SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-Q [ X ] QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDING MARCH 31, 2000 OR [ ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to ------------- ---------------- Commission file number 1-6788 THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) CONNECTICUT 06-0571640 (State or other jurisdiction (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) of incorporation or organization) 157 CHURCH STREET, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT 06506 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE: 203-499-2000 NONE (Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report.) Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. YES X NO ----- ----- The number of shares outstanding of the issuer's only class of common stock, as of March 31, 2000, was 14,334,922. - 1 - INDEX PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION PAGE NUMBER ------ Item 1. Financial Statements. 3 Consolidated Statement of Income for the three months ended March 31, 2000 and 1999. 3 Consolidated Balance Sheet as of March 31, 2000 and December 31, 1999. 4 Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2000 and 1999. 6 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 7 - Statement of Accounting Policies 7 - Capitalization 7 - Short-term Credit Arrangements 8 - Income Taxes 9 - Supplementary Information 10 - Commitments and Contingencies 11 - Capital Expenditure Program 11 - Nuclear Insurance Contingencies 11 - Other Commitments and Contingencies 11 - Connecticut Yankee 11 - Hydro-Quebec 12 - Environmental Concerns 12 - Site Decontamination, Demolition and Remediation Costs 12 - Nuclear Fuel Disposal and Nuclear Plant Decommissioning 13 - Segment Information 14 Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. 15 - Major Influences on Financial Condition 15 - Capital Expenditure Program 18 - Liquidity and Capital Resources 18 - Subsidiary Operations 19 - Results of Operations 20 - Looking Forward 24 Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk. 26 PART II. OTHER INFORMATION Item 1. Legal Proceedings. 27 Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders. 27 Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K. 27 SIGNATURES 28 - 2 - PART I: FINANCIAL INFORMATION ITEM I: FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME (Thousands except per share amounts) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, 2000 1999 ---- ---- OPERATING REVENUES (NOTE G) $180,977 $168,667 ------------- ------------- OPERATING EXPENSES Operation Fuel and energy 67,469 33,899 Capacity purchased 1,447 9,062 Other 34,464 38,754 Maintenance 5,071 9,446 Depreciation (Note G) 7,119 17,739 Amortization of regulatory assets 15,804 7,026 Income taxes (Note F) 13,206 15,525 Other taxes (Note G) 11,741 14,009 ------------- ------------- Total 156,321 145,460 ------------- ------------- OPERATING INCOME 24,656 23,207 ------------- ------------- OTHER INCOME AND (DEDUCTIONS) Allowance for equity funds used during construction 181 13 Other-net (Note G) 2,402 (469) Non-operating income taxes (Note F) (640) 891 ------------- ------------- Total 1,943 435 ------------- ------------- INCOME BEFORE INTEREST CHARGES 26,599 23,642 ------------- ------------- INTEREST CHARGES Interest on long-term debt 9,606 12,227 Interest on Seabrook obligation bonds owned by the company (1,618) (1,711) Dividend requirement of mandatorily redeemable securities 1,203 1,203 Other interest (Note G) 391 1,856 Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction (411) (448) ------------- ------------- 9,171 13,127 Amortization of debt expense and redemption premiums 563 614 ------------- ------------- Net Interest Charges 9,734 13,741 ------------- ------------- NET INCOME 16,865 9,901 Dividends on preferred stock - 51 ------------- ------------- INCOME APPLICABLE TO COMMON STOCK 16,865 9,850 ============= ============= AVERAGE NUMBER OF COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING - BASIC 14,069 14,042 AVERAGE NUMBER OF COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING - DILUTED 14,072 14,044 EARNINGS PER SHARE OF COMMON STOCK - BASIC AND DILUTED $1.20 $0.70 CASH DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER SHARE OF COMMON STOCK $0.72 $0.72 The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of the financial statements. - 3 - THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET ASSETS (Thousands of Dollars) March 31, December 31, 2000 1999* ---- ----- (Unaudited) Utility Plant at Original Cost In service $930,875 $1,007,065 Less, accumulated provision for depreciation 461,855 532,409 -------------- --------------- 469,020 474,656 Construction work in progress 26,580 25,708 Nuclear fuel 21,798 21,101 -------------- --------------- Net Utility Plant 517,398 521,465 -------------- --------------- Other Property and Investments Investment in generation facility 79,746 83,494 Nuclear decommissioning trust fund assets 29,568 28,255 Other 22,030 20,098 -------------- --------------- 131,344 131,847 -------------- --------------- Current Assets Unrestricted cash and temporary cash investments 21,951 39,099 Restricted cash 28,919 29,223 Accounts receivable Customers, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,800 and $1,800 52,741 56,057 Other, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $525 and $508 63,278 53,612 Accrued utility revenues 21,068 25,019 Fuel, materials and supplies, at average cost 9,754 9,259 Prepayments 6,200 3,056 Other 6,736 4,801 -------------- --------------- Total 210,647 220,126 -------------- --------------- Deferred Charges Unamortized debt issuance expenses 8,048 8,688 Other 5,786 6,099 -------------- --------------- Total 13,834 14,787 -------------- --------------- Regulatory Assets (FUTURE AMOUNTS DUE FROM CUSTOMERS THROUGH THE RATEMAKING PROCESS) Nuclear plant investments-above market 513,149 518,268 Income taxes due principally to book-tax differences 163,599 166,965 Long-term purchase power contracts-above market 140,387 144,406 Connecticut Yankee 35,671 37,013 Unamortized redemption costs 23,143 22,314 Unamortized cancelled nuclear projects 8,487 8,780 Displaced worker protection costs 5,157 5,746 Uranium enrichment decommissioning cost 1,031 1,040 Other 21,234 5,453 -------------- --------------- Total 911,858 909,985 -------------- --------------- $1,785,081 $1,798,210 ============== =============== *Derived from audited financial statements The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of the financial statements. - 4 - THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES (Thousands of Dollars) March 31, December 31, 2000 1999* ---- ----- (Unaudited) Capitalization (Note B) Common stock equity Common stock $292,006 $292,006 Paid-in capital 2,320 2,253 Capital stock expense (2,170) (2,170) Unearned employee stock ownership plan equity (9,023) (9,261) Retained earnings 182,204 175,470 ------------------ ---------------- 465,337 458,298 Company-obligated mandatorily redeemable securities of subsidiary holding solely parent debentures 50,000 50,000 Long-term debt Long-term debt 604,800 605,641 Investment in Seabrook obligation bonds (82,635) (87,413) ------------------ ---------------- Net long-term debt 522,165 518,228 ------------------ ---------------- Total 1,037,502 1,026,526 ------------------ ---------------- Noncurrent Liabilities Purchase power contract obligation 140,387 144,406 Nuclear decommissioning obligation 29,568 28,255 Connecticut Yankee contract obligation 25,565 27,056 Pensions accrued 15,110 19,026 Obligations under capital leases 16,032 16,131 Other 10,646 10,394 ------------------ ---------------- Total 237,308 245,268 ------------------ ---------------- Current Liabilities Current portion of long-term debt 859 25,000 Notes payable 14,121 17,131 Accounts payable 33,715 49,069 Accounts payable - APS customers 62,069 56,220 Dividends payable 10,130 10,125 Taxes accrued 11,240 2,570 Interest accrued 12,266 8,433 Obligations under capital leases 383 375 Other accrued liabilities 42,672 39,421 ------------------ ---------------- Total 187,455 208,344 ------------------ ---------------- Customers' Advances for Construction 1,873 1,867 ------------------ ---------------- Regulatory Liabilities (FUTURE AMOUNTS OWED TO CUSTOMERS THROUGH THE RATEMAKING PROCESS) Accumulated deferred investment tax credits 15,070 15,157 Deferred gains on sale of property 15,901 15,901 Customer refund 18,554 18,381 Other 2,924 2,543 ------------------ ---------------- Total 52,449 51,982 ------------------ ---------------- Deferred Income Taxes (FUTURE TAX LIABILITIES OWED TO TAXING AUTHORITIES) 268,494 264,223 Commitments and Contingencies (Note L) ------------------ ---------------- $1,785,081 $1,798,210 ================== ================ * Derived from audited financial statements The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of the financial statements. - 5 - THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS (Thousands of Dollars) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, 2000 1999 ---- ---- CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Net Income $16,865 $9,901 ------------ ----------- Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 16,602 22,466 Deferred income taxes 5,415 (732) Deferred investment tax credits - net (87) (190) Amortization of nuclear fuel 1,890 3,191 Allowance for funds used during construction (592) (461) CTA and SBC revenue adjustment (9,528) - Amortization of deferred return - 3,147 Changes in: Accounts receivable - net (6,350) 11,113 Fuel, material and supplies (495) (427) Prepayments (3,144) (5,044) Accounts payable (9,505) (32,481) Interest accrued 3,833 3,905 Taxes accrued 8,670 14,425 Other assets and liabilities 2,500 (9,818) ------------ ----------- Total Adjustments 9,209 9,094 ------------ ----------- NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES 26,074 18,995 ------------ ----------- CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES Common stock 304 300 Notes payable (3,010) (4,720) Securities redeemed and retired: Long-term debt (25,750) (86,202) Lease obligations (91) (85) Dividends Preferred stock - (51) Common stock (10,125) (10,104) ------------ ----------- NET CASH USED IN FINANCING ACTIVITIES (38,672) (100,862) ------------ ----------- CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Plant expenditures, including nuclear fuel (9,632) (5,784) Investment in debt securities 4,778 5,447 ------------ ----------- NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES (4,854) (337) ------------ ----------- CASH AND TEMPORARY CASH INVESTMENTS: NET CHANGE FOR THE PERIOD (17,452) (82,204) BALANCE AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 68,322 124,501 ------------ ----------- BALANCE AT END OF PERIOD 50,870 42,297 LESS: RESTRICTED CASH 28,919 26,503 ------------ ----------- BALANCE: UNRESTRICTED CASH AND TEMPORARY CASH INVESTMENTS $21,951 $15,794 ============ =========== CASH PAID DURING THE PERIOD FOR: Interest (net of amount capitalized) $2,608 $6,306 ============ =========== Income taxes $2,000 $3,700 ============ =========== The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of the financial statements. - 6 - THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) The consolidated financial statements of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, United Resources, Inc., have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The statements reflect all adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary to a fair statement of the results for the periods presented. All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. The Company believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes to consolidated financial statements included in the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999. Such notes are supplemented as follows: (A) STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES ALLOWANCE FOR FUNDS USED DURING CONSTRUCTION (AFUDC) The weighted average AFUDC rate applied in the first three months of 2000 and 1999 was 7.5% and 7.0%, respectively, on a before-tax basis. NUCLEAR DECOMMISSIONING TRUSTS External trust funds are maintained to fund the estimated future decommissioning costs of the nuclear generating units in which the Company has an ownership interest. These costs are accrued as a charge to depreciation expense over the estimated service lives of the units and are recovered in rates on a current basis. The Company paid $997,000 and $666,000 in the first three months of 2000 and 1999, respectively, into the decommissioning trust funds for Seabrook Unit 1 and Millstone Unit 3. At March 31, 2000, the Company's shares of the trust fund balances, which included accumulated earnings on the funds, were $21.7 million and $7.9 million for Seabrook Unit 1 and Millstone Unit 3, respectively. These fund balances are included in "Other Property and Investments" and the accrued decommissioning obligation is included in "Noncurrent Liabilities" on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet. (B) CAPITALIZATION COMMON STOCK The Company had 14,334,922 shares of its common stock, no par value, outstanding at March 31, 2000, of which 265,434 shares were unallocated shares held by The United Illuminating Company 401(k)/Employee Stock Ownership Plan (KSOP) and not recognized as outstanding for accounting purposes. In 1990, the Company's Board of Directors and the shareowners approved a stock option plan for officers and key employees of the Company. Options to purchase 3,500 shares of stock at an exercise price of $30 per share, 7,800 shares of stock at an exercise price of $39.5625 per share, and 5,000 shares of stock at an exercise price of $42.375 per share have been granted by the Board of Directors and remained outstanding at March 31, 2000. No options were exercised during the first quarter ended March 31, 2000. - 7 - THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (CONTINUED) On March 22, 1999, the Company's Board of Directors approved a stock option plan for directors, officers and key employees of the Company. The plan provides for the awarding of options to purchase up to 650,000 shares of the Company's common stock over periods of from one to ten years following the dates when the options are granted. The exercise price of each option cannot be less than the market value of the stock on the date of the grant. On June 28, 1999, the Company's shareowners approved the plan. Options to purchase 132,000 shares of stock at an exercise price of $43.21875 per share and 186,900 shares of stock at an exercise price of $39.40625 per share have been granted by the Board of Directors and remained outstanding at March 31, 2000. No options to purchase shares of the Company's common stock can be exercised without the approval of the DPUC; and, as of March 31, 2000, the Company had not requested approval by the DPUC. The Company has entered into an arrangement under which it loaned $11.5 million to the KSOP. The trustee for the KSOP used the funds to purchase shares of the Company's common stock in open market transactions. The shares will be allocated to employees' KSOP accounts, as the loan is repaid, to cover a portion of the Company's required KSOP contributions. The loan will be repaid by the KSOP over a twelve-year period, using the Company's contributions and dividends paid on the unallocated shares of the stock held by the KSOP. As of March 31, 2000, 265,434 shares, with a fair market value of $10.4 million, had been purchased by the KSOP and had not been committed to be released or allocated to KSOP participants. RETAINED EARNINGS RESTRICTION The indenture under which $200 million principal amount of Notes are issued places limitations on the payment of cash dividends on common stock and on the purchase or redemption of common stock. Retained earnings in the amount of $124.1 million were free from such limitations at March 31, 2000. LONG-TERM DEBT On December 16, 1999, the Company borrowed $25 million from the Business Finance Authority of the State of New Hampshire (BFA), representing the proceeds from the issuance by the BFA of $25 million principal amount of tax-exempt Pollution Control Refunding Revenue Bonds (PCRRBs). The Company is obligated, under its borrowing agreement with the BFA, to pay to a trustee for the PCRRBs' bondholders such amounts as will be required to pay, when due, the principal of and the premium, if any, and interest on the PCRRBs. The PCRRBs will mature in 2029, and their interest rate is fixed at 5.4% for the three-year period ending December 1, 2002. At December 31,1999, these proceeds were held by a trustee and were recognized as cash and long-term debt on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. On January 15, 2000, the Company used the proceeds of this $25 million borrowing to redeem and repay $25 million of 8.0%, 1989 Series A, Pollution Control Revenue Bonds, an outstanding series of tax-exempt bonds on which the Company also had a payment obligation to a trustee for the bondholders. Expenses associated with this transaction, including redemption premiums totaling $750,000 and other expenses of approximately $417,000, were paid by the Company. (E) SHORT-TERM CREDIT ARRANGEMENTS The Company has a revolving credit agreement with a group of banks, which currently extends to December 7, 2000. The borrowing limit of this facility is $60 million. The facility permits the Company to borrow funds at a fluctuating interest rate determined by the prime lending market in New York, and also permits the Company to borrow money for fixed periods of time specified by the Company at fixed interest rates determined by the Eurodollar interbank market in London. If a material adverse change in the business, operations, affairs, assets or condition, financial or otherwise, or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, should occur, the banks may decline to lend additional money to the Company under this revolving credit agreement, although borrowings outstanding at the time of such an occurrence would not then become due and payable. As of March 31, 2000, the Company had $14 million in short-term borrowings outstanding under this facility. - 8 - THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (continued) (F) INCOME TAXES Three Months Ended March 31, 2000 1999 ---- ---- (000's) Income tax expense consists of: Income tax provisions: Current Federal $6,862 $12,337 State 1,656 3,219 ------------- ------------- Total current 8,518 15,556 ------------- ------------- Deferred Federal 4,651 (154) State 764 (578) ------------- ------------- Total deferred 5,415 (732) ------------- ------------- Investment tax credits (87) (190) ------------- ------------- Total income tax expense $13,846 $14,634 ============= ============= Income tax components charged as follows: Operating expenses $13,206 $15,525 Other income and deductions - net 640 (891) ------------- ------------- Total income tax expense $13,846 $14,634 ============= ============= The following table details the components of the deferred income taxes: Seabrook sale/leaseback transaction ($1,997) ($2,082) Pension benefits 1,548 1,525 Accelerated depreciation (353) 1,250 Tax depreciation on unrecoverable plant investment 23 1,188 Unit overhaul and replacement power costs (454) (898) Conservation and load management (27) (873) Postretirement benefits (92) (433) Displaced worker protection costs (235) - Bond redemption costs 184 (256) Cancelled nuclear plant (117) (117) Restructuring costs 2,330 - SBC and CTA accrual 3,799 - Other - net 806 (36) ------------- ------------- Deferred income taxes - net $5,415 ($732) ============= ============= - 9 - THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (CONTINUED) (G) SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Three Months Ended March 31, 2000 1999 ---- ---- (000's) Operating Revenues - ------------------ Retail $148,941 $152,391 Wholesale 18,614 13,593 CTA and SBC revenue 9,528 - Other 3,894 2,683 ------------- ------------- Total Operating Revenues $180,977 $168,667 ============= ============= Sales by Class(MWH's) - -------------------- Retail Residential 537,082 533,768 Commercial 574,772 553,798 Industrial 277,019 269,060 Other 13,325 12,199 ------------- ------------- 1,402,198 1,368,825 Wholesale 625,005 652,746 ------------- ------------- Total Sales by Class 2,027,203 2,021,571 ============= ============= Depreciation - ------------ Plant in Service $6,121 $14,655 Amortization of Conservation and Load Management Costs - 2,418 Nuclear Decommissioning 998 666 ------------- ------------- $7,119 $17,739 ============= ============= Other Taxes - ----------- Charged to: Operating: State gross earnings $6,388 $5,854 Local real estate and personal property 3,849 6,326 Payroll taxes 1,504 1,829 ------------- ------------- 