SEC Company Response from OLD DOMINION ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE (CIK 0000885568) — May 20, 2005
OLD DOMINION ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE (CIK 0000885568)
Date: May 20, 2005 · CIK: 0000885568 · Accession: 0001193125-05-112137
AI Filing Summary & Sentiment
Referenced dates: April 11, 2005
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CORRESP 1 filename1.htm Correspondence [Letterhead of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP] May 20, 2005 VIA EDGAR AND HAND DELIVERY Securities and Exchange Commission Division of Corporate Finance 100 Station Place, S.E. Mail Stop 3-8 Washington, D.C. Attn: Mr. Brian V. McAllister Re: Old Dominion Electric Cooperative Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 2004 File No. 0-50039 Dear Mr. McAllister: On behalf of our client, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (“Old Dominion”), we are submitting responses of Old Dominion to the comments of the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Staff”) contained in your letter dated April 11, 2005 (the “Comment Letter”) pertaining to the filing referenced above. Old Dominion’s responses to the Comment Letter are set forth below. The numbered paragraphs correspond to the paragraph numbers in the Comment Letter. We also have included the text of each comment in italics below. As you requested, attached to this letter is an acknowledgement of Jackson E. Reasor, President and Chief Executive Officer of Old Dominion, regarding the responses of Old Dominion to the Comment Letter. Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 2004 Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, page 26 Table of Contractual Obligations, page 41 1. Please provide an explanation and a reconciliation illustrating the amounts for long-term indebtedness, lease obligations and asset retirement obligations reflected in your consolidated balance sheets and how they correspond to the amounts reflected in your table. We note you have included interest on your debt. Also, provide in your response your Securities and Exchange Commission May 20, 2005 Page 2 basis for excluding certain portions of lease obligations related to the Clover Unit 1 and 2 leases considering the requirements in Item 303(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. The following reconciles the amounts for long-term indebtedness and asset retirement obligations reflected in Old Dominion’s consolidated balance sheets and amounts in the table of contractual obligations in Item 7 of Old Dominion’s 2004 Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “Contractual Obligations Table”): Long-term Indebtedness Long-term debt as set forth on the Balance Sheet (in thousands): Long-term debt $ 852,910 Long-term debt due within one year 22,917 Unamortized discounts and premiums 65,734 Total $ 941,561 Long-term indebtedness as set forth in the Contractual Obligations Table: Long-term indebtedness $ 941,561 Scheduled interest on long-term indebtedness 573,751 Total $ 1,515,312 The difference between “long-term debt” as shown in our consolidated balance sheet and as shown in our Contractual Obligations Table relates to scheduled interest to be incurred on long-term indebtedness. Old Dominion believes that it is more consistent with the requirements and objectives of the Contractual Obligations Table to include our entire payment obligation, including contractual obligations to pay interest. To clarify the items included under “Long-term indebtedness” in the Contractual Obligations Table, Old Dominion will state in future filings that long-term indebtedness includes both the principal of and interest on long-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness due within one year and unamortized discounts and premiums relating to long-term indebtedness. Lease Obligations See the response to comment no. 7 for a description of the lease-leaseback transactions Old Dominion entered into with respect to its undivided ownership interests in the Clover Power Station (“Clover”) Unit 1 and Unit 2 (each a “Unit”) and a reconciliation of the amounts set forth in the Contractual Obligations Table as “Operating lease obligations” and amounts set forth on Old Dominion’s consolidated balance sheet. Securities and Exchange Commission May 20, 2005 Page 3 Asset Retirement Obligations (in thousands) Asset retirement obligations as of December 1, 2004 as set forth on the balance sheet $ 46,295 Future accretion of asset retirement obligations 251,405 Asset retirement obligations as set forth in the contractual obligations table $ 297,700 Old Dominion adopted SFAS No. 143 “Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations” effective January 1, 2003. SFAS No. 143 requires legal obligations associated with the retirement of long-lived assets to be recognized at fair value when incurred and capitalized as part of the related long-lived asset. Over time, the liability is accreted to its present value each period, and the capitalized asset is depreciated over the useful life of the long-lived asset. A significant portion of Old Dominion’s asset retirement obligations relate to the future decommissioning of the North Anna Nuclear Power Plant and this obligation matures in 2055. Until that time, Old Dominion will be accreting the balance so that by 2055 the asset retirement obligation on its books will grow to the balance required to decommission the facility. Therefore, over time the asset retirement obligation on Old Dominion’s balance sheet will continue to grow towards the balance disclosed in the Contractual Obligations Table. 