Attached files
file | filename |
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EX-12.01 - NICOR GAS EXHIBIT 12.01 RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES - NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS CO /IL/ /NEW/ | nicorgasratioearntofixedchg.htm |
EX-31.01 - NICOR GAS EXHIBIT 31.01 CERTIFICATION - NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS CO /IL/ /NEW/ | nicorgas3101certification.htm |
EX-32.02 - NICOR GAS EXHIBIT 32.02 CERTIFICATION - NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS CO /IL/ /NEW/ | nicorgas3202certification.htm |
EX-32.01 - NICOR GAS EXHIBIT 32.01 CERTIFICATION - NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS CO /IL/ /NEW/ | nicorgas3201certification.htm |
EX-31.02 - NICOR GAS EXHIBIT 31.02 CERTIFICATION - NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS CO /IL/ /NEW/ | nicorgas3102certification.htm |
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 September 30, 2009 |
or
[ ]
|
TRANSITION
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
|
Commission
File Number 1-7296
NORTHERN
ILLINOIS GAS COMPANY
(Doing
business as Nicor Gas Company)
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Illinois
|
36-2863847
|
(State
of Incorporation)
|
(I.R.S.
Employer
|
Identification
No.)
|
1844
Ferry Road
|
|
Naperville,
Illinois 60563-9600
|
(630)
983-8888
|
(Address
of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
|
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area
code)
|
The
registrant meets the conditions set forth in General Instruction H(1)(a) and (b)
of Form 10-Q and is therefore filing this Form with a reduced disclosure
format.
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 and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the
past 90 days. Yes [X] No
[ ]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on
its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be
submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding
12 months. Yes [ ] No
[ ]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting
company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated
filer” and “smaller reporting company” in rule 12b-2 of the Exchange
Act.
Large
accelerated
filer [ ]
|
Accelerated
filer
[ ]
|
Non-accelerated
filer [X]
|
Smaller
reporting
company [ ]
|
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes
[ ] No [X]
All
shares of common stock are owned by Nicor Inc.
ii
|
|||
Part
I – Financial Information
|
|||
Item
1.
|
Financial
Statements (Unaudited)
|
||
1
|
|||
|
|||
2
|
|||
|
|||
3
|
|||
|
|||
4
|
|||
Item
2.
|
19
|
||
|
|||
Item
3.
|
28
|
||
Item
4.
|
28
|
||
Part
II – Other Information
|
|||
Item
1.
|
29
|
||
Item
6.
|
29
|
||
30
|
ALJs. Administrative
Law Judges.
Chicago Hub. A
venture of Nicor Gas, which provides natural gas storage and
transmission-related services to marketers and other gas distribution
companies.
Degree day. The
extent to which the daily average temperature falls below 65 degrees
Fahrenheit. Normal weather for Nicor Gas’ service territory, for
purposes of this report, is considered to be 5,600 degree days per year for 2009
and 5,830 degree days per year for 2008.
FERC. Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, the agency that regulates the interstate
transportation of natural gas, oil and electricity.
ICC. Illinois
Commerce Commission, the agency that establishes the rules and regulations
governing utility rates and services in Illinois.
IRS. Internal
Revenue Service.
LIFO. Last-in,
first-out.
Mcf, MMcf,
Bcf. Thousand cubic feet, million cubic feet, billion cubic
feet.
MMBtus. Million
British thermal units.
Nicor. Nicor Inc.,
the parent company of Nicor Gas.
Nicor Gas. Northern
Illinois Gas Company (doing business as Nicor Gas Company), or the
registrant.
NYMEX. New York
Mercantile Exchange.
PBR. Performance-based rate, a regulatory plan which ended on January 1, 2003, that provided economic incentives based on natural gas cost performance.
PCBs. Polychlorinated
Biphenyls.
PGA. Purchased Gas Adjustment, a rate rider that passes natural gas costs directly through to customers without markup, subject to ICC review.
SEC. The United
States Securities and Exchange Commission.
USEPA. United
States Environmental Protection Agency.
Part
I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
|
||||||||||||||||
Item 1.
|
||||||||||||||||
Nicor
Gas Company
|
||||||||||||||||
(millions)
|
||||||||||||||||
Three
months ended
|
Nine
months ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September
30
|
September
30
|
|||||||||||||||
2009
|
2008
|
2009
|
2008
|
|||||||||||||
Operating
revenues (includes revenue taxes of $13.1, $14.6, $114.5 and $131.6,
respectively)
|
$ | 215.0 | $ | 306.1 | $ | 1,525.3 | $ | 2,330.4 | ||||||||
Operating
expenses
|
||||||||||||||||
Cost
of gas
|
70.2 | 180.0 | 943.2 | 1,762.9 | ||||||||||||
Operating
and maintenance
|
63.1 | 63.5 | 222.0 | 211.1 | ||||||||||||
Depreciation
|
44.4 | 42.8 | 133.4 | 128.5 | ||||||||||||
Taxes,
other than income taxes
|
17.6 | 18.9 | 127.3 | 143.3 | ||||||||||||
Income
tax expense (benefit), net
|
4.0 | (2.3 | ) | 26.0 | 17.5 | |||||||||||
199.3 | 302.9 | 1,451.9 | 2,263.3 | |||||||||||||
Operating
income
|
15.7 | 3.2 | 73.4 | 67.1 | ||||||||||||
Other
income (expense), net
|
||||||||||||||||
Property
sale gains
|
- | .2 | - | .2 | ||||||||||||
Interest
income
|
.3 | .9 | 1.1 | 4.7 | ||||||||||||
Other
income
|
.2 | .1 | .8 | .4 | ||||||||||||
Other
expense
|
(.2 | ) | (.6 | ) | (1.1 | ) | (1.5 | ) | ||||||||
Income
tax expense on other income
|
(.2 | ) | (.2 | ) | (.4 | ) | (1.5 | ) | ||||||||
.1 | .4 | .4 | 2.3 | |||||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
||||||||||||||||
Interest
on debt, net of amounts capitalized
|
8.8 | 9.1 | 25.3 | 27.1 | ||||||||||||
Other
|
.1 | .5 | .6 | 2.8 | ||||||||||||
8.9 | 9.6 | 25.9 | 29.9 | |||||||||||||
Net
income (loss)
|
$ | 6.9 | $ | (6.0 | ) | $ | 47.9 | $ | 39.5 | |||||||
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these
statements.
|
Nicor
Gas Company
|
||||||||
(millions)
|
||||||||
Nine
months ended
|
||||||||
September
30
|
||||||||
2009
|
2008
|
|||||||
Operating
activities
|
||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 47.9 | $ | 39.5 | ||||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to net cash flow provided
from operating activities:
|
||||||||
Depreciation
|
133.4 | 128.5 | ||||||
Deferred
income tax expense (benefit)
|
25.0 | (2.4 | ) | |||||
Gain
on sale of property, plant and equipment
|
- | (.2 | ) | |||||
Changes
in assets and liabilities:
|
||||||||
Receivables,
less allowances
|
413.0 | 289.6 | ||||||
Gas
in storage
|
6.0 | (108.4 | ) | |||||
Deferred/accrued
gas costs
|
90.4 | (84.0 | ) | |||||
Derivative
instruments
|
(86.8 | ) | 47.8 | |||||
Margin
accounts - derivative instruments
|
83.5 | (52.9 | ) | |||||
Prepaid
pension costs
|
(.1 | ) | (11.6 | ) | ||||
Other
assets
|
7.5 | (42.6 | ) | |||||
Accounts
payable and customer credit balances and deposits
|
(145.6 | ) | (30.2 | ) | ||||
Other
liabilities
|
(14.7 | ) | (25.4 | ) | ||||
Other
items
|
(6.5 | ) | (8.2 | ) | ||||
Net
cash flow provided from operating activities
|
553.0 | 139.5 | ||||||
Investing
activities
|
||||||||
Additions
to property, plant & equipment
|
(147.2 | ) | (159.5 | ) | ||||
Other
investing activities
|
4.7 | 5.2 | ||||||
Net
cash flow used for investing activities
|
(142.5 | ) | (154.3 | ) | ||||
Financing
activities
|
||||||||
Proceeds
from issuing long-term debt
|
50.0 | 75.0 | ||||||
Disbursements
to retire long-term obligations
|
(50.5 | ) | (75.5 | ) | ||||
Net
(repayments) issuances of commercial paper
|
(352.9 | ) | 57.0 | |||||
Dividends
paid
|
(54.6 | ) | (39.8 | ) | ||||
Other
financing activities
|
(2.5 | ) | (1.1 | ) | ||||
Net
cash flow (used for) provided from financing activities
|
(410.5 | ) | 15.6 | |||||
Net
increase in cash and cash equivalents
|
- | .8 | ||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents, beginning of period
|
2.3 | .6 | ||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents, end of period
|
$ | 2.3 | $ | 1.4 | ||||
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these
statements.
|
Nicor
Gas Company
|
||||||||||||
(millions)
|
||||||||||||
September
30
|
December
31
|
September
30
|
||||||||||
2009
|
2008
|
2008
|
||||||||||
Assets
|
||||||||||||
Gas
distribution plant, at cost
|
$ | 4,575.1 | $ | 4,460.6 | $ | 4,411.2 | ||||||
Less
accumulated depreciation
|
1,792.7 | 1,737.1 | 1,719.4 | |||||||||
Gas
distribution plant, net
|
2,782.4 | 2,723.5 | 2,691.8 | |||||||||
Current
assets
|
||||||||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
2.3 | 2.3 | 1.4 | |||||||||
Receivables,
less allowances of $39.8, $42.5 and $43.7, respectively
|
169.0 | 577.8 | 247.2 | |||||||||
Receivables
- affiliates
|
7.2 | 11.4 | 7.8 | |||||||||
Gas
in storage
|
167.7 | 173.7 | 221.3 | |||||||||
Derivative
instruments
|
11.0 | 4.1 | 7.7 | |||||||||
Margin
accounts - derivative instruments
|
50.2 | 115.4 | 79.0 | |||||||||
Other
|
132.9 | 138.0 | 118.8 | |||||||||
Total
current assets
|
540.3 | 1,022.7 | 683.2 | |||||||||
Pension
benefits
|
36.5 | 36.4 | 227.1 | |||||||||
Regulatory
postretirement asset
|
218.0 | 232.3 | 60.7 | |||||||||
Other
assets
|
70.9 | 137.4 | 84.7 | |||||||||
Total
assets
|
$ | 3,648.1 | $ | 4,152.3 | $ | 3,747.5 | ||||||
Capitalization and
Liabilities
|
||||||||||||
Capitalization
|
||||||||||||
Long-term
obligations
|
||||||||||||
Long-term
debt, net of unamortized discount
|
$ | 498.2 | $ | 448.0 | $ | 448.0 | ||||||
Mandatorily
redeemable preferred stock
|
2.1 | 2.6 | 2.6 | |||||||||
Total
long-term obligations
|
500.3 | 450.6 | 450.6 | |||||||||
Preferred
stock
|
||||||||||||
Non-redeemable
preferred stock
|
1.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | |||||||||
Common
equity
|
||||||||||||
Common
stock
|
76.2 | 76.2 | 76.2 | |||||||||
Paid-in
capital
|
108.1 | 108.1 | 108.1 | |||||||||
Retained
earnings
|
474.7 | 480.4 | 476.5 | |||||||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive loss, net
|
(8.4 | ) | (10.7 | ) | (2.5 | ) | ||||||
Total
common equity
|
650.6 | 654.0 | 658.3 | |||||||||
Total
capitalization
|
1,152.3 | 1,106.0 | 1,110.3 | |||||||||
Current
liabilities
|
||||||||||||
Long-term
obligations due within one year
|
.5 | 50.5 | 50.5 | |||||||||
Short-term
debt
|
365.0 | 717.9 | 426.0 | |||||||||
Accounts
payable
|
185.9 | 311.9 | 315.0 | |||||||||
Customer
credit balances and deposits
|
167.7 | 187.3 | 211.0 | |||||||||
Derivative
instruments
|
59.3 | 120.1 | 57.1 | |||||||||
Other
|
107.9 | 88.2 | 54.2 | |||||||||
Total
current liabilities
|
886.3 | 1,475.9 | 1,113.8 | |||||||||
Deferred
credits and other liabilities
|
||||||||||||
Regulatory
asset retirement cost liability
|
791.6 | 751.7 | 749.6 | |||||||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
319.8 | 305.3 | 300.7 | |||||||||
Health
care and other postretirement benefits
|
198.0 | 196.6 | 187.0 | |||||||||
Asset
retirement obligation
|
189.9 | 184.7 | 183.1 | |||||||||
Other
|
110.2 | 132.1 | 103.0 | |||||||||
Total
deferred credits and other liabilities
|
1,609.5 | 1,570.4 | 1,523.4 | |||||||||
Commitments
and contingencies
|
||||||||||||
Total
capitalization and liabilities
|
$ | 3,648.1 | $ | 4,152.3 | $ | 3,747.5 | ||||||
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these
statements.
