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Table of Contents


UNITED STATES
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 ended June 30, 2002

OR

  o TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Commission file number 1-3559

Atlantic City Electric Company
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

  New Jersey
(State of incorporation)

  21-0398280
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
 

  800 King Street, P.O. Box 231, Wilmington, Delaware
(Address of principal executive offices)
  19899
(Zip Code)
 

  Registrant’s telephone number, including area code
  302-429-3018  

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 o

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date:

All 18,320,937 issued and outstanding shares of Atlantic City Electric Company common stock, $3 per share par value, are owned by Conectiv.



Table of Contents

Atlantic City Electric Company

Table of Contents

      Page
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION:  
     
Item 1. Financial Statements  
     
  Consolidated Statements of Income for the three and six months
   ended June 30, 2002, and June 30, 2001
1
     
  Consolidated Balance Sheets as of June 30, 2002 and December
   31, 2001
2-3
     
  Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the six months
   ended June 30, 2002, and
June 30, 2001
4
     
  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 5-8
     
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
   and
Results of Operations
9-14
     
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 15
     
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION  
     
Item 1. Legal Proceedings 15
     
Item 5. Other Information 15
     
Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K 16
     
 
   
SIGNATURE 17
   
   

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Table of Contents

Part 1. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements

ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME
(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

  Three Months Ended
June 30,
  Six Months Ended
June 30,
 
 
 
 
  2002   2001   2002   2001  
 
 
 
 
OPERATING REVENUES   $ 241,638   $ 247,323   $ 462,617   $ 473,094  
 
 
 
 
 
OPERATING EXPENSES                          
   Electric fuel and purchased energy and capacity     144,597     149,737     279,701     260,147  
   Operation and maintenance     63,372     66,593     120,842     123,222  
   Depreciation and amortization     16,981     21,712     33,939     43,548  
   Taxes other than income taxes     5,572     8,627     11,299     17,888  
   Deferred electric service costs     (24,234 )   (53,554 )   (40,432 )   (58,321 )
 
 
 
 
 
    206,288     193,115     405,349     386,484  
 
 
 
 
 
OPERATING INCOME     35,350     54,208     57,268     86,610  
 
 
 
 
 
OTHER INCOME     4,396     2,080     7,066     5,742  
 
 
 
 
 
INTEREST EXPENSE                          
   Interest charges     14,209     14,465     28,204     32,270  
   Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction and
      capitalized interest
    (318 )   (136 )   (570 )   (261 )
 
 
 
 
 
    13,891     14,329     27,634     32,009  
 
 
 
 
 
PREFERRED DIVIDEND REQUIREMENTS ON PREFERRED
   SECURITIES OF SUBSIDIARY TRUSTS
    1,904     1,904     3,809     3,809  
 
 
 
 
 
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES     23,951     40,055     32,891     56,534  
INCOME TAXES     9,984     16,702     13,867     23,905  
 
 
 
 
 
NET INCOME     13,967     23,353     19,024     32,629  
DIVIDENDS ON PREFERRED STOCK     308     533     617     1,066  
 
 
 
 
 
EARNINGS APPLICABLE TO COMMON STOCK   $ 13,659   $ 22,820   $ 18,407   $ 31,563  
 
 
 
 
 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

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ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

  June 30,
2002
  December 31,
2001
 
 
 
 
    ASSETS              
Current Assets              
   Cash and cash equivalents   $ 4,933   $ 14,261  
   Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $9,765 and $7,804, respectively     158,614     159,679  
   Inventories, at average cost              
     Fuel (coal and oil)     19,157     20,331  
     Materials and supplies     11,016     10,738  
   Prepaid income taxes     34,010     41,044  
   Other prepayments     36,532     1,756  
   Deferred income taxes     177     181  
 
 
 
    264,439     247,990  
 
 
 
Investments     3,394     3,666  
 
 
 
Property, Plant and Equipment              
   Electric generation     140,212     136,152  
   Electric transmission and distribution     1,311,934     1,276,896  
   Other electric facilities     109,311     116,215  
   Other property, plant, and equipment     1,359     5,772  
 
