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DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Derivative Financial Instruments DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
We use derivative instruments primarily to manage exposures arising in the normal course of business. Our principal exposures are commodity market risk, benchmark interest rate risk and foreign exchange rate exposures. Our use of derivatives for these risks is integrated into the economic management of our anticipated revenues, anticipated expenses, assets and liabilities. Derivatives may be effective in mitigating these risks (1) that could lead to declines in anticipated revenues or increases in anticipated expenses, or (2) that could cause our asset values to fall or our liabilities to increase. Accordingly, our derivative activity summarized below generally represents an impact that is intended to offset associated revenues, expenses, assets or liabilities that are not included in the tables below.
In certain cases, we apply the normal purchase or sale exception to derivative instruments and have other commodity contracts that are not derivatives. These contracts are not recorded at fair value and are therefore excluded from the disclosures below.
In all other cases, we record derivatives at fair value on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. We have derivatives that are (1) cash flow hedges, (2) fair value hedges, or (3) undesignated. Depending on the applicability of hedge accounting and, for the California Utilities and other operations subject to regulatory accounting, the requirement to pass impacts through to customers, the impact of derivative instruments may be offset in OCI (cash flow hedges), on the balance sheet (regulatory offsets), or recognized in earnings (fair value hedges and undesignated derivatives not subject to rate recovery). We classify cash flows from the principal settlements of cross-currency swaps that hedge exposure related to Mexican peso-denominated debt as financing activities and settlements of other derivative instruments as operating activities on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
HEDGE ACCOUNTING
We may designate a derivative as a cash flow hedging instrument if it effectively converts anticipated cash flows associated with revenues or expenses to a fixed dollar amount. We may utilize cash flow hedge accounting for derivative commodity instruments, foreign currency instruments and interest rate instruments. Designating cash flow hedges is dependent on the business context in which the instrument is being used, the effectiveness of the instrument in offsetting the risk that the future cash flows of a given revenue or expense item may vary, and other criteria.
ENERGY DERIVATIVES
Our market risk is primarily related to natural gas and electricity price volatility and the specific physical locations where we transact. We use energy derivatives to manage these risks. The use of energy derivatives in our various businesses depends on the particular energy market, and the operating and regulatory environments applicable to the business, as follows:
The California Utilities use natural gas and electricity derivatives, for the benefit of customers, with the objective of managing price risk and basis risks, and stabilizing and lowering natural gas and electricity costs. These derivatives include fixed-price natural gas and electricity positions, options, and basis risk instruments, which are either exchange-traded or over-the-counter financial instruments, or bilateral physical transactions. This activity is governed by risk management and transacting activity plans that have been filed with and approved by the CPUC. Natural gas and electricity derivative activities are recorded as commodity costs that are offset by regulatory account balances and are recovered in rates. Net commodity cost impacts on the Consolidated Statements of Operations are reflected in Cost of Electric Fuel and Purchased Power or in Cost of Natural Gas.
SDG&E is allocated and may purchase CRRs, which serve to reduce the regional electricity price volatility risk that may result from local transmission capacity constraints. Unrealized gains and losses do not impact earnings, as they are offset by regulatory account balances. Realized gains and losses associated with CRRs, which are recoverable in rates, are recorded in Cost of Electric Fuel and Purchased Power on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Sempra Mexico and Sempra LNG may use natural gas and electricity derivatives, as appropriate, in an effort to optimize the earnings of their assets which support the following businesses: LNG, natural gas transportation and storage, and power generation. Gains and losses associated with undesignated derivatives are recognized in Energy-Related Businesses Revenues or in Energy-Related Businesses Cost of Sales on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Certain of these derivatives may also be designated as cash flow hedges. Sempra Mexico may also use natural gas energy derivatives with the objective of managing price risk and lowering natural gas prices at its distribution operations. These derivatives, which are recorded as commodity costs that are offset by regulatory account balances and recovered in rates, are recognized in Cost of Natural Gas on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
From time to time, our various businesses, including the California Utilities, may use other energy derivatives to hedge exposures such as the price of vehicle fuel and GHG allowances.
The following table summarizes net energy derivative volumes.
NET ENERGY DERIVATIVE VOLUMES
(Quantities in millions)
 December 31,
CommodityUnit of measure20202019
Sempra Energy Consolidated:
Natural gasMMBtu32 
ElectricityMWh
Congestion revenue rightsMWh43 48 
SDG&E:
Natural gasMMBtu16 37 
ElectricityMWh
Congestion revenue rightsMWh43 48 
SoCalGas:
Natural gasMMBtu

