillary components of rates to reflect the then applicable ancillary charges billed to Delmarva by PJM or successor organization." On Februar y 24, 2004, the DPSC accepted DPL's filing and placed the rates into effect on March 15, 2004, subject to refund. DPL made this filing on February 13, 2004. In future years DPL will make filings to 185 ____________________________________________________________________________ update the analysis of out of pocket environmental costs recoverable through the Environmental Surcharge rate. |
On March 1, 2002 DPL submitted a cost of service study with the DPSC demonstrating it was not over-earning on its electric distribution rates. On October 21, 2003, the DPSC approved a settlement with respect to the March 1, 2002 filing confirming that no increase or decrease in DPL's electric distribution rates was necessary. This settlement was consistent with the provisions of settlement approved by the DPSC in connection with the Pepco and Conectiv merger that provided for no change in DPL's distribution base rates until May 1, 2006. The rate settlement also establishes objectives and procedures to reduce the number of customers whose bills are estimated over 6 or more months due to difficulties in obtaining access to the meter and to establish a reduced interest charge for customers who are paying past due bills under a payment arrangement. The DPSC also approved a supplemental settlement on December 9, 2003, regarding quality of service by DPL. In the supplemental settlement, DPL agreed to additional customer service provisions, including opening full time walk-in facilities that accept payments, and standards for call center performance. |
On August 29, 2003, DPL submitted its annual Gas Cost Recovery (GCR) rate filing to the DPSC. In its filing, DPL sought to increase its GCR rate by approximately 15.8% in anticipation of increasing natural gas commodity costs. The rate, which passes DPL's increased gas costs along to its customers, became effective November 1, 2003 and is subject to refund pending evidentiary hearings that will commence in April 2004. |
In compliance with the merger settlement approved by the MPSC in connection with the merger of Pepco and Conectiv, on December 4, 2003, DPL and Pepco submitted testimony and supporting schedules to establish electricity distribution rates in Maryland effective July 1, 2004, when the current distribution rate freeze/caps end. DPL's filing demonstrates that it is in an under-earning situation and, as allowed in the merger settlement, DPL requested that a temporary rate reduction implemented on July 1, 2003 for non-residential customers be terminated effective July 1, 2004. DPL estimates that the termination of the rate reduction would increase its annual revenues by approximately $1.1 million. With limited exceptions, the merger settlement does not permit DPL to file for any additional rate increase until December 31, 2006. Pepco's filing also demonstrates that it is in an under-earning situation. However the merger settlement provides that Pepco's distribution rates after July 1, 2004 can only remain the same or be decreased. With limited exceptions, Pepco is not entitled to file for a rate increase until December 31, 2006. Although the outcome of these proceedings cannot be predicted, DPL and Pepco each believes that the likelihood that its distribution rate will be reduced as of July 1, 2004 is remote. |
Stranded Cost Determination and Securitization |
On January 31, 2003, ACE filed a petition with the NJBPU seeking an administrative determination of stranded costs associated with the B. L. England Generating Station. The net after tax stranded costs included in the petition were approximately $151 million. An administrative determination of the stranded costs was needed due to the cancelled sale of the plant. On July 25, 2003 the NJBPU rendered an oral decision approving the administrative determination of stranded costs at a level of $149.5 million. As a result of this order, ACE reversed $10.0 million ($5.9 million after-tax) of previously accrued liability for possible disallowance of stranded costs. This credit to expense is classified as an extraordinary item in 186 ____________________________________________________________________________ PHI's and ACE's Consolidated Statements of Earnings because the original accrual was part of an extraordinary charge resulting from the discontinuation of SFAS No. 71 in conjunction with the deregulation of ACE's energy business in September 1999. |
On February 5, 2003, the NJBPU issued an order on its own initiative seeking input from ACE and the Ratepayer Advocate as to whether and by how much to reduce the 13% pre-tax return that ACE was then authorized to earn on B. L. England. ACE responded on February 18 with arguments that: (1) reduced costs to ratepayers could be achieved legally through timely approvals by the NJBPU of the stranded cost filing made by ACE on January 31, 2003 and a securitization filing made the week of February 10, 2003; and (2) it would be unlawful, perhaps unconstitutional, and a breach of settlement and prior orders for the NJBPU to deny a fair recovery on prudently incurred investment and to do so without evidentiary hearings or other due process. On April 21, 2003, the NJBPU issued an order making the return previously allowed on B. L. England interim, as of the date of the order, and directing that the issue of the appropriate return for B. L. England be included in the stranded cost proceeding. On July 25, 2003, the NJBPU voted to approve a pre-tax return reflecting a 9.75% ROE for the period April 21, 2003 through August 1, 2003. The rate authorized by the NJBPU from August 1, 2003, through such time as ACE securitizes the stranded costs was 5.25%, which the NJBPU represented as being approximately equivalent to the securitization rate. On September 25, 2003, the NJBPU issued a written order memorializing its July 25, 2003 decision. |
On February 14, 2003, ACE filed a Bondable Stranded Costs Rate Order Petition with the NJBPU. The petition requested authority to issue $160 million of Transition Bonds to finance the recovery of stranded costs associated with B. L. England and costs of issuance. On September 25, 2003 the NJBPU issued a bondable stranded cost rate order authorizing the issuance of up to $152 million of Transition Bonds. On December 23, 2003, ACE Funding issued $152 million of Transition Bonds. |
Restructuring Deferral |
Pursuant to a July 15, 1999 summary order issued by the NJBPU under EDECA (which was subsequently affirmed by a final decision and order issued March 30, 2001), ACE was obligated to provide basic generation service from August 1, 1999 to at least July 31, 2002 to retail electricity customers in ACE's service territory who did not choose a competitive energy supplier. The order allowed ACE to recover through customer rates certain costs incurred in providing BGS. ACE's obligation to provide BGS was subsequently extended to July 31, 2003. At the allowed rates, for the period August 1, 1999 through July 31, 2003, ACE's aggregate allowed costs exceeded its aggregate revenues from supplying BGS. These under-recovered costs were partially offset by a $59.3 million deferred energy cost liability existing as of July 31, 1999 (LEAC Liability) that was related to ACE's Levelized Energy Adjustment Clause and ACE's Demand Side Management Programs. ACE established a regulatory asset in an amount equal to the balance. |
On August 1, 2002, ACE filed a petition with the NJBPU for the recovery of approximately $176.4 million in actual and projected deferred costs relating to the provision of BGS and other restructuring related costs incurred by ACE over the four-year period August 1, 1999 through July 31, 2003. The deferred balance is net of the $59.3 offset for the LEAC Liability. The petition also requests that ACE's rates be reset as of August 1, 2003 so that there will be no under-recovery of costs embedded in the rates on or after that date. The increase sought represents an overall 8.4% annual increase in electric rates and is in addition to the base rate 187 ____________________________________________________________________________ increase discussed above.ACE's recovery of the deferred costs is subject to review and approval by the NJBPU in accordance with EDECA. |
On July 31, 2003, the NJBPU issued a summary order permitting ACE to begin collecting a portion of the deferred costs and to reset rates to recover on-going costs incurred as a result of EDECA. The summary order approved the recovery of $125 million of the deferred balance over a ten-year amortization period beginning August 1, 2003. The summary order also transferred to ACE's pending base rate case for further consideration approximately $25.4 million of the deferred balance. The NJBPU estimated the overall deferral balance as of July 31, 2003 at $195 million, of which $44.6 million was disallowed recovery by ACE. Since the amounts included in this decision are based on estimates through July 31, 2003, the actual ending deferred cost balance will be subject to review and finalization by the NJPBU and ACE. The approved rates became effective on August 6, 2003. Based on an analysis of the summary order and in accordance with prevailing accounting rules, ACE recorded a charge of $27.5 million ($16.3 million after-tax) during the second quarter of 2003. This charge is in addition to amounts previously accrued for disallowance. ACE believes the record does not justify the level of disallowance imposed by the NJBPU. ACE is awaiting the final written order from the NJBPU and is evaluating its options related to this decision. The NJBPU's action is not appealable until a final written order has been issued. |
Pepco Regulatory Matters |
Divestiture Cases |
Final briefs on Pepco's District of Columbia divestiture proceeds sharing application were filed on July 31, 2002 following an evidentiary hearing in June 2002. That application was filed to implement a provision of Pepco's DCPSC approved divestiture settlement that provided for a sharing of any net proceeds from the sale of Pepco's generation-related assets. One of the principal issues in the case is whether Pepco should be required to share with customers, on an approximately 50/50 basis, the excess deferred income taxes (EDIT) and accumulated deferred investment tax credits (ADITC) associated with the sold assets and, if so, whether such sharing would violate the normalization provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and its implementing regulations. As of December 31, 2003, the District of Columbia allocated portions of EDIT and ADITC associated with the divested generation assets were, respectively, approximately $6.5 million and $5 .8 million, respectively. Other issues in the proceeding deal with the treatment of internal costs and cost allocations as deductions from the gross proceeds of the divestiture. |
Pepco believes that a sharing of EDIT and ADITC would violate the normalization rules. If Pepco were required to share EDIT and ADITC and, as a result, the normalization rules were violated, Pepco would be unable to use accelerated depreciation on District of Columbia allocated or assigned property. Pepco, in addition to sharing with customers an amount equal to approximately 50% of the generation-related ADITC balance, would have to pay to the IRS an amount equal to Pepco's $5.8 million District of Columbia jurisdictional generation-related ADITC balance as well as its District of Columbia jurisdictional transmission and distribution-related ADITC balance as of the later of the date a DCPSC order is issued and all rights to appeal have been exhausted or lapsed, or the date the DCPSC order becomes operative. As of December 31, 2003, the District of Columbia jurisdictional transmission and distribution-related ADITC balance was approximately $8 million. |
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Pepco believes that its calculation of the District of Columbia customers' share of divestiture proceeds is correct. However, depending on the ultimate outcome of this proceeding, Pepco could be required to make additional gain-sharing payments to D.C. customers, including the payments described above related to EDIT and ADITC. Such additional payments (which, other than the EDIT and ADITC related payments, cannot be estimated) would be charged to expense in the quarter and year in which a final decision is rendered and could have a material adverse effect on Pepco's and PHI's results of operations for those periods. However, neither PHI nor Pepco believes that additional gain-sharing payments, if any, or the ADITC-related payments to the IRS, if required, would have a material adverse impact on its financial condition. It is uncertain when the DCPSC will issue a decision. |
