SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAS CO
For the period ended Mar 31, 2024. Filed May 7, 2024.
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A company's report for each of its first three quarters. The financial statements are not audited. It shows how the business has moved since the last annual report, and what management says changed.
Mar 31, 2024 · Filed May 7, 2024
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Sempra
We discuss herein Sempra’s results of operations and significant changes in earnings (losses), revenues and costs by segment, as well as Parent and other, for the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. We also discuss herein the impact of foreign currency and inflation rates on Sempra’s results of operations.
Sempra California recorded CPUC-authorized revenues in the three months ended March 31, 2024 based on 2023 levels authorized under the 2019 GRC because a final decision in the 2024 GRC remains pending.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
(Dollars and shares in millions, except per share amounts)
| EARNINGS (LOSSES) BY SEGMENT | ||
|---|---|---|
| (Dollars in millions) | ||
| Three months ended March 31, | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| Sempra: | ||
| Sempra California | $582 | $618 |
| Sempra Texas Utilities | 183 | 83 |
| Sempra Infrastructure | 131 | 315 |
| Parent and other(1) | (95) | (47) |
| Earnings attributable to common shares | $801 | $969 |
(1)Includes intercompany eliminations recorded in consolidation and certain corporate costs.
Sempra California
Sempra California’s earnings are comprised of SDG&E and SoCalGas. Because changes in SDG&E’s and SoCalGas’ cost of natural gas and/or electricity are recovered in rates, changes in these costs are offset in the changes in revenues and therefore do not impact earnings, other than potential impacts related to the GCIM for SoCalGas that we describe below. In addition to the changes in cost or market prices, natural gas or electric revenues recorded during a period are impacted by the difference between customer billings and recorded or CPUC-authorized amounts. These differences are required to be balanced over time, resulting in over- and undercollected regulatory balancing accounts. We discuss balancing accounts and their effects further in Note 4 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in this report and in Note 4 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report.
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, the decrease in earnings of $36 million (6%) to $582 million was primarily due to:
$15 million higher net interest expense
$14 million lower income tax benefits primarily from flow-through items
$12 million lower CPUC base operating margin, net of operating expenses, offset by higher authorized cost of capital. Sempra California recorded CPUC-authorized revenues based on 2023 authorized levels
$4 million higher AFUDC equity
Sempra Texas Utilities
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, the increase in earnings of $100 million to $183 million was primarily due to higher equity earnings from Oncor Holdings driven by:
higher revenues primarily attributable to:
rate updates to reflect increases in invested capital
increases in transmission billing units
higher customer consumption partially attributable to weather
new base rates implemented in May 2023
customer growth
write-off of rate base disallowances in 2023 resulting from the PUCT’s final order in Oncor’s comprehensive base rate review
higher interest expense and depreciation expense attributable to invested capital
higher O&M
Sempra Infrastructure
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, the decrease in earnings of $184 million to $131 million was primarily due to:
$303 million from asset and supply optimization driven by unrealized losses in 2024 compared to unrealized gains in 2023 on commodity derivatives due to changes in natural gas prices and lower LNG diversion fees
$14 million from the transportation business in Mexico driven by a customer’s early termination of firm transportation agreements in 2023
$12 million lower revenues and higher O&M from a provision for expected credit losses on a customer’s past due receivable balance
$68 million favorable impact from foreign currency and inflation effects on our monetary positions in Mexico, comprised of a $41 million unfavorable impact in 2024 compared to a $109 million unfavorable impact in 2023
$41 million from $3 million net interest income in 2024 compared to $38 million net interest expense in 2023 primarily due to higher capitalization of interest expense on projects under construction and $17 million net unrealized losses in 2023 on a contingent interest rate swap related to the PA LNG Phase 1 project
$24 million lower income tax expense primarily from the remeasurement of certain deferred income taxes
$21 million from TdM driven by lower natural gas prices and higher volumes
Parent and Other
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, the increase in losses of $48 million to $95 million was primarily due to:
$42 million from $12 million income tax expense in 2024 compared to $30 million income tax benefit in 2023 from the interim period application of an annual forecasted consolidated ETR
$11 million higher net interest expense
The regulatory framework permits SDG&E and SoCalGas to recover certain program expenditures and other costs authorized by the CPUC (referred to as “refundable programs”).
