Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is engaged primarily in the regulated natural gas distribution and transmission and storage businesses as well as other nonregulated natural gas businesses. Since our incorporation in Texas in 1983, we have grown primarily through a series of acquisitions, the most recent of which was the acquisition in October 2004 of the natural gas distribution and pipeline operations of TXU Gas Company. We are also incorporated in the state of Virginia.
Today, we distribute natural gas through regulated sales and transportation arrangements to over 3 million residential, commercial, public authority and industrial customers in 12 states located primarily in the South, which makes us one of the country’s largest natural-gas-only distributors based on number of customers. We also operate one of the largest intrastate pipelines in Texas based on miles of pipe.
Through our nonregulated businesses, we primarily provide natural gas management and marketing services to municipalities, other local gas distribution companies and industrial customers primarily in the Midwest and Southeast and natural gas transportation along with storage services to certain of our natural gas distribution divisions and third parties.
We have experienced more than 25 consecutive years of increasing dividends and earnings growth after giving effect to our acquisitions. Historically, we achieved this record of growth through acquisitions while efficiently managing our operating and maintenance expenses and leveraging our technology to achieve more efficient operations. In recent years, we have also achieved growth by implementing rate designs that reduce or eliminate regulatory lag and separate the recovery of our approved margins from customer usage patterns. In addition, we have developed various commercial opportunities within our regulated transmission and storage operations. Finally, we have strengthened our nonregulated businesses by increasing sales volumes and improving per-unit margins.
Our core values include focusing on our employees and customers while conducting our business with honesty and integrity. We continue to strengthen our culture through ongoing communications with our employees and enhanced employee training.
Our natural gas distribution business is a seasonal business. Gas sales to residential and commercial customers are greater during the winter months than during the remainder of the year. The volumes of gas sales during the winter months will vary with the temperatures during these months.
Revenues in this operating segment are established by regulatory authorities in the states in which we operate. These rates are intended to be sufficient to cover the costs of conducting business and to provide a reasonable return on invested capital. Our primary service areas are located in Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. We have more limited service areas in Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Virginia. In addition, we transport natural gas for others through our distribution system.
Rates established by regulatory authorities often include cost adjustment mechanisms for costs that (i) are subject to significant price fluctuations compared to our other costs, (ii) represent a large component of our cost of service and (iii) are generally outside our control.
Purchased gas cost mechanisms represent a common form of cost adjustment mechanism. Purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms provide natural gas utility companies a method of recovering purchased gas costs on an ongoing basis without filing a rate case because they provide a dollar-for-dollar offset to increases or decreases in natural gas distribution gas costs. Therefore, although substantially all of our natural gas distribution operating revenues fluctuate with the cost of gas that we purchase, natural gas distribution gross profit (which is defined as operating revenues less purchased gas cost) is generally not affected by fluctuations in the cost of gas.
Additionally, some jurisdictions have introduced performance-based ratemaking adjustments to provide incentives to natural gas utilities to minimize purchased gas costs through improved storage management and use of financial instruments to lock in gas costs. Under the performance-based ratemaking adjustment, purchased gas costs savings are shared between the utility and its customers.
Finally, regulatory authorities have approved weather normalization adjustments (WNA) for over 90 percent of residential and commercial meters in our service areas as a part of our rates. WNA minimizes the effect of weather that is above or below normal by allowing us to increase customers’ bills to offset lower gas usage when weather is warmer than normal and decrease customers’ bills to offset higher gas usage when weather is colder than normal.
Financial results for this segment are affected by the cost of natural gas and economic conditions in the areas that we serve. As discussed above, we are generally able to pass the cost of gas through to our customers under purchased gas adjustment clauses; therefore, the cost of gas typically does not have a direct impact on our gross profit. However, higher gas costs may cause customers to conserve or, in the case of industrial customers, to use alternative energy sources. Higher gas costs may also adversely impact our accounts receivable collections, resulting in higher bad debt expense and may require us to increase borrowings under our credit facilities resulting in higher interest expense.
Our supply of natural gas is provided by a variety of suppliers, including independent producers, marketers and pipeline companies and withdrawals of gas from proprietary and contracted storage assets. Additionally, the natural gas supply for our Mid-Tex Division includes peaking and spot purchase agreements.