Pepco filed its divestiture proceeds plan application in Maryland in April 2001. Reply briefs were filed in May 2002. The principal issue in the Maryland case is the same EDIT and ADITC sharing issue that was raised in the D.C. case. As of December 31, 2003, the Maryland allocated portions of EDIT and ADITC associated with the divested generation assets were approximately $9.1 million and $10.4 million, respectively. Other issues deal with the treatment of certain costs as deductions from the gross proceeds of the divestiture. On November 21, 2003, the Hearing Examiner in the Maryland proceeding issued a proposed order that concluded that Pepco's Maryland divestiture settlement agreement provided for a sharing between Pepco and customers of the EDIT and ADITC associated with the sold assets. Pepco believes that such a sharing would violate the normalization rules and would result in Pepco's inability to use accelerated depreciation on Mary land allocated or assigned property. If the proposed order is affirmed, Pepco would have to share with its Maryland customers, on an approximately 50/50 basis, the Maryland allocated portion of the generation-related EDIT,i.e., $9.1 million, and the generation-related ADITC. If such sharing were to violate the normalization rules, Pepco, in addition to sharing with customers an amount equal to approximately 50% of the generation-related ADITC balance, would be unable to use accelerated depreciation on Maryland allocated or assigned property. Furthermore, Pepco would have to pay to the IRS an amount equal to Pepco's $10.4 million Maryland jurisdictional generation-related ADITC balance, as well as its Maryland retail jurisdictional ADITC transmission and distribution-related balance as of the later of the date a MPSC order is issued and all rights to appeal have been exhausted or lapsed, or the date the MPSC order becomes operative. As of December 31, 2003, the Maryland retail jurisdictional t ransmission and distribution-related ADITC balance was approximately $12 million. The Hearing Examiner decided all other issues in favor of Pepco, except that only one-half of the severance payments that Pepco included in its calculation of corporate reorganization costs should be deducted from the sales proceeds before sharing of the net gain between Pepco and customers. |
Under Maryland law, if the proposed order is appealed to the MPSC, the proposed order is not a final, binding order of the MPSC and further action by the MPSC is required with respect to this matter. Pepco has appealed the Hearing Examiner's decision on the treatment of EDIT and ADITC and corporate reorganization costs to the MPSC. Pepco cannot predict what the outcome of the appeal will be or when the appeal might be decided. Pepco believes that its calculation of the Maryland customers' share of divestiture proceeds is correct. However, depending on the ultimate outcome of this proceeding, Pepco could be required to share with its customers approximately 50% of the EDIT and ADITC balances described above and make additional gain-sharing payments related to the disallowed severance payments. Such additional payments would be charged to expense in the quarter and year in which a final decision is rendered and could have a material adverse e ffect on results of operations 189 ____________________________________________________________________________ for those periods. However, neither PHI nor Pepco believes that additional gain-sharing payments, if any, or the ADITC-related payments to the IRS, if required, would have a material adverse impact on its financial condition. |
General Litigation |
Asbestos |
During 1993, Pepco was served with Amended Complaints filed in the state Circuit Courts of Prince George's County, Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland in separate ongoing, consolidated proceedings known as "In re: Personal Injury Asbestos Case." Pepco and other corporate entities were brought into these cases on a theory of premises liability. Under this theory, plaintiffs argue that Pepco was negligent in not providing a safe work environment for employees or its contractors, who allegedly were exposed to asbestos while working on Pepco's property. Initially, a total of approximately 448 individual plaintiffs added Pepco to their complaints. While the pleadings are not entirely clear, it appears that each plaintiff sought $2 million in compensatory damages and $4 million in punitive damages from each defendant. |
Since the initial filings in 1993, additional individual suits have been filed against Pepco, and significant numbers of cases have been dismissed. As a result of two motions to dismiss, numerous hearings and meetings and one motion for summary judgment, Pepco has had approximately 400 of these cases successfully dismissed with prejudice, either voluntarily or by the court. Of the approximately 250 remaining asbestos cases pending against Pepco, approximately 85 cases were filed after December 19, 2000, and were tendered to Mirant for defense and indemnification pursuant to the terms of the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement. |
While the aggregate amount of monetary damages sought in the remaining suits exceeds $400 million, Pepco believes the amounts claimed by current plaintiffs are greatly exaggerated. The amount of total liability, if any, and any related insurance recovery cannot be precisely determined at this time; however, based on information and relevant circumstances known at this time, Pepco does not believe these suits will have a material adverse effect on its financial condition. However, if an unfavorable decision were rendered against Pepco, it could have a material adverse effect on Pepco's and PHI's results of operations. |
Enron |
On December 2, 2001, Enron North America Corp. and several of its affiliates filed for protection under the United States Bankruptcy Code. In December 2001, DPL and Conectiv Energy terminated all energy trading transactions under various agreements with Enron. In late January 2003, after several months of discussions between the parties concerning the amount owed by DPL and Conectiv Energy, Enron filed an adversary complaint against Conectiv Energy in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The complaint seeks, among other things, damages in the amount of approximately $11.7 million and a declaration that provisions permitting Conectiv Energy to set off amounts owed by Enron under certain agreements against amounts owed by Conectiv Energy under other agreements are unenforceable. Conectiv Energy disagrees with Enron's calculation of the amount due to Enron (Conectiv Energy believes the amount due is approximately $4 m illion) and believes that Enron's other claims are without merit. |
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On March 4, 2003, the bankruptcy court ordered that all adversary proceedings (approximately 25 cases) involving Enron's trading agreements be directed to mediation. Enron and Conectiv Energy have exchanged mediation statements and held a number of mediation sessions. While some progress has been made in narrowing the number of disputed issues, a mediated resolution of the dollar issue is still uncertain. Conectiv Energy cannot predict the outcome of this suit; however, Conectiv Energy does not believe that any amount it would be required to pay Enron would have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations. |
Environmental Matters and Litigation |
PHI, through its subsidiaries, is subject to regulation by various federal, regional, state, and local authorities with respect to the environmental effects of its operations, including air and water quality control, solid and hazardous waste disposal, and limitations on land use. In addition, federal and state statutes authorize governmental agencies to compel responsible parties to clean up certain abandoned or unremediated hazardous waste sites. PHI's subsidiaries may incur costs to clean up currently or formerly owned facilities or sites found to be contaminated, as well as other facilities or sites that may have been contaminated due to past disposal practices. PHI currently estimates that capital expenditures for environmental control facilities by its subsidiaries will be $4.9 million in 2004 and $1.4 million in 2005. However, the actual costs of environmental compliance may be materially different from these estimates depending on the outcome of the matters addressed below or as a result of the imposition of additional environmental requirements or new or different interpretations of existing environmental laws and regulations. |
In October 1995, each of Pepco and DPL received notice from EPA that it, along with several hundred other companies, might be a potentially responsible party (PRP) in connection with the Spectron Superfund Site in Elkton, Maryland. The site was operated as a hazardous waste disposal, recycling and processing facility from 1961 to 1988. |
In August 2001, Pepco entered into a Consent Decree for de minimis parties with EPA to resolve its liability at this site. Under the terms of the consent decree, which was approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland on March 31, 2003, Pepco made de minimis payments to the United States and a group of PRPs. In return, those parties agreed not to sue Pepco for past and future costs of remediation at the site and the United States will also provide protection against third-party claims for contributions related to response actions at the site. The Consent Decree does not cover any damages to natural resources. However, Pepco believes that any liability that it might incur due to natural resource damage at this site would not have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations. |
In February 2003, the EPA informed DPL that it will have no future liability for contribution to the remediation of the site. |
In the early 1970s, both Pepco and DPL sold scrap transformers, some of which may have contained some level of PCBs, to a metal reclaimer operating at the Metal Bank/Cottman Avenue site in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, owned by a nonaffiliated company. In December 1987, Pepco and DPL were notified by EPA that they, along with a number of other utilities and non-utilities, were PRPs in connection with the PCB contamination at the site. |
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In October 1994, a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) including a number of possible remedies was submitted to the EPA. In December 1997, the EPA signed a Record of Decision (ROD) that set forth a selected remedial action plan with estimated implementation costs of approximately $17 million. In June 1998, the EPA issued a unilateral Administrative Order to Pepco and 12 other PRPs to conduct the design and actions called for in the ROD. On May 12, 2003, two of the potentially liable owner/operator entities filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. On October 2, 2003, the Bankruptcy Court confirmed a Reorganization Plan that incorporates the terms of a settlement among the debtors, the United States and a group of utility PRPs including Pepco. Under the settlement, the reorganized entity/site owner will pay a total of $13.25 million to remediate the site. |
As of December 31, 2003, Pepco accrued $1.7 million to meet its share of the costs assigned to PRPs under these EPA rulings. At the present time, it is not possible to estimate the total extent of EPA's administrative and oversight costs or the expense associated with a site remedy ultimately acceptable to EPA. However, Pepco believes that its liability at this site will not have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations. |
In 1999, DPL entered into a de minimis settlement with EPA and paid approximately $107,000 to resolve its liability for cleanup costs at the site. The de minimis settlement did not resolve DPL's responsibility for natural resource damages, if any, at the site. DPL believes that any liability for natural resource damages at this site will not have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations. |
In June 1992, EPA identified ACE as a PRP at the Bridgeport Rental and Oil Services (BROS) Superfund Site in Logan Township, New Jersey. In September 1996, ACE along with other PRPs signed a consent decree with EPA and NJDEP to address remediation of the site. ACE's liability is limited to 0.232 percent of the aggregate remediation liability and thus far ACE has made contributions of approximately $105,000. A Phase 2 RI/FS to address groundwater and possible wetlands contamination at the site that was to have been completed in September 2003 is significantly behind schedule, so ACE is not able to predict if it may be required to make additional contributions. Based on information currently available, ACE may be required to contribute approximately an additional $52,000. ACE believes that its liability at this site will not have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations. |