 
 
      1,562,816     1,535,035  
   Less: Accumulated depreciation     589,632     569,495  
 
 
 
   Net plant in service     973,184     965,540  
   Construction work-in-progress     88,160     74,780  
 
 
 
    1,061,344     1,040,320  
 
 
 
Deferred Charges and Other Assets              
   Regulatory assets              
     Recoverable stranded costs     919,927     930,036  
     Deferred electric service costs     149,510     106,259  
     Other non-current regulatory assets     83,749     82,944  
   Unamortized debt expense     13,439     12,966  
   Other     7,755     8,149  
 
 
 
    1,174,380     1,140,354  
 
 
 
Total Assets   $ 2,503,557   $ 2,432,330  
 
 
 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

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ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

  June 30,
2002
December 31,
2001


CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES
             
Current Liabilities              
   Short-term debt   $ 118,845   $ 44,951  
   Long-term debt due within one year     266,450     221,450  
   Variable rate demand bonds     22,600     22,600  
   Accounts payable     67,602     58,001  
   Interest accrued     16,629     17,224  
   Dividends payable     6,301     6,302  
   Other     40,562     40,461  


    538,989     410,989  


Deferred Credits and Other Liabilities              
   Deferred income taxes, net     483,190     470,420  
   Deferred investment tax credits     27,468     28,482  
   Regulatory liability for New Jersey income tax benefit     49,262     49,262  
   Above-market purchased energy contracts and other electric restructuring
      liabilities
    16,552     16,615  
   Pension benefit obligation     40,850     35,529  
   Other postretirement benefit obligation     36,189     36,429  
   Other     19,532     13,311  


    673,043     650,048  


Capitalization              
   Common stock, $3 par value; 18,320,937 shares outstanding; 25,000,000 shares
      authorized
    54,963     54,963  
   Additional paid-in capital     410,371     410,194  
   Retained earnings     158,607     156,152  


     Total common stockholder's equity     623,941     621,309  
   Preferred stock not subject to mandatory redemption     6,231     6,231  
   Preferred stock subject to mandatory redemption         12,450  
   Company obligated mandatorily redeemable preferred securities of subsidiary
      trusts holding solely company debentures
    95,000     95,000  
   Long-term debt     566,353     636,303  


    1,291,525     1,371,293  


   Commitments and Contingencies (Note 8)              


Total Capitalization and Liabilities   $ 2,503,557   $ 2,432,330  



See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

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ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

Six Months Ended
June 30,

2002 2001


CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES              
   Net income   $ 19,024   $ 32,629  
   Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:              
     Depreciation and amortization     33,938     49,520  
     Investment tax credit adjustments, net     (1,014 )   (1,256 )
     Deferred income taxes, net     13,920     21,772  
     Deferred electric service costs     (40,432 )   (58,321 )
     Net change in:              
       Accounts receivable     3,139     (39,036 )
       Inventories     896     (10,012 )
       Prepaid New Jersey sales & excise taxes     (40,505 )   (31,100 )
       Accounts payable     9,601     27,018  
       Taxes accrued     7,034     (6,846 )
       Other current assets and liabilities (1)     5,245     (3,793 )
     Other, net     3,938     2,025  


   Net cash provided/(used) by operating activities     14,784     (17,400 )


CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES              
   Capital expenditures     (49,593 )   (30,472 )
   Sale of assets     7,400      
   Deposits to nuclear decommissioning trust funds         (825 )
   Other, net     (1,118 )   (1,476 )


   Net cash used by investing activities     (43,311 )   (32,773 )


             
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES              
   Common dividends paid     (15,776 )   (33,655 )
   Preferred dividends paid     (617 )   (1,066 )
   Long-term debt redeemed     (25,000 )   (10,000 )
   Preferred stock redeemed     (12,450 )   (11,500 )
   Principal portion of capital lease payments         (5,971 )
   Net increase in short-term debt     73,894      
   Other, net     (852 )    


   Net cash provided / (used) by financing activities     19,199     (62,192 )


   Net change in cash and cash equivalents     (9,328 )   (112,365 )


   Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period     14,261     156,071  


   Cash and cash equivalents at end of period   $ 4,933   $ 43,706  



______________

  (1)   Other than debt and deferred income taxes classified as current.

