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Significant Financing Transactions
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Significant Financing Transactions
Significant Financing Transactions
Credit Facilities and Short-term Debt
Dominion and Virginia Power use short-term debt to fund working capital requirements and as a bridge to long-term debt financings. The levels of borrowing may vary significantly during the course of the year, depending upon the timing and amount of cash requirements not satisfied by cash from operations. In addition, Dominion utilizes cash and letters of credit to fund collateral requirements. Collateral requirements are impacted by commodity prices, hedging levels, Dominion’s credit ratings and the credit quality of its counterparties.

At September 30, 2011, Dominion’s commercial paper and letters of credit outstanding, as well as capacity available under credit facilities, were as follows: 
 
Facility
Limit
 
Outstanding
Commercial
Paper
 
Outstanding
Letters of
Credit
 
Facility
Capacity
Available
(millions)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Joint revolving credit facility(1)
$
3,000

 
$
783

 
$

 
$
2,217

Joint revolving credit facility(2)
500

 

 
127

 
373

Total
$
3,500

 
$
783

 
$
127

 
$
2,590

(1)
This credit facility was entered into in September 2010 with an original maturity date of September 2013. Effective October 1, 2011, pricing was amended and the maturity date was extended to September 2016. This credit facility can be used to support bank borrowings and the issuance of commercial paper, as well as to support up to $1.5 billion of letters of credit.
(2)
This credit facility was entered into in September 2010 with an original maturity date of September 2013. Effective October 1, 2011, pricing was amended and the maturity date was extended to September 2016. This credit facility can be used to support bank borrowings, commercial paper and letter of credit issuances.

Virginia Power’s short-term financing is supported by two joint revolving credit facilities with Dominion. These credit facilities are being used for working capital, as support for the combined commercial paper programs of Dominion and Virginia Power and for other general corporate purposes.

At September 30, 2011, Virginia Power’s share of commercial paper and letters of credit outstanding, as well as its capacity available under its joint credit facilities with Dominion were as follows:
 
Facility
Sub-limit
 
Outstanding
Commercial
Paper
 
Outstanding
Letters of
Credit
 
Facility
Capacity
Available
(millions)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Joint revolving credit facility(1)
$
1,000

 
$
550

 
$

 
$
450

Joint revolving credit facility(2)
250

 

 
56

 
194

Total
$
1,250

 
$
550

 
$
56

 
$
644

(1)
This credit facility was entered into in September 2010 with an original maturity date of September 2013. Effective October 1, 2011, pricing was amended and the maturity date was extended to September 2016. This credit facility can be used to support bank borrowings and the issuance of commercial paper, as well as to support up to $1.5 billion (or the sub-limit, whichever is less) of letters of credit. Virginia Power’s applicable sub-limit under this credit facility can be increased or decreased multiple times per year.
(2)
This credit facility was entered into in September 2010 with an original maturity date of September 2013. Effective October 1, 2011, pricing was amended and the maturity date was extended to September 2016. This credit facility can be used to support bank borrowings, commercial paper and letter of credit issuances. Virginia Power’s applicable sub-limit under this credit facility can be increased or decreased multiple times per year.

In addition to the credit facility commitments disclosed above, Virginia Power also has a $120 million credit facility that was entered into in September 2010 with an originial maturity date of September 2013. Effective October 1, 2011, pricing was amended and the maturity date was extended to September 2016. This facility supports certain tax-exempt financings of Virginia Power.

Long-term Debt
In August 2011, Dominion issued $500 million of 4.9% senior notes that mature in 2041 and $450 million of 1.95% senior notes that mature in 2016. The proceeds were used for general corporate purposes including the repayment of short-term debt.

In December 2010, Brayton Point borrowed $160 million and $75 million in connection with the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency Recovery Zone Facility Bonds, Series 2010 A and the Solid Waste Disposal Revenue Bonds, Series 2010 B, respectively, which mature in 2041. The proceeds are being used to finance certain qualifying facilities at Brayton Point. Due to unfavorable market conditions, Dominion acquired the bonds upon issuance in December 2010 with the intention of remarketing them to third parties at a later time. At December 31, 2010, these bonds had not been remarketed and thus were not reflected on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. In July 2011, the Series 2010 B bonds were remarketed to a third party using a remarketing process, and bear interest at a variable rate for the first five years, after which they will bear interest at a market rate to be determined at that time. In August 2011, the Series 2010 A bonds were remarketed to third parties using a remarketing process, and bear interest at a coupon rate of 2.25% for the first five years, after which they will bear interest at a market rate to be determined at that time.

In March 2011, Dominion issued $500 million of 4.45% senior notes that mature in 2021 and $400 million of 1.80% senior notes that mature in 2014. The proceeds were used for general corporate purposes including the repayment of short-term debt.

In December 2010 and September 2009, Virginia Power borrowed $100 million and $60 million, respectively, in connection with the $160 million Industrial Development Authority of Wise County Solid Waste and Sewage Disposal Revenue Bonds, Series 2009 A, which mature in 2040. The proceeds are being used to finance certain qualifying facilities at the Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center. Due to unfavorable market conditions, Virginia Power acquired the bonds upon issuance with the intention of remarketing them to third parties at a later time. At December 31, 2010, these bonds had not been remarketed and thus were not reflected on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. In March 2011, the bonds were remarketed to a third party and bear interest at a variable rate for the first five years, after which they will bear interest at a market rate to be determined at that time.

Convertible Securities
At September 30, 2011, Dominion had $165 million of outstanding contingent convertible senior notes that are convertible by holders into a combination of cash and shares of Dominion’s common stock under certain circumstances. The conversion feature requires that the principal amount of each note be repaid in cash, while amounts payable in excess of the principal amount will be paid in common stock. The conversion rate is subject to adjustment upon certain events such as subdivisions, splits, combinations of common stock or the issuance to all common stock holders of certain common stock rights, warrants or options and certain dividend increases. As of September 30, 2011, the conversion rate has been adjusted, primarily due to individual dividend payments above the level paid at issuance, to 28.8178 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of senior notes, which represents a conversion price of $34.70.
 
The senior notes are eligible for conversion during any calendar quarter when the closing price of Dominion’s common stock was equal to or higher than 120% of the conversion price for at least 20 out of the last 30 consecutive trading days of the preceding quarter. During the nine months ended September 30, 2011 approximately $37 million of the contingent convertible senior notes were converted by holders. The senior notes are eligible for conversion during the fourth quarter of 2011.

Issuance of Common Stock
Dominion maintains Dominion Direct® and a number of employee savings plans through which employer and employee contributions may be invested in the Company's common stock. These shares may either be newly issued or purchased on the open market with proceeds contributed to these plans by employees, Dominion Direct® participants and the Company.

Since February 2010, Dominion Direct® and the Dominion employee savings plans have been purchasing Dominion common stock on the open market with the proceeds received through these programs, rather than having additional new common shares issued.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2011, Dominion issued approximately 1 million shares of common stock and received cash proceeds of $37 million through the exercise of employee stock options.

Repurchase of Common Stock
In the first quarter of 2011, Dominion announced that it expected to repurchase between $600 million and $700 million of common stock with cash tax savings resulting from the extension of the bonus depreciation allowance discussed in Note 6 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Dominion's and Virginia Power's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. During the nine months ended September 30, 2011, Dominion repurchased approximately 13 million shares of common stock for approximately $601 million on the open market under this program, at an average price of $46.37 per share. In October 2011, Dominion determined that it does not plan to repurchase additional shares under this program.