|
Nicor
Gas Company
1.
|
BASIS
OF PRESENTATION
|
The
unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of Nicor Gas have been
prepared by the company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the
SEC. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in
financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States have been condensed or omitted pursuant to SEC
rules and regulations. The unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial
Statements and Notes should be read in conjunction with the financial statements
and the notes thereto included in the company’s 2008 Annual Report on Form
10-K.
The
information furnished reflects, in the opinion of the company, all adjustments
(consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair statement
of the results for the interim periods presented. Results for the
interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results to be
expected for the full fiscal year due to seasonal and other
factors.
The
company’s management evaluated subsequent events for potential recognition and
disclosure through October 30, 2009, the date the financial statements were
issued.
2.
|
ACCOUNTING
POLICIES
|
Gas in storage. Gas
inventory is carried at cost on a LIFO basis. Inventory decrements
occurring during interim periods that are expected to be restored prior to
year-end are charged to cost of gas at the estimated annual replacement cost,
and the difference between this cost and the actual LIFO layer cost is recorded
on the balance sheet as a temporary LIFO inventory
liquidation. Interim inventory decrements not expected to be restored
prior to year-end are charged to cost of gas at the actual LIFO cost of the
layers liquidated.
At
September 30, 2009, Nicor Gas had an inventory decrement of approximately 1 Bcf
which is not expected to be restored prior to year-end. The
liquidated inventory was charged to cost of gas at a LIFO cost of $8.22 per
Mcf. Applying LIFO cost in valuing the decrement, as opposed to the
estimated annual replacement cost of $3.93 per Mcf, had the effect of increasing
the cost of gas distributed by $3.1 million for the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2009. Since the cost of gas, including inventory costs,
is charged to customers without markup, subject to ICC review, this difference
had no impact on net income. There was no permanent inventory
decrement as of September 30, 2008.
Regulatory assets and
liabilities. Nicor Gas is regulated by the ICC, which
establishes the rules and regulations governing utility rates and services in
Illinois. As a rate-regulated company, Nicor Gas is required to
recognize the economic effects of rate regulation and, accordingly, has recorded
regulatory assets and liabilities. Regulatory assets represent
probable future revenue associated with certain costs that are expected to be
recovered from customers through rate riders or base rates, upon approval by the
ICC. Regulatory liabilities represent probable future reductions in
revenues collected from ratepayers through a rate rider or base rates, or
probable future expenditures. If Nicor Gas’ operations become no
longer subject to rate regulation, a write-off of net regulatory liabilities
would be required.
The
company had regulatory assets and liabilities as follows (in
millions):
September
30
|
December
31
|
September
30
|
||||||||||
2009
|
2008
|
2008
|
||||||||||
Regulatory assets –
current
|
||||||||||||
Regulatory
postretirement asset
|
$ | 23.3 | $ | 23.3 | $ | 5.2 | ||||||
Deferred
gas costs
|
- | 31.5 | 33.9 | |||||||||
Other
|
4.0 | - | - | |||||||||
Regulatory assets –
noncurrent
|
||||||||||||
Regulatory
postretirement asset
|
218.0 | 232.3 | 60.7 | |||||||||
Deferred
gas costs
|
3.2 | 22.5 | 4.3 | |||||||||
Deferred
environmental costs
|
17.1 | 19.5 | 11.0 | |||||||||
Unamortized
losses on reacquired debt
|
14.5 | 15.4 | 15.6 | |||||||||
Other
|
10.5 | 6.2 | 5.1 | |||||||||
$ | 290.6 | $ | 350.7 | $ | 135.8 |
Regulatory liabilities –
current
|
||||||||||||
Regulatory
asset retirement cost liability
|
$ | 13.8 | $ | 15.0 | $ | 8.0 | ||||||
Accrued
gas costs
|
39.6 | - | - | |||||||||
Other
|
1.5 | - | - | |||||||||
Regulatory liabilities –
noncurrent
|
||||||||||||
Regulatory
asset retirement cost liability
|
791.6 | 751.7 | 749.6 | |||||||||
Regulatory
income tax liability
|
44.2 | 46.3 | 47.7 | |||||||||
Other
|
.8 | .8 | .8 | |||||||||
$ | 891.5 | $ | 813.8 | $ | 806.1 |
All items
listed above are classified in other with the exception of the noncurrent
portions of the Regulatory postretirement asset and Regulatory asset retirement
cost liability which are stated separately on the Condensed Consolidated Balance
Sheets.
The ICC
does not presently allow Nicor Gas the opportunity to earn a return on its
regulatory postretirement asset. The regulatory postretirement asset
is expected to be recovered from ratepayers over a period of approximately 10 to
13 years. The regulatory assets related to debt are not included in
rate base, but are recovered over the term of the debt through the rate of
return authorized by the ICC. Nicor Gas is allowed to recover and is
required to pay, using short-term interest rates, the carrying costs related to
temporary under or overcollections of natural gas costs and certain
environmental costs charged to its customers.
Revenue taxes. Nicor Gas
classifies revenue taxes billed to customers as operating revenues and related
taxes incurred as operating expenses. Revenue taxes included in
operating expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009 were
$12.9 million and $112.8 million, respectively, and $14.3 million and $129.3
million, respectively, for the same periods ending September 30,
2008.
Derivative
instruments.
Cash flows from derivative
instruments are recognized in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash
Flows, and gains and losses are recognized in the Condensed Consolidated
Statements of Operations, in the same categories as the underlying
transactions.
Cash flow
hedge accounting may be elected only for highly effective hedges, based upon an
assessment, performed at least quarterly, of the historical and probable future
correlation of cash flows from the derivative instrument to changes in the
expected future cash flows of the hedged item. To the extent cash
flow hedge accounting is applied, the effective portion of any changes in the
fair value of the derivative instruments is reported as a component of
accumulated other comprehensive income. Ineffectiveness,
if
any, is
immediately recognized in operating income. The amount in accumulated
other comprehensive income is reclassified to earnings when the forecasted
transaction is recognized in the income statement, even if the derivative
instrument is sold, extinguished or terminated prior to the transaction
occurring. If the forecasted transaction is no longer expected to
occur, the amount in accumulated other comprehensive income is immediately
reclassified to earnings.
Derivative
instruments, such as futures contracts, options and swap agreements, are
utilized primarily in the purchase of natural gas for
customers. These derivative instruments are reflected at fair
value. Realized gains or losses on such instruments are included in
the cost of gas delivered and are passed directly through to customers, subject
to ICC review, and therefore have no direct impact on
earnings. Unrealized changes in the fair value of these derivative
instruments are deferred as regulatory assets or liabilities.
At times,
Nicor Gas enters into futures contracts, options, swap agreements and
fixed-price purchase agreements to reduce the earnings volatility of certain
forecasted operating costs arising from fluctuations in natural gas prices, such
as the purchase of natural gas for use in company operations. These
derivative instruments are carried at fair value, unless they qualify for the
normal purchases and normal sales exception, in which case they are carried at
cost. To the extent hedge accounting is not elected, changes in such
fair values are immediately recorded in current period earnings as operating and
maintenance expense.
3.
|
NEW
ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENT
|
Fair value measurements.
Effective January 1, 2008, the company adopted the new requirements for fair
value measurements and disclosures. These requirements define fair
value, establish a consistent framework for measuring fair value, and expand
disclosure requirements about fair value measurements. These new
requirements do not establish any new fair value measurements, but rather
provide guidance on how to perform fair value measurements as required or
permitted under other accounting standards. They also provide for
immediate recognition of trade-date gains and losses related to certain
derivative transactions whose fair value has been determined using unobservable
market inputs. Nicor elected the one-year deferral allowed by the new
requirements, for
certain nonfinancial assets and liabilities. As it applies to Nicor,
the deferral pertained to fair value measurements for business combinations,
impairment testing of goodwill and other intangible assets, as well as asset
retirement obligations. The effect of adopting these new
requirements, in their entirety, was not material to Nicor’s results of
operations or financial condition.
4. SHORT-TERM
AND LONG-TERM DEBT
In
February 2009, the $50 million 5.37 percent First Mortgage Bond series matured
and was retired. In July 2009, Nicor Gas, through a private
placement, issued $50 million First Mortgage Bonds at 4.70 percent, due in
2019.
In August
2008, Nicor Gas, through a private placement, issued $75 million First Mortgage
Bonds at 6.25 percent, due in 2038. The company retired the $75
million 5.875 percent First Mortgage Bond series that became due in August
2008.
In May
2009, Nicor Gas established a $550 million, 364-day revolver, expiring May 2010,
to replace the $600 million, nine-month seasonal revolver, which expired in May
2009. In September 2005, Nicor and Nicor Gas established a $600
million, five-year revolver, expiring September 2010. These
facilities were established with major domestic and foreign banks and serve as
backup for the issuance of commercial paper. The company had $365.0
million, $717.9 million and $426.0 million of commercial paper borrowings
outstanding at September 30, 2009, December 31, 2008 and September 30, 2008,
respectively.
The
company believes it is in compliance with all debt covenants.