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

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ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC COMPANY
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited)

Note 1. Financial Statement Presentation

The consolidated condensed interim financial statements contained herein include the accounts of Atlantic City Electric Company (ACE) and its wholly owned subsidiaries and reflect all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary in the opinion of management for a fair presentation of interim results. In accordance with regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), disclosures that would substantially duplicate the disclosures in ACE’s 2001 Annual Report on Form 10-K have been omitted. Accordingly, ACE’s consolidated condensed interim financial statements contained herein should be read in conjunction with ACE’s 2001 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The following information updates the disclosure Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of Part II of ACE’s 2001 Annual Report on Form 10-K concerning the Agreement and Plan of Merger among Pepco Holdings, Inc. (formerly New RC, Inc.), Conectiv and Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) (the Conectiv/Pepco Merger Agreement). On August 1, 2002, Conectiv was acquired by Pepco Holdings, Inc. in a transaction pursuant to the Conectiv/Pepco Merger Agreement, in which Pepco and Conectiv merged with subsidiaries of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (the Conectiv/Pepco Merger). As a result of the Conectiv/Pepco Merger, Pepco and Conectiv and their respective subsidiaries (including ACE) each became subsidiaries of Pepco Holdings, Inc. ACE continues as a wholly-owned, direct subsidiary of Conectiv.

As discussed in Notes 1 and 21 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of Part II of ACE’s 2001 Annual Report on Form 10-K, under-recoveries of costs related to Basic Generation Service (BGS) for the three and six months ended June 30, 2001 have been reclassified within the Consolidated Statements of Income from electric operating revenues to operating expenses, as a separate line item captioned “Deferred electric service costs.”

On April 30, 2002, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 145, “Rescission of FASB Statements No. 4, 44, and 64, Amendment of FASB Statement No. 13, and Technical Corrections.” SFAS No. 145 rescinds SFAS No. 4, “Reporting Gains and Losses from Extinguishment of Debt (an amendment of APB Opinion No. 30).” SFAS No. 4 had required that material gains and losses on extinguishment of debt be classified as an extraordinary item. Under SFAS No. 145, SFAS No. 4 is rescinded effective for fiscal years beginning after May 15, 2002. Due to the rescission of SFAS No. 4, it is less likely that a gain or loss on extinguishment of debt would be classified as an extraordinary item in ACE’s Consolidated Statement of Income. Among other things, SFAS No. 145 also amends SFAS No. 13, “Accounting for Leases,” to require that certain lease modifications that have economic effects similar to sale-leaseback transactions be accounted for in the same manner as sale-leaseback transactions.

On July 30, 2002, the FASB issued SFAS No. 146, “Accounting for Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities.” The standard requires companies to recognize costs associated with exit or disposal costs when they are incurred rather than at the date of a commitment to an exit or disposal plan. The primary effect of applying SFAS No. 146 will be on the timing of recognition of costs associated with exit or disposal activities. In many cases, those costs will be recognized as liabilities in periods following a commitment to a plan, not at the date of the commitment. SFAS No. 146 is to be applied prospectively to exit or disposal activities initiated after December 31, 2002.

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Table of Contents

Note 2. Supplemental Cash Flow Information

Six Months Ended
June 30,

2002 2001


(Dollars in thousands)
Cash paid (received) for:              
   Interest, net of amounts capitalized   $ 26,551   $ 32,566  
   Income taxes, net of refunds   $ (5,969 ) $ 10,413  

Note 3. Income Taxes

The amounts computed by multiplying “Income before income taxes” by the federal statutory rate is reconciled in the table below to income tax expense on continuing operations.

Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,


2002 2001 2002 2001




Amount Rate Amount Rate Amount Rate Amount Rate








(Dollars in Thousands)
Statutory federal income tax expense   $ 8,383     35 % $ 14,019     35 % $ 11,512     35 % $ 19,787     35 %
State income taxes,
   net of federal  benefit
    1,677     7     2,625     7     2,490     7     3,920     7  
Plant basis differences     500     2     704     2     1,000     3     1,408     2  
Investment tax credit amortization     (507 )   (2 )   (628 )   (2 )   (1,014 )   (3 )   (1,256 )   (2 )
Other, net     (69 )       (18 )       (121 )       46      








  $ 9,984     42 % $ 16,702     42 % $ 13,867     42 % $ 23,905     42 %









Note 4. Regulatory Matters

On July 3, 2002, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) issued an order approving the Conectiv/Pepco Merger. Among other things, the order provides for ACE to forgo recovery through customer rates of $30.5 million of “deferred electric service costs,” ACE to contribute $1.0 million to a fund supporting southern New Jersey schools, and certain customer service guarantees.

Note 5. Agreements for the Sale of Electric Generating Plants

As disclosed in Note 9 to ACE’s Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of Part II of ACE’s 2001 Annual Report on Form 10-K, the agreements between ACE and NRG Energy, Inc. (NRG) for the sale of ACE’s fossil fuel-fired electric generating plants (740 megawatts (MW) of capacity), including the Deepwater Station and B.L. England Station, and ACE’s interests in Conemaugh and Keystone Stations, were subject to termination by either party after February 28, 2002. NRG delivered notice to Conectiv on April 1, 2002 terminating these agreements. On May 23, 2002, Conectiv announced that it initiated a second competitive bidding process to sell these ACE-owned fossil fuel-fired electric generating plants. Management expects that the competitive bidding process will result in final sales agreements in the early fall of 2002. Such agreements are subject to review and approval by the NJBPU. Management cannot predict the results of the competitive bidding process, whether the NJBPU will approve any resulting sales agreements, or any related impacts upon recoverable stranded costs.

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As discussed in Note 6 to ACE’s Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of Part II of ACE’s 2001 Annual Report on Form 10-K, the BGS auction awarded about 1,900 MW, or 80% of ACE’s BGS load to four suppliers for the period from August 1, 2002 to July 31, 2003. For times during this period that precede the sale of ACE’s plants discussed above, ACE expects to sell, in the wholesale market, the portion of its electricity supply which exceeds the load requirement of the BGS customers.

Note 6. Preferred Stock

On May 1, 2002, ACE redeemed 124,500 shares of its $7.80 annual dividend rate preferred stock, under mandatory and optional redemption provisions, at the $100 per share stated value or $12.45 million in total.

Note 7. Debt

On April 1, 2002, ACE redeemed at maturity $20 million of unsecured 6.46%, Medium Term Notes.

On May 28, 2002, ACE redeemed at maturity $5 million of secured 7.04% Medium Term Notes.

Effective with the Conectiv/Pepco Merger, Pepco Holdings, Inc. entered into a $1.5 billion credit agreement for general corporate purposes, including commercial paper back-up. Under the Pepco Holdings, Inc. credit agreement, a borrowing sublimit of $1.0 billion exists for Pepco Holdings Inc. and a borrowing sublimit of $500 million exists for aggregate borrowings by Pepco, DPL, and ACE, limited to $300 million for each such borrower.

