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Derivatives and Hedging (Policies) | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2023
Derivatives and Hedging | OBJECTIVES FOR UTILIZATION OF DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AEPSC is agent for and transacts on behalf of certain AEP subsidiaries, including the Registrant Subsidiaries. AEPEP is agent for and transacts on behalf of other AEP subsidiaries. The Registrants are exposed to certain market risks as major power producers and participants in the electricity, capacity, natural gas, coal and emission allowance markets. These risks include commodity price risks which may be subject to capacity risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. These risks represent the risk of loss that may impact the Registrants due to changes in the underlying market prices or rates. Management utilizes derivative instruments to manage these risks. STRATEGIES FOR UTILIZATION OF DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES Risk Management Strategies The strategy surrounding the use of derivative instruments primarily focuses on managing risk exposures, future cash flows and creating value utilizing both economic and formal hedging strategies. The risk management strategies also include the use of derivative instruments for trading purposes which focus on seizing market opportunities to create value driven by expected changes in the market prices of the commodities. To accomplish these objectives, the Registrants primarily employ risk management contracts including physical and financial forward purchase-and-sale contracts and, to a lesser extent, OTC swaps and options. Not all risk management contracts meet the definition of a derivative under the accounting guidance for “Derivatives and Hedging.” Derivative risk management contracts elected normal under the normal purchases and normal sales scope exception are not subject to the requirements of this accounting guidance. The Registrants utilize power, capacity, coal, natural gas, interest rate and, to a lesser extent, heating oil, gasoline and other commodity contracts to manage the risk associated with the energy business. The Registrants utilize interest rate derivative contracts in order to manage the interest rate exposure associated with the commodity portfolio. For disclosure purposes, such risks are grouped as “Commodity,” as these risks are related to energy risk management activities. The Registrants also utilize derivative contracts to manage interest rate risk associated with debt financing. For disclosure purposes, these risks are grouped as “Interest Rate.” The amount of risk taken is determined by the Commercial Operations, Energy Supply and Finance groups in accordance with established risk management policies as approved by the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors. Fair Value Hedging Strategies (Applies to AEP) Parent enters into interest rate derivative transactions as part of an overall strategy to manage the mix of fixed-rate and floating-rate debt. Certain interest rate derivative transactions effectively modify exposure to interest rate risk by converting a portion of fixed-rate debt to a floating-rate. Provided specific criteria are met, these interest rate derivatives may be designated as fair value hedges. Cash Flow Hedging Strategies The Registrants utilize cash flow hedges on certain derivative transactions for the purchase and sale of power (“Commodity”) in order to manage the variable price risk related to forecasted purchases and sales. Management monitors the potential impacts of commodity price changes and, where appropriate, enters into derivative transactions to protect profit margins for a portion of future electricity sales and purchases. The Registrants do not hedge all commodity price risk. The Registrants utilize a variety of interest rate derivative transactions in order to manage interest rate risk exposure. The Registrants also utilize interest rate derivative contracts to manage interest rate exposure related to future borrowings of fixed-rate debt. The Registrants do not hedge all interest rate exposure. ACCOUNTING FOR DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND THE IMPACT ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The accounting guidance for “Derivatives and Hedging” requires recognition of all qualifying derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities on the balance sheets at fair value. The fair values of derivative instruments accounted for using MTM accounting or hedge accounting are based on exchange prices and broker quotes. If a quoted market price is not available, the estimate of fair value is based on the best information available including valuation models that estimate future energy prices based on existing market and broker quotes and other assumptions. In order to determine the relevant fair values of the derivative instruments, the Registrants apply valuation adjustments for discounting, liquidity and credit quality. Credit risk is the risk that a counterparty will fail to perform on the contract or fail to pay amounts due. Liquidity risk represents the risk that imperfections in the market will cause the price to vary from estimated fair value based upon prevailing market supply and demand conditions. Since energy markets are imperfect and volatile, there are inherent risks related to the underlying assumptions in models used to fair value risk management contracts. Unforeseen events may cause reasonable price curves to differ from actual price curves throughout a contract’s term and at the time a contract settles. Consequently, there could be significant adverse or favorable effects on future net income and cash flows if market prices are not consistent with management’s estimates of current market consensus for forward prices in the current period. This is particularly true for longer term contracts. Cash flows may vary based on market conditions, margin requirements and the timing of settlement of risk management contracts. According to the accounting guidance for “Derivatives and Hedging,” the Registrants reflect the fair values of derivative instruments subject to netting agreements with the same counterparty net of related cash collateral. For certain risk management contracts, the Registrants are required to post or receive cash collateral based on third-party contractual agreements and risk profiles. Certain qualifying derivative instruments have been designated as normal purchase or normal sale contracts, as provided in the