10-K 1 d10k.htm FORM 10K Form 10K

 

LOGO

 

U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 10-K

 


 

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003

 

Commission

File Number


  

Registrant;

State of Incorporation;

Address; and Telephone Number


 

I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number


1-267

   ALLEGHENY ENERGY, INC.   13-5531602
     (A Maryland Corporation)    
     10435 Downsville Pike    
     Hagerstown, Maryland 21740-1766    
     Telephone (301) 790-3400    

333-72498

   ALLEGHENY ENERGY SUPPLY   23-3020481
     COMPANY, LLC    
     (A Delaware Limited Liability Company)    
     4350 Northern Pike    
     Monroeville, Pennsylvania 15146-2841    
     Telephone (412) 858-1600    

1-5164

   MONONGAHELA POWER COMPANY   13-5229392
     (An Ohio Corporation)    
     1310 Fairmont Avenue    
     Fairmont, West Virginia 26554    
     Telephone (304) 366-3000    

1-3376-2

   THE POTOMAC EDISON COMPANY   13-5323955
     (A Maryland and Virginia Corporation)    
     10435 Downsville Pike    
     Hagerstown, Maryland 21740-1766    
     Telephone (301) 790-3400    

1-255-2

   WEST PENN POWER COMPANY   13-5480882
     (A Pennsylvania Corporation)    
     800 Cabin Hill Drive    
     Greensburg, Pennsylvania 15601    
     Telephone (724) 837-3000    

0-14688

   ALLEGHENY
GENERATING COMPANY
  13-3079675
     (A Virginia Corporation)    
     10435 Downsville Pike    
     Hagerstown, Maryland 21740-1766    
     Telephone (301) 790-3400    


Indicate by check mark whether the registrants (1) have 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) have been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  x    No  ¨

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrants’ knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  ¨

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).

 

Allegheny Energy, Inc.

   Yes  x    No  ¨

Allegheny Energy Supply Company, LLC

   Yes  ¨    No  x

Monongahela Power Company

   Yes  ¨    No  x

The Potomac Edison Company

   Yes  ¨    No  x

West Penn Power Company

   Yes  ¨    No  x

Allegheny Generating Company

   Yes  ¨    No  x

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Registrant


 

Title of each class


 

Name of exchange

on which registered


Allegheny Energy, Inc.

 

Common Stock,
$1.25 par value

 

New York Stock Exchange

Chicago Stock Exchange

Pacific Stock Exchange

Monongahela Power Company

 

Cumulative Preferred Stock,
$100 par value:
4.40 percent
4.50 percent, Series C

 

American Stock Exchange

American Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:    

Allegheny Generating Company

 

Common Stock,
$1.00 par value

  None

 


     Aggregate market value of
voting and non-voting common
equity held by nonaffiliates of
the registrants at June 30, 2003
   Number of shares of common stock
of the registrants outstanding at
March 8, 2004

Allegheny Energy, Inc.

   $1,072,943,406    126,969,238 ($1.25 par value)

Monongahela Power Company

   None. (a)    5,891,000 ($50 par value)

The Potomac Edison Company

   None. (a)    22,385,000 ($.01 par value)

West Penn Power Company

   None. (a)    24,361,586 (no par value)

Allegheny Generating Company

   None. (b)    1,000 ($1.00 par value)

Allegheny Energy Supply Company, LLC

   None. (c)    (d)


(a)   All such common stock is held by Allegheny Energy, Inc., the parent company.
(b)   All such common stock is held by its parent companies, Monongahela Power Company and Allegheny Energy Supply Company, LLC.
(c)   As of December 31, 2003, ML IBK Positions, Inc. owned 1.74 percent of the ownership interests in Allegheny Energy Supply Company, LLC and Allegheny Energy, Inc. held the remainder. See Item 3. “Legal Proceedings.”
(d)   The registrant is a limited liability company, the interests in which are not represented by shares.

 

Documents Incorporated by Reference

 

Portions of the Allegheny Energy, Inc. definitive Proxy Statement for its 2004 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference to Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 



GLOSSARY

 

I.   The following abbreviations and terms are used in this report to identify Allegheny Energy, Inc. and its subsidiaries:

 

ACC

   Allegheny Communications Connect, Inc., a subsidiary of Allegheny Ventures.

AE

   Allegheny Energy, Inc., a diversified utility holding company.

AE Supply

   Allegheny Energy Supply Company, LLC, an unregulated generation subsidiary of Allegheny Energy, Inc., also a holding company.

AESC

   Allegheny Energy Service Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Allegheny Energy, Inc.

AGC

   Allegheny Generating Company, an unregulated generation unit of Allegheny Energy Supply Company, LLC.

Allegheny

   Allegheny Energy, Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries.

Allegheny Ventures

   Allegheny Ventures, Inc., a nonutility, unregulated subsidiary of Allegheny Energy, Inc.

Distribution Companies

   Collectively, Monongahela Power Company, The Potomac Edison Company, and West Penn Power Company. The Distribution Companies do business as Allegheny Power.

Green Valley Hydro

   Green Valley Hydro, LLC, a subsidiary of Allegheny Energy, Inc.

MGS

   Mountaineer Gas Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Mountaineer Gas Company.

Monongahela

   Monongahela Power Company, a regulated subsidiary of Allegheny Energy, Inc.

Mountaineer

   Mountaineer Gas Company, a subsidiary of Monongahela Power Company.

Potomac Edison

   The Potomac Edison Company, a regulated subsidiary of Allegheny Energy, Inc.

West Penn

   West Penn Power Company, a regulated subsidiary of Allegheny Energy, Inc.

WVP

   West Virginia Power, a division of Monongahela Power Company.

 

II.   The following abbreviations and acronyms are used in this report to identify entities and terms relevant to Allegheny’s business and operations:

 

Bcf

   Billion cubic feet

CAAA

   Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990

CDWR

   California Department of Water Resources

Clean Air Act

   Clean Air Act of 1970

CWA

   Clean Water Act

EPA

   United States Environmental Protection Agency

EPACT

   National Energy Policy Act of 1992

Exchange Act

   Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended

FERC

   Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (an independent commission within the Department of Energy)

EWG

   Exempt wholesale generator

KWh

   Kilowatt-hour

Mmcf

   Million cubic feet

MW

   Megawatt

MWh

   Megawatt-hour

NSR

   The New Source Performance Review Standards, or “New Source Review” applicable to facilities deemed “new” sources of emissions

OVEC

   Ohio Valley Electric Corporation

PJM

   PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., a regional transmission organization

PJM West

   The commonly used name of the western extension of PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.

PLR

   Provider-of-last-resort

PUHCA

   Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended

PURPA

   Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978

RTO

   Regional Transmission Organization

SEC

   Securities and Exchange Commission

T&D

   Transmission and Distribution


 

 

LOGO


CONTENTS

 

          Page

PART I:

         

ITEM 1.

  

Business

   1
    

Where You Can Find More Information

   3
    

Recent Events

   3
    

Previous Business Model

   3
    

Continuing Challenges

   5
    

Allegheny’s Response

   5
    

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

   10
    

Risk Factors

   11
    

Allegheny’s Sales and Revenues

   24
    

Generation and Marketing Revenues

   24
    

Regulated Electric Sales and Revenues

   24
    

Regulated Natural Gas Sales and Revenues

   26
    

Unregulated Services Revenues

   26
    

Construction and Other Capital Expenditures

   27
    

Electric Facilities

   28
    

Allegheny Map

   32
    

Fuel, Power, and Resource Supply

   33
    

Rate Matters

   37
    

Regulatory Framework Affecting Allegheny

   39
    

Federal Regulation

   39
    

State Legislation and Regulatory Developments

   41
    

Allegheny’s Competitive Actions

   45
    

Employees

   49
    

Environmental Matters

   49
    

Air Standards

   50
    

Water Standards

   53
    

Hazardous and Solid Wastes

   55
    

Penalties and Noncompliance

   55
    

Research and Development

   55

ITEM 2.

  

Properties

   56

ITEM 3.

  

Legal Proceedings

   56

ITEM 4.

  

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

   63

PART II:

         

ITEM 5.

  

Market for the Registrants’ Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters

   64

ITEM 6.

  

Selected Financial Data

   66
    

Allegheny Energy, Inc.

   67
    

Allegheny Energy Supply Company, LLC and Subsidiaries

   67
    

Monongahela Power Company and Subsidiaries

   68
    

The Potomac Edison Company and Subsidiaries

   68
    

West Penn Power Company and Subsidiaries

   69
    

Allegheny Generating Company

   69

ITEM 7.

  

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

   71
    

Executive Summary

    
    

Business Overview

   72
    

Key Indicators of Financial Condition and Operating Performance

   72
    

Primary Factors Affecting Allegheny

   73


CONTENTS (cont’d.)

 

          Page

    

Critical Accounting Estimates

   73
    

First Quarter 2004 Liquidity Event

   77
    

Results Of Operation:

    
    

Allegheny Energy, Inc.

   79
    

Allegheny Energy Supply Company, LLC and Subsidiaries

   88
    

Monongahela Power Company and Subsidiaries

   96
    

The Potomac Edison Company and Subsidiaries

   101
    

West Penn Power Company and Subsidiaries

   104
    

Allegheny Generating Company

   107
    

Financial Condition, Requirements and Resources:

    
    

Liquidity and Capital Requirements

   109
    

Asset Sales

   110
    

Terminated Trading Payments

   110
    

Other Matters Concerning Liquidity and Capital Requirements

   110
    

Cash Flows

   112
    

Financing

   117
    

Change in Credit Ratings

   118
    

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

   119
    

New Accounting Standards

   121

ITEM 7A.

  

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk

   123
    

Allegheny Energy, Inc.

   123
    

Allegheny Energy Supply Company, LLC and Subsidiaries

   123
    

Monongahela Power Company and Subsidiaries

   125
    

The Potomac Edison Company and Subsidiaries

   126
    

West Penn Power Company and Subsidiaries

   126
    

Allegheny Generating Company

   127

ITEM 8.

   Financial Statements and Supplementary Data    128
    

Allegheny Energy, Inc.

   129
    

Report of Independent Auditors

   195
    

Allegheny Energy Supply Company, LLC and Subsidiaries

   196
    

Report of Independent Auditors

   217
    

Monongahela Power Company and Subsidiaries

   218
    

Report of Independent Auditors

   239
    

The Potomac Edison Company and Subsidiaries

   240
    

Report of Independent Auditors

   257
    

West Penn Power Company and Subsidiaries

   258
    

Report of Independent Auditors

   274
    

Allegheny Generating Company

   275
    

Report of Independent Auditors

   286
    

Schedule II Valuation and Qualifying Accounts

   289

ITEM 9.

  

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

   294

ITEM 9A.

  

Controls and Procedures

   294

PART III:

         

ITEM 10.

  

Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrants

   296

ITEM 11.

  

Executive Compensation

   301

 

ii


CONTENTS (cont’d.)

 

          Page

ITEM 12.

  

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

   314

ITEM 13.

  

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

   315

ITEM 14.

  

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

   315

PART IV:

         

ITEM 15.

  

Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules, and Reports on Form 8-K

   317

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION TO BE FURNISHED WITH REPORTS FILED PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE ACT BY REGISTRANTS WHICH HAVE NOT REGISTERED SECURITIES PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE ACT.

   317

SIGNATURES

   318

 

iii


THIS COMBINED FORM 10-K IS SEPARATELY FILED BY ALLEGHENY ENERGY, INC., ALLEGHENY ENERGY SUPPLY COMPANY, LLC, MONONGAHELA POWER COMPANY, THE POTOMAC EDISON COMPANY, WEST PENN POWER COMPANY, AND ALLEGHENY GENERATING COMPANY. INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN RELATING TO ANY INDIVIDUAL REGISTRANT IS FILED BY SUCH REGISTRANT ON ITS OWN BEHALF. EACH REGISTRANT MAKES NO REPRESENTATION AS TO INFORMATION RELATING TO THE OTHER REGISTRANTS.

 

PART I

 

ITEM 1.    BUSINESS

 

Allegheny Energy, Inc. (AE) was incorporated in Maryland in 1925. AE is registered as a holding company under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 (PUHCA). AE is a utility holding company that has experienced significant changes in its business in the states in which its subsidiaries operate. As deregulation of electric generation has been implemented, AE’s subsidiaries have transferred their generating assets, excluding Monongahela Power Company’s (Monongahela) West Virginia jurisdictional generating assets, from their regulated utility businesses to Allegheny Energy Supply Company, LLC (AE Supply), an affiliated, unregulated (i.e., not subject to state rate regulation) generation business, in accordance with approved deregulation plans. AE operates primarily through various directly and indirectly owned regulated and unregulated subsidiaries (collectively and generically, Allegheny, we, us, or our).

 

AE’s operations are aligned into two segments:

 

  1.   The Generation and Marketing segment comprises our power generation operations, which are generally unregulated (other than Monongahela’s West Virginia jurisdictional generating assets).

 

  2.   The Delivery and Services segment comprises our regulated electric and natural gas transmission and distribution (T&D) operations and includes other unregulated operations not related to power generation and T&D.

 

The Generation and Marketing Segment

 

The following are our principal companies and operations in this segment:

 

  1.   AE Supply is a Delaware limited liability company formed in 1999, and is registered as a holding company under PUHCA. AE Supply is an unregulated energy company that develops, owns, operates, and manages electric generating facilities. Through its wholesale marketing, fuel procurement and asset optimization activities, AE Supply purchases and sells energy and energy-related commodities. As of December 31, 2003, the Generation and Marketing segment owned or contractually controlled 11,977 MW of generating capacity and AE Supply owned 9,381 MW of generating capacity. AE Supply markets the Generation and Marketing segment’s electric generating capacity to various customers and markets. Currently, the majority of the Generation and Marketing segment’s normal operating capacity is committed to supplying the provider-of-last resort (PLR) obligations of the Distribution Companies. AE Supply’s 2003 total operating revenues were $709.3 million.

 

  2.   Allegheny Generating Company (AGC) was incorporated in Virginia in 1981. It is owned by AE Supply (77 percent) and Monongahela (23 percent). Its sole asset is a 40 percent undivided interest in the Bath County, Virginia, pumped-storage hydroelectric station, which was placed in commercial operation in December 1985, and its connecting transmission facilities. All of AGC’s revenues are derived from sales of its 960 MW share of generating capacity from the Bath County Station to its parent companies, AE Supply and Monongahela. AGC’s 2003 total operating revenues were $70.5 million.

 

  3.  

Monongahela (Generation).    The West Virginia jurisdictional generating assets of Monongahela are included in our Generation and Marketing segment. Monongahela was incorporated in Ohio in 1924. It owns generating capacity in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Monongahela generates electricity for its


 

West Virginia customers. Monongahela also operates an electric T&D system in northern West Virginia and in an adjacent portion of Ohio. Its business is managed in two segments, Generation and Marketing, which includes its generation operations, and Delivery and Services, which encompasses its T&D business. Monongahela’s Generation and Marketing segment had operating revenues of $350.9 million in 2003.

 

During 2003, the Generation and Marketing segment had operating revenues of $977.5 million, net of intersegment eliminations, and a net loss of $(465.7 million). At December 31, 2003, the Generation and Marketing segment held $5,266.7 of assets. See Note 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Delivery and Services Segment

 

Our principal companies in this segment are:

 

  1.   The Distribution Companies—The Potomac Edison Company (Potomac Edison), West Penn Power Company (West Penn), and Monongahela (excluding its West Virginia jurisdictional generating assets which are managed as part of the Generation and Marketing segment). Each of these companies is a regulated electric public utility company and does business under the trade name Allegheny Power. The principal business of the Distribution Companies and the Delivery and Services segment is the operation of electric and natural gas public utility systems. The Distribution Companies, with the exception of Monongahela and its West Virginia jurisdictional generating assets, do not produce their own power. The primary service areas of the Distribution Companies are rural and suburban with economies based primarily in manufacturing and natural resources and services. In April 2002, Monongahela, Potomac Edison and West Penn transferred operational control over their transmission systems to PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM), a regional transmission organization (RTO).

 

    Monongahela (T&D).    Monongahela’s T&D assets are included in our Delivery and Services segment. Monongahela’s electric T&D business serves approximately 397,000 electric customers. Monongahela also conducts a regulated natural gas T&D business, primarily through its Mountaineer Gas Company (Mountaineer) subsidiary. Mountaineer is a regulated public utility natural gas company. Monongahela serves approximately 230,000 residential, commercial, industrial, and wholesale natural gas customers in West Virginia, and owns approximately 4,850 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines. During 2003, Monongahela sold or transported 64.0 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas. Mountaineer also includes Mountaineer Gas Services, Inc. (MGS), which operates natural gas-producing properties, natural gas-gathering facilities, and intrastate transmission pipelines and is engaged in the sale and marketing of natural gas in the Appalachian basin. MGS owns more than 300 natural gas wells and has a net revenue interest in about 100 additional wells. Monongahela’s electric and natural gas service area covers approximately 13,000 square miles with a population of approximately 1,223,000. Monongahela’s 2003 total operating revenues were $987.7 million, of which $350.9 million is related to the Generation and Marketing segment.

 

    Potomac Edison was incorporated in Maryland in 1923 and was also incorporated in Virginia in 1974. It operates an electric T&D system in portions of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Potomac Edison serves approximately 436,000 electric customers in a service area of about 7,300 square miles with a population of approximately 933,000. Potomac Edison’s 2003 total operating revenues were $905.2 million.

 

    West Penn was incorporated in Pennsylvania in 1916. It operates an electric T&D system in southwestern, north, and south-central Pennsylvania. West Penn serves approximately 697,000 electric customers in a service area of about 9,900 square miles with a population of approximately 1,486,000. West Penn’s 2003 total operating revenues were $1,134.5 million.

 

  2.  