Supply arrangements consist of both base load and swing supply (peaking) quantities and are contracted from our suppliers on a firm basis with various terms at market prices. Base load quantities are those that flow at a constant level throughout the month and swing supply quantities provide the flexibility to change daily quantities to match increases or decreases in requirements related to weather conditions.
Currently, all of our natural gas distribution divisions, except for our Mid-Tex Division, utilize 39 pipeline transportation companies, both interstate and intrastate, to transport our natural gas. The pipeline transportation agreements are firm and many of them have “pipeline no-notice” storage service, which provides for daily balancing between system requirements and nominated flowing supplies. These agreements have been negotiated with the shortest term necessary while still maintaining our right of first refusal. The natural gas supply for our Mid-Tex Division is delivered by our Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division.
Except for local production purchases, we select our natural gas suppliers through a competitive bidding process by requesting proposals from suppliers that have demonstrated that they can provide reliable service. We select these suppliers based on their ability to deliver gas supply to our designated firm pipeline receipt points at the lowest cost. Major suppliers during fiscal 2009 were Anadarko Energy Services, Chesapeake Energy Marketing, Inc., ConocoPhillips Company, Devon Gas Services, L.P., Enbridge Marketing (US) L.P., Iberdrola Renewables, Inc., National Fuel Marketing Company, LLC, ONEOK Energy Services Company L.P., Tenaska Marketing and Atmos Energy Marketing, LLC, our natural gas marketing subsidiary.
The combination of base load, peaking and spot purchase agreements, coupled with the withdrawal of gas held in storage, allows us the flexibility to adjust to changes in weather, which minimizes our need to enter into long-term firm commitments. We estimate our peak-day availability of natural gas supply to be approximately 4.2 Bcf. The peak-day demand for our natural gas distribution operations in fiscal 2009 was on January 15, 2009, when sales to customers reached approximately 3.1 Bcf.
To maintain our deliveries to high priority customers, we have the ability, and have exercised our right, to curtail deliveries to certain customers under the terms of interruptible contracts or applicable state regulations or statutes. Our customers’ demand on our system is not necessarily indicative of our ability to meet current or anticipated market demands or immediate delivery requirements because of factors such as the physical limitations of gathering, storage and transmission systems, the duration and severity of cold weather, the availability of gas reserves from our suppliers, the ability to purchase additional supplies on a short-term basis and actions by federal and state regulatory authorities. Curtailment rights provide us the flexibility to meet the human-needs requirements of our customers on a firm basis. Priority allocations imposed by federal and state regulatory agencies, as well as other factors beyond our control, may affect our ability to meet the demands of our customers. We anticipate no problems with obtaining additional gas supply as needed for our customers.
The following briefly describes our six natural gas distribution divisions. We operate in our service areas under terms of non-exclusive franchise agreements granted by the various cities and towns that we serve. At September 30, 2009, we held 1,111 franchises having terms generally ranging from five to 35 years. A significant number of our franchises expire each year, which require renewal prior to the end of their terms. We believe that we will be able to renew our franchises as they expire. Additional information concerning our natural gas distribution divisions is presented under the caption “Operating Statistics”.
Atmos Energy Mid-Tex Division. Our Mid-Tex Division serves approximately 550 incorporated and unincorporated communities in the north-central, eastern and western parts of Texas, including the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. The governing body of each municipality we serve has original jurisdiction over all gas distribution rates, operations and services within its city limits, except with respect to sales of natural gas for vehicle fuel and agricultural use. The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) has exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all rate and regulatory orders and ordinances of the municipalities and exclusive original jurisdiction over rates and services to customers not located within the limits of a municipality.
Prior to fiscal 2008, this division operated under one system-wide rate structure. However, in 2008, we reached a settlement with cities representing approximately 80 percent of this division’s customers (Settled Cities) that has allowed us, beginning in 2008, to update rates for customers in these cities through an annual rate review mechanism. Rates for the remaining 20 percent of this division’s customers, primarily the City of Dallas, continue to be updated through periodic formal rate proceedings and filings made under Texas’ Gas Reliability Infrastructure Program (GRIP). GRIP allows us to include in our rate base annually approved capital costs incurred in the prior calendar year provided that we file a complete rate case at least once every five years.
