ITEM 1.BUSINESS
THE COMPANY
Overview
PNMR is an investor-owned holding company with two regulated utilities providing electricity and electric services in New Mexico and Texas. PNMR’s electric utilities are PNM and TNMP. PNMR is focused on achieving three key financial objectives:
•Earning authorized returns on regulated businesses
•Delivering at or above industry-average earnings and dividend growth
•Maintaining investment grade credit ratings
In conjunction with these objectives, PNM and TNMP are dedicated to:
•Maintaining strong employee safety, plant performance, and system reliability
•Delivering a superior customer experience
•Demonstrating environmental stewardship in business operations, including transitioning to an emissions-free generating portfolio by 2040
•Supporting the communities in their service territories
PNMR’s success in accomplishing its financial objectives is highly dependent on two key factors: fair and timely regulatory treatment for its utilities and the utilities’ strong operating performance. The Company has multiple strategies in place to achieve favorable regulatory treatment, all of which have as their foundation a focus on the basics: safety, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction, while engaging stakeholders to build productive relationships. The Company believes that maintaining strong and modern electric infrastructure is critical to ensuring reliability and supporting economic growth. PNM and TNMP strive to balance service affordability with infrastructure investment to maintain a high level of electric reliability and to deliver a safe and superior customer experience.
Both PNM and TNMP seek cost recovery for their investments through general rate cases, periodic cost of service filings, and various rate riders. PNM filed a general rate case with the NMPRC in December 2016 and the NMPRC issued a rate order in that case in January 2018. TNMP filed a general rate case in May 2018 and the PUCT issued an order in that case in December 2018. Additional information about rate filings is provided in Operations and Regulation below and in Note 17.
PNMR’s common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PNM. PNMR was incorporated in the State of New Mexico in 2000.
Other Information
These filings for PNMR, PNM, and TNMP include disclosures for each entity. For discussion purposes, this report uses the term “Company” when discussing matters of common applicability to PNMR, PNM, and TNMP. Discussions regarding only PNMR, PNM, or TNMP are so indicated. A reference to “MD&A” in this report refers to Part II, Item 7. – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. A reference to a “Note” refers to the accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Financial information relating to amounts of revenue, net earnings, and total assets of reportable segments is contained in MD&A and Note 2.
Merger
On October 20, 2020, PNMR, Avangrid and Merger Sub entered into the Merger Agreement pursuant to which Merger Sub will merge with and into PNMR, with PNMR surviving the Merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avangrid. The proposed Merger has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of PNMR, Avangrid and Merger Sub and approved by PNMR shareholders at the Special Meeting of Shareholders held on February 12, 2021.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each issued and outstanding share of the common stock of PNMR (other than (i) the issued shares of PNMR common stock that are owned by Avangrid, Merger Sub, PNMR or any wholly-owned subsidiary of Avangrid or PNMR, which will be automatically cancelled at the Effective Time and (ii) shares of PNMR common stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and held by a holder who has not voted in favor of, or consented in writing to, the Merger who is entitled to, and who has demanded, payment for fair value of such shares) at the Effective Time will be converted into the right to receive $50.30 in cash.
The Merger Agreement provided that it may be terminated if the Effective Time shall not have occurred by the End Date; however, either PNMR or Avangrid could extend the End Date to April 20, 2022 if all conditions to closing have been satisfied other than the obtaining of all required regulatory approvals. On December 8, 2021, the NMPRC issued an order rejecting the stipulation agreement relating to the Merger and the approval of the Merger from the NMPRC has not yet been obtained.
In light of the NMPRC December 8, 2021 ruling, on January 3, 2022, PNMR, Avangrid and Merger Sub entered into an Amendment to the Merger Agreement pursuant to which PNMR and Avangrid each agreed to extend the End Date to April 20, 2023. The parties acknowledge in the Amendment that the required regulatory approval from the NMPRC has not been obtained and that the parties have reasonably determined that such outstanding approval will not be obtained by April 20, 2022. As amended, the Merger Agreement may be terminated by each of PNMR and Avangrid under certain circumstances, including if the Merger is not consummated by April 20, 2023.
With respect to the NMPRC proceedings, on April 20, 2021, the Joint Applicants, the NMAG, WRA, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 611, Dine, Nava Education Project, the San Juan Citizens Alliance and To Nizhoni Ani, had entered into a stipulation and agreement in the Joint Application for approval of Merger pending before the NMPRC. Subsequently, CCAE, Onward Energy Holdings LLC, Walmart Inc., Interwest Energy Alliance, M-S-R Power and the Incorporated County of Los Alamos joined an amended stipulation. An evidentiary hearing was held from August 11 - 19, 2021. On November 1, 2021, a Certification of Stipulation was issued by the hearing examiner, which recommended against approval of the amended stipulation. On December 8, 2021, the NMPRC issued an order adopting the Certification of Stipulation, rejecting the amended stipulation reached by the parties. On January 3, 2022, PNMR and Avangrid filed a notice of appeal with the NM Supreme Court. On February 2, 2022, PNMR and Avangrid filed a statement of issues outlining the argument for appeal.
With respect to other regulatory proceedings related to the Merger, in January 20, 2021, the FTC notified PNMR and Avangrid that early termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act in connection with the Merger was granted. In February 2021, CFIUS completed its review of the Merger and concluded that there are no unresolved national security concerns with respect to the Merger. In March 2021, PNMR and Avangrid received FCC approval of the transfer of operating licenses related to the Merger. In April 2021, FERC issued an order authorizing the Merger. In May 2021, the PUCT issued an order authorizing the Merger and the NRC approved the Merger. As a result of the delay in closing of the Merger due to the need to obtain NMPRC approval, PNMR and Avangrid are required to make a new filing under the HSR Act and request extensions of the previous granted approvals from the FCC and NRC. On February 9, 2022, the request for extension was filed with the NRC. On February 24, 2022, the requests for a 180-day extension were granted by the FCC. No additional filings will be required with CFIUS, FERC or the PUCT.
Consummation of the Merger remains subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain customary closing conditions, including, without limitation, the absence of any material adverse effect on PNMR, the receipt of required regulatory approvals, and the agreements relating to the divestiture of Four Corners being in full force and effect and all applicable regulatory filings associated therewith being made. The agreement relating to the divestiture of Four Corners has been entered into and is in full force and effect and related filings have been made with the NMPRC.
WEBSITES
The PNMR website, www.pnmresources.com, is an important source of Company information. New or updated information for public access is routinely posted. PNMR encourages analysts, investors, and other interested parties to register on the website to automatically receive Company information by e-mail. This information includes news releases, notices of webcasts, and filings with the SEC. Participants will not receive information that was not requested and can unsubscribe at any time.
Our corporate websites are:
•PNMR: www.pnmresources.com
•PNM: www.pnm.com
•TNMP: www.tnmp.com
PNMR’s corporate website (www.pnmresources.com) includes a dedicated section providing key environmental and other sustainability information related to PNM’s and TNMP’s operations and other information that collectively demonstrates the Company’s commitment to ESG principles. This information highlights plans for PNM to be coal-free by 2024 (subject to regulatory approval) and to have an emissions-free generating portfolio by 2040.
The contents of these websites are not a part of this Form 10-K. The SEC filings of PNMR, PNM, and TNMP, including annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, are accessible free of charge on the PNMR website as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Reports filed with the SEC are available on its website, www.sec.gov. These reports are also available in print upon request from PNMR free of charge.
Also available on the Company’s website at https://www.pnmresources.com/esg-commitment/governance.aspx and in print upon request from any shareholder are PNMR’s:
•Corporate Governance Principles
•Code of Ethics (Do the Right Thing – Principles of Business Conduct)
•Charters of the Audit and Ethics Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee, Compensation and Human Resources Committee, and Finance Committee
•Restated Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
The Company will post amendments to or waivers from its code of ethics (to the extent applicable to the Company’s executive officers and directors) on its website.
OPERATIONS AND REGULATION
Regulated Operations
Electric power demand is generally seasonal. Power consumption in both New Mexico and Texas peaks during the hot summer months with revenues traditionally peaking during that period. The seasonality of demand for electricity in turn impacts the timing of plant maintenance and operating expense throughout the year. As a result, the quarterly operating results of PNMR and its operating subsidiaries vary throughout the year. In addition, unusually mild or extreme weather patterns may cause the overall operating results of the Company to fluctuate.
PNM
Operational Information
PNM is an electric utility that provides electric generation, transmission, and distribution service to its rate-regulated customers. PNM was incorporated in the State of New Mexico in 1917. PNM’s retail electric service territory covers a large area of north-central New Mexico, including the cities of Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, and Santa Fe, and certain areas of southern New Mexico. Service to retail electric customers is subject to the jurisdiction of the NMPRC. The largest retail electric customer served by PNM accounted for 3.1% of its revenues for the year ended December 31, 2021. Other services provided by PNM include wholesale transmission services to third parties. Regulation encompasses the utility’s electric rates, service, accounting, issuances of securities, construction of major new generation, abandonment of existing generation, types of generation resources, transmission and distribution facilities, and other matters. See Notes 16 and 17 for additional information on rate cases and other regulatory matters.
Weather-normalized retail electric KWh sales increased by 0.3% in 2021 and decreased by 0.8% in 2020. The system peak demands for retail and firm-requirements customers were as follows:
System Peak Demands
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| (Megawatts) |
| Summer | 1,968 | | | 1,974 | | | 1,937 | |
| Winter | 1,518 | | | 1,460 | | | 1,440 | |
PNM holds long-term, non-exclusive franchise agreements for its electric retail operations, with varying expiration dates. These franchise agreements allow the utility to access public rights-of-way for placement of its electric facilities. Franchise agreements have expired in some areas PNM serves. Because PNM remains obligated under New Mexico state law to provide service to customers in these areas, the expirations should not have a material adverse impact. The Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, and Santa Fe metropolitan areas accounted for 41.2%, 7.2%, and 5.7% of PNM’s 2021 revenues and no other franchise area represents more than 5%. PNM also earns revenues from its electric retail operations in its service areas that do not require franchise agreements.
PNM owns 3,426 miles of electric transmission lines that interconnect with other utilities in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and Utah. New Mexico ranks third in the Nation for energy potential from solar power according to the Nebraska Department of Energy & Energy Sun Index and ranks third in the Nation for land-based wind capacity according to the U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. PNM owns transmission capacity in an area of eastern New Mexico with large wind generation potential and in recent years there has been substantial interest by developers of wind generation to interconnect to PNM’s transmission system in this area. PNM invested approximately $285 million for the expansion of PNM’s transmission system reflecting the purchase of the Western Spirit Line to provide additional service to transmit power from these generation resources to customers in New Mexico and California.
PNM began participating in the EIM on April 1, 2021 which generated $12.5 million of cost savings to customers for the year. The NMPRC granted PNM authority to seek recovery of costs associated with joining the EIM in a future general rate
case and to pass the benefits of participating in EIM to customers through the FPPAC. See Note 17. PNM also engages in activities to optimize its existing jurisdictional assets and long-term power agreements through spot market, hour-ahead, day-ahead, week-ahead, and other sales of excess generation not required to fulfill retail load and contractual commitments. These activities are credited to customers through PNM’s FPPAC.
Regulatory Activities
NMPRC Regulated Retail Rate Proceedings
The rates PNM charges retail customers are subject to traditional rate regulation by the NMPRC. In December 2016, PNM filed the NM 2016 Rate Case with the NMPRC. After extensive settlement negotiations and public proceedings, the NMPRC issued a Revised Order Partially Adopting Certification of Stipulation dated January 17, 2018. The key terms of that order include an increase in base non-fuel revenues of $10.3 million, which includes a reduction to reflect the impact of the decrease in the federal corporate income tax rate and updates to PNM’s cost of debt (aggregating an estimated $47.6 million annually), a ROE of 9.575%, a requirement to return to customers over a three-year period the benefit of the reduction in the New Mexico corporate income tax rate, a disallowance of PNM’s ability to collect an equity return on certain investments aggregating $148.1 million at Four Corners, and a requirement to consider the prudency of PNM’s decision to continue its participation in Four Corners in PNM’s next general rate case filing. In accordance with the NMPRC’s final order, PNM implemented 50% of the approved rate increase for service rendered beginning February 1, 2018 and the rest of the increase for service rendered on January 1, 2019.
PNM has a NMPRC-approved rate rider to collect costs for renewable energy procurements that are not otherwise being collected in rates. If PNM’s earned return on jurisdictional equity in a calendar year, adjusted for weather and other items not representative of normal operation, exceeds the NMPRC-approved rate by 0.5%, the rider provides that PNM would refund the excess to customers during the following year. PNM did not exceed the limitation in 2020 and does not expect to exceed the limitation in 2021. The NMPRC has also approved riders designed to allow PNM to bill and collect substantially all of fuel and purchased power costs and costs of approved energy efficiency initiatives.