Allegheny Ventures, Inc. (Allegheny Ventures).    Allegheny Ventures is a nonutility, unregulated subsidiary of AE that was incorporated in Delaware in 1994. Allegheny Ventures engages in activities such as telecommunications and unregulated energy-related projects. Allegheny Ventures has two

 

2


 

principal subsidiaries, Allegheny Communications Connect, Inc. (ACC) and Allegheny Energy Solutions, Inc. (AE Solutions). Both ACC and AE Solutions are Delaware corporations, wholly-owned by Allegheny Ventures. ACC develops fiber-optic projects, including fiber and data services. AE Solutions manages energy-related projects. Allegheny Ventures’ 2003 total operating revenues were $42.6 million.

 

During 2003, the Delivery and Services segment had operating revenues of $1,494.9 million, net of intersegment eliminations, and net income of $110.7 million. At December 31, 2003, the Delivery and Services segment held $4,542.0 of assets. See Note 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Intersegment Services

 

Allegheny Energy Service Corporation (AESC) was incorporated in Maryland in 1963 as a service company for AE. Aside from a small number of AE Supply employees at the Lincoln Generating Facility, AE, AE Supply, the Distribution Companies, AGC, Allegheny Ventures, and their subsidiaries have no employees. Their officers and, except as noted above, all personnel of Allegheny are employed by AESC. AESC’s employees provide all necessary services to AE, AE Supply, the Distribution Companies, AGC, Allegheny Ventures and their subsidiaries. These companies reimburse AESC at cost for services provided by AESC’s employees. AESC had approximately 5,150 employees as of December 31, 2003.

 

Where You Can Find More Information

 

AE, AE Supply, Monongahela, Potomac Edison, West Penn, and AGC file or furnish annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements (for AE), and other information, and any amendments thereto, with or to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference rooms at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference rooms. Such SEC filings are also available to the public from the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov.

 

The annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements, other information, and any amendments to those reports that AE, AE Supply, Monongahela, Potomac Edison, West Penn, and AGC file with or furnish to the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act) are made available free of charge on AE’s web site at http://www.alleghenyenergy.com as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. AE’s web site and the information contained therein are not incorporated into this report.

 

RECENT EVENTS

 

Previous Business Model

 

Allegheny historically functioned as an integrated regulated utility within its service area. In 1999, Allegheny began to separate its energy supply business from its T&D business in order to develop its supply business into a national energy merchant in domestic retail and wholesale markets. As of December 31, 2000, AE Supply owned or contractually controlled 6,609 MW of generating capacity. In 2001, AE Supply expanded its owned and controlled generating capacity by nearly one-third, or more than 3,500 MW, in markets transitioning to competition throughout the United States. This included AE Supply’s $1.1 billion acquisition of three natural gas-fired generating facilities with a total capacity of 1,710 MW in Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee. Allegheny’s business model for AE Supply assumed that a growing, liquid energy trading market would continue to develop, which would allow Allegheny to realize the value of new generation and meet attendant debt service obligations. Implicit in this assumption was that federal and state initiatives to promote the growth of competitive wholesale and retail power markets would continue.

 

3


In March 2001, AE Supply acquired the energy trading division of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (Merrill Lynch). The acquisition was intended to enhance Allegheny’s energy marketing and trading operations. The focus of AE Supply’s trading shifted from asset-backed, short-term trading in and around its generating assets to the acquisition of long-dated structured transactions and associated hedges. These transactions significantly increased AE Supply’s cash requirements, which eventually strained its liquidity position.

 

AE Supply primarily used debt to finance its growth. The expansion of the energy trading activities and generating capacity required a significant amount of capital. As a result, Allegheny’s common equity to total capitalization decreased from 33.1 percent at December 31, 2000 to 26.8 percent at December 31, 2002. Allegheny’s common equity to total capitalization was 20.7 percent at December 31, 2003. As described below, Allegheny’s financing and other authorizations under PUHCA are subject to AE and AE Supply’s meeting minimum equity to total capitalization ratio requirements.

 

Allegheny’s former business model faced several challenges, including (1) decisions by federal regulators and regulators in various states served by the Distribution Companies to slow or cease moves toward deregulation, (2) limited liquidity in the wholesale energy market beginning in 2002, and (3) the decisions by several states to suspend their retail competition programs, delay the implementation of such programs or announce that they would not pursue retail competition in the foreseeable future. As a result, the robust merchant power market and liquid energy trading market to which Allegheny had oriented its operations and corporate structure failed to materialize, and wholesale power prices dropped below forecasts. For further discussion, see Part 1. “Regulatory Framework Affecting Allegheny—State Legislation and Regulatory Developments,” below.

 

Rapid deterioration of the energy trading markets in 2002 required Allegheny to write-down the value of many of its energy trading positions, including those relating to the Western United States energy markets. In October 2002, AE’s and its subsidiaries’ credit ratings were downgraded to below investment grade, which triggered collateral calls by Allegheny’s trading partners. AE Supply’s cash position did not permit the posting of requisite collateral and, in October 2002, AE Supply was in violation of covenants under certain trading contracts. The violations triggered breaches under the terms of AE’s, AE Supply’s, and AGC’s principal credit facilities. AE, AE Supply, and AGC were able to obtain successive temporary waivers to keep facilities in place pending the restructuring of Allegheny’s debt in February 2003. In September 2003, Allegheny sold its contract with the California Department of Water Resources (CDWR) and hedges associated with the contract. See “Allegheny’s Response,” below.

 

The marketplace rules affecting Allegheny also changed markedly beginning in 2002. In January 2002, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authorized the Distribution Companies and PJM to proceed with broadening the scope and regional configuration of PJM to include the Distribution Companies, via an arrangement known as PJM West. With the addition of Allegheny’s service area, PJM’s control area now extends over the states of Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey, most of Pennsylvania and West Virginia and portions of Ohio and Virginia. The agreements establishing PJM West required us to adopt PJM’s transmission pricing methodology, including PJM’s congestion management system, and expanded PJM’s day-ahead and real-time energy markets to include PJM West. As a result, energy suppliers are now able to reach consumers anywhere within the expanded PJM market at a single transmission service rate, instead of paying multiple transmission rates. The formation of PJM West expands AE Supply’s primary market. However, the Distribution Companies may in the future realize reduced revenues as a result of PJM’s transmission pricing methods. Nevertheless, through the end of the transition period established by the FERC, the Distribution Companies will continue to collect lost revenues through transitional mechanisms accepted by the FERC. For a further discussion of the effect that the FERC’s policy has on the Allegheny companies, see Part 1. “Regulatory Framework Affecting Allegheny—Federal Regulation,” below.

 

4


Continuing Challenges

 

Allegheny’s liquidity issues continued through 2003 and into 2004. Allegheny considers 2004 to be a transition year as it refocuses on its core businesses, as further discussed under “Allegheny’s Response,” below. Difficult market conditions and the effect of Allegheny’s weakened credit profile had a continuing substantial adverse effect on 2003 operations. In June 2003, AE announced that its common equity ratio (common equity to total capitalization, including short-term debt), for PUHCA purposes, had fallen below 28 percent, which is the level required under its key SEC financing authorizations. As of December 31, 2003, AE’s common equity ratio was 20.7 percent, and the common equity ratio at AE Supply was 19.2 percent.

 

As a result, AE and AE Supply have had to, and will continue to be required to, obtain special authorizations from the SEC to engage in financings, asset sales, and other activities. Absent such authorizations, Allegheny will have very limited flexibility to meet expected liquidity requirements or to address contingencies. During 2003, the common equity ratio fell below its previously projected level due to several factors. First, AE Supply had to take substantial write-downs in connection with recognized reductions in various energy market trading position values to reflect then current market conditions and revised valuation techniques and assumptions. Second, further write-downs were triggered by the renegotiation of AE Supply’s power contracts and the cancellation of suspended generation projects. Finally, Allegheny’s financial performance and cash flows in 2003 were substantially weaker than earlier projected.

 

Forward natural gas and power prices increased significantly from the third quarter of 2002 through the second quarter of 2003, resulting in increased collateral postings. In addition, the rising prices caused AE Supply to decide to prepay for approximately $45 million of natural gas and power supplies necessary as a hedge against its power delivery obligations during the summer of 2003. Counterparty terminations of trading contracts left AE Supply short of power during 2003, requiring shortfalls to be satisfied by spot market purchases at times when spot market prices were higher than expected. As a result of these developments, Allegheny’s liquidity continued to come under pressure through the summer of 2003 until many of the trading book restructuring activities discussed below could be implemented.

 

In August 2002, Allegheny’s independent auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), advised Allegheny that it considered Allegheny’s internal controls to have material weaknesses, principally relating to trading operations and related information systems. In the third quarter of 2002, AE initiated a comprehensive review of its financial information. During the pendency of this review, Allegheny was not able to file timely its periodic reports on Form 10-K for 2002 and on Forms 10-Q for the third quarter of 2002 and the first three quarters of 2003. As of the date of this report, Allegheny has filed all of these reports with the SEC. In March 2004, PwC advised Allegheny that although management has made significant progress in addressing the specific control weaknesses previously identified, not all of these deficiencies have been remedied and certain internal control material weaknesses remain. Allegheny continues to address its internal control issues and expects to resolve these issues by the end of 2004. See Item 9A. “Controls and Procedures” and Note 2 to AE’s Consolidated Financial Statements, for further information.

 

Allegheny’s Response

 

Upon re-examining its business model and structure, Allegheny adopted a long-term strategy of focusing on the core generation and T&D businesses in which it has been historically engaged. Allegheny will seek, consistent with regulatory constraints, to manage its business lines as an integrated whole. Implementing this strategy has been a significant challenge, in part, because of the continuing legacy of past transactions that have negatively impacted Allegheny’s operations and financial condition.

 

Allegheny has taken a number of recent actions to improve its financial condition and reorient its business, which have included:

 

    substantially changing senior management;

 

    completing key financing transactions;

 

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    exiting from Western energy markets;

 

    refocusing trading activities;

 

    selling non-core assets;

 

    implementing restructuring and cost-saving initiatives; and

 

    improving internal controls and reporting.

 

Substantial Senior Management Changes

 

Allegheny’s senior management was changed substantially in 2003 as Allegheny refocused on its core business and addressed the need to improve its financial condition.

 

On June 16, 2003, Paul J. Evanson was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of AE, and Chief Executive Officer of AE, Monongahela, Potomac Edison, West Penn, and AE Supply. Mr. Evanson formerly served as President of Florida Power & Light Company, FPL Group’s principal subsidiary, and as a director of FPL Group.

 

On July 7, 2003, Jeffrey D. Serkes was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of AE and Vice President of Monongahela, Potomac Edison, West Penn, and AE Supply. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Serkes was President of JDS Opportunities, LLC. Before joining JDS Opportunities, Mr. Serkes was employed with IBM, most recently as Vice President, Finance, Sales and Distribution and previously as Vice President and Treasurer.

 

On July 28, 2003, David B. Hertzog was appointed Vice President and General Counsel of AE and Vice President of Monongahela, Potomac Edison, West Penn, and AE Supply. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Hertzog was a partner with Winston & Strawn in its New York office. Mr. Hertzog was a managing partner of Hertzog, Calamari & Gleason for 23 years prior to its merger with Winston & Strawn in 1999.

 

On August 25, 2003, Joseph H. Richardson was appointed President of Monongahela, Potomac Edison, and West Penn. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Richardson served as President of Global Energy Group, Inc., a company that develops energy efficiency technologies. Prior to that, he spent most of his career with Florida Power Corporation where he was President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Operating Officer.

 

On October 13, 2003, Thomas R. Gardner was named Vice President, Controller, and Chief Accounting Officer. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Gardner was a partner with the audit and consulting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

 

On October 13, 2003, David C. Benson was named President of AE Supply. Mr. Benson previously served as Executive Vice President of AE Supply and, prior to that, as Vice President, Production for AE Supply.

 

On October 13, 2003, Philip L. Goulding was named Vice President, Strategic Planning & Chief Commercial Officer. Prior to his appointment as Vice President, Mr. Goulding led the North American energy practice of L.E.K. Consulting.

 

Completion of Key Financing Transactions

 

Allegheny has completed several key financing transactions to improve its liquidity position.

 

2003 Short-Term Debt Refinancing of Principal Credit Facilities. On February 25, 2003, AE, AE Supply, Monongahela and West Penn entered into agreements (Borrowing Facilities) with various credit providers to refinance and restructure the bulk of their short-term debt. The Borrowing Facilities provided AE Supply with

 

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$420 million of immediate liquidity. The Borrowing Facilities also extended short-term debt maturities. The terms of the Borrowing Facilities required AE and AE Supply to make substantial amortization payments in the fourth quarter of 2003, and required significant amortizations in 2004 and 2005. The Borrowing Facilities were refinanced in the 2004 Refinancing described below.

 

Private Placement. On July 24, 2003, Allegheny raised $291 million ($275 million after deducting various fees and placement agents’ commissions) from the issuance to Allegheny Capital Trust I (Capital Trust), a special purpose finance subsidiary of AE, of units comprised of $300 million principal amount of 11 7/8% Notes due 2008 and warrants for the purchase of up to 25 million shares of AE’s common stock, exercisable at $12 per share. The warrants are mandatorily exercisable if AE’s common stock price equals or exceeds $15 per share over a specified averaging period occurring after June 15, 2006. The warrants are attached to the notes and may be exercised only through the tender of the notes. Capital Trust obtained the proceeds required to purchase the units by issuing $300 million total liquidation amount of its 11 7/8% Mandatorily-Convertible Trust Preferred Securities to investors in a private placement. The preferred securities entitle the holders to distributions on a corresponding principal amount of notes and to direct the exercise of warrants attached to the notes in order to effect the conversion of the preferred securities into AE common stock. AE guarantees Capital Trust’s payment obligations on the preferred securities. In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, Allegheny’s consolidated balance sheet reflect the notes as long-term debt. The notes, and AE’s guarantee of the preferred securities, are subordinated only to indebtedness arising under the agreements governing certain of Allegheny’s indebtedness under the New Loan Facilities described below.

 

2004 Refinancing. On March 8, 2004, AE and AE Supply entered into agreements (New Loan Facilities) with various credit providers to refinance and restructure the bulk of their bank debt. The New Loan Facilities provide AE Supply with a $750 million secured Term Loan B and a $500 million secured Term Loan C. The New Loan Facilities provide AE with a $200 million unsecured revolving credit facility and a $100 million unsecured term loan facility. The proceeds of the New Loan Facilities, together with cash held by AE and AE Supply, were used to refinance existing debt, including debt outstanding under the Borrowing Facilities and under outstanding letters of credit. The New Loan Facilities extended the maturities of, and lowered the interest rates on, AE and AE Supply’s outstanding bank debt and contain less stringent financial and other covenants than those contained in the Borrowing Facilities. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Executive Summary—First Quarter 2004 Liquidity Event,” below for additional information about the New Loan Facilities.

 

Exiting from Western Energy Markets

 

Allegheny worked through 2003 to accomplish AE Supply’s exit from the Western United States power markets. Its positions based in the Western United States had been a substantial source of earnings and cash flow volatility and risk, and trading in these markets does not fit with Allegheny’s current strategy.

 

Renegotiation and Sale of the CDWR Contract. In June 2003, AE Supply entered into a settlement agreement with the State of California to resolve the state’s litigation regarding its power supply contract with the CDWR. The terms of the settlement reduced the volume of power to be delivered from 2005-2011 and reduced the sale price of off-peak power to be delivered from 2004-2011, which in turn substantially reduced the value of the contract. On September 15, 2003, AE Supply and its subsidiary, Allegheny Trading Finance Company, LLC (ATF) sold the CDWR contract and associated hedge transactions, to J. Aron & Company, a subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., for $354 million. Allegheny applied $214 million of the sale proceeds to required payments under agreements entered into to terminate tolling agreements with Williams Energy Marketing & Trading Company (Williams) and Las Vegas Cogeneration II, LLC (LV Cogen), a unit of Black Hills Corporation, as described below. The tolling agreements involving gas-fired generation controlled by Williams and LV Cogen were originally intended to hedge the CDWR contract and other power supply obligations then existing in Allegheny’s book of Western transactions. Allegheny will apply an additional $28 million of the proceeds to make required payments in March and September of 2004 under the agreement with

 

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Williams. Approximately $26 million is being held in a pledged account for the benefit of AE Supply’s creditors. This arrangement was intended to enhance AE Supply’s ability to refinance the Borrowing Facilities. Approximately $71 million of the sale proceeds were placed in escrow for the benefit of J. Aron & Company, pending Allegheny’s fulfillment of certain post-closing requirements, primarily AE Supply providing a performance guarantee for ATF. On March 3, 2004, AE Supply issued this guarantee and the funds were released from escrow. Approximately $15 million of sale proceeds was used to partially offset certain of the hedges related to the CDWR contract and to pay fees and expenses associated with the transaction.

 

Agreements to Terminate Tolling Agreements. In July 2003, AE Supply entered into a conditional agreement with Williams to terminate its 1,000 MW tolling agreement. Under the agreement, AE Supply made an initial payment to Williams of approximately $2.4 million to satisfy certain amounts under a related hedge agreement. Allegheny made a $100 million payment to Williams after the completion of the sale of the CDWR contract. Allegheny committed to make two payments of $14 million each to Williams in March and September 2004. The tolling agreement will terminate when the final $14 million payment is made, unless otherwise terminated through mutual agreement of the parties. In mid-September 2003, AE Supply terminated its 222 MW tolling agreement with LV Cogen. Allegheny made a $114 million termination payment to LV Cogen after the completion of the sale of the CDWR contract.

 

Allegheny’s remaining trading exposures in the Western power market were eliminated by the end of 2003.

 

Refocusing Trading Activities

 

Adoption of Asset-Based Trading Strategy. AE Supply has reoriented its trading operations from high-volume financial trading in national markets to asset optimization and hedging within markets near its generating facilities. Exiting the Western power markets, together with terminating or selling speculative trading positions in other energy markets, has enabled AE Supply to reduce the volatility associated with long-term trading-related cash outflows and collateral obligations. Since then, AE Supply has focused its efforts in PJM, the Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic markets with the primary objective of locking in cash flows associated with AE Supply’s portfolio of core physical generating assets and load obligations.

