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Exelon (EXC)Stock (Diversified Utilities Industry, Energy Industry)
 Exelon Corp. is one of the nation's largest electrical utilities, with over 5.4 million retail customers and over 33,000 Megawatts in energy capacity (1 MW can power approximately 500 homes; for example, a city the size of Seattle can consume 1,100 MW at any given moment in time.) In fiscal 2007, Exelon reported revenues of $18.916B and operating income of $4.668B. Exelon delivers energy to millions of retail customers in Pennsylvania and Illinois and generates energy for wholesale delivery to retail suppliers throughout the nation. PECO and ComEd comprise Exelon's retail utility segment. PECO delivers electricity and gas to almost 2 million customers in the southeastern portion of Pennsylvania, including the city of Philadelphia. ComEd delivers electricity to 3.7 million customers in northern Illinois. The future success of both subsidiaries depends largely on U.S. Energy Regulations and their respective regulatory environments. ComEd, in particular, faces some uncertainty as Illinois nears the end of a 10 year legislative rate freeze on energy prices. If Illinois moves from government regulated prices to market based pricing, ComEd could see a significant boost to earnings. On the other hand, continuation of rate freeze legislation could pose a serious threat to the company. Exelon also operates a wide array of nuclear energy, fossil fuel, hydroelectric and renewable energy plants. Exelon's energy portfolio is concentrated in nuclear energy, with nuclear energy generation representing almost two thirds of total energy production. Exelon's nuclear fleet represents 3% of total US energy production. Exelon's nuclear focus will allow it to benefit from a variety of trends including rising worldwide demand for energy, resulting rising fossil fuel prices, global warming concerns and a favorable US legislative environment.
[edit] Corporate OverviewExelon was formed through the merger of two energy utilities, Unicom and PECO, in 2000. The merger was part of an overall wave of consolidation that occurred in the wake of the deregulation of the utility industry. Exelon manages its broad interests through two business segments: Delivery and Power Generation. Generation processes raw fuel to generate energy in an array of fossil, hydroelectric and nuclear power plants. Exelon delivery focuses on maintaining the power lines and other infrastructure necessary for delivering energy to millions of customers in Illinois and Pennsylvania. Delivery operates through two subsidiaries: Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) which operates in Illinois and PECO which operates in the Philadelphia region of Pennsylvania. Power Generation is also subdivided into three business segments: Power, Nuclear and Powerteam. In the first quarter of 2008, Exelon saw operating revenues of $4.5 billion and operating income of $1.1 billion, both down from the first quarter of 2007 thanks to the company's need to take five nuclear reactors offline for refueling purposes. In the second quarter of 2008, Exelon saw operating income rise from $700 million a year before to $746 million, thanks, among other things, to higher output (the result of refueling).[1] [edit] Business Segments [edit] ComEdCommonwealth Edison, or ComEd, is responsible for servicing and maintaining the over 78,000 miles of powerlines that provide Chicago and northern Illinois with electric energy. ComEd does not engage in the production of energy. Instead, it purchases energy from third party providers and focuses on servicing and delivering this energy to customers. ComEd currently has a customer base of over 3.7 million and has approximately 6000 employees. In FY 2007, ComEd earned $6.104B in revenues, with $512 million in operating income. In June 2007, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission raised ComEd's customer's rates by about 1%, in response to a request by ComEd. [edit] PECOPECO engages in the distribution and delivery of electricity and natural gas in the southeastern region of Pennsylvania. Like ComEd, PECO does not engage in the production of energy; it purchases energy from Exelon Power Generation and other third party providers. PECO focuses primarily on servicing and maintaining a web of substations, power lines and gas mains to deliver this electricity to 1.5 million customers and gas to another 460,000 in the Philadelphia region. Recently, PECO finished installing $12 million worth of upgrades to one of its Pennsylvania natural gas distribution systems, ensuring that it will be able to deliver to customers over the winter as temperatures fall and heat demand rises. The segment also announced that in 2007, it was able to cut the number of power outages that affected customers by 23% through increased spending on maintenance and upgrades. In FY 2007, PECO reported revenues of $5.613 billion and a net profit of $947 million. The Pennsylvania Energy Independence Initiative, which is planned to help cut carbon emissions in the state by advancing conservation and raising fossil fuel taxes could benefit Exelon by pushing nuclear energy, but could hurt the company's fossil fuel power business. Currently, the company is working on lobbying the state legislature to make the Initiative more appealing for it. [edit] Power GenerationGeneration, Exelon's largest business segment, earned $10.749B in 2007 revenues, with $3.392B in operating income, making it also Exelon's most profitable segment. Generation is divided into Nuclear, Power, and Powerteam. [edit] NuclearOf these three segments, nuclear is by far the largest. Exelon's nuclear wing operates 10 nuclear plants with 17 reactors. Exelon's nuclear fleet is the largest in the nation and third largest in the world. In all, the plants represent 20% of US nuclear energy or 3% of total US energy production. Decades after nuclear accidents at Three Mile Island (Three Mile Island - 1 was acquired by PECO in December of 1999) and Chernobyl stigmatized nuclear energy, rising fossil fuel prices are making people reconsider. Higher oil prices increase costs for fossil fuel plants and make nuclear energy more