11,741 14,009 Nonoperating and other accounts 120 134 ------------- ------------- Total Other Taxes $11,861 $14,143 ============= ============= Other Income and (Deductions) - net - ----------------------------------- Interest income $287 $667 Equity earnings from Connecticut Yankee 149 181 Earnings (Loss) from subsidiary companies-before tax 2,210 (1,206) Miscellaneous other income and (deductions) - net (244) (111) ------------- ------------- Total Other Income and (Deductions) - net $2,402 ($469) ============= ============= Other Interest Charges - ---------------------- Notes Payable $312 $1,284 Other 79 572 ------------- ------------- Total Other Interest Charges $391 $1,856 ============= ============= - 10 - THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (CONTINUED) (L) COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PROGRAM The Company's continuing capital expenditure program is presently estimated at $195.2 million, excluding AFUDC, for 2000 through 2004. NUCLEAR INSURANCE CONTINGENCIES The Price-Anderson Act, currently extended through August 1, 2002, limits public liability resulting from a single incident at a nuclear power plant. The first $200 million of liability coverage is provided by purchasing the maximum amount of commercially available insurance. Additional liability coverage will be provided by an assessment of up to $83.9 million per incident, levied on each of the nuclear units licensed to operate in the United States, subject to a maximum assessment of $10 million per incident per nuclear unit in any year. In addition, if the sum of all public liability claims and legal costs resulting from any nuclear incident exceeds the maximum amount of financial protection, each reactor operator can be assessed an additional 5% of $83.9 million, or $4.2 million. The maximum assessment is adjusted at least every five years to reflect the impact of inflation. With respect to each of the two operating nuclear generating units in which the Company has an interest, the Company will be obligated to pay its ownership and/or leasehold share of any statutory assessment resulting from a nuclear incident at any nuclear generating unit. Based on its interests in these nuclear generating units, the Company estimates its maximum liability would be $17.8 million per incident. However, any assessment would be limited to $2.1 million per incident per year. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission requires each operating nuclear generating unit to obtain property insurance coverage in a minimum amount of $1.06 billion and to establish a system of prioritized use of the insurance proceeds in the event of a nuclear incident. The system requires that the first $1.06 billion of insurance proceeds be used to stabilize the nuclear reactor to prevent any significant risk to public health and safety and then for decontamination and cleanup operations. Only following completion of these tasks would the balance, if any, of the segregated insurance proceeds become available to the unit's owners. For each of the two operating nuclear generating units in which the Company has an interest, the Company is required to pay its ownership and/or leasehold share of the cost of purchasing such insurance. Although each of these units has purchased $2.75 billion of property insurance coverage, representing the limits of coverage currently available from conventional nuclear insurance pools, the cost of a nuclear incident could exceed available insurance proceeds. Under those circumstances, the nuclear insurance pools that provide this coverage may levy assessments against the insured owner companies if pool losses exceed the accumulated funds available to the pool. The maximum potential assessments against the Company with respect to losses occurring during current policy years are approximately $3.0 million. OTHER COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES CONNECTICUT YANKEE On December 4, 1996, the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company (Connecticut Yankee) voted unanimously to retire the Connecticut Yankee nuclear plant (the Connecticut Yankee Unit) from commercial operation. The Company has a 9.5% stock ownership share in Connecticut Yankee. The power purchase contract under which the Company has purchased its 9.5% entitlement to the Connecticut Yankee Unit's power output permits Connecticut Yankee to recover 9.5% of all of its costs from the Company. In December of 1996, Connecticut Yankee filed decommissioning cost estimates and amendments to the power contracts with its owners with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Based on regulatory precedent, this filing seeks confirmation that Connecticut Yankee will continue to collect from its owners its decommissioning costs, the unrecovered investment in the Connecticut Yankee Unit and other costs associated with the permanent shutdown of the Connecticut Yankee Unit. On August 31, 1998, a FERC Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) released an initial decision regarding Connecticut - 11 - THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (CONTINUED) Yankee's December 1996 filing. The initial decision contains provisions that would allow Connecticut Yankee to recover, through the power contracts with its owners, the balance of its net unamortized investment in the Connecticut Yankee Unit, but would disallow any return on equity for Connecticut Yankee. The ALJ's decision also states that decommissioning cost collections by Connecticut Yankee, through the power contracts, should continue to be based on a previously-approved estimate until a new, more reliable estimate has been prepared and tested. During October of 1998, Connecticut Yankee and its owners filed briefs setting forth exceptions to the ALJ's initial decision. If the initial decision is upheld by the FERC, Connecticut Yankee could be required to write off a portion of the regulatory asset on its balance sheet associated with the retirement of the Connecticut Yankee Unit. In this event, however, the Company would not be required to record any write-off on account of its 9.5% ownership share in Connecticut Yankee, because the Company has recorded its regulatory asset associated with the retirement of the Connecticut Yankee Unit net of any return on equity. On April 7, 2000, Connecticut Yankee reached a settlement agreement with the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control and the Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel (two of the intervenors in the FERC proceeding). Under this agreement, Connecticut Yankee would be allowed by the FERC to earn a return on equity of 6% from the date of acceptance of the settlement by the FERC. The settlement agreement also stipulates a new decommissioning cost estimate for the Connecticut Yankee Unit for purposes of FERC-approved decommissioning cost collections by Connecticut Yankee through the power contracts with the unit's owners. This agreement has been submitted to the FERC, but the Company is unable to predict, at this time, the outcome of the FERC proceeding. The Company's estimate of its remaining share of Connecticut Yankee costs, including decommissioning, less return of investment (approximately $10.1 million) and return on investment (approximately $3.7 million) at March 31, 2000, is approximately $25.6 million. This estimate, which is subject to ongoing review and revision, has been recorded by the Company as an obligation and a regulatory asset on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. HYDRO-QUEBEC The Company is a participant in the Hydro-Quebec transmission intertie facility linking New England and Quebec, Canada. Phase I of this facility, which became operational in 1986 and in which the Company has a 5.45% participating share, has a 690 megawatt equivalent capacity value; and Phase II, in which the Company has a 5.45% participating share, increased the equivalent capacity value of the intertie from 690 megawatts to a maximum of 2000 megawatts in 1991. The Company is obligated to furnish a guarantee for its participating share of the debt financing for the Phase II facility. As of March 31, 2000, the Company's guarantee liability for this debt was approximately $6.0 million. ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS In complying with existing environmental statutes and regulations and further developments in areas of environmental concern, including legislation and studies in the fields of water quality, hazardous waste handling and disposal, toxic substances, and electric and magnetic fields, the Company may incur substantial capital expenditures for equipment modifications and additions, monitoring equipment and recording devices, and it may incur additional operating expenses. The total amount of these expenditures is not now determinable. SITE DECONTAMINATION, DEMOLITION AND REMEDIATION COSTS The Company has estimated that the total cost of decontaminating and demolishing its Steel Point Station and completing requisite environmental remediation of the site will be approximately $11.3 million, of which approximately $8.5 million had been incurred as of March 31, 2000, and that the value of the property following remediation will not exceed $6.0 million. As a result of a 1992 DPUC retail rate decision, beginning January 1, 1993, the Company has been recovering through retail rates $1.075 million of the remediation costs per year. The - 12 - THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (CONTINUED) remediation costs, property value and recovery from customers will be subject to true-up in the Company's next retail rate proceeding based on actual remediation costs and actual gain on the Company's disposition of the property. The Company is presently remediating an area of PCB contamination at a site, bordering the Mill River in New Haven, that contains transmission facilities and the deactivated English Station generation facilities. In addition, the Company is currently replacing the bulkhead that surrounds this site, at an estimated cost of $13.5 million. Of this amount, $4.2 million represents the portion of the costs to protect the Company's transmission facilities and will be capitalized as plant in service. The remaining estimated cost of $9.3 million was expensed in 1999. The Company has agreed to convey to an unaffiliated entity, Quinnipiac Energy, LLC, (QE) the entire