accounting guidance for “Derivatives and Hedging.” Derivative contracts that have been designated as normal purchases or normal sales under that accounting guidance are not subject to MTM accounting treatment and are recognized on the statements of income on an accrual basis. The accounting for the changes in the fair value of a derivative instrument depends on whether it qualifies for and has been designated as part of a hedging relationship and further, on the type of hedging relationship. Depending on the exposure, management designates a hedging instrument as a fair value hedge or a cash flow hedge. For contracts that have not been designated as part of a hedging relationship, the accounting for changes in fair value depends on whether the derivative instrument is held for trading purposes. Unrealized and realized gains and losses on derivative instruments held for trading purposes are included in revenues on a net basis on the statements of income. Unrealized and realized gains and losses on derivative instruments not held for trading purposes are included in revenues or expenses on the statements of income depending on the relevant facts and circumstances. Certain derivatives that economically hedge future commodity risk are recorded in the same line item on the statements of income as that of the associated risk being hedged. However, unrealized and some realized gains and losses in regulated jurisdictions for both trading and non-trading derivative instruments are recorded as regulatory assets (for losses) or regulatory liabilities (for gains) in accordance with the accounting guidance for “Regulated Operations.” Accounting for Fair Value Hedging Strategies (Applies to AEP) For fair value hedges (i.e. hedging the exposure to changes in the fair value of an asset, liability or an identified portion thereof attributable to a particular risk), the gain or loss on the derivative instrument as well as the offsetting gain or loss on the hedged item associated with the hedged risk impacts net income during the period of change. AEP records realized and unrealized gains or losses on interest rate swaps that are designated and qualify for fair value hedge accounting treatment and any offsetting changes in the fair value of the debt being hedged in Interest Expense on the statements of income. Accounting for Cash Flow Hedging Strategies (Applies to AEP, AEP Texas, APCo, I&M, PSO and SWEPCo) For cash flow hedges (i.e. hedging the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows that is attributable to a particular risk), the Registrants initially report the gain or loss on the derivative instrument as a component of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) on the balance sheets until the period the hedged item affects net income. Realized gains and losses on derivative contracts for the purchase and sale of power designated as cash flow hedges are included in Total Revenues or Purchased Electricity, Fuel and Other Consumables Used for Electric Generation on the statements of income or in Regulatory Assets or Regulatory Liabilities on the balance sheets, depending on the specific nature of the risk being hedged.The Registrants reclassify gains and losses on interest rate derivative hedges related to debt financings from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) on the balance sheets into Interest Expense on the statements of income in those periods in which hedged interest payments occur. Credit Risk Management mitigates credit risk in wholesale marketing and trading activities by assessing the creditworthiness of potential counterparties before entering into transactions with them and continuing to evaluate their creditworthiness on an ongoing basis. Management uses credit agency ratings and current market-based qualitative and quantitative data as well as financial statements to assess the financial health of counterparties on an ongoing basis. Master agreements are typically used to facilitate the netting of cash flows associated with a single counterparty and may include collateral requirements. Collateral requirements in the form of cash, letters of credit and parental/affiliate guarantees may be obtained as security from counterparties in order to mitigate credit risk. Some master agreements include margining, which requires a counterparty to post cash or letters of credit in the event exposure exceeds the established threshold. The threshold represents an unsecured credit limit which may be supported by a parental/affiliate guaranty, as determined in accordance with AEP’s credit policy. In addition, master agreements allow for termination and liquidation of all positions in the event of a default including a failure or inability to post collateral when required. Credit-Risk-Related Contingent Features Credit Downgrade Triggers (Applies to AEP, APCo, I&M, PSO and SWEPCo) A limited number of derivative contracts include collateral triggering events, which include a requirement to maintain certain credit ratings. On an ongoing basis, AEP’s risk management organization assesses the appropriateness of these collateral triggering events in contracts. The Registrants have not experienced a downgrade below a specified credit rating threshold that would require the posting of additional collateral.Cross-Acceleration TriggersCertain interest rate derivative contracts contain cross-acceleration provisions that, if triggered, would permit the counterparty to declare a default and require settlement of the outstanding payable. These cross-acceleration provisions could be triggered if there was a non-performance event by the Registrants under any of their outstanding debt of at least $50 million and the lender on that debt has accelerated the entire repayment obligation. On an ongoing basis, AEP’s risk management organization assesses the appropriateness of these cross-acceleration provisions in contracts.Cross-Default Triggers (Applies to AEP, APCo, I&M, PSO and SWEPCo)In addition, a majority of non-exchange traded commodity contracts contain cross-default provisions that, if triggered, would permit the counterparty to declare a default and require settlement of the outstanding payable. These cross-default provisions could be triggered if there was a non-performance event by Parent or the obligor under outstanding debt or a third-party obligation that is $50 million or greater. On an ongoing basis, AEP’s risk management organization assesses the appropriateness of these cross-default provisions in the contracts.

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