2. Please disclose how the formation of New Dominion and the proposed reorganization would impact your consolidated financial statements. In your response, please show us what your revised disclosure will look like. The formation of New Dominion Energy Cooperative (“New Dominion”) and the consummation of the reorganization will have almost no impact on the consolidated financial statements of Old Dominion. Old Dominion will not transfer ownership of any of its assets as part of the reorganization, with one exception: Old Dominion will transfer to New Dominion, at the direction of its members, any prepayments for electric service held by Old Dominion as of the reorganization date. These prepayments totaled approximately $37.7 million at December 31, 2004. Old Dominion also will continue to be responsible for all of its existing indebtedness following the reorganization. The amount of Old Dominion’s members’ equity similarly will remain unchanged although the number of members it has will be reduced from thirteen to one. As a result, Old Dominion’s disclosure relating to its existing contractual obligations in the Contractual Obligations Table would not change as a result of the reorganization. Attached to this letter as Schedule A is a pro forma consolidated balance sheet of Old Dominion, adjusted to give effect to the reorganization as if it had occurred on December 31, 2004. Securities and Exchange Commission May 20, 2005 Page 4 The only change in Old Dominion’s liquidity immediately following the reorganization will be the entry into a mutual credit agreement with New Dominion. The mutual credit agreement will permit either Old Dominion or New Dominion to request from the other an extension of credit in the form of loans, guarantees or other credit support. This mutual credit agreement will not be a committed credit facility and neither Old Dominion nor New Dominion will be required to extend credit to the other thereunder. Old Dominion currently does not anticipate that any amounts will be outstanding by either Old Dominion or New Dominion to the other under the mutual credit agreement immediately following the reorganization. Consolidated Balance Sheets, page 50 3. You indicate in Item 2 that you have no capital lease obligations at December 31, 2004. Please advise and revise your disclosure in future filings to clarify what obligation under long-term leases represents. We may have further comments. Please refer to the answer to comment no. 7 in response to this comment. Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow, page 53 4. Please tell us each component and how you calculated the net change in investments reflected in investing activities. In future filings please present the changes in available-for-sale securities and held-to-maturity securities in accordance with paragraph 18 of SFAS No. 115 which states that cash flows from purchases, sales, and maturities of available-for-sale securities and held-to-maturity securities should be presented on a gross basis for each security classification in the statement of cash flows. Also see paragraphs 11 through 13A. of SFAS No. 95. The components of the net change in investments (in thousands) of $39,266 is comprised of the following items: (in thousands) Components of the net change in investments: Purchases of available for sale securities $ (13,734 ) Proceeds from available for sale securities 53,000 Investments, net $ 39,266 Old Dominion had no purchases of held-to-maturity investment securities and had maturities of an immaterial amount for the year ended December 31, 2004. Beginning with its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2005, Old Dominion has changed its presentation in accordance with paragraph 18 of SFAS No. 115. Securities and Exchange Commission May 20, 2005 Page 5 5. We are unable to determine why a considerable number of items in your statement of cash flows do not reconcile to your balance sheet. Please provide a reconciliation of the consolidated cash flow activities to your consolidated balance sheet for the year end December 31, 2004. We may have further comment. The following is a reconciliation of those items in the consolidated statement of cash flows which do not directly reconcile to changes in the consolidated balance sheet. (in thousands) Depreciation, amortization and decommissioning Change in accumulated depreciation $ 34,351 Disposals of fixed assets 1,228 Total depreciation $ 35,579 Amortization of deferred gains on lease-leaseback transactions (2,756 ) Other (64 ) Total cash flow line item $ 32,759 Other non-cash charges Amortization of nuclear fuel $ 5,600 Amortization of premiums and discounts on long-term debt 2,786 Accretion of asset retirement obligations 2,393 Total cash flow line item $ 10,779 Amortization of lease obligations Change in obligations under long-term leases $ 6,243 Amortization for lease payments 3,721 Total cash flow line item $ 9,964 Interest on lease deposits Change in lease deposits $ (6,350 ) Lease payments (3,192 ) Total cash flow line item $ (9,542 ) Securities