DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Derivative [Line Items]

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Text Block]

6. DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The Company recognizes all derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities in the statement of financial position and measures those instruments at fair value.  The Company recognizes changes in the fair value of derivative instruments either in earnings, as a component of other comprehensive income (loss) or, for regulated subsidiaries, within regulatory assets

or regulatory liabilities, depending upon the intended use of the derivative and the resulting designation.  The fair value of derivative instruments is determined by reference to quoted market prices of listed contracts, published quotations or, for interest rate swaps, discounted cash flow models with independently sourced data.

Policies and procedures and risk limits are established to control the level of market, credit, liquidity and operational and administrative risks assumed by the Company.  SCANA’s Board of Directors has delegated to a Risk Management Committee the authority to set risk limits, establish policies and procedures for risk management and measurement, and oversee and review the risk management process and infrastructure for SCANA and each of its subsidiaries.  The Risk Management Committee, which is comprised of certain officers, including the Company’s Risk Management Officer and senior officers, apprises the Board of Directors with regard to the management of risk and brings to the Board’s attention any areas of concern. Written policies define the physical and financial transactions that are approved, as well as the authorization requirements and limits for transactions.

Commodity Derivatives

The Company uses derivative instruments to hedge forward purchases and sales of natural gas, which create market risks of different types.  Instruments designated as cash flow hedges are used to hedge risks associated with fixed price obligations in a volatile market and risks associated with price differentials at different delivery locations. Instruments designated as fair value hedges are used to mitigate exposure to fluctuating market prices created by fixed prices of stored natural gas.  The basic types of financial instruments utilized are exchange-traded instruments, such as NYMEX futures contracts or options, and over-the-counter instruments such as options and swaps, which are typically offered by energy and financial institutions.  Cash settlements of commodity derivatives are classified as an operating activity in the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows.

The SCPSC authorized the suspension of SCE&G's natural gas hedging program in January 2012. The fair value of such derivative instruments remaining to be settled were not significant for any period presented.

PSNC Energy hedges natural gas purchasing activities using over-the-counter options and swaps and NYMEX futures and options.  PSNC Energy’s tariffs also include a provision for the recovery of actual gas costs incurred.  PSNC Energy records premiums, transaction fees, margin requirements and any realized gains or losses from its hedging program in deferred accounts as a regulatory asset or liability for the over- or under-recovery of gas costs.  These derivative financial instruments are not designated as hedges for accounting purposes.

The unrealized gains and losses on qualifying cash flow hedges of nonregulated operations are deferred in OCI.  When the hedged transactions affect earnings, the previously recorded gains and losses are reclassified from OCI to cost of gas.  The effects of gains or losses resulting from these hedging activities are either offset by the recording of the related hedged transactions or are included in gas sales pricing decisions made by the business unit.

As an accommodation to certain customers, SEMI, as part of its energy management services, offers fixed price supply contracts which are accounted for as derivatives.  These sales contracts are offset by the purchase of supply futures and swaps which are also accounted for as derivatives. Neither the sales contracts nor the related supply futures and swaps are designated as hedges for accounting purposes.

Interest Rate Swaps

The Company may use interest rate swaps to manage interest rate risk and exposure to changes in the fair value attributable to changes in interest rates on certain debt issuances.  These swaps may be designated as either fair value hedges or cash flow hedges.

In anticipation of the issuance of debt, the Company may use treasury rate lock or forward starting swap agreements that are designated as cash flow hedges.  The effective portions of changes in fair value and payments made or received upon termination of such agreements for regulated subsidiaries are recorded in regulatory assets or regulatory liabilities, and for the holding company or nonregulated subsidiaries, are recorded in OCI.  Such amounts are amortized to interest expense over the term of the underlying debt and are classified as an operating activity for cash flow purposes. Ineffective portions are recognized in income.  Cash payments made or received upon termination of these financial instruments are classified as an investing activity for cash flow purposes.

Quantitative Disclosures Related to Derivatives

The Company was party to natural gas derivative contracts outstanding in the following quantities:

	Commodity and Other Energy Management Contracts (in DT)
Hedge designation	Gas Distribution	Retail Gas Marketing	Energy Marketing	Total
As of September 30, 2012
Cash flow	—	9,650,000	20,455,750	30,105,750
Not designated (a)	8,580,000	—	22,330,074	30,910,074
Total (a)	8,580,000	9,650,000	42,785,824	61,015,824
As of December 31, 2011
Cash flow	—	6,566,000	29,861,763	36,427,763
Not designated (b)	9,080,000	—	31,943,563	41,023,563
Total (b)	9,080,000	6,566,000	61,805,326	77,451,326

(a)  Includes an aggregate 5,910,000 DT related to basis swap contracts in Energy Marketing.