 

Relocation of Trading Operations. AE Supply moved its energy marketing operations from New York to Monroeville, Pennsylvania, on May 5, 2003 and reduced its staff in these operations. Ongoing operating cost saving and improvement in staff integration were achieved by the relocation. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” for additional information regarding charges incurred in connection with relocating the trading operations.

 

Asset Sales

 

In 2002, Allegheny announced that it was considering selling assets as part of an overall strategy to address its liquidity requirements. Allegheny has achieved the sale of its most significant assets with a nexus to the Western United States. Allegheny continues to consider the sale of additional assets, especially non-core assets, including Mountaineer. Asset sales during 2002 and 2003 include the following:

 

Land Sales. Effective February 14, 2002, West Penn, through its subsidiary, The West Virginia Power & Transmission Company, sold 12,000 acres of land in Canaan Valley, West Virginia, to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for $16 million. Effective December 18, 2002, it also sold a 2,468-acre tract of land for $6.9 million and made a charitable contribution of a 740-acre tract in Canaan Valley, West Virginia to Canaan Valley Institute. In July 2003, the subsidiary of West Penn sold approximately 5,600 acres of land in Preston County, West Virginia to Allegheny Wood Products, Inc., which is not affiliated with Allegheny, for a net sales price of $9.6 million.

 

Fellon-McCord and Alliance Energy Services, LLC. Effective December 31, 2002, AE sold Fellon-McCord, its natural gas and electricity consulting and management services firm, and Alliance Energy Services, LLC (Alliance Energy Services), a provider of natural gas supply and transportation services, to Constellation Energy Group for approximately $21.8 million.

 

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Conemaugh Generating Station. On June 27, 2003, AE Supply completed the sale of its 83-MW share of the coal-fired Conemaugh Generating Station, located near Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to a subsidiary of UGI Corporation, for approximately $46.3 million in cash and a contingent amount of $5 million which was received on March 3, 2004 after satisfaction of certain post-closing obligations.

 

Restructuring and Cost-Reduction Initiatives

 

Allegheny has taken several actions to align its operations with its strategy and reduce its cost structure.

 

Termination of Non-Core Construction Activity. In 2002, AE Supply ceased construction and planning of various merchant generation projects to attempt to conserve cash and other resources and focus on its core generating assets. The 540 MW combined-cycle generating plant in Springdale, Pennsylvania that commenced commercial operations on July 21, 2003 was the final sustained active new facility construction project in AE Supply’s pipeline. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” for additional information regarding charges incurred for the termination of generating projects.

 

Restructuring of Operations. In July 2002, Allegheny announced a restructuring plan intended to strengthen its financial performance by, among other things, reducing its workforce. Allegheny has achieved workforce reductions of more than 10 percent through a voluntary Early Retirement Option (ERO) program and selected staff reductions. During 2002, approximately 600 eligible employees accepted the ERO program, resulting in a charge of $82.6 million, before income taxes. In addition, Allegheny recorded a charge of $25.0 million, before income taxes, in 2002 relating to approximately 80 other employees whose positions had been eliminated. Allegheny substantially completed these planned workforce reductions in 2002.

 

Suspension of Dividend. The Board of Directors of AE did not declare a dividend on AE’s common stock for the fourth quarter of 2002. Covenants contained in Allegheny’s financing documents, as well as regulatory limitations under PUHCA, are expected to preclude AE from declaring or paying cash dividends for the foreseeable future.

 

Elimination of Preemptive Rights. On March 14, 2003, AE’s common stockholders approved an amendment to AE’s articles of incorporation eliminating common stockholders’ preemptive rights. The elimination of preemptive rights removed an obstacle to AE’s ability to privately place equity or convertible securities.

 

Improving Internal Controls and Reporting

 

Comprehensive Accounting Review. Commencing in the third quarter of 2002, Allegheny undertook a comprehensive and extended review of its financial information and internal controls and procedures. This review included continuous efforts by Allegheny’s management and directors and extensive involvement of its independent auditors and other outside professional service firms. As previously discussed under Substantial Senior Management Changes above, Allegheny also hired a new corporate controller and other accounting professionals. Allegheny continues to address its controls environment and reporting procedures and expects to be in timely compliance with new requirements relating to internal controls mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. See Item 9A. “Controls and Procedures” and Note 2 to AE’s Consolidated Financial Statements, for a detailed discussion.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

In addition to historical information, this report contains a number of forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as anticipate, expect, project, intend, plan, believe, and words and terms of similar substance used in connection with any discussion of future plans, actions, or events identify forward-looking statements. These include statements with respect to:

 

    regulation and the status of retail generation service supply competition in states served by the Distribution Companies;

 

    the closing of various agreements;

 

    execution of restructuring activity and liquidity enhancement plans;

 

    results of litigation;

 

    financing plans;

 

    demand for energy and the cost and availability of inputs;

 

    demand for products and services;

 

    capacity purchase commitments;

 

    PLR and power supply contracts;

 

    results of operations;

 

    capital expenditures;

 

    status and condition of plants and equipment;

 

    regulatory matters;

 

    internal controls and procedures;

 

    accounting issues; and

 

    stockholder rights plan.

 

Forward-looking statements involve estimates, expectations, and projections and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that actual results will not materially differ from expectations. Actual results have varied materially and unpredictably from past expectations.

 

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, the following:

 

    execution of restructuring activity and liquidity enhancement plans;

 

    complications or other factors that render it difficult or impossible to obtain necessary lender consents or regulatory authorizations on a timely basis;

 

    general economic and business conditions;

 

    changes in access to capital markets;

 

    the continuing effects of global instability, terrorism, and war;

 

    changes in industry capacity, development, and other activities by Allegheny’s competitors;

 

    changes in the weather and other natural phenomena;

 

    changes in technology;

 

    changes in the price of power and fuel for electric generation;

 

    the results of regulatory proceedings, including proceedings related to rates;

 

    changes in the underlying inputs, including market conditions, and assumptions used to estimate the fair values of commodity contracts;

 

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    changes in laws and regulations applicable to Allegheny, its markets, or its activities;

 

    environmental regulations;

 

    the loss of any significant customers and suppliers;

 

    the effect of accounting policies issued periodically by accounting standard-setting bodies;

 

    additional collateral calls; and

 

    changes in business strategy, operations, or development plans.

 

RISK FACTORS

 

We are subject to a variety of significant risks in addition to the matters set forth under “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” above. Risks applicable to us include:

 

    risks unique to us in our current circumstances, such as the risks described under “Risks Related to Our Substantial Indebtedness,” “Risks Related to Our Liquidity Position and Liquidity Enhancement Efforts,” “Risks Related to Our Internal Controls and Procedures and Refocusing Our Business,” “Risks Associated with Regulation,” “Risks Related to Legal Proceedings,” and “Risks Related to Trading Market Exposures;”

 

    risks that currently face us and similarly-situated companies in light of recent events and trends, such as the risks described under “Risks Associated with Environmental Regulation,” “Risks Associated with Regulatory Transition Periods,” “Other Risks Associated with Our Business” and “Risks Related to Our Reliance on Other Companies;” and

 

    risks that generally affect us and similarly-situated companies, such as the risks described under “Risks Associated with the Capital-Intensive Nature of Our Business.”

 

Our susceptibility to certain risks could exacerbate other risks. These risk factors should be considered carefully in evaluating our risk profile.

 

RISKS RELATED TO OUR SUBSTANTIAL INDEBTEDNESS

 

Our substantial indebtedness could adversely affect our and our subsidiaries’ ability to operate successfully and meet contractual obligations.

 

Allegheny is substantially leveraged. One of our principal challenges is to manage our indebtedness while beginning the long-term process of reducing the amount of debt. At December 31, 2003, our consolidated indebtedness was approximately $5.7 billion. Approximately $3.2 billion of that indebtedness represented obligations of AE Supply and AGC, and the remainder constituted indebtedness of AE or one or more of the Distribution Companies. See AE’s “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” for a discussion of the principal components of our indebtedness.

 

Our substantial indebtedness could have important consequences to Allegheny. For example, it could:

 

    make it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to our indebtedness;

 

    increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic, regulatory and industry conditions;

 

    require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures, and other general corporate purposes;

 

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    limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business, regulatory environment, and the industry in which we operate;

 

    place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt; and

 

    limit our ability to borrow additional funds.

 

Allegheny will have substantial debt service obligations for the foreseeable future and may need to engage in successive refinancing and capital-raising transactions in order to manage obligations to pay interest and retire principal. See AE’s “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Requirements,” for a schedule of Allegheny’s contractual payment obligations.

 

Covenants contained in our principal financing agreements restrict our operating, financing, and investing activities.

 

The New Loan Facilities, the indenture governing the 11 7/8% Notes and the indenture governing the amended A-Notes and the amended B-Notes, issued in connection with the St. Joseph generating facility (collectively, the “Amended Notes”), contain restrictive covenants that limit the ability of AE and its subsidiaries and AE Supply and its subsidiaries to, among other things:

 

    borrow funds;

 

    incur liens and guarantee indebtedness;

 

    enter into a merger or other change of control transaction;

 

    make investments;

 

    prepay indebtedness;

 

    amend contracts; and

 

    pay dividends and other distributions on equity securities.

 

AGC’s indenture also restricts secured borrowings by AGC.

 

AE Supply has pledged its assets to secure its obligations under the New Loan Facilities and the A-Notes. The New Loan Facilities and the indentures governing the amended A-Notes and the 11 7/8% Notes limit our ability to make strategic decisions. Covenant restrictions limit our ability to access capital markets or sell assets without using the proceeds to reduce indebtedness. These obligations could limit our ability to make capital expenditures, both for added capacity and existing facilities.

 

In addition, AE and AE Supply are required to meet certain financial tests under the New Loan Facilities, including an interest coverage ratio and a leverage ratio. A failure by AE or AE Supply to comply with the covenants contained in the New Loan Facilities could result in an event of default which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition.

 

Our substantial variable-rate indebtedness exposes us to interest rate risk.

 

Allegheny’s indebtedness under the New Loan Facilities, Monongahela Credit Facility and certain other indebtedness accrues interest at variable rates based on prevailing interest rates. If interest rates rise, we will be required to meet higher debt service obligations. If our operational cash flows do not increase with interest rate increases or are otherwise insufficient to cover our interest payment obligations, we may have difficulty meeting our debt service obligations.

 

Our liquidity position adversely affects our operations.

 

Our lack of liquidity may make it difficult for AE Supply to derive the maximum value from energy it produces in excess of its PLR obligations to the Distribution Companies under long-term power supply contracts, thereby reducing revenues realizable from operations. In addition, our liquidity position could adversely impact our ability to fund capital expenditures to maintain or improve plant reliability and to meet environmental and other governmental mandates.

 

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RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION

 

Our costs to comply with environmental laws are significant, and the cost of compliance with future environmental laws could adversely affect our cash flow and profitability.

 

Our operations are subject to extensive federal, state, and local environmental statutes, rules, and regulations relating to air quality, water quality, waste management, natural resources and site remediation. Compliance with these legal requirements may require us to commit significant capital toward environmental monitoring, installation of pollution control equipment, emission fees, and permits at all of our facilities. Our liquidity position could adversely affect our ability to meet capital expenditure requirements above budgeted estimates.

 

These expenditures have been significant in the past and we expect that they will increase in the future. Costs of compliance with environmental regulations, particularly air emission regulations, could have a material adverse effect on our industry, our business, our results of operations, and financial condition. This is especially true if emission limits are tightened, more extensive permitting requirements are imposed, additional substances become regulated, or the number and types of assets we operate increase. We plan to incur substantial costs to install new emissions control equipment, and may be required to upgrade existing equipment, purchase emissions allowances, or reduce operations. If stricter requirements are imposed or if the costs ultimately incurred exceed amounts budgeted for such expenditures, our capital resources may be significantly pressured. Our projected capital expenditures are subject to significant increase due to factors beyond our control. Most of our contracts with customers do not permit us to automatically recover additional capital and other costs incurred to comply with new environmental regulations. As a result, to the extent these costs are incurred prior to the expiration of these contracts, these costs could adversely affect our financial performance.

 

Future regulations may also seek to reduce greenhouse gasses or other emissions, which would significantly affect the energy industry. Our compliance strategy, although reasonably based on the information available to us today, may not successfully address the relevant standards and interpretations of the future. As a result, we may be required to materially increase our compliance expenditures or accelerate the timing of the capital portion of those expenditures.

 

The status of our facilities’ compliance with the Clean Air Act is subject to uncertainty due to the EPA’s New Source Review initiatives.

 

Applicable standards under the EPA’s New Source Review (NSR) initiatives are in flux. Under the Clean Air Act of 1970 (Clean Air Act), major modification of certain existing emission sources (rather than performance of routine maintenance) could subject our existing facilities to the far more stringent NSR standards applicable to new facilities. The EPA has taken the view that many companies, including many energy producers, have been modifying emissions sources in connection with work believed by the companies to be routine maintenance under the statute and rules regulating emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) from coal-burning plants. The EPA has requested information from AE in connection with this NSR initiative.

 

The future of NSR regulation and its effect on ongoing enforcement and investigations is not clear. A recent judicial decision involving the EPA’s NSR initiative and a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corporation could adversely affect industry-wide environmental compliance costs. A recent settlement agreement between the EPA and Dominion Resources, Inc. also has adverse implications under NSR for the compliance costs of energy industry participants, including Allegheny. However, the recent preliminary judicial decision in a case involving Duke Energy, and the final Routine Maintenance, Repair and Replacement (RMRR) rule recently released by the EPA, are more consistent with the energy industry’s historical compliance approach. Fourteen states and various other government and private groups have filed suit challenging the issuance of the RMRR. On December 24, 2003, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued an order to stay the RMRR. The rule was scheduled to go into effect on December 26, 2003. The stay delays implementation of the rule until the case is decided. No assurance can be given that the RMRR will be upheld by the courts or with respect to its effect on any ongoing enforcement and investigations under the old NSR regulations as interpreted by the EPA.

 

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Risks inherent in the process of obtaining required environmental approvals could adversely affect our ability to operate our facilities.

 

Energy companies such as Allegheny are subject to the risk that it may be difficult or impracticable to obtain or maintain all required environmental regulatory approvals. If there is a delay in obtaining or renewing any required environmental regulatory approval or if we fail to obtain or comply with any such approval, the affected facilities could be temporarily closed, or otherwise subjected to capacity limitations, or subjected to additional costs. Further, at some of our older facilities, it may be uneconomical for us to install mandated equipment, which may lead us to shut down or reduce the operations at certain individual generating units, resulting in a loss of capacity and possible significant environmental and other closure costs and write-downs.

 

If we fail to comply with environmental laws and regulations, we may have to pay significant fines or incur significant capital expenditures.

 

Our failure to comply with environmental laws and regulations, even if caused by factors beyond our control, may result in the assessment of civil or criminal liability, fines against us, and the need to expend significant, additional capital to comply. Recent lawsuits by the EPA and various states highlight the environmental risks related to generating facilities, in general, and coal-fired generating facilities, in particular. For example, the Attorneys General of New York and Connecticut notified us in 1999 of their intent to commence civil actions against us for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act or Clean Air Act Amendment of 1990 (CAAA). If these actions are filed and ultimately resolved against us, substantial and expensive modifications of our existing coal-fired power plants would be required. Similar actions may be commenced by other governmental authorities in the future.

 

In addition, a number of our coal-fired facilities have been the subject of a formal request for information from the EPA concerning NSR requirements under the Clean Air Act. Similar requests to other companies have often been followed by enforcement actions. If an enforcement proceeding or litigation in connection with this request or in connection with any proceeding for non-compliance with environmental laws were commenced and resolved against us, we could be required to invest significantly in new emission control equipment, accelerate the timing of capital expenditures, pay penalties, and/or halt operations. Moreover, our results of operations and financial position could suffer due to the consequent distraction of management and the expense of ongoing litigation. Other parties have settled similar actions against them, often under terms requiring significant new capital expenditures for additional pollution control equipment.

 

We could incur additional substantial liabilities for environmental remediation.

 

Like other companies engaged in power generation, transmission and distribution, our operations involve the handling and use of hazardous materials and the generation of large volumes of waste. A risk of environmental contamination is inherent in many of our activities, and we could be required to investigate and remediate properties in the event of a release to the environment or the discovery of contamination. We are subject to certain environmental laws, such as the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as the “Superfund” law, that can impose liability for the entire cost of cleaning up a site, regardless of fault, upon any one of a number of statutorily defined parties. These include current and former owners or operators of a contaminated site and companies that send wastes to a site that becomes contaminated. Many of our sites have been operated for a number of years and could require investigation and remediation in the future if contamination is discovered or if operations cease at a facility.

 

We may undertake future asset sales. As part of any sale, we intend to transfer future environmental liability to the new owner. However, prospective purchasers may refuse to assume all liabilities and it is also possible that if future contamination occurs at these sites or is discovered from prior years’ operations, we might be required to participate in remediation efforts.

 

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RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CAPITAL INTENSIVE NATURE OF OUR BUSINESS

 

Our facilities are subject to unplanned outages and significant maintenance requirements.

 

The operation of power generation facilities involves many risks, including the risk of breakdown or failure of equipment, fuel interruption, and performance below expected levels of output, performance or efficiency. If our facilities operate below expectations, we may lose revenues or have increased expenses, including replacement power costs. See “Allegheny’s Sales and Revenues—Electric Facilities,” for a discussion of recent outages at our facilities at Hatfield’s Ferry, Pennsylvania and Pleasants, West Virginia. Many of our facilities were originally constructed many years ago. Older equipment, even if maintained in accordance with good engineering practices, may require significant capital expenditures, above budgeted amounts, to keep operating at peak efficiency or availability and is likely to require periodic upgrades and improvement.

