| Fair Value Measurements |
NOTE 8. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS We discuss the valuation techniques and inputs we use to measure fair value and the definition of the three levels of the fair value hierarchy in Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report. We have not changed the valuation techniques or inputs we use to measure fair value during the six months ended June 30, 2015. Recurring Fair Value Measures The three tables below, by level within the fair value hierarchy, set forth our financial assets and liabilities that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014. We classify financial assets and liabilities in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Our assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment, and may affect the valuation of fair value assets and liabilities, and their placement within the fair value hierarchy levels. The fair value of commodity derivative assets and liabilities is presented in accordance with our netting policy, as we discuss in Note 7 under “Financial Statement Presentation.” The determination of fair values, shown in the tables below, incorporates various factors, including but not limited to, the credit standing of the counterparties involved and the impact of credit enhancements (such as cash deposits, letters of credit and priority interests). Our financial assets and liabilities that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 in the tables below include the following: - Nuclear decommissioning trusts reflect the assets of SDG&E’s nuclear decommissioning trusts, excluding cash balances. A third party trustee values the trust assets using prices from a pricing service based on a market approach. We validate these prices by comparison to prices from other independent data sources. Equity and certain debt securities are valued using quoted prices listed on nationally recognized securities exchanges or based on closing prices reported in the active market in which the identical security is traded (Level 1). Other debt securities are valued based on yields that are currently available for comparable securities of issuers with similar credit ratings (Level 2).
- We enter into commodity contracts and interest rate derivatives primarily as a means to manage price exposures. We may also manage foreign exchange rate exposures using derivatives. We primarily use a market approach with market participant assumptions to value these derivatives. Market participant assumptions include those about risk, and the risk inherent in the inputs to the valuation techniques. These inputs can be readily observable, market corroborated, or generally unobservable. We have exchange-traded derivatives that are valued based on quoted prices in active markets for the identical instruments (Level 1). We also may have other commodity derivatives that are valued using industry standard models that consider quoted forward prices for commodities, time value, current market and contractual prices for the underlying instruments, volatility factors, and other relevant economic measures (Level 2). Level 3 recurring items relate to CRRs and long-term, fixed-price electricity positions at SDG&E, as we discuss below under “Level 3 Information.” We record commodity derivative contracts that are subject to rate recovery as commodity costs that are offset by regulatory account balances and are recovered in rates.
- Investments include marketable securities that we value using a market approach based on closing prices reported in the active market in which the identical security is traded (Level 1).
There were no transfers into or out of Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3 for Sempra Energy Consolidated, SDG&E or SoCalGas during the periods presented, nor any changes in valuation techniques used in recurring fair value measurements. | RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASURES – SEMPRA ENERGY CONSOLIDATED | | (Dollars in millions) | | Fair value at June 30, 2015 | | | Level 1 | | Level 2 | | Level 3 | | Netting(1) | | Total | | Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | Nuclear decommissioning trusts: | | | | | | | | | | | | Equity securities | $ | 665 | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | 665 | | Debt securities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Debt securities issued by the U.S. Treasury and other | | | | | | | | | | | | U.S. government corporations and agencies | | 50 | | 48 | | ― | | ― | | 98 | | Municipal bonds | | ― | | 152 | | ― | | ― | | 152 | | Other securities | | ― | | 209 | | ― | | ― | | 209 | | Total debt securities | | 50 | | 409 | | ― | | ― | | 459 | | Total nuclear decommissioning trusts(2) | | 715 | | 409 | | ― | | ― | | 1,124 | | Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments | | ― | | 43 | | ― | | ― | | 