Joe Nigro
Analyst · Bank of America
Thank you, Chris, and good morning, everyone. Today, I'll cover our first quarter results, as Chris mentioned, our quarterly financial updates, and as he noted, highlight several areas in which our utilities are making investments for the benefits of our customers. If I start on Slide 6, we show our quarter-over-quarter adjusted operating earnings walk. Exelon's continuing operations earned $0.64 in Q1 of 2022 versus $0.55 in Q1 of '21. Let me start by reminding you the impacts to Exelon's financials following the separation. As disclosed in our 8-K issued on February 25, beginning with the 10-Q to be filed today for the first quarter of 2022, we are presenting our former Generation segment as discontinued operations for the 1-month period in 2022 prior to the separation and for the 3 months ended March 31, 2021. Financial results for the utilities in the holding company are reported as continuing operations. As a reminder, accounting rules require that certain corporate overhead costs previously allocated to generation be presented as part of the Exelon's continuing operations. I want to note that these costs were paid for by generation and they are not indicative of our corporate overhead post separation. The impact of this business services company allocation adjustment to Exelon's continuing operations is $0.09 for the first quarter of '21 and $0.02 for the one month in 2022 on an after-tax basis. You will continue to see this adjustment for '21 as we present prior year quarters. However, this adjustment only impacts Q1 for 2022. Excluding the $0.07 quarter-over-quarter impact of the discontinued operations accounting adjustment for BFC allocations, Exelon's first quarter results were $0.02 higher than the first quarter of '21. The improvement from '21 was primarily driven by higher transmission and distribution rates associated with completed rate cases, partially offset by depreciation and amortization and stores at the utilities and the impact of rising interest rates on debt at the holding company. Our operating earnings results of $0.64 for the first quarter were in line with the percentage of full year earnings we shared with you in the January 2022 Analyst Day presentation. Turning to our full year outlook. We reaffirm our 2022 earnings guidance range of $2.18 to $2.32 per share. While we have benefited from rising treasury rates on ComEd's distribution return on equity, like most companies, we were also impacted by higher interest expense in our debt, in particular at our holding company. As we normally do, we will update guidance on our Q3 call. As a reminder, we have committed to a long-term operating earnings growth target of 6% to 8% through 2025, off the midpoint of guidance for '21 communicated on the Analyst Day. Moving to Slide 7. Looking at our utility returns on a consolidated basis, we expect to be in our consolidated 9% to 10% target range by year-end. As of the first quarter, our trailing 12-month return on equity of 8.9% dipped slightly below our range. Despite higher earnings driven primarily by distribution and transmission rates, the earnings were outpaced by timing of equity infusions across all our utilities to support capital investments. We remain focused on delivering stronger returns at the utilities which sustain the investment we make on behalf of our customers. Turning to Slide 8. There were some important developments on the regulatory front since the beginning of the year. First, on January 14, Delmarva Power filed an application with the Delaware Public Service Commission seeking a $14.5 million increase in gas distribution base rates, reflecting an ROE of 10.3%. Delmarva Power customers continue to benefit from the major enhancements that are being made to the local natural gas system. Key projects to strengthen and create additional capacity in the company's natural gas delivery system have also been critical to meet growing load. As permitted by Delaware law, Delmarva Power will implement full allowable rates on August 14, subject to refund. Second, Delmarva Maryland received a final order for its distribution electric rate case on March 2. The Maryland Commission approved the proposed settlement order by the Chief Public Utility Law Judge that recommended a $12.5 million increase in annual electric distribution rates, reflecting an ROE of 9.6%. Third, on March 31, PECO filed a gas distribution rate case with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. PECO is seeking a revenue increase of $82 million to support significant investments in critical infrastructure which will modernize and enhance the natural gas system and allow us to continue delivering safe and reliable natural gas service and reduce methane emissions. In addition, the filing proposes enhanced energy efficiency and customer safety programs, increase customer assistance with additional low-income funding and the continuation of small business grant program. We expect an order in the fourth quarter of 2022. Finally, ComEd filed its annual distribution formula rate update with the Illinois Commerce Commission on April 15, seeking a $199 million increase to electric distribution base rates that resulted in a $2.20 increase in the average monthly residential bill starting January 2023. While ComEd is requesting a delivery charge increase, there will be offsets. Specifically, when taking into account higher energy prices based on the recent procurement auction and forwards, offset by lower capacity prices, the carbon mitigation credits and accelerated tax benefit, we currently estimate a net reduction to the average monthly residential bill. ComEd's residential customer rates next January are expected to be at least 10% below the average of rates in the 10 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. In its formula -- in its final formulary filing, ComEd's request supports investments needed to sustain the record level reliability performance for residential and commercial customers and helps advance the goals of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act