FERC Regulated Wholesale Transmission
Rates charged to wholesale electric transmission customers, other than customers on the Western Spirit Line described below, are based on a formula rate mechanism pursuant to which rates for wholesale transmission service are calculated annually in accordance with an approved formula. The formula includes updating cost of service components, including investment in plant and operating expenses, based on information contained in PNM’s annual financial report filed with FERC, as well as including projected transmission capital projects to be placed into service in the following year. The projections included are subject to true-up in the formula rate for the following year. Certain items, including changes to return on equity and depreciation rates, require a separate filing to be made with FERC before being included in the formula rate.
In May 2019, PNM filed an application with FERC requesting approval to purchase and provide transmission service on the Western Spirit Line. All necessary approvals were obtained. In December 2021, PNM completed the purchase of the Western Spirit Line and service under related transmission agreements was initiated using an incremental rate that is separate from the formula rate mechanism described above. See Note 17.
The Energy Transition Act (“ETA”)
The ETA became effective on June 14, 2019. As discussed below, the ETA amends the REA and requires utilities operating in New Mexico to provide 100% zero-carbon energy by 2045. The ETA also provides for a transition from fossil-fueled generating resources to renewable and other carbon-free resources by allowing utilities to issue to qualified investors securitized bonds, or “energy transition bonds,” related to the retirement of certain coal-fired generating facilities. Proceeds from the energy transition bonds must be used to provide utility service to customers and for other costs as defined by the ETA. On January 29, 2020, the NM Supreme Court issued a ruling requiring the NMPRC apply the ETA to all aspects of PNM’s SJGS Abandonment Application. On April 1, 2020, the NMPRC unanimously approved the hearing examiners’ recommended decisions regarding the abandonment of SJGS and the related securitized financing under the ETA. On May 8, 2020, CFRE and NEE filed a joint statement of issues with the NM Supreme Court which asserts that the NMPRC improperly applied the ETA and that the ETA violates the New Mexico Constitution. On January 10, 2021, the NM Supreme Court issued its decision rejecting CFRE’s and NEE’s constitutional challenges to the ETA and affirmed the NMPRC final order.
On January 8, 2021, PNM filed the Four Corners Abandonment Application, which seeks NMPRC approval to exit PNM’s 13% share of Four Corners as of December 31, 2024, and issuance of approximately $300 million of energy transition bonds as provided by the ETA. As ordered by the hearing examiner in the case, PNM filed an amended application and testimony on March 15, 2021. The amended application provided additional information to support PNM's request, provided background on the NMPRC's consideration of the prudence of PNM's investment in Four Corners in the NM 2016 Rate Case and explained how the proposed sale and abandonment provides a net public benefit. On December 15, 2021, the NMPRC issued a final order denying approval of the Four Corners Abandonment Application and the corresponding request for issuance
of securitized financing. On December 22, 2021, PNM filed a Notice of Appeal with the NM Supreme Court of the NMPRC decision to deny the application.
PNM expects the ETA will have a significant impact on PNM’s future generation portfolio, including PNM’s planned retirements of SJGS in 2022 and the Four Corners exit in 2024. PNM cannot predict the full impact of the ETA or the outcome of its pending and potential future generating resource abandonment and replacement resource filings with the NMPRC. See additional discussion of the ETA and PNM’s SJGS and Four Corners Abandonment Applications in Notes 16 and 17.
Renewable Energy
The REA was enacted to encourage the development of renewable energy in New Mexico. The ETA amended the REA and requires utilities operating in New Mexico to have renewable portfolios equal to 20% by 2020, 40% by 2025, 50% by 2030, 80% by 2040, and 100% zero-carbon energy by 2045. The REA provides for streamlined proceedings for approval of utilities’ renewable energy procurement plans, provides utilities recovery of costs incurred consistent with approved procurement plans, and sets a RCT for the procurement of renewable resources to prevent excessive costs being added to rates. PNM files required renewable energy plans with the NMPRC annually and makes procurements consistent with the plans approved by the NMPRC. See Note 17.
TNMP
Operational Information
TNMP is a regulated utility operating and incorporated in the State of Texas. TNMP’s predecessor was organized in 1925. TNMP provides transmission and distribution services in Texas under the provisions of TECA and the Texas Public Utility Regulatory Act. TNMP is subject to traditional cost-of-service regulation with respect to rates and service under the jurisdiction of the PUCT and certain municipalities. TNMP’s transmission and distribution activities are solely within ERCOT, which is the independent system operator responsible for maintaining reliable operations for the bulk electric power supply system in most of Texas. Therefore, TNMP is not subject to traditional rate regulation by FERC. TNMP serves a market of small to medium sized communities, most of which have populations of less than 50,000. TNMP is the exclusive provider of transmission and distribution services in most areas it serves.
TNMP’s service territory consists of three non-contiguous areas. One portion of this territory extends from Lewisville, which is approximately 10 miles north of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, eastward to municipalities near the Red River, and to communities north, west, and south of Fort Worth. The second portion of its service territory includes the area along the Texas Gulf Coast between Houston and Galveston, and the third portion includes areas of far west Texas between Midland and El Paso.
TNMP provides transmission and distribution services at regulated rates to various REPs that, in turn, provide retail electric service to consumers within TNMP’s service area. See Notes 16 and 17 for additional information on rate cases and other regulatory matters.
In mid-February 2021, Texas experienced a severe winter storm delivering the coldest temperatures in 100 years for many parts of the state. As a result, the ERCOT market was not able to deliver sufficient generation load to the grid resulting in significant, statewide outages as ERCOT directed transmission operators to curtail thousands of firm load megawatts. TNMP complied with ERCOT directives to curtail the delivery of electricity in its service territory and did not experience significant outages on its system outside of the ERCOT directed curtailments. For additional information on the Texas winter storm, see Note 16.
For its volumetric load consumers billed on KWh usage, TNMP experienced a decrease in weather normalized retail KWh sales of 0.8% in 2021 and an increase of 2.9% in 2020. For its weather normalized demand-based load, excluding retail transmission consumers, TNMP experienced an increase of 1.8% in 2021 and a decrease of 1.3% in 2020. As of December 31, 2021, 110 active REPs receive transmission and distribution services from TNMP. In 2021, the three largest REPs accounted for 23%, 19%, and 10% of TNMP’s operating revenues. No other consumer accounted for more than 10% of revenues.
TNMP holds long-term, non-exclusive franchise agreements for its electric transmission and distribution services. These agreements have varying expiration dates and some have expired. TNMP intends to negotiate and execute new or amended franchise agreements with municipalities where the agreements have expired or will be expiring. Since TNMP is the exclusive provider of transmission and distribution services in most areas that it serves, the need to renew or renegotiate franchise agreements should not have a material adverse impact. TNMP also earns revenues from service provided to facilities in its service area that lie outside the territorial jurisdiction of the municipalities with which TNMP has franchise agreements.
Regulatory Activities
The rates TNMP charges customers are subject to traditional rate regulation by the PUCT. On January 1, 2019, TNMP
implemented a PUCT order in TNMP’s 2018 Rate Case to increase annual base rates by $10.0 million based on a ROE of 9.65%, a cost of debt of 6.44%, and a capital structure comprised of 55% debt and 45% equity. The increase reflects the reduction in the federal corporate income tax rate to 21%. Under the approved settlement stipulation TNMP was granted authority to update depreciation rates and refund the regulatory liability related to federal tax reform to customers.
The PUCT has approved mechanisms that allow TNMP to recover capital invested in transmission and distribution projects without having to file a general rate case. The PUCT approved interim adjustments to TNMP’s transmission rates of $7.8 million in March 2020, $2.0 million in October 2020, $14.1 million in March 2021, and $6.3 million in September 2021. On January 26, 2022 TNMP filed an application to further update its transmission rates, which would increase revenues by $14.2 million annually. The application is pending before the PUCT. The PUCT approved interim adjustments to TNMP’s distribution revenue requirement of $14.7 million in August 2020 and $13.5 million in September 2021. The PUCT also approved rate riders that allow TNMP to recover amounts related to energy efficiency and third-party transmission costs.
Corporate and Other
The Corporate and Other segment includes PNMR holding company activities, primarily related to corporate level debt and the activities of PNMR Services Company. PNMR Services Company provides corporate services through shared services agreements to PNMR and all of PNMR’s business units, including PNM and TNMP. These services are charged and billed at cost on a monthly basis to the business units. The activities of PNMR Development, NM Capital, and NMRD are also included in Corporate and Other.
SOURCES OF POWER
PNM
Generation Capacity
As of December 31, 2021, the total net generation capacity of facilities owned or leased by PNM was 2,168 MW. PNM also obtains power under long-term PPAs for the power produced by Valencia, New Mexico Wind, Red Mesa Wind, Casa Mesa Wind, La Joya Wind I and II, the Lightning Dock Geothermal facility, and the NMRD-owned solar facilities.
PNM’s capacity in electric generating facilities, which are owned, leased, or under PPAs, in commercial operation as of December 31, 2021 is:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Generation | | Percent of |
| | | | | | Capacity | | Generation |
| Type | | Name | | Location | | (MW) | | Capacity |
| Coal | | SJGS | | Waterflow, New Mexico | | 562 | | | 18.0 | % |
| Coal | | Four Corners | | Fruitland, New Mexico | | 200 | | | 6.4 | % |
| Coal-fired resources | | | | 762 | | | 24.4 | % |
| | | | | | | | |
| Gas | | Reeves Station | | Albuquerque, New Mexico | | 146 | | | 4.6 | % |
| Gas | | Afton (combined cycle) | | La Mesa, New Mexico | | 235 | | | 7.5 | % |
| Gas | | Lordsburg | | Lordsburg, New Mexico | | 85 | | | 2.7 | % |
| Gas | | Luna (combined cycle) | | Deming, New Mexico | | 190 | | | 6.1 | % |
| Gas/Oil | | Rio Bravo | | Albuquerque, New Mexico | | 149 | | | 4.8 | % |
| Gas | | Valencia | | Belen, New Mexico | | 155 | | | 5.0 | % |
| Gas | | La Luz | | Belen, New Mexico | | 41 | | | 1.3 | % |
Gas-fired resources | | | | 1,001 | | | 32.0 | % |
| | | | | | | | |
| Nuclear | | PVNGS | | Wintersburg, Arizona | | 402 | | | 12.9 | % |
| | | | | | | | |
| Solar | | PNM-owned solar | | Twenty-four sites in New Mexico | | 158 | | | 5.1 | % |
| Solar | | NMRD-owned solar | | Los Lunas, New Mexico | | 130 | | | 4.2 | % |
| Wind | | New Mexico Wind | | House, New Mexico | | 200 | | | 6.4 | % |
| Wind | | Red Mesa Wind | | Seboyeta, New Mexico | | 102 | | | 3.3 | % |
| Wind | | Casa Mesa Wind | | House, New Mexico | | 50 | | | 1.6 | % |
| Wind | | La Joya Wind I | | Torrance, New Mexico | | 166 | | | 5.3 | % |
| Wind | | La Joya Wind II | | Torrance, New Mexico | | 140 | | | 4.5 | % |
| Geothermal | | Lightning Dock Geothermal | | Lordsburg, New Mexico | | 11 | | | 0.3 | % |
Renewable resources | | | | 957 | | | 30.7 | % |
| | | | | | 3,122 | | | 100.0 | % |
The NMPRC has approved plans for PNM to procure energy and RECs from additional solar-PV renewable resources totaling 1,440 MW to serve retail customers and a data center located in PNM’s service territory, including the portfolio to
replace the planned retirement of SJGS for solar PPAs of 650 MW combined with 300 MW of battery storage agreements. The PVNGS Leased Interest Abandonment Application approved by the NMPRC includes solar PPAs of 450 MW combined with 290 MW of battery storage agreements. The majority of these renewable resources are key means for PNM to meet the RPS and related regulations that require PNM to achieve prescribed levels of energy sales from renewable sources, including those set by the recently enacted ETA, without exceeding cost requirements. If adjusted for these plans, the table above would reflect the percentage of generation capacity from fossil-fueled resources of 26.5%, from nuclear resources of 6.4%, and from renewable and battery storage resources of 67.1%. In addition, PNM also has a customer distributed solar generation program that represented 201.2 MW at December 31, 2021.