attractive. Increasing awareness of global climate change also makes nuclear energy more appealing, as nuclear plants have negligible greenhouse gas emissions compared to plants that burn fossil fuels (though construction of nuclear plants does cause some emissions). Exelon demonstrated its long term commitment to expanding its nuclear energy program when it tried to merge with PSEG in 2006. The merger would have given Exelon interest in four additional nuclear plants and boosted it to the world's number two in nuclear energy. Although the deal was scrapped due to high regulation hurdles, nuclear energy remains Exelon's crown jewel. The nuclear segment was one of the most successful nuclear power teams in the industry during 2007, with an average capacity factor (that is, percent of capital used) of 94.5% (compared to the industry average of 90%), and energy production growth of 955,000 megawatt hours[2]. During the first quarter of 2008, however, the company started five refueling outages, completing four - over twice as many as occurred in the same period of 2007. Though these outages were necessary, they did reduce the company's production during the period. Exelon was able to complete these outages in an average of 25 days - compared to the industry average of 41 days. [edit] PowerExelon Power manages Exelon's portfolio of fossil, hydroelectric and alternative energy plants. These plants have the capacity to produce over 8000 Megawatts of energy. This capacity complements Exelon's nuclear production; when demand spikes, some of the excess burden can be shifted onto the fossil plants. Unlike Nuclear, the Power division is exposed to the risks associated with fossil fuels such as global warming and oil prices. In addition to fossil and hydroelectric plants, Exelon Power also operates several solar power facilities and several wind farms as the largest producer of wind power east of the Mississippi. While the price of coal has been rising for some time, Exelon continues to expand its Power segment, albeit in creative ways. In 3Q07, the company purchased the output of State Line, a 515 MW coal power plant in Indiana, until 2012. Despite the rising cost of coal power production, Exelon expects after-tax income from the plant to be around $130 million in 4Q07, and then expects to lose $35 million per year until the end of the contract, when State Line will pay the company $233 million, creating immediate cash flow. It should be noted that the coal plant was not purchased as a strategic asset, but rather as an assured investment with dependable future income and no long-term financial repercussions. Power's fossil fuel capital availability rate in 4Q07 was 83%, compared to 95.7% in 4Q06, because two plants went down in 4Q07. The company's hydro-facility availability rose for the same periods from 97.9% to 98.6%, though lower river flow resulted in lower power generation[3]. [edit] PowerTeamPowerTeam is responsible for marketing Exelon Nuclear and Power's products. PowerTeam delivers wholesale energy products to retail suppliers. They also design and package energy products and negotiate contracts with municipalities, utilities and institutional traders. Additionally, PowerTeam actively hedges Exelon Nuclear and Power's portfolio of energy assets. PowerTeam's hedging reduces Exelon's overall exposure to the risks of fluctuating energy prices. [edit] Trends and Forces[edit] Rising Fossil Fuel Prices  Over the past decade the price of oil has significantly, approximately tripling since the year 2000. These price increases have drastically increased the cost of operating fossil-fuel based plants. Rising fuel prices force utilities to pass their costs onto customers, which can cause backlash among consumers and lawmakers. Con Ed, for example, said that its electricity prices for summer 2008 would be 22% higher than in summer 2007, prompting a New York City Councilman to make comments about the firm's exorbitant executive pay packages.[4] Decades after accidents at Three-Mile Island (operated by Exelon) and Chernobyl stigmatized nuclear energy, these increasing costs have in turn forced corporations and the government to take a second look at nuclear energy: Nuclear vs. Fossil. The key difference between nuclear and fossil plants is the cost structure. Nuclear plants require very large capital investments (to construct the plant) but little expenditure for fuel because it takes relatively little uranium to power a plant. On the other hand, fossil fuel plants require relatively little capital investment but have high fuel costs because they require large amounts of coal, oil or gas. In the past, low fossil fuel prices gave given fossil fuel plants a cost advantage over nuclear plants. The cost advantage, compounded by the stigmas of nuclear energy (the Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) phenomenon) has prevented new nuclear construction for almost 30 years. Record fossil fuel prices have begun to reverse this trend. The possibility and implications of peak oil may reinforce this reversal. Already, nuclear utilities such as Exelon and Entergy have begun filing for permits for construction of new nuclear plants, with some heralding the arrival of a "nuclear renaissance." Of course, it is critical to remember that a substantial portion of Exlon's business remains vulnerable to rising energy prices. ComEd, PECO, and Exelon Power could all see a negative impact on earnings if fossil fuel prices continue to rise. A move to market-based rates in Illinois (ComEd) should limit this negative impact. Additionally, Exelon's nuclear portfolio accounts for almost two thirds of its energy production. In all, Exelon should be a net beneficiary of a fundamental shift toward nuclear energy due to higher fossil fuel prices. [edit] Global Warming and EnvironmentalismOver the past few years, global warming has moved from the fringes to become one of the single greatest single challenges facing the world today. A growing body of scientific evidence ties carbon dioxide emissions to rising temperatures. As a result of growing popular awareness of the risks of global warming, many large corporations have stepped up their efforts to project greener