In November 1991, NJDEP identified ACE as a PRP at the Delilah Road Landfill site in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. In 1993, ACE, along with other PRPs, signed an Administrative Consent Order with NJDEP to remediate the site. The soil cap remedy for the site has been completed and the NJDEP conditionally approved the Remedial Action Report in January 2003. In December 2003, the PRP group submitted to NJDEP for approval a Ground Water Sampling and Analysis Plan. The results of groundwater monitoring over the first year of this ground water sampling plan will help to determine the extent of post-remedy operation and maintenance costs. In March 2003, EPA demanded from the PRP group reimbursement for EPA's past costs at the site, totaling $168,789. The PRP group objected to the demand for certain costs, but agreed to reimburse EPA approximately $19,000. |
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Third Party Guarantees, Indemnifications and Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements |
Pepco Holdings and certain of its subsidiaries have various financial and performance guarantees and indemnification obligations which are entered into in the normal course of business to facilitate commercial transactions with third parties as discussed below. |
As of December 31, 2003, Pepco Holdings and its subsidiaries were parties to a variety of agreements pursuant to which they were guarantors for standby letters of credit, performance residual value, and other commitments and obligations. The fair value of these commitments and obligations was not required to be recorded in Pepco Holdings' consolidated Balance Sheets; however, certain energy marketing obligations of Conectiv Energy were recorded. The commitments and obligations, in millions of dollars, were as follows: |
The methods and assumptions below were used to estimate, at December 31, 2003 and 2002, the fair value of each class of financial instruments shown above for which it is practicable to estimate that value. |
The fair values of the Long-term Debt, which includes First Mortgage Bonds and Medium-Term Notes, excluding amounts due within one year, were based on the current market prices, or for issues with no market price available, were based on discounted cash flows using current rates for similar issues with similar terms and remaining maturities. |
The fair values of the Serial Preferred Stock, Redeemable Serial Preferred Stock and Company Obligated Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Securities of Subsidiary Trust, excluding amounts due within one year, were based on quoted market prices or discounted cash flows using current rates of preferred stock with similar terms. |
The carrying amounts of all other financial instruments approximate fair value. |
(11) COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
Relationship with Mirant Corporation |
In 2000, Pepco sold substantially all of its electricity generation assets to Mirant Corporation, formerly Southern Energy, Inc. As part of the sale, Pepco entered into several ongoing contractual arrangements with Mirant and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, Mirant). On July 14, 2003, Mirant Corporation and most of its subsidiaries filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas (the Bankruptcy Court). Under bankruptcy law, a debtor generally may, with authorization from a bankruptcy court, assume or reject executory contracts. A rejection of an executory contract entitles the counterparty to file a claim as an unsecured creditor against the bankruptcy estate for damages incurred due to the 227 ____________________________________________________________________________ rejection of the contract. In a bankruptcy proceeding, a debtor can normally restructure some or all of its pre-petition liabilities. |
Depending on the outcome of the matters discussed below, the Mirant bankruptcy could have a material adverse effect on the results of operations of Pepco. However, management currently believes that Pepco has sufficient cash, cash flow and borrowing capacity under their credit facilities and in the capital markets to be able to satisfy the additional cash requirements that are expected to arise due to the Mirant bankruptcy. Accordingly, management does not anticipate that the Mirant bankruptcy will impair the ability of Pepco to fulfill their contractual obligations or to fund projected capital expenditures. On this basis, management currently does not believe that the Mirant bankruptcy will have a material adverse effect on Pepco's financial condition. |
Transition Power Agreements |
As part of the asset purchase and sale agreement for the Pepco generation assets (the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement), Pepco and Mirant entered into Transition Power Agreements for Maryland and the District of Columbia, respectively (collectively, the TPAs). Under these agreements, Mirant was obligated to supply Pepco with all of the capacity and energy needed to fulfill its standard offer service obligations in Maryland through June 2004 and its standard offer service obligations in the District of Columbia into January 2005, in each case at rates that were lower than the rates that Pepco charges to its customers. The original rates under the TPAs were less than the prevailing market rates. |
At the time Mirant filed for bankruptcy, the purchase prices for energy and capacity under the TPAs were below the prevailing market rates. To avoid the potential rejection of the TPAs Pepco and Mirant Corporation and its affiliate Mirant Americas Energy Marketing, LP (the Mirant Parties) entered into a settlement agreement, which was approved by the Bankruptcy Court on November 19, 2003 (the Settlement Agreement). Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the Mirant Parties have assumed both of the TPAs and the TPAs have been amended, effective October 1, 2003, to increase the purchase price of energy thereunder as described below. The Settlement Agreement also provides that Pepco has an allowed, pre-petition general unsecured claim against each of the Mirant Parties in the amount of $105 million (the Pepco TPA Claim), and has the right to assert the Pepco TPA Claim against other Mirant debtors. On December 15, 2003, Pepco filed Proofs of Claim in the amount of $105 million against the appropriate Mirant debtors. |
In accordance with the Settlement Agreement, the purchase price of energy under the TPAs has increased from $35.50 to $41.90 per megawatt hour during summer months (May 1 through September 30) and from $25.30 to $31.70 per megawatt hour during winter months (October 1 through April 30) under the District of Columbia TPA and has increased from $40.00 to $46.40 per megawatt hour during summer months and from $22.20 to $28.60 per megawatt hour during winter months under the Maryland TPA. Under the amended TPAs, the purchase prices paid by Pepco for capacity in the District of Columbia and Maryland remain $3.50 per megawatt hour and the charge paid by Pepco for certain ancillary services remain $.50 per megawatt hour. The amendments to the TPAs have resulted in an increase in the average purchase price to Pepco for energy from approximately 3.4 cents per kilowatt hour under the original terms of the TPAs to an average purchase price of approximatel y 4.0 cents per kilowatt hour. The revenues produced by the currently approved tariff rates 228 ____________________________________________________________________________ that Pepco charges its customers for providing standard offer service average approximately 4.1 cents per kilowatt hour. |
Pepco estimates that, as a result of the price increases, it will pay Mirant an additional $105 million for the purchase of energy beginning October 1, 2003 through the remaining terms of the TPAs. These payments will be offset by a reduction of payments by Pepco to customers for the period 2003 through 2006 of approximately $45 million pursuant to the generation procurement credit established pursuant to regulatory settlements entered into in the District of Columbia and Maryland under which Pepco and its customers share any margin between the price paid by Pepco to procure standard offer service and the price paid by customers for standard offer service. As a result, Pepco currently anticipates that it will incur a net additional cash outlay of approximately $60 million due to the amendments of the respective TPAs. The foregoing estimates are based on current service territory load served by competitive suppliers and by standard offer se rvice and does not include financing costs, all of which could be subject to fluctuation. |
The amount, if any, that Pepco will be able to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate in respect of the Pepco TPA Claim will depend on the amount of assets available for distribution to creditors. At the current stage of the bankruptcy proceeding, there is insufficient information to determine the amount, if any, that Pepco might be able to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate. No receivable has been recorded in Pepco's accounting records in respect of the Pepco TPA Claim. Any recovery would be shared with customers pursuant to the generation procurement credit. |
Power Purchase Agreements |
Under agreements with FirstEnergy Corp., formerly Ohio Edison (FirstEnergy), and Allegheny Energy, Inc., both entered into in 1987, Pepco is obligated to purchase from FirstEnergy 450 megawatts of capacity and energy annually through December 2005 (the FirstEnergy PPA). Under an agreement with Panda, entered into in 1991, Pepco is obligated to purchase from Panda 230 megawatts of capacity and energy annually through 2021 (the Panda PPA). In each case, the purchase price is substantially in excess of current market prices. As a part of the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, Pepco entered into a "back-to-back" arrangement with Mirant. Under this arrangement, Mirant is obligated, among other things, to purchase from Pepco the capacity and energy that Pepco is obligated to purchase under the FirstEnergy PPA and the Panda PPA at a price equal to the price Pepco is obligated to pay under the PPAs (the PPA-Related Obligations). |
Pepco Pre-Petition Claims |
When Mirant filed its bankruptcy petition on July 14, 2003, Mirant had unpaid obligations to Pepco of approximately $29 million, consisting primarily of payments due to Pepco in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations (the Mirant Pre-Petition Obligations). The Mirant Pre-Petition Obligations constitute part of the indebtedness for which Mirant is seeking relief in its bankruptcy proceeding. Pepco has filed Proofs of Claim in the Mirant bankruptcy proceeding in the amount of approximately $26 million to recover this indebtedness; however, the amount of Pepco's recovery, if any, is uncertain. The $3 million difference between Mirant's unpaid obligation to Pepco and the $26 million Proofs of Claim filed by Pepco primarily represents a TPA settlement adjustment which is included in the $105 million Proofs of Claim filed by Pepco on December 15, 2003 against the Mirant debtors. In view of this uncertainty, Pepco, in the third quarter of 2003 , expensed $14.5 229 ____________________________________________________________________________ million ($8.7 million after-tax) to establish a reserve against the $29 million receivable from Mirant. The amount expensed represents Pepco's estimate of the possible outcome in bankruptcy, although the amount ultimately recoverable could be higher or lower. |
Mirant's Attempt to Reject the PPA-Related Obligations |
On August 28, 2003, Mirant filed with the Bankruptcy Court a motion seeking authorization to reject its PPA-Related Obligations. Mirant's motion also sought injunctions to prohibit Pepco from initiating, or encouraging any person or entity to initiate, any proceedings before the FERC that seek to require Mirant to perform the PPA-Related Obligations and to prohibit FERC from taking any action to require Mirant to perform the PPA-Related Obligations. |
On September 25, 2003, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order stating that it was not necessary to issue an injunction against Pepco because the automatic stay provisions of the Bankruptcy Code prohibit Pepco from commencing or continuing any judicial or administrative proceedings against Mirant. The Bankruptcy Court's order did grant a preliminary injunction that prohibits FERC from (i) taking any action to require or coerce Mirant to abide by the terms of the PPA-Related Obligations or commencing or continuing any proceeding outside of the Bankruptcy Court with respect to the PPA-Related Obligations and (ii) taking any action, or encouraging any person or entity to take an action, to require or coerce Mirant to abide by the terms of the TPAs. The Bankruptcy Court also ordered Mirant to continue to perform the PPA-Related Obligations and its obligations under the TPAs until relieved of those obligations by an order of an appropriate court. |