 

If we underestimate required maintenance expenditures, or are unable to meet required capital expenditure levels due to liquidity constraints, we may run the risk of incurring an increased frequency of unplanned forced outages, which could ultimately lead to higher maintenance expenditures, increased operation at higher cost of previously marginal sources of in-house generation, or obligate us to purchase power from third parties to meet our supply obligations.

 

The capital-intensive nature of our business exposes us to risks from accidents, natural catastrophes and terrorism.

 

Much of the value of our business consists of our portfolio of unique power generation and transmission and distribution assets. Our ability to conduct our operations depends on the integrity of these assets. Although we have taken and will continue to take reasonable precautions to safeguard these assets, there can be no assurance that they will not face damage or disruptions due to accidents or natural disasters. In addition, in the current geopolitical climate, there is an enhanced concern regarding the risks of terrorism throughout the economy. Insurance coverage may not cover or may inadequately cover risks of this nature.

 

RISKS RELATED TO OUR LIQUIDITY POSITION AND LIQUIDITY ENHANCEMENT EFFORTS

 

As part of our plan to improve our liquidity, we may engage in further sales of assets and businesses, however, market conditions and other factors limit the feasibility of this strategy.

 

We may seek to sell additional assets and businesses in order to improve our liquidity. Sale prices for energy assets and businesses have been and could remain weak due to prevailing conditions in the market for these assets and businesses. Asset sales under such conditions could result in the incurrence of substantial losses. Buyers may also find it difficult to obtain financing to purchase salable assets.

 

Several factors specific to us have rendered asset sales particularly challenging. We are subject to constraints under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended (PUHCA), which have imposed delays and structuring complications on asset sale transactions. Potential buyers may be reluctant to enter into agreements to purchase assets from us if they believe that required consents and approvals will result in significant delays or uncertainties in the transaction process.

 

Further asset sale activity would expose us to attendant risks and liabilities.

 

Risks commonly encountered in connection with asset sale activity include:

 

    incorrectly valuing assets;

 

    retaining liabilities; and

 

    diverting management and other resources to asset sale transactions and away from continuing operations.

 

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We may be unable to timely engage in desired financing transactions.

 

Our liquidity strategy may include periodic equity and other financing transactions in order to meet amortization obligations and to increase Allegheny’s equity ratios. We may be unable to successfully access the capital markets for a variety of reasons including:

 

    past delays in filing audited financial statements and in satisfying other SEC reporting requirements;

 

    ineligibility to use the “shelf” registration process;

 

    equity ratios below the minimum levels required under key PUHCA financing authorizations;

 

    potential concerns regarding internal controls;

 

    capital market volatility due to geopolitical and economic factors;

 

    current credit ratings below investment grade;

 

    overall financial condition; and

 

    past violations of covenants in agreements governing indebtedness.

 

If we are unable to access the capital markets to meet our anticipated financing needs, we will need to raise funds through a combination of additional borrowings, asset sales and operations. No assurance can be given that we will be able to generate sufficient funds to meet our projected liquidity needs on a timely basis, acceptable terms, or at all.

 

AE cannot pay dividends on its common stock for the foreseeable future.

 

Covenants contained in the agreements governing the New Loan Facilities, the terms of the indenture entered into in connection with the issuance of convertible trust preferred securities, and regulatory limitations under PUHCA will preclude AE from paying dividends on its common stock for the foreseeable future. Certain institutions and other investors may not or do not purchase non-dividend-paying equity securities.

 

We will apply significant cash in future periods to satisfy estimated pension plan liabilities.

 

Our under-funded pension liabilities have increased in recent periods due to declining interest rates and financial market performance, and because of our implementation of early retirement initiatives to reduce headcount. As of December 31, 2003, our current under-funded pension liability was $339.6 million, and our pension liabilities may increase if our assumptions regarding investment performance or prevailing interest rates change or if actual investments underperform expectations. We intend to apply cash in future periods to reduce our outstanding under-funded pension liability, and cash so applied will be unavailable for other uses.

 

We are engaging in ongoing restructuring and cost-saving efforts, which expose us to attendant risks.

 

We have undertaken various restructuring and cost-saving efforts, including:

 

    workforce reductions;

 

    the wind-down and relocation of our energy trading operations; and

 

    the suspension and discontinuation of generating facility construction.

 

In July 2002, as part of our cost-saving efforts, we announced our intent to reduce our consolidated workforce by approximately 10 percent. As part of this initiative, we achieved workforce reductions through a voluntary early retirement option program, selected staff reductions and a Staffing Reduction Separation Program, which collectively resulted in substantial charges to earnings. The reorganization of our energy trading division included the relocation of the trading operations and resulted in a charge to earnings related to costs associated with the relocation. We may undertake further efforts of this nature. In pursuing this strategy, we have incurred and could incur in the future risks commonly encountered in connection with such a strategy.

 

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RISKS RELATED TO TRADING MARKET EXPOSURES

 

Our credit ratings and trading market liquidity render it difficult for us to hedge our physical power supply commitments and resource requirements.

 

Our current credit ratings, together with a lack of market liquidity, particularly in long-term electricity and natural gas markets, has rendered it difficult for us to retire unnecessary energy market positions entered into in connection with our prior business model. Market liquidity has significantly declined over the past two years. Absent a return to more liquid levels combined with an improvement in our credit ratings, it may not be possible for us to retire unnecessary positions.

 

Our credit position has also rendered it difficult for us to hedge our power supply obligations and fuel requirements. In the absence of effective hedges for these purposes, we must satisfy power and fuel shortfalls in the spot markets, which are volatile and can be more costly than expected.

 

Our risk management, wholesale marketing, fuel procurement and energy trading activities, including our decisions to enter into power sales or purchase agreements, rely on models that depend on judgments and assumptions regarding factors such as the future market prices and demand for electricity and other energy-related commodities. Even when our policies and procedures are followed and decisions are made based on these models, there may, nevertheless, be an adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations, if the judgments and assumptions underlying those models prove to be inaccurate.

 

Our trading portfolio exposes us to counterparty credit risks.

 

Our ability to use hedging instruments to protect us from price and demand volatility will only be effective to the extent that we can rely on the performance of our trading counterparties. Market participant credit quality has been a pervasive concern in the energy industry for some time. We have been and continue to be exposed to counterparties that may not be willing or able to meet their contractual obligations.

 

RISKS RELATED TO OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS

AND PROCEDURES AND REFOCUSING OUR BUSINESS

 

Our internal controls and procedures have been substantially deficient, and we remain in the process of correcting internal control weaknesses.

 

In August 2002, AE and its independent auditors recognized that the internal controls and procedures of AE and its subsidiaries had material weaknesses. The term “material weakness” refers to an organization’s internal control deficiency in which the design or operation of a component of internal control does not reduce to a relatively low level the risk that a material misstatement may be contained in the organization’s financial statements. These material weaknesses and related accounting errors led to delays in the production of annual financial statements for 2002 and for quarterly periods of 2002 and 2003. These delays in turn led to delays in our filing of annual and quarterly reports under the Exchange Act and under agreements governing our indebtedness, which resulted in technical defaults under certain debt agreements. As of January 23, 2004, we are current in our Exchange Act reporting obligations. We have implemented measures to improve and augment our internal controls and procedures, including enhancement of systems, processes, policies, procedures and controls. However, certain material weaknesses remain. Our auditors have advised us of material weaknesses noted during their audit of our 2003 financial statements. See Item 9A. “Controls and Procedures.”

 

If we cannot rectify these material weaknesses through remedial measures and improvements to our systems and procedures, management may encounter difficulties in timely assessing business performance and

 

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identifying incipient strategic and oversight issues. In some areas, adequate automated control systems are not in place, and we therefore will need to devote personnel resources to account verification and reconciliation. The use of temporary augmented controls and procedures and the installation of new systems have resulted in significant additional costs. Management continues to focus on remedying internal control deficiencies, with a goal of correcting them by the end of 2004.

 

We have applied substantial resources at all relevant managerial levels toward the task of improving our internal control environment. These efforts, in which we have involved several external professional service firms, continue. In addition, we need to hire additional employees and train existing employees to fill positions currently serviced by external professional service firms. We cannot provide assurances as to the timing of the completion of these efforts or estimates of the prospective costs of these efforts, either in dollar terms or in the form of management attention. If our efforts are not successful, we could experience further reporting deficiencies and be unable to comply on a timely basis with the requirements relating to internal controls set forth in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

Refocusing our business subjects us to risks and uncertainties.

 

Commencing in the second half of 2002 and continuing through 2003, management reassessed our position within the energy industry, the business environment, and our relative strengths and weaknesses. As a result of this reassessment, management implemented significant changes to our operations as management reorients Allegheny to function as an integrated utility company, to the extent practicable and permissible under relevant regulatory constraints. For example, we have reoriented our trading operations, reduced the size of our workforce, sold assets, closed our positions in Western energy markets and engaged in significant financing transactions, among other changes. In addition, substantial changes have been made to our senior management. Our circumstances in 2002 represented a substantial transformation from our historical role as a component of an integrated utility business. Current and previous changes in our business model were prompted by internal decision making and by the changing regulatory and market environments.

 

We continue to be in a state of transition, and additional changes to our business are being and will be considered from time to time as management seeks to carry out our new strategy. These transitions have been, and will be, unavoidably disruptive to our established organizational culture and systems. In addition, consideration and planning of strategic changes diverts management attention from day-to-day operations. There can be no assurance that we will ultimately be successful in transitioning our business model.

 

RISKS RELATED TO LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

 

We are involved in several important litigation proceedings that could result, individually or in the aggregate, in the imposition of significant cash awards against us.

 

We are involved in several suits seeking substantial damage awards against us. Among these suits are suits by California ratepayers and taxpayers, and a suit brought by Merrill Lynch and affiliated parties alleging breach of contract. We are also involved in defending against claims for damages against us due to our alleged misconduct. We may also be subject in the future to litigation based on asserted or unasserted claims. We cannot predict the outcome of any of these proceedings or other matters, or of future litigation against us based on asserted or unasserted claims. Adverse outcomes in these proceedings and other matters, or in future litigation based on asserted or unasserted claims, could result in the imposition of substantial cash damage awards against us. Further information regarding these legal proceedings, as well as other matters, is provided under Item 3. “Legal Proceedings.”

 

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We are involved in shareholder suits and other litigation and are a subject of agency inquiries, including in connection with our energy trading business.

 

In addition to litigation with Merrill Lynch, we are involved in other actions related to the energy trading business. We are the target of putative class action suits by shareholders and by participants in our employee benefit plans that assert claims against us relating to our involvement in the energy trading business and to statements made by us concerning our business. We are involved in arbitrations against terminated employees who were active in the energy trading business. We have responded to past subpoenas from the SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) directed to us. The SEC has recently requested that AE voluntarily produce certain documents in connection with an informal investigation of AE and its subsidiaries. Many of these documents were previously provided in response to subpoenas that AE received in 2002. AE is cooperating fully with the SEC. We cannot predict the ultimate outcome or effect of these matters. See Item 3. “Legal Proceedings.”

 

Our subsidiaries are and may become subject to legal claims arising from the presence of asbestos or other regulated substances at certain of our facilities.

 

The Distribution Companies have been named as defendants in pending asbestos litigation involving multiple plaintiffs and multiple defendants. In addition, asbestos and other regulated substances are still present and may in the future continue to be located at Allegheny-owned facilities where suitable alternative materials are not available. We believe, however, that any remaining asbestos at any given Allegheny-owned facility is contained. Allegheny believes that it uses and stores all hazardous substances in a safe and lawful manner. However, asbestos and other hazardous substances are currently used and will continue to be used at Allegheny-owned facilities, which could result in actions being brought against Allegheny that would claim exposure to asbestos or other hazardous substances.

 

OTHER RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR BUSINESS

 

Seasonal fluctuations pressure our facilities and operating results.

 

Our business faces a number of risks that are common to the electric utility industry. Electrical power generation is generally a seasonal business. Demand for electricity peaks during the summer and winter months and market prices also peak during these times in our markets. During periods of peak demand, the capacity of our generating facilities may be inadequate, which could require us to purchase power at a time when the market price for power is very high. Also, our annual results and liquidity position may depend disproportionately on our performance during the winter and summer.

 

Energy companies are subject to adverse publicity, which may render us vulnerable to negative regulatory and litigation outcomes.

 

The energy sector has been the subject of recent highly publicized allegations of misconduct. Adverse publicity of this nature may render legislatures, regulatory authorities, and tribunals less likely to view energy companies such as Allegheny and its affiliates in a favorable light and may cause Allegheny to be susceptible to adverse outcomes with respect to decisions by such bodies. The power outages that affected the Northeast and Midwest United States and Canada in August 2003 could exacerbate negative sentiment regarding the energy industry.

 

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RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH REGULATION

 

We are regulated under PUHCA, which constrains our ability to engage in financing transactions and asset sales, limits subsidiary dividends, and could impede AE from providing financial support to AE Supply.

 

AE and its subsidiaries are subject to regulation under PUHCA. PUHCA limits the dividends that subsidiaries may pay from undistributed surplus. In addition, PUHCA requires that we obtain prior approval from the SEC in order to incur indebtedness or issue equity, purchase or sell utility assets, or merge or consolidate with other companies. PUHCA also constrains AE’s ability to make equity contributions to AE Supply and enter into financing transactions for AE Supply’s benefit. These constraints could impede our ability to obtain financing in a timely manner, to obtain financing on favorable terms, or to pursue other business opportunities. PUHCA also limits our range of business operations and ability to affiliate with other public utilities, such as by means of merger or acquisition.

 

Shifting federal and state regulatory policies impose risks on our operating and capital structure.

 

We may be subject to conflicting regulatory policies that may adversely affect our ability to participate fully in competitive power markets. Moreover, these regulatory policies are continuing to evolve as a result of various legislative and regulatory initiatives regarding deregulation, regulation, or restructuring of the energy industry, including deregulation of the production and sales of electricity. We may also see additional regulatory action taken by state or federal regulators as a result of the August 14, 2003 blackout. Any such new requirements could lead to increased operating expenses and capital expenditures, which cannot be predicted at this time.

 

One of the most significant risks we face is choosing the correct business strategy to respond to evolving state policies regarding retail rate regulation. Compulsory continuation of retail rate caps beyond the original scheduled end of transition periods could have adverse consequences for the Distribution Companies. In the absence of a long-term power supply contract with a power generator, the Distribution Companies’ power requirements must be purchased at negotiated or market prices, whether from AE Supply or an alternative supplier. If retail rates are capped below the level at which power can be procured on the market, the power will be sold at a loss. Legislators, regulators and consumer and other groups have sought to extend retail rate-regulation in the states in which the Distribution Companies do business through a variety of mechanisms, including through the extension of the current rate cap regimes. We cannot predict to what extent these efforts will be successful. Allegheny believes that the previously approved transfer of certain generating assets to AE Supply, which is a FERC-regulated company, establishes significant impediments to direct state re-regulation of AE Supply’s generation assets. For a further discussion, see “Regulatory Framework Affecting Allegheny—Federal Regulation.”

 

Delays, discontinuations, or reversals of electricity market restructurings in the markets in which we operate, or may operate in the future, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. For example, the Virginia General Assembly enacted legislation in 2003 precluding incumbent electric utility companies such as Potomac Edison from transferring ownership or control of, or responsibility to operate, any portion of a transmission system located in Virginia prior to July 1, 2004. The effect on Potomac Edison, which has already joined PJM, is unclear. However, the legislation is expected to slow the entry of American Electric Power (AEP) and Dominion Virginia Power into PJM, which will hinder the expansion of the PJM market. At a minimum, Virginia’s actions (and similar actions by other states) raise uncertainty concerning the continued development of competitive power markets. Given Allegheny’s multi-state operations and asset base, re-regulation of restructured obligations could prove intricate and time-consuming and could lead to complications within Allegheny’s capital structure.

 

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We may be unable to take advantage of important financial incentives offered by regulators.

 

Regulatory agencies sometimes provide utilities financial incentives to engage in favored activities and transactions. For example, the FERC recently issued a proposed policy statement to provide financial incentives to utilities for the construction of new transmission facilities or to transfer control over their transmission systems to independent entities such as RTOs. Although we believe that the Distribution Companies’ decision to transfer control over their transmission systems to PJM effective April 1, 2002 makes them eligible for the financial incentives adopted by the FERC, we cannot predict whether they will actually receive these incentives or other incentives that may become available. Moreover, if we do receive such incentives, they may not be fully recoverable due to state retail rate freezes, or other factors.

 

We may realize reduced margins on our transmission operations relative to historical results due to our participation in PJM.

 

In order to comply with the FERC requirements designed to open access to the transmission network, we turned over functional control of our transmission facilities to PJM, via the PJM West arrangement, on April 1, 2002. Our historical transmission margins exceeded the margins we would realize if we derived transmission facility revenue solely from the base open access tariff rates that PJM charges. We have obtained the FERC’s approval to collect a surcharge to recover the difference in the near term, but it is possible that we may not fully recover our authorized surcharges for the duration of the transition period, or after the transition period. For a further discussion of the financial impact of our participation in PJM, see “Allegheny’s Competitive Actions—The Delivery and Services Segment—Distribution Companies—Participation in RTOs,” below.

 

The FERC’s efforts to create and expand large Regional Transmission Organizations provide both risks and opportunities for our business.

 

The FERC has strongly encouraged public utilities to join large RTOs like PJM and has encouraged these entities to expand and to reduce or eliminate barriers to the trade of electricity with other RTOs. As part of this effort, the FERC has favored the elimination of charges for transmission service through, or out of, an RTO. The purpose of this policy is to promote generation competition within and between RTOs in certain regions. There can be no assurance, however, that the trend of regionalizing power distribution across larger geographic areas will continue. There has been an ongoing debate regarding whether large RTOs improve or compromise grid reliability. The power outages that affected the Northeast and Midwest in August 2003 have been cited by both sides in that debate.