English Station site, reserving to the Company permanent easements for the operation of its transmission facilities on the site. This transaction is subject to the parties obtaining various regulatory approvals, which are being sought. If the site is conveyed to QE, the Company will fund 61% (approximately $460,000) of the environmental remediation costs that will be incurred by QE to bring the site into compliance with applicable Connecticut minimum standards following the conveyance. The Company has sold its Bridgeport Harbor Station and New Haven Harbor Station generating plants in compliance with Connecticut's electric utility industry restructuring legislation. Environmental assessments performed in connection with the marketing of these plants indicate that substantial remediation expenditures will be required in order to bring the plant sites into compliance with applicable Connecticut minimum standards following their sale. The purchaser of the plants has agreed to undertake and pay for the major portion of this remediation. However, the Company will be responsible for remediation of the portions of the plant sites that will be retained by it. (M) NUCLEAR FUEL DISPOSAL AND NUCLEAR PLANT DECOMMISSIONING New Hampshire has enacted a law requiring the creation of a government-managed fund to finance the decommissioning of nuclear generating units in that state. The New Hampshire Nuclear Decommissioning Financing Committee (NDFC) has established $565 million (in 2000 dollars) as the decommissioning cost estimate for Seabrook Unit 1, of which the Company's share would be approximately $99 million. This estimate assumes the prompt removal and dismantling of the unit at the end of its estimated 36-year energy producing life. Monthly decommissioning payments are being made to the state-managed decommissioning trust fund. The Company's share of the decommissioning payments made during the first quarter of 2000 was $0.8 million. The Company's share of the fund at March 31, 2000 was approximately $21.7 million. Connecticut has enacted a law requiring the operators of nuclear generating units to file periodically with the DPUC their plans for financing the decommissioning of the units in that state. The current decommissioning cost estimate for Millstone Unit 3 is $619 million (in 2000 dollars), of which the Company's share would be approximately $23 million. This estimate assumes the prompt removal and dismantling of the unit at the end of its estimated 40-year energy producing life. Monthly decommissioning payments, based on these cost estimates, are being made to a decommissioning trust fund managed by Northeast Utilities (NU). The Company's share of the Millstone Unit 3 decommissioning payments made during the first quarter of 2000 was $0.2 million. The Company's share of the fund at March 31, 2000 was approximately $7.9 million. The current decommissioning cost estimate for the Connecticut Yankee Unit, assuming the prompt removal and dismantling of the unit, is $498 million, of which the Company's share would be $47 million. Through March 31, 2000, $183 million has been expended for decommissioning. The projected remaining decommissioning cost is $315 million, of which the Company's share would be $30 million. The decommissioning trust fund for the Connecticut Yankee Unit is also managed by NU. For the Company's 9.5% equity ownership in Connecticut Yankee, decommissioning costs of $0.6 million were funded by the Company during the first quarter of 2000, and the Company's share of the fund at March 31, 2000 was $18.6 million. - 13 - THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (CONTINUED) (P) SEGMENT INFORMATION The Company has one reportable operating segment, that of regulated generation, distribution and sale of electricity. The accounting policies used for that segment do not differ from those used for nonreportable operating segments. Revenues from inter-segment transactions are not material and all of the Company's revenues are derived in the United States. The revenues from external customers, interest income, interest expense and depreciation charges of the one reportable segment are identical to the amounts shown on the Consolidated Statement of Income for each year presented. Income before taxes of the reportable segment is not materially different from that of the Company as a whole. The following table reconciles the total assets of the reportable segment with the total assets shown on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at March 31, 2000 and December 31, 1999: MARCH 31, DECEMBER 31, 2000 1999 ---- ---- (000's) Total Assets - Regulated Utility $1,785,651 $1,809,451 Total Assets - Unregulated Subsidiaries 201,470 194,642 Total Assets - Elimination (202,040) (205,883) --------- --------- Total Consolidated Assets $1,785,081 $1,798,210 ========== ========= - 14 - ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS. MAJOR INFLUENCES ON FINANCIAL CONDITION The Company's financial condition will continue to be dependent on the level of its utility retail sales and the Company's ability to control expenses, as well as on the performance of the non-regulated businesses of the Company's subsidiaries. The two primary factors that affect utility sales volume are economic conditions and weather. Total utility operation and maintenance expense, excluding one-time items and cogeneration capacity purchases, declined by 1.6% annually, on average, during the five years 1995-1999. The Company's financial status and financing capability will continue to be sensitive to many other factors, including conditions in the securities markets, economic conditions, interest rates, the level of the Company's income and cash flow, and legislative and regulatory developments, including the cost of compliance with increasingly stringent environmental legislation and regulations. On December 31, 1996, the DPUC completed a financial and operational review of the Company and ordered a five-year incentive regulation plan for the years 1997 through 2001 (the Rate Plan). The DPUC did not change the existing retail base rates charged to customers, but the Rate Plan increased amortization of the Company's conservation and load management program investments during 1997-1998, and accelerated the amortization and recovery of unspecified assets during 1999-2001 if the Company's common stock equity return on utility investment exceeds 10.5% after recording the amortization. The Rate Plan also provided for retail price reductions of about 5%, compared to 1996 and phased-in over 1997-2001, primarily through reductions of conservation adjustment mechanism revenues, through a surcredit in each of the five plan years, and through acceptance of the Company's proposal to modify the operation of the fossil fuel clause mechanism. The Company's authorized return on utility common stock equity during the period is 11.5%. Earnings above 11.5%, on an annual basis, are to be utilized one-third for customer price reductions, one-third to increase amortization of assets, and one-third retained as earnings. The Rate Plan includes a provision that it may be reopened and modified upon the enactment of electric utility restructuring legislation in Connecticut. On October 1, 1999, the DPUC issued its decision establishing the Company's standard offer customer rates, commencing January 1, 2000, at a level 10% below 1996 rates, as directed by the Restructuring Act described in detail below. These standard offer customer rates are in effect for the period 2000-2001 and supercede the rate reductions for this period that were included in the Rate Plan. The decision also reduced the required amount of accelerated amortization in 2000 and 2001. Under this decision, all other components of the Rate Plan are expected to remain in effect through 2001. The Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel, the statutory representative of consumer interests in public utility matters, is contesting the DPUC's calculation of the level of the Company's 1996 rates in an appeal taken to the Superior Court from the DPUC's decision. In April 1998, Connecticut enacted Public Act 98-28 (the Restructuring Act), a massive and complex statute designed to restructure the State's regulated electric utility industry. As a result of the Act, the business of generating and selling electricity directly to consumers is opened to competition. These business activities are separated from the business of delivering electricity to consumers, also known as the transmission and distribution business. The business of delivering electricity remains with the incumbent franchised utility companies (including the Company), which continue to be regulated by the DPUC as Distribution Companies. Since mid-1999, Distribution Companies have been required to separate on consumers' bills the electricity generation services component from the charge for delivering the electricity and all other charges. A major component of the Restructuring Act is the collection, by Distribution Companies, of a "competitive transition assessment," a "systems benefits charge," an "energy conservation and load management program charge" and a "renewable energy investment charge." The competitive transition assessment represents costs that have been reasonably incurred by, or will be incurred by, Distribution Companies to meet their public service obligations as - 15 - electric companies, and that will likely not otherwise be recoverable in a competitive generation and supply market. These costs include above-market long-term purchased power contract obligations, regulatory asset recovery and above-market investments in power plants (so-called stranded costs). The systems benefits charge represents public policy costs, such as generation decommissioning and displaced worker protection costs. Beginning in 2000, a Distribution Company must collect the competitive transition assessment, the systems benefits charge, the energy conservation and load management program charge and the renewable energy investment charge from all Distribution Company customers. The Restructuring Act requires that, in order for a Distribution Company to recover any stranded costs associated with its power plants, the Company must attempt to divest its ownership interests in its nuclear-fueled power plants prior to 2004. On October 1, 1998, in its "unbundling plan" filing with the DPUC under the Restructuring