Upon motions filed by Pepco and FERC, on October 9, 2003, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas (the District Court) withdrew jurisdiction over both the rejection and preliminary injunction proceedings from the Bankruptcy Court. On December 23, 2003, the District Court denied Mirant's motion to reject the PPA-Related Obligations. On January 5, 2004 Mirant filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (the Circuit Court) a notice of appeal of the District Court's December 23 decision. On January 6, 2004, The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Mirant Corporation (the Creditors Committee) filed with the Circuit Court a separate notice of appeal of the December 23 decision. Also on January 6, 2004, the District Court entered an order dissolving all injunctive relief granted by the Bankruptcy Court in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations, and Mirant and the Creditors Committee each subsequently filed a motion with the Circuit Court for a stay of the dissolution order pending resolution of the appeals, as well as motions to expedite the appeals. On January 23, 2004, the Circuit Court denied Mirant's and the Creditors Committee's motions to expedite the appeal. On January 26, 2004, the Circuit Court denied Mirant's and the Creditors Committee's motions to stay the District Court's Order. Oral argument will be scheduled the week of May 3, 2004. |
Pepco is exercising all available legal remedies and vigorously opposing Mirant's continued attempts to reject the PPA-Related Obligations in order to protect the interests of its customers and shareholders. While Pepco believes that it has substantial legal bases to oppose the attempt to reject the agreements, the outcome of Mirant's efforts to reject the PPA-Related Obligations is uncertain. |
In accordance with the Bankruptcy Court's September 25 order, Mirant is continuing to perform the PPA-Related Obligations pending the resolution of 230 ____________________________________________________________________________ the ongoing proceedings. However, if Mirant ultimately is successful in rejecting, and is otherwise permitted to stop performing the PPA-Related Obligations, Pepco could be required to repay to Mirant, for the period beginning on the effective date of the rejection (which date could be prior to the date of the court's order and possibly as early as September 18, 2003) and ending on the date Mirant is entitled to cease its purchases of energy and capacity from Pepco, all amounts paid by Mirant to Pepco in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations, less an amount equal to the price at which Mirant resold the purchased energy and capacity. Pepco estimates that the amount it could be required to repay to Mirant in the unlikely event September 18, 2003, is determined to be the effective date of rejection, as of March 1, 2004, is approximately $51.4 million. This repayment would entitle Pepco to file a claim against the bankruptcy estate in an amount equal to the amount repaid. Mirant has also asked the Bankruptcy Court to require Pepco to disgorge all amounts paid by Mirant to Pepco in respect of the PPA-Related Obligations, less an amount equal to the price at which Mirant resold the purchased energy and capacity, for the period July 14, 2003 (the date on which Mirant filed its bankruptcy petition) to September 18, 2003, on the theory that Mirant did not receive value for those payments. Pepco estimates that the amount it would be required to repay to Mirant on the disgorgement theory is approximately $22.8 million. Pepco believes a claim based on this theory should be entitled to administrative expense status for which complete recovery could be expected. If Pepco were required to repay any such amounts for either period, the payment would be expensed at the time the payment is made. |
The following are estimates prepared by Pepco of its additional exposure if Mirant's motion to reject its PPA-Related Obligations ultimately is successful. These estimates are based in part on current market prices and forward price estimates for energy and capacity, and do not include financing costs, all of which could be subject to significant fluctuation. The estimates assume no recovery from the Mirant bankruptcy estate and no regulatory recovery, either of which would mitigate the effect of the estimated loss. Pepco does not consider it realistic to assume that there will be no such recoveries. Based on these assumptions, Pepco estimates that its pre-tax exposure as of March 1, 2004, representing the loss of the future benefit of the PPA-Related Obligations to Pepco, is as follows: |
231 ____________________________________________________________________________ |
The ability of Pepco to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate in respect of the Mirant Pre-Petition Obligations and damages if the PPA-Related Obligations are successfully rejected will depend on whether Pepco's claims are allowed, the amount of assets available for distribution to creditors and Pepco's priority relative to other creditors. At the current stage of the bankruptcy proceeding, there is insufficient information to determine the amount, if any, that Pepco might be able to recover from the Mirant bankruptcy estate, whether the recovery would be in cash or another form of payment, or the timing of any recovery. |
If Mirant ultimately is successful in rejecting the PPA-Related Obligations and Pepco's full claim is not recovered from the Mirant bankruptcy estate, Pepco may seek authority from the MPSC and the DCPSC to recover its additional costs. Pepco is committed to working with its regulatory authorities to achieve a result that is appropriate for its shareholders and customers. Under the provisions of the settlement agreements approved by the MPSC and the DCPSC in the deregulation proceedings in which Pepco agreed to divest its generation assets under certain conditions, the PPAs were to become assets of Pepco's distribution business if they could not be sold. Pepco believes that, if Mirant ultimately is successful in rejecting the PPA-Related Obligations, these provisions would allow the stranded costs of the PPAs that are not recovered from the Mirant bankruptcy estate to be recovered through Pepco's distribution rates. If Pepco's interpretation o f the settlement agreements is confirmed, Pepco expects to be able to establish the amount of its anticipated recovery as a regulatory asset. However, there is no assurance that Pepco's interpretation of the settlement agreements would be confirmed by the respective public service commissions. |
If the PPA-Related Obligations are successfully rejected, and there is no regulatory recovery, Pepco will incur a loss. However, the accounting treatment of such a loss depends on a number of legal and regulatory factors, and is not determinable at this time. |
The SMECO Agreement |
As a term of the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, Pepco assigned to Mirant a facility and capacity agreement with Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SMECO) under which Pepco was obligated to purchase the capacity of an 84-megawatt combustion turbine installed and owned by SMECO at a former Pepco generating station (the SMECO Agreement). The agreement contemplates a monthly payment to SMECO of approximately $.5 million. Pepco is responsible to SMECO for the performance of the SMECO Agreement if Mirant fails to perform its obligations thereunder. At this time, Mirant continues to make post-petition payments due to SMECO. |
Regulatory Matters |
Divestiture Cases |
Final briefs on Pepco's District of Columbia divestiture proceeds sharing application were filed on July 31, 2002 following an evidentiary hearing in June 2002. That application was filed to implement a provision of Pepco's DCPSC approved divestiture settlement that provided for a sharing of any net proceeds from the sale of Pepco's generation-related assets. One of the principal issues in the case is whether Pepco should be required to share with customers, on an approximately 50/50 basis, the excess deferred income taxes (EDIT) and accumulated deferred investment tax credits (ADITC) associated with the sold assets and, if so, whether such sharing would violate the normalization provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and its 232 ____________________________________________________________________________ implementing regulations. As of December 31, 2003, the District of Columbia allocated portions of EDIT and ADITC associated with the divested generation assets were, respectively, approximately $6.5 million and $5.8 million, respectively. Other issues in the proceeding deal with the treatment of internal costs and cost allocations as deductions from the gross proceeds of the divestiture. |
Pepco believes that a sharing of EDIT and ADITC would violate the normalization rules. If Pepco were required to share EDIT and ADITC and, as a result, the normalization rules were violated, Pepco would be unable to use accelerated depreciation on District of Columbia allocated or assigned property. Pepco, in addition to sharing with customers an amount equal to approximately 50% of the generation-related ADITC balance, would have to pay to the IRS an amount equal to Pepco's $5.8 million District of Columbia jurisdictional generation-related ADITC balance as well as its District of Columbia jurisdictional transmission and distribution-related ADITC balance as of the later of the date a DCPSC order is issued and all rights to appeal have been exhausted or lapsed, or the date the DCPSC order becomes operative. As of December 31, 2003, the District of Columbia jurisdictional transmission and distribution-related ADITC balance was approxima tely $8 million. |
Pepco believes that its calculation of the District of Columbia customers' share of divestiture proceeds is correct. However, depending on the ultimate outcome of this proceeding, Pepco could be required to make additional gain-sharing payments to D.C. customers, including the payments described above related to EDIT and ADITC. Such additional payments (which, other than the EDIT and ADITC related payments, cannot be estimated) would be charged to expense in the quarter and year in which a final decision is rendered and could have a material adverse effect on Pepco's and PHI's results of operations for those periods. However, neither PHI nor Pepco believes that additional gain-sharing payments, if any, or the ADITC-related payments to the IRS, if required, would have a material adverse impact on its financial condition. It is uncertain when the DCPSC will issue a decision. |
Pepco filed its divestiture proceeds plan application in Maryland in April 2001. Reply briefs were filed in May 2002. The principal issue in the Maryland case is the same EDIT and ADITC sharing issue that was raised in the D.C. case. As of December 31, 2003, the Maryland allocated portions of EDIT and ADITC associated with the divested generation assets were approximately $9.1 million and $10.4 million, respectively. Other issues deal with the treatment of certain costs as deductions from the gross proceeds of the divestiture. On November 21, 2003, the Hearing Examiner in the Maryland proceeding issued a proposed order that concluded that Pepco's Maryland divestiture settlement agreement provided for a sharing between Pepco and customers of the EDIT and ADITC associated with the sold assets. Pepco believes that such a sharing would violate the normalization rules and would result in Pepco's inability to use accelerated depreciation on Maryland allocated or assigned property. If the proposed order is affirmed, Pepco would have to share with its Maryland customers, on an approximately 50/50 basis, the Maryland allocated portion of the generation-related EDIT,i.e., $9.1 million, and the generation-related ADITC. If such sharing were to violate the normalization rules, Pepco, in addition to sharing with customers an amount equal to approximately 50% of the generation-related ADITC balance, would be unable to use accelerated depreciation on Maryland allocated or assigned property. Furthermore, Pepco would have to pay to the IRS an amount equal to Pepco's $10.4 million Maryland jurisdictional generation-related ADITC balance, as well as its Maryland retail jurisdictional ADITC transmission and distribution-related balance as of the later of the date a MPSC order is issued and all rights to appeal have been exhausted or lapsed, 233 ____________________________________________________________________________ or the date the MPSC order becomes operative. As of December 31, 2003, the Maryland retail jurisdictional transmission and distribution-related ADITC balance was approximately $12 million. The Hearing Examiner decided all other issues in favor of Pepco, except that only one-half of the severance payments that Pepco included in its calculation of corporate reorganization costs should be deducted from the sales proceeds before sharing of the net gain between Pepco and customers. |