5.
|
INCOME
TAXES
|
The
effective income tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2009
increased to 37.8 percent from 25.3 percent for the prior-year
period. The quarterly effective income tax rates reflect changes to
forecasted annual pretax income identified in the quarter. The
year-to-date adjustment to income taxes recognized in the quarter resulting from
these changes to forecasted annual pretax income has a larger impact in quarters
with lower income. The effective income tax rate for the nine
months ended September 30, 2009 increased to 35.5 percent from 32.5 percent in
the prior-year period. The higher effective income tax rate for the
three and nine months ended September 30, 2009 is due primarily to higher 2009
forecasted annual pretax income (which causes a higher effective income tax rate
since permanent differences and tax credits are a smaller share of pretax
income).
The
balance of unamortized investment tax credits at September 30, 2009, December
31, 2008 and September 30, 2008 was $24.5 million, $26.0 million and $26.5
million, respectively.
6.
|
ACCRUED
UNBILLED REVENUES
|
Receivables
include accrued unbilled revenues of $27.4 million, $196.1 million and $50.8
million at September 30, 2009, December 31, 2008 and September 30, 2008,
respectively. Nicor Gas accrues revenues for estimated deliveries to
customers from the date of their last bill until the balance sheet
date.
7.
|
FAIR
VALUE MEASUREMENTS
|
The
tables below categorize, into three broad levels (with Level 1 considered the
most reliable) based upon the valuation inputs, the fair values of those assets
and liabilities that are measured on a recurring basis (in
millions):
Fair
value amount
|
||||||||||||||||
Quoted
prices in active markets
|
Significant
observable inputs
|
Significant
unobservable inputs
|
||||||||||||||
(Level
1)
|
(Level
2)
|
(Level
3)
|
Total
|
|||||||||||||
September
30, 2009
|
||||||||||||||||
Assets
|
||||||||||||||||
Money
market funds
|
$ | 2.0 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | 2.0 | ||||||||
Derivatives
|
3.0 | 8.3 | 2.8 | 14.1 | ||||||||||||
$ | 5.0 | $ | 8.3 | $ | 2.8 | $ | 16.1 | |||||||||
Liabilities
|
||||||||||||||||
Derivatives
|
$ | 44.7 | $ | 19.3 | $ | .8 | $ | 64.8 |
Fair
value amount
|
||||||||||||||||
Quoted
prices in active markets
|
Significant
observable inputs
|
Significant
unobservable inputs
|
||||||||||||||
(Level
1)
|
(Level
2)
|
(Level
3)
|
Total
|
|||||||||||||
December
31, 2008
|
||||||||||||||||
Assets
|
||||||||||||||||
Money
market funds
|
$ | .3 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | .3 | ||||||||
Derivatives
|
.4 | .2 | 5.4 | 6.0 | ||||||||||||
$ | .7 | $ | .2 | $ | 5.4 | $ | 6.3 | |||||||||
Liabilities
|
||||||||||||||||
Derivatives
|
$ | 113.8 | $ | 26.0 | $ | 3.7 | $ | 143.5 |
September
30, 2008
|
||||||||||||||||
Assets
|
||||||||||||||||
Money
market funds
|
$ | 1.2 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | 1.2 | ||||||||
Derivatives
|
.5 | 3.8 | 5.1 | 9.4 | ||||||||||||
$ | 1.7 | $ | 3.8 | $ | 5.1 | $ | 10.6 | |||||||||
Liabilities
|
||||||||||||||||
Derivatives
|
$ | 42.8 | $ | 13.6 | $ | 1.7 | $ | 58.1 |
When
available and appropriate, the company uses quoted market prices in active
markets to determine fair value, and classifies such items within Level
1. For derivatives, Level 1 values include only those derivative
instruments traded on the NYMEX. The company enters into
over-the-counter instruments with values that are similar to, and correlate
with, quoted prices for exchange-traded instruments in active markets; these
over-the-counter items are classified within Level 2. In certain
instances, the company may be required to use one or more significant
unobservable inputs for a model-derived valuation; the resulting valuation is
classified as Level 3.
The
majority of derivatives held by Nicor Gas are for the purpose of hedging natural
gas purchases for its customers, and therefore their fair values do not affect
net income, as their settlement is passed directly through to customers without
markup, subject to ICC review. The change in fair value for these
derivatives is accounted for through regulatory assets and
liabilities.
Money
market funds are included in cash equivalents, are categorized as trading and
are carried at fair value.
The
following table presents a reconciliation of the Level 3 beginning and ending
net derivative asset balances (in millions):
Three
months ended
September
30
|
Nine
months ended
September
30
|
|||||||||||||||
2009
|
2008
|
2009
|
2008
|
|||||||||||||
Beginning
of period
|
$ | 1.6 | $ | 7.1 | $ | 1.7 | $ | 7.5 | ||||||||
Net
realized/unrealized gains (losses)
included in regulatory assets and liabilities
|
.2 | 1.1 | (1.5 | ) | 7.0 | |||||||||||
Settlements,
net of purchases
|
.7 | (2.9 | ) | 2.3 | (10.4 | ) | ||||||||||
Transfers
in and/or (out) of Level 3
|
(.5 | ) | (1.9 | ) | (.5 | ) | (.7 | ) | ||||||||
End
of period
|
$ | 2.0 | $ | 3.4 | $ | 2.0 | $ | 3.4 | ||||||||
Nicor Gas
maintains margin accounts related to financial derivative
transactions. The company’s policy is not to offset the fair value of
assets and liabilities recognized for derivative instruments or any related
margin account. The following table represents the balances of margin
accounts related to derivative instruments (in millions):
September
30
|
December
31
|
September
30
|
||||||||||
2009
|
2008
|
2008
|
||||||||||
Assets
|
||||||||||||
Margin
accounts – derivative instruments
|
$ | 50.2 | $ | 115.4 | $ | 79.0 | ||||||
Other
– noncurrent
|
6.1 | 24.4 | - |
In
addition, the recorded amount of restricted short-term investments and
short-term borrowings approximates fair value. Long-term debt
outstanding, including current maturities, is recorded at the principal balance
outstanding, net of unamortized discounts. The principal balance of
Nicor Gas’ First Mortgage Bonds outstanding at September 30, 2009, December 31,
2008 and September 30, 2008 was $500 million. Based on quoted prices
and market interest rates, the fair value of the company’s First Mortgage Bonds
outstanding was approximately $546 million at September 30, 2009, $520 million
at December 31, 2008 and $486 million at September 30, 2008.
8.
|
DERIVATIVE
INSTRUMENTS
|
A
description of the company’s objectives and strategies for using derivative
instruments, and related accounting policies, is included in Note 2 – Accounting
Policies – Derivative instruments. All derivatives recognized on the
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets are measured at fair value, as described
in Note 7 – Fair Value Measurements.
Balance
sheet. Derivative assets and liabilities as of September 30,
2009, carried at fair value on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, are
shown in the table below (in millions):
Derivatives
designated
as
hedging instruments
|
Derivatives
not designated as hedging instruments
|
|||||||
Assets
|
||||||||
Derivative
instruments
|
$ | .1 | $ | 10.9 | ||||
Other
– noncurrent
|
- | 3.1 | ||||||
$ | .1 | $ | 14.0 | |||||
Liabilities
|
||||||||
Derivative
instruments
|
$ | 1.4 | $ | 57.9 | ||||
Other
– noncurrent
|
- | 5.5 | ||||||
$ | 1.4 | $ | 63.4 |
Volumes. As of
September 30, 2009, Nicor Gas held outstanding derivative contracts of
approximately 62 Bcf to hedge natural gas purchases for customer use, spanning
approximately three years. Commodity price-risk exposure arising from
Nicor Gas’ natural gas purchases for company use is mitigated with derivative
instruments that total to a net long position of 1.1 Bcf as of September 30,
2009. The above volumes exclude contracts, such as variable-priced
contracts which are accounted for as derivatives but whose fair values are not
directly impacted by changes in commodity prices.
Income statement – cash flow
hedges. Changes in the fair value of derivatives designated as
a cash flow hedge are recognized in other comprehensive income until the hedged
transaction is recognized in the income statement. Cash flow hedges
used by Nicor Gas, to hedge purchases of natural gas for company use, are
eventually recorded within operating and maintenance expense. Cash
flow hedges affected accumulated other comprehensive income and income as shown
in the following table (in millions):
Pretax
gain (loss) recognized in other comprehensive income
(Effective
portion)
|
Location
|
Pretax
gain
(loss)
reclassified
from
accumulated
other
comprehensive income into income
(Effective
portion)
|
Pretax
gain (loss) recognized in income
(Ineffective
portion)
|
||||||||
Three
months ended September 30, 2009
|
|||||||||||
$ | .1 |
Operating
and maintenance
|
$ | (1.2) | $ | - | |||||
Nine
months ended September 30, 2009
|
|||||||||||
$ | (3.7) |
Operating
and maintenance
|
$ | (6.9) | $ | - |
As of
September 30, 2009, the time horizon of cash flow hedges of natural gas
purchases for Nicor Gas company use extends to as long as 15
months. For these hedges, the total pretax loss deferred in
accumulated other comprehensive income at September 30, 2009 was $1.9 million
(or $1.1 million after taxes), of which $1.8 million (or $1.1 million after
taxes) is expected to be reclassified to earnings within the next 12
months.
Income statement – derivatives not
designated as hedges. The earnings of the company are subject
to volatility for those derivatives not designated as
hedges. Non-designated derivatives used by Nicor Gas, to hedge
purchases of natural gas for company use, are recorded within operating and
maintenance expense. Pretax earnings effects of these items are
summarized in the table below for the periods ended September 30, 2009 (in
millions):
Net
gain (loss)
recognized
in income
|
||||||||
Location
|
Three
months ended
|
Nine
months ended
|
||||||
Operating
and maintenance
|
$ | - | $ | (1.8) |
Nicor
Gas’ derivatives to hedge the purchase of natural gas for its customers are also
not designated as hedging instruments. Gains or losses on these
derivatives are not recognized in pretax earnings, but are deferred as
regulatory assets or liabilities until the related revenue is
recognized. Net losses of $8.1 million and $133.6 million were
recognized in regulatory assets for the three and nine months ended September
30, 2009, respectively.
Credit-risk-related contingent
features. Provisions within certain derivative agreements
require the company to post collateral if the company’s net liability position
exceeds a specified threshold. Also, certain derivative agreements
contain credit-risk-related contingent features, whereby the company would be
required to provide additional collateral or pay the amount due to the
counterparty when a credit event occurs, such as if the company’s credit rating
was to be lowered. As of September 30, 2009, for agreements with such
features, derivative contracts with liability fair values totaled approximately
$15 million, for which the company had posted no collateral to its
counterparties. If it was assumed that the company had to post the
maximum contractually specified collateral or settle the liability, the company
would have been required to pay approximately $11 million.
