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Quotes & Info
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| CMS > SEC Filings for CMS > Form 10-Q on 5-Aug-2008 | All Recent SEC Filings |
5-Aug-2008
Quarterly Report
• market perception of the energy industry, CMS Energy, Consumers, or any of their affiliates,
• factors affecting operations, such as unusual weather conditions, catastrophic weather-related damage, unscheduled generation outages, maintenance or repairs, environmental incidents, or electric transmission or gas pipeline system constraints,
• the impact of any future regulations or laws regarding carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions,
• national, regional, and local economic, competitive, and regulatory policies, conditions and developments,
• adverse regulatory or legal interpretations or decisions, including those related to environmental laws and regulations, and potential environmental remediation costs associated with such interpretations or decisions, including but not limited to those that may affect Bay Harbor,
• potentially adverse regulatory treatment or failure to receive timely regulatory orders concerning a number of significant questions currently or potentially before the MPSC, including:
† recovery of Clean Air Act capital and operating costs and other environmental and safety-related expenditures,
† recovery of power supply and natural gas supply costs,
† timely recognition in rates of additional equity investments and additional operation and maintenance expenses at Consumers,
† adequate and timely recovery of additional utility rate-based investments,
† recovery of Stranded Costs incurred due to customers choosing alternative energy suppliers,
† timely recovery of costs associated with energy efficiency investments and any state or federally mandated renewables resource standards,
† recovery of Big Rock decommissioning funding shortfalls,
† approval of the Balanced Energy Initiative, and
† authorization of a new clean coal plant,
• adverse consequences resulting from a past or future assertion of indemnity or warranty claims associated with previously owned assets and businesses, including claims resulting from attempts by the governments of Equatorial Guinea and Morocco to assess taxes on past operations or transactions,
• the ability of Consumers to recover nuclear fuel storage costs due to the DOE's failure to accept spent nuclear fuel on schedule, including the outcome of pending litigation with the DOE,
• the impact of expanded enforcement powers and investigation activities at the FERC,
• federal regulation of electric sales and transmission of electricity, including periodic re-examination by federal regulators of our market-based sales authorizations in wholesale power markets without price restrictions,
• energy markets, including availability of capacity and the timing and extent of changes in commodity prices for oil, coal, natural gas, natural gas liquids, electricity and certain related products due to lower or higher demand, shortages, transportation problems, or other developments,
• the impact of increases in natural gas prices and coal prices on our cash flow and working capital,
• the impact of increases in steel and other construction material prices,
• the availability of qualified construction personnel to implement our construction program,
• our ability to collect accounts receivable from our customers,
• earnings volatility resulting from the GAAP requirement that we apply mark-to-market accounting to certain energy commodity contracts, including electricity sales agreements, and interest rate swaps,
• the direct and indirect effects of the continued economic downturn in Michigan on Consumers and its revenues,
• potential disruption or interruption of facilities or operations due to accidents, war, or terrorism, and the ability to obtain or maintain insurance coverage for such events,
• technological developments in energy production, delivery, and usage,
• achievement of capital expenditure and operating expense goals,
• changes in financial or regulatory accounting principles or policies,
• changes in tax laws or new IRS interpretations of existing or past tax laws,
• the outcome, cost, and other effects of legal or administrative proceedings, settlements, investigations or claims, including those resulting from the investigation by the DOJ regarding round-trip trading and price reporting,
• disruptions in the normal commercial insurance and surety bond markets that may increase costs or reduce traditional insurance coverage, particularly terrorism and sabotage insurance, performance bonds, and tax exempt debt insurance,
• credit ratings of CMS Energy or Consumers, and
• other business or investment considerations that may be disclosed from time to time in CMS Energy's or Consumers' SEC filings, or in other publicly issued written documents.
For additional information regarding these and other uncertainties, see the "Outlook" section included in this MD&A, Note 4, Contingencies, and Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors.
• economic conditions, primarily in Michigan,
• regulation and regulatory issues that affect our electric and gas utility operations,
• energy commodity prices,
• interest rates, and
• our debt credit rating.
During the past several years, our business strategy has emphasized improving
our consolidated balance sheet and maintaining focus on our core strength:
utility operations and service.
A key aspect of our strategy with respect to our utility operations is our
Balanced Energy Initiative. The initiative is designed to meet the growing
customer demand for electricity over the next 20 years with energy efficiency,
demand management, expanded use of renewable energy, and development of new
power plants and pursuit of additional power purchase agreements to complement
existing generating sources.
The Michigan Senate approved several bills in June 2008 that would revise the
Customer Choice Act, introduce energy efficiency programs, modify the timing of
rate increase requests, mandate cost allocation methodology and customer rate
design (deskewing), establish mandatory renewable energy standards, and provide
for other regulatory changes. The Michigan Senate's bills differ from the bills
passed by the Michigan House of Representatives in April 2008. We cannot predict
whether the differences can be resolved or whether the Michigan governor will
approve any compromise package.
In June 2008, the MPSC approved a settlement agreement that provides for an
amended and restated MCV PPA and resolves the issues concerning our exercise of
the September 2007 regulatory-out provision. The revised MCV PPA also provides
for our access to 1,240 MW of the MCV Facility capacity through March 2025. The
amended and restated MCV PPA will take effect when at least four boilers being
installed to provide steam and electric energy at the MCV Facility are
operational.
As we work to implement plans to serve our customers in the future, the cost of
energy and managing cash flow continue to challenge us. Natural gas prices and
eastern coal prices have been increasing substantially. These costs are
recoverable from our utility customers; however, as prices increase, the amount
we pay for these commodities will require additional liquidity due to the lag in
cost recoveries.
In July 2008, we implemented an integrated business software system for customer
billing, finance, work management, and other systems. Consistent with our
commitment to our Balanced Energy Initiative, we are also developing an advanced
metering system that will provide enhanced controls and information about our
customer energy usage and notification of service interruptions. We expect to
develop integration software and pilot new technology over approximately the
next two years.
• growing earnings while controlling operating costs and parent debt, and
• maintaining principles of safe, efficient operations, customer value, fair and timely regulation, and consistent financial performance.
As we execute our strategy, we will need to overcome a sluggish Michigan economy that has been hampered by the downturn in Michigan's automotive industry and limited growth in the non-manufacturing sectors of the state's economy. There also has been softness in the capital markets resulting from the subprime mortgage crisis, energy price increases, and other market weaknesses. Although we have not identified any material impacts on our financial condition, we will continue to monitor developments for potential implications for our business.
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