Act, and in other regulatory dockets, the Company stated that it plans to divest its nuclear generation ownership interests (17.5% of Seabrook Unit 1 in New Hampshire and 3.685% of Millstone Station Unit 3 in Connecticut) by the end of 2003, in accordance with the Restructuring Act. On April 19, 2000 the DPUC approved the Company's plan for divesting its ownership interest in Millstone Unit 3 by participation in an auction process to be conducted by a consultant selected by the DPUC. On April 26, 2000, the DPUC selected J. P. Morgan & Co. to conduct this auction, which is expected to be concluded by the end of 2000. It is currently estimated that obtaining requisite regulatory approvals of the auction results and consummating the sale will require at least an additional six months. The divestiture process for Seabrook Unit 1 has not yet been determined. The Company's unbundling plan also proposes to separate its ongoing regulated transmission and distribution operations and functions, that is, the Distribution Company assets and operations, from all of its unregulated operations and activities. This is to be achieved by a corporate restructuring of the Company and its unregulated subsidiaries into a holding company structure. In the holding company structure proposed, the Company will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of a holding company, and each share of the common stock of the Company will be converted into a share of common stock of the holding company. As soon as this becomes effective, all of the Company's interests in all of its operating unregulated subsidiaries will be transferred to the holding company and, to the extent new businesses are subsequently acquired or commenced, they will also be financed and owned by the holding company. In a decision dated May 19, 1999, the DPUC approved the proposed corporate restructuring. At a special meeting of the Company's shareowners, held on March 17, 2000, the shareowners voted to approve the restructuring. In an order issued March 31, 2000, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authorized the proposed corporate restructuring. An application is pending before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission seeking its consent to the proposed corporate restructuring. On March 24, 1999, the Company applied to the DPUC for a calculation of the Company's stranded costs that will be recovered by it in the future through the competitive transition assessment under the Restructuring Act. In a decision dated August 4, 1999, the DPUC determined that the Company's stranded costs total $801.3 million, consisting of $160.4 million of above-market long-term purchased power contract obligations, $153.3 million of generation-related regulatory assets (net of related tax and accounting offsets), and $487.6 million of above-market investments in nuclear generating units (net of $26.4 million of gains from generation asset sales and other offsets related to generation assets). The DPUC decision provides that these stranded cost amounts are subject to true-ups, adjustments and potential additional future offsets, including the results of the Company's divestiture of its ownership interests in Millstone Unit 3 and Seabrook Unit 1, in accordance with the Restructuring Act. The Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel, the statutory representative of consumer interests in public utility matters, appealed to the Connecticut Superior Court from the DPUC decision, challenging the DPUC's determination of the minimum bid price to be used in the auctions of Millstone Unit 3 and Seabrook Unit 1 ownership interests. On May 2, 2000, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with the Office of Consumer Counsel and the DPUC staff resolving the issue raised in this Superior Court appeal; and the agreement has been submitted to the DPUC for its consideration and approval. If the DPUC approves the settlement agreement, the Superior Court appeal will be withdrawn. - 16 - Under the Restructuring Act, retail customers representing a total of up to 35% of the Company's retail customer load became able to choose their power supply providers on and after January 1, 2000, and all of the Company's customers will be able to choose their power supply providers as of July 1, 2000. On and after January 1, 2000 and through December 31, 2003, the Company is required to offer fully-bundled "standard offer" electric service, under regulated rates, to all customers who do not choose an alternate power supply provider. The standard offer rates must include the fully-bundled price of generation, transmission and distribution services, the competitive transition assessment, the systems benefits charge and the conservation and renewable energy charges. The fully-bundled standard offer rates must also be at least 10% below the average fully-bundled prices in 1996. In March of 1999, the DPUC commenced a proceeding to determine what the Company's standard offer rates would be under the Restructuring Act. On July 27, 1999, the Company and Enron Capital & Trade Resources Corp. (ECTR), an affiliate of Enron Corp., of Houston, Texas (Enron) filed with the DPUC a joint stipulation and settlement proposal to resolve simultaneously all of the issues in the Company's standard offer rate proceeding. The proposal included an arrangement between the Company and ECTR whereby ECTR would supply the generation services needed by the Company to meet its standard offer obligations for the four-year standard offer period, and an assumption by ECTR of all of the Company's long-term purchased power agreement (PPA) obligations. The stipulation and settlement proposal also provided for the Company's standard offer rates at a fully-bundled level complying with the 10% reduction required by the Restructuring Act, including the generation services component of these rates, the Company's stranded costs for purposes of future recovery, the competitive transition assessment, systems benefits charge, delivery (transmission and distribution) charges, and conservation, load management and renewable energy charges. In its decision, dated October 1, 1999, on the Company's standard offer rates, the DPUC approved elements of the stipulation and settlement proposal, including the arrangements with ECTR, subject to specified changes, including changes in the level of the generation services component of customers' rates. On October 15, 1999, the Company filed its standard offer rates in compliance with the DPUC's decision, and the Company and ECTR concurrently filed a revised stipulation and settlement proposal. These filings were approved by the DPUC on December 9, 1999 and, on December 28, 1999, the Company and Enron Power Marketing, Inc. (EPMI), another affiliate of Enron, entered into a Wholesale Power Supply Agreement, a PPA Entitlements Transfer Agreement and related agreements documenting the approved four-year standard offer power supply arrangement and the assumption of all of the Company's PPAs, effective January 1, 2000. The agreements with EPMI also include a financially settled contract for differences related to certain call rights of EPMI and put rights of the Company with respect to the Company's entitlements in Seabrook Unit 1 and in Millstone Unit 3, and the Company's provision to EPMI of certain ancillary products and services associated with those nuclear entitlements, which provisions terminate at the earlier of December 31, 2003 or the date that the Company sells its nuclear interests. The agreements do not restrict the Company's right to sell to third parties the Company's ownership interests in those nuclear generation units or the generated energy actually attributable to its ownership interests. The Office of Consumer Counsel has appealed to the Connecticut Superior Court from the DPUC's standard offer decision, challenging the DPUC's determination of the Company's average fully-bundled prices in 1996 rates from which a 10% reduction is required by the Restructuring Act. The Company and the Connecticut Attorney General are contesting this court challenge of the DPUC's decision. The Company is unable to predict, at this time, the outcome of this Superior Court appeal. - 17 - CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PROGRAM The Company's 2000-2004 estimated capital expenditure program, excluding allowance for funds used during construction, is presently budgeted as follows: 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 TOTAL ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----- (000's) Nuclear Generation (1) $ 2,817 $ 3,624 $ - $ - $ - $ 6,441 Distribution and Transmission 39,007 31,396 17,240 14,516 31,915 134,074 Other 3,300 - - - - 3,300 ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------- Subtotal 45,124 35,020 17,240 14,516 31,915 143,815 Nuclear Fuel 8,920 6,962 2,837 8,274 - 26,993 ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------- Total Utility Expenditures 54,044 41,982 20,077 22,790 31,915 170,808 Total Non-Regulated Business Expenditures 7,788 4,564 3,864 4,038 4,167 24,421 ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------- Total $61,832 $46,546 $23,941 $26,828 $36,082 $195,229 ======= ======= ======= ======= ======= ======== (1) The Connecticut Restructuring Act and decisions of the Connecticut DPUC do not allow for the capitalization of nuclear generation costs, other than for nuclear fuel, beyond 2001. LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES At March 31, 2000, the Company had $50.9 million of cash and temporary cash investments, a decrease of $17.4 million from the corresponding balance at December 31, 1999. The components of this decrease, which are detailed in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, are summarized as follows: (Millions) Balance, December 31, 1999 $68.3 ---- Net cash provided by operating activities 26.1 Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities: - Financing activities, excluding dividend payments (28.6) - Dividend payments (10.1) Investment in debt securities 4.8 Cash invested in plant, including nuclear fuel (9.6) ---- Net Change in Cash (17.4) ---- Balance, March 31, 2000 $50.9 ===== - 18 - The Company's capital requirements are presently projected as follows: 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- (millions) Cash on Hand - Beginning of Year (1) $39.1 $ - $ - $ - $ - Internally Generated Funds less