Under Maryland law, if the proposed order is appealed to the MPSC, the proposed order is not a final, binding order of the MPSC and further action by the MPSC is required with respect to this matter. Pepco has appealed the Hearing Examiner's decision on the treatment of EDIT and ADITC and corporate reorganization costs to the MPSC. Pepco cannot predict what the outcome of the appeal will be or when the appeal might be decided. Pepco believes that its calculation of the Maryland customers' share of divestiture proceeds is correct. However, depending on the ultimate outcome of this proceeding, Pepco could be required to share with its customers approximately 50% of the EDIT and ADITC balances described above and make additional gain-sharing payments related to the disallowed severance payments. Such additional payments would be charged to expense in the quarter and year in which a final decision is rendered and could have a material adverse e ffect on results of operations for those periods. However, neither PHI nor Pepco believes that additional gain-sharing payments, if any, or the ADITC-related payments to the IRS, if required, would have a material adverse impact on its financial condition. |
General Litigation |
Asbestos |
During 1993, Pepco was served with Amended Complaints filed in the state Circuit Courts of Prince George's County, Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland in separate ongoing, consolidated proceedings known as "In re: Personal Injury Asbestos Case." Pepco and other corporate entities were brought into these cases on a theory of premises liability. Under this theory, plaintiffs argue that Pepco was negligent in not providing a safe work environment for employees or its contractors, who allegedly were exposed to asbestos while working on Pepco's property. Initially, a total of approximately 448 individual plaintiffs added Pepco to their complaints. While the pleadings are not entirely clear, it appears that each plaintiff sought $2 million in compensatory damages and $4 million in punitive damages from each defendant. |
Since the initial filings in 1993, additional individual suits have been filed against Pepco, and significant numbers of cases have been dismissed. As a result of two motions to dismiss, numerous hearings and meetings and one motion for summary judgment, Pepco has had approximately 400 of these cases successfully dismissed with prejudice, either voluntarily or by the court. Of the approximately 250 remaining asbestos cases pending against Pepco, approximately 85 cases were filed after December 19, 2000, and were tendered to Mirant for defense and indemnification pursuant to the terms of the Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement. |
While the aggregate amount of monetary damages sought in the remaining suits exceeds $400 million, Pepco believes the amounts claimed by current plaintiffs are greatly exaggerated. The amount of total liability, if any, and any related insurance recovery cannot be precisely determined at this time; however, based on information and relevant circumstances known at this time, Pepco does not believe these suits will have a material adverse effect on its financial condition. However, if an unfavorable decision were rendered 234 ____________________________________________________________________________ against Pepco, it could have a material adverse effect on Pepco's and PHI's results of operations. |
Environmental Matters and Litigation |
Pepco is subject to regulation by various federal, regional, state, and local authorities with respect to the environmental effects of its operations, including air and water quality control, solid and hazardous waste disposal, and limitations on land use. In addition, federal and state statutes authorize governmental agencies to compel responsible parties to clean up certain abandoned or unremediated hazardous waste sites. Pepco may incur costs to clean up currently or formerly owned facilities or sites found to be contaminated, as well as other facilities or sites that may have been contaminated due to past disposal practices. |
In October 1995, Pepco received notice from EPA that it, along with several hundred other companies, might be a potentially responsible party (PRP) in connection with the Spectron Superfund Site in Elkton, Maryland. The site was operated as a hazardous waste disposal, recycling and processing facility from 1961 to 1988. |
In August 2001, Pepco entered into a Consent Decree for de minimis parties with EPA to resolve its liability at this site. Under the terms of the consent decree, which was approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland on March 31, 2003, Pepco made de minimis payments to the United States and a group of PRPs. In return, those parties agreed not to sue Pepco for past and future costs of remediation at the site and the United States will also provide protection against third-party claims for contributions related to response actions at the site. The Consent Decree does not cover any damages to natural resources. However, Pepco believes that any liability that it might incur due to natural resource damage at this site would not have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations. |
In the early 1970s, Pepco sold scrap transformers, some of which may have contained some level of PCBs, to a metal reclaimer operating at the Metal Bank/Cottman Avenue site in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, owned by a nonaffiliated company. In December 1987, Pepco was notified by EPA that it, along with a number of other utilities and non-utilities, was a PRPs in connection with the PCB contamination at the site. |
In October 1994, a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) including a number of possible remedies was submitted to the EPA. In December 1997, the EPA issued a decision that set forth a selected remedial action plan with estimated implementation costs of approximately $17 million. In June 1998, the EPA issued a unilateral administrative order to Pepco and 12 other PRPs to conduct the design and actions called for in its decision. On May 12, 2003, two of the potentially liable owner/operator entities filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. On October 2, 2003, the Bankruptcy Court confirmed a Reorganization Plan that incorporates the terms of a settlement among the debtors, the United States and a group of utility PRPs including Pepco. Under the settlement, the reorganized entity/site owner will pay a total of $13.25 million to remediate the site. |
As of December 31, 2003, Pepco had accrued $1.7 million to meet its share of the costs assigned to PRPs under these EPA rulings. At the present time, it is not possible to estimate the total extent of EPA's administrative and oversight costs or the expense associated with a site remedy ultimately acceptable to EPA. However, Pepco believes that its liability at this site will not have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations. |
235 ____________________________________________________________________________ |
Recoverable Stranded Costs: Represents remaining amounts to be collected from regulated delivery customers for stranded costs which resulted from deregulation of the electricity supply business in 1999. |
Deferred Energy Supply Costs: Represents deferred costs relating to the provision of BGS and other restructuring related costs incurred by ACE and DPL. |
Deferred Recoverable Income Taxes:Represents deferred income tax assets recognized from the normalization of flow through items as a result of amounts charged to customers. As temporary differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets reverse, deferred recoverable income taxes are amortized. |
Deferred Debt Extinguishment Costs: Debt extinguishment costs for which recovery through regulated utility rates is probable are deferred and subsequently amortized to interest expense during the rate recovery period. |
Unrecovered Purchased Power Costs: Recovery of Conowingo Power Company's (COPCO) deferred regulatory asset relating to an approved rate phase-in prior to DPL's acquisition of COPCO. This asset was approved by Maryland for recovery subsequent to the DPL acquisition of COPCO. |
Deferred Income Taxes Due to Customers: Represents the portion of deferred income tax liabilities applicable to DPL's utility operations that has not been reflected in current customer rates. |
Removal Costs: Represents DPL's asset retirement obligation which in accordance with SFAS No. 143 was reclassified from accumulated depreciation to a regulatory liability. |
Revenue Recognition |
DPL recognizes revenues for the supply and delivery of electricity and gas upon delivery to the customer, including amounts for services rendered, but not yet billed. Similarly, revenues from "Other services" are recognized when services are performed or products are delivered. Revenues from non-regulated electricity and gas sales are included in "Electric" revenues and "Gas" revenues, respectively. |
"Other services" revenues include certain non-regulated services provided by DPL to its customers and rental income for administrative facilities owned by DPL which are used by an affiliated company. |
Income Taxes |
DPL, as an indirect subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, is included in the consolidated federal income tax return of PHI. Federal income taxes are 247 ____________________________________________________________________________ allocated to DPL based upon the taxable income or loss, determined on a separate return basis. |
The Consolidated Financial Statements include current and deferred income taxes. Current income taxes represent the amounts of tax expected to be reported on DPL's state income tax returns and the amount of federal income tax allocated from Pepco Holdings. Deferred income taxes are discussed below. |
Deferred income tax assets and liabilities represent the tax effects of temporary differences between the financial statement and tax bases of existing assets and liabilities and are measured using presently enacted tax rates. The portion of DPL's deferred tax liability applicable to its utility operations that has not been recovered from utility customers represents income taxes recoverable in the future and is included in "regulatory assets" on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. For additional information, see the discussion under "Regulation of Power Delivery Operations," shown above. |
Deferred income tax expense generally represents the net change during the reporting period in the net deferred tax liability and deferred recoverable income taxes. |
Investment tax credits from utility plant purchased in prior years are reported on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as "Investment tax credits." These investment tax credits are being amortized to income over the useful lives of the related utility plant. |
Accounting for Derivatives |
As of December 31, 2002 and 2001, DPL held derivative instruments (futures, options, swap agreements, and forward contracts) solely for the purpose of limiting regulated gas customers' exposure to commodity price uncertainty. |
DPL implemented the provisions of SFAS No. 133, "Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities" (SFAS No. 133), as amended, effective January 1, 2001. SFAS No. 133 established accounting and reporting standards for derivative instruments and for hedging activities. SFAS No. 133 requires all derivative instruments, within the scope of the statement, to be recognized as assets or liabilities on the balance sheet at fair value. Changes in the fair value of derivatives that are not hedges, under SFAS No. 13, are recognized in earnings. DPL's derivative instruments associated with the regulated gas supply business are not designated as hedges under SFAS No. 133; however, because gains and losses on these derivative instruments are included in rates charged to regulated gas customers, the provisions of SFAS No. 71 apply and earnings are not affected. The initial effects of adopting SFAS No. 133 were recognition of $14.4 million as set for the fair value of the derivative instruments and a $14.4 million regulatory liability for the effects of regulation. |
Other Non-Current Assets |
The other assets balance principally consists of real estate under development, equity and other investments, and deferred compensation trust assets. |
248 ____________________________________________________________________________ |
Other Current Liabilities |