Concentrations of credit
risk. In instances in which the company holds an
uncollateralized net asset per an over-the-counter derivative contract, there is
potential credit risk in the event the counterparty defaults on a settlement or
fails to perform under the agreed-upon terms. To manage this credit
risk, the company maintains prudent credit policies to determine and monitor the
creditworthiness of counterparties, seeks guarantees or collateral, in the form
of cash or letters of credit, and limits its exposure to any one
counterparty. The company also, in some instances, enters into
netting arrangements to mitigate counterparty credit risk.
9.
|
POSTRETIREMENT
BENEFITS
|
Nicor Gas
maintains a noncontributory defined benefit pension plan covering substantially
all employees hired prior to 1998. Pension benefits are based on
years of service and highest average salary for management employees and job
level for collectively bargained employees. The benefit obligation
related to collectively bargained benefits considers the company’s past practice
of regular benefit increases to reflect current wages. Nicor Gas also
provides health care and life insurance benefits to eligible retired employees
under a plan that includes a limit on the company’s share of cost for employees
hired after 1982.
The
company’s postretirement benefit costs have historically been considered in rate
proceedings in the period they are accrued. As a regulated utility,
Nicor Gas expects continued rate recovery of the eligible costs of its defined
benefit postretirement plans and, accordingly, associated changes in the plan’s
funded status have been deferred as a regulatory asset or liability until
recognized in income, instead of being recorded in accumulated other
comprehensive income. However, to the extent Nicor Gas
employees
perform
services for non-regulated affiliates and to the extent such employees are
eligible to participate in these plans, the affiliates are charged for the cost
of these benefits and the changes in the funded status relating to these
employees are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income.
About
one-fourth of the net periodic benefit cost or credit related to these plans has
been capitalized as a cost of constructing gas distribution facilities and the
remainder is included in operating and maintenance expense, net of amounts
charged to affiliates. Net periodic benefit cost (credit) included
the following components (in millions):
Pension
benefits
|
Health
care and
other
benefits
|
|||||||||||||||
2009
|
2008
|
2009
|
2008
|
|||||||||||||
Three
months ended September 30
|
||||||||||||||||
Service
cost
|
$ | 2.1 | $ | 2.1 | $ | .6 | $ | .6 | ||||||||
Interest
cost
|
4.2 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 3.0 | ||||||||||||
Expected
return on plan assets
|
(6.3 | ) | (9.9 | ) | - | - | ||||||||||
Recognized
net actuarial loss
|
3.8 | - | 1.1 | 1.2 | ||||||||||||
Amortization
of prior service cost
|
.1 | .1 | (.1 | ) | (.1 | ) | ||||||||||
$ | 3.9 | $ | (3.7 | ) | $ | 4.7 | $ | 4.7 |
Nine
months ended September 30
|
||||||||||||||||
Service
cost
|
$ | 6.4 | $ | 6.4 | $ | 1.7 | $ | 1.6 | ||||||||
Interest
cost
|
12.4 | 11.9 | 9.1 | 9.0 | ||||||||||||
Expected
return on plan assets
|
(18.9 | ) | (29.9 | ) | - | - | ||||||||||
Recognized
net actuarial loss
|
11.5 | - | 3.4 | 3.5 | ||||||||||||
Amortization
of prior service cost
|
.3 | .3 | (.1 | ) | (.1 | ) | ||||||||||
$ | 11.7 | $ | (11.3 | ) | $ | 14.1 | $ | 14.0 |
Due to
the significant decline in the fair value of the pension plan’s assets during
2008, the expected return on plan assets has decreased in 2009 as compared to
2008. Also, the fair value decline in 2008 has created an actuarial
loss that is being amortized over the average remaining service lives of
employees covered by the plan.
10.
|
COMPREHENSIVE
INCOME
|
Total
comprehensive income (loss) is as follows (in millions):
Three
months ended
|
Nine
month ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September
30
|
September
30
|
|||||||||||||||
2009
|
2008
|
2009
|
2008
|
|||||||||||||
Net
income (loss)
|
$ | 6.9 | $ | (6.0 | ) | $ | 47.9 | $ | 39.5 | |||||||
Other
comprehensive income (loss), after tax
|
.9 | (4.6 | ) | 2.3 | (.3 | ) | ||||||||||
$ | 7.8 | $ | (10.6 | ) | $ | 50.2 | $ | 39.2 |
Other
comprehensive income (loss) consists primarily of net unrealized gains and
losses from derivative financial instruments accounted for as cash flow
hedges.
11. RELATED
PARTY TRANSACTIONS
In the
ordinary course of business, under the terms of an agreement approved by the
ICC, Nicor Gas enters into transactions with Nicor and its other wholly owned
subsidiaries for the use of facilities and services. The charges for
these transactions are cost-based, except where the charging party has a
prevailing price for which the facility or service is provided to the general
public. In addition, Nicor charges Nicor Gas and its other wholly
owned subsidiaries for the cost of corporate overheads. Corporate
overheads are allocated to Nicor’s subsidiaries based upon a formula approved by
the ICC. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009,
Nicor Gas had net charges to (from) affiliates of $(1.2) million and $4.4
million, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September
30, 2008, Nicor Gas had net charges to affiliates of $1.4 million and $5.6
million, respectively.
Nicor Gas
participates in a cash management system with other subsidiaries of
Nicor. By virtue of making deposits or advances to Nicor, Nicor Gas
is exposed to credit risk to the extent it is unable to secure the return of
such deposits for any reason. Such deposits are due on
demand. There are ICC regulations addressing the amount and
circumstances under which Nicor Gas can deposit with the cash management pool or
advance to Nicor. In addition, Nicor Gas may not extend cash advances
to Nicor if Nicor Gas has any outstanding short-term
borrowings. Nicor Gas’ practice also provides that the balance of
cash deposits or advances from Nicor Gas to Nicor at any time shall not exceed
the unused balance of funds actually available to Nicor under its existing bank
credit agreements or its commercial paper facilities with unaffiliated third
parties. Nicor Gas’ positive cash deposits, if any, may be applied by
Nicor to offset negative balances of other Nicor subsidiaries and vice
versa.
Nicor Gas
had no deposits in the Nicor cash management pool at September 30, 2009,
December 31, 2008 and September 30, 2008. Nicor Gas records interest
income from deposits in the Nicor cash management pool at a rate of interest
equal to the higher of Nicor’s commercial paper rate or a market rate of return
on a short-term investment. For the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2009, Nicor Gas recorded no interest income. For the
three and nine months ended September 30, 2008, interest income was
insignificant.
Nicor
Solutions, L.L.C. (“Nicor Solutions”), a wholly owned business of Nicor, offers
residential and small commercial customers energy-related products that provide
for natural gas cost stability and management of their utility
bill. Under these products, Nicor Solutions pays Nicor Gas for the
utility bills issued to the utility-bill management customers. For
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009, Nicor Gas recorded revenues
of $3.0 million and $25.8 million, respectively, associated with the payments
Nicor Solutions makes to Nicor Gas on behalf of its customers. For
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2008, such revenues were $5.4
million and $45.8 million, respectively.
Prairie
Point Energy, L.L.C. (doing business as Nicor Advanced Energy) is a wholly owned
business of Nicor that provides natural gas and related services on an
unregulated basis to residential and small commercial customers. As a
natural gas supplier, Nicor Advanced Energy pays Nicor Gas for delivery charges,
administrative charges and applicable taxes, and may pay or receive inventory
imbalance adjustments. Nicor Gas recorded negative margin of $1.9
million and $1.5 million, respectively, from Nicor Advanced Energy for the three
and nine months ended September 30, 2009. Nicor Gas recorded positive
(negative) margin of $(0.5) million and $3.7 million, respectively, from Nicor
Advanced Energy for the three and nine months ended September 30,
2008.
Nicor Gas
enters into routine transactions with Nicor Enerchange, L.L.C. (“Nicor
Enerchange”), a wholly owned business of Nicor that engages in wholesale
marketing of natural gas supply services primarily in the
Midwest. Such transactions are governed by terms of an ICC
order. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009, net
charges from Nicor Enerchange were $1.5 million and $4.0 million,
respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2008,
net charges from Nicor
Enerchange
were $13.4 million and $25.3 million, respectively. Additionally,
Nicor Enerchange administers the Chicago Hub for Nicor Gas in accordance with an
agreement approved by the ICC. For the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2009, charges from Nicor Enerchange were $0.2 million and $0.5
million, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September
30, 2008, charges from Nicor Enerchange were $0.1 million and $0.5 million,
respectively.
Horizon
Pipeline Company, L.L.C., a 50-percent-owned joint venture of Nicor, that
operates an interstate regulated natural gas pipeline of approximately 70 miles,
stretching from Joliet, Illinois to near the Wisconsin/Illinois border, charged
Nicor Gas $2.6 million and $7.8 million for the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2009, respectively, for natural gas transportation under rates
that have been accepted by the FERC. For the three and nine months
ended September 30, 2008, Horizon Pipeline charged Nicor Gas $2.6 million and
$7.7 million, respectively.
EN
Engineering L.L.C., formerly a 50-percent-owned joint venture of Nicor that
provides engineering and consulting services, charged Nicor Gas $1.7 million for
engineering and corrosion services through March 31, 2009. Nicor sold
its ownership in EN Engineering on March 31, 2009. For the three and
nine months ended September 30, 2008, Nicor Gas was charged $1.8 million and
$5.3 million, respectively, for these services. A majority of the
work performed by EN Engineering was capital in nature and is classified as
property, plant and equipment on the Condensed Consolidated Balance
Sheets.
In
addition, certain related parties may acquire regulated utility services at
rates approved by the ICC.
12. REGULATORY
PROCEEDINGS
Rate proceeding. On
April 29, 2008, Nicor Gas filed with the ICC for an overall increase in
rates. The company sought a revenue increase of approximately $140
million for a rate of return on rate base of 9.27 percent, which reflects an
11.15 percent cost of common equity. The increase is needed to
recover higher operating costs and increased capital investments.
In its
rate filing, Nicor Gas proposed some new rate adjustment
mechanisms. These included mechanisms that would adjust rates to
reflect certain changes in the company’s bad debt expense and cost of gas used
for operations. Also included were a volume balancing rider that
would adjust rates to recover fixed costs, an energy efficiency rider that would
fund energy efficiency programs and a rider that would adjust rates to recover a
portion of capital expenditures incurred to replace certain older
infrastructure.
On March
25, 2009, the ICC issued an order approving an increase in base revenues of
approximately $69 million, a rate of return on rate base of 7.58 percent and a
rate of return on equity of 10.17 percent. The order also approved an
energy efficiency rider. Nicor Gas placed the rates approved in the
March 25, 2009 order into effect on April 3, 2009.