Fossil‑Fueled Plants
SJGS is operated by PNM and, until December 2017, consisted of four units. SJGS Units 2 and 3 were retired in December 2017 and the ownership interests in SJGS Unit 4 were restructured. PNM has received NMPRC approval to retire its remaining ownership in SJGS in 2022. See Note 17.
The table below presents the rated capacities and ownership interests of each participant in each unit of SJGS at December 31, 2021:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Unit 1 | | Unit 4 |
| Capacity (MW) | 340 | | | 507 | |
| | | |
PNM (1) | 50.000 | % | | 77.297 | % |
| Tucson | 50.000 | | | — | |
| Farmington | — | | | 8.475 | |
| Los Alamos | — | | | 7.200 | |
| UAMPS | — | | | 7.028 | |
| Total | 100.000 | % | | 100.000 | % |
(1) Includes a 12.8% interest held in SJGS Unit 4 as a merchant plant.
Four Corners Units 4 and 5 are 13% owned by PNM. These units are jointly owned with APS, SRP, Tucson, and NTEC, and are operated by APS. The Four Corners plant site is located on land within the Navajo Nation and is subject to an easement from the federal government. APS, on behalf of the Four Corners participants, negotiated amendments to extend the owners’ right to operate the plant on the site to July 2041. In June 2021, APS and the owners of Four Corners entered into agreements to operate Four Corners seasonally beginning in Fall 2023, subject to the necessary approvals. Under seasonal operations, a single unit will remain online year-round, subject to market conditions as well as planned maintenance outages and unplanned outages. In addition, the other unit will be operational throughout the summer season when customer demand is the highest. PNM filed the Four Corners Abandonment Application, which seeks NMPRC approval to exit PNM’s 13% share of Four Corners as of December 31, 2024. See Note 17.
PNM owns 100% of Reeves, Afton, Rio Bravo, Lordsburg, and La Luz and one-third of Luna. The remaining interests in Luna are owned equally by Tucson and Samchully Power & Utilities 1, LLC. PNM is also entitled to the entire output of Valencia under a PPA. Reeves, Lordsburg, Rio Bravo, La Luz, and Valencia are used primarily for peaking power and transmission support. As discussed in Note 10, Valencia is a variable interest entity and is consolidated by PNM.
Nuclear Plant
PNM is participating in the three units of PVNGS with APS (the operating agent), SRP, EPE, SCE, SCPPA, and the Department of Water and Power of the City of Los Angeles. PNM is entitled to 10.2%, including portions that are leased to PNM, of the power and energy generated by PVNGS. Currently, PNM has ownership interests of 2.3% in Unit 1, 9.4% in Unit 2, and 10.2% in Unit 3 and has leasehold interests of 7.9% in Unit 1 and 0.8% in Unit 2. The lease payments for the leased portions of PVNGS are recovered through retail rates approved by the NMPRC.
On April 5, 2021, PNM and SRP entered into an Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, pursuant to which PNM agreed to sell to SRP certain PNM-owned assets and nuclear fuel necessary to the ongoing operation and maintenance of leased capacity in PVNGS Unit 1 and Unit 2, which SRP has agreed to acquire from the lessors upon termination of the existing leases. The proposed transaction between PNM and SRP received all necessary approvals, including NRC approval for the transfer of the associated possessory licenses to SRP at the end of the term of each of the respective leases. See Notes 16 and 17 for information on other PVNGS matters including the PVNGS Leased Interest Abandonment Application and Note 8 for additional information concerning the PVNGS leases.
Renewables
At December 31, 2021, PNM owns 158 MW of solar facilities in commercial operation. In addition, PNM purchases renewable power under long-term PPAs to serve New Mexico retail customers, including a data center located in PNM’s service territory. At December 31, 2021, renewable energy procured under these agreements from wind, solar-PV, and
geothermal facilities aggregated to 658 MW, 130 MW, and 11 MW. These agreements currently have expiration dates beginning in January 2035 and extending through June 2045. The NMPRC has approved PNM’s request to enter into additional PPAs for renewable energy for an additional 1,440 MW of energy from solar-PV facilities combined with 640 MW of battery storage agreements with an anticipated 100 MW expected to come online in 2022. The entire portfolio of replacement resources approved by the NMPRC in PNM’s SJGS Abandonment Application includes replacement of SJGS capacity with the procurement of 650 MW of solar PPAs combined with 300 MW of battery storage agreements. The PVNGS Leased Interest Abandonment Application approved by the NMPRC for replacement of 114 MW of PVNGS capacity and to ensure system reliability and load needs are met includes procurement of 450 MW of solar PPAs combined with 290 MW of battery storage agreements. In addition, the NMPRC issued an order that will allow PNM to service a data center for an additional 190 MW of solar PPA combined with 50 MW of battery storage and a 50 MW solar PPA expected to be operational in 2023. See Note 17.
A summary of purchased power, excluding Valencia, is as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Year Ended December 31, | | |
| | 2021 | | 2020 | | |
| Purchased under long-term PPAs | | | | | |
| MWh | 3,107,696 | | | 2,207,238 | | | |
| Cost per MWh | $ | 33.95 | | | $ | 34.00 | | | |
| Other purchased power | | | | | |
Total MWh (1) | 2,510,263 | | | 318,061 | | | |
| Cost per MWh | $ | 45.97 | | | $ | 51.18 | | | |
(1) Increase in 2021 primarily resulted from PNM’s participation in the EIM. See Note 4 and Note 17.
Plant Operating Statistics
Equivalent availability of PNM’s major base-load generating stations was:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Plant | | Operator | | 2021 | | 2020 | | |
| SJGS | | PNM | | 74.2% | | 73.3% | | |
| Four Corners | | APS | | 66.1% | | 63.9% | | |
| PVNGS | | APS | | 91.7% | | 89.5% | | |
Joint Projects
SJGS, PVNGS, Four Corners, and Luna are joint projects each owned or leased by several different entities. Some participants in the joint projects are investor-owned entities, while others are privately, municipally, or co-operatively owned. Furthermore, participants in SJGS have varying percentage interests in different generating units within the project. On January 31, 2016 an agreement to restructure the ownership in SJGS became effective. The restructuring agreement provided for certain participants in SJGS to exit ownership at December 31, 2017, by which time SJGS Units 2 and 3 were required to be permanently shut down. On April 1, 2020, the NMPRC approved the abandonment of PNM’s remaining interest in SJGS on June 30, 2022. On February 17 2022, PNM filed a request with the NMPRC to extend operation of SJGS Unit 4 until September 30, 2022. The filing provided that PNM had obtained agreement from the SJGS owners to extend operation of Unit 4, but was unable to secure the extended operation of Unit 1. See Note 17 for additional information about PNM’s SJGS Abandonment Application.
The primary operating or participation agreements for the other joint projects expire July 2041 for Four Corners, December 2046 for Luna, and November 2047 for PVNGS. As described above, Four Corners is located on land within the Navajo Nation and is subject to an easement from the federal government. On January 8, 2021, PNM filed the Four Corners Abandonment Application, which seeks NMPRC approval to exit PNM’s 13% share of Four Corners as of December 31, 2024. See Note 17 for additional information about PNM’s Four Corners Abandonment Application. Portions of PNM’s interests in PVNGS Units 1 and 2 are held under leases. See Nuclear Plant above and Note 8 regarding PNM’s actions related to these leases.
It is possible that other participants in the joint projects have circumstances and objectives that have changed from those existing at the time of becoming participants. The status of these joint projects is further complicated by the uncertainty surrounding the form of potential legislation and/or regulation of GHG, other air emissions, and CCRs, as well as the impacts of the costs of compliance and operational viability of all or certain units within the joint projects. It is unclear how these factors will enter into discussions and negotiations concerning the status of the joint projects as the expiration of basic operational agreements approaches. PNM can provide no assurance that its participation in the joint projects will continue in the manner that currently exists.
TNMP
TNMP provides only transmission and distribution services and does not sell power.
FUEL
PNM
The percentages (on the basis of KWh) of PNM’s generation of electricity, including Valencia, fueled by coal, nuclear fuel, and gas and oil, and the average costs to PNM of those fuels per MMBTU were as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Coal | | Nuclear | | Gas and Oil |
| | Percent of
Generation | | Average
Cost | | Percent of
Generation | | Average
Cost | | Percent of
Generation | | Average
Cost |
| 2021 | 44.3 | % | | $ | 3.02 | | | 34.8 | % | | $ | 0.68 | | | 16.8 | % | | $ | 6.02 | |
| 2020 | 43.6 | % | | $ | 3.04 | | | 34.7 | % | | $ | 0.70 | | | 17.6 | % | | $ | 1.63 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
In both 2021 and 2020, 4.1% of PNM’s generation was from utility-owned solar, which has no fuel cost. The generation mix for 2022, including power procured under long-term PPAs, is expected to be 25.7% coal, 33.2% nuclear, 18.3% gas and oil, and 22.8% from renewable resources, including solar, wind, and geothermal. Due to locally available natural gas and oil supplies, the utilization of locally available coal deposits, and the generally adequate supply of nuclear fuel, PNM believes that adequate sources of fuel are available for its generating stations into the foreseeable future. See Sources of Power – PNM – PPAs for information concerning the cost of purchased power. PNM recovers substantially all of its fuel and purchased power costs through the FPPAC.
Coal
SJGS and Four Corners are coal-fired generating plants that obtain their coal requirements from mines near the plants. The coal supply contract for SJGS, was set to expire on June 30, 2022, but was extended, subject to FERC acceptance of the SJGS participation agreement, through September 30, 2022 with an amendment to the coal supply agreement executed on February 17, 2022. Coal supply has not been arranged for periods after the existing contract expires. Substantially all of PNM’s coal costs are passed on to PNM’s customers under the FPPAC. PNM believes there is adequate availability of coal resources to continue to operate SJGS through September 30, 2022.
In December 2013, a coal supply arrangement for Four Corners that runs through July 6, 2031 was executed. Since that time, certain amendments have been made to the contract including amendments to reduce annual take-or-pay minimums and to change the annual contract period to end in May rather than in July of each year. The contract provides for pricing adjustments over its term based on economic indices. In connection with the proposed exit of Four Corners, PNM would make payments totaling $75.0 million to NTEC for relief from its obligations under the coal supply agreement for Four Corners after December 31, 2024.
See Note 16 for additional information about PNM’s coal supply arrangements. See Note 17 for additional information about PNM’s SJGS Abandonment Application, PNM’s Four Corners Abandonment Application, and the 2020 IRP, which all focus on a carbon-free electricity portfolio by 2040 that would eliminate coal at the end of 2024.
Natural Gas
The natural gas used as fuel for the electric generating plants is procured on the open market and delivered by third-party transportation providers. The supply of natural gas can be subject to disruptions due to extreme weather events and/or pipeline or facility outages. PNM has contracted for firm gas transmission capacity to minimize the potential for disruptions due to extreme weather events. Certain of PNM’s natural gas plants are generally used as peaking resources that are highly relied upon during seasonally high load periods and/or during periods of extreme weather, which also may be the times natural gas has the highest demand from other users. Substantially all of PNM’s natural gas costs are recovered through the FPPAC.
Nuclear Fuel and Waste
PNM is one of several participants in PVNGS. The PVNGS participants are continually identifying their future nuclear fuel resource needs and negotiating arrangements to fill those needs. The PVNGS participants have contracted for 100% of PVNGS’s requirements for uranium concentrates through 2025 and 55% through 2028. Additional needed supplies are covered through existing inventories or spot market transactions. For conversion services, 100% are contracted through 2025 and 70% through 2030. Additional needed conversion services are covered through existing inventories or spot market transactions. For enrichment services 90% is contracted through 2022 and 80% through 2026. For fuel assembly fabrication 100% is contracted through 2027.
The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 required the DOE to begin to accept, transport, and dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste generated by the nation’s nuclear power plants by 1998. The DOE’s obligations are reflected in a contract with each nuclear power plant. The DOE failed to begin accepting spent nuclear fuel by 1998. APS (on behalf of itself and the other PVNGS participants) pursued legal actions for which settlements were reached. See Note 16 for information concerning these actions.
The DOE had planned to meet its disposal obligations by designing, licensing, constructing, and operating a permanent geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. In March 2010, the DOE filed a motion to dismiss with prejudice its Yucca Mountain construction authorization application that was pending before the NRC. Several legal proceedings followed challenging DOE’s withdrawal of its Yucca Mountain construction authorization application. None of these lawsuits have been conclusively decided. However, the DC Circuit ordered the NRC to resume its review of the application. The results of the NRC’s review publications do not signal whether or when the NRC might authorize construction of the repository.