 

The continued expansion of PJM presents the Distribution Companies with significant risks and opportunities. Incorporating new utilities like American Electric Power Service Corporation, Dayton Power and Light Company, and Commonwealth Edison Company (together, the New PJM Companies) into PJM may reduce the cost of regional transmission by eliminating the need to pay transmission charges to multiple utilities. Harmonizing scheduling practices and other tariff terms and conditions will reduce or eliminate non-price barriers to competition across a broader region. These changes may benefit the Distribution Companies by reducing the cost of buying power to serve their customers. On the other hand, these changes may adversely affect the Distribution Companies’ recovery of their transmission cost of service due to the loss of their proportionate share of charges to export power from PJM. Effective when they joined PJM on April 1, 2002, the FERC allowed the Distribution Companies to recover the transmission revenues they lost through a transitional surcharge. Other parties that join PJM in the future may seek to alter, reduce, or eliminate this surcharge. If they are successful, the Distribution Companies may be adversely affected. For a further discussion, see “Allegheny’s Competitive Actions—The Delivery and Services Segment—Distribution Companies—Participation in RTOs,” below.

 

In addition, expanding PJM may increase opportunities for AE Supply to sell its output in new markets. Conversely, other generation owners may more economically compete for power sales in AE Supply’s traditional markets. We are unable to predict whether we will be able to compete effectively as RTOs expand and evolve. We do not know whether markets will continue to be accessible, especially if some states choose to delay or

 

21


repeal retail access programs. It is also possible that inefficiencies may emerge as markets expand that may impair our ability to compete. For a further discussion, see “Regulatory Framework Affecting Allegheny—Federal Legislation, Competition, and RTOs,” below.

 

Further, the expansion of PJM to include new companies may affect the cost of transmission service that Allegheny requires in ways that are difficult to predict.

 

PJM uses a locational marginal pricing (LMP) method to price both generation and end-use customer demand at a particular time and location on the electricity transmission network. LMP recognizes that the marginal price of electricity may be different at different locations on the system and at different times. Differences in prices between two locations in the region at the same time reflect physical limitations in the transmission lines to move power across the system. These limits are referred to as transmission congestion. In concept, when there is enough transmission capacity to get power from the cheapest source of generation to all potential buyers on the system, there is no congestion and there would be only one price throughout the region. When there is congestion, such as may occur on a hot summer day, the most economical generators may not be able to reach all of their potential buyers. Allegheny may incur increased costs associated with such congestion if it cannot adequately hedge this exposure under the terms of PJM’s FERC-approved tariff.

 

Expanding PJM to include new utilities will bring new transmission lines and generators into the PJM region. As a result, consumers in PJM will have access to new suppliers that may be less expensive than generators currently serving them, and transmitting power from these generators may cause power flows across the transmission system to change, which in turn could cause congestion on individual transmission lines to change—potentially significantly—from congestion patterns observed in the past. Allegheny may incur increased costs associated with such congestion if it cannot adequately hedge this exposure under the terms of PJM’s FERC-approved tariff.

 

RISKS RELATED TO OUR RELIANCE ON OTHER COMPANIES

 

AE Supply relies on power transmission facilities that it does not own or control. If these facilities do not provide AE Supply with adequate transmission capacity, it may not be able to deliver wholesale electric power to its customers.

 

AE Supply depends on power transmission and distribution facilities owned and operated by utilities and power companies to deliver its electricity output. Certain of these facilities are owned by subsidiaries of AE and others are owned by third parties. AE Supply’s dependence on these facilities and the companies that own them exposes it to a variety of risks. If transmission is disrupted or transmission capacity is inadequate, AE Supply may not be able to sell and deliver all of its output. If AE Supply fails to schedule the delivery of electric energy correctly, it may face substantial penalties under the transmission provider’s tariff. If a region’s power transmission infrastructure is inadequate, AE Supply’s recovery of costs and profits may be limited. The FERC has proposed pricing structures to encourage the expansion of transmission infrastructure. Implementation of the proposed incentives is not assured, and no assurance can be given that the proposed incentives would serve as an adequate incentive to trigger significant investment in transmission network expansion. If regulators adopt restrictive transmission price regulation, transmission companies may not have sufficient incentives to invest in the expansion of transmission infrastructure. Conversely, AE Supply may suffer a competitive disadvantage if regulatory policies favor transmission expansion over generation expansion to alleviate grid congestion. The power outages that occurred in the Northeast and Midwest United States and Canada in August 2003 could lead to further regulatory or legislative initiatives at the federal or state level regarding transmission and distribution reliability and expansion. We are unable to predict the policies that may be pursued or the effect policy changes may have on the transmission of electricity.

 

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RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPETITION

 

The terms of AE Supply’s power sale agreements with the Distribution Companies could require AE Supply to sell power below its costs or prevailing market prices or require the Distribution Companies to purchase power at a price above which they can sell power.

 

In connection with regulations governing the transition to market competition, West Penn, Monongahela with respect to its Ohio customers, and Potomac Edison (together, the PLR Companies) are required to provide electricity at capped rates to retail customers who do not choose an alternate electricity generation supplier and to those who return to utility service from alternate suppliers. The PLR Companies’ capped rates may be below current wholesale market prices through the transition periods. We have structured our operations so that AE Supply owns the generating assets that were previously owned by the PLR Companies. The capped rates reflect the historical costs of operating and maintaining AE Supply’s generating assets. The PLR Companies satisfy their PLR obligations by sourcing power from AE Supply under long-term power sales agreements. Those agreements provide for the supply of a significant portion of the PLR Companies’ energy needs at the mandated capped rates with a specified remaining portion priced on the basis of market prices. The amount of supply priced at market rates increases over each contract term. Power to be supplied by AE Supply under these agreements amounts to the majority of AE Supply’s normal operating capacity. For a detailed discussion of retail restructuring under state laws, see Item 1. “Business, Fuel, Power and Resource Supply—The Delivery and Services Segment” and “Regulatory Framework Affecting Allegheny—State Legislation and Regulatory Developments,” below.

 

These power supply agreements present risks for both AE Supply and the Distribution Companies. At times, AE Supply may not be able to earn as much as it otherwise could by selling power otherwise priced at capped rates into competitive wholesale markets. Conversely, the PLR Companies may at times pay market prices for a portion of their supply that exceed the amount they can charge retail customers for the power. Also, the demand for power required to meet the PLR contract obligations could exceed AE Supply’s available generation capacity, which may require AE Supply to buy power at prices that are higher than the sale price in the PLR contracts. Although AE Supply believes it currently owns or controls sufficient capacity to meet aggregate PLR contract demand, there may intermittently occur periods of peak demand that exceed AE Supply’s available capacity. These periods of peak demand often occur when the market price for power is very high. In addition, unscheduled outages at AE Supply’s generating facilities, such as the current outages at the Hatfield’s Ferry and Pleasants power stations could cause a shortage of available capacity. See Item 1. “Business—Electric Facilities,” for a discussion of recent outages of our facilities at Hatfield’s Ferry, Pennsylvania and Pleasants, West Virginia.

 

Should AE Supply’s cost of generation exceed the amounts to which it is entitled under the PLR contracts, for example, due to fuel price increases or increased environmental compliance costs, AE Supply would have to absorb the difference. Similarly, if AE Supply is required to purchase power to meet its PLR obligations, it may not receive its marginal costs from the Distribution Companies. Even if AE Supply can charge the Distribution Companies prices reflecting higher market prices, those companies might not be able to pass the costs on to their retail customers while state retail rate freezes remain in effect. For a general discussion of market risks, see Item 1. “Business—Regulatory Framework Affecting Allegheny—State Legislation and Regulatory Developments,” below.

 

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ALLEGHENY’S SALES AND REVENUES

 

Allegheny’s revenues are derived primarily from generation and marketing and delivery and services, which include, regulated electric sales and revenues, regulated natural gas sales and revenues, and unregulated services revenues and other revenues.

 

Regulated natural gas revenues totaled $268.8 million, $221.6 million, and $235.1 million in 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively. Unregulated services revenues totaled $38.1 million, $643.5 million, and $139.5 million in 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” for additional details regarding Allegheny’s revenues.

 

The Generation and Marketing Segment

 

Generation and Marketing Operating Revenues

 

(In Millions)


   2003

   2002

  

Percent

Change


 

Generation and Marketing Operating Revenues

   $ 986.3    $ 945.3    4.34 %

 

The Generation and Marketing segment’s operating revenues increased as a result of increased affiliate sales to the Distribution Companies, increased PLR obligations and lower purchased energy and transmission costs, offset by increased aggregate net realized and unrealized losses (collectively, trading losses) at AE Supply.

 

The Delivery and Services Segment

 

Regulated Electric Sales and Revenues

 

     2003

   2002

  

Percent

Change


 

Regulated Kilowatt-hour Sales (In Millions):

                    

Residential

     15,633      15,152    3.17 %

Commercial

     10,171      10,059    1.11  

Industrial

     20,117      20,131    (0.07 )

Wholesale and Other

     593      1,443    (58.91 )
    

  

      

Total Regulated Kilowatt-hour Sales

     46,514      46,785    (0.58 )
    

  

      

Regulated Electric Revenues (In Millions):

                    

Residential

   $ 1,078.4    $ 1,052.4    2.47  

Commercial

     599.0      594.3    0.79  

Industrial

     813.3      803.8    1.18  

Wholesale and Other

     28.6      39.7    (27.96 )
    

  

      

Total Regulated Electric Revenues

   $ 2,519.3    $ 2,490.2    1.17  
    

  

      

 

The all-time Peak Load for the Distribution Companies was 8,437 MW on January 23, 2003. Peak Load refers to the maximum one time demand (MW) on the system.

 

Allegheny’s 2003 regulated electric revenues were derived as follows: Pennsylvania, 42.8 percent; West Virginia, 28.9 percent; Maryland, 19.6 percent; Virginia, 6.1 percent; and Ohio, 2.6 percent. Allegheny’s 2003 regulated electric revenues were derived from: residential customers, 42.8 percent; commercial customers, 23.8 percent; industrial customers, 32.3 percent; and wholesale and other customers, 1.1 percent.

 

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Monongahela’s regulated KWh sales increased 0.2 percent from 2002 to 2003 as a result of an increase of 0.7 percent and 0.8 percent in commercial and industrial, and decreases of 0.6 percent and 11.9 percent in residential and wholesale and other sales, respectively. Monongahela’s regulated electric revenues increased 0.4 percent from 2002 to 2003 as a result of increases of 0.3 percent, and 1.7 percent, and 10.9 percent in commercial, industrial and wholesale and other revenues, respectively, and a decrease of 0.9 percent in residential revenues.

 

Monongahela’s all-time Peak Load was 2,080 MW on July 22, 2002. Monongahela’s 2003 Peak Load was 2,049 MW on August 21, 2003.

 

Monongahela’s 2003 regulated electric revenues represented 24.7 percent of Allegheny’s 2003 regulated electric revenues. Monongahela’s 2003 regulated electric revenues were derived as follows: West Virginia, 89.5 percent, and Ohio, 10.5 percent. Monongahela’s 2003 regulated electric revenues were derived from: residential customers, 39.3 percent; commercial customers, 23.9 percent; industrial customers, 35.8 percent; and wholesale and other customers, 1.0 percent.

 

Potomac Edison’s regulated KWh sales increased 1.4 percent from 2002 to 2003 as a result of increases of 6.2 percent, 2.6 percent, and 2.4 percent in residential, commercial, and industrial sales, respectively, and a decrease of 50.4 percent in wholesale and other sales. Potomac Edison’s regulated electric revenues increased 4.7 percent from 2002 to 2003 as a result of increases of 5.7 percent, 1.9 percent, and 6.9 percent in residential, commercial, and industrial revenues, respectively, and a decrease of 22.8 percent in wholesale and other revenues.

 

Potomac Edison’s all-time Peak Load was 3,095 MW on January 16, 2004.

 

Potomac Edison’s 2003 regulated electric revenues represented 32.5 percent of Allegheny’s 2003 regulated electric revenues. Potomac Edison’s 2003 electric revenues were derived as follows: Maryland, 60.4 percent; West Virginia, 20.9 percent; and Virginia, 18.7 percent. Potomac Edison’s 2003 regulated electric revenues were derived from: residential customers, 46.4 percent; commercial customers, 22.5 percent; industrial customers, 29.5 percent; and wholesale and other customers, 1.6 percent. Potomac Edison’s regulated electric revenues from one industrial customer, the Eastalco Aluminum Company (Eastalco) near Frederick, Maryland, totaled more than ten percent of its total regulated electric revenues, and represented 19.5 percent of its 2003 MWh sales to customers.

 

West Penn’s regulated KWh sales decreased 2.6 percent from 2002 to 2003 as a result of increases of 2.7 percent, and 0.3 percent in residential and commercial sales, respectively, and decreases of 2.7 percent and 82.5 percent in industrial and wholesale and other sales, respectively. West Penn’s regulated electric revenues decreased 1.0 percent from 2002 to 2003 as a result of increases of 1.8 percent and 0.3 percent in residential and commercial revenues, respectively, and decreases of 2.7 percent and 83.7 percent in industrial revenues and wholesale and other revenues, respectively.

 

West Penn’s all-time Peak Load was 3,677 MW on August 6, 2001. West Penn’s 2003 Peak Load was 3,470 MW on January 23, 2003.

 

West Penn’s 2003 regulated electric revenues represented 42.8 percent of Allegheny’s 2003 regulated electric revenues. All of West Penn’s 2003 regulated electric revenues were derived from Pennsylvania. West Penn’s 2003 regulated electric revenues were derived from: residential customers, 42.1 percent; commercial customers, 24.7 percent; industrial customers, 32.4 percent; and wholesale and other customers, 0.8 percent.

 

25


Regulated Natural Gas Sales and Revenues

 

     2003

   2002

  

Percent

Change


   

2003 Bcf Sales

and Revenues

Percent of Total


 

Regulated Natural Gas—Bcf Sales

                          

Residential

     19.1      17.6    8.5     29.8 %

Commercial

     10.1      8.9    13.5     15.8  

Industrial

     0.4      .3    33.3     .6  

Wholesale

     0.7      .3    133.3     1.1  

Transportation and Other

     33.7      36.6    (7.9 )   52.7  
    

  

        

Total Regulated Natural Gas—Bcf Sales

     64.0      63.7    0.5     100.0 %
    

  

            

Regulated Natural Gas Revenues (In Millions)

                          

Residential

   $ 169.0    $ 142.3    18.8     62.9  

Commercial

     81.7      65.2    25.3     30.4  

Industrial

     3.3      1.8    83.3     1.2  

Wholesale

     4.6      1.8    155.6     1.7  

Transportation and Other

     10.2      10.5    (2.9 )   3.8  
    

  

        

Total Regulated Natural Gas Revenues

   $ 268.8    $ 221.6    21.3     100.0 %
    

  

            

 

West Virginia Power (WVP) and Mountaineer accounted for 4.6 percent and 95.4 percent of total regulated Bcf sales, respectively. Mountaineer accounted for all transportation sales. All of Allegheny’s 2003 regulated natural gas revenues were derived from West Virginia.

 

Unregulated Services Revenues

 

(In Millions)


   2003

   2002

  

Percent

Change


 

Unregulated Services Revenues

   $ 38.1    $ 643.5    (94.1 )%

 

Allegheny’s unregulated services revenues decreased 94.1 percent from 2002 to 2003, as a result of the sale of Fellon-McCord and Alliance Energy Services, LLC on December 31, 2002.

 

Other Revenues

 

(In Millions)


   2003

   2002

  

Percent

Change


 

Transmission Services and Bulk Power

   $ 75.1    $ 72.1    4.2 %

Other Energy Services

     73.3      93.3    (21.4 )
    

  

      

Total

   $ 148.4    $ 165.4    (10.3 %)
    

  

      

 

Intersegment Eliminations

 

Delivery and Services Intersegment Revenues

   ($ 1,479.7 )   ($ 1,468.9 )      0.7 %

Generation and Marketing Change in Fair Value of Intersegment Contract

     (8.8 )     (8.6 )      2.3  
    


 


        

Total

   ($ 1,488.5 )   ($ 1,477.5 )      0.7 %
    


 


        

 

26


CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

 

The table below shows construction and environmental control expenditures for Allegheny in 2003 and estimated expenditures for 2004 and 2005.

 

     2003

   2004

   2005

(In Millions)


   (Actual)    (Estimated)

AE Supply

                    

Total Generation

   $ 405.0    $ 89.0    $ 117.9

Environmental Portion

     32.6      57.3      99.3

Monongahela

                    

Total Generation

     12.4      20.8      32.3

Environmental Portion

     7.1      14.7      26.2

AGC

                    

Total Generation

     8.7      8.9      8.5

Environmental Portion

              

Total Generation and Marketing Construction Expenditures

   $ 426.1    $ 118.7    $ 158.7

Potomac Edison*

                    

T&D

     54.3      66.7      64.9

Environmental

              

West Penn*

                    

T&D

     36.8      56.2      56.7

Environmental

              

Monongahela*

                    

T&D

     57.0      57.6      57.6

Environmental

     0.1          

Allegheny Ventures

     1.1      1.0      1.0

AESC

          1.6      3.0

Total Delivery and Services Construction Expenditures

   $ 149.2    $ 183.1    $ 183.2

Total Construction Expenditures

   $ 575.3    $ 301.8    $ 341.9

*   Includes allowance for funds used during construction (AFUDC), which is a non-cash cost for the period of construction of borrowed funds used for construction purposes and a reasonable rate on other funds when so used. AFUDC was as follows for 2003 (in millions): Monongahela, $2.1 million, Potomac Edison, $0.8 million and West Penn, $0.8 million.

 

The Generation and Marketing segment’s construction expenditures include projects at generating stations for environmental control upgrades, to remediate or prevent equipment failure, and to create new generation capacity. During 2003, the Generation and Marketing segment completed construction of a 540 MW combined-cycle generating plant in Springdale, Pennsylvania. Commercial operation of the facility began on July 21, 2003. This combined-cycle facility includes two natural gas-fired combustion turbines and one steam turbine. The Delivery and Services segment’s construction expenditures include projects to upgrade distribution lines and substations, as well as, transmission and subtransmission systems enhancements.