On April
24, 2009, the company filed a request for rehearing with the ICC concerning the
capital structure and return on equity contained in the ICC’s rate order
contending the company’s return on rate base should be higher. The
Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Citizens Utility Board and the Environmental
Law and Policy Center also filed requests for rehearing on items including the
management structure of the Energy Efficiency Plan and the rate design for
residential customers. These other parties did not raise issues about
the amount of the rate increase granted to Nicor Gas. On May 13,
2009, the ICC agreed to conduct a rehearing concerning the capital structure but
denied the remainder of the company’s request. The ICC also denied
all the rehearing requests by other parties. On October 7, 2009, the
ICC issued its decision on rehearing in which it increased the annual base
revenues approved for Nicor Gas in the March 25, 2009 order by approximately $11
million, representing a rate of return on rate base of 8.09
percent. Nicor Gas
placed
the rates approved in the rehearing decision into effect on a prospective basis
on October 15, 2009. This $11 million increase is incremental to the
approximately $69 million increase approved in the ICC’s March 2009 rate
order. Therefore, the total annual base revenue increase resulting
from the rate case originally filed by the company in April 2008 is
approximately $80 million. Nicor Gas has appeals of the ICC’s rate
orders on file in state appellate court.
Bad debt rider. In
September 2009, Nicor Gas filed for approval of a rate adjustment mechanism for
bad debt expense (“bad debt rider”) with the ICC under an Illinois state law
which took effect in July 2009. The ICC has 180 days to approve, or
modify and approve, the company’s proposed bad debt rider. This
rider, if approved, would provide for recovery from customers of the amount over
the benchmark for bad debt expense established in the Company’s rate
cases. It would also provide for refunds to customers if bad debt
expense was below such benchmarks. If approved as filed, the Company
would recover, in 2010, approximately $32 million of 2008 bad debt expense in
excess of those benchmarks. New higher benchmarks apply to 2009 and
future years as a result of the rate order received in 2009. The
company does not currently expect a significant recovery or refund for 2009 bad
debt expense based upon current natural gas prices and normal weather for the
remainder of the year. Any refund or recovery relating to 2009 bad
debt expense would be effected over a 12-month period beginning
mid-2010. Adjustments under this tracker will be recognized when
probable. Currently, the company does not expect to recognize amounts
related to the bad debt rider until receipt of an ICC order related to the
filing.
13. GUARANTEES
AND INDEMNITIES
In
certain instances, Nicor Gas has undertaken to indemnify current property owners
and others against costs associated with the effects and/or remediation of
contaminated sites for which the company may be responsible under applicable
federal or state environmental laws, generally with no limitation as to the
amount. These indemnifications relate primarily to ongoing coal tar
cleanup, as discussed in Note 14 – Contingencies – Manufactured Gas Plant
Sites. Nicor Gas believes that the likelihood of payment under its
other environmental indemnifications is remote. No liability has been
recorded for such indemnifications.
Nicor Gas
has also indemnified, to the fullest extent permitted under the laws of the
State of Illinois and any other applicable laws, its present and former
directors, officers and employees against expenses they may incur in connection
with litigation they are a party to by reason of their association with the
company. There is generally no limitation as to the
amount. While the company does not expect to incur significant costs
under these indemnifications, it is not possible to estimate the maximum future
potential payments.
14.
|
CONTINGENCIES
|
The
following contingencies of Nicor Gas are in various stages of investigation or
disposition. Although in some cases the company is unable to estimate
the amount of loss reasonably possible in addition to any amounts already
recognized, it is possible that the resolution of these contingencies, either
individually or in aggregate, will require the company to take charges against,
or will result in reductions in, future earnings. It is the opinion
of management that the resolution of these contingencies, either individually or
in aggregate, could be material to earnings in a particular period but is not
expected to have a material adverse impact on Nicor Gas’ liquidity or financial
condition.
PBR Plan. Nicor Gas’ PBR
plan for natural gas costs went into effect in 2000 and was terminated by the
company effective January 1, 2003. Under the PBR plan, Nicor Gas’
total gas supply costs were compared to a market-sensitive
benchmark. Savings and losses relative to the benchmark were
determined annually and shared equally with sales customers. The PBR
plan is currently under ICC
review. There
are allegations that the company acted improperly in connection with the PBR
plan, and the ICC and others are reviewing these allegations. On June
27, 2002, the Citizens Utility Board (“CUB”) filed a motion to reopen the record
in the ICC’s proceedings to review the PBR plan (the “ICC
Proceedings”). As a result of the motion to reopen, Nicor Gas, the
staff of the ICC and CUB entered into a stipulation providing for additional
discovery. The Illinois Attorney General’s Office (“IAGO”) has also
intervened in this matter. In addition, the IAGO issued Civil
Investigation Demands (“CIDs”) to CUB and the ICC staff. The CIDs
ordered that CUB and the ICC staff produce all documents relating to any claims
that Nicor Gas may have presented, or caused to be presented, false information
related to its PBR plan. The company has committed to cooperate fully
in the reviews of the PBR plan.
In
response to these allegations, on July 18, 2002, the Nicor Board of Directors
appointed a special committee of independent, non-management directors to
conduct an inquiry into issues surrounding natural gas purchases, sales,
transportation, storage and such other matters as may come to the attention of
the special committee in the course of its investigation. The special
committee presented the report of its counsel (“Report”) to Nicor’s Board of
Directors on October 28, 2002.
In
response, the Nicor Board of Directors directed the company’s management to,
among other things, make appropriate adjustments to account for, and fully
address, the adverse consequences to ratepayers of the items noted in the
Report, and conduct a detailed study of the adequacy of internal accounting and
regulatory controls. The adjustments were made in prior years’
financial statements resulting in a $24.8 million liability. Included
in such $24.8 million liability is a $4.1 million loss contingency. A
$1.8 million adjustment to the previously recorded liability, which is discussed
below, was made in 2004 increasing the recorded liability to $26.6
million. Nicor Gas estimates that there is $26.9 million due to the
company from the 2002 PBR plan year, which has not been recognized in the
financial statements due to uncertainties surrounding the PBR
plan. In addition, interest due to the company on certain components
of these amounts has not been recognized in the financial statements due to the
same uncertainties. By the end of 2003, the company completed steps
to correct the weaknesses and deficiencies identified in the detailed study of
the adequacy of internal controls.
Pursuant
to the agreement of all parties, including the company, the ICC re-opened the
1999 and 2000 purchased gas adjustment filings for review of certain
transactions related to the PBR plan and consolidated the reviews of the
1999-2002 purchased gas adjustment filings with the PBR plan
review.
On
February 5, 2003, CUB filed a motion for $27 million in sanctions against the
company in the ICC Proceedings. In that motion, CUB alleged that
Nicor Gas’ responses to certain CUB data requests were false. Also on
February 5, 2003, CUB stated in a press release that, in addition to $27 million
in sanctions, it would seek additional refunds to consumers. On March
5, 2003, the ICC staff filed a response brief in support of CUB’s motion for
sanctions. On May 1, 2003, the Administrative Law Judges (“ALJs”)
assigned to the proceeding issued a ruling denying CUB’s motion for
sanctions. CUB has filed an appeal of the motion for sanctions with
the ICC, and the ICC has indicated that it will not rule on the appeal until the
final disposition of the ICC Proceedings. It is not possible to
determine how the ICC will resolve the claims of CUB or other parties to the ICC
Proceedings.
In 2004,
the company became aware of additional information relating to the activities of
individuals affecting the PBR plan for the period from 1999 through 2002,
including information consisting of third party documents and recordings of
telephone conversations from Entergy-Koch Trading, LP (“EKT”), a natural gas,
storage and transportation trader and consultant with whom Nicor did business
under the PBR plan. Review of additional information completed in
2004 resulted in the $1.8 million adjustment to the previously recorded
liability referenced above.
The
evidentiary hearings on this matter were stayed in 2004 in order to permit the
parties to undertake additional third party discovery from EKT. In
December 2006, the additional third party discovery from EKT was obtained and
the ALJs issued a scheduling order that provided for Nicor Gas to submit direct
testimony by April 13, 2007. In its direct testimony, Nicor Gas seeks
a reimbursement of approximately $6 million, which includes interest due to the
company, as noted above, of $1.6 million, as of March 31, 2007. In
September 2009, the staff of the ICC, IAGO and CUB submitted direct testimony to
the ICC requesting refunds of $109 million, $255 million and $286 million,
respectively. No date has been set for evidentiary hearings on this
matter.
Nicor Gas
is unable to predict the outcome of the ICC’s review or the company’s potential
exposure thereunder. Because the PBR plan and historical gas costs
are still under ICC review, the final outcome could be materially different than
the amounts reflected in the company’s financial statements as of September 30,
2009.
Mercury. Nicor Gas
has incurred, and expects to continue to incur, costs related to its historical
use of mercury in various kinds of company equipment.
As of
September 30, 2009, Nicor Gas had remaining an estimated liability of $2.2
million related to inspection, cleanup and legal defense costs. This
represents management’s best estimate of future costs based on an evaluation of
currently available information. Actual costs may vary from this
estimate. Nicor Gas remains a defendant in several private lawsuits,
all in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, seeking a variety of
unquantified damages (including bodily injury and property damages) allegedly
caused by mercury spillage resulting from the removal of mercury-containing
regulators. Potential liabilities relating to these claims have been
assumed by a contractor’s insurer subject to certain limitations.
The final
disposition of these mercury-related matters is not expected to have a material
adverse impact on the company’s liquidity or financial condition.
Manufactured Gas Plant
Sites. Manufactured gas plants were used in the 1800’s and
early to mid 1900’s to produce manufactured gas from coal, creating a coal tar
byproduct. Current environmental laws may require the cleanup of coal
tar at certain former manufactured gas plant sites.
Nicor Gas
has identified properties for which it may have some
responsibility. Most of these properties are not presently owned by
the company. Nicor Gas and Commonwealth Edison Company (“ComEd”) were
parties to an interim agreement to cooperate in cleaning up residue at many of
these properties. Under the interim agreement, mutually agreed costs
were to be evenly split between Nicor Gas and ComEd until such time as they are
finally allocated either through negotiation or arbitration. On
January 3, 2008, Nicor Gas and ComEd entered into a definitive agreement
concerning final cost allocations. The definitive agreement allocates
to Nicor Gas 51.73 percent of cleanup costs for 24 sites, no portion of the
cleanup costs for 14 other sites and 50 percent of general remediation program
costs that do not relate exclusively to particular sites. The
definitive agreement required approval of the ICC, which was obtained in the
second quarter of 2009. Information regarding preliminary site
reviews has been presented to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for
certain properties. More detailed investigations and remedial
activities are complete, in progress or planned at many of these
sites. The results of the detailed site-by-site investigations will
determine the extent additional remediation is necessary and provide a basis for
estimating additional future costs. As of September 30, 2009, the
company had recorded a liability in connection with these matters of $22.0
million. In accordance with ICC authorization, the company has been
recovering, and expects to continue to recover, these costs from its customers,
subject to annual prudence reviews.
In April
2002, Nicor Gas was named as a defendant, together with ComEd, in a lawsuit
brought by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (the
“MWRDGC”) under the Federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation
and Liability Act seeking recovery of past and future remediation costs and a
declaration of the level of appropriate cleanup for a former manufactured gas
plant site in Skokie, Illinois now owned by the MWRDGC. In January
2003, the suit was amended to include a claim under the Federal Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act. The suit was filed in the United
States District Court for the Northern District of
Illinois. Management cannot predict the outcome of this litigation or
the company’s potential exposure thereto, if any, and has not recorded a
liability associated with this contingency.