All spent nuclear fuel from PVNGS is being stored on-site. PVNGS has sufficient capacity at its on-site ISFSI to store all of the nuclear fuel that will be irradiated during the initial operating license periods, which end in December 2027. Additionally, PVNGS has sufficient capacity at its on-site ISFSI to store a portion of the fuel that will be irradiated during the extended license periods, which end in November 2047. If uncertainties regarding the United States government’s obligation to accept and store spent fuel are not favorably resolved, the PVNGS participants will evaluate alternative storage solutions. These may obviate the need to expand the ISFSI to accommodate all of the fuel that will be irradiated during the extended license periods.
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
Electric utilities are subject to stringent laws and regulations for protection of the environment by local, state, federal, and tribal authorities. In addition, PVNGS is subject to the jurisdiction of the NRC, which has the authority to issue permits and licenses and to regulate nuclear facilities in order to protect the health and safety of the public from radioactive hazards and to conduct environmental reviews. The liabilities under these laws and regulations can be material. In some instances, liabilities may be imposed without regard to fault, or may be imposed for past acts, whether or not such acts were lawful at the time they occurred. See MD&A – Other Issues Facing the Company – Climate Change Issues for information on GHG. In addition, Note 16 contains information related to the following matters, incorporated in this item by reference:
•PVNGS Decommissioning Funding
•Nuclear Spent Fuel and Waste Disposal
•The Energy Transition Act
•Environmental Matters under the caption “The Clean Air Act”
•Cooling Water Intake Structures
•Effluent Limitation Guidelines
•Santa Fe Generating Station
•Environmental Matters under the caption “Coal Combustion Residuals Waste Disposal”
COMPETITION
Regulated utilities are generally not subject to competition from other utilities in areas that are under the jurisdiction of state regulatory commissions. In New Mexico, PNM does not have direct competition for services provided to its retail electric customers. In Texas, TNMP is not currently in any direct retail competition with any other regulated electric utility. However, PNM and TNMP are subject to customer conservation and energy efficiency activities, as well as initiatives to utilize alternative energy sources, including self-generation, or otherwise bypass the PNM and TNMP systems.
PNM is subject to varying degrees of competition in certain territories adjacent to or within the areas it serves. This competition comes from other utilities in its region as well as rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities. PNM is involved in the generation and sale of electricity into the wholesale market to serve its New Mexico retail customers. PNM is subject to competition from regional utilities and merchant power suppliers with similar opportunities to generate and sell energy at market-based prices and larger trading entities that do not own or operate generating assets.
HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES
PNM Resources depends on over 1,600 dedicated employees to deliver outstanding customer service and transform into an emissions-free generation future.
Culture
Our diverse and inclusive workforce make the Company successful through our core values of safety, caring, and integrity. Our culture fosters behavior and mindset to sustain shared purpose, transparency and collaboration creating both individual and organizational accountability for achieving key results. Aligned with the core value of safety, we embarked on an in-depth safety survey and actionable plan focused on further integrating safety into our culture. In addition, we incorporate mental and physical well-being into our culture through a robust employee wellness program.
Talent Management and Total Rewards
We seek to attract and retain a highly skilled workforce by offering competitive compensation and benefits as well as opportunities for career advancement. Total compensation packages are reviewed regularly to ensure competitiveness within
the industry and consistency with performance levels. We are committed to a leadership development program, which ensures our leaders’ success and provides diverse learning plans for all employees.
Diversity and Inclusion
Our core values also drive a culture committed to diversity and inclusion. Our diverse workforce enables the Company to provide exceptional value to our customers and stakeholders. Our 1,646 employees include 39% represented by a bargaining unit, 26% women, 52% minorities, 14% identified as disabled, and 8% veterans. To enhance diversity, we take a multi-tiered approach, including unconscious bias training in our leadership development program, incorporating diversity into our hiring process and undertaking targeted recruitment with organizations supporting diverse candidates. Compensation equity is reviewed three times per year and we perform a robust annual succession planning process, including an evaluation of our programs for diversity and inclusion.
Governance
The Board agrees that human capital management is an important component of PNM Resources’ continued growth and success, and is essential for its ability to attract, retain and develop talented and skilled employees. Management regularly reports to the Compensation Committee of the Board on human capital management topics, including corporate culture, diversity and inclusion, employee development and compensation and benefits. The Compensation Committee has oversight of talent retention and development and succession planning, and the Board provides input on important decisions in each of these areas.
Employees
The following table sets forth the number of employees of PNMR, PNM, and TNMP as of December 31, 2021:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| PNMR | | PNM | | TNMP |
Corporate (1) | 401 | | | — | | | — | |
| PNM | 877 | | | 877 | | | — | |
| TNMP | 368 | | | — | | | 368 | |
| Total | 1,646 | | | 877 | | | 368 | |
(1) Represents employees of PNMR Services Company.
As of December 31, 2021, PNM had 444 employees in its power plant and operations areas that are currently covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the IBEW Local 611 that is in effect through April 30, 2023. As of December 31, 2021, TNMP had 193 employees represented by IBEW Local 66 covered by a collective bargaining agreement that is in effect through August 31, 2024. The wages and benefits for PNM and TNMP employees who are members of the IBEW are typically included in the rates charged to electric customers and consumers, subject to approval of the NMPRC and PUCT.
DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements made in this filing that relate to future events or PNMR’s, PNM’s, or TNMP’s expectations, projections, estimates, intentions, goals, targets, and strategies are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and estimates and apply only as of the date of this report. PNMR, PNM, and TNMP assume no obligation to update this information.
Because actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, PNMR, PNM, and TNMP caution readers not to place undue reliance on these statements. PNMR’s, PNM’s, and TNMP’s business, financial condition, cash flows, and operating results are influenced by many factors, which are often beyond their control, that can cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These factors, which are neither presented in order of importance nor weighted, include:
•The expected timing and likelihood of completion of the pending Merger, including the timing, receipt and terms and conditions of any required governmental and regulatory approvals of the pending Merger that could reduce anticipated benefits or cause the parties to abandon the transaction
•The occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement
•The risk that the parties may not be able to satisfy the conditions to the proposed Merger in a timely manner or at all
•The risk that the proposed Merger could have an adverse effect on the ability of PNMR to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with its customers and suppliers, and on its operating results and businesses generally
•The ability of PNM and TNMP to recover costs and earn allowed returns in regulated jurisdictions, including the prudence of PNM’s undepreciated investments in Four Corners and recovery of PNM’s investments and other costs associated with that plant, and the impact on service levels for PNM customers if the ultimate outcomes do not provide
for the recovery of costs and operating and capital expenditures, as well as other impacts of federal or state regulatory and judicial actions
•The ability of the Company to successfully forecast and manage its operating and capital expenditures, including aligning expenditures with the revenue levels resulting from the ultimate outcomes of regulatory proceedings, or resulting from potential mid-term or long-term impacts related to COVID-19
•Uncertainty relating to PNM’s decision to return the currently leased generating capacity in PVNGS Units 1 and 2 at the expiration of their lease terms in 2023 and 2024, including future regulatory outcomes relating to the ratemaking treatment
•Uncertainty surrounding the status of PNM’s participation in jointly-owned generation projects, including the changes in PNM’s generation entitlement share for PVNGS following termination of the leases in 2023 and 2024, the proposed exit from Four Corners and the exit and abandonment of SJGS
•Uncertainty regarding the requirements and related costs of decommissioning power plants and reclamation of coal mines supplying certain power plants, as well as the ability to recover those costs from customers, including the potential impacts of current and future regulatory proceedings
•The impacts on the electricity usage of customers and consumers due to performance of state, regional, and national economies, energy efficiency measures, weather, seasonality, alternative sources of power, advances in technology, the impacts of COVID-19 on customer usage, other changes in supply and demand
•Uncertainty related to the potential for regulatory orders, legislation or rulemakings that provide for municipalization of utility assets or public ownership of utility assets, including generation resources, or which would delay or otherwise impact the procurement of necessary resources in a timely manner
•The Company’s ability to access the financial markets in order to provide financing to repay or refinance debt as it comes due, as well as for ongoing operations and construction expenditures, including disruptions in the capital or credit markets, actions by ratings agencies, and fluctuations in interest rates, including any negative impacts that could result from the ultimate outcomes of regulatory proceedings, from the economic impacts of COVID-19 or from the entry into the Merger Agreement
•The risks associated with completion of generation, transmission, distribution, and other projects, including uncertainty related to regulatory approvals and cost recovery, and the ability of counterparties to meet their obligations under certain arrangements (including approved PPAs related to replacement resources for facilities to be retired or for which the leases will terminate), and supply chain or other outside support services that may be disrupted by the impacts of COVID-19
•The potential unavailability of cash from PNMR’s subsidiaries due to regulatory, statutory, or contractual restrictions or subsidiary earnings or cash flows
•The performance of generating units, transmission systems, and distribution systems, which could be negatively affected by operational issues, fuel quality and supply chain issues (disruptions), unplanned outages, extreme weather conditions, wildfires, terrorism, cybersecurity breaches, and other catastrophic events, including the impacts of COVID-19, as well as the costs the Company may incur to repair its facilities and/or the liabilities the Company may incur to third parties in connection with such issues
•State and federal regulation or legislation relating to environmental matters and renewable energy requirements, the resultant costs of compliance, and other impacts on the operations and economic viability of PNM’s generating plants
•State and federal regulatory, legislative, executive, and judicial decisions and actions on ratemaking, and taxes, including guidance related to the Tax Act, and other matters
•Risks related to climate change, including potential financial risks resulting from climate change litigation and legislative and regulatory efforts to limit GHG, including the impacts of the ETA
•Employee workforce factors, including cost control efforts and issues arising out of collective bargaining agreements and labor negotiations with union employees
•Variability of prices and volatility and liquidity in the wholesale power and natural gas markets
•Changes in price and availability of fuel and water supplies, including the ability of the mines supplying coal to PNM’s coal-fired generating units and the companies involved in supplying nuclear fuel to provide adequate quantities of fuel
•Regulatory, financial, and operational risks inherent in the operation of nuclear facilities, including spent fuel disposal uncertainties
•The impacts of decreases in the values of marketable securities maintained in trusts to provide for decommissioning, reclamation, pension benefits, and other postretirement benefits, including potential increased volatility resulting from international developments and the impacts of COVID-19
•Uncertainty surrounding counterparty performance and credit risk, including the ability of counterparties to supply fuel and perform reclamation activities and impacts to financial support provided to facilitate the coal supply at SJGS
•The effectiveness of risk management regarding commodity transactions and counterparty risk
•The outcome of legal proceedings, including the extent of insurance coverage
•Changes in applicable accounting principles or policies
For information about the risks associated with the use of derivative financial instruments see Part II, Item 7A. “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.”
SECURITIES ACT DISCLAIMER
Certain securities described in this report have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be reoffered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and applicable state securities laws. This Form 10-K does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
The business and financial results of PNMR, PNM, and TNMP are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond their control, including those set forth below and in MD&A, Note 16, and Note 17. For other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in any forward-looking statement contained in this report, see Disclosure Regarding Forward Looking Statements in Item 1. Business. TNMP provides transmission and distribution services to REPs that provide electric service to consumers in TNMP’s service territories. References to customers in the risk factors discussed below also encompass the customers of these REPs who are the ultimate consumers of electricity transmitted and distributed through TNMP’s facilities.
Regulatory Risks
The profitability of PNMR’s utilities depends on being able to recover their costs through regulated rates and earn a fair return on invested capital, including investments in its generating plants. Without timely cost recovery, including recovery of undepreciated investments and other costs associated with abandoning generation facilities, and the opportunity to earn a fair return on capital investments, PNMR’s liquidity and results of operations could be negatively impacted. Further, PNM and TNMP are in a period of significant capital expenditures. While increased capital investments and other costs are placing upward pressure on rates charged to customers, energy efficiency initiatives and other factors are placing downward pressure on customer usage. The combination of these matters could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and cash flows.
The rates PNM charges its customers are regulated by the NMPRC and FERC. TNMP is regulated by the PUCT. The Company is in a period requiring significant capital investment and is projecting total construction expenditures for the years 2022-2026 to be $4.2 billion. See Note 14. PNM and TNMP anticipate a trend toward increasing costs, for which they will have to seek regulatory recovery. These costs include or are related to costs of asset construction for generation, transmission, and distribution systems necessary to provide electric service, as well as the cost to remove and retire existing assets, environmental compliance expenditures, regulatory mandates to acquire power from renewable resources, regulation related to nuclear safety, increased costs related to cybersecurity, increased interest costs to finance capital investments, and depreciation.