(b)  Includes an aggregate 9,626,000 DT related to basis swap contracts in Energy Marketing.

The Company was not party to any interest rate swaps designated as fair value hedges at September 30, 2012. The Company was party to interest rate swaps designated as fair value hedges with aggregate notional amounts of $253.2 million at December 31, 2011, and was party to interest rate swaps designated as cash flow hedges with aggregate notional amounts of $1.1 billion at September 30, 2012 and $822.6 million at December 31, 2011.

The fair value of energy-related derivatives and interest rate derivatives was reflected in the condensed consolidated balance sheet as follows:

	Fair Values of Derivative Instruments
	Asset Derivatives			Liability Derivatives
	Balance Sheet	Fair		Balance Sheet	Fair
Millions of dollars	Location (c)	Value		Location (c)	Value
As of September 30, 2012
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments
Interest rate contracts	Prepayments and other	$	27	Other current liabilities	$	75
	Other deferred debits and other assets	20		Other deferred credits and other liabilities	42
Commodity contracts	Prepayments and other	2		Other current liabilities	3
	Other current liabilities	2
Total		$	51		$	120
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments
Commodity contracts	Prepayments and other	$	2
Energy management contracts	Prepayments and other	8		Prepayments and other	$	1
	Other deferred debits and other assets	7		Other current liabilities	7
				Other deferred credits and other liabilities	7
Total		$	17		$	15

As of December 31, 2011
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments
Interest rate contracts	Prepayments and other	$	2	Other current liabilities	$	55
				Other deferred credits and other liabilities	103
Commodity contracts	Other current liabilities	1		Prepayments and other	1
				Other current liabilities	10
				Other deferred credits and other liabilities	3
Total		$	3		$	172
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments
Energy management contracts	Prepayments and other	$	17	Prepayments and other	$	3
	Other deferred debits and other assets	10		Other current liabilities	13
				Other deferred credits and other liabilities	9
Total		$	27		$	25

(c) Asset derivatives represent unrealized gains to the Company, and liability derivatives represent unrealized losses.  In the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets, unrealized gain and loss positions on commodity contracts with the same counterparty are reported as either a net asset or liability, and for purposes of the above disclosure they are reported on a gross basis.

The effect of derivative instruments on the condensed consolidated statements of income is as follows: 

With regard to the Company's interest rate swaps designated as fair value hedges, the gains on those swaps and the losses on the hedged fixed rate debt are recognized in current earnings and included in interest expense. These gains and losses, combined with the amortization of deferred gains on previously terminated swaps, resulted in increases to interest expense that were insignificant for each of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and were $0.9 million and $4.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively.

Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships

						Gain (Loss) Reclassified from
Derivatives in Cash Flow	Gain (Loss) Deferred					Deferred Accounts into Income
Hedging Relationships	in Regulatory Accounts					(Effective Portion)
Millions of dollars	(Effective Portion)					Location	Amount
	2012		2011				2012			2011
Three Months Ended September 30,
Interest rate contracts	$	23	$	(63	)	Interest expense	$	(1	)	$	(1	)
Nine Months Ended September 30,
Interest rate contracts	$	51	$	(72	)	Interest expense	$	(2	)	$	(2	)

	Gain (Loss)						Gain (Loss) Reclassified from
Derivatives in Cash Flow	Recognized in OCI,						Accumulated OCI into Income,
Hedging Relationships	net of tax						net of tax (Effective Portion)
Millions of dollars	(Effective Portion)						Location	Amount
	2012			2011				2012			2011
Three Months Ended September 30,
Interest rate contracts	$	(1	)	$	(28	)	Interest expense	$	(2	)	$	(1	)
Commodity contracts	2			(5		)	Gas purchased for resale	(1		)	(1		)
Total	$	1		$	(33	)		$	(3	)	$	(2	)
Nine Months Ended September 30,
Interest rate contracts	$	(5	)	$	(39	)	Interest expense	$	(5	)	$	(3	)
Commodity contracts	(1		)	(7		)	Gas purchased for resale	(12		)	(5		)
Total	$	(6	)	$	(46	)		$	(17	)	$	(8	)

As of September 30, 2012, the Company expects that during the next 12 months reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive gain to earnings arising from cash flow hedges will include approximately $0.6 million as a decrease to gas cost and approximately $6.0 million as an increase to interest expense, assuming natural gas and financial markets remain at their current levels.  As of September 30, 2012, all of the Company’s commodity cash flow hedges settle by their terms before the end of 2015.