43 | | Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery | | 6 | | 13 | | ― | | 17 | | 36 | | Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery | | ― | | 1 | | 87 | | 27 | | 115 | | Total | $ | 721 | $ | 466 | $ | 87 | $ | 44 | $ | 1,318 | | Liabilities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments | $ | ― | $ | 172 | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | 172 | | Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery | | 4 | | 4 | | ― | | (6) | | 2 | | Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery | | ― | | 54 | | 45 | | (42) | | 57 | | Total | $ | 4 | $ | 230 | $ | 45 | $ | (48) | $ | 231 | | | | | | | | | | | | | Fair value at December 31, 2014 | | | Level 1 | | Level 2 | | Level 3 | | Netting(1) | | Total | | Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | Nuclear decommissioning trusts: | | | | | | | | | | | | Equity securities | $ | 655 | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | 655 | | Debt securities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Debt securities issued by the U.S. Treasury and other | | | | | | | | | | | | U.S. government corporations and agencies | | 62 | | 47 | | ― | | ― | | 109 | | Municipal bonds | | ― | | 129 | | ― | | ― | | 129 | | Other securities | | ― | | 207 | | ― | | ― | | 207 | | Total debt securities | | 62 | | 383 | | ― | | ― | | 445 | | Total nuclear decommissioning trusts(2) | | 717 | | 383 | | ― | | ― | | 1,100 | | Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments | | ― | | 48 | | ― | | ― | | 48 | | Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery | | 28 | | 16 | | ― | | (11) | | 33 | | Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery | | ― | | 1 | | 107 | | 14 | | 122 | | Total | $ | 745 | $ | 448 | $ | 107 | $ | 3 | $ | 1,303 | | Liabilities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments | $ | ― | $ | 155 | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | 155 | | Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery | | 3 | | 9 | | ― | | (4) | | 8 | | Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery | | ― | | 52 | | ― | | (36) | | 16 | | Total | $ | 3 | $ | 216 | $ | ― | $ | (40) | $ | 179 | | (1) | Includes the effect of the contractual ability to settle contracts under master netting agreements and with cash collateral, as well as cash collateral not offset. | | (2) | Excludes cash balances and cash equivalents. | | | | | | | | | | |
| RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASURES – SDG&E | | (Dollars in millions) | | Fair value at June 30, 2015 | | | Level 1 | | Level 2 | | Level 3 | | Netting(1) | | Total | | Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | Nuclear decommissioning trusts: | | | | | | | | | | | | Equity securities | $ | 665 | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | 665 | | Debt securities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Debt securities issued by the U.S. Treasury and other | | | | | | | | | | | | U.S. government corporations and agencies | | 50 | | 48 | | ― | | ― | | 98 | | Municipal bonds | | ― | | 152 | | ― | | ― | | 152 | | Other securities | | ― | | 209 | | ― | | ― | | 209 | | Total debt securities | | 50 | | 409 | | ― | | ― | | 459 | | Total nuclear decommissioning trusts(2) | | 715 | | 409 | | ― | | ― | | 1,124 | | Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery | | ― | | ― | | ― | | 1 | | 1 | | Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery | | ― | | ― | | 87 | | 26 | | 113 | | Total | $ | 715 | $ | 409 | $ | 87 | $ | 27 | $ | 1,238 | | Liabilities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Interest rate instruments | $ | ― | $ | 43 | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | 43 | | Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery | | 1 | | ― | | ― | | (1) | | ― | | Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery | | ― | | 54 | | 45 | | (42) | | 57 | | Total | $ | 1 | $ | 97 | $ | 45 | $ | (43) | $ | 100 | | | | | | | | | | | | | Fair value at December 31, 2014 | | | Level 1 | | Level 2 | | Level 3 | | Netting(1) | | Total | | Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | Nuclear decommissioning trusts: | | | | | | | | | | | | Equity securities | $ | 655 | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | 655 | | Debt securities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Debt securities issued by the U.S. Treasury and other | | | | | | | | | | | | U.S. government corporations and agencies | | 62 | | 47 | | ― | | ― | | 109 | | Municipal bonds | | ― | | 129 | | ― | | ― | | 129 | | Other securities | | ― | | 207 | | ― | | ― | | 207 | | Total debt securities | | 62 | | 383 | | ― | | ― | | 445 | | Total nuclear decommissioning trusts(2) | | 717 | | 383 | | ― | | ― | | 1,100 | | Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery | | ― | | ― | | 107 | | 12 | | 119 | | Total | $ | 717 | $ | 383 | $ | 107 | $ | 12 | $ | 1,219 | | Liabilities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Interest rate instruments | $ | ― | $ | 47 | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | 47 | | Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery | | 1 | | ― | | ― | | (1) | | ― | | Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery | | ― | | 51 | | ― | | (36) | | 15 | | Total | $ | 1 | $ | 98 | $ | ― | $ | (37) | $ | 62 | | (1) | Includes the effect of the contractual ability to settle contracts under master netting agreements and with cash collateral, as well as cash collateral not offset. | | (2) | Excludes cash balances and cash equivalents. | | | | | | | | | | |