Since
costs and recoveries relating to the cleanup of manufactured gas plant sites are
passed directly through to customers in accordance with ICC regulations, subject
to an annual ICC prudence review, the final disposition of manufactured gas
plant matters is not expected to have a material impact on the company’s
financial condition or results of operations.
PCBs. In June 2007,
Nicor Gas notified the USEPA of the discovery by Nicor Gas of PCBs at four homes
in Park Ridge, Illinois. Nicor Gas has cleaned up the PCBs at these
four homes. In July 2007, the USEPA issued a subpoena to Nicor Gas
pursuant to Section 11 of the Toxic Substances Control Act. In the
subpoena, the USEPA indicated that it was investigating Nicor Gas’
identification of PCB-contaminated liquids in its distribution
system. The subpoena sought documents related to Nicor Gas’ pipeline
liquids and the extent and location of PCBs contained therein. The
Illinois Attorney General made a similar request for information from Nicor
Gas. Nicor Gas has provided documentation to the USEPA and the
Illinois Attorney General, including information about the presence of PCBs in
its system, and has conducted sample testing at additional customer
locations. The USEPA is undertaking a nationwide inquiry into the
presence of PCBs in gas transmission and distribution pipelines. The company
does not expect, however, either the USEPA or the Illinois Attorney General to
assess fines to, or pursue any enforcement actions, against Nicor Gas with
respect to this matter.
Municipal Tax
Matters. Many municipalities in Nicor Gas’ service territory
have enacted ordinances that impose taxes on gas sales to customers within
municipal boundaries. Most of these municipal taxes are imposed on
Nicor Gas based on revenues generated by Nicor Gas within the
municipality. Other municipal taxes are imposed on natural gas
consumers within the municipality but are collected from consumers and remitted
to the municipality by Nicor Gas. A number of municipalities have
instituted audits of Nicor Gas’ tax remittances. In May 2007, five of
those municipalities filed an action against Nicor Gas in state court in DuPage
County, Illinois relating to these tax audits. Following a dismissal
of this action without prejudice by the trial court, the municipalities filed an
amended complaint in August 2008. The amended complaint seeks, among
other things, compensation for alleged unpaid taxes. Nicor Gas is
contesting the claims in the amended complaint. In December 2007, 25
additional municipalities, all represented by the same audit firm involved in
the lawsuit, issued assessments to Nicor Gas claiming that it failed to provide
information requested by the audit firm and owed the municipalities back
taxes. Nicor Gas believes the assessments are improper and has
challenged them. While the company is unable to predict the outcome
of these matters or to reasonably estimate its potential exposure related
thereto, if any, and has not recorded a liability associated with this
contingency, the final disposition of these matters is not expected to have a
material adverse impact on the company’s liquidity or financial
condition.
Other. In addition
to the matters set forth above, the company is involved in legal or
administrative proceedings before various courts and agencies with respect to
general claims, taxes, environmental, gas cost prudence reviews and other
matters. Although unable to determine the ultimate outcome of these
other contingencies, management believes that these amounts are appropriately
reflected in the financial statements, including the recording of appropriate
liabilities when reasonably estimable.
The
following discussion should be read in conjunction with the Management’s
Discussion and Analysis section of the Nicor Gas 2008 Annual Report on Form
10-K. Results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily
indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year due to
seasonal and other factors.
RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS
Operating
income and net income (loss) are presented below for the periods covered by this
report (in millions):
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30
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September
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2009
|
2008
|
2009
|
2008
|
|||||||||||||
Operating
income
|
$ | 15.7 | $ | 3.2 | $ | 73.4 | $ | 67.1 | ||||||||
Net
income (loss)
|
$ | 6.9 | $ | (6.0 | ) | $ | 47.9 | $ | 39.5 |
Net
income (loss) increased $12.9 million for the three months ended September 30,
2009 compared to the prior year due primarily to higher margin ($20.1 million
pretax increase) and lower operating and maintenance expense ($0.4 million
pretax decrease), partially offset by higher depreciation expense ($1.6 million
pretax increase) and a higher effective income tax rate. Net income
increased $8.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 compared to
the prior year due primarily to higher margin ($31.1 million pretax increase)
and lower interest expense ($4.0 million pretax decrease), partially offset by
higher operating and maintenance expense ($10.9 million pretax increase) and
depreciation expense ($4.9 million pretax increase), lower interest income ($3.6
million pretax decrease) and a higher effective income tax rate.
Rate proceeding. On
April 29, 2008, Nicor Gas filed with the ICC for an overall increase in
rates. The company sought a revenue increase of approximately $140
million for a rate of return on rate base of 9.27 percent, which reflects an
11.15 percent cost of common equity. The increase is needed to
recover higher operating costs and increased capital investments.
In its
rate filing, Nicor Gas proposed some new rate adjustment
mechanisms. These included mechanisms that would adjust rates to
reflect certain changes in the company’s bad debt expense and cost of gas used
for operations. Also included were a volume balancing rider that
would adjust rates to recover fixed costs, an energy efficiency rider that would
fund energy efficiency programs and a rider that would adjust rates to recover a
portion of capital expenditures incurred to replace certain older
infrastructure.
On March
25, 2009, the ICC issued an order approving an increase in base revenues of
approximately $69 million, a rate of return on rate base of 7.58 percent and a
rate of return on equity of 10.17 percent. The order also approved an
energy efficiency rider. Nicor Gas placed the rates approved in the
March 25, 2009 order into effect on April 3, 2009.
On April
24, 2009, the company filed a request for rehearing with the ICC concerning the
capital structure and return on equity contained in the ICC’s rate order
contending the company’s return on rate base should be higher. The
Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Citizens Utility Board and the Environmental
Law and Policy Center also filed requests for rehearing on items including the
management structure of the Energy Efficiency Plan and the rate design for
residential customers. These other parties did not raise issues about
the amount of the rate increase granted to Nicor Gas. On May 13,
2009, the ICC agreed to conduct a rehearing concerning the capital structure but
denied the remainder of the company’s request. The ICC also denied
all the rehearing requests by other parties. On October 7, 2009, the
ICC issued its decision on rehearing in which it increased the annual base
revenues approved for Nicor Gas in the March 25, 2009 order by approximately $11
million, representing a rate of return on rate base of 8.09
percent. Nicor Gas placed the rates approved in the rehearing
decision into effect on a prospective basis on October 15, 2009. This
$11 million increase is incremental to the approximately $69 million increase
approved in the ICC’s March 2009 rate order. Therefore, the total
annual base revenue increase resulting from the rate case originally filed by
the company in April 2008 is approximately $80 million. Nicor Gas has
appeals of the ICC’s rate orders on file in state appellate court.
As a
result of the rates placed into effect in 2009, it is estimated that a
100-degree day variation from normal (5,600 degree days annually) impacts Nicor
Gas’ margin, net of income taxes, by approximately $1.3 million.
Bad debt rider. In
September 2009, Nicor Gas filed for approval of a rate adjustment mechanism for
bad debt expense (“bad debt rider”) with the ICC under an Illinois state law
which took effect in July 2009. The ICC has 180 days to approve, or
modify and approve, the company’s proposed bad debt rider. This
rider, if approved, would provide for recovery from customers of the amount over
the benchmark for bad debt expense established in the Company’s rate
cases. It would also provide for refunds to customers if bad debt
expense was below such benchmarks. If approved as filed, the Company
would recover, in 2010, approximately $32 million of 2008 bad debt expense in
excess of those benchmarks. New higher benchmarks apply to 2009 and
future years as a result of the rate order received in 2009. The
company does not currently expect a significant recovery or refund for 2009 bad
debt expense based upon current natural gas prices and normal weather for the
remainder of the year. Any refund or recovery relating to 2009 bad
debt expense would be effected over a 12-month period beginning
mid-2010. Adjustments under this tracker will be recognized when
probable. Currently, the company does not expect to recognize amounts
related to the bad debt rider until receipt of an ICC order related to the
filing.
Capital market environment. The
volatility in the capital markets during 2008 and 2009 has caused general
concern over the valuations of investments, exposure to increased credit risk
and pressures on liquidity. The company has reviewed its investments,
exposure to credit risk and sources of liquidity and does not currently expect
any future material adverse impacts relating to these items.
The
company sponsored defined benefit pension plan experienced significant declines
in the market values of its investments in 2008. These market value
declines adversely impact the company’s future postretirement benefit costs in
two ways. First, the expected return on the pension plan’s assets
(which serves to reduce postretirement benefit costs) declined as a result of
the lower asset market values. Second, the pension plan’s 2008
actuarial losses (largely due to the decline in asset market values) are being
amortized over the average remaining service life of plan
participants. As a regulated utility, Nicor Gas expects continued
rate recovery of the eligible costs of its defined benefit postretirement plans
and, accordingly, associated changes in the plan’s funded status have been
deferred as a regulatory asset or liability until recognized in income, instead
of being recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income. The
adverse impact of both factors on 2009 postretirement benefit costs compared to
2008 costs is approximately $30 million. About one-fourth of this
added cost will be capitalized as a cost of constructing gas distribution
facilities and the remainder will be included in operating and maintenance
expense, net of any amounts charged to affiliates.
Operating
revenues. Operating revenues are impacted by changes in
natural gas costs, which are passed directly through to customers without
markup, subject to ICC review. Operating revenues decreased $91.1 million
for the three months ended September 30, 2009 compared to the prior year due to
lower natural gas costs (approximately $120 million decrease), partially offset
by the impact of the increase in base rates (approximately $25 million
increase). Operating revenues decreased $805.1 million for the nine
months ended September 30, 2009 compared to the prior year due primarily to
lower natural gas costs (approximately $700 million decrease), lower demand
unrelated to weather (approximately $70 million decrease) and warmer weather
(approximately $65 million decrease), partially offset by the impact of the
increase in base rates (approximately $45 million increase).
Margin. Nicor Gas
utilizes a measure it refers to as “margin” to evaluate the operating income
impact of revenues. Revenues include natural gas costs, which are
passed directly through to customers without markup, subject to ICC review, and
revenue taxes, for which Nicor Gas earns a small administrative
fee. These items often cause significant fluctuations in revenues,
with equal and offsetting fluctuations in cost of gas and revenue tax expense,
with no direct impact on margin.
A
reconciliation of revenues and margin follows (in millions):
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September
30
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September
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2009
|
2008
|
2009
|
2008
|
|||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$ | 215.0 | $ | 306.1 | $ | 1,525.3 | $ | 2,330.4 | ||||||||
Cost
of gas
|
(70.2 | ) | (180.0 | ) | (943.2 | ) | (1,762.9 | ) | ||||||||
Revenue
tax expense
|
(12.9 | ) | (14.3 | ) | (112.8 | ) | (129.3 | ) | ||||||||
Margin
|
$ | 131.9 | $ | 111.8 | $ | 469.3 | $ | 438.2 |
Margin
increased $20.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009 compared
to the prior year due to the impact of the increase in base rates (approximately
$25 million increase). Margin increased $31.1 million for the nine
months ended September 30, 2009 compared to the prior year due to the impact of
the increase in base rates (approximately $45 million increase), partially
offset by lower demand unrelated to weather (approximately $6 million decrease),
lower franchise gas cost recoveries (approximately $3 million decrease) and
warmer weather (approximately $2 million decrease). As a result of
the rate order which became effective on March 25, 2009, Nicor Gas will recover
through a cost recovery rider current year franchise gas costs over a 12 month
period beginning the following May. Prior to the March 25, 2009 rate
order, such costs were recovered based upon a fixed amount determined
periodically through a rate case proceeding. As a result of this
change, franchise gas cost recoveries in 2009 will be lower than prior periods
with minimal impact on operating income.