images. Additionally, many expect the U.S. government to enact more stringent legislation limiting carbon emissions. Environmental awareness is another key trend driving the renaissance of nuclear energy. Compared to their fossil fuel peers, nuclear energy plants have negligible emissions. Again, although Exelon also operates fossil fuel plants, the majority of its energy comes from nuclear plants. Additionally, Exelon operates many hydroelectric, alternative and renewable energy plants. In all, Exelon stands to benefit from a shift to nuclear energy due to global warming concerns, a fact that has not been lost on the company. The company recently began to push for higher efficiency standards and other environmentally friendly state policies in the areas it operates, probably hoping that a paradigm shift will facilitate a shift towards renewable energy, ultimately benefiting the company. In its second quarter 2008 conference call, Exelon detailed a program, Exelon 2020: A Low-Carbon Road Map, with a goal of offsetting 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. The company plans on spending 10 billion over the next 12 years, 80-85% of which will go to upgrading nuclear plants, implementing renewable energy generation, and building efficient natural gas plants. The rest will go to carbon offsets and customer education programs.[5] [edit] Nuclear Power Is Still Highly ControversialNuclear power plants are run to precise, extremely high standards in order to ensure that the power-generating processes do not go awry. This is because nuclear energy is generated by dealing with the most basic and yet most powerful forces in the universe: the quantity of energy released by fission reactions in a single power plant, though enough to power 800,000 people, is enormous enough to melt a hole deep into the planet. Furthermore, an uncontrolled reaction could release enough radiation to make the state of Pennsylvania unlivable. These threats to the environment and human life have many people who would otherwise support nuclear energy in the fight against climate change turning to other energy sources like wind and solar, though the fact that Exelon can generate a kilowatt-hour of energy for only 1.8 cents versus an average of 4 cents for wind energy could have average consumers leaning toward nuclear as an easy climate change solution. Ultimately, the question of the success of nuclear energy will come down to what people fear more: the threat of climate change with its unknown effects or the risk of a cataclysm whose effects are known ([www.wikipedia.com/chernobyl see: Chernobyl]). [edit] WeatherWeather can have a material impact on Exelon's business. Warmer than expected winters can lead to lower demand for heating energy, whereas a cooler than expected summer can lead to lower energy demand for cooling. The 4th quarter of 2006 for instance was cooler than the 4th quarter of 2005 resulting in a 1% decrease in Kilowatt deliveries when compared to 2005. Storms can also cost the company millions of dollars, as in June 2008 when a storm knocked out power for 152,000 PECO customers, forcing the company to put crews to work around the clock to restore power.[6] [edit] Government Regulation and LegislationThe U.S. government plays a critical role in the financial performance of the highly regulated energy sector. Each of Exlon's utility businesses face a variety of challenges and potential benefits that may arise from changes in legislation and regulatory schemes: [edit] ComEdComEd in particular is at a crucial juncture in terms of U.S. Energy Regulations . In 1997, the state of Illinois enacted legislation that split the generation and delivery segments of energy companies, lowered rates by 20% and, most importantly, froze rates at that level for 10 years. Unless new legislation is enacted, 2007 will see the transition from artificial, regulated pricing to market rate pricing. Unless rate freeze legislation is reenacted, ComEd predicts an average 22% increase in rates in Illinois. In this way, the transition to market based rates should provide a significant boost to earnings in the coming years. On the other hand, the CEO of ComEd has been quoted saying that another rate freeze may push ComEd toward insolvency. This outcome is unlikely, however, as 75% of the company's 1Q08 rate hike requests were granted, indicating a close relationship between the company and its regulators. [edit] GenerationIn all, the legislative environment is favorable for Exelon Generation. Increasing concern over global warming makes US carbon emission legislation likely in the short to midterm. Because Exelon's portfolio is concentrated in nuclear energy any legislation based on carbon trading markets will allow Exelon to offset emissions at its carbon based plants with carbon credits from its renewable and nuclear plants. Additionally, the 2005 federal energy bill provided many government incentives for the continued expansion of the US nuclear fleet. Exelon Generation should benefit from this favorable environment moving forward. [edit] Competitors
Although wide variation in their operations makes direct comparison difficult, it is clear that Exelon has been a top performer among utility companies. Exelon is considerably larger than its closest competitors. Its scale provides more leverage when negotiating energy contracts with retail energy suppliers. Another key attraction of Exelon is the high concentration of its energy portfolio in Nuclear Energy. In all, nuclear energy represents almost two thirds of Exelon's energy generation. This high concentration in nuclear energy is a key advantage. While nuclear plants require large initial investments, low fuel costs allow for lower marginal costs. These lower marginal costs have helped Exelon maintain a much higher profit margin than its peers. It is important to note that, while these metrics are useful in highlighting various advantages of each utility, none of these company's utility operations are in direct competition. Each utility operates in a geographical monopoly.
 Exelon2004 Data 2005 Data 2006 Data 2007 Data 2008 Data Most Recent Data Available [edit] References
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