Dividends (2) 78.2 81.1 83.5 90.9 71.1 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Subtotal 117.3 81.1 83.5 90.9 71.1 Less: Utility Capital Expenditures (2) 54.0 42.0 20.1 22.8 31.9 Non-Regulated Business Capital Expenditures (2) 7.8 4.6 3.9 4.0 4.2 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Cash Available to pay Debt Maturities and Redemptions 55.5 34.5 59.5 64.1 35.0 Less: Maturities and Mandatory Redemptions - - 100.0 100.0 - Optional Redemptions 75.0 - - - - Repayment of Short-Term Borrowings 17.0 - - - - ---- ---- ----- ----- ---- External Financing Requirements (Surplus) (2) $36.5 $(34.5) $ 40.5 $35.9 $(35.0) ==== ==== ==== ==== ==== (1) Excludes $2.3 million Seabrook Unit 1 operating deposit and restricted cash of American Payment Systems, Inc. of $26.9 million. (2) Internally Generated Funds less Dividends, Capital Expenditures and External Financing Requirements are estimates based on current earnings and cash flow projections. All of these estimates are subject to change due to future events and conditions that may be substantially different from those used in developing the projections. All of the Company's capital requirements that exceed available cash will have to be provided by external financing. Although the Company has no commitment to provide such financing from any source of funds, other than a $60 million revolving credit agreement with a group of banks, described below, the Company expects to be able to satisfy its external financing needs by issuing additional short-term and long-term debt. The continued availability of these methods of financing will be dependent on many factors, including conditions in the securities markets, economic conditions, and the level of the Company's income and cash flow. The Company has a revolving credit agreement with a group of banks, which currently extends to December 7, 2000. The borrowing limit of this facility is $60 million. The facility permits the Company to borrow funds at a fluctuating interest rate determined by the prime lending market in New York, and also permits the Company to borrow money for fixed periods of time specified by the Company at fixed interest rates determined by the Eurodollar interbank market in London. If a material adverse change in the business, operations, affairs, assets or condition, financial or otherwise, or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, should occur, the banks may decline to lend additional money to the Company under this revolving credit agreement, although borrowings outstanding at the time of such an occurrence would not then become due and payable. As of March 31, 2000, the Company had $14 million in short-term borrowings outstanding under this facility. SUBSIDIARY OPERATIONS The Company has one wholly-owned subsidiary, United Resources, Inc. (URI), that serves as the parent corporation for several unregulated businesses, each of which is incorporated separately to participate in business ventures that will complement the Company's regulated electric utility business and provide long-term rewards to the Company 's shareowners. - 19 - URI has four wholly-owned subsidiaries. American Payment Systems, Inc. manages a national network of agents for the processing of bill payments made by customers of the Company and other companies. Another subsidiary of URI, United Capital Investments, Inc., and its subsidiaries, participate in business ventures that complement the Company's business. A third URI subsidiary, Precision Power, Inc. and its subsidiaries, provide specialty electrical, telecommunications and mechanical contracting and power-related services to the owners of commercial buildings and industrial and institutional facilities. URI's fourth subsidiary, United Bridgeport Energy, Inc., is a participant in a merchant wholesale electric generating facility located in Bridgeport, Connecticut. RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FIRST QUARTER OF 2000 VS. FIRST QUARTER OF 1999 - ----------------------------------------------- GENERAL IMPACTS OF CONNECTICUT'S RESTRUCTURING ACT ON FINANCIAL REPORTS - ----------------------------------------------------------------------- On April 16, 1999, the Company completed the sale of its operating fossil-fueled generating plants that was required by Connecticut's electric utility industry restructuring legislation. On October 1, 1999, the Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) issued its decision establishing the Company's standard offer customer rates, commencing January 1, 2000, at a level 10% below 1996 rates (about 6% below 1999 rates), as directed by Connecticut's Restructuring Act. As a result of these two and other associated events, the "geography" of the Company's costs, particularly with respect to comparisons between the first quarter of 2000 and the first quarter of 1999, and the quarterly pattern of revenues and earnings comparing 2000 to 1999 have changed. This particularly relates to retail pricing patterns, wholesale revenue and expense, other operating revenues, retail purchased energy and fossil fuel expenses, operation and maintenance expense, depreciation and property taxes. For example, increased purchased energy expenses are more than offset by portions of the decreases in miscellaneous operation and maintenance expense, depreciation and property taxes, due to the sale of generating plants. The results of these changes are explained below, and in the "Quarterly Earnings Pattern for 2000" portion of the LOOKING FORWARD section. FIRST QUARTER OF 2000 VS. FIRST QUARTER OF 1999 - ----------------------------------------------- Earnings for the first quarter of 2000 were $16.9 million, or $1.20 per share (on both a basic and diluted basis), up $7.0 million, or $.50 per share, from the first quarter of 1999. Excluding a one-time item recorded in the first quarter of 1999, earnings from operations (on both a basic and diluted basis), were up $7.6 million, or $.54 per share, from the first quarter of 1999. The earnings from operations contribution of utility operations, excluding the Nuclear Division, was $.97 per share in the first quarter of 2000. The Nuclear Division contributed $.22 per share, for a total utility contribution of $1.19 per share, compared to $.71 per share in the first quarter of 1999. The Company's non-regulated businesses earned $.01 per share in the first quarter of 2000, compared to a loss of $.05 per share in the first quarter of 1999. The utility earnings increase was attributable to increased sales, both retail and wholesale, expense reductions, and a shift in the quarterly earnings pattern that is estimated to have added about $.20 per share to the first quarter of 2000 compared to the first quarter of 1999. The one-time item recorded in the first quarter of 1999 was: EPS ------------------ ----------------------------------------- --------------- 1999 Quarter 1 Purchased power expense refund $ .12 Sharing due to refund $(.08) ------------------ ----------------------------------------- --------------- Utility Earnings from Operations - -------------------------------- Overall, retail revenue decreased by $3.5 million in the first quarter of 2000 compared to the first quarter of 1999. Retail revenues from operations decreased by $4.5 million for the reasons shown below. Retail revenues - 20 - applicable to a one-time item increased by $1.0 million because of 1999 "sharing" required under the current regulatory structure as applied to the one-time item recorded in the first quarter of 1999. - ---------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- ------------- --------- From From Retail Revenues: $ millions Operations One-time Total - ---------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- ------------- --------- Revenue from: - ---------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- ------------- --------- Sharing: for 1999 one-time item 0.0 1.0 1.0 - ---------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- ------------- --------- Estimate of operating Distribution Division component of "real" retail sales growth, up 1.3% 0.7 0.0 0.7 - ---------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- ------------- --------- Estimate of operating Distribution Division component of "leap year day" retail sales growth, up 1.1% 0.6 0.0 0.6 - ---------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- ------------- --------- Estimate of operating Distribution Division component of weather effect on retail sales 1.1 0.0 1.1 - ---------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- ------------- --------- Estimate of operating Distribution Division component o price reduction (2.8) 0.0 (2.8) - ---------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- ------------- --------- Other retail price reduction, mix of sales and other (see other operating revenues) (4.1) 0.0 (4.1) - ---------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- ------------- --------- TOTAL RETAIL REVENUE (4.5) 1.0 (3.5) - ---------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- ------------- --------- Retail fuel and energy expense increased by $39.6 million in the first quarter of 2000 compared to the first quarter of 1999. The Company's operating fossil-fueled generation units were sold on April 16, 1999, and the Company receives, and will receive through 2003, its standard offer service requirements through purchased power agreements. These costs are recovered through the Generation Service Charge (GSC) portion of unbundled rates. Wholesale sales margin increased by $13.7 million in the first quarter of 2000 compared to the first quarter of 1999. Margin from the Nuclear Division, which was incorporated in retail rates in 1999, increased by $14.2 million. The Company's operating nuclear assets, Seabrook and Millstone 3, supply power solely to the wholesale market in 2000. Overall, the Nuclear Division produced earnings of $.22 per share in the first quarter of 2000, reflecting the wholesale sales margin less operations and maintenance and other costs, including taxes. See the LOOKING FORWARD section for more details. There was margin of $0.5 million from general wholesale activities in the first quarter of 1999. Other operating revenues increased by $10.7 million in the first quarter of 2000 compared to the first quarter of 1999. Accrued revenues for the Competitive Transition Assessment (CTA) and the System Benefits Charge (SBC) of $8.7 million and $0.9 million, respectively, were recorded in the first quarter of 2000. These revenues true-up the CTA and SBC equity returns to 11.5% and, as a consequence, compensate for variances in other retail revenues shown in the table above. See the LOOKING FORWARD section for more details. Other operating revenues also include transmission revenues from the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL), which increased by $1.3 million in the first quarter of 2000 compared to the first quarter of 1999, and were mostly offset by an increase in transmission operation expense. - 21 - Operating expenses for operations, maintenance and purchased capacity decreased by $16.3 million in the first quarter of 2000 compared to the first quarter of 1999. The principal components of these expense changes include: $millions - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Capacity expense: - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Cogeneration (see Note A) (7.0) - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Other purchases (0.6) - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- TOTAL CAPACITY EXPENSE (7.6) - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Operating Distribution Division O&M expense: - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- 1999 fossil generation unit operating and maintenance costs (5.6) - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Pension and other employee benefit costs (3.4) - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- NEPOOL transmission expense 0.8 - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Other (3.0) - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- TOTAL OPERATING DISTRIBUTION DIVISION (11.2) - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Other unbundled components of O&M expense: - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Nuclear Division (see Note B) (2.2) - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Conservation and Load Management and Renewable Energy (see note B) 4.7 - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- TOTAL OTHER COMPONENTS 2.5 - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- TOTAL O&M EXPENSE (8.7) - --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Note A: The Company's wholesale purchased power agreements were assumed by Enron Power Marketing, Inc. as part of agreements for Enron to supply the power needed by the Company to meet its standard offer obligations until the end of the four-year standard offer period and the power needed to serve the Company's special contract customers for the remaining contract terms. The Company has created a regulatory asset and liability to reflect this transaction, and the regulatory asset is being amortized, on a straight line basis, as part of the CTA. The amortization for the first quarter of 2000 of about $6.7 million is included in the "Amortization of regulatory assets" line of the income statement. Note B: Nuclear Division operation and maintenance expenses are incurred in the production of energy for the wholesale market and are reflected in the Nuclear Division results. About $1.3 million of the reduction was due to the absence of refueling outage costs incurred in the first quarter of 1999. Conservation and load management and renewable energy costs are pass-through costs recovered in unbundled rates. Other taxes, primarily property taxes, decreased by $2.8 million in the first quarter of 2000 compared to the first quarter of 1999, due principally to the generating plant sale in April of 1999. Depreciation expense decreased by $10.6 million in the first quarter of 2000 compared to the first quarter of 1999. About $5.1 million of the decrease was due to the shifting of depreciation on nuclear plant stranded assets from depreciation expense to amortization of regulatory assets. About $2.4 million of the decrease was due to the completion of depreciation of conservation assets in the first half of 1999, and another $2.4 million was due to the generation asset sale in 1999. Other depreciation expenses decreased by $0.7 million. Amortization of regulatory assets increased by $8.8 million in the first quarter of 2000 compared to the first quarter of 1999. With three exceptions, these costs, as recorded in 2000, are associated solely with either the CTA or the SBC. The exceptions are described in the following two paragraphs. The CTA and SBC amortization components in the first quarter of 2000 amounted to $12.8 million (pre-tax) and were: nuclear assets (from - 22 - depreciation) $5.1 million, purchased power contracts (in place of purchased power expense) $6.7 million, displaced worker costs $0.6 million, and other $0.4 million. These were partially offset by the elimination (completed in 1999) of $3.1 million (after-tax) of amortization of Seabrook Nuclear Station deferred return. The exceptions noted in the previous paragraph are amortizations that apply to the operating Distribution Division. They include the amortization of Retail Access assets, $0.4 million (pre-tax), and accelerated amortizations (both scheduled and "sharing" amortization). On December 31, 1996, the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control issued an order that implemented a five-year Rate Plan to reduce the Company's retail prices and accelerate the recovery of certain "regulatory assets." According to the Rate Plan, under which the Company is currently operating, "accelerated" amortization of past utility investments is scheduled for every year that the Rate Plan is in effect, contingent upon the Company earning a 10.5% return on utility common stock equity. Beginning in 2000, these accelerated amortizations are charged to the operating Distribution Division, although they reduce CTA plant costs and rate base. About $2.2 million (after-tax) of accelerated amortization was charged in the first quarter of 2000, compared to about $3.0 million (after-tax) in 1999, for a decrease of $0.8 million. The Company can also incur additional accelerated amortization expense as a result of the "sharing" mechanism in the Rate Plan if the Company achieves a return on utility common stock equity above 11.5%, which the Company did achieve during the third and fourth quarters of 1999. One-time items recorded against the return on utility common stock equity, before the Company achieves the 11.5%, are recorded with an appropriate "sharing" effect if the Company projects, at that time, that there will be total "sharing" for the year adequate to cover the "sharing" for the one-time item. Such "sharing" amortization was recorded in the first quarter of 1999, in the amount of $1.0 million before-tax ($0.6 million after-tax), as a result of the one-time gain recorded in that quarter. Interest charges for the regulated business continued on a downward trend, decreasing by $6.0 million in the first quarter of 2000 compared to the first quarter of 1999, partly offset by an increase of $2.0 million in interest charges for non-regulated subsidiaries. Most of the reduction in utility interest charges occurred after the generation asset sale, which was completed on April 16, 1999. The Company used proceeds received from the sale of plant to pay off $205 million of debt. The decrease in utility interest charges was applied to the various unbundled components in 2000. Non-regulated Business Earnings from Operations - ----------------------------------------------- Overall, the consolidated non-regulated businesses operating under the parent United Resources, Inc. (URI), after corporate parent-allocated interest, earned approximately $0.1 million, or $.01 per share, in the first quarter 2000, compared to losses of about $0.7 million, or $.05 per share, in the first quarter of 1999. The results of each of the subsidiaries of URI for the first quarter of 2000 reflects the allocation of debt costs from the parent based on a capital structure, including an equity component, and interest rate, deemed to be appropriate for that type of business. American Payment Systems, Inc. (APS) earned approximately $0.7 million, or $.05 per share, in the first quarter of 2000, reflecting an increase of $0.6 million, or $.04 per share, over the first quarter of 1999. Precision Power, Inc. (PPI) lost approximately $0.3 million, or $.02 per share, in the first quarter of 2000, compared to a loss of approximately $0.5 million, or $.03 per share, in the first quarter of 1999. The improvement was the result of cost reduction efforts and the acquisition of Allan Electric Company, Inc., despite expected seasonably low business activity at Allan. On May 11, 1999, the Company's non-regulated subsidiary, United Bridgeport Energy, Inc. (UBE), increased its 4% passive investment in Bridgeport Energy LLC (BE) to 33 1/3%. The second phase of BE's merchant wholesale electric generating project went into commercial operation in July 1999, adding 180 megawatts of generation capacity for a total of 520 megawatts. UBE lost approximately $1.0 million, or $.07 per share, in the first quarter of 2000, as a result of a shutdown to repair the steam turbine and to make modifications to the combustion turbine. These repairs and modifications are expected to be completed by the end of May. United Capital Investment, Inc. earned approximately $1.0 million, or $.07 per share, in the first quarter of 2000, compared - 23 - to a loss of about $0.4 million, or $.03 per share, in the first quarter of 1999. The improvement reflects unrealized gains on an investment in a venture capital fund that is valued at its market value at the end of each quarter. LOOKING FORWARD (THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION CONTAINS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO UNCERTAINTIES THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE CURRENTLY EXPECTED. READERS ARE CAUTIONED THAT THE COMPANY REGARDS SPECIFIC NUMBERS AS ONLY THE "MOST LIKELY" TO OCCUR WITHIN A RANGE OF POSSIBLE VALUES.) Five-year Rate Plan - ------------------- On December 31, 1996, the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) issued an order (the Order) that implemented a five-year regulatory framework (Rate Plan) to reduce the Company's retail prices and accelerate the recovery of certain "regulatory assets," beginning with deferred conservation costs. The Company has operated under the terms of this Order since January 1, 1997. The Order's schedule of price