At the same time costs are increasing, there are factors placing downward pressure on the demand for power, thereby reducing customer usage. These factors include changing customer behaviors, including increased emphasis on energy efficiency measures and utilization of alternative sources of power, rate design that is not driven by economics, which could influence customer behavior, unfavorable economic conditions, reduced new sources of demand, and unpredictable weather patterns.
The combination of costs increasing relatively rapidly and the technologies and behaviors that are reducing energy consumption places upward pressure on the per unit prices that must be charged to recover costs. This upward pressure on unit prices could result in additional efforts by customers to reduce consumption through alternative measures. Without timely cost recovery and the authorization to earn a reasonable return on invested capital, the Company’s liquidity and results of operations could be negatively impacted.
On January 8, 2021, PNM filed the Four Corners Abandonment Application, which seeks NMPRC approval to exit PNM’s 13% share of Four Corners as of December 31, 2024, and issuance of approximately $300 million of energy transition bonds as provided by the ETA. On December 15, 2021, the NMPRC issued a final order denying approval of the Four Corners Abandonment Application and the corresponding request for issuance of securitized financing. On December 22, 2021, PNM filed a Notice of Appeal with the NM Supreme Court of the NMPRC decision to deny the application. PNM’s Statement of Issues was filed with the NM Supreme Court on January 21, 2022. See additional discussion of the ETA and PNM’s Four Corners Abandonment Application in Notes 16 and 17.
On January 29, 2021 PNM filed its 2020 IRP addressing the 20-year planning period, from 2020 through 2040. The plan focuses on a carbon-free electricity portfolio by 2040 that would eliminate coal at the end of 2024. This includes replacing the power from San Juan with a mix of approved carbon-free resources and the plan to exit Four Corners at the end of 2024. The plan highlights the need for additional investments in a diverse set of resources, including renewables to supply carbon-free power, energy storage to balance supply and demand, and efficiency and other demand-side resources to mitigate load growth. See additional discussion regarding PNM’s 2020 IRP filing in Note 17.
On June 11, 2020, PNM provided notices to the lessors and the NMPRC that PNM will return the leased assets under both its PVNGS Unit 1 and Unit 2 leases upon expiration of the leases in January 2023 and 2024. PNM issued an RFP for replacement power resources on June 25, 2020. On April 2, 2021, PNM filed an application with the NMPRC requesting approval for the decertification and abandonment of 114 MW of leased PVNGS capacity, sale and transfer of related assets, and approval to procure new resources (“PVNGS Leased Interest Abandonment Application”). On April 21, 2021, the NMPRC issued an order stating that issues reserved to a separate proceeding in the NM 2015 Rate Case regarding the decision to permanently disallow recovery of certain future decommissioning costs related to PVNGS Units 1 and 2 shall be addressed in this case and PNM shall file testimony addressing the issue. On July 28, 2021, the hearing examiner issued a recommended decision recommending dismissal of PNM's requests for approval to abandon and decertify the Leased Interest; dismissal of PNM's request for approval to sell and transfer the related assets; and dismissal of PNM's request to create regulatory assets for the associated remaining undepreciated investments, but does not preclude PNM seeking recovery of the costs in a general rate case in which the test year period includes the time period in which PNM incurs such costs. The hearing examiner's recommended decision further provides that PNM's request for replacement and system reliability resources and the decision to permanently disallow recovery of certain future decommissioning costs related to PVNGS Units 1 and 2 should remain within the scope of this case.
On August 25, 2021, the NMPRC issued an order granting portions of the July 28, 2021 recommended decision related to dismissal of PNM's request for approval to abandon and decertify the Leased Interest and dismissal of PNM's request for approval to sell and transfer the related assets. In addition, the order bifurcated the issue of approval for the two PPAs and three battery storage agreements into a separate docket so it may proceed expeditiously. On February 16, 2022, the NMPRC approved the two PPAs and three battery storage agreements. See additional discussion of PNM’s PVNGS Leased Interest Abandonment Application in Notes 17.
An adverse decision regarding PNM’s ability to recover certain PVNGS decommissioning costs and recovery of undepreciated investments at PVNGS and Four Corners, could negatively impact PNM’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. Likewise, if the NMPRC does not authorize appropriate recovery of any undepreciated generating resources at the time those resources cease to be used to provide service to New Mexico ratepayers, including required future investments, and does not authorize recovery of the costs of obtaining power to replace those resources, PNM’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows could be negatively impacted.
The inability to operate generation resources prior to their planned retirement dates, or the NMPRC’s denial, modification or delay of PNM’s applications for replacement resources, would require PNM to obtain power from other sources in order to serve the needs of its customers. There can be no assurance the NMPRC will allow PNM to recover undepreciated investments in retired facilities through rates charged to customers, that adequate sources of replacement power would be available, that adequate transmission capabilities would be available to bring that power into PNM’s service territory, or whether the cost of obtaining those resources would be economical. Any such events would negatively impact PNM’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows unless the NMPRC authorized the collection from customers of any un-recovered costs related to the retired facilities, as well as costs of obtaining replacement power.
It is also possible that unsatisfactory outcomes of these matters, the financial impact of climate change regulation or legislation, other environmental regulations, the result of litigation, the adequacy and timeliness of cost recovery mechanisms, and other business considerations, could jeopardize the economic viability of certain generating facilities or the ability or willingness of individual participants to continue their participation through the periods currently contemplated in the agreements governing those facilities.
PNM currently recovers the cost of fuel for its generation facilities through its FPPAC. A coal supply contract for SJGS, was set to expire on June 30, 2022, but was extended, subject to FERC acceptance of the amended SJGS participation agreement, through September 30, 2022 with an amendment to the coal supply agreement on February 17, 2022. In December 2013, a new fifteen-year coal supply contract for Four Corners beginning in July 2016 was executed. In connection with its exit from Four Corners discussed, and subject to ultimate approval of its Four Corners Abandonment Application with a successful appeal of its initial denial discussed in Note 17, PNM will be relieved of its obligations under the coal supply agreement after December 31, 2024. The contracts provide for pricing adjustments over their terms based on economic indices. Although PNM believes substantially all costs under coal supply arrangements would continue to be recovered through the FPPAC, there can be no assurance that full recovery will continue to be allowed.
PNMR has counterparty credit risk in connection with financial support that was provided to facilitate the coal supply arrangement for SJGS. Adverse developments from these factors could have a negative impact on the business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows of PNM and PNMR.
PNMR has an arrangement with a bank under which the bank has issued $30.3 million of letters of credit in favor of sureties in order for the sureties to post reclamation bonds that are required under the miner’s operating permit. The Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows could be negatively impacted if the current mine operator were to default on its obligations to reclaim the San Juan mine and PNMR is required to perform under the letter of credit support agreement.
PNMR’s utilities are subject to numerous comprehensive federal, state, tribal, and local environmental laws and regulations, including those related to climate change, which may impose significant compliance costs and may significantly limit or affect their operations and financial results.
Compliance with federal, state, tribal, and local environmental laws and regulations, including those addressing climate change, air quality, CCRs, discharges of wastewater originating from fly ash and bottom ash handling facilities, cooling water, effluent, and other matters, may result in increased capital, operating, and other costs, particularly with regard to enforcement efforts focused on power plant emission control obligations. These costs could include remediation, containment, civil liability, and monitoring expenses. The Company cannot predict how it would be affected if existing environmental laws and regulations were to be repealed, revised, or reinterpreted, or if new environmental laws or regulations were to be adopted. See Note 16 and the Climate Change Issues subsection of the Other Issues Facing the Company section of MD&A.
EPA’s Clean Power Plan, the U.S. participation in the Paris Agreement, and federal GHG reduction measures setting emission guidelines have recently been subject to repeal and removal and remain in a state of uncertainty. Therefore, PNMR is dealing with an uncertain regulatory and policy environment. Under the Biden Administration, EPA and other federal agencies will seek to expand climate change regulations and work to aggressively reduce GHG emissions. Many state agencies, environmental advocacy groups, and other organizations will continue to focus on decarbonization with enhanced attention on GHG from fossil-fueled generation facilities. See discussion above and Note 17, regarding PNM’s abandonment applications and the ETA. PNM currently depends on fossil-fueled generation for a significant portion of its electricity. As discussed under Climate Change Issues, this type of generation could be subject to future EPA or state regulations requiring GHG reductions. The anticipated expansion of federal and state regulations could result in additional operating restrictions on facilities and increased generation and compliance costs.
CCRs from the operation of SJGS are currently being used in the reclamation of a surface coal mine. These CCRs consist of fly ash, bottom ash, and gypsum. Any new regulation that would affect the reclamation process, including any future decision regarding classification of CCRs as hazardous waste, could significantly increase the costs of the disposal of CCRs and the costs of mine reclamation. In addition, PNM would incur additional costs to the extent the rule requires the closure or modification of CCR units at Four Corners or the construction of new CCR units beyond those already anticipated or requires corrective action to address releases from CCR disposal units at the site. See Note 16.
A regulatory body may identify a site requiring environmental cleanup, including cleanup related to catastrophic events such as hurricanes or wildfires, and designate PNM or TNMP as a responsible party. There is also uncertainty in quantifying exposure under environmental laws that impose joint and several liability on all potentially responsible parties. Failure to comply with environmental laws and regulations, even if such non-compliance is caused by factors beyond PNM’s or TNMP’s control, may result in the assessment of civil or criminal penalties and fines.
BART determinations have been made for both SJGS and Four Corners under the program to address regional haze in the “four corners” area. Those determinations require facilities to reduce the levels of visibility-impairing emissions, including NOx. Significant capital expenditures have been made at SJGS and at Four Corners for the installation of control technology, resulting in operating cost increases. The final guidance document for how states are to address the second implementation period (“2nd Planning Period”) of the Regional Haze rule was issued on August 20, 2019. In accordance with that guidance and EPA’s revised regional haze rule, states must submit Regional Haze SIPs by July 2021. NMED is currently preparing its next regional haze SIP and has notified PNM that it will not be required to submit a regional haze four-factor analysis for SJGS since PNM will retire its share of SJGS in 2022. The agency may ask for some documentation of PNM’s plans as the state moves closer to filing their SIP and setting the schedule for hearings on regional haze.
If PNM fails to timely obtain, maintain or comply with any required environmental regulatory approval, operations at affected facilities could be suspended or could subject PNM to additional expenses and potential penalties. Failure to comply with applicable environmental laws and regulations also could result in civil liability arising out of government enforcement actions or private claims. In addition, PNMR and its operating subsidiaries may underestimate the costs of environmental compliance, liabilities, and litigation due to the uncertainty inherent in these matters. Although there is uncertainty about the timing and form of the implementation of EPA’s regulations regarding climate change, CCRs, power plant emissions, changes to the ambient air quality standards, and other environmental issues, the promulgation and implementation of such regulations could have a material impact on operations. The Company is unable to estimate these costs due to the many uncertainties associated with, among other things, the nature and extent of future regulations and changes in existing regulations, including the changes in regulatory policy under the Biden Administration. Timely regulatory recovery of costs associated with any environmental-related regulations would be needed to maintain a strong financial and operational profile. The above factors could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial position, results of operations, and liquidity.
PNMR, PNM, and TNMP are subject to complex government regulation unrelated to the environment, which may have a negative impact on their businesses, financial position and results of operations.
To operate their businesses, PNMR, PNM, and TNMP are required to have numerous permits and approvals from a variety of regulatory agencies. Regulatory bodies with jurisdiction over the utilities include the NMPRC, NMED, PUCT, TCEQ, ERCOT, FERC, NRC, EPA, and NERC. Oversight by these agencies covers many aspects of the Company’s utility operations including, but not limited to: location, construction, and operation of facilities; the purchase of power under long-term contracts; conditions of service; the issuance of securities; and rates charged to customers. FERC has issued a number of rules pertaining to preventing undue discrimination in transmission services and electric reliability standards. The significant level of regulation imposes restrictions on the operations of the Company and causes the incurrence of substantial compliance costs. PNMR and its subsidiaries are unable to predict the impact on their business and operating results from future actions of any agency regulating the Company. Changes in existing regulations or the adoption of new ones could result in additional expenses and/or changes in business operations. Failure to comply with any applicable rules, regulations or decisions may lead to customer refunds, fines, penalties, and other payments, which could materially and adversely affect the results of operations and financial condition of PNMR and its subsidiaries.
Operational Risks
Customer electricity usage could be reduced by increases in prices charged and other factors. This could result in underutilization of PNM’s generating capacity, as well as underutilization of the capacities of PNM’s and TNMP’s transmission and distribution systems. Should this occur, operating and capital costs might not be fully recovered, and financial performance could be negatively impacted.