and Exchange Commission May 20, 2005 Page 6 Change in current assets Change in receivables $ (12,132 ) Change in fuel, materials and supplies (5,630 ) Change in prepayments (295 ) Adjustment for TEC consolidation(1) (54 ) Total cash flow line item $ (18,111 ) Change in current liabilities Change in accounts payable $ (7,014 ) Change in accounts payable-members (9,133 ) Change in accrued expenses (21,912 ) Adjustment for TEC consolidation(1) (1,893 ) Total cash flow line item $ (39,952 ) Change in regulatory assets and liabilities Change in regulatory assets $ 14,314 Change in regulatory liabilities 4,758 Adjust for non-cash change in market value of decommissioning fund (3,938 ) Total cash flow line item $ 15,134 Change in deferred charges and credits Change in deferred charges, other $ (8,842 ) Change in deferred credits and other liabilities-other (2,608 ) Amortization of deferred gains on lease-leaseback transactions 2,756 Adjustment for TEC consolidation(1) 5,184 Other 64 Total cash flow line item $ (3,446 ) Obligations under long-term leases Adjustment for amortization for lease payments above $ (3,721 ) Adjustment for lease payments above 3,192 Total cash flow line item $ (529 ) Securities and Exchange Commission May 20, 2005 Page 7 Investments, net(2) Change in nuclear decommissioning trust $ (7,137 ) Change in investments-other 39,965 Adjustment for non-cash change in market value of decommissioning fund above 3,938 Adjustment for TEC consolidation(1) 2,500 Total cash flow line item $ 39,266 Electric plant additions Change in electric plant, in service $ (198,199 ) Change in construction work in progress 150,813 Nuclear fuel additions (8,654 ) Disposals of fixed assets (1,228 ) Asset retirement obligations additions 905 Total cash flow line item $ (56,363 ) (1) Old Dominion consolidated TEC Trading, Inc. (“TEC”) at December 31, 2004 and for cash flow purposes, the consolidation was reflected as a single entry in cash flow from investing activities of approximately $2.5 million. (2) See the response to comment no. 4 for Old Dominion’s presentation of investment activities on its consolidated statement of cash flow. Notes to Consolidated Financial Status, page 54 Note 1-Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, page 54 General, page 54 6. Please tell us how you accounted for the consolidation of TEC. Specifically include in your response: • When you first became the primary beneficiary of TEC; • Whether you measured the assets, liabilities and non-controlling interests of TEC at their carrying values or estimated fair values, your basis for such measurement and the applicable accounting pronouncement; and • Whether you have eliminated intercompany revenues and expenses and the amount of TEC revenue and expenses in the consolidated results of operations. Securities and Exchange Commission May 20, 2005 Page 8 See paragraphs 18 through 22 of FIN No. 46(R) and include all the disclosures required by paragraphs 23 through 26 of the Interpretation, as applicable. In your response, please show us what your revised disclosure will look like. In accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46R, “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of Accounting Research Bulletin No. 51” (the “Interpretation”), TEC was considered a variable interest entity for which Old Dominion was the primary beneficiary and has been consolidated as of December 31, 2004. Because TEC was not consolidated with Old Dominion throughout the year ended December 31, 2004, TEC’s revenues and expenses are not included in Old Dominion’s consolidated statements of revenues, expenses and patronage capital and consolidated statements of cash flow for that period. The balance sheet of TEC has been consolidated into the financial statements of Old Dominion and all inter-company balances have been eliminated in the consolidation. Because TEC is 100% owned by Old Dominion’s twelve member distribution cooperatives, its equity is presented as a non-controlling interest in Old Dominion’s consolidated financial statements. Beginning in 2005, the income statement of TEC will be consolidated and the inter-company revenues and expenses will be eliminated in consolidation. TEC was initially capitalized by Old Dominion in 2001 with a $7.5 million cash investment in exchange for all of its capital stock. Old Dominion then distributed all of TEC’s stock as a patronage capital distribution to its member distribution cooperatives. TEC was formed for the primary purpose of purchasing from Old Dominion, to sell in the market, power that is not needed to meet the actual needs of Old Dominion’s member distribution cooperatives, acquiring natural gas and forward purchase contracts to hedge the price of natural gas to supply our combustion turbine facilities, and taking advantage of other power-related trading opportunities in the market which will help lower our member distribution cooperatives’ costs. TEC does not engage in speculative trading. Old Dominion first became the primary beneficiary upon the formation of TEC in 2001. As both Old Dominion and TEC were under common control at the date TEC was formed and the date Old Dominion became the primary beneficiary, in accordance with paragraph no. 19 of the Interpretation, the initial measurement of TEC’s assets and liabilities were at their carrying a