SEC Company Response from PACIFICORP — Aug 18, 2005
PACIFICORP /OR/ (CIK 0000075594)
Date: Aug. 18, 2005 · CIK: 0000075594 · Accession: 0000075594-05-000027
AI Filing Summary & Sentiment
Referenced dates: August 8, 2005
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CORRESP
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filename1.htm
August 18, 2005
Mr. Jim Allegretto
Senior Assistant Chief Accountant
United States Securities and Exchange Commission
Mailstop 3561
100 F Street, NE
Washington, DC 20549
Re:
PacifiCorp
Form 10-K for Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2005
Filed
May 27, 2005
File No. 1-5152
Dear Mr. Allegretto:
We have received your letter dated August 8, 2005, commenting on the above-referenced filing. Set forth below are our responses to the comments in the letter. Your comments are also included below for your convenience.
Form 10-K for Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2005
General
1.
Where a comment below requests additional disclosure or other revisions to be made, these revisions should be included in your future filings, as applicable.
Response
Included
below are additional disclosures and other revisions PacifiCorp made in
its recently filed Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2005,
which will be reflected in future filings as well.
Consolidated
Balance Sheets, page 65
2.
Please explain to us why your allowance for doubtful accounts as a percentage of accounts receivable decreased significantly from 9.9% at March 31, 2004 to 3.96%
Mr. Jim Allegretto
August 18, 2005
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at
March 31, 2005. Additionally, please be detailed in explaining why write-offs
for the past 3 years consistently exceed the provision for doubtful accounts.
Response
The decrease
in PacifiCorp’s allowance for doubtful accounts as a percentage of
accounts receivable from 9.9% at March 31, 2004 to 3.96% at March 31, 2005
primarily resulted from the write-off of $12.0 million of individually significant
wholesale accounts receivable. PacifiCorp’s allowance for doubtful
accounts receivable includes not only a reserve for retail accounts receivable
based on historical experience, but also reserves for specific retail and
wholesale accounts receivable, which are recorded in the period in which
collectibility becomes doubtful (with corresponding charges to net income).
Accounts receivable are subsequently written off and reversed against the
previously established reserve (with no impact on net income) in the period
in which a triggering event occurs, including developments and settlements
associated with legal and bankruptcy proceedings, payment defaults and other
events.
Net write-offs
exceeded the provision for doubtful accounts from fiscal 2003 through fiscal
2005 due to the level of write-offs related to amounts specifically reserved
prior to fiscal 2003 as a result of the calendar 2000/2001 energy crisis.
Write-offs of previously reserved amounts included $6.7 million of individually
significant wholesale accounts receivable in fiscal 2003, $4.0 million of
individually significant commercial retail accounts receivable in fiscal
2004 and $12.0 million of individually significant wholesale accounts receivable
in fiscal 2005 ($8.0 million of which were receivable from Enron Corp.).
PacifiCorp’s write-offs and provision for doubtful accounts in each
of fiscal 2003 through 2005 were also affected by a decline in the percentage
of retail accounts receivable outstanding greater than 90 days from 11.7%
to 8.1% to 5.4% as of March 31, 2003, 2004 and 2005, respectively, due to
more rigorous collection efforts and more frequent receipt of security deposits
from customers with credit risk.
Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, page 70
3.
Please explain to us the reason for extending the life of certain computer software systems to reflect operational plans. In this regard, you may want to describe the nature of the operational plans necessitating a change. Further, advise whether such change affects the results of the utility operations. If not, explain the nature of the software subject to amortization.
Mr. Jim Allegretto
August 18, 2005
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Response
As
part of its annual 10-year planning process during the three months ended
June 30, 2004, PacifiCorp reviewed its information technology plan for
the replacement and upgrade cycles for its integrated enterprise resource
planning (ERP) and general ledger system, as well as PacifiCorp’s
retail customer receivables, billing and service system. PacifiCorp’s
combined investment in these major systems was $251.5 million. As a result
of this review, PacifiCorp determined that it would not replace either
of these systems during the subsequent 10 years, but would pursue a strategy
of making upgrades every few years as needed. This information technology
plan was consistent with PacifiCorp’s shift towards focusing available
capital on utility infrastructure construction to support increasing customer
growth.