| RECURRING FAIR VALUE MEASURES – SOCALGAS | | (Dollars in millions) | | | Fair value at June 30, 2015 | | | | Level 1 | | Level 2 | | Level 3 | | Netting(1) | | Total | | Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | 2 | $ | 2 | | Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery | | ― | | 1 | | ― | | 1 | | 2 | | Total | $ | ― | $ | 1 | $ | ― | $ | 3 | $ | 4 | | Liabilities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery | $ | 1 | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | (1) | $ | ― | | Total | $ | 1 | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | (1) | $ | ― | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Fair value at December 31, 2014 | | | | Level 1 | | Level 2 | | Level 3 | | Netting(1) | | Total | | Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery | $ | ― | $ | 1 | $ | ― | $ | 2 | $ | 3 | | Total | $ | ― | $ | 1 | $ | ― | $ | 2 | $ | 3 | | Liabilities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery | $ | 2 | $ | ― | $ | ― | $ | (2) | $ | ― | | Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery | | ― | | 1 | | ― | | ― | | 1 | | Total | $ | 2 | $ | 1 | $ | ― | $ | (2) | $ | 1 | | (1) | Includes the effect of the contractual ability to settle contracts under master netting agreements and with cash collateral, as well as cash collateral not offset. |
Level 3 Information The following table sets forth reconciliations of changes in the fair value of Congestion Revenue Rights (CRRs) and long-term, fixed-price electricity positions classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy for Sempra Energy Consolidated and SDG&E: | LEVEL 3 RECONCILIATIONS | | (Dollars in millions) | | Three months ended June 30, | | 2015 | 2014 | | Balance as of April 1 | $ | 102 | $ | 95 | | Realized and unrealized (losses) gains | | (60) | | 5 | | Allocated transmission instruments | | 1 | | ― | | Settlements | | (1) | | (15) | | Balance as of June 30 | $ | 42 | $ | 85 | | Change in unrealized gains or losses relating to | | | | | | instruments still held at June 30 | $ | 45 | $ | ― |
| Six months ended June 30, | | 2015 | 2014 | | Balance as of January 1 | $ | 107 | $ | 99 | | Realized and unrealized (losses) gains | | (54) | | 6 | | Allocated transmission instruments | | 1 | | 1 | | Settlements | | (12) | | (21) | | Balance as of June 30 | $ | 42 | $ | 85 | | Change in unrealized gains or losses relating to | | | | | | instruments still held at June 30 | $ | 46 | $ | ― |
SDG&E’s Energy and Fuel Procurement department, in conjunction with SDG&E’s finance group, is responsible for determining the appropriate fair value methodologies used to value and classify CRRs and long-term, fixed-price electricity positions on an ongoing basis. Inputs used to determine the fair value of CRRs and fixed-priced electricity positions are reviewed and compared with market conditions to determine reasonableness. SDG&E expects all costs related to these instruments to be recoverable through customer rates. As such, there is no impact to earnings from changes in the fair value of these instruments. CRRs are recorded at fair value based almost entirely on the most current auction prices published by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), an objective source. Annual auction prices are published once a year, typically in the middle of November, and remain in effect for the following calendar year. The impact associated with discounting is negligible. Because auction prices are a less observable input, these instruments are classified as Level 3. From January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015 the auction prices range from $(16) per MWh to $8 per MWh at a given location, and from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014 the auction prices ranged from $(6) per MWh to $12 per MWh at a given location. The fair value of these instruments is derived from auction price differences between two locations. Positive values between two locations represent expected future reductions in congestion costs, whereas negative values between two locations represent expected future charges. Valuation of our CRRs is sensitive to a