Utilities: Natural Gas Revenues and Cost of Natural Gas
Our utilities revenues include natural gas revenues at Sempra California and Sempra Infrastructure, which includes Ecogas. Intercompany revenues are eliminated in Sempra’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
SoCalGas and SDG&E operate under a regulatory framework that permits the cost of natural gas purchased for customers (residential and small commercial and industrial customers, also referred to as core customers for SoCalGas) to be passed through to customers in rates substantially as incurred and without markup. The GCIM provides for SoCalGas to share in the savings and/or costs from buying natural gas for its core customers at prices below or above monthly market-based benchmarks. This mechanism permits full recovery of costs incurred when average purchase costs are within a price range around the benchmark price. Any higher costs incurred or savings realized outside this range are shared between SoCalGas and its core customers. We provide further discussion in Note 3 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report.
| UTILITIES: NATURAL GAS REVENUES AND COST OF NATURAL GAS | ||
|---|---|---|
| (Dollars in millions) | ||
| Three months ended March 31, | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| Sempra: | ||
| Natural gas revenues: | ||
| Sempra California | $2,084 | $4,387 |
| Sempra Infrastructure | 30 | 30 |
| Eliminations and adjustments | (5) | (5) |
| Total | $2,109 | $4,412 |
| Cost of natural gas(1): | ||
| Sempra California | $544 | $2,712 |
| Sempra Infrastructure | 9 | (1) |
| Eliminations and adjustments | 1 | (28) |
| Total | $554 | $2,683 |
(1)Excludes depreciation and amortization, which are presented separately on Sempra’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Sempra’s natural gas revenues decreased by $2.3 billion to $2.1 billion driven by Sempra California, which included:
$2.2 billion decrease in cost of natural gas sold, which we discuss below
$76 million lower regulatory revenues in 2024 from adopting a change in tax accounting method for gas repairs expenditures, which are offset in income tax expense
$44 million lower revenues from a $25 million credit in 2024 compared to $19 million cost in 2023 for the non-service components of net periodic benefit cost, which fully offsets in other income, net
$29 million lower franchise fee revenues
$17 million lower revenues associated with refundable programs, which are fully offset in O&M
$21 million higher CPUC-authorized revenues attributable to higher authorized cost of capital
$12 million higher revenues from incremental and balanced capital projects, including higher authorized cost of capital
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Sempra’s cost of natural gas decreased by $2.1 billion to $554 million driven by Sempra California, which included:
$1.7 billion lower average natural gas prices
$462 million lower volumes driven by weather
Utilities: Electric Revenues and Cost of Electric Fuel and Purchased Power
Our utilities revenues include electric revenues at Sempra California, substantially all of which is at SDG&E. Intercompany revenues are eliminated in Sempra’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
SDG&E operates under a regulatory framework that permits it to recover the actual cost incurred to generate or procure electricity based on annual estimates of the cost of electricity supplied to customers. The differences in cost between estimates and actual are recovered or refunded in subsequent periods through rates.
Utility cost of electric fuel and purchased power includes utility-owned generation, power purchased from third parties, and net power purchases and sales to/from the California ISO.