 

27


AE Supply ceased construction or planning of several generating projects in 2002, all in response to market conditions, including overcapacity and lower wholesale power prices, and to conserve liquidity. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data”—Note 6 for information regarding charges for discontinued generating projects.

 

In addition to meeting the FERC and certain state regulatory requirements, the Distribution Companies must meet PJM West requirements since the responsibility for planning major transmission systems rests with this new independent authority. The Distribution Companies do not expect the affiliation with PJM West to result in major near-term system expansion.

 

ELECTRIC FACILITIES

 

All of the generating capacity is part of the Generation and Marketing segment and either owned or controlled by AE, AE Supply, Monongahela, or AGC. Monongahela’s owned capacity totaled 2,117 MW, of which 1,896 MW (89.6 percent) are coal-fired and 221 MW (10.4 percent) are pumped-storage. The term pumped-storage refers to the Bath County station, which stores energy for use principally during peak load hours. The Bath County Station uses reversible pumping/generating equipment to raise water from a lower to an upper reservoir, generally during off-peak hours. During the generating cycle, power is produced by water falling from the upper to the lower reservoir with the pumping/generating equipment operating in reverse mode.

 

AE’s and AE Supply’s owned capacity (including AGC) as of December 31, 2003 totaled 9,381 MW, of which 5,923 MW (63.1 percent) are coal-fired, 2,579 MW (27.5 percent) are natural gas-fired, 797 MW (8.5 percent) are pumped-storage and hydroelectric, and 82 MW (0.9 percent) are oil-fired.

 

AE also holds a 12.5 percent equity stake in, and is a sponsoring company of, OVEC. OVEC is owned by 10 electric utility companies, and its power participation benefits are afforded to approximately 12 sponsoring companies. Currently, AE Supply and Monongahela have the benefits of a nine percent and 3.5 percent interests, respectively, in OVEC. They have an entitlement to capacity and energy in excess of certain OVEC customer loads. Those loads currently are almost totally dormant. As a consequence, nearly all of the OVEC capacity and energy is surplus and AE Supply and Monongahela receive a combined 12.5 percent share of that surplus, with individual apportionments of approximately 202 MW and 78 MW, respectively, for use toward supply requirements and other purposes. Power is supplied back to the sponsors under a contract that expires on March 12, 2006.

 

In June 2003, AE Supply completed the sale of its 83 MW share of the coal-fired Conemaugh Generating Station, located near Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

 

In July 2003, AE Supply completed construction of a 540 MW combined-cycle facility in Springdale, Pennsylvania. The project is now in commercial operation.

 

28


The following table shows nominal maximum operational generating capacity owned by Allegheny, or acquired under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) contracts as of December 31, 2003:

 

ALLEGHENY STATIONS

(as of December 31, 2003)

 

Nominal Maximum Operational Generating Capacity (MW)

 

Allegheny Stations


             Regulated

   Unregulated

  

Service

Commencement

Dates (a)


         Monongahela

   AE Supply and Other

  
     Units   

Project

Total

              

Coal-Fired (Steam):

                        

Albright (Albright, WV)

   3    292    184    108    1952-54

Armstrong (Adrian, PA)

   2    356         356    1958-59

Fort Martin (Maidsville, WV)

   2    1,107    212    895    1967-68

Harrison (Haywood, WV)

   3    1,961    417    1,544    1972-74

Hatfield’s Ferry (b) (Masontown, PA)

   3    1,710    400    1,310    1969-71

Hunlock (c) (Hunlock Creek, PA)

   1    24         24    2000

Mitchell (Courtney, PA)

   1    288         288    1963

Ohio Valley Electric Corp. (d) (Chelsea, OH) (Madison, IN)

   11    280    78    202     

Pleasants (Willow Island, WV)(e)

   2    1,300    277    1,023    1979-80

Rivesville (Rivesville, WV)

   2    142    121    21    1943-51

R. Paul Smith (Williamsport, MD)

   2    116         116    1947-58

Willow Island (Willow Island, WV)

   2    243    207    36    1949-60

Gas-Fired:

                        

AE Nos. 1 & 2 (Springdale, PA)

   2    88         88    1999

AE Nos. 3, 4 & 5 (Springdale, PA)

   3    540         540    2003

AE Nos. 8 & 9 (Gans, PA)

   2    88         88    2000

AE Nos. 12 & 13 (Chambersburg, PA)

   2    88         88    2001

Buchanan (f) (Oakwood, VA)

   2    43         43    2002

Gleason (Gleason, TN)

   3    526         526    2001

Hunlock CT (c) (Hunlock Creek, PA)

   1    22         22    2000

Lincoln (Manhattan, IL)

   8    672         672    2001

Wheatland (Wheatland, IN)

   4    512         512    2001

Oil-Fired Steam:

                        

Mitchell (g) (Courtney, PA)

   1    82         82    1949

Pumped-Storage and Hydro:

                        

Bath County (h) (Warm Springs, VA)

   6    960    221    739    1985; 2001

Lake Lynn (i) (Lake Lynn, PA)

   4    52         52    1926

Potomac Edison Hydroelectric (i)

   21    6         6    Various
    
  
  
  
    

Total Allegheny-Owned Capacity

   93    11,498    2,117    9,381     
    
  
  
  
    

 

29


PURPA GENERATION (j)

 

Nominal Maximum Operational Generating Capacity (MW)

 

       

Allegheny Company

Purchaser


   

PURPA Generation Project


 

Project

Total


  Monongahela

 

Potomac

Edison


 

West

Penn


 

AE

Supply

And

Other


 

PURPA

Contract

Termination

Date


Coal-Fired: Steam

                       

AES Beaver Valley (Monaca, PA)

  125           125       12/31/2016

Grant Town (Grant Town, WV)

  80   80               05/28/2028

West Virginia University (Morgantown, WV)

  50   50               04/17/2027

AES Warrior Run (k) (Cumberland, MD)

  180       180           02/10/2030

Hydro:

                       

Allegheny Lock and Dam 5 (Freeport, PA)

  6           6       09/30/2034

Allegheny Lock and Dam 6 (Freeport, PA)

  7           7       06/30/2034

Hannibal Lock and Dam (New Martinsville, WV)

  31   31               06/01/2034
   
 
 
 
 
   

Total Other Capacity

  479   161   180   138   0    
   
 
 
 
 
   

Total Allegheny-Owned and PURPA Committed Generating Capacity

  11,977   2,278   180   138   9,381    
   
 
 
 
 
   

(a)   When more than one year is listed as a commencement date for a particular source, the dates refer to the years in which operations commenced for the different units at that source.
(b)   Unit No. 2 at Hatfield’s Ferry Power Station is a 570 MW coal-powered generating unit that was damaged in a fire on November 3, 2003 and is currently off line.
(c)   This figure represents Allegheny Energy Supply Hunlock Creek’s capacity entitlement through its 50 percent ownership in Hunlock Creek Energy Ventures. AE Supply Hunlock Creek’s access to output at maximum generating capacity is indicated on the table for the steam and natural gas-fired facilities. AE Supply Hunlock Creek’s output is sold exclusively to AE Supply. The Hunlock service commencement date for the coal units refers to the year in which part ownership is acquired by AE.
(d)   This figure represents capacity entitlement through AE’s ownership of OVEC shares.
(e)   Unit No. 1 at Pleasants Power Station is a 650 MW coal-powered generating unit that was damaged as a result of a generator failure on February 9, 2004 and is currently off line.
(f)   AE Supply owns Buchanan Energy Company of Virginia, LLC, which is in equal partnership with Consol Energy, Inc. as owners of Buchanan Generation, LLC. AE Supply operates and dispatches 100 percent of Buchanan Generation’s 86 MW.
(g)   This figure represents capacity of Mitchell Unit 2. Mitchell originally had two oil-fired units, but Mitchell Unit 1 was retired on December 31, 2002.
(h)   This figure represents capacity entitlement through ownership of AGC: 22.9716 percent by Monongahela, 77.0284 percent by AE Supply.
(i)   AE Supply has a 30 year license for Lake Lynn, effective December 1994. Potomac Edison’s license for hydroelectric facilities Dam No. 4 and Dam No. 5, located in both West Virginia and Maryland will expire November 30, 2024. Potomac Edison has received 30 year licenses, effective January 1994, for the Shenandoah, Warren, Luray, and Newport projects located in Virginia. The FERC accepted Potomac Edison’s surrender of the license for the Harpers Ferry Dam No. 3 and issued an order, effective October 1994. Green Valley Hydro controls 3 MW.
(j)   Generating capacity available through state utility commission-approved arrangements pursuant to PURPA.
(k)   Potomac Edison, as required under the terms of a Maryland Restructuring Settlement, began to offer the 180 MW output of the AES Warrior Run project to the wholesale market beginning July 1, 2000, and will continue to do so for the term of the AES Warrior Run Contract which ends on February 10, 2030. Revenue received from the sale reduces the AES Warrior Run Surcharge paid by Maryland customers. AES Warrior Run output is presently being sold to AE Supply under the terms of a three-year contract, which expires December 31, 2004. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” for additional information on the AES Warrior Run project and Surcharge.

 

30


Recent Outages

 

On November 3, 2003, there was a fire in Unit No. 2 at the Hatfield’s Ferry Power Station located near Masontown, Pennsylvania. Unit No. 2 is a 570 MW coal-powered generating unit. As a result of the fire, significant damage was sustained to the generator and turbine and certain associated equipment. The unit is currently offline. Allegheny currently estimates that the total costs associated with the fire, inclusive of 2003 and 2004 net revenue losses, repair and replacement costs and anticipated insurance proceeds, are approximately $40 million. Allegheny continues to investigate to determine whether any other recoveries are possible. Approximately $30 million of the total financial impact will be reflected in the results of AE Supply, and approximately $10 million will be reflected in the results of Monongahela. The unit is currently expected to return to service in early May 2004.

 

On February 9, 2004, a generator failure occurred on Unit No. 1 at the Pleasants Power Station located in Willow Island, West Virginia. Unit No. 1 is a 650 MW coal generating unit. As a result of the generator failure, damage was sustained to the generator and associated equipment. The unit is currently offline and repairs are in progress. Although the full extent of the damage is still being evaluated, the preliminary estimate of the costs associated with the failure is $30 to $45 million, inclusive of net revenue losses, repair and replacement costs and anticipated insurance proceeds. Of this amount, approximately $25 to $35 million will be reflected in the results of AE Supply and $5 to $10 million will be reflected in the results of Monongahela. The unit is currently expected to return to service by the middle of June 2004.

 

The Pleasants and Hatfield’s Ferry Power Stations are relatively low cost facilities. While they are offline, particularly during periods of high demand such as the cold winter months, Allegheny must purchase replacement power in the market at prices higher than the cost of production from the facilities. As a result, Allegheny’s operating results are adversely affected by the outages of these facilities.

 

The information above is based on current assumptions and estimates. Accordingly, actual results may vary and such variations may be material.

 

31


LOGO

 

32


The following table sets forth the existing miles of tower and pole T&D lines and the number of substations of the Distribution Companies and AGC, as of December 31, 2003:

 

Miles of Transmission and Distribution Lines

and Number of Substations

 

     Underground

  

Above-

Ground


  

Total

Miles


  

Total Miles

Consisting of

500-Kilovolt

(kV) Lines


  

Number of

Transmission and

Distribution

Substations


Monongahela

   587    22,972    23,559    235    256

Potomac Edison

   4,154    18,008    22,162    174    288

West Penn

   2,373    24,063    26,436    276    613

AGC (a)

   0    87    87    87    1
    
  
  
  
  

Total

   7,114    65,130    72,244    772    1,158

(a)   Total Bath County transmission lines, of which AGC owns an undivided 40 percent interest and Virginia Electric and Power Company owns the remainder.

 

The Distribution Companies’ transmission network has 12 extra-high-voltage (EHV—345 kV and above) and 31 lower-voltage interconnections with neighboring utility systems.

 

Allegheny owns coal reserves estimated to contain approximately 125 million tons of higher sulfur coal recoverable by deep mining. There are no present plans to mine these reserves and, in view of the present economic conditions, Allegheny is evaluating several options related to the sale or lease of the reserves. Such options may not be available to Allegheny on favorable terms, if at all.

 

FUEL, POWER, AND RESOURCE SUPPLY

 

Generation and Marketing Segment

 

In 2003, generating stations owned by AE, AE Supply, and Monongahela consumed approximately 17.6 million tons of local mid- to high-sulfur content coal. Of that amount, 49 percent was used in stations equipped with scrubbers (8.7 million tons). The use of desulfurization equipment and the cleaning and blending of coal make burning local coal practical. In 2003, almost 100 percent of the coal received at these stations came from mines in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Illinois, and Ohio. None of the Allegheny companies mine or clean any coal. All raw, clean, or washed coal from suppliers is purchased as necessary to meet station requirements.

 

In 2003, AE, AE Supply, and Monongahela had long-term arrangements (i.e., terms of 12 months or longer) in place to purchase up to approximately 17.1 million tons of coal. Allegheny purchases coal from a limited number of suppliers. In 2003, AE, AE Supply and Monongahela purchased approximately 9.8 million tons of coal (57 percent of coal used) from various local mines owned by subsidiary companies of one coal company. Long-term arrangements (i.e., terms of 12 months or longer) are in effect to provide for up to approximately 15.4 million tons of coal in 2004. AE, Monongahela, and AE Supply will depend on short-term arrangements and spot purchases for their remaining requirements.

 

For the year 2003, the cost per equivalent ton of coal consumed was $30.37. For 2001 and 2002, the average cost per equivalent ton of coal consumed was $27.42 and $29.58, respectively. This average cost per equivalent ton includes primary and auxiliary fuels. The 2.7 percent average cost increase in 2003 resulted from an increase in 2002 market prices during which time a considerable portion of the 2003 fuel supply was purchased.

 

33


In 2003, natural gas-fired generation facilities owned by AE and AE Supply utilized natural gas that was purchased either through long-term supply agreements or in the spot market. AE Supply purchases natural gas services to supply its natural gas-fired facilities, including agreements for transportation, storage, and supply, which allow AE Supply to find the most economic options to serve its facilities.

 

In addition, one of AE Supply’s subsidiaries has a month-to-month natural gas agreement in place. The natural gas provided under this agreement is either used at the Buchanan County, Virginia facility or re-marketed by AE Supply. This supplier provided 3.3 percent of the total natural gas used by AE Supply for generation in 2003. See also a discussion of Kern River and El Paso pipeline contracts under “Allegheny’s Competitive Actions—Certain Purchase and Transportation Contracts,” below.

 

The Delivery and Services Segment

 

Electric Power

 

Allegheny substantially restructured its corporate organization in response to the electric utility deregulation within its service area between 1999 and 2001. The Distribution Companies, with the exception of Monongahela and its West Virginia jurisdictional generating assets, do not produce their own power. Monongahela transferred a portion of its generating assets relative to its Ohio and FERC jurisdictional generating assets, including a portion of its ownership interest in AGC and OVEC, to AE Supply in 2001. In 2000, Potomac Edison transferred substantially all of its generating assets to AE Supply. West Penn transferred all of its generating assets to AE Supply in 1999. The Distribution Companies’ generation asset transfers included, in the case of Potomac Edison and West Penn, entitlement to OVEC capacity and their entire ownership interest in AGC.

 

The Distribution Companies retain the obligation to provide electricity at capped rates to customers who do not retain an alternate electricity generation supplier during the deregulation transition period. The transition periods vary across Allegheny’s service area and customer class and by state.

 

    Monongahela. In Ohio, the transition period for residential and small business customers ends on December 31, 2005. See “Regulatory Framework Affecting Allegheny—State Legislation and Regulatory Developments,” below for information regarding the termination of the transition periods for commercial and industrial customers.

 

    Potomac Edison. In Maryland, the transition period for residential customers ends on December 31, 2008. The transition period ends December 31, 2004, for commercial and industrial customers. In Virginia, the transition period ends on June 30, 2007.

 

    West Penn. The Pennsylvania transition period terminates at the end of 2008 for all customers.

 

These transition periods could be altered by legislative or, in some cases, regulatory actions.

 

AE Supply has the contractual obligation to provide power to the Distribution Companies during the relevant state deregulation transition periods under the terms of power supply agreements with the Distribution Companies. AE Supply also leases generating capacity to Potomac Edison to serve customers in Potomac Edison’s West Virginia service territory. Sales under AE Supply’s power sales agreements with West Penn, Monongahela with respect to its Ohio customers, and Potomac Edison currently consume a majority of the normal operating capacity of AE Supply’s generating assets that were previously owned by the Distribution Companies. These power sales agreements have a fixed price as well as a market-based pricing component. These components may have little or no relationship to the cost of supplying this power. This means that AE Supply currently absorbs a portion of the risk of fuel price increases and increased costs of environmental compliance since AE Supply is unable to automatically pass on these costs to the Distribution Companies.

 

The Distribution Companies purchase power from AE Supply to satisfy their respective PLR obligations. The purchases are made under the terms of power sales agreements with AE Supply, which will terminate as set

 

34


forth in the chart below. When the power supply agreements with AE Supply terminate, the Distribution Companies will be unable to rely on the previously dedicated supply of power at specified contract prices to meet their respective power supply requirements.

 

The arrangements to serve the load of the Distribution Companies have not been determined and are subject to active legislative and regulatory actions within the states of Pennsylvania and Virginia. In Maryland, settlement negotiations regarding the provision of default service in the post transition period have concluded and have resulted in a settlement agreement that prescribes a wholesale bidding process to procure market-based full requirements service for end use customers. A final state commission order on this settlement was issued on September 30, 2003 and the bid solicitation process began on October 1, 2003.