The other current liability balance principally consists of customer deposits, accrued vacation liability, and the current portion of deferred income taxes. |
Other Deferred Credits |
The other deferred credits balance principally consists of miscellaneous deferred liabilities. |
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts |
DPL's accounts receivable balances primarily consist of customer accounts receivable, other accounts receivable, and accrued unbilled revenue. Accrued unbilled revenue represents revenue earned in the current period but not billed to the customer until a future date, usually within one month. The Company uses the allowance method to account for uncollectible accounts receivable. |
Capitalized Interest and Allowance for Funds Used During Construction |
In accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 34, "Capitalization of Interest Cost," the cost of financing the construction of DPL's electric generating plants is capitalized. Other non-utility construction projects also include financing costs in accordance with SFAS No. 34. The cost of additions to, and replacements or betterments of, retirement units of property and plant is capitalized. Such costs include material, labor, the capitalization of an Allowance for Funds Used During Construction (AFUDC) and applicable indirect costs, including engineering, supervision, payroll taxes and employee benefits. |
Amortization of Debt Issuance and Reacquisition Costs |
The amortization of debt discount, premium, and expense, including deferred debt extinguishment costs associated with the regulated electric and gas transmission and distribution businesses, is included in interest expense. |
Classification Items |
DPL recorded AFUDC for borrowed funds of $.3 million, $.6 million, and $.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively. These amounts are recorded as a reduction of "interest expense" in the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings. |
DPL recorded amounts for AFUDC equity income of $.5 million, $.9 million and $.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. The amounts are included in the "other income" caption of the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings. |
DPL recorded amounts for unbilled revenue of $57.8 million and $49.7 million as of December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively. These amounts are included in the "accounts receivable" line item in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. |
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Accounting for Goodwill |
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of an acquisition over the fair value of the net assets acquired. The accounting for goodwill is governed by SFAS No. 141, "Business Combinations," and SFAS No. 142, "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets." SFAS No. 141 requires business combinations initiated after June 30, 2001 to be accounted for using the purchase method of accounting and broadens the criteria for recording intangible assets apart from goodwill. SFAS No. 142 requires that purchased goodwill and certain indefinite-lived intangibles no longer be amortized, but instead be tested for impairment. |
Goodwill Impairment Evaluation |
The provisions of SFAS No. 142 require the evaluation of goodwill for impairment at least annually or more frequently if events and circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. Examples of such events and circumstances include an adverse action or assessment by a regulator, a significant adverse change in legal factors or in the business climate, and unanticipated competition. SFAS No. 142 indicates that if the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, including goodwill, an impairment charge may be necessary. During 2003 DPL tested its goodwill for impairment as of July 1, 2003 in connection with the Pepco Holdings' goodwill impairment testing process. This testing concluded that none of DPL's goodwill balance was impaired. |
Long Lived Asset Impairment Evaluation |
DPL is required to evaluate certain assets that have long lives (for example, generating property and equipment and real estate) to determine if they are impaired when certain conditions exist. SFAS No. 144 "Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets," provides the accounting for impairments of long-lived assets and indicates that companies are required to test long-lived assets for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. Examples of such events or changes include a significant decrease in the market price of a long-lived asset or if there is a significant adverse change in the manner an asset is being used or its physical condition. |
For long-lived assets that are expected to be held and used, SFAS No. 144 requires that an impairment loss shall only be recognized if the carrying amount of an asset is not recoverable and exceeds its fair value. For long-lived assets that can be classified as assets to be disposed of by sale under SFAS No. 144, an impairment loss shall be recognized to the extent their carrying amount exceeds their fair value, including costs to sell. |
Pension and Other Post Retirement Plans |
Pepco Holdings sponsors a qualified noncontributory retirement plan (the Retirement Plan) that covers substantially all employees of Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco), Delmarva Power & Light (DPL), Atlantic City Electric Company (ACE) and certain employees of other Pepco Holdings' subsidiaries. Following the consummation of the acquisition of Conectiv by Pepco on August 1, 2002, the Pepco General Retirement Plan and the Conectiv Retirement Plan were merged into the Retirement Plan on December 31, 2002. The provisions and benefits of the merged Retirement Plan for Pepco employees are identical to those of the original Pepco plan and for DPL and ACE employees the provisions and benefits are identical to the original 250 ____________________________________________________________________________ Conectiv plan. Pepco Holdings also provides supplemental retirement benefits to certain eligible executive and key employees through nonqualified retirement plans. In addition to sponsoring non-contributory retirement plans, Pepco Holding provides certain post-retirement health care and life insurance benefits for eligible retired employees. |
The Company accounts for the Retirement Plan in accordance with SFAS No. 87, "Employers' Accounting for Pensions" and its other post retirement benefits in accordance with SFAS No. 106, "Employers' Accounting for Post-retirement Benefits Other Than Pensions." DPL's financial statement disclosures were prepared in accordance with SFAS No. 132, "Employers' Disclosures about Pensions and Other Post-retirement Benefits." |
Property, Plant and Equipment |
Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost. The carrying value of property, plant and equipment is evaluated for impairment whenever circumstances indicate the carrying value of those assets may not be recoverable under the provisions of SFAS No. 144. Upon retirement, the cost of regulated property, net of salvage, is charged to accumulated depreciation. For additional information regarding the treatment of removal obligations, refer to the "Asset Retirement Obligations" section included in this Note to the consolidated financial statements. |
The annual provision for depreciation on electric and gas property, plant and equipment is computed on the straight-line basis using composite rates by classes of depreciable property. Accumulated depreciation is charged with the cost of depreciable property retired, including removal costs less salvage and other recoveries. The relationship of the annual provision for depreciation for financial accounting purposes to average depreciable property was 3.1% for 2003, 3.2% for 2002, and 3.4% for 2001. Property, plant and equipment other than electric and gas facilities is generally depreciated on a straight-line basis over the useful lives of the assets. |
Cash and Cash Equivalents |
Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, money market funds, and commercial paper with original maturities of three months or less. Additionally, investments in PHI's "money pool," which PHI and certain of its subsidiaries may invest in are considered cash equivalents. |
Asset Retirement Obligations |
DPL adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Statement No. 143 entitled "Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations," (SFAS No. 143) on January 1, 2003. This Statement establishes the accounting and reporting standards for measuring and recording asset retirement obligations. Based on the implementation of SFAS No. 143, at December 31, 2003 and 2002, $181.5 million and $173.2 million in asset removal costs have been reclassified from accumulated depreciation to a regulatory liability in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. |
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NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS |
New Accounting Standards Adopted |
SFAS No. 143 |
DPL adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Statement No. 143 entitled "Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations" (SFAS No. 143) on January 1, 2003. This Statement establishes the accounting and reporting standards for measuring and recording asset retirement obligations. Based on the implementation of SFAS No. 143, $181.5 million and $173.2 million in asset removal costs have been reclassified from accumulated depreciation to a regulatory liability in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. |
SFAS 150 |
Effective July 1, 2003 DPL implemented SFAS No. 150 entitled "Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both Liabilities and Equity" (SFAS No. 150). This Statement established standards for how an issuer classifies and measures in its Consolidated Balance Sheet certain financial instruments with characteristics of both liabilities and equity. The Statement resulted in SPL's reclassification (initially as of September 30, 2003) of its "Company Obligated Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Securities of Subsidiary Trust Which Holds Solely Parent Junior Subordinated Debentures" (TOPrS) on its Consolidated Balance Sheet to a long term liability classification. Additionally, in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 150, dividends on the TOPrS declared subsequent to the July 1, 2003 implementation of SFAS No. 150, are recorded as interest expense in DPL's Consolidated Statement of Earnings for the year ended December 31, 2003. In accordance with the transition provisions of SFAS No. 150, prior period amounts were not reclassified on either the consolidated balance sheet or consolidated statement of earnings. |
Effective with the December 31, 2003 implementation of FASB Interpretation No. 46 "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities" (FIN 46), DPL's TOPrS were deconsolidated and therefore not included in its Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2003. Additionally, based on the provisions of FIN 46 DPL recorded its investments in its TOPrS trusts and its Debentures issued to the trusts on its Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2003 (these items were previously eliminated in consolidation). For additional information regarding DPL's implementation of FIN 46 refer to the "FIN 46" implementation section below. |
In December 2003, the FASB deferred for an indefinite period the application of the guidance in SFAS No. 150 to non-controlling interests that are classified as equity in the financial statements of a subsidiary but would be classified as a liability in the parent's financial statements under SFAS No. 150. The deferral is limited to mandatorily redeemable non-controlling interests associated with finite-lived subsidiaries. DPL does not have an interest in any such applicable entities as of December 31, 2003, but will continue to evaluate the applicability of this deferral to entities which may be consolidated as a result of FASB Interpretation No. 46, "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities." |
FIN 45 |
DPL and its subsidiaries applied the provisions of FASB Interpretation No. 45, "Guarantor's Accounting and Disclosure Requirements for Guarantees, Including Indirect Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others" (FIN 45), commencing 252 ____________________________________________________________________________ in 2003 to their agreements that contain guarantee and indemnification clauses. These provisions expand those required by FASB Statement No. 5, "Accounting for Contingencies," by requiring a guarantor to recognize a liability on its balance sheet for the fair value of obligation it assumes under certain guarantees issued or modified after December 31, 2002 and to disclose certain types of guarantees, even if the likelihood of requiring the guarantor's performance under the guarantee is remote. |