Atmos Energy Kentucky/Mid-States Division. Our Kentucky/Mid-States Division operates in more than 420 communities across Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Virginia. The service areas in these states are primarily rural; however, this division serves Franklin, Tennessee, and other suburban areas of Nashville. We update our rates in this division through periodic formal rate filings made with each state’s public service commission.
Atmos Energy Louisiana Division. In Louisiana, we serve nearly 300 communities, including the suburban areas of New Orleans, the metropolitan area of Monroe and western Louisiana. Direct sales of natural gas to industrial customers in Louisiana, who use gas for fuel or in manufacturing processes, and sales of natural gas for vehicle fuel are exempt from regulation and are recognized in our natural gas marketing segment. Our rates in this division are updated annually through a rate stabilization clause filing without filing a formal rate case.
Atmos Energy West Texas Division. Our West Texas Division serves approximately 80 communities in West Texas, including the Amarillo, Lubbock and Midland areas. Like our Mid-Tex Division, each municipality we serve has original jurisdiction over all gas distribution rates, operations and services within its city limits, with the RRC having exclusive appellate jurisdiction over the municipalities and exclusive original jurisdiction over rates and services provided to customers not located within the limits of a municipality. Prior to fiscal 2008, rates were updated in this division through formal rate proceedings. However, the West Texas Division entered into agreements with its West Texas service areas during 2008 and its Amarillo and Lubbock service area during 2009 to update rates for customers in these service areas through an annual rate review mechanism.
Atmos Energy Mississippi Division. In Mississippi, we serve about 110 communities throughout the northern half of the state, including the Jackson metropolitan area. Our rates in the Mississippi Division are updated annually through a stable rate filing without filing a formal rate case.
Atmos Energy Colorado-Kansas Division. Our Colorado-Kansas Division serves approximately 170 communities throughout Colorado and Kansas and parts of Missouri, including the cities of Olathe, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City and Greeley, Colorado, located near Denver. We update our rates in this division through periodic formal rate filings made with each state’s public service commission.
Atmos Energy Louisiana Division. In Louisiana, we serve nearly 300 communities, including the suburban areas of New Orleans, the metropolitan area of Monroe and western Louisiana. Direct sales of natural gas to industrial customers in Louisiana, who use gas for fuel or in manufacturing processes, and sales of natural gas for vehicle fuel are exempt from regulation and are recognized in our natural gas marketing segment. Our rates in this division are updated annually through a rate stabilization clause filing without filing a formal rate case.
Atmos Energy West Texas Division. Our West Texas Division serves approximately 80 communities in West Texas, including the Amarillo, Lubbock and Midland areas. Like our Mid-Tex Division, each municipality we serve has original jurisdiction over all gas distribution rates, operations and services within its city limits, with the RRC having exclusive appellate jurisdiction over the municipalities and exclusive original jurisdiction over rates and services provided to customers not located within the limits of a municipality. Prior to fiscal 2008, rates were updated in this division through formal rate proceedings. However, the West Texas Division entered into agreements with its West Texas service areas during 2008 and its Amarillo and Lubbock service area during 2009 to update rates for customers in these service areas through an annual rate review mechanism.
Atmos Energy Mississippi Division. In Mississippi, we serve about 110 communities throughout the northern half of the state, including the Jackson metropolitan area. Our rates in the Mississippi Division are updated annually through a stable rate filing without filing a formal rate case.
Atmos Energy Colorado-Kansas Division. Our Colorado-Kansas Division serves approximately 170 communities throughout Colorado and Kansas and parts of Missouri, including the cities of Olathe, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City and Greeley, Colorado, located near Denver. We update our rates in this division through periodic formal rate filings made with each state’s public service commission.
The following table provides a jurisdictional rate summary for our regulated operations. This information is for regulatory purposes only and may not be representative of our actual financial position.
Natural Gas Marketing Segment Overview
Our natural gas marketing activities are conducted through Atmos Energy Marketing (AEM), which is wholly-owned by Atmos Energy Holdings, Inc. (AEH). AEH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AEC and operates primarily in the Midwest and Southeast areas of the United States.