A number of factors influence customers’ electricity usage. These factors include but are not limited to rates charged by PNM and TNMP, rates charged by REPs utilizing TNMP’s facilities to deliver power, energy efficiency initiatives, unusual weather patterns, availability and cost of alternative sources of power, and national, regional, or local economic conditions.
These factors and others may prompt customers to institute additional energy efficiency measures or take other actions that would result in lower energy consumption. If customers bypass or underutilize PNM’s and TNMP’s facilities through self-generation, renewable, or other energy resources, technological change, or other measures, revenues would be negatively impacted.
PNM’s and TNMP’s service territories include several military bases and federally funded national laboratories, as well as large industrial customers that have significant direct and indirect impacts on the local economies where they operate. The Company does not directly provide service to any of the military bases or national laboratories but does provide service to large industrial customers. The Company’s business could be hurt from the impacts on the local economies associated with these customer groups as well as directly from the large industrial customers for a number of reasons including federally-mandated base closures, significant curtailment of the activities at the bases or national laboratories, and closure of industrial facilities or significant curtailment of their activities.
Another factor that could negatively impact the Company is that proposals are periodically advanced in various localities to municipalize, or otherwise take over PNM’s facilities, which PNM believes would require state legislative or other legal action to implement, or to establish new municipal utilities in areas currently served by PNM. If any such initiative is successful, the result could be a material reduction in the usage of the facilities, a reduction in rate base, and reduced earnings.
Should any of the above factors result in facilities being underutilized, the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows could be significantly impacted.
Advances in technology could make electric generating facilities less competitive.
Research and development activities are ongoing for new technologies that produce power or reduce power consumption. These technologies include renewable energy, customer-oriented generation, energy storage, and energy efficiency. PNM generates power at central station power plants to achieve economies of scale and produce power at a cost that is competitive with rates established through the regulatory process. There are distributed generation technologies that produce power, including fuel cells, microturbines, wind turbines, and solar cells, which have become increasingly cost competitive. These advances in technology have reduced the costs of these alternative methods of producing power to a level that is competitive with that of central station power production. In addition, advances made in the capabilities of energy storage have further decreased power production and peak usage through the dispatch of more battery systems. These technological advances have resulted in demand reduction that negatively impact revenue and/or result in underutilized assets that have been built to serve peak usage. In addition, certain federal, state, or local requirements that regulated utilities such as PNM are required to follow could result in third parties being able to provide electricity from similar generation technologies to consumers at prices lower than PNM is able to offer. As these technologies become more cost competitive or can be used by third-parties to supply power at lower prices than PNM is able to offer, PNM’s energy sales and/or regulated returns could be eroded, and the value of its generating facilities could be reduced. Advances in technology could also change the channels
through which electric customers purchase or use power, which could reduce the Company’s sales and revenues or increase expenses. These advances can also create more uncertainty in load shapes and forecasts, which could have implications for generation and system planning.
Costs of decommissioning, remediation, and restoration of nuclear and fossil-fueled power plants, as well as reclamation of related coal mines, could exceed the estimates of PNMR and PNM as well as the amounts PNM recovers from its ratepayers, which could negatively impact results of operations and liquidity.
PNM has interests in a nuclear power plant, two coal-fired power plants, and several natural gas-fired power plants and is obligated to pay its share of the costs to decommission these facilities. PNM is also obligated to pay for its share of the costs of reclamation of the mines that supply coal to the coal-fired power plants. Likewise, other owners or participants are responsible for their shares of the decommissioning and reclamation obligations and it is important to PNM that those parties fulfill their obligations. Rates charged by PNM to its customers, as approved by the NMPRC, include a provision for recovery of certain costs of decommissioning, remediation, reclamation, and restoration. The NMPRC has established a cap on the amount of costs for the final reclamation of the surface coal mines that may be recovered from customers. PNM records estimated liabilities for its share of the legal obligations for decommissioning and reclamation. These estimates include many assumptions about future events and are inherently imprecise. In the event the costs to decommission the facilities or to reclaim the mines serving the plants exceed current estimates, or if amounts are not approved for recovery by the NMPRC, results of operations could be negatively impacted.
The costs of decommissioning any nuclear power plant are substantial. PNM is responsible for all decommissioning obligations related to its entire interest in PVNGS, including portions under lease both during and after termination of the leases. PNM maintains trust funds designed to provide adequate financial resources for decommissioning PVNGS and for reclamation of the coal mines serving SJGS and Four Corners at the end of their expected lives. However, if the PVNGS units are decommissioned before their planned date or the coal mines are shut down sooner than expected, these funds may prove to be insufficient.
The financial performance of PNMR, PNM, and TNMP may be adversely affected if power plants and transmission and distribution systems do not operate reliably and efficiently.
The Company’s financial performance depends on the successful operation of PNM’s generation assets, as well as the transmission and distribution systems of PNM and TNMP. PNM’s recent abandonment applications for SJGS and Four Corners will increase PNM’s dependency on other generation resources, including renewable resources, gas-fired facilities, and PVNGS, and will reduce PNM’s flexibility in managing those resources. Unscheduled or longer than expected maintenance outages, breakdown or failure of equipment or processes due to aging infrastructure, temporary or permanent shutdowns to achieve environmental compliance, other performance problems with the generation assets, severe weather conditions, accidents and other catastrophic events, acts of war or terrorism, cybersecurity attacks, wildfires, disruptions in the supply, quality, and delivery of fuel and water supplies, and other factors could result in PNM’s load requirements being larger than available system generation capacity. Unplanned outages of generating units and extensions of scheduled outages occur from time to time and are an inherent risk of the Company’s business. If these were to occur, PNM would be required to purchase electricity in either the wholesale market or spot market at the then-current market price. There can be no assurance that sufficient electricity would be available at reasonable prices, or available at all. The failure of transmission or distribution facilities may also affect PNM’s and TNMP’s ability to deliver power. These potential generation, distribution, and transmission problems, and any service interruptions related to them, could result in lost revenues and additional costs.
PNMR, PNM, and TNMP are subject to information security breaches and risks of unauthorized access to their information and operational technology systems as well as physical threats to assets.
The Company faces the risk of physical and cybersecurity attacks, both threatened and actual, against generation facilities, transmission and distribution infrastructure, information technology systems, and network infrastructure, which could negatively impact the ability of the Company to generate, transport, and deliver power, or otherwise operate facilities in the most efficient manner or at all.
The utility industry in which the Company operates is a highly regulated industry that requires the continued operation of sophisticated information technology systems and network infrastructure, some of which are deemed to be critical infrastructure under NERC guidelines. Certain of the Company’s systems are interconnected with external networks. In the regular course of business, the utilities handle a range of sensitive security and customer information. PNM and TNMP are subject to the rules of various agencies and the laws of various states, concerning safeguarding and maintaining the confidentiality of this information. Cyber-attacks regularly occur, and generally are unsuccessful. Those few events that are successful do not generally result in significant or consequential business impacts. However, despite steps the Company may take to detect, mitigate and/or eliminate threats and respond to security incidents, the techniques used by those who wish to obtain unauthorized access, and possibly disable or sabotage systems and/or abscond with information and data, change frequently and the Company may not be able to protect against all such actions.
In the event that a capable adversary attacks the Company’s computer and operating systems, despite the best efforts of the Company, the generation, transmission, or distribution of electrical services could be degraded or disrupted, customer information, business records, or other sensitive data could be lost, destroyed, or released outside of the Company’s control. Further, the Company’s use of technologies manufactured by third parties may be subject to espionage activities, and cyber-attack of the third party resulting in losses outside of the control of the company. Although the Company has implemented security measures to identify, prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from cyber and physical security events and supply chain disruptions, critical infrastructure, including information and operational technology systems, are vulnerable to disability, failures, or unauthorized access, which could occur as a result of malicious compromise, employee error, and/or employee misconduct or supply compromise. A successful physical or cybersecurity attack or other similar failure of the systems could impact the reliability of PNM’s generation and PNM’s and TNMP’s transmission and distribution systems, including the possible unauthorized shutdown of facilities. Such an event could lead to disruptions of business operations, including the Company’s ability to generate, transport, and deliver power to serve customers, to bill customers, and to process other financial information. A breach of the Company’s information systems could also lead to the loss and destruction of confidential and proprietary data, personally identifiable information, trade secrets, intellectual property and supplier data, and could disrupt business operations which could harm the Company’s reputation and financial results, as well as potential increased regulatory oversight, litigation, fines, and other remedial action. The costs incurred to investigate and remediate a physical or cybersecurity attack could be significant. A significant physical or cybersecurity attack on the Company’s critical infrastructure could have an adverse impact on the operations, reputation and financial condition of PNMR, PNM, and TNMP.
There are inherent risks in the ownership and operation of nuclear facilities.
PNM has a 10.2% undivided interest in PVNGS, including interests in Units 1 and 2 held under leases. PVNGS represents 12.9% of PNM’s total generating capacity as of December 31, 2021. PVNGS is subject to environmental, health, and financial risks including but not limited to the ability to obtain adequate supplies of nuclear fuel and water, the ability to dispose of spent nuclear fuel, decommissioning of the plant (see above), securing the facilities against possible terrorist attacks, and unscheduled outages due to equipment failures.
The NRC has broad authority under federal law to impose licensing and safety-related requirements for the operation of nuclear generation facilities. Events at nuclear facilities of other operators or which impact the industry generally may lead the NRC to impose additional requirements and regulations on all nuclear generation facilities, including PVNGS. A major incident at a nuclear facility anywhere in the world could cause the NRC to limit or prohibit the operation or licensing of any domestic nuclear unit and to promulgate new regulations that could require significant capital expenditures and/or increase operating costs.
In the event of noncompliance with its requirements, the NRC has the authority to impose a progressively increasing inspection regime that could ultimately result in the shutdown of a unit, civil penalties, or both, depending upon the NRC’s assessment of the severity of the situation, until compliance is achieved. Increased costs resulting from penalties, a heightened level of scrutiny, and/or implementation of plans to achieve compliance with NRC requirements could adversely affect the financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows of PNMR and PNM. Although PNM has no reason to anticipate a serious nuclear incident at PVNGS, if an incident did occur, it could materially and adversely affect PNM’s results of operations and financial condition.
PNM has external insurance coverage to minimize its financial exposure to some risks. However, it is possible that liabilities associated with nuclear operations could exceed the amount of insurance coverage. See Note 16.
Peak demand for power could exceed forecasted supply capacity, resulting in increased costs for purchasing capacity in the market or building additional generation facilities and/or battery storage facilities.
PNM is obligated to supply power to retail customers. As PNM continues to complete the significant transition in generation resources necessary to achieve 100% carbon emission-free generation by 2040, there are certain potential deliverability and cost risks associated with this transition. These risks are in three main areas, including 1) risk of completion of replacement resources prior to planned generation unit retirements, 2) increasing levels of renewable generation presenting risks of uncertainty and variability that will be further compounded as neighboring systems transition towards increasing levels of renewable resources, and 3) risks for mitigating possible resource volatility through a shrinking energy market.
At peak times, power demand could exceed PNM’s forecasted available generation capacity, particularly if PNM’s power plants are not performing as anticipated and additional resources are not approved as PNM transitions its system to carbon emission-free generation and battery storage. Availability of this technology may create additional strain on the system by adding these additional resources without adequate storage. Additionally, further advances in the technology of renewable resources may need to occur in order to ensure that these resources meet carbon emission-free standards. Competitive market forces or adverse regulatory actions may require PNM to purchase capacity and energy from the market or build additional resources to meet customers’ energy needs in an expedited manner. If that occurs, PNM may see opposition to recovery of these additional costs and could experience a lag between when costs are incurred and when regulators permit recovery in customers’ rates. These situations could have negative impacts on results of operations and cash flows.
Throughout 2021 and continuing into 2022, PNM provided notices of delays and status updates to the NMPRC for the approved SJGS replacement resource projects. All four project developers have notified PNM that completion of the projects will be delayed and no longer available for most, if any of the 2022 summer peak load period. PNM's existing resources, including available reserves, may be insufficient for 2022 summer peak load reliability considering these delays. PNM has entered into agreements to purchase power from third parties to minimize potential impacts to customers during the 2022 summer peak load period. PNM likely faces the same concerns in the summer of 2023 as a result of delays in the NMPRC approval of replacement resources for the PVNGS leased capacity that expire in January 2023. Prolonged regulatory approval of replacement resources for PVNGS leased capacity, continued delays in replacement resources for SJGS, availability of resources and increased costs for purchasing capacity may negatively impact the results of operations and cash flows. See Note 17.