As of December 31, 2003, DPL and its subsidiaries did not have material obligations under guarantees or indemnifications issued or modified after December 31, 2002, which are required to be recognized as a liability on its consolidated balance sheets. |
FIN 46 |
In January 2003 FIN 46 was issued. FIN 46 was revised and superseded by FASB Interpretation No. 46 (revised December 2003), "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities" (FIN 46R) which clarified some of the provisions of FIN 46 and exempted certain entities from its requirements. |
FIN 46R requires the application of either FIN 46 or FIN 46R by "Public Entities" to all Special Purpose Entities, as defined in FIN 46R (SPEs), created prior to February 1, 2003 at the end of the first interim or annual reporting period ending after December 15, 2003 (DPL's year end 2003 financial statements). All entities created after January 31, 2003 by Public Entities were already required to be analyzed under FIN 46, and they must continue to do so, unless FIN 46R is adopted early. FIN 46R will be applicable to all non-SPEs created prior to February 1, 2003 by public entities that are not small business issuers at the end of the first interim or annual reporting period ending after March 15, 2004 (DPL's first quarter ended March 31, 2004 financial statements). |
DPL has wholly owned financing subsidiary trusts that have common and preferred trust securities outstanding and hold Junior Subordinated Debentures (the Debentures) issued by DPL. DPL owns all of the common securities of the trusts, which constitute approximately 3% of the liquidation amount of all of the trust securities issued by the trusts. The trusts use interest payments received on the Debentures, which are the trusts' only assets, to make cash distributions on the trust securities. The obligations of DPL pursuant to the Debentures and guarantees of distributions with respect to the trusts' securities, to the extent the trusts have funds available therefore, constitute full and unconditional guarantees of the obligations of the trusts under the trust securities the trusts have issued. The preferred trust securities are subject to mandatory redemption upon payment of the Debentures at maturity or upon redemption. The Debentures mature in 2028. The Debentures are subject to redemption, in whole or in part, at the option of DPL, as applicable, at 100% of their principal amount plus accrued interest. |
In accordance with the provisions of FIN 46, and as a result of the deconsolidation of the trusts from PHI's financial statements, DPL's Debentures held by the trusts and DPL's investments in the trusts are included in DPL's Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2003 and the previously recorded preferred trust securities have been removed from DPL Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2003. Accordingly, the deconsolidation of the trust does not significantly impact DPL's Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2003. |
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Additionally, DPL has analyzed its interests in entities with which it has power sale agreements and has determined those entities do not qualify as an SPE as defined in FIN 46R. DPL will continue to analyze interests in investments and contractual relationships including power sale agreements to determine if such entities should be consolidated or deconsolidated in accordance with FIN 46R. DPL is presently unable to determine the effect, if any, on its financial statements of applying FIN 46R to these entities. |
(4) SEGMENT INFORMATION |
In accordance with SFAS No. 131, "Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information," DPL has one segment, its regulated utility business. |
Changes in business activities subsequent to the restructuring of DPL's electric utility business have resulted in electricity transmission and distribution representing a greater proportion of DPL's business. DPL completed the divestiture of its electric generating plants in 2001. Subsequent to this divestiture, DPL supplied the load requirements of its default electric service customers entirely with purchased power. |
DPL's operating expenses and revenues include amounts for transactions with other Conectiv and PHI subsidiaries. DPL purchased electric energy, electric capacity and natural gas from PHI subsidiaries in the amounts of $653.3 million for 2003, $627.5 million for 2002 and $149.0 million for 2001. DPL also sold natural gas and electricity and leased certain assets to other Conectiv and PHI subsidiaries. Amounts included in operating revenues for these transactions are as follows: 2003 - $12.4 million; 2002 - $10.6 million; 2001- $19.3 million. |
(5) LEASING ACTIVITIES |
Lease Commitments |
DPL leases an 11.9% interest in the Merrill Creek Reservoir. The lease is an operating lease and payments over the remaining lease term, which ends in 2032, are $125.7 million in aggregate. DPL also has long-term leases for certain other facilities and equipment. Minimum commitments as of December 31, 2003, under the Merrill Creek Reservoir lease and other lease agreements are as follows: 2004-$9.6 million; 2005-$10.1 million; 2006-$10.1 million; 2007-$10.1 million; 2008-$10.9 million; beyond 2008-$112.8 million; total-$163.6 million. |
(6) PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT |
Property, plant and equipment is comprised of the following: |
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Recoverable Stranded Costs: The pre-tax balances of $960.6 million as of December 31, 2003 and $922.8 million as of December 31, 2002 arose from the $228.5 million NUG contract termination payment in December 1999 and discontinuing the application of SFAS No. 71 to the electricity generation business. |
Deferred Energy Supply Costs: Represents deferred costs relating to the provision of BGS and other restructuring related costs incurred by ACE and DPL. |
Deferred Recoverable Income Taxes: Represents deferred income tax assets recognized from the normalization of flow through items as a result of amounts charged to customers. As temporary differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets reverse, deferred recoverable income taxes are amortized. |
Deferred Debt Extinguishment Costs: The costs of debt extinguishment for which recovery through regulated utility rates is probable are deferred and subsequently amortized to interest expense during the rate recovery period. |
Deferred Other Post-retirement Benefit Costs: Represents the non-cash portion of other post-retirement benefit costs deferred by ACE during 1993 through 1997. This cost is being recovered over a 15-year period that began on January 1, 1998. |
Unrecovered Purchased Power Costs: Includes costs incurred by ACE for renegotiation of a long-term capacity and energy contract. These costs are included in current customer rates with the balance scheduled for full recovery over the next 12 years. |
Asbestos Removal Costs: Represents costs incurred by ACE to remove asbestosinsulation from a wholly owned electric generating station. These costs are included in current customer rates with the balance scheduled for full recovery over the next 27 years. |
Stranded Cost Reserves: This regulatory liability represents reserves for the disallowance of stranded costs. |
Deferred electric service cost audit disallowance: The regulatory liability represents reserves for the disallowance of ACE costs imposed by the NJBPU. |
Regulatory Liability for New Jersey Income Tax Benefit: In 1999, a deferred tax asset arising from the write down of ACE's electric generating plants was established. The deferred tax asset represents the future tax benefit expected to be realized when the higher tax basis of the generating plants is deducted 280 ____________________________________________________________________________ for New Jersey state income tax purposes. To recognize the probability that this tax benefit will be given to ACE's regulated electricity delivery customers through lower electric rates, ACE established a regulatory liability. |
Cash and Cash Equivalents |
Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, money market funds, and commercial paper with original maturities of three months or less. Additionally, investments in PHI's "money pool," which PHI and certain of its subsidiaries may invest in are considered cash equivalents. |
Capitalized Interest and Allowance for Funds Used During Construction |
In accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 34, "Capitalization of Interest Cost," the cost of financing the construction of ACE's subsidiaries electric generating plants is capitalized. Other non-utility construction projects also include financing costs in accordance with SFAS No. 34. The cost of additions to, and replacements or betterments of, retirement units of property and plant is capitalized. Such costs include material, labor, the capitalization of an Allowance for Funds Used During Construction (AFUDC) and applicable indirect costs, including engineering, supervision, payroll taxes and employee benefits. |
Classification Items |
ACE recorded AFUDC for borrowed funds of $.9 million, $1.4 million and $.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. These amounts are recorded as a reduction of "interest expense" in the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings. |
ACE recorded amounts for AFUDC equity income of $1.2 million, $1.1 million and $.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. The amounts are included in the "other income" caption of the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings. |
ACE recorded amounts for unbilled revenue of $52.3 million and $42.5 million as of December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2002. These amounts are included in the "accounts receivable" line item in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. |
Amortization of Debt Issuance and Reacquisition Costs |
The amortization of debt discount, premium, and expense, including deferred debt extinguishment costs associated with the regulated electric and gas transmission and distribution businesses, is included in interest expense. |
Income Taxes |
ACE, as an indirect subsidiary of PHI, is included in the consolidated federal income tax return of Pepco Holdings. Federal income taxes are allocated to ACE based upon the taxable income or loss, determined on a separate return basis. |
The Consolidated Financial Statements include current and deferred income taxes. Current income taxes represent the amounts of tax expected to be reported on ACE's state income tax returns and the amount of federal income tax allocated from PHI. Deferred income taxes are discussed below. |
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Deferred income tax assets and liabilities represent the tax effects of temporary differences between the financial statement and tax bases of existing assets and liabilities and are measured using presently enacted tax rates. The portion of ACE's deferred tax liability applicable to its utility operations that has not been recovered from utility customers represents income taxes recoverable in the future and is included in "regulatory assets" on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. For additional information, see the discussion under "Regulation of Power Delivery Operations," shown above. |
Deferred income tax expense generally represents the net change during the reporting period in the net deferred tax liability and deferred recoverable income taxes. |
Investment tax credits from utility plant purchased in prior years are reported on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as "Investment tax credits." These investment tax credits are being amortized to income over the useful lives of the related utility plant. |
Pension and Other Post-Retirement Benefit Plans |
Pepco Holdings sponsors a Retirement Plan that covers substantially all employees of Pepco, DPL, ACE and certain employees of other Pepco Holdings' subsidiaries. Following the consummation of the acquisition of Conectiv by Pepco on August 1, 2002, the Pepco General Retirement Plan and the Conectiv Retirement Plan were merged into the Retirement Plan on December 31, 2002. The provisions and benefits of the merged Retirement Plan for Pepco employees are identical to those of the original Pepco plan and for DPL and ACE employees the provisions and benefits are identical to the original Conectiv plan. Pepco Holdings also provides supplemental retirement benefits to certain eligible executive and key employees through nonqualified retirement plans. In addition to sponsoring non-contributory retirement plans, Pepco Holding provides certain post-retirement health care and life insurance benefits for eligible retired employees. |