Note 8. Contingencies

Environmental Matters

Hazardous Substances

ACE is subject to regulation with respect to the environmental effects of its operations, including air and water quality control, solid and hazardous waste disposal, and limitation on land use by various federal, regional, state, and local authorities. Costs may be incurred to clean up facilities found to be contaminated due to past disposal practices. Federal and state statutes authorize governmental agencies to compel responsible parties to clean up certain abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. ACE is a potentially responsible party at a state superfund site and has agreed, along with other responsible parties, to remediate the site pursuant to an Administrative Consent Order with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). ACE and other parties entered into a consent decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and NJDEP to address remediation at a federal superfund site in Gloucester County, New Jersey. ACE’s liability for clean-up costs is affected by the activities of these governmental agencies and private land-owners, the nature of past disposal practices, the activities of others (including whether they are able to contribute to clean-up costs), and the scientific and other complexities involved in resolving clean-up related issues (including whether ACE or a corporate predecessor is responsible for conditions on a particular parcel). ACE’s current liabilities included $2.7 million as of June 30, 2002 and $3.2 million as of December 31, 2001 for remediation activities at these sites. ACE does not expect such future costs to have a material effect on its financial position or results of operations.

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Air Quality Regulations

On July 11, 2001, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) denied ACE’s request to renew a permit variance, effective through July 30, 2001, that authorized Unit 1 at the B.L. England station to burn coal containing greater than 1% sulfur. ACE has appealed the denial. The NJDEP has issued a stay of the denial to authorize ACE to operate Unit 1 with the current fuel until October 31, 2002 and an addendum to the permit/certificate to operate authorizing a trial burn of coal with a sulfur content less than 2.6%. Management is not able to predict the outcome of ACE’s appeal, including the effects, if any, of trial burn results on the appeal.

On January 31, 2002, Conectiv notified the NJDEP that it was unable to procure all of the 2001 Discrete Emission Reductions (DER) credits required by January 30, 2002 under New Jersey’s NOx (oxides of nitrogen) Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) rules. To satisfy 2001 NOx RACT requirements, ACE and Conectiv Atlantic Generation, LLC (CAG) had planned to purchase DER credits for certain electric generating units from Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSEG) but the credits were removed from the market under a PSEG January 2002 consent decree. On May 4, 2002, ACE, CAG, and the NJDEP entered into an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) to address the ACE and CAG 2001 DER credit shortfall and NJDEP’s allegations that ACE had failed to comply with DER credit use restrictions from 1996 to 2001. The ACO eliminates requirements for ACE and CAG to purchase DER credits for certain ACE and CAG electric generating units through May 1, 2005 and provides, among other things, for installation of new controls on CAG’s electric generating units ($3 million estimated cost), a $1.0 million penalty, a $1.0 million contribution to promote, develop and enhance an urban airshed reforestation project, and operating hour limits at ACE’s Deepwater Unit No. 4.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requested data from a number of electric utilities regarding older coal-fired units in order to determine compliance with the regulations for the Prevention of Significant Deterioration of Air Quality (PSD). A number of settlements of litigation brought as a result of such inquiries alleging violations of so-called new source standards have been announced. ACE has responded to a number of requests from the USEPA and the NJDEP for data on coal-fired operations at the Deepwater and B.L. England electric generating stations. Management cannot predict the impact, if any, of these inquiries on Deepwater or B.L. England operations.

Other Matters

On October 24, 2000, the City of Vineland, New Jersey, filed an action in a New Jersey Superior Court to acquire ACE electric distribution facilities located within the City limits by eminent domain. On March 13, 2002, ACE and the City signed an agreement which provides for ACE to receive $23.9 million for the electric distribution facilities within the City limits. The carrying value of the electric distribution facilities was approximately $8.8 million, as of June 30, 2002. After a transition period of 18 to 24 months primarily to reconfigure facilities, the transaction is expected to close and the City is expected to begin providing electric service to the City’s residents previously served by ACE.

Note 9. Business Segments

Effective January 1, 2002, Conectiv redefined its business segments. Conectiv’s Power Delivery business segment, which had previously included the operating results for delivering electricity to ACE’s customers now also includes the operating results for supplying electricity to ACE’s customers and the operating results of the Deepwater electric generating plant, which produces power sold in transactions not subject to price regulation. As a result, all material aspects of ACE’s operations are conducted in Conectiv’s Power Delivery business segment.