At the time
the decision to extend the life of the ERP and general ledger system from
10 to 15 years was made, PacifiCorp was into year 6 of the originally expected
10-year life of the system. At the time the decision to extend the life
of the retail customer receivables, billings and service system from 10
to 18 years was made, PacifiCorp was into year 8 of the originally expected
10-year life of the system. The ends of the extended useful lives for both
systems are within the horizon of PacifiCorp’s 10-year plan and consistent
with its information technology planning.
ERP and
General Ledger System – The decision not to
replace this system and to extend its life was made due to the planned expansion
of the functionality of the system, as well as the proven additional functionality
provided by the last major upgrade. When this system was implemented in
1998, PacifiCorp had anticipated significant changes in the regulatory environment
as some states in which PacifiCorp operates had indicated a move towards
a non-regulated operating environment, which would have increased the likelihood
of technical obsolescence within the period of the original asset life.
However, at the time of the aforementioned 10-year plan review, PacifiCorp’s
status as a regulated utility remained unchanged and was well supported
by the existing operational and reporting functionalities of the system.
PacifiCorp further determined that replacing the system in such a short
time frame would not be a prudent investment given demands for capital investment
in utility infrastructure, the $152.6 million already invested in the system
and its existing functionality, which supports operations across the company.
Retail
customer receivables, billings and service system
– The decision not to replace this system and to extend its life was
made due to proven benefits from the last major upgrade and the customization
of the system for PacifiCorp’s service territories, current regulatory
mandates and tariff-based rates. Based on the stable nature of PacifiCorp’s
business, PacifiCorp determined that the system could be maintained
Mr. Jim Allegretto
August 18, 2005
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and could
effectively provide the necessary functionality to support operations and
accounting for retail revenues. As a result, PacifiCorp determined that
replacing the system would not be a prudent investment given demands for
capital investment in utility infrastructure and the $98.9 million already
invested in the system. Previous plans for replacement of this system were
removed from PacifiCorp’s 10-year plan.
The extended
lives will more appropriately reflect the use of the systems over the period
in which benefits will be obtained and services provided to customers. Both
of these changes are reflected in the results of the utility operations
for the year ended March 31, 2005 as disclosed in PacifiCorp’s Form
10-K. Although there may be a short time lag as general rate cases are filed
in each state, the impact on amortization of the change in lives is being
reflected in lower annual revenue requirements for these systems, which
are used in determining customers’ rates. Thus, over time, the net
impact of this change in estimate on the results of the utility operations
is expected to be minimal.
Note 3 – Derivative Instruments, page 79
4.
Please explain to us the rationale for changing to LIBOR in discounting your derivative portfolio. Assuming LIBOR is the appropriate index, explain why the change was made on September 30, 2004 as opposed to some other date. Please be specific as to the timeline of events that gave rise to such change. Lastly, it appears you treated this change as a change in estimate and accounted for it prospectively. Tell us why it does not constitute a change in principle. We may have further comment.
Response
The timing
of PacifiCorp’s change to the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
coincided with the implementation of International Accounting Standards
(IAS) by PacifiCorp’s parent company, Scottish Power PLC, which is
listed on both the London and New York Stock Exchanges. As PacifiCorp is
consolidated under Scottish Power, it is required to report its financial
information for Scottish Power’s reporting purposes under IAS and adopted IAS along
with Scottish Power at April 1, 2005.
In order to
meet the IAS adoption date, the IAS implementation project was commenced
in early fiscal 2005. During the implementation process, Scottish Power
determined that it would utilize LIBOR for discounting purposes under IAS
39. This decision prompted an evaluation by PacifiCorp of its continued
use of the US Treasury rate during the three months ended September 30,
2004. At that time, PacifiCorp elected to change its discount rate for US
GAAP reporting purposes
Mr. Jim Allegretto
August 18, 2005
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because
it determined that LIBOR provides a better estimate than the US Treasury
rate as an index for discounting PacifiCorp’s derivatives portfolio
under SFAS 133. The change to LIBOR also minimized the costs of maintaining
two separate interest-rate curves and contract valuation models under
US GAAP and IAS.