On May 26, 2021, the NMPRC opened a docket initiating a rulemaking in order to streamline IRP proceedings and allow NMPRC oversight of utility resource procurement practices. On June 7, 2021 the NMPRC issued an Order providing a proposed rule governing IRP and Procurement practices. The proposed rule establishes the NMPRC approval process for the IRP and requirements for the utility to proceed with a Request for Proposal (RFP) for any required resources, which would also be subject to NMPRC and stakeholder oversight and NMPRC approval. The process would require the utility to make available to any stakeholder its modeling and data in order to allow independent alternative analysis of resources, and also provides for the NMPRC to assign an Independent Evaluator at its discretion. PNM and other parties provided comments indicating that the NMPRC lacks authority to impose many of the proposed requirement for both IRP and utility resource procurement practices. The proposed oversight of the procurement process is likely to prevent a utility’s timely acquisition of necessary resources and may inhibit competitive procurement.
Difficulties in obtaining permits and rights-of-way could negatively impact PNM’s results of operations.
PNM’s ability to execute planned operational activities and projects may be inhibited by difficulties in obtaining permits and rights-of-way and other delays. Many of PNM’s transmission and distribution lines cross federal, state, and tribal lands. The Company can experience significant delays in obtaining approvals for new infrastructure, as well as renewals of existing rights-of-way and access for critical maintenance, including vegetation management on these lands. The environmental regulations governing siting and permitting on federal, state, and tribal lands are complex, involve multiple agencies, and include a public process. Any of these risk factors could result in higher costs, delays, or the inability to complete planned projects.
General Economic and Weather Risks
The outbreak of COVID-19 and its impact on business and economic conditions could negatively affect the Company's business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, and the trading value of PNMR's common stock and the Company's debt securities.
The scale and scope of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the resulting global pandemic, and the impact on the economy and financial markets could adversely affect the Company’s business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, and access to the capital markets. The Company provides critical electric services and has implemented business continuity and emergency response plans to continue to provide these services to its customers and to support the Company’s operations. The Company is also working to ensure the health and safety of its employees is not compromised. These measures include precautions with regard to employee and facility hygiene, travel limitations, allowing certain employees to continue to work remotely whenever possible, and protocols for required work within customer premises to protect our employees, customers and the public. We are also working with our suppliers to understand and mitigate the potential impacts to our supply chain and have taken steps to ensure the integrity of our information systems.
However, there is no assurance that the continued spread of COVID-19 and efforts to contain the virus will not adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, ability to access the capital markets, and the trading value of the Company's common stock and debt securities. The continued spread of COVID-19 and related efforts to contain the virus could adversely impact the Company by:
•reducing usage and/or demand for electricity by our customers in New Mexico and Texas;
•reducing the availability and productivity of our employees;
•increasing costs as a result of our emergency measures, including costs to ensure the safety of our employees, security of our information systems and delayed payments from our customers and uncollectable accounts;
•causing delays and disruptions in the availability of and timely delivery of materials and components used in our operations;
•causing delays and disruptions in the supply chain resulting in disruptions in the commercial operation dates of certain projects;
•causing a deterioration in the credit quality of our counterparties, including power purchase agreement providers, contractors or retail customers, that could result in credit losses;
•causing impairments of goodwill or long-lived assets and adversely impacting the Company’s ability to develop, construct and operate facilities;
•impacting the Company’s ability to meet the requirements of the covenants in our existing credit facilities, including covenants regarding debt to capitalization;
•causing a deterioration in our financial metrics or the business environment that impacts our credit ratings;
•decreasing the value of our investment securities held in trusts for pension and other postretirement benefits, and for nuclear decommissioning and coal mine reclamation, which could lead to increased funding requirements;
•impacting our liquidity position and cost of and ability to access funds from financial institutions and capital markets;
•receiving unfavorable regulatory treatment in recovery of bad debt expense incurred during the Governor of New Mexico’s emergency executive order; and
•causing other unpredictable events.
General economic conditions of the nation and/or specific areas can affect the Company’s customers and suppliers. Economic recession or downturn may result in decreased consumption by customers and increased bad debt expense, and could also negatively impact suppliers, all of which could negatively affect the Company.
Economic activity in the service territories of PNMR subsidiaries is a key factor in their performance. Decreased economic activity can lead to declines in energy consumption, which could adversely affect future revenues, earnings, and growth. Higher unemployment rates, both in the Company’s service territories and nationwide, could result in commercial customers ceasing operations and lower levels of income for residential customers. These customers might then be unable to pay their bills on time, which could increase bad debt expense and negatively impact results of operations and cash flows. Economic conditions also impact the supply and/or cost of commodities and materials needed to construct or acquire utility assets or make necessary repairs.
The operating results of PNMR and its operating subsidiaries are seasonal and are affected by weather conditions, including regional drought.
Electric generation, transmission, and distribution are generally seasonal businesses that vary with the demand for power. With power consumption typically peaking during the hot summer months, revenues traditionally peak during that period. As a result, quarterly operating results of PNMR and its operating subsidiaries vary throughout the year. In addition, PNMR and its operating subsidiaries have historically had lower revenues resulting in lower earnings when weather conditions are milder. Unusually mild weather in the future could reduce the revenues, net earnings, and cash flows of the Company.
Drought conditions in New Mexico, especially in the “four corners” region, where SJGS and Four Corners are located, may affect the water supply for PNM’s generating plants. If inadequate precipitation occurs in the watershed that supplies that region, PNM may have to decrease generation at these plants. This would require PNM to purchase power to serve customers and/or reduce the ability to sell excess power on the wholesale market and reduce revenues. Drought conditions or actions taken by the court system, regulators, or legislators could limit PNM’s supply of water, which would adversely impact PNM’s business. Although SJGS and Four Corners participate in voluntary shortage sharing agreements with tribes and other water users in the “four corners” region, PNM cannot be certain these contracts will be enforceable in the event of a major drought or that it will be able to renew these contracts in the future.
TNMP’s service areas are exposed to extreme weather, including high winds, drought, flooding, ice storms, and periodic hurricanes. Extreme weather conditions, particularly high winds and severe thunderstorms, also occur periodically in PNM’s service areas. These severe weather events can physically damage facilities owned by TNMP and PNM. Any such occurrence both disrupts the ability to deliver energy and increases costs. Extreme weather can also reduce customers’ usage and demand for energy or could result in the Company incurring obligations to third parties related to such events. These factors could negatively impact results of operations and cash flows.
As discussed in Note 16, in February 2021, Texas experienced a severe winter storm delivering the coldest temperatures in 100 years for many parts of the state. ERCOT declared its highest state of emergency, an Emergency Energy Alert Level 3 (EEA3), due to exceptionally high electric demand exceeding supply amid the arctic temperatures. Ultimately, the ERCOT market was not able to deliver sufficient generation load to the grid resulting in significant, statewide outages as ERCOT directed transmission operators to curtail thousands of firm load megawatts. In response to the severe winter weather, the Governor of Texas issued a Declaration of a State of Disaster for all counties in Texas. Additionally, to assist in the recovery from the emergency conditions, the PUCT issued an order that placed a temporary moratorium on customer disconnections due to non-payment for transmission and distribution utilities that ended in June 2021. Consequently, the duration of the severe winter storm and high energy costs posed a financial hardship to REPs in the ERCOT region. The Texas Attorney General issued civil investigation demands to ERCOT and 11 power companies in Texas related to power outages, emergency plans, energy pricing and other factors associated with the severe weather storm. While TNMP has regulatory authorization to defer bad debt expense from REPs to a regulatory asset and seek recovery in a future general rate case, it intends to fully cooperate with all regulatory directives and inquiries made by the PUCT, the Texas Attorney General, and any other regulatory agencies. Various market participants, including TNMP, have been named as defendants in lawsuits relating to the February 2021 winter
weather power outages. As a transmission and distribution utility operating during that weather event, TNMP could be named in additional suits.
The impact of wildfires could negatively affect PNM’s and TNMP’s results of operations.
PNM and TNMP have large networks of electric transmission and distribution facilities. Weather conditions in the U.S. Southwest region and Texas vary and could contribute to wildfires in or near PNM’s and TNMP’s service territories. PNM and TNMP take proactive steps to mitigate wildfire risk. However, wildfire risk is always present and PNM and TNMP could be held liable for damages incurred as a result of wildfires caused, or allegedly caused, by their transmission and distribution systems. In addition, wildfires could cause damage to PNM’s and TNMP’s assets that could result in loss of service to customers or make it difficult to supply power in sufficient quantities to meet customer needs. These events could have negative impacts on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.
Risks Relating to the Proposed Merger with Avangrid
There is no assurance when or if the proposed Merger will be completed.
Completion of the proposed Merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of a number of conditions as set forth in the Merger Agreement, including regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. There can be no assurance that the conditions to completion of the proposed Merger will be satisfied or waived or that other events will not intervene to delay or result in the failure to close the proposed Merger. In particular, as discussed in more detail below, the NMPRC issued a negative ruling on the merger in December 2021 and in January 2022 PNMR filed a notice of appeal with the New Mexico Supreme Court. At this time PNMR and Avangrid amended the Merger Agreement to extend the End Date to April 20, 2023. It is not possible at this time to predict if or when the merger will receive the required approval from the NMPRC.
In addition, each of Avangrid and PNMR may unilaterally terminate the Merger Agreement under certain circumstances, and Avangrid and PNMR may agree at any time to terminate the Merger Agreement, even though PNMR shareholders have already approved the Merger Agreement.
Avangrid and PNMR may be unable to obtain the regulatory approvals required to complete the proposed Merger.
In addition to other conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, completion of the proposed Merger is conditioned upon the receipt of various state and U.S. federal regulatory approvals, including, but not limited to, approval by NMPRC, PUCT, FERC, NRC and the FCC. Avangrid and PNMR have made various filings and submissions and will pursue all required consents, orders and approvals in accordance with the Merger Agreement. In March 2021, PNMR and Avangrid received FCC approval of the transfer of operating licenses related to the Merger. In April 2021, FERC issued an order authorizing the Merger. In May 2021 the PUCT issued an order authorizing the Merger and the NRC approved the Merger. On December 8, 2021 the NMPRC issued an order rejecting the amended stipulation reached by the parties, see Note 17. On January 3, 2022, PNMR and Avangrid filed a notice of appeal with the NM Supreme Court, and PNM filed its Statement of Issues with the NM Supreme Court on February 2, 2022. In light of the NMPRC December 8, 2021 ruling, on January 3, 2022, PNMR, Avangrid and Merger Sub entered into an Amendment to the Merger Agreement pursuant to which PNMR and Avangrid each agreed to extend the End Date to April 20, 2023. As a result of the delay in closing the Merger due to the need to obtain NMPRC approval, PNMR and Avangrid will be required to make a new filing under the HSR Act and requested extensions of the previously granted approvals from the FCC and NRC. No additional filings will be required with CFIUS, FERC or the PUCT. These consents, orders and approvals may impose requirements, limitations or costs or place restrictions, and if such consents, orders and approvals require an extended period of time to be obtained, such extended period of time could increase the chance that an event occurs that constitutes a material adverse effect with respect to PNMR and thereby may allow Avangrid not to complete the proposed Merger. Such extended period of time also may increase the chance that other adverse effects with respect to PNMR could occur, such as the loss of key personnel. Further, no assurance can be given that the required consents, orders and approvals will be obtained or that the required conditions to closing will be satisfied.
The announcement and pendency of the proposed Merger, during which PNMR is subject to certain operating restrictions, could have an adverse effect on PNMR’s businesses, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows and our ability to access the capital markets.
The announcement and pendency of the proposed Merger could disrupt PNMR’s businesses, and uncertainty about the effect of the Merger may have an adverse effect on PNMR. These uncertainties could disrupt the business of PNMR and cause suppliers, vendors, partners and others that deal with PNMR to defer entering into contracts with PNMR or making other decisions concerning PNMR or seek to change or cancel existing business relationships with PNMR. In addition, PNMR’s employees may experience uncertainty regarding their roles after the Merger. For example, employees may depart either before the completion of the Merger because of such uncertainty and issues relating to the difficulty of coordination or a desire not to remain following the Merger; and the pendency of the Merger may adversely affect PNMR’s ability to retain, recruit and motivate key personnel. Additionally, the Merger requires PNMR to obtain Avangrid’s consent prior to taking certain specified actions while the Merger is pending. These restrictions may prevent PNMR from pursuing otherwise attractive business
opportunities or other capital structure alternatives and making other changes to its business or executing certain of its business strategies prior to the completion of the Merger. Further, the Merger may impact our ability to access the capital markets and could give rise to potential liabilities, including as a result of future shareholder lawsuits relating to the Merger. Any of these matters could adversely affect the businesses of, or harm the results of operations, financial condition or cash flows of PNMR.