 

In Ohio, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) authorized Monongahela to issue a request for proposals for wholesale power to supply new standard market-based retail rate service to its medium and large industrial and commercial customers and to its street lighting customers, totaling approximately 130 MW of load, effective January 1, 2004. AE Supply won the competitive bid process to serve the load, subject to approval of its bid by the PUCO. In October 2003, the PUCO denied approval of the wholesale bid and new retail rates and froze the current fixed rates for these customer classes until December 31, 2005, on the grounds that certain conditions to allow market-based rates prior to December 31, 2005 were not met. On February 2, 2004, Monongahela filed for an injunction in federal court seeking to recover, in retail rates, its costs of purchasing power in the wholesale market. A hearing has been scheduled for March 15, 2004. Monongahela filed an appeal in Ohio state court on February 13, 2004, seeking to overturn the PUCO’s denial of new rates. See “Regulatory Framework Affecting Allegheny—State Legislation and Regulatory Developments,” below for a more detailed discussion.

 

A portion of the PLR obligations for the Distribution Companies is satisfied by PURPA contract purchases. The remainder of the power to meet the PLR obligations of the Distribution Companies is purchased from AE Supply. The table below shows the percentage of power for each jurisdictional set of customers of the total power supply purchased by the Distribution Companies from AE Supply in 2003:

 

Distribution

Company


   State

  

Percentage of Total

2003 Power Purchases

for PLR Obligations

from AE Supply by

Jurisdiction (a)


   

Percentage of Total

2003 Power Purchases

for PLR Obligations

from AE Supply in

Aggregate (b)


   

Termination Date of

Power Sale Agreement

with

AE Supply


Monongahela

   Ohio    100 %   4 %   December 31, 2005(c)

Potomac Edison

   Maryland    100 %   26 %   December 31, 2008(d)

Potomac Edison

   West Virginia    100 %   8 %   December 31, 2017(e)

Potomac Edison

   Virginia    99 %   8 %   June 30, 2007

West Penn

   Pennsylvania    94 %   54 %   December 31, 2008

(a)   The percentage of total power requirements that each jurisdiction purchases from AE Supply.
(b)   The percentage of AE Supply’s total sales for all PLR load each jurisdiction represents.
(c)   Transition period for Commercial and Industrial customers ended on December 31, 2003. This load is no longer served under the Power Sale Agreement.
(d)   Transition period for Commercial and Industrial customers will end on December 31, 2004.
(e)   Pending Public Service Commission of West Virginia (West Virginia PSC) approval, because there is no PLR obligation in West Virginia.

 

Natural Gas Supply

 

Monongahela’s regulated natural gas sales operations are carried out through Mountaineer and its Monongahela divisions. West Virginia is in the path of major natural gas supply routes from the Gulf of Mexico to the Northeast, and Monongahela has direct access to the Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation (Columbia Gas) and the Tennessee Gas Pipeline (Tennessee) interstate pipeline systems. Monongahela’s principal natural

 

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gas requirements are supplied from wells located in Appalachia and the Gulf of Mexico producing basins. Monongahela’s ownership of MGS provides direct access to a portion of Monongahela’s total annual natural gas needs (less than 10 percent). A small part of MGS’ output is sold to third parties. Approximately 55-65 percent of Monongahela’s natural gas supply requirements are purchased on a forward basis (up to 12 months), with the remainder, including MGS production, purchased on a one-year or more forward basis at primarily index-based prices.

 

The following table indicates the volume of natural gas purchased and percentage of total volume of natural gas purchased, with respect to Monongahela’s largest suppliers for the twelve months ended December 31, 2003:

 

    

Twelve Months Ended

December 31, 2003


 
    

Volume

(Mmcf)


  

Percent

of Total


 

Marathon Oil Company

   8,327    22 %

Coral Energy, L.P.

   6,852    18 %

Noble Gas Marketing, Inc.

   5,731    15 %

Virginia Power Energy Marketing, Inc.

   3,760    10 %

BP/Amoco

   3,198    8 %

Energy Corporation of America

   2,179    6 %

All Others

   7,857    21 %
    
  

Total

   37,904    100 %

 

Allegheny’s liquidity issues, together with natural gas price spikes, required Monongahela to prepay for future natural gas deliveries during 2003. Monongahela believes that it will obtain access to sufficient natural gas supplies to meet its anticipated requirements. However, liquidity issues caused several suppliers to refuse to permit Monongahela to purchase any volumes on a forward basis.

 

Natural Gas Transportation and Storage Capacity

 

Natural gas purchased from producers or suppliers in the Gulf Coast producing basin/region is transported through the interstate pipeline systems of Columbia Gulf and Columbia Gas to Monongahela’s local distribution facilities in West Virginia.

 

To ensure continuous, uninterrupted service to its customers, Mountaineer has long-term transportation and storage service agreements with Columbia Gas and Columbia Gulf. These contracts cover a wide range of transportation services and volumes, ranging from firm transportation service to no-notice service and storage with such contracts expiring on October 31, 2004. Mountaineer has the right to renew its contracts under right-of-first refusal procedures set forth in the pipeline companies’ tariffs. Mountaineer expects to sign renewal agreements no later than September 1, 2004. Under both Mountaineer’s and WVP’s Purchased Gas Adjustment clauses (PGA), purchased gas costs including transportation and storage services, if prudently incurred, are recovered from the respective companies’ customers.

 

Typically, large commercial and industrial end-users of natural gas use natural gas sales and/or transportation contracts for load management purposes. Under these contracts, users purchase and/or transport natural gas with the understanding that they may be forced to shut down their use of natural gas or switch to alternate sources of energy during times when the natural gas is needed for higher priority customers serving the end-user, such as schools and hospitals, or interruptible transportation on the transporting pipeline is curtailed (limited/restricted). In addition, during times of extraordinary supply problems, curtailments of deliveries to some classes of customers (typically large industrial customers) with firm interstate transportation contracts may be necessary, but only in accordance with guidelines established by appropriate federal and state regulatory agencies.

 

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Since July 1999, Mountaineer has served many of these types of customers, some of which are capable of using alternate fuels as an energy source at their respective facilities. In 2003, Mountaineer did not have to interrupt these customers because of supply or transportation capacity scarcity or curtailments.

 

RATE MATTERS

 

Monongahela

 

Monongahela’s natural gas distribution business is divided into two components for purposes of its Purchased Gas Adjustments (PGA): West Virginia Power Gas Services (WVPGS) and Mountaineer Gas. WVPGS and Mountaineer Gas file to adjust their PGA every year. The PGA mechanism compares the revenue received for recovery of projected gas expenses to the actual gas expenses incurred by WVPGS or Mountaineer Gas and defers any difference as a regulatory asset or liability to be collected or returned, respectively, to the customers in the next proceeding. As such, the PGA generally has no effect on earnings. An annual PGA period normally begins with service rendered on and after November 1 and concludes on October 31 of the following year.

 

Effective January 1, 2003, Monongahela moved its WVP electric customers to Monongahela tariffs in compliance with a West Virginia PSC order. The movement of customers results in an overall decrease in revenue to Monongahela of approximately $1.6 million per year. For a discussion of rate matters in Ohio, see “Regulatory Framework Affecting Allegheny—State Legislation and Regulatory Developments—Ohio.

 

Potomac Edison

 

In 2001, the Maryland PSC approved the Power Sales Agreement between Potomac Edison and AE Supply covering the sale of the AES Warrior Run cogeneration project output to the wholesale market for the period January 1, 2002, through December 31, 2004. Under the terms of the 1999 Maryland deregulation plan, the revenues from the sale of the AES Warrior Run output are used to offset the capacity and energy costs that Potomac Edison pays to the AES Warrior Run cogeneration project before determining amounts to be recovered from Maryland customers.

 

Beginning in January 2002, there was a decrease in distribution rates for Maryland customers. This decrease or Customer Choice Credit is a result of implementing the rate reductions called for by a 1999 settlement agreement. The Customer Choice Credit will remain in effect until a total of $72.8 million (approximately $10.4 million annually) has been credited to residential customers and a total of $10.5 million (approximately $1.5 million annually) has been credited to commercial and industrial customers. Additionally, since the settlement was approved, the environmental surcharge has increased, and an electric universal service surcharge has been introduced, both of which must be recovered under Potomac Edison’s distribution rate cap. Accordingly, distribution rates have been further reduced by $3 million from the previously approved rates. The distribution rate cap for all customers is effective from 2002 through 2004.

 

West Penn

 

The Pennsylvania PUC approved West Penn’s annual reconciliation of the collection of its securitized stranded cost amount in 2004 to compensate for a projected under-recovery from customers of securitized stranded costs. The Pennsylvania PUC also authorized West Penn to continue to defer its non-securitized stranded costs for future recovery. As of the date of West Penn’s request, the under-recovery of the non-securitized stranded costs, with an approved carrying cost of 11 percent, was approximately $65 million.

 

In November 2003, West Penn filed a request with the Pennsylvania PUC to securitize approximately $115 million in transition bonds for recovery after the completion of West Penn’s generation rate cap. The $115 million includes the non-securitized under-recovery, the remaining stranded cost scheduled for recovery through

 

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December 31, 2008, and transaction costs. The pending request has been opposed by various customer groups, which requested an extension of the generation rate cap in exchange for securitization and recovery.

 

Transmission

 

In November 2003, the FERC issued a series of orders related to transmission rate design for the PJM and Midwest regions. Specifically, the FERC found that the payment of multiple and additive (i.e., pancaked) rates for movement of power between PJM and the Midwest region is not just and reasonable. The FERC ordered the elimination of pancaked rates and the implementation of a transitional rate design for a two-year period, and ordered the parties to develop a long-term rate design solution. In a settlement submitted to the FERC on March 5, 2004, the parties have agreed to continue pancaked rates through December 1, 2004, and to forego a transitional rate design. A long-term rate design solution would be implemented on December 1, 2004. While the long-term rate design is intended to keep transmission owners neutral with respect to transmission revenues and to minimize the shifting of costs, there is no assurance that this will be the actual result. Allegheny cannot predict the financial impact of the long-term rate design will have on its transmission revenues or the Distribution Companies’ transmission costs.

 

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REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AFFECTING ALLEGHENY

 

The interstate transmission services and wholesale power sales of the Distribution Companies and AE Supply are regulated by the FERC under the Federal Power Act (FPA). The Distribution Companies’ local distribution service and sales at the retail level are subject to state regulation. The statutory and regulatory framework affecting these companies has evolved significantly over the past decade, and these changes have exposed the companies to significant new risks and opportunities.

 

AE and all of its subsidiaries are also subject to the broad jurisdiction of the SEC under PUHCA. In addition, Allegheny’s communications subsidiary, ACC, is subject, to a limited extent, to the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission and state communications regulatory commissions. Allegheny is subject to numerous other local, state and federal laws, regulations, and rules.

 

Federal Regulation

 

Federal Legislation, Competition, and RTOs

 

The FPA gives the FERC broad authority to regulate public utilities such as AE Supply and the Distribution Companies that own or operate facilities used for the transmission or sale at wholesale of electric power in interstate commerce. Under the FPA, the FERC regulates the rates, terms, and conditions of wholesale power sales and transmission services offered by public utilities, among other things. Historically, the FERC used cost of service regulation to determine whether utility rates satisfied the FPA’s just and reasonable standard. In the late 1980s, however, the FERC began to allow firms engaged in wholesale power sales to sell at negotiated prices, which led to the development of competitive power markets.

 

In 1996, the FERC began an initiative to increase competition in the electric industry. The FERC, among other things, required public utilities to offer non-discriminatory open access transmission service, and use transmission services under the same tariffs as its customers. The FERC also imposed standards of conduct governing communications between the utility transmission and wholesale power service groups to prevent utilities from giving their power marketing arms preferential access to transmission system information.

 

Following the FERC’s initiative to promote competition, a number of states, including Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, adopted retail access legislation, which permitted utilities to transfer their generating assets to affiliated companies or third parties. Similar to many other utilities, the Distribution Companies restructured their businesses between 1996 and 2001 in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia to comply with retail restructuring requirements in those states by, among other things, transferring generating assets serving customers in those states to AE Supply.

 

To further the development of wholesale market competition, the FERC, in 1999, issued Order No. 2000, encouraging all public utilities that own or operate jurisdictional transmission assets voluntarily to transfer control over their transmission assets to RTOs. The Distribution Companies transferred functional control over their transmission system to PJM effective April 1, 2002.

 

In July 2002, the FERC issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would address the FERC’s lingering concerns about alleged unduly discriminatory practices in the energy industry by requiring transmission-owning public utilities to offer standardized flexible transmission service and join RTOs, and to create a level playing field for all participants in wholesale power markets. In April 2003, the FERC issued the Wholesale Power Market Platform White Paper in response to the comments on the proposed rule. The White Paper indicates the FERC’s willingness to make certain modifications to the proposed rule, including giving states a greater role in planning new transmission system expansions and how the costs will be recovered. We cannot predict whether FERC will issue a final rule, what that rule might contain or how it will impact AE Supply or the Distribution Companies.

 

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In November 2003, the FERC adopted new Market Behavior Rules applicable to market participants, such as AE Supply and the Distribution Companies, with authority to sell power at market-based rates. The new Rules are designed to provide market participants adequate opportunity to detect and, provides the FERC means to, remedy market abuses. The new Rules, among other things, require generators to operate their facilities in compliance with the Rules and prohibits market manipulation. Remedies available to the FERC include disgorgement of profit, but require that any claim by market participants or the FERC generally be made within 90 days of the end of a calendar quarter or within 90 days of discovery, whichever is later.

 

In November 2003, the FERC, in Order No. 2004, issued new Standards of Conduct for natural gas and electric industries. Order No. 2004 governs the relationship between transmission providers and their energy affiliates. Transmission providers, such as the Distribution Companies, are required to be in compliance with the new Standards of Conduct by June 1, 2004.

 

Important developments over the past several years have significantly influenced the legislative and policy initiatives discussed above. Beginning in the summer of 2000, unusual weather, supply imbalances, fuel price increases, market imperfections, and allegations of improper trading practices by some market participants contributed to extreme price increases and volatility in California’s wholesale power markets. These circumstances eventually unsettled power markets throughout the Western United States and triggered numerous legal proceedings at the FERC, at the state level, and before Congress. Similar, though less dramatic, price volatility affected power markets in the East, including PJM, New York, and New England. Markets responded to these price increases by increasing generating capacity through new construction and delayed plant retirements.

 

In 2002, markets returned to historically normal price ranges as the economy slowed, generating capacity increased, fuel prices fell, and demand declined. The changing market pressured many wholesale power trading firms when market prices fell below forecasts, resulting in reduced revenues, declining credit quality and, ultimately, a decline in wholesale market trading activity. Some firms responded by curtailing trading activities or exiting the market altogether. Enron’s bankruptcy in the fall of 2001 and disclosures concerning its trading practices contributed to concerns by regulators and market participants that wholesale power markets had serious flaws that needed to be addressed. Investigations in 2002 by the FERC, CFTC, and Department of Justice (DOJ) of so-called round-trip trading practices at certain companies, followed by several additional utility bankruptcy petitions in 2003, have further contributed to this perception.

 

In the past year, a number of states have moved away from electricity choice at the retail level by delaying the implementation of retail competition or rejecting it outright. Some states that have retail competition, including Virginia, are considering re-regulating retail markets. We cannot predict to what extent these efforts will be successful, nor can we predict whether or to what extent they will be duplicated in other states.

 

As the foregoing discussion indicates, changes to date with respect to electric competition have significantly affected the nature of the electric industry and the manner in which its participants conduct their business. These changes make it very difficult to develop a long-term business model. Delays, discontinuations, or reversals of electricity market restructurings in the markets in which the Distribution Companies, AE Supply, and their affiliates operate, or may operate in the future, could have a material adverse effect on their results of operations and financial condition.

 

Federal Legislative Initiatives

 

In the last session of the United States Congress, the House and Senate considered, but ultimately did not pass, a number of bills that could have impacted regulations applied to our subsidiaries, and us, including bills that would repeal the PUHCA and portions of the PURPA. Under the proposed legislation, many aspects of the SEC’s authority over public utilities under PUHCA would be transferred to the FERC. We cannot predict what energy legislation may be considered in the current or future legislative sessions, whether any such legislation will become law or what effect any such new legislation might have on us.

 

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PUHCA

 

PUHCA imposes financial and operational conditions and restrictions on many aspects of a registered holding company system’s business. PUHCA restricts a registered holding company system from expanding into other businesses by prohibiting it from engaging in activities that are not functionally related to its core business and also requires registered holding company systems to confine themselves to a single integrated public utility system. Most importantly, in light of Allegheny’s liquidity issues, PUHCA requires pre-approval from the SEC for, among other things, the issuance of debt or equity securities, and for the sale or acquisition of utility assets. The PUHCA approval process introduces significant lead times into routine transactions under normal circumstances. Lead times to obtain authorizations can be up to nine months. The SEC, in certain matters, also requires state approvals as a condition to authorizations, even though such approvals might not be required under applicable state laws. In certain instances, such as transactions involving designations of assets as EWGs (which exempts the designated assets from continuing PUHCA jurisdiction), the SEC has expanded the jurisdiction of state commissions by requiring that the applicant company obtain a letter from each state in which any of its affiliates operates certifying that state’s approval. This introduces further lead times and uncertainties into the transaction planning process. Many of Allegheny’s competitors are not regulated under PUHCA and, therefore, do not face such constraints.

 

Additionally, under PUHCA, the SEC has imposed debt to common equity ratios on jurisdictional utilities, thus imposing additional operating constraints not imposed on non-jurisdictional utilities. Allegheny’s current equity ratio is below the level required under its current financing authorizations, and this circumstance has required us to obtain additional authorizations. See “Regulatory Framework Affecting Allegheny—Federal Legislative Initiatives.”

 

PURPA

 

Under PURPA, electric utility companies such as the Distribution Companies are required to interconnect with, provide back-up electric service to, and purchase electric capacity and energy from qualifying small power production and cogeneration facilities that satisfy the eligibility requirements for PURPA benefits established by the FERC. The rates to be paid for electric energy purchased from such qualifying facilities are established by the appropriate state public service commission or legislature.

