Management Discussion and Analysis
Natural Gas Sales and Purchases Included within natural gas sales and purchases are rate-regulated commodity sales to distribution customers and non- regulated asset optimization activities. IFRS requires these activities to be presented together within the consolidated financial statements; however, the Corporation manages these activities as distinct and separate businesses and, as such, the MD&A addresses these natural gas sales and purchases separately. With the exception of contracts entered into for an entity’s normal usage, IFRS requires derivative instruments such as natural gas purchase and sales contracts to be recorded at fair value until their settlement date. Changes in the fair value of the derivative instruments, driven by changes in future natural gas prices, are recorded in net income through natural gas sales or natural gas purchases depending on the specific contract. Upon settlement of the natural gas contract, the amount paid or received by SaskEnergy becomes realized and is recorded in natural gas sales or purchases. Commodity Sales SaskEnergy sells natural gas to its distribution customers at a commodity rate approved by Provincial Cabinet based on the recommendations of the Saskatchewan Rate Review Panel (SRRP). The commodity rate, which is reviewed April 1 and November 1 of each year, is determined based on rate-setting principles and is designed to recover the realized costs associated with the sale of natural gas to distribution customers. Regulatory principles require that utilities do not earn a profit or realize losses on the sale of gas to customers over the long term. Consequently, SaskEnergy accumulates differences between the commodity revenue earned and the cost of natural gas sold in a Gas Cost Variance Account (GCVA). The balance in the GCVA, which is not included in SaskEnergy’s financial statements, is either recovered from, or refunded to, customers as part of future commodity rates. For financial reporting purposes, SaskEnergy prepares its financial statements on a consolidated basis while applying IFRS. Consequently, amounts determined for rate-setting purposes differ from its consolidated financial statements. A gain or loss reported in the Corporation’s consolidated financial statements may not be reflected in the GCVA. SaskEnergy’s natural gas price risk management program has two objectives: to reduce the impact of natural gas price volatility on the cost of gas, and to support rates that are competitive with other utilities. Reducing the impact of price volatility requires establishing certainty in the cost of gas, while supporting competitive rates often means allowing purchase prices to follow market prices. As a result, the balance between the two opposing objectives may change depending on current market conditions. In order to ensure a secure supply of natural gas, SaskEnergy contracts for the physical delivery of natural gas using non- financial derivatives, referred to as forward or physical natural gas contracts. The purchase price contained in these forward contracts may be fixed, or it may be based on a variable index price. While fixed price contracts reduce the impact of natural gas price volatility, variable or market prices can assist in offering competitive rates depending on the pricing environment. SaskEnergy may also use financial derivatives and physical swaps to manage the future purchase price of natural gas. The realized margin on commodity sales excludes the impact of unrealized fair value adjustments on derivative instruments, as these adjustments can fluctuate significantly from one period to the next and do not necessarily represent the amount that will be paid upon settlement of the related natural gas contract. Commodity margin on sales to customers
Three months ended September 30,
Six months ended
September 30,
(millions)
2021
2020 Change 2021
2020 Change
$
9 8 1
$
29 27
Commodity sales
$
9 9
$
-
$
34 33
$
(5) (6)
Commodity cost of sales
(1)
2
Realized margin on commodity sales Unrealized fair value adjustments
-
1
1
1
38 39
54 56
14 14
24 25
19 20
35 36
$
$
Margin on commodity sales
$
$
$
$
p.5
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