PNMR will incur substantial transaction fees and costs in connection with the proposed Merger.
PNMR has incurred and expects to incur additional material non-recurring expenses in connection with the proposed Merger and completion of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement. Further, even if the proposed Merger is not completed, PNMR will need to continue to pay certain costs relating to the proposed Merger incurred prior to the date the proposed Merger was abandoned, such as legal, accounting, financial advisory, filing and printing fees.
The termination of the Merger Agreement could negatively impact PNMR.
If the Merger is not completed for any reason, the ongoing businesses of PNMR may be adversely affected and, without realizing any of the anticipated benefits of having completed the Merger, PNMR would be subject to a number of risks, including the following:
•PNMR may experience negative reactions from the financial markets, including a decline of its stock price (which may reflect a market assumption that the Merger will be completed);
•PNMR may experience negative reactions from its customers, regulators and employees;
•PNMR may be required to pay certain costs relating to the Merger, whether or not the Merger is completed; and
•Matters relating to the Merger will have required substantial commitments of time and resources by PNMR management, which would otherwise have been devoted to day-to-day operations and other opportunities that may have been beneficial to PNMR as an independent company.
If the Merger Agreement is terminated and the Board seeks another merger, business combination or other transaction, PNMR shareholders cannot be certain that PNMR will be able to find a party willing to offer equivalent or more attractive consideration than the consideration PNMR shareholders would receive in the Merger.
The Merger Agreement contains provisions that prevent a potential alternative acquirer that might be willing to pay more to acquire PNMR.
The Merger Agreement contains customary “no shop” provisions which state that we will not solicit or facilitate proposals regarding a merger or similar transaction with another party while the Merger Agreement is in effect. In January 2022, the End Date in the Merger Agreement was extended to April 20, 2023. These provisions prevent a potential third-party acquirer from considering or proposing an alternative acquisition, even if it were prepared to pay consideration with a higher value than that proposed to be paid in the Merger.
Financial Risks
PNMR may be unable to meet its ongoing and future financial obligations and to pay dividends on its common stock if its subsidiaries are unable to pay dividends or distributions to PNMR.
PNMR is a holding company and has no operations of its own. PNMR’s ability to meet its financial obligations and to pay dividends on its common stock primarily depends on the net earnings and cash flows of PNM and TNMP and their capacity to pay upstream dividends or distributions. Prior to providing funds to PNMR, PNM and TNMP have financial and regulatory obligations that must be satisfied, including among others, debt service and, in the case of PNM, preferred stock dividends.
The NMPRC has placed certain restrictions on the ability of PNM to pay dividends to PNMR, including that PNM cannot pay dividends that cause its debt rating to fall below investment grade. The NMPRC has also restricted PNM from paying dividends in any year, as determined on a rolling four-quarter basis, in excess of net earnings without prior NMPRC approval. PNM is permitted to pay dividends to PNMR from prior equity contributions made by PNMR. Additionally, PNMR’s financing agreements generally include a covenant to maintain a debt-to-capitalization ratio that does not exceed 70%, and PNM and TNMP’s financing arrangements generally include a covenant to maintain debt-to-capitalization ratios that do not exceed 65%. PNM also has various financial covenants that limit the transfer of assets, through dividends or other means and the Federal Power Act imposes certain restrictions on dividends paid by public utilities, including that dividends cannot be paid from paid-in capital.
Further, the ability of PNMR to declare dividends depends upon the extent to which cash flows will support dividends, the Company’s financial circumstances and performance, economic conditions in the U.S. and in the Company’s service areas, future growth plans and the related capital requirements, and other business considerations. Declaration of dividends may also be affected by decisions of the NMPRC, FERC, and PUCT in various regulatory cases currently pending or that may be docketed in the future, including the outcome of appeals of those decisions, conditions imposed by the NMPRC, PUCT, or Federal Power Act, and the effect of federal regulatory decisions and legislative acts.
Disruption in the credit and capital markets may impact the Company’s strategy and ability to raise capital.
As discussed in MD&A – Liquidity and Capital Resources, PNMR and its subsidiaries rely on access to both short-term and longer-term capital markets as sources of liquidity for any capital requirements not satisfied by cash flow from operations. In general, the Company relies on its short-term credit facilities as the initial source to finance construction expenditures. This results in increased borrowings under the facilities over time. The Company is currently projecting total construction expenditures for the years 2022-2026 to be $4.2 billion. If PNMR or its operating subsidiaries are not able to access capital at competitive rates, or at all, PNMR’s ability to finance capital requirements and implement its strategy will be limited. Disruptions in the credit markets, which could negatively impact the Company’s access to capital, could be caused by an economic recession, declines in the health of the banking sector generally or the failure of specific banks who are parties to the Company’s credit facilities, deterioration in the overall health of the utility industry, the bankruptcy of an unrelated energy company, war, terrorist attacks, cybersecurity attacks, or threatened attacks.
If the Company’s cash flow and credit and capital resources are insufficient to fund capital expenditure plans, the Company may be forced to delay important capital investments, sell assets, seek additional equity or debt capital, or restructure debt. In addition, insufficient cash flows and capital resources may result in reductions of credit ratings. This could negatively impact the Company’s ability to incur additional indebtedness on acceptable terms and would result in an increase in the interest rates applicable under the Company’s credit facilities. The Company’s cash flow and capital resources may be insufficient to pay interest and principal on debt in the future. If that should occur, the Company’s capital raising or debt restructuring measures may be unsuccessful or inadequate to meet scheduled debt service obligations. This could cause the Company to default on its obligations and further impair liquidity.
Reduction in credit ratings or changing rating agency requirements could materially and adversely affect the Company’s growth, strategy, business, financial position, results of operations, and liquidity.
PNMR, PNM, and TNMP cannot be sure that any of their current credit ratings will remain in effect for any given period of time or that a rating will not be put under review for a downgrade, lowered, or withdrawn entirely by a rating agency. As discussed in MD&A - Liquidity and Capital Resources, all of PNMR, PNM, and TNMP debt ratings are investments grade. Downgrades or changing requirements could result in increased borrowing costs due to higher interest rates on current borrowings or future financings, a smaller potential pool of investors, and decreased funding sources. Such conditions also could require the provision of additional support in the form of letters of credit and cash or other collateral to various counterparties.
Declines in values of marketable securities held in trust funds for pension and other postretirement benefits and in the NDT and coal mine reclamation trusts could result in sustained increases in costs and funding requirements for those obligations, which may affect operational results.
The pension plans’ targeted asset allocation is 50% liability matching fixed and 50% return generating income, which includes alternative income. The Company uses a strategy, known as Liability Driven Investing, which seeks to select investments that match the liabilities of the pension plans. The OPEB plans generally use the same pension fixed income and equity investment managers and utilize the same overall investment strategy as the pension plans, except there is no allocation to alternative investments and the OPEB plans have a target asset allocation of 30% equities and 70% fixed income.
The NDT investment portfolio maintains a target of 80% fixed income and 20% equity securities. The current asset allocation exposes the NDT investment portfolio to market and macroeconomic factors. Declines in market values could result in increased funding of the trusts, the recognition of losses as impairments for the NDT and coal mine reclamation trusts, and additional expense for the benefit plans. In addition, a change in GAAP required that all changes in the fair value of equity securities recorded on the Company’s balance sheet be reflected in earnings, which results in increased volatility in earnings.
Impairments of goodwill and long-lived assets of PNMR, PNM, and TNMP could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial position, liquidity, and results of operations.
The Company annually evaluates recorded goodwill for impairment. See Note 1 and the Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates section of MD&A. Long-lived assets are also assessed whenever indicators of impairment exist. Factors that affect the long-term value of these assets, including treatment by regulators in ratemaking proceedings, as well as other economic and market conditions, could result in impairments. Significant impairments could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial position, liquidity, and results of operations.
PNM’s PVNGS leases describe certain events, including “Events of Loss” and “Deemed Loss Events”, the occurrence of which could require PNM to take ownership of the underlying assets and pay the lessors for the assets.
The “Events of Loss” generally relate to casualties, accidents, and other events at PVNGS, including the occurrence of specified nuclear events, which would severely adversely affect the ability of the operating agent, APS, to operate, and the ability of PNM to earn a return on its interests in PVNGS. The “Deemed Loss Events” consist primarily of legal and regulatory
changes (such as issuance by the NRC of specified violation orders, changes in law making the sale and leaseback transactions illegal, or changes in law making the lessors liable for nuclear decommissioning obligations). PNM believes that the probability of such “Events of Loss” or “Deemed Loss Events” occurring is remote for the following reasons: (1) to a large extent, prevention of “Events of Loss” and some “Deemed Loss Events” is within the control of the PVNGS participants through the general PVNGS operational and safety oversight process; and (2) other “Deemed Loss Events” would involve a significant change in current law and policy. PNM is unaware of any proposals pending or being considered for introduction in Congress, or in any state legislative or regulatory body that, if adopted, would cause any of those events. Furthermore, the NRC places restrictions on the ownership of nuclear generating facilities. These restrictions could limit the transfer of ownership of the assets underlying all or a portion of its current leased interests in PVNGS. PNM and SRP entered into an Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, pursuant to which PNM agreed to sell to SRP certain PNM-owned assets and nuclear fuel necessary to the ongoing operation and maintenance of leased capacity in PVNGS Unit 1 and Unit 2, which SRP has agreed to acquire from the lessors upon termination of the existing leases. The proposed transaction between PNM and SRP has been approved by the NRC for the transfer of the associated possessory licenses at the end of the term of each of the respective leases. If the proposed transaction is not consummated, PNM may be required to retain all or a portion of its currently leased capacity in PVNGS or be exposed to other claims for damages by the lessors. See Note 8. If these events were to occur, there is no assurance PNM would be provided cost recovery from customers.
The impacts and implementation of U.S. tax reform legislation may negatively impact PNMR’s, PNM’s, and TNMP’s businesses, financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.
On December 22, 2017, comprehensive changes in U.S. federal income taxes were enacted through legislation commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). Among other things, the Tax Act reduced the federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018, eliminated federal bonus depreciation for utilities, and limited interest deductibility for non-utility business activities and the deductibility of certain officer compensation. During 2018, the IRS issued additional guidance related to certain officer compensation and proposed regulations on interest deductibility that provided a 10% “de minimis” exception allowing entities with predominantly regulated activities to fully deduct interest expenses. In addition, the IRS issued proposed regulations interpreting Tax Act amendments to depreciation provisions of the IRC that allowed the Company to claim a bonus depreciation deduction on certain construction projects placed in service subsequent to the third quarter of 2017.
The Company believes that the impacts of the Tax Act will not significantly impact the future earnings of regulated activities due to the ratemaking process. However, cash flows will be reduced in the near term due to less cash being received from customer billings as the benefits of the reduced corporate income tax are passed on to ratepayers, but without a corresponding reduction in income taxes paid due to the Company having a net operating loss carryforward for income taxes purposes. In addition, the income tax benefit of net losses for the unregulated activities of PNMR will be negatively impacted by the reduced rate.
It is possible that the Biden administration and Congress will make changes to provisions of the Tax Act or other tax laws. In addition, further changes to U.S. Treasury regulations, IRS interpretations of the current provisions of the Tax Act, and actions by the NMPRC, PUCT, and FERC could cause the Company’s expectations of the impacts of the Tax Act to change. Any such changes could adversely affect the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.
Governance Risks
Provisions of PNMR’s organizational documents, as well as several other statutory and regulatory factors, will limit another party’s ability to acquire PNMR and could deprive PNMR’s shareholders of the opportunity to receive a takeover premium for shares of PNMR’s common stock.
PNMR’s restated articles of incorporation and by-laws include a number of provisions that may have the effect of discouraging persons from acquiring large blocks of PNMR’s common stock or delaying or preventing a change in control of PNMR. The material provisions that may have such an effect include:
•Authorization for the Board to issue PNMR’s preferred stock in series and to fix rights and preferences of the series (including, among other things, voting rights and preferences with respect to dividends and other matters)
•Advance notice procedures with respect to any proposal other than those adopted or recommended by the Board
•Provisions specifying that only a majority of the Board, the chairman of the Board, the chief executive officer, or holders of at least one-tenth of all of PNMR’s shares entitled to vote may call a special meeting of shareholders
Under the New Mexico Public Utility Act, NMPRC approval is required for certain transactions that may result in PNMR’s change in control or exercise of control, including ownership of 10% or more of PNMR’s voting stock. PUCT approval is required for changes to the ownership of TNMP or its parent and certain other transactions relating to TNMP. Certain acquisitions of PNMR’s outstanding voting securities also require FERC approval.