We use a mix of various fossil fuel types, including coal, natural gas and oil, to operate our system, which helps lessen our risk associated with any one fuel type. A significant portion of our coal requirements are under long-term contract, which removes most of the price risk associated with this commodity type. Due to the volatility of natural gas prices, we have begun to increasingly utilize our ability to switch to lower cost fuel types as the market allows.

Additional factors that affect our commodity price exposure are the quantity and availability of fuel used for generation and the quantity of electricity customers will consume. Quantities of fossil fuel used for generation could vary dramatically year to year based on the particular fuel’s availability, price, deliverability, unit outages and nuclear refueling. Our customers’ electricity usage could also vary dramatically year to year based on weather or other factors.

Although we generally attempt to balance our physical and financial contracts in terms of quantities and contract performance, net open positions typically exist. We will at times create a net open position or allow a net open position to continue when we believe that future price movements will increase the portfolio’s value. To the extent we have an open position, we are exposed to changing market prices that could have a material adverse impact on our financial position or results of operations.

The prices we use to value price risk management activities reflect our estimate of fair values considering various factors, including closing exchange and over-the-counter quotations, time value of money and price volatility factors underlying the commitments. We adjust prices to reflect the potential impact of liquidating our position in an orderly manner over a reasonable period of time under present market conditions. We consider a number of risks and costs associated with the future contractual commitments included in our energy portfolio, including credit risks associated with the financial condition of counterparties and the time value of money. We continuously monitor the portfolio and value it daily based on present market conditions.

Future changes in our creditworthiness and the creditworthiness of our counterparties may change the value of our portfolio. We adjust the value of contracts and set dollar limits with counterparties based on our assessment of their credit quality.

We use derivative financial instruments to reduce our exposure to certain fluctuations in some commodity prices, interest rates, and other market risks. When we enter into a financial instrument, we formally designate and document the instrument as a hedge of a specific underlying exposure, as well as the risk management objectives and strategies for undertaking the hedge transaction. Because of the high degree of correlation between the hedging instrument and the underlying exposure being hedged, fluctuations in the value of the derivative instruments are generally offset by changes in the value or cash flows of the underlying exposures being hedged.

We record derivatives used for hedging commodity price risk in our consolidated balance sheets at fair value as energy trading contracts.

The effective portion of the gain or loss on a derivative instrument designated as a cash flow hedge is reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). This amount is reclassified into earnings in the period during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. Effectiveness is the degree to which gains and losses on the hedging instruments offset the gains and losses on the hedged item. The ineffective portion of the hedging relationship is recognized currently in earnings.

The fair values of derivatives used to hedge or modify our risks fluctuate over time. These fair value amounts should not be viewed in isolation, but rather in relation to the fair values or cash flows of the underlying hedged transactions and the overall reduction in our risk relating to adverse fluctuations in interest rates, commodity prices and other market factors. In addition, the net income effect resulting from our derivative instruments is recorded in the same line item within our consolidated statements of income as the underlying exposure being hedged. We also formally assess, both at the inception and at least quarterly thereafter, whether the financial instruments that are used in hedging transactions are effective at offsetting changes in either the fair value or cash flows of the related underlying exposures. Any ineffective portion of a financial instrument’s change in fair value is immediately recognized in net income.

In 2002, due to the increased availability of our coal units and because we began burning more oil as use of oil became more economically favorable than gas, we did not burn our forecasted amount of natural gas. In September 2002, we determined that we had over-hedged approximately 12,000,000 MMBtu for the remaining period of the hedge. As a result of the discontinuance of this portion of the cash flow hedge, we recognized a gain in earnings of $4.0 million. We are currently forecasting that we need a notional volume of 7,000,000 MMBtu for the remainder of the hedged period through July 2004.

Effective October 4, 2001, we entered into a $500 million interest rate swap agreement with a term of two years. At that time, the effect of the swap agreement was to fix the annual interest rate on the term loan at 6.18%. In June 2002, we refinanced the term loan associated with this swap, which increased the effective rate of the swap to 6.43%. At December 31, 2002, the variable rate in effect for the term loan was 4.40%. Changes in the fair value of this cash flow hedge are due to fluctuations in the variable interest rate.