 

The Distribution Companies have committed to purchase 479 MW of qualifying PURPA capacity. Payments for PURPA capacity and energy pursuant to these contracts in 2003 totaled approximately $216.8 million, before amortization of West Penn’s adverse power purchase commitment. The average cost to the Distribution Companies of these power purchases was 5.6 cents/kWh. The Distribution Companies are currently authorized to recover substantially all of these costs in their retail rates.

 

It is possible that the Distribution Companies’ obligations to purchase power from qualified PURPA projects in the future may exceed amounts they are authorized to recover from their customers, which could result in losses related to the PURPA contracts. Legislation proposed in Congress in 2003, would have conditionally suspended the mandatory power purchase provisions of PURPA prospectively in regions in which the FERC determined that competitive market conditions exist. See “Regulatory Framework Affecting Allegheny—Federal Legislative Initiatives.”

 

State Legislation and Regulatory Developments

 

Maryland

 

Maryland’s adoption of electric industry restructuring legislation in 1999 gave Potomac Edison’s Maryland retail electric customers the right to choose their electricity generation suppliers. In 2000, Potomac Edison transferred its Maryland jurisdictional generating assets at book value to AE Supply. It retained its T&D assets.

 

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Potomac Edison’s T&D rates for all customers are capped through 2004, and are otherwise subject to traditional regulated utility ratemaking (i.e., cost-based rates). Potomac Edison has the responsibility as the PLR for those customers who do not choose an alternate supplier or whose alternate supplier does not deliver. AE Supply has entered into long-term power sales agreements with Potomac Edison to provide the amount of electricity, up to its PLR retail load (and for certain wholesale contracts), that Potomac Edison may demand during the Maryland transition period, which lasts through December 31, 2004, for commercial and industrial customers and December 31, 2008, for residential customers.

 

The Maryland PSC in 2000 issued a restrictive order imposing standards of conduct for transactions between Maryland utilities and their affiliates. Among other things, the order restricted sharing of utility employees with affiliates and announced the Maryland PSC’s intent to consider the imposition of a royalty fee to compensate the utility for the use by an affiliate of the utility’s name and/or logo and for other intangible or unquantified benefits. After a series of judicial and legislative actions, the Maryland PSC’s order was reversed on procedural grounds. Potomac Edison and the other Maryland natural gas and electric utilities believe that the Maryland PSC’s previous, less restrictive code of conduct is currently in effect in Maryland pending further Maryland PSC action. This code of conduct is similar to those adopted in other jurisdictions and should not create operational constraints. However, the Maryland PSC has begun a process of soliciting comments on a new code of conduct proposal.

 

Pursuant to a settlement, Potomac Edison will provide PLR service or “standard offer service,” to residential customers through December 31, 2012, and provide standard offer service to other commercial and industrial customers for various periods running as late as December 31, 2008. Wholesale electric supply services necessary to serve these loads (after the expiration of the transition period and before the expiration of the settlement period) will be procured through a competitive bid process. Potomac Edison will be allowed to recover its costs for the services through an administrative charge, including a return and associated taxes. The initial phase of the competitive-bid process for all electric utilities in Maryland was recently concluded to provide supply for commercial and industrial customers after 2004.

 

In 2002, Eastalco, Potomac Edison’s largest industrial customer in Maryland, filed a complaint against Potomac Edison seeking to continue the special contract rates then in effect through the end of 2004. Pursuant to a settlement, effective April 1, 2003, Potomac Edison increased the contract rate and extended the contract term to the end of 2005 for service to Eastalco.

 

Ohio

 

The Ohio General Assembly adopted legislation in 1999 to restructure its electric utility industry and provide retail electric customers the right to choose their electricity generation supplier, starting a transition to market rates. The 1999 legislation granted Ohio’s residential customers a five-percent reduction in the generation portion of their rates until December 31, 2005, which is when the transition period ends. Pursuant to a settlement, Monongahela’s transition period, or market development period, for large industrial, commercial, and street lighting customers was scheduled to end on December 31, 2003, but, as discussed below, has been extended by the PUCO until December 31, 2005.

 

In July 2003, the PUCO authorized Monongahela to issue a request for proposals for wholesale power to supply new standard market-based retail rate service to its medium and large industrial and commercial customers and to its street lighting customers, totaling approximately 130 MW of load, effective January 1, 2004. AE Supply won the competitive bid process to serve the load, subject to approval of its bid by the PUCO. In October 2003, the PUCO denied approval of the wholesale bid and new retail rates and froze the current fixed rates for these customer classes until December 31, 2005, on the grounds that certain conditions to allow market-based rates prior to December 31, 2005 were not met. On February 2, 2004, Monongahela filed for an injunction in federal court seeking to recover, in retail rates, its costs of purchasing power in the wholesale market. A hearing has been scheduled for March 15, 2004. Monongahela filed an appeal in Ohio state court on February 13, 2004, seeking to overturn the PUCO’s denial of new rates. Beginning in January 2004, Monongahela has been

 

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procuring power at PJM market prices for these customers and anticipates that the price for that power will be higher than the currently tariffed retail generation rates. Monongahela intends to account for any corresponding losses, but cannot be certain that the federal court or PUCO will allow Monongahela to recover any or all of these costs. On December 31, 2003, Monongahela filed an application with the PUCO for authority to implement a surcharge for the difference between its cost to purchase power and the retail generation rate.

 

Under the related regulatory transition plan, Monongahela transferred its Ohio jurisdictional generating assets to AE Supply at net book value in June 2001. Monongahela retained its T&D assets. Monongahela’s T&D rates are capped through the end of the market development period for all customers, and are then subject to traditional regulated utility ratemaking (i.e., cost-based rates). Monongahela has the responsibility as the provider-of-last-resort for customers who do not choose an alternate supplier or whose alternate supplier does not deliver.

 

Pennsylvania

 

The Electricity Generation Customer Choice and Competition Act (Customer Choice Act) gave all retail electricity customers in Pennsylvania the right to choose their electricity generation supplier as of January 2, 2000. Under the legislation and a subsequent restructuring settlement approved by the Pennsylvania PUC, West Penn transferred its generating assets to AE Supply at book value. The T&D assets are currently owned by West Penn and are subject to traditional regulated utility ratemaking (i.e., cost-based rates). As part of West Penn’s restructuring settlement, West Penn is subject to rate caps on its T&D rates through December 31, 2005, and on its generation rates through December 31, 2008. As directed by the Customer Choice Act, the Pennsylvania PUC is in the process of promulgating rules for PLR service after the transition period ends.

 

West Penn retains the responsibility as the PLR for those customers who do not choose an alternate supplier or whose alternate supplier does not deliver. Pursuant to power sales agreements, AE Supply provides West Penn with the amount of electricity, up to West Penn’s PLR retail load (and for certain wholesale contracts), that West Penn may demand throughout the Pennsylvania transition period.

 

Virginia

 

The Virginia Electric Utility Restructuring Act of 1999 provided for a transition to the choice of electric suppliers for Virginia customers. As of January 1, 2002, Potomac Edison’s retail electric customers in Virginia have the right to choose their electricity generation supplier.

 

Potomac Edison transferred all of its Virginia jurisdictional generating assets to AE Supply in 2000, except certain small hydro facilities, which were transferred to Green Valley Hydro, a subsidiary of AE, Inc. The T&D assets are currently owned by Potomac Edison. Potomac Edison’s T&D rates are currently capped through July 1, 2007, subject to a one-time opportunity to request a rate adjustment after January 1, 2004, but are otherwise subject to traditional regulated utility ratemaking (i.e., cost-based rates). Potomac Edison has the responsibility as the PLR for those customers of Potomac Edison who do not choose an alternate supplier or whose alternate supplier does not deliver. Pursuant to a long-term power sales agreement, AE Supply provides Potomac Edison with the amount of electricity, up to Potomac Edison’s PLR retail load (and for a certain wholesale contract), that Potomac Edison may demand during the transition period. Virginia’s transition period is anticipated to end on July 1, 2007.

 

In 2001, Potomac Edison filed an application with the Virginia SCC to transfer management and control of its transmission facilities to PJM. The Distribution Companies transferred functional control over its transmission system to PJM effective April 1, 2002. In July 2002, the Virginia SCC staff issued a report observing that Potomac Edison’s application met each of Virginia SCC’s rules for electric utilities to join an RTO, but to date a decision has not been issued. Additionally, the Virginia General Assembly, in its 2003 legislative session, enacted a bill precluding electric utility companies such as Potomac Edison from transferring ownership or

 

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control of, or responsibility to operate, any portion of any transmission system located in the Commonwealth to an RTO prior to July 1, 2004. The effect of this legislation on Potomac Edison and the other Virginia electric company that joined PJM is unclear.

 

The Virginia Office of Attorney General and Virginia’s Secretary of Commerce and Trade recently proposed extending Virginia’s capped rate period for an additional three and one-half years (through December 31, 2010) at the current capped rate levels. The legislation, Senate Bill 651, was recently passed by the State Senate, and will soon be considered by the House of Delegates. In its present wording, electric companies that have sold or transferred their generating facilities, such as Potomac Edison, would be allowed a one-time opportunity to file for a non-generation-related rate increase between July 1, 2007 and December 31, 2010. If adjusted in its present form, the legislation also would allow Potomac Edison to utilize adjustment provisions for the recovery of increases in the cost of purchased power beginning on July 1, 2007. We cannot predict whether Senate Bill 651 will become law or what effect any such new legislation might have on us.

 

West Virginia

 

In 1998, the West Virginia legislature passed legislation directing the West Virginia PSC to determine whether retail electric competition was in the best interests of West Virginia and its citizens. In response, the West Virginia PSC submitted a plan to introduce full retail competition on January 1, 2001. This plan was approved, but never implemented, by the legislature. In March 2003, the West Virginia legislature passed House Bill (H.B.) 2870, which clarified the jurisdiction of the West Virginia PSC over electric generating facilities. Based on these actions, we have concluded that retail competition and the deregulation of generation is no longer likely in West Virginia. See Note 13 to AE’s Consolidated Financial Statements, for a discussion of the financial reporting effects of this conclusion.

 

In 2000, Potomac Edison received approval to transfer its West Virginia generating assets to AE Supply. The West Virginia PSC never acted on a similar petition by Monongahela, and Monongahela has agreed to withdraw its petition.

 

Potomac Edison and Monongahela reached an agreement with interested parties and filed a stipulation with the West Virginia PSC on issues related to their generating asset transfers, including the amount transferred to AE Supply representing Ohio’s allocated share of Monongahela’s generation. The settlement also includes a Power Supply Agreement to meet the West Virginia PSC conditions of Potomac Edison’s generation asset transfer to AE Supply, PSC confirmation of EWG status, approval of a potential exchange of like-kind generation assets, and an agreement that no party may file a rate case prior to January 1, 2005.

 

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ALLEGHENY’S COMPETITIVE ACTIONS

 

The Generation and Marketing Segment

 

AE Supply

 

As of December 31, 2003, AE Supply owned or contractually controlled 9,381 MW in the Eastern and Midwestern regions of the United States. On June 26, 2003, AE Supply sold its 83 MW interest in the Conemaugh power station. AE Supply terminated its rights to call on 1,000 MW of California capacity, subject to required termination payments, AE Supply is scheduled to make the remaining termination payments in 2004. For a further discussion, see “Certain Purchase and Transportation Contracts,” below. In addition, on July 21, 2003, AE Supply placed three new 180 MW generating units into commercial operation at new facilities in Springdale, Pennsylvania. AE Supply manages all of its generating assets as an integrated portfolio with its risk management, wholesale marketing, fuel procurement, and asset optimization activities.

 

In 2002, Allegheny joined PJM West, and AE Supply reoriented its focus to its core generation business. AE Supply reduced its trading operations and, in 2003, moved its trading operations from New York to Monroeville, Pennsylvania. AE Supply has refocused its activities in support of its generating assets in regions and markets where it has a generating presence. Allegheny marketed selected non-core assets with a view to generating cash for the reduction of debt. On September 15, 2003, Allegheny sold the CDWR contract and associated hedge transactions to J. Aron & Company, a subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Allegheny also entered into agreements to terminate tolling agreements with Williams Energy Marketing and Trading Company (Williams) and Las Vegas Cogeneration II, LLC (LV Cogen), a unit of Black Hills Corporation. After completing these major transactions, Allegheny closed out its remaining power trading exposures in the Western United States energy markets in September 2003. These power trading exposures consisted of several short-term trades that hedged the CDWR contract and several long-term hedges of the LV Cogen tolling agreement. In addition, during September 2003, Allegheny closed out certain other proprietary positions in the Northeastern energy markets.

 

AE Supply’s focus on being a regional, asset-backed market participant is expected to position Allegheny to compete more effectively in the changing energy markets. Refocusing on its core physical asset base will enable AE Supply to take maximum advantage of its substantial physical presence, operational expertise, and knowledge of regional markets. Selling and/or unwinding non-core trading positions has reduced the volatility associated with long-term trading-related outflows and collateral obligations.

 

Long-Term Power Sales Agreements

 

PLR Contracts. Pursuant to long-term power sales agreements, AE Supply provides the Distribution Companies with generation service during retail competition transition periods in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and Virginia. Under these agreements, AE Supply provides the Distribution Companies with the amount of electricity, up to their PLR retail load and, in certain instances, wholesale load obligations, which they may demand during the transition periods in their states. These agreements under peak load conditions represent a significant portion of the normal operating capacity of AE Supply’s generating assets that were previously owned by Monongahela, Potomac Edison, and West Penn. AE Supply’s power sales agreements with West Penn, Monongahela (with respect to its Ohio customers), and Potomac Edison (with respect to its Maryland and Virginia customers) have a fixed price, as well as a market-based pricing component. As the amount of electricity AE Supply must deliver under these agreements at fixed rates decreases during the transition periods described above, the amount of electricity that is subject to market prices escalates. The transition to market prices will be phased in for the Distribution Companies at different times through 2008, depending upon the state and the customer class.

 

Exelon Toll. AE Supply entered into a long-term tolling agreement to provide Exelon with the right to call up to 664 MW of capacity and fuel conversion services based on the normal seasonal operating capacity of AE Supply’s Lincoln Generating Facility in Illinois. This contract began in June 2003 and will expire in May 2011.

 

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Under the terms of this agreement, Exelon pays AE Supply fixed monthly capacity payments for the contractual right to call on capacity and energy. This sale was made to hedge the capacity associated with the Lincoln Generating Facility.

 

Municipal Supply Contracts. AE Supply is the electricity generation supplier for eight boroughs in New Jersey and four boroughs in Pennsylvania that own and operate electric utilities as departments of municipal governments. These contracts were entered into as part of AE Supply’s previous retail marketing efforts, which have since been concluded. The multi-year contracts, which will supply 150 MW of electricity in the aggregate to the boroughs, will run through May 31, 2004 for the Pennsylvania boroughs and will run through December 31, 2004 for the New Jersey boroughs.

 

Terminated and Assigned Long-Term Contracts

 

CDWR Contract. In 2001, AE Supply entered into a power sale contract through 2011 with the CDWR to hedge certain long-term power purchase commitments included in the assets of Merrill Lynch’s energy trading business, which AE Supply acquired in March 2001. Under this agreement, AE Supply committed to supply the CDWR with annual contract volumes that varied from 150 MW to 500 MW through December 2004. For the last seven years of the contract, the contract volume was fixed at 1,000 MW. AE Supply began delivering power under this agreement in March 2001. The contract contained a fixed price of $61 per MWh. In 2002, agencies of the State of California initiated legal processes in an attempt to abrogate the power sale agreements. On June 10, 2003, AE Supply and CDWR agreed to renegotiated terms and conditions. The litigation and subsequent settlement agreement is discussed in this report under Item 3. “Legal Proceedings.” The renegotiated contract reduced the price for off-peak hour power supply and reduced the contract volumes (from 1,000 MW to 750-800 MW from 2005—2011). The modifications substantially reduced the value of the contract.

 

In September 2003, Allegheny sold the CDWR contract and associated hedge transactions to J. Aron & Company for approximately $354 million. See “Recent Events—Allegheny’s Response—Exiting from Western Energy Markets,” above for a further description of the sale.

 

BGE Supply Contract. AE Supply was party to a contract with Baltimore Gas & Electric Company (BGE), under which AE Supply was to provide BGE with 10 percent of BGE’s PLR obligations from July 2003 through June 2006. This amount was estimated to range from 200 MW to 530 MW per year. On June 26, 2003, AE Supply transferred the entire contract and its related power purchase hedges with BGE to Constellation Power Source, Inc. for a net cash outflow of approximately $2.5 million, including a reduction of collateral previously posted with BGE.

 

Dominion Energy Marketing. On March 22, 2002, AE Supply entered into a long-term agreement with Dominion Energy Marketing, Inc. The multi-year contract, which provided for the financial settlement of 80 MW of on-peak energy in the New York Independent System Operator and 75 MW of capacity credits, began in August 2002. This transaction was entered into to hedge AE Supply’s exposure under a planned New York barge generation project and tolling agreement. On September 30, 2003, AE Supply and Dominion Energy Marketing agreed to terminate this transaction for a net cash outflow of approximately $9.5 million, including the return of collateral previously posted with Dominion Energy Marketing. AE Supply has also terminated the agreement related to the barge project.

 

Certain Purchase and Transportation Contracts

 

Dominion Transmission Transportation Contract. AE Supply has a long-term agreement with Dominion Transmission, Inc., for the transportation of natural gas starting June 1, 2003, under a tariff approved by the FERC. This agreement provides for the firm transportation of 95,000 decatherms of natural gas per day through May 31, 2013, from Oakford, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania to Springdale, Pennsylvania. This transportation agreement was purchased for natural gas deliveries at AE Supply’s combined-cycle plant in Springdale, Pennsylvania.

 

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Equitable Gas Transportation Contract. AE Supply has a long-term agreement with Equitable Gas Company, a division of Equitable Resources, Inc., for the transportation of natural gas, starting March 11, 2003, under a tariff approved by the FERC. This agreement provides for firm transportation of 90,000 decatherms of natural gas per day through Dece