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ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Acquisition of Conectiv

The following information updates the disclosure Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of Part II of ACE’s 2001 Annual Report on Form 10-K concerning the Agreement and Plan of Merger among Pepco Holdings, Inc. (formerly New RC, Inc.), Conectiv and Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) (the Conectiv/Pepco Merger Agreement). On August 1, 2002, Conectiv was acquired by Pepco Holdings, Inc. in a transaction pursuant to the Conectiv/Pepco Merger Agreement, in which Pepco and Conectiv merged with subsidiaries of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (the Conectiv/Pepco Merger). As a result of the Conectiv/Pepco Merger, Pepco and Conectiv and their respective subsidiaries (including ACE) each became subsidiaries of Pepco Holdings, Inc. ACE continues as a wholly-owned, direct subsidiary of Conectiv.

Regulatory Matters

On July 3, 2002, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) issued an order approving the Conectiv/Pepco Merger. Among other things, the order provides for ACE to forgo recovery through customer rates of $30.5 million of “deferred electric service costs,” ACE to contribute $1.0 million to a fund supporting southern New Jersey schools, and certain customer service guarantees.

Agreements for the Sale of Electric Generating Plants

As disclosed in Note 9 to ACE’s Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of Part II of ACE’s 2001 Annual Report on Form 10-K, the agreements between ACE and NRG Energy, Inc. (NRG) for the sale of ACE’s fossil fuel-fired electric generating plants (740 megawatts (MW) of capacity), including the Deepwater Station and B.L. England Station, and ACE’s interests in Conemaugh and Keystone Stations, were subject to termination by either party after February 28, 2002. NRG delivered notice to Conectiv on April 1, 2002 terminating these agreements. On May 23, 2002, Conectiv announced that it initiated a second competitive bidding process to sell these ACE-owned fossil fuel-fired electric generating plants. Management expects that the competitive bidding process will result in final sales agreements in the early fall of 2002. Such agreements are subject to review and approval by the NJBPU. Management cannot predict the results of the competitive bidding process, whether the NJBPU will approve any resulting sales agreements, or any related impacts upon recoverable stranded costs.

As discussed in Note 6 to ACE’s Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of Part II of ACE’s 2001 Annual Report on Form 10-K, the BGS auction awarded about 1,900 MW, or 80% of ACE’s BGS load to four suppliers for the period from August 1, 2002 to July 31, 2003. For times during this period that precede the sale of ACE’s plants discussed above, ACE expects to sell, in the wholesale market, the portion of its electricity supply which exceeds the load requirement of the BGS customers.

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Earnings Results Summary

Earnings applicable to common stock decreased $9.1 million to $13.7 million for the second quarter of 2002, from $22.8 million for the second quarter of 2001. Earnings applicable to common stock decreased $13.2 million to $18.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2002, from $31.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2001. The earnings decreases were mainly due to higher total operating expenses for ACE’s electric utility business, which reflected lower deferred electric service costs partly because a return on ACE’s ownership interests in nuclear electric generating plants, which were sold on October 18, 2001, was not reflected in the determination of deferred electric service costs subsequent to the sale of such ownership interests. The decrease in earnings for both periods also reflects lower operating revenues and lower earnings from the deregulated Deepwater electric generating plant, primarily due to lower wholesale electricity prices. The earnings decrease for the six months ended June 30, 2002 also reflects an unfavorable variance for lower customer usage of electricity due to warmer winter weather during 2002 and a favorable variance for lower interest expense.

Operating Revenues

  Three Months Ended
June 30,
  Six Months Ended
June 30,
 


2002 2001 2002 2001




  (Dollars in millions)  
Electric revenues   $ 241.2   $ 245.9   $ 461.0   $ 469.9  
Other revenues     0.4     1.4     1.6     3.2  




Total operating revenues   $ 241.6   $ 247.3   $ 462.6   $ 473.1  





Electric revenues in the table above are earned primarily from activities subject to rate regulation, including delivering electricity and supplying electricity (Basic Generation Service) to customers located in ACE’s service territory.