change in auction price. If auction prices at one location increase (decrease) relative to another location, this could result in a higher (lower) fair value measurement. We summarize CRR volumes in Note 7. Long-term electricity positions that are valued using significant unobservable data are classified as Level 3 because the contract terms relate to a delivery location or tenor for which observable market rate information is not available. The fair value of the net electricity positions classified as Level 3 is derived from a discounted cash flow model using market electricity forward price inputs that range from $26.75 per MWh to $63.33 per MWh. A significant increase or decrease in market electricity forward prices would result in a significantly higher or lower fair value, respectively. Realized gains and losses associated with CRRs and long-term electricity positions are recorded in Cost of Electric Fuel and Purchased Power, which is recoverable in rates, on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. Unrealized gains and losses are recorded as regulatory assets and liabilities and therefore also do not affect earnings. Fair Value of Financial Instruments The fair values of certain of our financial instruments (cash, temporary investments, accounts and notes receivable, dividends and accounts payable, short-term debt and customer deposits) approximate their carrying amounts. Investments in life insurance contracts that we hold in support of our Supplemental Executive Retirement, Cash Balance Restoration and Deferred Compensation Plans are carried at cash surrender values, which represent the amount of cash that could be realized under the contracts. The following table provides the carrying amounts and fair values of certain other financial instruments at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014: | FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS | | (Dollars in millions) | | | June 30, 2015 | | | Carrying | | Fair value | | | amount | | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Total | | Sempra Energy Consolidated: | | | | | | | | | | | | | Total long-term debt(1)(2) | $ | 13,569 | | $ | ― | $ | 13,772 | $ | 725 | $ | 14,497 | | Preferred stock of subsidiary | | 20 | | | ― | | 23 | | ― | | 23 | | SDG&E: | | | | | | | | | | | | | Total long-term debt(2)(3) | $ | 4,747 | | $ | ― | $ | 4,772 | $ | 320 | $ | 5,092 | | SoCalGas: | | | | | | | | | | | | | Total long-term debt(4) | $ | 2,512 | | $ | ― | $ | 2,608 | $ | ― | $ | 2,608 | | Preferred stock | | 22 | | | ― | | 24 | | ― | | 24 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | December 31, 2014 | | | Carrying | | Fair value | | | amount | | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Total | | Sempra Energy Consolidated: | | | | | | | | | | | | | Total long-term debt(1)(2) | $ | 12,347 | | $ | ― | $ | 12,782 | $ | 917 | $ | 13,699 | | Preferred stock of subsidiary | | 20 | | | ― | | 23 | | ― | | 23 | | SDG&E: | | | | | | | | | | | | | Total long-term debt(2)(3) | $ | 4,461 | | $ | ― | $ | 4,563 | $ | 425 | $ | 4,988 | | SoCalGas: | | | | | | | | | | | | | Total long-term debt(4) | $ | 1,913 | | $ | ― | $ | 2,124 | $ | ― | $ | 2,124 | | Preferred stock | | 22 | | | ― | | 25 | | ― | | 25 | | (1) | Before reductions for unamortized discount (net of premium) of $21 million at both June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, and excluding build-to-suit and capital leases of $351 million and $310 million at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. We discuss our long-term debt in Note 6 above and in Note 5 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report. | | (2) | Level 3 instruments include $320 million and $325 million at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, related to Otay Mesa VIE. | | (3) | Before reductions for unamortized discount of $10 million and $11 million at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, and excluding capital leases of $231 million and $234 million at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. | | (4) | Before reductions for unamortized discount of $7 million and $8 million at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, and excluding capital leases of $2 million and $1 million at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. |
We base the fair value of certain long-term debt and preferred stock on a market approach using quoted market prices for identical or similar securities in thinly-traded markets (Level 2). We value other long-term debt using an income approach based on the present value of estimated future cash flows discounted at rates available for similar securities (Level 3). We provide the fair values for the securities held in the nuclear decommissioning trust funds related to SONGS in Note 9 below.
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