Operating and maintenance
expense. Operating and maintenance expense decreased $0.4 million for the
three months ended September 30, 2009 compared to the prior year due to lower
company use and storage-related gas costs ($5.0 million decrease) and bad debt
expense ($1.3 million decrease due to lower revenues attributable principally to
lower natural gas costs), partially offset by higher pension expense, net of
capitalization ($5.4 million increase). Operating and maintenance
expense increased $10.9 million for the
nine months ended September 30, 2009 compared to the prior year due primarily to
higher payroll and benefit-related costs ($20.2 million increase, of which $16.3
million relates to higher pension expense, net of capitalization) and the
absence of prior year recoveries of previously incurred costs ($3.9 million, of
which $2.0 million relates to a recovery of costs associated with the PCB matter
and $1.9 million relates to legal cost recoveries from a counterparty with whom
Nicor previously did business during the PBR timeframe). Partially
offsetting these amounts were lower bad debt expense ($7.3 million decrease due
to lower revenues attributable principally to lower natural gas costs) and lower
franchise gas costs ($7.1 million decrease). As a result of the
recent rate order, which became effective on March 25,
2009, the
expense for franchise gas costs will be deferred until the related revenue,
recovered through a cost recovery rider, is recognized.
Income tax
expense. The effective income tax rate for the three months
ended September 30, 2009 increased to 37.8 percent from 25.3 percent for the
prior-year period. The quarterly effective income tax rates reflect
changes to forecasted annual pretax income identified in the
quarter. The year-to-date adjustment to income taxes recognized in
the quarter resulting from these changes to forecasted annual pretax income has
a larger impact in quarters with lower income. The effective
income tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 increased to 35.5
percent from 32.5 percent in the prior-year period. The higher
effective income tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009
is due primarily to higher 2009 forecasted annual pretax income (which causes a
higher effective income tax rate since permanent differences and tax credits are
a smaller share of pretax income).
Interest
income. Interest income decreased $0.6 million and $3.6
million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009, respectively,
compared to the prior year due primarily to the impact of lower average
investment balances and lower interest on tax matters.
Interest
expense. Interest expense decreased $0.7 million for the three
months ended September 30, 2009 compared to the prior year due primarily to
lower average interest rates, partially offset by higher average borrowing
levels and bank commitment fees. Interest expense decreased $4.0
million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 compared to the prior year
due primarily to lower average interest rates and lower interest on income tax
matters, partially offset by higher average borrowing levels and bank commitment
fees.
Nicor
Gas Company
|
||||||||||||||||
Operating
Statistics
|
||||||||||||||||
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September
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2009
|
2008
|
2009
|
2008
|
|||||||||||||
Operating revenues
(millions)
|
||||||||||||||||
Sales
|
||||||||||||||||
Residential
|
$ | 126.1 | $ | 196.1 | $ | 969.8 | $ | 1,572.4 | ||||||||
Commercial
|
28.9 | 50.5 | 245.9 | 402.1 | ||||||||||||
Industrial
|
2.8 | 3.8 | 27.8 | 45.9 | ||||||||||||
157.8 | 250.4 | 1,243.5 | 2,020.4 | |||||||||||||
Transportation
|
||||||||||||||||
Residential
|
9.7 | 7.3 | 34.1 | 28.5 | ||||||||||||
Commercial
|
14.0 | 11.9 | 56.9 | 54.9 | ||||||||||||
Industrial
|
10.7 | 9.3 | 30.0 | 28.7 | ||||||||||||
Other
|
.1 | 1.3 | 4.0 | 24.0 | ||||||||||||
34.5 | 29.8 | 125.0 | 136.1 | |||||||||||||
Other
revenues
|
||||||||||||||||
Revenue
taxes
|
13.1 | 14.6 | 114.5 | 131.6 | ||||||||||||
Environmental
cost recovery
|
1.3 | .7 | 9.2 | 6.8 | ||||||||||||
Chicago
Hub
|
1.8 | 2.6 | 5.6 | 8.5 | ||||||||||||
Other
|
6.5 | 8.0 | 27.5 | 27.0 | ||||||||||||
22.7 | 25.9 | 156.8 | 173.9 | |||||||||||||
$ | 215.0 | $ | 306.1 | $ | 1,525.3 | $ | 2,330.4 | |||||||||
Deliveries
(Bcf)
|
||||||||||||||||
Sales
|
||||||||||||||||
Residential
|
12.7 | 12.3 | 134.9 | 142.6 | ||||||||||||
Commercial
|
3.5 | 3.5 | 35.5 | 37.2 | ||||||||||||
Industrial
|
.5 | .3 | 4.4 | 4.5 | ||||||||||||
16.7 | 16.1 | 174.8 | 184.3 | |||||||||||||
Transportation
|
||||||||||||||||
Residential
|
1.6 | 1.5 | 17.1 | 16.3 | ||||||||||||
Commercial
|
9.4 | 9.5 | 60.6 | 61.7 | ||||||||||||
Industrial
|
23.0 | 21.3 | 76.6 | 76.7 | ||||||||||||
34.0 | 32.3 | 154.3 | 154.7 | |||||||||||||
50.7 | 48.4 | 329.1 | 339.0 | |||||||||||||
Customers at end of period
(thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||
Sales
|
||||||||||||||||
Residential
|
1,743 | 1,751 | ||||||||||||||
Commercial
|
128 | 127 | ||||||||||||||
Industrial
|
7 | 7 | ||||||||||||||
1,878 | 1,885 | |||||||||||||||
Transportation
|
||||||||||||||||
Residential
|
221 | 215 | ||||||||||||||
Commercial
|
51 | 53 | ||||||||||||||
Industrial
|
5 | 5 | ||||||||||||||
277 | 273 | |||||||||||||||
2,155 | 2,158 | |||||||||||||||
Other
statistics
|
||||||||||||||||
Degree
days
|
66 | 37 | 3,937 | 3,999 | ||||||||||||
Colder
(warmer) than normal (1)
|
8% | (47)% | 10% | 6% | ||||||||||||
Average
gas cost per Mcf sold
|
$ | 3.91 | $ | 11.12 | $ | 5.24 | $ | 9.52 | ||||||||
(1)
Normal weather for Nicor Gas' service territory, for purposes of this
report, is considered to be 5,600 degree days per year for 2009 and 5,830
degree days per year for 2008.
|
FINANCIAL
CONDITION AND LIQUIDITY
The
company believes it has access to adequate resources to meet its needs for
capital expenditures, debt redemptions, dividend payments and working
capital. These resources include net cash flow from operating
activities, access to capital markets, lines of credit and short-term
investments. Capital market conditions are not currently expected to
have a material adverse impact on the company’s ability to access
capital.
Operating cash
flows. The company’s business is highly seasonal and operating
cash flow may fluctuate significantly during the year and from year-to-year due
to factors such as weather, natural gas prices, the timing of collections from
customers, natural gas purchasing, and storage and hedging
practices. The company relies on short-term financing to meet
seasonal increases in working capital needs. Cash requirements
generally increase over the last half of the year due to increases in natural
gas purchases, gas in storage and accounts receivable. During the
first half of the year, positive cash flow generally results from the sale of
gas in storage and the collection of accounts receivable. This cash
is typically used to substantially reduce, or eliminate, short-term debt during
the first half of the year. Net cash flow provided from operating
activities increased $413.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009
compared to the prior year.
Nicor Gas
maintains margin accounts related to financial derivative
transactions. These margin accounts may cause large fluctuations in
cash needs or sources in a relatively short period of time due to daily
settlements resulting from changes in natural gas futures prices. The
company manages these fluctuations with short-term borrowings and
investments.
Investing
activities. Net cash flow used for investing activities
decreased $11.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 compared to
the prior year.
Financing
activities. In August 2009, Moody’s upgraded Nicor Gas’ senior
secured debt rating to “Aa3” from “A1.” The rating revision by
Moody’s reflects an upgrade to the majority of senior secured debt ratings of
investment-grade regulated utilities by one notch. All other credit
ratings for Nicor Gas have not changed since the filing of the 2008 Annual
Report on Form 10-K. In the second
quarter of 2009, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s affirmed their credit ratings
on Nicor Gas. In the third quarter of 2009, Fitch affirmed their
credit ratings on Nicor Gas.
The
company believes it is in compliance with all debt covenants.
Long-term debt. In
February 2009, the $50 million 5.37 percent First Mortgage Bond series matured
and was retired. In July 2009, Nicor Gas, through a private
placement, issued $50 million First Mortgage Bonds at 4.70 percent, due in
2019.
On
February 25, 2009, Nicor Gas filed a shelf registration for the purpose of
issuing additional First Mortgage Bonds. The shelf registration
became effective on March 20, 2009.
In August
2008, Nicor Gas, through a private placement, issued $75 million First Mortgage
Bonds at 6.25 percent, due in 2038. The company retired the $75
million 5.875 percent First Mortgage Bond series that became due in August
2008.
Short-term
debt. In May 2009, Nicor Gas established a $550 million,
364-day revolver, expiring May 2010, to replace the $600 million, nine-month
seasonal revolver, which expired in May 2009. In September 2005,
Nicor and Nicor Gas established a $600 million, five-year revolver, expiring
September 2010. These facilities were established with major domestic
and foreign banks and serve as backup for
the
issuance of commercial paper. The company had $365.0 million, $717.9
million and $426.0 million of commercial paper borrowings outstanding at
September 30, 2009, December 31, 2008 and September 30, 2008,
respectively. The company expects that funding from commercial paper
and related backup line-of-credit agreements will continue to be available in
the foreseeable future and sufficient to meet estimated cash
requirements.
OTHER
MATTERS
Recent Illinois
Legislation. In July 2009, a new Illinois state law took
effect that will require utility companies to participate in bill payment
assistance programs for low-income customers. Funding for the
programs is expected to be provided largely through federal and state government
contributions, as well as through an increase in monthly utility-customer
charges. The legislation also requires utilities to develop and
implement energy efficiency measures to obtain prescribed reductions in customer
deliveries. Funding for the program, excluding the adverse impact on
Nicor Gas of lower deliveries and resulting reduced margin, will be through a
rate adjustment mechanism. In addition, the legislation allows
utility companies to implement, subject to ICC approval, a rate adjustment
mechanism for bad debt expense starting with the 2008 year. Certain
provisions of the legislation will be implemented on a pilot basis beginning in
2009. The company is currently evaluating the impact of this
legislation on the company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial
condition.
