Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2023

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities

Fair Value Measurements

Accounting guidance for fair value measurements and disclosures provides a hierarchical framework for disclosing the observability of the inputs utilized in measuring assets and liabilities at fair value. 

•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 actively traded instruments with observable actual trading prices.

•Level 2 — Pricing inputs are other than actual trading 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 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 include those valued with models requiring significant judgment or estimation.

Specific valuation methods include:

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

Commodity derivatives — 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 classification. When contracts relate to inactive delivery locations or extend to periods beyond those readily observable on active exchanges, the significance of the use of less observable inputs on a valuation is evaluated and may result in Level 3 classification.

Derivative Activities and Fair Value Measurements

PSCo enters into derivative instruments, including forward contracts, futures, swaps and options, for trading purposes and to manage risk in connection with changes in interest rates and utility commodity prices.

Interest Rate Derivatives — PSCo enters into contracts that effectively fix the interest rate on a specified principal amount of a hypothetical future debt issuance. These financial swaps net settle based on changes in a specified benchmark interest rate, acting as a hedge of changes in market interest rates that will impact specified anticipated debt issuances. These derivative instruments are designated as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes, with changes in fair value prior to occurrence of the hedged transactions recorded as other comprehensive income.

As of June 30, 2023, accumulated other comprehensive loss related to interest rate derivatives included $1 million of net losses expected to be reclassified into earnings during the next 12 months as the hedged transactions impact earnings. As of June 30, 2023, PSCo had no unsettled interest rate derivatives.

Wholesale and Commodity Trading — PSCo conducts various wholesale and commodity trading activities, including the purchase and sale of electric capacity, energy, energy-related instruments and natural gas-related instruments, including derivatives. PSCo is allowed to conduct these activities within guidelines and limitations as approved by its risk management committee, comprised of management personnel not directly involved in the activities governed by this policy.

Results of derivative instrument transactions entered into for trading purposes are presented in the consolidated statements of income as electric revenues, net of any sharing with customers. These activities are not intended to mitigate commodity price risk associated with regulated electric and natural gas operations. Sharing of these margins is determined through state regulatory proceedings as well as the operation of the FERC-approved joint operating agreement.

Commodity Derivatives — PSCo enters into derivative instruments to manage variability of future cash flows from changes in commodity prices in its electric and natural gas operations. This could include the purchase or sale of energy or energy-related products, natural gas to generate electric energy, natural gas for resale, and vehicle fuel.

When PSCo enters into derivative instruments that mitigate commodity price risk on behalf of electric and natural gas customers, the instruments are not typically designated as qualifying hedging transactions. The classification of unrealized losses or gains on these instruments as a regulatory asset or liability, if applicable, is based on approved regulatory recovery mechanisms.

As of June 30, 2023, PSCo had no commodity contracts designated as cash flow hedges.

Gross notional amounts of commodity forwards and options:

(Amounts in Millions) (a)(b)	June 30, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Megawatt hours of electricity	6	8
Million British thermal units of natural gas	32	43

(a)Not reflective of net positions in the underlying commodities.

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

Consideration of Credit Risk and Concentrations — PSCo continuously monitors the creditworthiness of counterparties to its interest rate derivatives and commodity derivative contracts prior to settlement and assesses each counterparty’s ability to perform on the transactions set forth in the contracts. Impact of credit risk was immaterial to the fair value of unsettled commodity derivatives presented on the consolidated balance sheets.

PSCo’s most significant concentrations of credit risk with particular entities or industries are contracts with counterparties to its wholesale, trading and non-trading commodity activities. 

As of June 30, 2023, two of PSCo’s ten most significant counterparties for these activities, comprising $32 million, or 38%, of this credit exposure, had investment grade credit ratings from S&P Global Ratings, Moody’s Investor Services or Fitch Ratings.

Five of the ten most significant counterparties, comprising $20 million, or 24%, of this credit exposure, were not rated by these external ratings agencies, but based on PSCo’s internal analysis, had credit quality consistent with investment grade.

Three of these significant counterparties, comprising $14 million, or 17%, of this credit exposure, had credit quality less than investment grade, based on internal analysis. Six of these significant counterparties are independent system operators, municipal or cooperative electric entities, Regional Transmission Organizations or other utilities.

Credit Related Contingent Features — Contract provisions for derivative instruments that PSCo enters into, including those accounted for as normal purchase and normal sale contracts and therefore not reflected on the consolidated balance sheets, may require the posting of collateral or settlement of the contracts for various reasons, including if PSCo’s credit ratings are downgraded below its investment grade credit rating by any of the major credit rating agencies.

As of June 30, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2022, there were no derivative liabilities position with such underlying contract provisions.

Certain contracts also contain cross default provisions that may require the posting of collateral or settlement of the contracts if there was a failure under other financing arrangements related to payment terms or other covenants.

As of June 30, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2022, there were no derivative instruments in a liability position with such underlying contract provisions.

Certain derivative instruments are also subject to contract provisions that contain adequate assurance clauses. These provisions allow counterparties to seek performance assurance, including cash collateral, in the event that PSCo’s ability to fulfill its contractual obligations is reasonably expected to be impaired. PSCo had no collateral posted related to adequate assurance clauses in derivative contracts as of June 30, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2022.