Derivatives not designated as Hedging Instruments	Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income
Millions of dollars	Location	2012			2011
Three Months Ended September 30,
Commodity contracts	Gas purchased for resale	$	—		$	—
Nine Months Ended September 30,
Commodity contracts	Gas purchased for resale	$	(1	)	$	(1	)

Hedge Ineffectiveness

Other losses recognized in income representing ineffectiveness on interest rate hedges designated as cash flow hedges were insignificant in each of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and were $0.8 million and $1.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively.

Credit Risk Considerations

The Company limits credit risk in its commodity and interest rate derivatives activities by assessing the creditworthiness of potential counterparties before entering into transactions with them and continuing to evaluate their creditworthiness on an ongoing basis. In this regard, the Company uses credit ratings provided by credit rating agencies and current market-based qualitative and quantitative data as well as financial statements to assess the financial health of counterparties on an ongoing basis. The Company uses standardized master agreements which may include collateral requirements. These master agreements permit the netting of cash flows associated with a single counterparty. Cash, surety bonds, letters of credit and parental/affiliate guarantees may be obtained as security from counterparties in order to mitigate credit risk. the collateral agreements require a counterparty to post cash, surety bonds or letters of credit in the event an exposure exceeds the established threshold. the threshold represents an unsecured credit limit which may be supported by a parental/affiliate guaranty, as determined in accordance with the Company's credit policies and due diligence. In addition, collateral agreements allow for the termination and liquidation of all positions in the event of a failure or inability to post collateral.

Certain of the Company’s derivative instruments contain contingent provisions that require the Company to provide collateral upon the occurrence of specific events, primarily credit downgrades.  As of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the Company has posted $89.1 million and $140.3 million, respectively, of collateral related to derivatives with contingent provisions that are in a net liability position.  Collateral related to the positions expected to close in the next 12 months is recorded in Prepayments and other on the consolidated balance sheets. Collateral related to the noncurrent positions is recorded in Other within Deferred Debits and Other Assets on the consolidated balance sheets. If all of the contingent features underlying these instruments were fully triggered as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the Company would be required to post an additional $28.3 million and $50.7 million, respectively, of collateral to its counterparties.  The aggregate fair value of all derivative instruments with contingent provisions that are in a net liability position as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 is $117.4 million and $191.0 million, respectively.

In addition, as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the Company has collected no cash collateral related to interest rate derivatives with contingent provisions that are in a net asset position. If all the contingent features underlying these instruments were fully triggered as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the Company could request $45.8 million and $1.1 million, respectively, of cash collateral from its counterparties. The aggregate fair value of all derivative instruments with contingent provisions that are in a net asset position as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 is $45.8 million and $1.1 million, respectively. In addition, at September 30, 2012, the Company may call on letters of credit in the amount of $10 million related to $12 million in commodity derivatives that are in a net asset position, compared to letters of credit of $12 million related to derivatives of $27 million at December 31, 2011.

SCE&G

Derivative [Line Items]

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Text Block]

Policies and procedures and risk limits are established to control the level of market, credit, liquidity and operational and administrative risks assumed by Consolidated SCE&G.  SCANA’s Board of Directors has delegated to a Risk Management Committee the authority to set risk limits, establish policies and procedures for risk management and measurement, and oversee and review the risk management process and infrastructure for SCANA and each of its subsidiaries, including Consolidated SCE&G.  The Risk Management Committee, which is comprised of certain officers, including the Consolidated SCE&G’s Risk Management Officer and senior officers, apprises the Board of Directors with regard to the management of risk and brings to the Board’s attention any areas of concern.  Written policies define the physical and financial transactions that are approved, as well as the authorization requirements and limits for transactions.

Commodity Derivatives

The SCPSC authorized the suspension of SCE&G's natural gas hedging program in January 2012.  The fair value of such derivative instruments remaining to be settled were not significant for any period presented.

Interest Rate Swaps

Consolidated SCE&G synthetically converts variable rate debt to fixed rate debt using swaps that are designated as cash flow hedges.  Periodic payments to or receipts from swap counterparties related to these derivatives are recorded within interest expense and are classified as an operating activity for cash flow purposes.

In anticipation of the issuance of debt, Consolidated SCE&G may use treasury rate lock or forward starting swap agreements that are designated as cash flow hedges.  The effective portions of changes in fair value and payments made or received upon termination of such agreements are recorded in regulatory assets or regulatory liabilities.  Such amounts are amortized to interest expense over the term of the underlying debt and are classified as an operating activity for cash flow purposes.  Ineffective portions are recognized in income.  Cash payments made or received upon termination of these financial instruments are classified as an investing activity for cash flow purposes.