In addition to the amounts noted above, we use commodity derivatives to manage risks associated with the physical locations of contractual obligations and assets, such as natural gas purchases and sales.
INTEREST RATE DERIVATIVES
We are exposed to interest rates primarily as a result of our current and expected use of financing. The California Utilities, as well as Sempra Energy and its other subsidiaries and JVs, periodically enter into interest rate derivative agreements intended to moderate our exposure to interest rates and to lower our overall costs of borrowing. In addition, we may utilize interest rate swaps, typically designated as cash flow hedges, to lock in interest rates on outstanding debt or in anticipation of future financings.
The following table presents the net notional amounts of our interest rate derivatives, excluding JVs.
INTEREST RATE DERIVATIVES
(Dollars in millions)
December 31, 2020December 31, 2019
 Notional debtMaturitiesNotional debtMaturities
Sempra Energy Consolidated:    
Cash flow hedges$1,486 2021-2034$1,445 2020-2034
FOREIGN CURRENCY DERIVATIVES
We utilize cross-currency swaps to hedge exposure related to Mexican peso-denominated debt at our Mexican subsidiaries and JVs. These cash flow hedges exchange our Mexican peso-denominated principal and interest payments into the U.S. dollar and swap Mexican variable interest rates for U.S. fixed interest rates. From time to time, Sempra Mexico and its JVs may use other foreign currency derivatives to hedge exposures related to cash flows associated with revenues from contracts denominated in Mexican pesos that are indexed to the U.S. dollar.
We are also exposed to exchange rate movements at our Mexican subsidiaries and JVs, which have U.S. dollar-denominated cash balances, receivables, payables and debt (monetary assets and liabilities) that give rise to Mexican currency exchange rate movements for Mexican income tax purposes. They also have deferred income tax assets and liabilities denominated in the Mexican peso, which must be translated to U.S. dollars for financial reporting purposes. In addition, monetary assets and liabilities and certain nonmonetary assets and liabilities are adjusted for Mexican inflation for Mexican income tax purposes. We utilize foreign currency derivatives as a means to manage the risk of exposure to significant fluctuations in our income tax expense and equity earnings from these impacts; however, we generally do not hedge our deferred income tax assets and liabilities or for inflation.
We also utilized foreign currency derivatives to hedge exposure to fluctuations in the Peruvian sol and Chilean peso related to the sales of our operations in Peru and Chile, respectively.
The following table presents the net notional amounts of our foreign currency derivatives, excluding JVs.
FOREIGN CURRENCY DERIVATIVES
(Dollars in millions)
 December 31, 2020December 31, 2019
Notional amountMaturitiesNotional amountMaturities
Sempra Energy Consolidated:
    
Cross-currency swaps$306 2021-2023$306 2020-2023
Other foreign currency derivatives1,764 2021-20221,796 2020-2021
FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION
The Consolidated Balance Sheets reflect the offsetting of net derivative positions and cash collateral with the same counterparty when a legal right of offset exists. The following tables provide the fair values of derivative instruments on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, including the amount of cash collateral receivables that were not offset because the cash collateral was in excess of liability positions.
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS ON THE CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Dollars in millions)
 December 31, 2020
 
Other current
assets(1)
Other long-term assets
Other current
liabilities
Deferred credits and other
Sempra Energy Consolidated:    
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:    
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments$— $$(26)$(160)
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:    
Foreign exchange instruments24 — — — 
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery82 17 (95)(16)
Associated offsetting commodity contracts(82)(13)82 13 
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery35 95 (35)(25)
Associated offsetting commodity contracts(2)— — 
Net amounts presented on the balance sheet57 100 (72)(188)
Additional cash collateral for commodity contracts
not subject to rate recovery
21 — — — 
Additional cash collateral for commodity contracts
subject to rate recovery
30 — — — 
Total(2)
$108 $100 $(72)$(188)
SDG&E:    
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:    
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery$32 $95 $(28)$(25)
Associated offsetting commodity contracts(1)— — 
Net amounts presented on the balance sheet31 95 (27)(25)
Additional cash collateral for commodity contracts
subject to rate recovery
24 — — — 
Total(2)
$55 $95 $(27)$(25)
SoCalGas:    
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:    
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery$$— $(7)$— 
Associated offsetting commodity contracts(1)— — 
Net amounts presented on the balance sheet— (6)— 
Additional cash collateral for commodity contracts
subject to rate recovery
— — — 
Total$$— $(6)$— 
(1)    Included in Current Assets: Fixed-Price Contracts and Other Derivatives for SDG&E.
(2)    Normal purchase contracts previously measured at fair value are excluded.
 
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS ON THE CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Dollars in millions)
 December 31, 2019
 
