Commodity price hedging

In the normal course of business, the Group is party to commodity derivatives. These have included indexed swap contracts, gas futures, electricity swaps, gas options, gas forwards and gas basis swaps that are principally used to manage commodity prices associated with its gas and electricity delivery operations. This includes the buying back of capacity rights already sold in accordance with the Group's UK gas transporter licences and Network Code obligations.

These financial exposures are monitored and managed as an integral part of the Group's financial risk management policy. At the core of this policy is a condition that the Group will engage in activities at risk only to the extent that those activities fall within commodities and financial markets to which it has a physical market exposure in terms and volumes consistent with its core business. The Group does not issue or intend to hold derivative instruments for trading purposes, and holds such instruments consistent with its various licence and regulatory obligations in the UK and US.

As a result of the restructuring of the electricity industry in New York State, Niagara Mohawk replaced existing power purchase agreements in 1998 with indexed swap contracts that expire in June 2008. The indexed swaps and fossil fuel plant swaps are the subject of regulatory rulings that allow the gains and losses to be passed on to customers.

At 31 March 2005, the Group had liabilities of £327 million (31 March 2004: £391 million) in respect of the above indexed swap contracts, and has recorded a corresponding regulatory asset. The asset and liability will be amortised over the remaining term of the swaps as nominal energy quantities are settled and will be adjusted as periodic reassessments are made of energy prices. A 10% movement in the market price of electricity would result in a £27 million movement in the value of the index-linked swap contracts assuming a US dollar to sterling exchange rate of $1.89: £1. There would be no impact on earnings, as there would be a corresponding movement in the book value of the related regulatory asset.

The fair value of the index-linked swap contracts is based on the difference between projected future market prices and projected contract prices as applied to the notional quantities stated in the contracts and discounted using a US Treasury Bill rate curve to the current present value.

Payments made by Niagara Mohawk under indexed swap contracts are affected by the price of natural gas. Niagara Mohawk uses New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) gas futures as hedges to mitigate this impact. The futures contracts are derivative instruments with gains and losses deferred as an offset to the corresponding increases and decreases in the swap payments. As at 31 March 2005, the last options to which Niagara Mohawk was counterparty had expired and there were no open option positions outstanding at this date. Niagara Mohawk is not currently using options to hedge its gas commodity. Gains relating to gas futures as at 31 March 2005 were not material and, as a result of regulatory treatments, have no impact on earnings.

Niagara Mohawk's gas rate agreement allows for collection of the commodity cost of natural gas sold to customers. The regulator also requires that actions be taken to limit the volatility in gas prices passed on to customers. Niagara Mohawk meets this requirement through the use of NYMEX gas futures. These contracts are hedges of Niagara Mohawk's natural gas purchases. Gains and losses are deferred until the month that the hedged contract settles. At 31 March 2005, deferred gains on these contracts were immaterial in the context of the Group as a whole.

In our UK gas transmission operation we are obliged to offer for sale through a series of auctions (both short- and long-term) a predetermined quantity of entry capacity for every day in the year at predefined locations. Where, on the day, the gas transmission system's capability is constrained, such that gas is prevented from entering the system for which entry capacity rights have been sold, then UK gas transmission is required to buy back those entry capacity rights sold in excess of system capability. Forward and option contracts are used to reduce the risk and exposure to on-the-day entry capacity prices.

Our UK electricity transmission operations have also entered into electricity options, pursuant to the requirement to stabilise the electricity market in Great Britain through the operation of the British Electricity Trading and Transmission Arrangements (BETTA). The options are for varying terms and have been entered into so that the Group has the ability to deliver electricity as required to meet its obligations under the electricity transmission licence. The Group has not and does not expect to enter into any significant derivatives in connection with its BETTA role.

top