SFAS 133 guidance
identifies only two acceptable benchmark interest rates, LIBOR and the US
Treasury rate. At the time of its implementation of SFAS 133, PacifiCorp
adopted the US Treasury rate because it was a readily available benchmark
interest rate, based on PacifiCorp’s then-current data sources. In
considering the change to LIBOR, PacifiCorp relied upon the definition of
“fair value” in SFAS 133 (Appendix F) and determined that
using LIBOR provides a better estimate under these criteria. For example,
LIBOR includes a credit-risk premium that better reflects certain of the
costs of, and risks involved in, corporate borrowings and offers a better
estimate of the rate at which derivative contracts can be settled in an
arm’s-length transaction in the energy and utility industries. LIBOR
is also a commonly used discounting measure for derivative contracts in
the energy and utility industries, and therefore its use for discounting
purposes is consistent with the assumptions that a number of other market
participants would use in determining fair value. Furthermore, advances
under PacifiCorp’s revolving line of credit are generally based on
LIBOR. For these reasons, PacifiCorp determined that its use of LIBOR would
be more consistent with the objective of measuring the fair value of its
contract derivative portfolio.
PacifiCorp
believes that this is a change in an accounting estimate from one acceptable
index (the US Treasury rate) to another (LIBOR), in accordance with the
guidance in paragraph 10 of APB 20. A derivative contract valuation model
is an estimate, and inputs to this estimate, such as the discount rate,
are part of the overall estimation process. Further supporting this assessment
is Paragraph 11 of APB 20, which indicates that if there is an unclear differentiation
between a change in accounting estimate and a change in accounting principle,
such change can be considered a change in estimate.
PacifiCorp
disclosed the effects of this change in estimate with prospective application
during the period of change. As described in the footnotes to PacifiCorp’s
financial statements, the overall effects of this change in estimate were
not material to PacifiCorp’s results of operations, cash flows or financial
position.
5.
Please tell us what caused you to change your estimate from 3 to 6 years for periods covered by market quotes. We would expect that the ability to project further into the future arose over time. If this is not correct, then explain the specific one-time event that changed that ability. Otherwise, tell us why such change was not made as
Mr. Jim Allegretto
August 18, 2005
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additional
years became available over time rather than 3 years on March 31, 2005.
Finally, given the significant downward adjustment in the fair value of
non-trading contracts, please advise whether this calls into question
the integrity of your modeling techniques for long-term contracts with
no market quotes. We may have further comment.
Response
The
period covered by market quotes was changed as a result of a review of
market price information availability at the end of fiscal 2005. This
review resulted in increased confidence in PacifiCorp being able to obtain
more reliable market price information through 6 years on a
consistent basis. The factors leading to this increased confidence included
a trend of more consistent market quotes and transactions for future periods,
as well as an increase in PacifiCorp’s long-term natural gas hedging
activity as a consequence of the company’s construction of additional
utility infrastructure.
Prior to the
change, PacifiCorp used market price information for the first 3 years,
a weighted blend of market-based prices and fundamental price forecast information
for years 4 through 6 and fundamental price forecast information after year
6. The primary reason PacifiCorp’s modeling technique relied upon a
weighted blend of market-based quotes and fundamental price forecast data
for years 4 through 6 was because the depth and availability of market price
information to PacifiCorp for this period was considered insufficient to
be relied upon exclusively for valuation purposes. PacifiCorp previously
reviewed the reliability and consistency of available market data in the
first quarter of fiscal 2004 and subsequently re-validated the availability
of market price information in the third quarter of fiscal 2004 through
data provided by a new vendor of electricity pricing information. Both reviews
indicated that using 3 years of market data exclusively and weighted blending
for years 4 through 6 was still appropriate. From the fourth quarter of
fiscal 2004 until the end of fiscal 2005, there were no specific events
suggesting a need to change the estimate in the interim period.
PacifiCorp