reductions and accelerated amortizations was based on a DPUC pro-forma financial analysis that anticipated the Company would be able to implement such changes and earn an allowed annual return on common stock equity invested in utility assets of 11.5% over the period 1997 through 2001. The Order established a set formula to share (see "Sharing Implementation" below) any utility income that would produce a return above the 11.5% level: one-third to be applied to customer price reductions, one-third to be applied to additional amortization of regulatory assets, and one-third to be retained by shareowners. Utility income is inclusive of earnings from operations and one-time items. Sharing Implementation - ---------------------- "Sharing", in 2000, will result only if the regulated operating Distribution Division exceeds its allowed return of 11.5% on utility common stock equity. The operating Distribution Division is expected to realize about 40-50% of its pre-sharing earnings in the third quarter of each year. It will not likely ever exceed the sharing level of utility earnings before the third quarter of any year that "sharing" is in effect. Assuming the sharing level of earnings is exceeded in the third quarter of a particular year, then all positive utility earnings recorded in the fourth quarter of that year will be subject to "sharing." A look at 2000; continued growth of non-regulated business value - ---------------------------------------------------------------- On January 1, 2000, the Company completed the restructuring process required by the Connecticut electric utility industry restructuring legislation in 1998 and its regulated business became an electricity delivery business. All customers are now seeing at least a 10% reduction in their electric rates from 1996 levels. The framework of the current Rate Plan, including the "sharing" mechanism, is expected to continue through 2001. Regulatory decisions during 1999 did not alter the Company's allowed return of 11.5% on utility equity, and did not impinge on the Company's ability to achieve that return. On January 24, 2000, the Company estimated its year 2000 earnings would be in the range of $3.60-$3.80 per share. Following better than expected first quarter 2000 earnings from both the regulated and non-regulated businesses and experience with the new regulated pricing structure that became effective January 1, 2000, the Company is now revising its full year 2000 earnings estimate upwards, to $3.95-$4.10 per share. If the Company were to earn 11.5% on utility equity in the regulated business, including the Nuclear Division, that level of earnings would generate $3.35-$3.45 per share. In addition, continued operation of the Company's nuclear entitlements at the high availability rates experienced in the first quarter of 2000 would produce additional earnings. - 24 - Sharing will be greatly reduced from the 1999 levels, due to mandates in the restructuring legislation. The Company expects sharing to contribute no more than $.20-$.25 per share in 2000. The Company's non-regulated businesses, under the parent URI, are expected to contribute $.25-$.30 per share to earnings in 2000. This is an improvement from previous expectations. URI's wholly-owned subsidiary, American Payment Systems, Inc., is expected to contribute about half of this total, and United Bridgeport Energy, Inc. should add $.05-$.10 per share. Precision Power, Inc. and the other URI subsidiaries will contribute the rest. As a result of management's continued confidence in the potential of the non-regulated businesses, the Company is evaluating further investments in this area. However, additional near-term losses could be incurred due to these new growth initiatives, if the potential for future benefits warrants such losses. Quarterly Earnings Pattern for 2000 - ----------------------------------- The quarterly earnings pattern for 2000 will be somewhat smoother than the earnings pattern for 1999. The primary reason is the new regulated utility pricing structure set by the Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC), effective January 1, 2000, to implement standard offer customer rates at a level 10% below 1996 rates. Overall, the implementation of the new rates will produce a retail price reduction of about 6% compared to 1999 retail revenues, excluding any further reduction resulting from earnings sharing. In 2000, all of the unbundled rate components, except for the component attributable to the operating Distribution Division, reflect fixed pricing within each rate class. That is, the seasonality previously associated with historical underlying costs of those rate components, the largest of which is the Competitive Transition Assessment (CTA) for recovery of stranded costs, has been eliminated. Only the operating Distribution Company component maintains a seasonal pricing structure, and that component is expected to produce an average price for the year of about 4.2 cents per kilowatthour. The Company earns the allowed 11.5% return on the equity portions of CTA and the System Benefits Charge (SBC) rate base (the latter is minimal). For the most part, the regulatory assets that are being recovered through the CTA are being amortized on a straight-line basis. If CTA revenues do not produce the allowed return, then deferred accounting is used to "true-up" to the allowed return. This true-up adjusts for sales volume fluctuations as well as pricing factors. A similar adjustment, on a much less significant scale, applies to the SBC component. The generation service, conservation and renewables charges are pass-through charges. The only retail sales volume fluctuations that flow to net income are those that apply to the operating Distribution Division component of rates. Thus, a 1% sales volume increase will produce additional sales margin of about $2.4 million in 2000, whereas it produced additional sales margin of about $6.0 million in 1999. The other utility earnings component that can vary significantly is the Nuclear Division component. The Company's operating nuclear assets, Seabrook and Millstone 3, supply power solely to the wholesale market in 2000. Unit outages, whether scheduled or unscheduled, will result in lowered sales, and unscheduled outages could result in higher maintenance expenses. For 2000, Seabrook is currently scheduled to be out-of-service for refueling in the fourth quarter for about 29 days, and will show lower earnings in that period. The Company plans to divest its nuclear generation ownership interests by the end of 2003, if not sooner, in accordance with the restructuring legislation. The following is a representation of the possible quarterly earnings from operations pattern for currently expected 2000 results, compared to a normalized pattern for 1999. Actual 2000 results may vary depending on changes due to weather, economic conditions, sales mix (the usage pattern of the Distribution Division's retail customers) and the Company's ability to control expenses, as well as the performance of the non-regulated businesses and other unanticipated events. - 25 - The Company's current overall estimate of earnings per share from operations for 2000 is $3.95-$4.10. Significant variability could occur each quarter and still produce earnings within that range. The Company has made range estimates of quarterly results for 2000 as follows: Earnings per share from operations: Estimated Actual Quarter 2000 Range 1999 ------- ---------- ---- 1 $1.20 (Actual) $ .66 2 $ .88 - $1.00 .99 3 $1.22 - $1.43 1.78 4 $ .50 - .62 .24 ---- $3.67 Quarterly range estimates are not additive, that is, adding the low range numbers produces a result that is lower than the Company's low estimate for the year. The sums of the low and high range values should not be construed to represent any estimate other than the Company's annual estimate of $3.95-$4.10 per share. ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK. The Company believes that it has no material quantitative or qualitative exposure to market risk associated with activities in derivative financial instruments, other financial instruments or derivative commodity instruments. - 26 - PART II. OTHER INFORMATION ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. In the arbitration proceeding and lawsuits against Northeast Utilities and its subsidiaries (NU) with respect to their operation of Millstone Unit 3, described in Item 2, "Properties-Nuclear Generation" of the Registrant's Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999, four additional non-NU joint owners, who together own about 1 2/3% of the unit, have settled their claims against NU and have withdrawn from the prosecution of the arbitration proceeding and lawsuits. The Registrant and two other non-NU joint owners, who together own about 6 1/3% of the unit, continue to prosecute the arbitration proceeding and lawsuits. ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS. See the Registrant's Current Report (Form 8-K) filed March 22, 2000. ITEM 6. EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K. (a) Exhibits. Exhibit Table Item Exhibit Number Number Description ---------- ------- ----------- (10) 10.8e Copy of Agreement for Extension of Transmission Line Agreement, dated February 9, 2000, between The United Illuminating Company and National Railroad Passenger Corporation, regarding extension of Transmission Line Agreement, Exhibit 10.8a*, as supplemented and modified by Exhibit 10.8c**. (12), (99) 12 Statement Showing Computation of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Ratios of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividend Requirements (Twelve Months Ended March 31, 2000 and Twelve Months Ended December 31, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996 and 1995). (27) 27 Financial Data Schedule. * Filed with Registration Statement No. 2-60849, effective July 24, 1978 (Exhibit 5.4) ** Filed with Annual Report (Form 10-K) for fiscal year ended December 31, 1991 (Exhibit 10.9c) (b) Reports on Form 8-K. Item Financial Reported Statement Date of Report -------- --------- -------------- 5 None March 17, 2000 - 27 - SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. THE UNITED ILLUMINATING COMPANY Date 05/12/2000 Signature /s/ Robert L. Fiscus ------------- ------------------------------------------------ Robert L. Fiscus Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary - 28 -