PHI accounts for the Retirement Plan in accordance with SFAS No. 87, "Employers' Accounting for Pensions" and its post-retirement health care and life insurance benefits for eligible employees in accordance with SFAS No. 106, "Employers' Accounting for Post-retirement Benefits Other Than Pensions." PHI's financial statement disclosures were prepared in accordance with SFAS No. 132, "Employers' Disclosures about Pensions and Other Post-retirement Benefits." |
Long-Lived Asset Impairment Evaluation |
ACE is required to evaluate certain assets that have long lives (for example, generating property and equipment and real estate) to determine if they are impaired when certain conditions exist. SFAS No. 144 "Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets," provides the accounting for impairments of long-lived assets and indicates that companies are required to test long-lived assets for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. Examples of such events or changes include a significant decrease in the market price of a long-lived asset or if there is a significant adverse change in the manner an asset is being used or its physical condition. For long-lived assets that are expected to be held and used, SFAS No. 144 requires that an impairment loss shall only be recognized if the carrying amount of an asset is not recoverable and exceeds its fair value. |
In connection with Conectiv's second competitive bidding process for the sale of ACE's fossil fuel-fired electric generating plants in 2002, an 282 ____________________________________________________________________________ impairment of the carrying value of ACE's Deepwater power plant was identified. Accordingly, a $9.5 million impairment charge ($5.6 million after-tax) was recorded in December 2002. ACE's assessment of the carrying value of the Deepwater power plant was based on offers received from the competitive bidding process. In addition to the impairment charge on the Deepwater power plant, ACE recorded a $7 million charge ($4.1 million after-tax) to operating expenses for anticipated environmental clean-up costs at the Deepwater power plant. |
Other Non-Current Assets |
The other assets balance principally consists of real estate under development, equity and other investments, and deferred compensation trust assets. |
Other Current Liabilities |
The other current liability balance principally consists of customer deposits, accrued vacation liability, and the current portion of deferred income taxes. |
Other Deferred Credits |
The other deferred credits balance principally consists of miscellaneous deferred revenue. |
Property, Plant and Equipment |
Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost. The carrying value of property, plant and equipment is evaluated for impairment whenever circumstances indicate the carrying value of those assets may not be recoverable under the provisions of SFAS No. 144. Upon retirement, the cost of regulated property, net of salvage, is charged to accumulated depreciation. |
The annual provision for depreciation on electric property, plant and equipment is computed on the straight-line basis using composite rates by classes of depreciable property. Accumulated depreciation is charged with the cost of depreciable property retired, including removal costs less salvage and other recoveries. The relationship of the annual provision for depreciation for financial accounting purposes to average depreciable property was 3.2% for 2003, 3.3% for 2002, and 3.5% for 2001. Property, plant and equipment other than electric facilities is generally depreciated on a straight-line basis over the useful lives of the assets. |
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts |
ACE's subsidiaries accounts receivable balances primarily consist of customer accounts receivable, other accounts receivable, and accrued unbilled revenue. Accrued unbilled revenue represents revenue earned in the current period but not billed to the customer until a future date, usually within one month. ACE uses the allowance method to account for uncollectible accounts receivable. |
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NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS |
New Accounting Standards Adopted |
SFAS No. 150 |
Effective July 1, 2003 ACE implemented SFAS No. 150 entitled "Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both Liabilities and Equity" (SFAS No. 150). This Statement established standards for how an issuer classifies and measures in its Consolidated Balance Sheet certain financial instruments with characteristics of both liabilities and equity. The Statement resulted in ACE's reclassification (initially as of September 30, 2003) of its "Company Obligated Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Securities of Subsidiary Trust Which Holds Solely Parent Junior Subordinated Debentures" (TOPrS) on its Consolidated Balance Sheet to a long term liability classification. Additionally, in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 150, dividends on the TOPrS declared subsequent to the July 1, 2003 implementation of SFAS No. 150, are recorded as interest expense in ACE's Consolidated Statement of Earnings for the year ended Decem ber 31, 2003. In accordance with the transition provisions of SFAS No. 150, prior period amounts were not reclassified on either the consolidated balance sheet or consolidated statement of earnings. In 2003, Atlantic Capital I redeemed all $70 million of its 8.25% Quarterly Income Preferred Securities at par. |
Effective with the December 31, 2003 implementation of FASB Interpretation No. 46 "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities" (FIN 46), ACE's TOPrS were deconsolidated and therefore not included in its Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2003. Additionally, based on the provisions of FIN 46 ACE recorded its investments in its TOPrS trusts and its Debentures issued to the trusts on its Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2003 (these items were previously eliminated in consolidation). For additional information regarding ACE's implementation of FIN 46 refer to the "FIN 46" implementation section below. |
In December 2003, the FASB deferred for an indefinite period the application of the guidance in SFAS No. 150 to non-controlling interests that are classified as equity in the financial statements of a subsidiary but would be classified as a liability in the parent's financial statements under SFAS No. 150. The deferral is limited to mandatorily redeemable non-controlling interests associated with finite-lived subsidiaries. ACE does not have an interest in any such applicable entities as of December 31, 2003, but will continue to evaluate the applicability of this deferral to entities which may be consolidated as a result of FASB Interpretation No. 46, "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities." |
FIN 45 |
ACE and its subsidiaries applied the provisions of FASB Interpretation No. 45, "Guarantor's Accounting and Disclosure Requirements for Guarantees, Including Indirect Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others" (FIN 45), commencing in 2003 to their agreements that contain guarantee and indemnification clauses. These provisions expand those required by FASB Statement No. 5, "Accounting for Contingencies," by requiring a guarantor to recognize a liability on its balance sheet for the fair value of obligation it assumes under certain guarantees issued or modified after December 31, 2002 and to disclose certain types of guarantees, even if the likelihood of requiring the guarantor's performance under the guarantee is remote. |
As of December 31, 2003, ACE and its subsidiaries did not have material obligations under guarantees or indemnifications issued or modified after 284 ____________________________________________________________________________ December 31, 2002, which are required to be recognized as a liability on its consolidated balance sheets. |
FIN 46 |
In January 2003 FIN 46 was issued. FIN 46 was revised and superseded by FASB Interpretation No. 46 (revised December 2003), "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities" (FIN 46R) which clarified some of the provisions of FIN 46 and exempted certain entities from its requirements. |
FIN 46R requires the application of either FIN 46 or FIN 46R by "Public Entities" to all Special Purpose Entities, as defined in FIN 46R (SPEs), created prior to February 1, 2003 at the end of the first interim or annual reporting period ending after December 15, 2003 (ACE's year end 2003 financial statements). All entities created after January 31, 2003 by Public Entities were already required to be analyzed under FIN 46, and they must continue to do so, unless FIN 46R is adopted early. FIN 46R will be applicable to all non-SPEs created prior to February 1, 2003 by public entities that are not small business issuers at the end of the first interim or annual reporting period ending after March 15, 2004 (ACE's first quarter ended March 31, 2004 financial statements). |
As a result of the implementation of FIN 46, the following entities were impacted at December 31, 2003: |
(1) Trust Preferred Securities |
ACE has wholly owned financing subsidiary trusts that have common and preferred trust securities outstanding and hold Junior Subordinated Debentures (the Debentures) issued by ACE. ACE owns all of the common securities of the trusts, which constitute approximately 3% of the liquidation amount of all of the trust securities issued by the trusts. The trusts use interest payments received on the Debentures, which are the trusts' only assets, to make cash distributions on the trust securities. The obligations of ACE pursuant to the Debentures and guarantees of distributions with respect to the trusts' securities, to the extent the trusts have funds available therefore, constitute full and unconditional guarantees of the obligations of the trusts under the trust securities the trusts have issued. The preferred trust securities are subject to mandatory redemption upon payment of the Debentures at maturity or upon redemption. The Debentures mature in 2028. The Debentures are subject to redemption, in whole or in part, at the option of ACE, as applicable, at 100% of their principal amount plus accrued interest. |
In accordance with the provisions of FIN 46, and as a result of the deconsolidation of the trusts from PHI's financial statements, ACE's Debentures held by the trusts and ACE's investments in the trusts are included in ACE's Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2003 and the previously recorded preferred trust securities have been removed from ACE Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2003. Accordingly, the deconsolidation of the trust does not significantly impact ACE's Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2003. |
(2) ACE Funding |
ACE formed ACE Funding during 2001. ACE Funding is a wholly owned subsidiary of ACE. ACE Funding was organized for the sole purpose of purchasing and owning Bondable Transition Property, issuing Transition Bonds to fund the purchasing of Bondable Transition Property, pledging its interest in Bondable Transition Property and other collateral to the trustee for the Transition Bonds 285 ____________________________________________________________________________ to collateralize the Transition Bonds, and to perform activities that are necessary, suitable or convenient to accomplish these purposes. |
In accordance with the provisions of FIN 46, ACE Funding was assessed and it was determined that it should remain consolidated with ACE's financial statements as of December 31, 2003. Accordingly, the implementation of FIN 46 did not impact ACE's Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2003. |
Additionally, ACE has analyzed its interests in entities with which it has power sale agreements and has determined those entities do not qualify as an SPE as defined in FIN 46R. ACE will continue to analyze interests in investments and contractual relationships including power sale agreements to determine if such entities should be consolidated or deconsolidated in accordance with FIN 46R. ACE is presently unable to determine the effect, if any, on its financial statements of applying FIN 46R to these entities. |
(4) SEGMENT INFORMATION |
In accordance with SFAS No. 131, "Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information," ACE has one segment, its regulated utility business. |
(5) LEASING ACTIVITIES |
Lease Commitments |
ACE also leases other types of property and equipment for use in its operations. Amounts charged to operating expenses for these leases were $10.0 million in 2003, $9.2 million in 2002, and $8.2 million in 2001. Future minimum rental payments for all non-cancelable lease agreements are less than $10 million per year for each of the next five years. |
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