AEM’s primary business is to aggregate and purchase gas supply, arrange transportation and storage logistics and ultimately deliver gas to customers at competitive prices. In addition, AEM utilizes proprietary and customer-owned transportation and storage assets to provide various services our customers request, including furnishing natural gas supplies at fixed and market-based prices, contract negotiation and administration, load forecasting, gas storage acquisition and management services, transportation services, peaking sales and balancing services, capacity utilization strategies and gas price hedging through the use of financial instruments. AEM serves most of its customers under contracts generally having one to two year terms and sells natural gas to some of its industrial customers on a delivered burner tip basis under contract terms ranging from 30 days to two years. As a result, AEM’s margins arise from the types of commercial transactions we have structured with our customers and our ability to identify the lowest cost alternative among the natural gas supplies, transportation and markets to which it has access to serve those customers.
AEM also seeks to maximize, through asset optimization activities, the economic value associated with the storage and transportation capacity we own or control in our natural gas distribution and natural gas marketing segments. We attempt to meet this objective by engaging in natural gas storage transactions in which we seek to find and profit through the arbitrage of pricing differences in various locations and by recognizing pricing differences that occur over time. This process involves purchasing physical natural gas, storing it in the storage and transportation assets to which AEM has access and selling financial instruments at advantageous prices to lock in a gross profit margin.
Pipeline, Storage and Other Segment Overview
Our pipeline, storage and other segment primarily consists of the operations of Atmos Pipeline and Storage, LLC (APS), which is wholly-owned by AEH. APS is engaged in nonregulated transmission, storage and natural gas gathering services. Its primary asset is a proprietary 21 mile pipeline located in New Orleans, Louisiana. It also owns or controls additional pipeline and storage capacity including interests in underground storage fields in Kentucky and Louisiana that are used to reduce the need of our natural gas distribution divisions to contract for pipeline capacity to meet customer demand during peak periods.
APS’ primary business is to provide storage and transportation services to our Louisiana and Kentucky/MidStates regulated natural gas distribution divisions, to our natural gas marketing segment and, on a more limited basis, to third parties. APS earns transportation fees and storage demand charges to aggregate and provide gas supply, provide access to storage capacity and transport gas for these customers.
APS also engages in various asset optimization activities. APS’ primary asset optimization activity involves the administration of two asset management plans with regulated affiliates of the Company. These arrangements provide APS the opportunity to maximize the economic value associated with the transportation and storage capacity assigned to these plans. APS attempts to meet this objective through a variety of activities including engaging in natural gas storage transactions and utilizing excess asset capacity to find and profit through the arbitrage of pricing differences in various locations and by recognizing pricing differences that occur over time. These plans require APS to share a portion of the economic value created by these activities with the regulated customers served by these affiliates. These arrangements have been approved by applicable state regulatory commissions and are subject to annual regulatory review intended to ensure proper allocation of economic value between our regulated customers and APS.
APS also seeks to maximize the economic value associated with the storage and transportation capacity it owns or controls. We attempt to meet this objective by engaging in natural gas storage transactions in which we seek to find and profit through the arbitrage of pricing differences in various locations and by recognizing pricing differences that occur over time. This process involves purchasing physical natural gas, storing it in the storage and transportation assets to which APS has access and, in transactions involving storage capacity, selling financial instruments at advantageous prices to lock in a gross profit margin.
Overview
The method of determining regulated rates varies among the states in which our natural gas distribution divisions operate. The regulatory authorities have the responsibility of ensuring that utilities in their jurisdictions operate in the best interests of customers while providing utility companies the opportunity to earn a reasonable return on their investment. Generally, each regulatory authority reviews rate requests and establishes a rate structure intended to generate revenue sufficient to cover the costs of conducting business and to provide a reasonable return on invested capital.
Our current rate strategy is to focus on reducing or eliminating regulatory lag, obtaining adequate returns and providing stable, predictable margins. Atmos Energy has annual ratemaking mechanisms in place in three states that provide for an annual rate review and adjustment to rates for approximately 68 percent of our customers. Additionally, we have WNA mechanisms in eight states. These mechanisms work in tandem to provide insulation from volatile margins, both for the Company and our customers.
We will also continue to address various rate design changes, including the recovery of bad debt gas costs, inclusion of other taxes in gas costs and stratification of rates to benefit low income households in future rate filings. These design changes would address cost variations that are related to pass-through energy costs beyond our control.
Although substantial progress has been made in recent years by improving rate design across Atmos’ operating area, potential changes in federal energy policy and adverse economic conditions will necessitate continued vigilance by the Company and our regulators in meeting the challenges presented by these external factors.