13. Other gains and losses
For the Six Months Ended September 30
2018
2017
(millions)
Impairment recovery adjustment to assets held for sale
$
13
$
-
Net gains on impairment of assets Gain on insurance proceeds Net gains on disposal of assets
- - -
5 2 1
$
13
$
8
During September 2018, a $13 million impairment recovery was recorded as the company reclassified its natural gas liquid extraction plant assets to assets held for sale. The impairment recovery values the assets at carrying value, which is equal to the fair value of the assets held for sale. The sale of the Corporation’s two natural gas liquid extraction plants is effective October 1, 2018. As a result of a decline in natural gas and natural gas liquid prices in 2017-18, the Corporation recorded an impairment loss of $5 million on one of its treatment and compression facilities that was later reclassified to held for sale at March 31, 2018. The impairments were recognized as the carrying value of the assets exceeded the recoverable amounts of $8 million for the gas processing plant and related gathering facilities. During 2017-18, a $15 million impairment recovery was recorded. This relates to a storage field asset, which due to a change in corporate strategy moved from the non-core gas storage facility cash generating unit, into a larger pool of core storage assets, where it will be used to provide storage service and transmission avoidance to customers within a regulatory framework. This was partially offset by impairments in 2017-18 on other storage assets of $5 million. The insurance proceeds recognized in other gains and losses during 2017-18 are related to a cavern wellhead fire that occurred in 2014. The insurance proceeds received during the period are a reimbursement for assets lost and costs incurred in previous reporting periods. The Corporation received $2 million during the first quarter of 2017-18 to settle the remainder of the outstanding claim.
14. Financial risk management
Through the normal course of business, the Corporation has exposure to market risk (natural gas price risk, interest rate risk, and foreign currency risk), liquidity risk, and credit risk related to its financial and derivative instruments. The Board of Directors, through the Audit and Finance Committee, has the overall responsibility for the establishment and oversight of the Corporation's risk management efforts. The Corporation’s risk management policies and strategies, approved by the Board of Directors and reviewed regularly by the Audit and Finance Committee, provide the framework within which the Corporation may use financial and derivative instruments to manage its risks. The Corporation’s significant risk management policies include the Corporate Derivatives Policy, the Commodity Risk Management Policy, the Corporate Debt and Interest Rate Risk Management Policy and the Corporate Credit Risk Management Policy. The objectives, policies, and processes for managing risk were consistent with the prior period. The significant risks in relation to financial instruments that impact the Corporation are discussed below.
a. Natural gas price risk
The Corporation purchases natural gas for resale to its customers. While natural gas is purchased at fluctuating market prices, the Corporation sells natural gas to customers at a fixed commodity rate that is reviewed semi- annually. As part of its natural gas price risk management, the Corporation uses derivative instruments to manage the price of the natural gas it buys. The Corporation’s objective is to reduce the volatility of natural gas prices and to have rates that are competitive to other utilities. The Corporation also purchases and sells natural gas in the open market to generate incremental income through its gas marketing activities. The purchase or sale price of natural gas may be fixed within the contract or referenced to a floating index price. When the price is referenced to a floating index price, natural gas derivative instruments may be used to fix the settlement amount. The types of natural gas derivative instruments the Corporation may use for price risk management include natural gas price swaps, options, swaptions, and forward contracts. The Corporation’s commodity price risk management strategy establishes specific hedging targets, which may differ depending on current market conditions, to guide risk management activities. Additionally, the Corporation uses mark-to-market value, value-at-risk, and net exposure to monitor natural gas price risk. These metrics are measured and reported daily to the Commodity Risk Management Committee, a subcommittee of the Corporation’s Executive Committee.
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2018-19 SECOND QUARTER REPORT
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