Recurring Derivative Fair Value Measurements

Changes in the fair value of natural gas commodity derivatives recognized as regulatory assets and liabilities included immaterial net gains and losses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022. The classification as a regulatory asset or liability is based on commission approved regulatory recovery mechanisms.

	Pre-Tax Losses Reclassified into Income During the Period from:			Pre-Tax Losses Recognized During the Period in Income
(Millions of Dollars)	Regulatory Assets and Liabilities
Three Months Ended June 30, 2023
Other derivative instruments
Commodity trading	$	—		$	(5)	(a)
Total	$	—		$	(5)
Six Months Ended June 30, 2023
Other derivative instruments
Commodity trading	$	—		$	(5)	(a)
Natural gas commodity	10		(b)	(12)		(b)(c)
Total	$	10		$	(17)
Three Months Ended June 30, 2022
Other derivative instruments
Commodity trading	$	—		$	3	(a)
Total	$	—		$	3
Six Months Ended June 30, 2022
Other derivative instruments
Commodity trading	$	—		$	3	(a)
Natural gas commodity	2		(b)	(11)		(b)(c)
Total	$	2		$	(8)

(a)Recorded to electric revenues. Presented amounts do not reflect non-derivative transactions or margin sharing with customers.

(b)Recorded to cost of natural gas sold and transported. These losses are subject to cost-recovery mechanisms and reclassified out of income to a regulatory asset, as appropriate.

(c)Relates primarily to option premium amortization.

PSCo had no derivative instruments designated as fair value hedges during

the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022.

Derivative assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis were as follows:

	June 30, 2023												Dec. 31, 2022
	Fair Value						Fair Value Total		Netting (a)		Total		Fair Value						Fair Value Total		Netting (a)		Total
(Millions of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3								Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Current derivative assets
Other derivative instruments:
Commodity trading	$	4	$	88	$	—	$	92	$	(64)	$	28	$	16	$	220	$	1	$	237	$	(184)	$	53
Natural gas commodity	—		1		—		1		—		1		—		12		—		12		—		12
Total current derivative assets	$	4	$	89	$	—	$	93	$	(64)	$	29	$	16	$	232	$	1	$	249	$	(184)	$	65
Noncurrent derivative assets
Other derivative instruments:
Commodity trading	$	7	$	16	$	10	$	33	$	(16)	$	17	$	12	$	32	$	9	$	53	$	(31)	$	22
Total noncurrent derivative assets	$	7	$	16	$	10	$	33	$	(16)	$	17	$	12	$	32	$	9	$	53	$	(31)	$	22

	June 30, 2023												Dec. 31, 2022
	Fair Value						Fair Value Total		Netting (a)		Total		Fair Value						Fair Value Total		Netting (a)		Total
(Millions of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3								Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Current derivative liabilities
Other derivative instruments:
Commodity trading	$	1	$	94	$	1	$	96	$	(78)	$	18	$	5	$	237	$	1	$	243	$	(223)	$	20
Natural gas commodity	—		—		—		—		—		—		—		10		—		10		—		10
Total current derivative liabilities	$	1	$	94	$	1	$	96	$	(78)	$	18	$	5	$	247	$	1	$	253	$	(223)	$	30
Noncurrent derivative liabilities
Other derivative instruments:
Commodity trading	$	4	$	19	$	—	$	23	$	(16)	$	7	$	7	$	40	$	—	$	47	$	(38)	$	9
Total noncurrent derivative liabilities	$	4	$	19	$	—	$	23	$	(16)	$	7	$	7	$	40	$	—	$	47	$	(38)	$	9

(a)PSCo nets derivative instruments and related collateral on its consolidated balance sheets when supported by a legally enforceable master netting agreement. At June 30, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2022, derivative assets and liabilities include no obligations to return cash collateral. At June 30, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2022, derivative assets and liabilities include rights to reclaim cash collateral of $14 million and $46 million, respectively. Counterparty netting amounts presented exclude settlement receivables and payables and non-derivative amounts that may be subject to the same master netting agreements.

Changes in Level 3 commodity derivatives:

	Three Months Ended June 30
(Millions of Dollars)	2023		2022
Balance at April 1	$	10	$	(70)
Settlements (a)	—		2
Net transactions recorded during the period:
Gains (losses) recognized in earnings (a)	(1)		38
Balance at June 30	$	9	$	(30)
	Six Months Ended June 30
(Millions of Dollars)	2023		2022
Balance at Jan. 1	$	9	$	(63)
Settlements (a)	—		4
Net transactions recorded during the period:
Gains (losses) recognized in earnings (a)	—		29
Balance at June 30	$	9	$	(30)

(a)Relates to commodity trading and is subject to substantial offsetting losses and gains on derivative instruments categorized as levels 1 and 2 in the consolidated income statement. See above tables for the income statement impact of derivative activity, including commodity trading gains and losses.

Fair Value of Long-Term Debt

As of June 30, 2023, other financial instruments for which the carrying amount did not equal fair value:

	June 30, 2023				Dec. 31, 2022
(Millions of Dollars)	Carrying Amount		Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Fair Value
Long-term debt, including current portion	$	7,447	$	6,384	$	6,860	$	5,881

Fair value of PSCo’s long-term debt is estimated based on recent trades and observable spreads from benchmark interest rates for similar securities. Fair value estimates are based on information available to management as of June 30, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2022, and given the observability of the inputs, fair values presented for long-term debt were assigned as Level 2.