Quantitative Disclosures Related to Derivatives

SCE&G was party to natural gas derivative contracts for 210,000 DT at September 30, 2012 and 2,490,000 DT at December 31, 2011.  Consolidated SCE&G was a party to interest rate swaps designated as cash flow hedges with an aggregate notional amount of $971.4 million at September 30, 2012 and $471.4 million at December 31, 2011.

The fair value of interest rate derivatives was reflected in the condensed consolidated balance sheet as follows:

	Fair Values of Derivative Instruments
	Asset Derivatives			Liability Derivatives
	Balance Sheet	Fair		Balance Sheet	Fair
Millions of dollars	Location	Value		Location	Value
As of September 30, 2012
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments
Interest rate contracts	Prepayments and other	$	27	Other current liabilities	$	72
	Other deferred debits and other assets	20		Other deferred credits and other liabilities	12
Total		$	47		$	84
As of December 31, 2011
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments
Interest rate contracts	Prepayments and other	$	1	Other current liabilities	$	2
				Other deferred credits and other liabilities	75
Total		$	1		$	77

The effect of derivative instruments on the condensed consolidated statement of income is as follows:

						Gain (Loss) Reclassified from
Derivatives in Cash Flow	Gain (Loss) Deferred					Deferred Accounts into Income
Hedging Relationships	in Regulatory Accounts					(Effective Portion)
Millions of dollars	(Effective Portion)					Location	Amount
	2012		2011				2012			2011
Three Months Ended September 30,
Interest rate contracts	$	23	$	(63	)	Interest expense	$	(1	)	$	(1	)
Nine Months Ended September 30,
Interest rate contracts	$	51	$	(72	)	Interest expense	$	(2	)	$	(2	)

Derivatives not designated as Hedging Instruments	Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income
Millions of dollars	Location	2012		2011
Three Months Ended September 30,
Commodity contracts	Gas purchased for resale	—		—
Nine Months Ended September 30,
Commodity contracts	Gas purchased for resale	(1	)	(1	)

Hedge Ineffectiveness

Other gains (losses) recognized in income representing ineffectiveness on interest rate hedges designated as cash flow hedges were insignificant in each of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and were $0.8 million and $1.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively.

Credit Risk Considerations

Consolidated SCE&G limits credit risk in its commodity and interest rate derivatives activities by assessing the creditworthiness of potential counterparties before entering into transactions with them and continuing to evaluate their creditworthiness on an ongoing basis. In this regard, Consolidated SCE&G uses credit ratings provided by credit rating agencies and current market-based qualitative and quantitative data as well as financial statements to assess the financial health of counterparties on an ongoing basis. Consolidated SCE&G uses standardized master agreements which may include collateral requirements. These master agreements permit the netting of cash flows associated with a single counterparty. Cash, surety bonds, letters of credit and parental/affiliate guarantees may be obtained as security from counterparties in order to mitigate credit risk. the collateral agreements require a counterparty to post cash, surety bonds or letters of credit in the event an exposure exceeds the established threshold. the threshold represents an unsecured credit limit which may be supported by a parental/affiliate guaranty, as determined in accordance with Consolidated SCE&G's credit policies and due diligence. In addition, collateral agreements allow for the termination and liquidation of all positions in the event of a failure or inability to post collateral.

Certain of Consolidated SCE&G’s derivative instruments contain contingent provisions that require Consolidated SCE&G to provide collateral upon the occurrence of specific events, primarily credit downgrades.  As of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, Consolidated SCE&G has posted $42.7 million and $45.0 million, respectively, of collateral related to derivatives with contingent provisions that are in a net liability position.  Collateral related to the positions expected to close in the next 12 months are recorded in Prepayments and other on the consolidated balance sheets. Collateral related to the noncurrent positions are recorded in Other within Deferred Debits and Other Assets on the consolidated balance sheets. If all of the contingent features underlying these instruments were fully triggered as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, Consolidated SCE&G would be required to post an additional $28.0 million and $31.7 million, respectively, of collateral to its counterparties.  The aggregate fair value of all derivative instruments with contingent provisions that are in a net liability position as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 is $70.7 million and $76.7 million, respectively.

In addition, as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, Consolidated SCE&G has collected no cash collateral related to interest rate derivatives with contingent provisions that are in a net asset position. If all the contingent features underlying these instruments were fully triggered as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, Consolidated SCE&G could request $45.8 million and $1.1 million, respectively, of cash collateral from its counterparties. The aggregate fair value of all derivative instruments with contingent provisions that are in a net asset position as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 is $45.8 million and $1.1 million, respectively.