Other current
assets
(1)
Other long-term assetsOther current
liabilities
Deferred credits and other
Sempra Energy Consolidated:    
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:    
Interest rate and foreign exchange instruments$— $$(17)$(140)
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:    
Foreign exchange instruments41 — (20)— 
Associated offsetting foreign exchange instruments(20)— 20 — 
Commodity contracts not subject to rate recovery34 11 (41)(10)
Associated offsetting commodity contracts(32)(2)32 
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery41 76 (47)(47)
Associated offsetting commodity contracts(6)(3)
Associated offsetting cash collateral— — 14 — 
Net amounts presented on the balance sheet58 85 (53)(192)
Additional cash collateral for commodity contracts
not subject to rate recovery
43 — — — 
Additional cash collateral for commodity contracts
subject to rate recovery
25 — — — 
Total(2)
$126 $85 $(53)$(192)
SDG&E:    
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:    
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery30 76 (41)(47)
Associated offsetting commodity contracts(4)(3)
Associated offsetting cash collateral— — 14 — 
Net amounts presented on the balance sheet26 73 (23)(44)
Additional cash collateral for commodity contracts
subject to rate recovery
16 — — — 
Total(2)
$42 $73 $(23)$(44)
SoCalGas:    
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:    
Commodity contracts subject to rate recovery$11 $— $(6)$— 
Associated offsetting commodity contracts(2)— — 
Net amounts presented on the balance sheet— (4)— 
Additional cash collateral for commodity contracts
subject to rate recovery
— — — 
Total$18 $— $(4)$— 
(1)    Included in Current Assets: Fixed-Price Contracts and Other Derivatives for SDG&E.
(2)    Normal purchase contracts previously measured at fair value are excluded.
The table below includes the effects of derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges on the Consolidated Statements of Operations and in OCI and AOCI.
CASH FLOW HEDGE IMPACTS
(Dollars in millions)
 Pretax (loss) gain
recognized in OCI
 Pretax (loss) gain reclassified
from AOCI into earnings
 Years ended December 31, Years ended December 31,
 202020192018Location202020192018
Sempra Energy Consolidated:       
Interest rate instruments$— $— $— (Loss) Gain on Sale of Assets$— $(10)$(9)
Interest rate instruments(1)
(34)(24)17 
Interest Expense(1)
(10)(3)(1)
Interest rate instruments(185)(164)44 Equity Earnings(46)(3)(9)
Foreign exchange instruments(4)(8)(4)
Revenues: Energy-
Related Businesses
(2)
Interest rate and foreign
exchange instruments
(6)19 14 Interest Expense(1)— 
Other (Expense) Income, Net(11)
Foreign exchange instruments(3)(10)(3)Equity Earnings— (2)
Total$(232)$(187)$68  $(67)$(11)$(13)
SDG&E:       
Interest rate instruments(1)
$— $(1)$
Interest Expense(1)
$— $(3)$(7)
SoCalGas:       
Interest rate instruments$— $— $— Interest Expense$— $(1)$(1)
(1)    Amounts include Otay Mesa VIE. All of SDG&E’s interest rate derivative activity relates to Otay Mesa VIE. On August 14, 2019, OMEC LLC paid in full its variable-rate loan and terminated its interest rate swaps.

For Sempra Energy Consolidated, we expect that $87 million of losses, which are net of income tax benefit, that are currently recorded in AOCI related to cash flow hedges will be reclassified into earnings during the next 12 months as the hedged items affect earnings. SoCalGas expects that $1 million of losses, net of income tax benefit, that are currently recorded in AOCI related to cash flow hedges will be reclassified into earnings during the next 12 months as the hedged items affect earnings. Actual amounts ultimately reclassified into earnings depend on the interest rates in effect when derivative contracts mature.
For all forecasted transactions, the maximum remaining term over which we are hedging exposure to the variability of cash flows at December 31, 2020 is approximately 14 years for Sempra Energy Consolidated. The maximum remaining term for which we are hedging exposure to the variability of cash flows at our equity method investees is 19 years.
The following table summarizes the effects of derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
UNDESIGNATED DERIVATIVE IMPACTS
(Dollars in millions)
  Pretax gain (loss) on derivatives recognized in earnings
  Years ended December 31,
Location202020192018
Sempra Energy Consolidated:    
Commodity contracts not subject
to rate recovery
Revenues: Energy-Related
Businesses
$17 $12 $26 
Commodity contracts subject
to rate recovery
Cost of Natural Gas(7)
Commodity contracts subject
to rate recovery
Cost of Electric Fuel
and Purchased Power
88 (140)279 
Foreign exchange instrumentsOther (Expense) Income, Net(56)25 
Total $42 $(100)$313 
SDG&E:    
Commodity contracts subject
to rate recovery
Cost of Electric Fuel
and Purchased Power
$88 $(140)$279 
SoCalGas:    
Commodity contracts subject
to rate recovery
Cost of Natural Gas$(7)$$
CONTINGENT FEATURES
For Sempra Energy Consolidated, SDG&E and SoCalGas, certain of our derivative instruments contain credit limits which vary depending on our credit ratings. Generally, these provisions, if applicable, may reduce our credit limit if a specified credit rating agency reduces our ratings. In certain cases, if our credit ratings were to fall below investment grade, the counterparty to these derivative liability instruments could request immediate payment or demand immediate and ongoing full collateralization.
For Sempra Energy Consolidated, the total fair value of this group of derivative instruments in a liability position at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was $16 million and $21 million, respectively. For SoCalGas, the total fair value of this group of derivative instruments in a liability position at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was $6 million and $4 million, respectively. At December 31, 2020, if the credit ratings of Sempra Energy or SoCalGas were reduced below investment grade, $16 million and $6 million, respectively, of additional assets could be required to be posted as collateral for these derivative contracts.
For Sempra Energy Consolidated, SDG&E and SoCalGas, some of our derivative contracts contain a provision that would permit the counterparty, in certain circumstances, to request adequate assurance of our performance under the contracts. Such additional assurance, if needed, is not material and is not included in the amounts above.