Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities [Abstract]

Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities

9. Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities

Fair Value Measurements

The accounting guidance for fair value measurements and disclosures provides a single definition of fair value and requires certain disclosures about assets and liabilities measured at fair value. A hierarchical framework for disclosing the observability of the inputs utilized in measuring assets and liabilities at fair value is established by this guidance. The three levels in the hierarchy are as follows:

Level 1 — Quoted prices are available in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date. The types of assets and liabilities included in Level 1 are highly liquid and actively traded instruments with quoted prices.

Level 2 — Pricing inputs are other than quoted prices in active markets, but are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reporting date. The types of assets and liabilities included in Level 2 are typically either comparable to actively traded securities or contracts or priced with discounted cash flow or option pricing models using highly observable inputs.

Level 3 — Significant inputs to pricing have little or no observability as of the reporting date. The types of assets and liabilities included in Level 3 are those valued with models requiring significant management judgment or estimation.

Specific valuation methods include the following:

Cash equivalents— The fair values of cash equivalents are generally based on cost plus accrued interest; money market funds are measured using quoted net asset values.

Interest rate derivatives— The fair values of interest rate derivatives are based on broker quotes that utilize current market interest rate forecasts.

Commodity derivatives— The methods used to measure the fair value of commodity derivative forwards and options utilize forward prices and volatilities, as well as pricing adjustments for specific delivery locations, and are generally assigned a Level 2. When contractual settlements extend to periods beyond those readily observable on active exchanges or quoted by brokers, the significance of the use of less observable forecasts of long-term forward prices and volatilities on a valuation is evaluated, and may result in Level 3 classification.

Derivative Instruments Fair Value Measurements

NSP-Wisconsin enters into derivative instruments, including forward contracts, futures, swaps and options, to manage risk in connection with changes in interest rates and utility commodity prices.

Interest Rate Derivatives — NSP-Wisconsin enters into various instruments that effectively fix the interest payments on certain floating rate debt obligations or effectively fix the yield or price on a specified benchmark interest rate for an anticipated debt issuance for a specific period. These derivative instruments are generally designated as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes.

At Dec. 31, 2012, accumulated other comprehensive losses related to interest rate derivatives included $0.1 million of net losses expected to be reclassified into earnings during the next 12 months as the related hedged transactions impact earnings.

Pre-tax losses related to interest rate derivatives reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into earnings were $0.1 million for each of the years ended Dec. 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010.

Commodity Derivatives — NSP-Wisconsin may enter into derivative instruments to manage variability of future cash flows from changes in commodity prices in its electric and natural gas operations, including the sale of natural gas or the purchase of natural gas for resale.

The following table details the gross notional amounts of commodity forwards and options at Dec. 31, 2012 and 2011:

(Amounts in Thousands) (a) (b)	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
MMBtu of natural gas		53		1,393

(a) Amounts are not reflective of net positions in the underlying commodities.

(b) Notional amounts for options are included on a gross basis, but are weighted for the probability of exercise.

Consideration of Credit Risk and Concentrations — NSP-Wisconsin continuously monitors the creditworthiness of the counterparties to its interest rate and commodity derivative contracts prior to settlement, and assesses each counterparty's ability to perform on the transactions set forth in the contracts. Given this assessment, as well as an assessment of the impact of NSP-Wisconsin's own credit risk when determining the fair value of derivative liabilities, the impact of considering credit risk was immaterial to the fair value of unsettled commodity derivatives presented in the consolidated balance sheets.

NSP-Wisconsin employs additional credit risk control mechanisms when appropriate, such as letters of credit, parental guarantees, standardized master netting agreements and termination provisions that allow for offsetting of positive and negative exposures. Credit exposure is monitored and, when necessary, the activity with a specific counterparty is limited until credit enhancement is provided.

Financial Impact of Qualifying Cash Flow Hedges — The impact of qualifying interest rate cash flow hedges on NSP-Wisconsin's accumulated other comprehensive loss, included in the consolidated statements of common stockholder's equity and in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income, is detailed in the following table:

(Thousands of Dollars)	2012			2011			2010
Accumulated other comprehensive loss related to cash flow hedges at Jan. 1	$	(514	)	$	(590	)	$	(666	)
After-tax net realized losses on derivative transactions reclassified into earnings		77			76			76
Accumulated other comprehensive loss related to cash flow hedges at Dec. 31	$	(437	)	$	(514	)	$	(590	)

During the years ended Dec. 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, changes in the fair value of natural gas commodity derivatives resulted in net losses of $0.4 million, $3.6 million and $3.4 million, respectively, recognized as regulatory assets and liabilities. The classification as a regulatory asset or liability is based on commission approved regulatory recovery mechanisms.

Natural gas commodity derivatives settlement losses of $2.9 million, $2.9 million and $1.1 million were recognized during each of the years ended Dec. 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, and were subject to purchased natural gas cost recovery mechanisms, which result in reclassifications of derivative settlement gains and losses out of income to a regulatory asset or liability, as appropriate.

NSP-Wisconsin had no derivative instruments designated as fair value hedges during the years ended Dec. 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010.

Recurring Fair Value Measurements — The following tables present, for each of the fair value hierarchy levels, NSP-Wisconsin's liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

	Dec. 31, 2012
	Fair Value
							Fair Value		Counterparty
(Thousands of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Netting (a)		Total (b)
Current derivative liabilities
Natural gas commodity	$	-	$	11	$	-	$	11	$	-	$	11

	Dec. 31, 2011
	Fair Value
							Fair Value		Counterparty
(Thousands of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Netting (a)		Total (b)
Current derivative liabilities
Natural gas commodity	$	418	$	2,096	$	-	$	2,514	$	-	$	2,514

(a) The accounting guidance for derivatives and hedging permits the netting of receivables and payables for derivatives and related collateral amounts when a legally enforceable master netting agreement exists between NSP-Wisconsin and a counterparty. A master netting agreement is an agreement between two parties who have multiple contracts with each other that provides for the net settlement of all contracts in the event of default on or termination of any one contract.

(b) Included in other current liabilities balance of $11.8 million and $13.9 million at Dec. 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, in the consolidated balance sheets.

Fair Value of Long-Term Debt

As of Dec. 31, 2012 and 2011, other financial instruments for which the carrying amount did not equal fair value were as follows:

	2012				2011
(Thousands of Dollars)	Carrying Amount		Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Fair Value
Long-term debt, including current portion	$	468,563	$	576,353	$	369,369	$	474,356

The fair value of NSP-Wisconsin's long-term debt is estimated based on recent trades and observable spreads from benchmark interest rates for similar securities. The fair value estimates are based on information available to management as of Dec. 31, 2012 and 2011, and given the observability of the inputs to these estimates, the fair values presented for long-term debt have been assigned a Level 2. These fair value estimates have not been comprehensively revalued for purposes of these consolidated financial statements since those dates and current estimates of fair values may differ significantly.