| UTILITIES: ELECTRIC REVENUES AND COST OF ELECTRIC FUEL AND PURCHASED POWER | ||
|---|---|---|
| (Dollars in millions) | ||
| Three months ended March 31, | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| Sempra: | ||
| Electric revenues: | ||
| Sempra California | $1,057 | $1,028 |
| Eliminations and adjustments | (1) | (1) |
| Total | $1,056 | $1,027 |
| Cost of electric fuel and purchased power(1): | ||
| Sempra California | $107 | $135 |
| Eliminations and adjustments | (18) | (21) |
| Total | $89 | $114 |
(1)Excludes depreciation and amortization, which are presented separately on Sempra’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Sempra’s electric revenues increased by $29 million (3%) to $1.1 billion driven by Sempra California, which included:
$58 million in 2023 from the recognition of ITCs from standalone energy storage projects, which are offset in income tax expense
$23 million higher revenues from incremental and balanced capital projects, including higher authorized cost of capital
$18 million higher revenues from transmission operations
$10 million higher CPUC-authorized revenues attributable to higher authorized cost of capital
$30 million lower revenues associated with refundable programs, which are fully offset in O&M
$28 million lower cost of electric fuel and purchased power, which we discuss below
$10 million lower revenues from a $7 million credit in 2024 compared to $3 million cost in 2023 for the non-service components of net periodic benefit cost, which fully offsets in other income, net
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Sempra’s cost of electric fuel and purchased power decreased by $25 million (22%) to $89 million driven by Sempra California, which included:
$107 million lower purchased power from the California ISO due to lower customer demand from departing load now served by CCAs and lower market prices
$62 million lower utility-owned generation costs
$29 million lower purchased power due to higher excess capacity sales to third parties and lower energy costs
$102 million lower sales to the California ISO due to lower market prices
$75 million realized gains in 2023 on derivative contracts for fixed-price natural gas, which are entered into to hedge the cost of electric fuel
Energy-Related Businesses: Revenues and Cost of Sales
| ENERGY-RELATED BUSINESSES: REVENUES AND COST OF SALES | ||
|---|---|---|
| (Dollars in millions) | ||
| Three months ended March 31, | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| Sempra: | ||
| Revenues: | ||
| Sempra Infrastructure | $489 | $1,166 |
| Parent and other(1) | (14) | (45) |
| Total | $475 | $1,121 |
| Cost of sales(2): | ||
| Sempra Infrastructure | $109 | $193 |
| Total | $109 | $193 |
(1)Includes eliminations of intercompany activity.
(2)Excludes depreciation and amortization, which are presented separately on Sempra’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Sempra’s revenues from energy-related businesses decreased by $646 million to $475 million primarily due to:
$611 million from asset and supply optimization from contracts to sell natural gas and LNG to third parties, including:
$510 million primarily driven by $22 million unrealized losses in 2024 compared to $418 million unrealized gains in 2023 on commodity derivatives and $146 million primarily from lower natural gas prices
$92 million primarily from lower diversion fees due to lower natural gas prices
$33 million lower transportation revenues driven by a customer’s early termination of firm transportation agreements in 2023
$12 million from TdM mainly due to lower power prices offset by higher volumes
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Sempra’s cost of sales from energy-related businesses decreased by $84 million (44%) to $109 million primarily due to lower natural gas prices offset by higher volumes at TdM.
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Sempra’s O&M increased by $3 million remaining at $1.2 billion primarily due to:
$29 million increase at Sempra Infrastructure due to:
$11 million from a provision for expected credit losses on a customer’s past due receivable balance
$8 million higher development costs and certain non-capitalized expenses from projects under construction
$5 million higher purchased services
$30 million decrease at Sempra California due to:
$47 million lower expenses associated with refundable programs, which costs are recovered in revenue
$17 million higher non-refundable operating costs
Other Income, Net
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Sempra’s other income, net, increased by $58 million to $99 million primarily due to:
$53 million increase from a $28 million credit in 2024 compared to $25 million cost in 2023 for the non-service components of net periodic benefit cost primarily at Sempra California
$4 million higher AFUDC equity at Sempra California
$5 million lower gains from impacts associated with interest rate and foreign exchange instruments and foreign currency transactions at Sempra Infrastructure due to 2023 gains on cross-currency swaps as a result of fluctuation of the Mexican peso
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Sempra’s interest expense decreased by $61 million (17%) to $305 million primarily due to:
$95 million at Sempra Infrastructure primarily due to:
$47 million interest expense in 2023 comprised of $33 million net unrealized losses and $14 million settlement on a contingent interest rate swap related to the PA LNG Phase 1 project
$37 million lower interest expense due to higher capitalization of interest expense on projects under construction
$18 million at Sempra California primarily from higher debt balances from debt issuances
$16 million at Parent and other primarily due to higher debt balances from debt issuances and higher borrowings on commercial paper
| INCOME TAX EXPENSE AND EFFECTIVE INCOME TAX RATES | ||
|---|---|---|
| (Dollars in millions) | ||
| Three months ended March 31, | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| Sempra: | ||
| Income tax expense | $172 | $376 |
| Income before income taxes and equity earnings | $705 | $1,329 |
| Equity earnings, before income tax(1) | 134 | 132 |
| Pretax income | $839 | $1,461 |
| Effective income tax rate | 21% | 26% |
(1) We discuss how we recognize equity earnings in Note 6 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report.