Labor
negotiations. On April 17, 2009, Nicor Gas announced that the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 19 ratified a new labor
contract which expires on February 28, 2014. The agreement covers
approximately 1,400 employees of Nicor Gas. The new contract will
provide for, among other things, general wage increases and changes to various
employee benefits, and is not expected to have a material impact on the
company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial
condition.
CONTINGENCIES
The
following contingencies of Nicor Gas are in various stages of investigation or
disposition. Although in some cases the company is unable to estimate
the amount of loss reasonably possible in addition to any amounts already
recognized, it is possible that the resolution of these contingencies, either
individually or in aggregate, will require the company to take charges against,
or will result in reductions in, future earnings. It is the opinion
of management that the resolution of these contingencies, either individually or
in aggregate, could be material to earnings in a particular period but is not
expected to have a material adverse impact on Nicor Gas’ liquidity or financial
condition.
PBR plan. Nicor
Gas’ PBR plan for natural gas costs went into effect in 2000 and was terminated
by the company effective January 1, 2003. Under the PBR plan, Nicor
Gas’ total gas supply costs were compared to a market-sensitive
benchmark. Savings and losses relative to the benchmark were
determined annually and shared equally with sales customers. The PBR
plan is currently under ICC review. There are allegations that the
company acted improperly in connection with the PBR plan, and the ICC and others
are reviewing these allegations. On June 27, 2002, the Citizens
Utility Board (“CUB”) filed a motion to reopen the record in the ICC’s
proceedings to review the PBR plan (the “ICC Proceedings”). As a
result of the motion to reopen, Nicor Gas, the staff of the ICC and CUB entered
into a stipulation providing for additional discovery. The Illinois
Attorney General’s Office (“IAGO”) has also intervened in this
matter. In addition, the IAGO issued Civil Investigation Demands
(“CIDs”) to CUB and the ICC staff. The CIDs ordered that CUB and the
ICC staff produce all documents relating to any claims that Nicor Gas may have
presented, or caused to be presented, false information related to its PBR
plan. The company has committed to cooperate fully in the reviews of
the PBR plan.
In
response to these allegations, on July 18, 2002, the Nicor Board of Directors
appointed a special committee of independent, non-management directors to
conduct an inquiry into issues surrounding natural gas purchases, sales,
transportation, storage and such other matters as may come to the attention of
the special committee in the course of its investigation. The special
committee presented the report of its counsel (“Report”) to Nicor’s Board of
Directors on October 28, 2002. A copy of the Report is available at
the Nicor website and has been previously produced to all parties in the ICC
Proceedings.
In
response, the Nicor Board of Directors directed the company’s management to,
among other things, make appropriate adjustments to account for, and fully
address, the adverse consequences to ratepayers of the items noted in the
Report, and conduct a detailed study of the adequacy of internal accounting and
regulatory controls. The adjustments were made in prior years’
financial statements resulting in a $24.8 million liability. Included
in such $24.8 million liability is a $4.1 million loss contingency. A
$1.8 million adjustment to the previously recorded liability, which is discussed
below, was made in 2004 increasing the recorded liability to $26.6
million. Nicor Gas estimates that there is $26.9 million due to the
company from the 2002 PBR plan year, which has not been recognized in the
financial statements due to uncertainties surrounding the PBR
plan. In addition, interest due to the company on certain components
of these amounts has not been recognized in the financial statements due to the
same uncertainties. By the end of 2003, the company completed steps
to correct the weaknesses and deficiencies identified in the detailed study of
the adequacy of internal controls.
Pursuant
to the agreement of all parties, including the company, the ICC re-opened the
1999 and 2000 purchased gas adjustment filings for review of certain
transactions related to the PBR plan and consolidated the reviews of the
1999-2002 purchased gas adjustment filings with the PBR plan
review.
On
February 5, 2003, CUB filed a motion for $27 million in sanctions against the
company in the ICC Proceedings. In that motion, CUB alleged that
Nicor Gas’ responses to certain CUB data requests were false. Also on
February 5, 2003, CUB stated in a press release that, in addition to $27 million
in sanctions, it would seek additional refunds to consumers. On March
5, 2003, the ICC staff filed a response brief in support of CUB’s motion for
sanctions. On May 1, 2003, the Administrative Law Judges (“ALJs”)
assigned to the proceeding issued a ruling denying CUB’s motion for
sanctions. CUB has filed an appeal of the motion for sanctions with
the ICC, and the ICC has indicated that it will not rule on the appeal until the
final disposition of the ICC Proceedings. It is not possible to
determine how the ICC will resolve the claims of CUB or other parties to the ICC
Proceedings.
In 2004,
the company became aware of additional information relating to the activities of
individuals affecting the PBR plan for the period from 1999 through 2002,
including information consisting of third party documents and recordings of
telephone conversations from Entergy-Koch Trading, LP (“EKT”), a natural gas,
storage and transportation trader and consultant with whom Nicor did business
under the PBR plan. Review of additional information completed in
2004 resulted in the $1.8 million adjustment to the previously recorded
liability referenced above.
The
evidentiary hearings on this matter were stayed in 2004 in order to permit the
parties to undertake additional third party discovery from EKT. In
December 2006, the additional third party discovery from EKT was obtained and
the ALJs issued a scheduling order that provided for Nicor Gas to submit direct
testimony by April 13, 2007. In its direct testimony, Nicor Gas seeks
a reimbursement of approximately $6 million, which includes interest due to the
company, as noted above, of $1.6 million, as of March 31, 2007. In
September 2009, the staff of the ICC, IAGO and CUB submitted direct testimony to
the ICC requesting refunds of $109 million, $255 million and $286 million,
respectively. No date has been set for evidentiary hearings on this
matter.
Nicor Gas
is unable to predict the outcome of the ICC’s review or the company’s potential
exposure thereunder. Because the PBR plan and historical gas costs
are still under ICC review, the final outcome could be materially different than
the amounts reflected in the company’s financial statements as of September 30,
2009.
Mercury. Information
about mercury contingencies is presented in Item 1 – Notes to the Condensed
Consolidated Financial Statements – Note 14 – Contingencies –
Mercury.
Manufactured gas plant
sites. The company is conducting environmental investigations
and remedial activities at former manufactured gas plant
sites. Additional information about these sites is presented in Item
1 – Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – Note 14 –
Contingencies – Manufactured Gas Plant Sites.
PCBs. Information
about PCB contingencies is presented in Item 1 – Notes to the Condensed
Consolidated Financial Statements – Note 14 – Contingencies – PCBs.
Municipal tax
matters. Information about municipal tax contingencies is
presented in Item 1 – Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements –
Note 14 – Contingencies – Municipal Tax Matters.
Other. The company is involved
in legal or administrative proceedings before various courts and agencies with
respect to general claims, taxes, environmental, gas cost prudence reviews and
other matters. See Item 1 – Notes to the Condensed Consolidated
Financial Statements – Note 14 – Contingencies – Other.
CRITICAL
ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES
See Item
7 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations – Critical Accounting Estimates in the 2008 Annual Report on Form
10-K for a discussion of the company’s critical accounting
estimates.
NEW
ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENT
For
information concerning the new requirements for fair value measurements and
disclosures, see Item 1 – Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial
Statements – Note 3 – New Accounting Pronouncement.
CAUTION
CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This
document includes certain forward-looking statements about the expectations of
Nicor Gas. Although Nicor Gas believes these statements are based on
reasonable assumptions, actual results may vary materially from stated
expectations. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by
the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “believe,”
“expect,” “intend,” “may,” “planned,” “potential,” “should,” “will,” “would,”
“project,” “estimate,” “ultimate,” or similar phrases. Actual results
may differ materially from those indicated in the company’s forward-looking
statements due to the direct or indirect effects of legal contingencies
(including litigation) and the resolution of those issues, including the effects
of an ICC review, and undue reliance should not be placed on such
statements.
Other
factors that could cause materially different results include, but are not
limited to, weather conditions; natural disasters; natural gas prices; fair
value accounting adjustments; inventory valuation; health care costs; insurance
costs or recoveries; legal costs; borrowing needs; interest rates; credit
conditions; economic and market conditions; accidents, leaks, equipment
failures, service interruptions, environmental pollution, and other operating
risks; energy conservation; legislative and regulatory actions; tax rulings or
audit results; asset sales; significant unplanned capital needs; future
mercury-
related
charges or credits; changes in accounting principles, interpretations, methods,
judgments or estimates; performance of major customers, transporters, suppliers
and contractors; labor relations; and acts of terrorism.
Readers
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements,
which speak only as of the date of this filing. Nicor Gas undertakes
no obligation to publicly release any revision to these forward-looking
statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this
filing.
Nicor Gas
is exposed to market risk in the normal course of its business operations,
including the risk of loss arising from adverse changes in natural gas commodity
prices and interest rates. Nicor Gas’ practice is to manage these
risks utilizing derivative instruments and other methods, as deemed
appropriate.
There has
been no material change in the company's exposure to market risk since the
filing of the 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The
company carried out an evaluation under the supervision and with the
participation of the company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer
and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of
the company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period
covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (the “Evaluation”).
In
designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management
recognizes that any disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well
designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the
desired control objectives, and management is required to apply its judgment in
evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible disclosure controls and
procedures. These disclosure controls and procedures are designed so
that required information is accumulated and communicated to the registrant’s
management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial
officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosures. Based on the Evaluation, the company’s Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the company’s disclosure
controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q, were effective at the reasonable assurance level to ensure
that information required to be disclosed by the company in reports that it
files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded,
processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in United
States Securities and Exchange Commission rules and forms.
There has
been no change in the company’s internal controls over financial reporting
during the company’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or
is reasonably likely to materially affect, the company’s internal control over
financial reporting.
PART
II - OTHER INFORMATION
See Part
I, Item 1 – Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – Note 12 –
Regulatory Proceedings and Note 14 – Contingencies, which are incorporated
herein by reference.
Exhibit
|
||
Number
|
Description of Document
|
|
3.01
|
*
|
Restated
Articles of Incorporation of the company as filed with the Illinois
Secretary of State on July 21, 2006. (File No. 1-7296, Form
10-Q for June 30, 2006, Nicor Gas Company, Exhibit
3.01.)
|
3.02
|
*
|
Nicor
Gas Company Amended and Restated By-laws effective as of December 1,
2007. (File No. 1-7296, Form 8-K for November 29, 2007, Nicor
Gas Company, Exhibit 3.1.)
|
12.01
|
||
31.01
|
||
31.02
|
||
32.01
|
||
32.02
|
*
|
These
exhibits have been previously filed with the SEC as exhibits to
registration statements or to other filings with the SEC and are
incorporated herein as exhibits by reference. The file number
and exhibit number of each such exhibit, where applicable, are stated, in
parentheses, in the description of such
exhibit.
|
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.
Nicor
Gas Company
|
|||
October
30, 2009
|
/s/
KAREN K. PEPPING
|
||
(Date)
|
Karen
K. Pepping
|
||
Vice
President and Controller
|
|||
(Principal
Accounting Officer and
|
|||
Duly
Authorized Officer)
|
30