Electric revenues decreased by $4.7 million to $241.2 million for the second quarter of 2002, from $245.9 million for the second quarter of 2001. Electric revenues decreased $8.9 million to $461.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2002, from $469.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2001. These decreases were primarily attributed to lower revenues from interchange sales, which reflected the sale of ACE’s ownership interests in nuclear electric generating plants and the effect of lower wholesale electricity prices on revenues of the deregulated Deepwater electric generating plant. The decrease in electric revenues was mitigated by higher revenues from retail customers, primarily attributed to commercial businesses.

The gross margin earned from electric revenues is equal to electric revenues decreased by “electric fuel and purchased energy and capacity” expenses and increased by “deferred electric service costs.” The gross margin earned from electric revenues decreased $28.9 million to $120.8 million for the second quarter of 2002, from $149.7 million for the second quarter of 2001. The gross margin earned from electric revenues decreased $46.3 million to $221.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2002, from $268.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2001. The decreases reflect lower revenues and a reduction in the amount of deferred electric service costs. The six-month period electric gross margin variance also reflects higher “electric fuel and purchased energy and capacity” expenses.

Effective August 1, 2002, in accordance with the provisions of New Jersey’s Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act and the NJDEP’s Final Decision and Order concerning restructuring ACE’s electric utility business, ACE reduced electric rates by approximately $30 million, or 3.2%, on an annualized basis. For background information concerning the rate decreases which resulted from the

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restructuring of ACE’s electric utility industry, see Note 6 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of Part II of ACE’s 2001 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

See “Deferred Electric Service Costs” within the discussion of Operating Expenses for information concerning a filing by ACE for a $71.6 million annual rate increase, with a proposed effective date of August 1, 2003.

Operating Expenses

Electric Fuel and Purchased Energy and Capacity

“Electric fuel and purchased energy and capacity” decreased $5.1 million for the second quarter of 2002 mainly due to a lower average cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity supplied to customers. “Electric fuel and purchased energy and capacity” increased $19.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2002 mainly due to a higher average cost per kWh of electricity supplied to customers, primarily due to less electricity production by ACE’s B.L. England plant in the first quarter of 2002.

Operation and Maintenance Expenses

Operation and maintenance expenses decreased $3.2 million for the second quarter of 2002 and $2.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2002 mainly due to the effect of the sale of ACE’s interests in nuclear electric generating plants in October 2001, partly offset by higher pension and other postretirement benefit expenses and higher amounts of estimated uncollectible accounts receivable.

Depreciation and amortization

Depreciation and amortization expenses decreased $4.7 million in the second quarter of 2002 and $9.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2002 mainly due to the sale of ACE’s interests in nuclear electric generating plants in October 2001.

Taxes Other Than Income Taxes

Taxes other than income taxes decreased $3.1 million in the second quarter of 2002 and $6.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2002 mainly due to expiration of the amortization of a regulatory asset related to New Jersey state excise taxes.

Deferred Electric Service Costs

For the three and six months ended June 30, 2002, there were decreases of $29.3 million and $17.9 million, respectively, in the amount of electric service costs deferred mainly due to lower costs related to ACE providing Basic Generation Service, including the return that had been earned on ACE’s ownership interests in nuclear plants until such interests were sold.

The balance for ACE’s deferred electric service costs was $149.5 million as of June 30, 2002. The Decision and Order issued by the NJBPU in connection with the Conectiv/Pepco Merger requires ACE to forgo recovery through customer rates of $30.5 million of deferred electric service costs, effective upon the closing of the Conectiv/Pepco Merger. On August 1, 2002, in accordance with the provisions of New Jersey’s Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act and the NJDEP’s Final Decision and Order concerning restructuring ACE’s electric utility business, ACE petitioned the NJBPU for a $71.6 million, or 8.4%, annualized increase in electric rates, effective August 1, 2003. This proposed rate increase is intended to recover ACE’s deferred cost balance as of August 1, 2003 over a four-year period and reset

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Power Delivery rates such that an under-recovery of certain costs is no lo