We report as part of our pretax results the income or loss attributable to NCI. However, we do not record income taxes for a portion of this income or loss, as some of our entities with NCI are currently treated as partnerships for U.S. income tax purposes, and thus we are only liable for income taxes on the portion of the earnings that are allocated to us. Our pretax income, however, includes 100% of these entities. If our entities with NCI grow, and if we continue to invest in such entities, the impact on our ETR may become more significant.
In April 2023, the IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2023-15, which provides a safe harbor method of accounting for gas repairs expenditures. Sempra intends to elect this change in tax accounting method in its consolidated 2023 income tax return filing and has applied this methodology in the calculation of its 2024 forecasted ETR.
Sempra records regulatory liabilities for benefits that will be flowed through to customers in the future.
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Sempra’s income tax expense decreased by $204 million primarily due to:
$82 million from $53 million income tax expense in 2024 compared to $135 million income tax expense in 2023 from foreign currency and inflation effects on our monetary positions in Mexico
lower pretax income
higher income tax benefits from flow-through items, including an income tax benefit in 2024 from adopting a change in tax accounting method for gas repairs expenditures
$42 million from $12 million income tax expense in 2024 compared to $30 million income tax benefit in 2023 from the interim period application of an annual forecasted consolidated ETR
income tax benefit in 2023 from the recognition of ITCs from standalone energy storage projects under the IRA
We discuss the impact of foreign currency exchange rates and inflation on income taxes below in “Impact of Foreign Currency and Inflation Rates on Results of Operations.” See Note 1 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in this report and Notes 1 and 8 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report for further details about our accounting for income taxes and items subject to flow-through treatment.
Equity Earnings
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Sempra’s equity earnings increased by $129 million to $348 million primarily due to:
$100 million at Oncor Holdings driven by:
higher revenues primarily attributable to:
rate updates to reflect increases in invested capital
increases in transmission billing units
higher customer consumption partially attributable to weather
new base rates implemented in May 2023
customer growth
write-off of rate base disallowances in 2023 resulting from the PUCT’s final order in Oncor’s comprehensive base rate review
higher interest expense and depreciation expense attributable to invested capital
higher O&M
$15 million at IMG due to lower income tax expense
$12 million at TAG Norte from the impact of new tariffs going into effect in June 2023
Earnings Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests
In the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Sempra’s earnings attributable to NCI decreased by $123 million to $69 million primarily due to a decrease in SI Partners’ net income.
IMPACT OF FOREIGN CURRENCY AND INFLATION RATES ON RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Because our natural gas distribution utility in Mexico, Ecogas, uses its local currency as its functional currency, revenues and expenses are translated into U.S. dollars at average exchange rates for the period for consolidation in Sempra’s results of operations. We discuss further the impact of foreign currency and inflation rates on results of operations, including impacts on income taxes and related hedging activity, in “Part II – Item 7. MD&A – Impact of Foreign Currency and Inflation Rates on Results of Operations” in the Annual Report.
Foreign Currency Translation
Any difference in average exchange rates used for the translation of income statement activity from year to year can cause a variance in Sempra’s comparative results of operations. In the three months ended March 31, 2024, the change in our earnings as a result of foreign currency translation rates was negligible compared to the same period in 2023.
Transactional Impacts
Income statement activities at our foreign operations and their JVs are also impacted by transactional gains and losses, a summary of which is shown in the table below:
| TRANSACTIONAL GAINS (LOSSES) FROM FOREIGN CURRENCY AND INFLATION EFFECTS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Dollars in millions) | ||||
| Total reported amounts · Transactional gains (losses) included in reported amounts | ||||
| Three months ended March 31, | ||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | |
| Other income, net | $99 | $41 | $1 | $6 |
| Income tax expense | (172) | (376) | (53) | (135) |
| Equity earnings | 348 | 219 | (8) | (31) |
| Net income | 881 | 1,172 | (60) | (160) |
| Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests | (69) | (192) | 19 | 51 |
| Earnings attributable to common shares | 801 | 969 | (41) | (109) |
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.