passed in Illinois to address climate change, create clean energy jobs, ensure equity and prioritize a just transition to a green economy. We expect to receive an order by early December. We continue to have constructive regulatory relationships across our jurisdictions and are working with our regulators, our states and our communities to support their clean energy and climate goals. As a reminder, we expect nearly 100% of our rate base growth will be covered by alternative recovery mechanisms by the end of our planning period. More details on these rate cases can be found on Slides 17 through 20 of the appendix. Slide 9 provides an update on how Exelon's utilities are working with key stakeholders to help our customers and jurisdictions achieve their decarbonization goals reliably, affordably and equitably. Electric vehicle adoption is unquestionably a key enabler for reducing emissions as the transportation sector currently represents about 1/3 of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Our jurisdictions alone are targeting 4.2 million electric vehicles on the road over the next 25 years, a twentyfold increase relative to the number of EVs in our service territories as of the end of 2021. Given our competitive rates, Electric vehicles also provide our customers the ability to save money. Using the Department of Energy's e-Gallon calculation, the annual cost of an electric vehicle is approximately $1.30 per gallon compared to the price of gasoline at $4.30 per gallon. On average, customers in Exelon service territories could save more than $1,000 per year in fuel cost by switching to an EV. Utilizing Exelon's EV time of use rates could offer an additional 11% savings per year. And while we recognize there are adoption costs and other barriers to entry, we value the role we play in bridging social equity gaps. Working with our jurisdictions, we bridge those gaps through programs like those authorized in the Climate Solutions Now Act in Maryland, which allows utilities to partner with local school boards and offer up to $50 million in rebates to incentivize the purchase and operation of electric school buses. And the benefits are not inclusive to EV buyers. As more energy use applications leverage the grid, fixed costs will naturally be lower for customers who have not yet made the switch to electric vehicles. As our states make this transition over the coming decades, Exelon is poised to support our customers through investments such as upgraded distribution circuitry, substations and ultimately transmission. Transforming the grid over this period to meet the increased standards required by EVs, along with other expanded and innovative uses of the grid, will require significant investment. Our Path to Clean encourages customers and communities to reduce their emissions through access to clean energy solutions. When establishing our goals, the focus was not solely on the environment, but also on equity, affordability, reliability and sustaining our communities. The role we are playing in the transformation of the transportation sector is a great example of this commitment. Moving to Slide 10. During the first quarter, we continued to invest capital for the benefit of our customers and are on track to meet our $6.9 billion commitment for 2022. These investments will improve reliability and resiliency, enhance service for our customers and prepare the grid for a clean energy future. As we have done on past earnings calls, I'd like to feature 2 projects within our portfolio of utility investments. The first is Pepco's Harvard substation rebuild. This substation is part of a larger capital grid project and is currently under construction with expected completion in 2023. This $220 million project will renovate aging infrastructure originally installed over a century ago to improve grid reliability and resiliency. The rebuild also expands regional transmission capacity, supporting future load growth in Washington, D.C. The second project is ComEd's $39 million Project Goldframe. ComEd completed it last fall, 3 months ahead of schedule, to meet the customers' accelerated project timeline. To service new load obligations at the data center and the surrounding area, ComEd installed a new 138 kV substation and associated equipment, including an indoor control building, 15 138-kV circuit breakers, 4 capacitor banks and transmission line extensions to the DeKalb area in Illinois. This was the first large-scale project resulting from the passage of Illinois Data Center Tax Incentive Program in 2019. It also likely creates additional renewable energy projects in the state as 100% of customer usage will be offset by wind and solar contracts. Both contracts or both projects are great examples of how we are connecting our customers and communities to affordable, clean and resilient solutions while enabling economic growth and local job creation through these modernization investments. These projects in their own right have significant economic and social benefits to our customers and communities served. However, combined, they represent less than 1% of Exelon's projected capital spend from 2022 to '25. This puts in perspective the scale and the impact of our investments. Moving on to Slide 11. As you've heard us say at Analyst Day, our consolidated corporate credit metrics are anticipated to average 13% to 14% at S&P and Moody's over the 2022 to '24 time period. And overall, maintaining a strong balance sheet to firmly supporting investment-grade credit ratings remains core to our strategy and who we are. From a financing perspective, we successfully completed a $2 billion corporate debt offering in the first quarter, which completes our long-term debt financing needs at corporate for the year. This inaugural offering as a new company garnered significant interest from investors, enabling a very strong execution that was a true testament to the strength of our balance sheet and our new platform. And finally, there has been no change to -- in our guidance to issue $1 billion of equity at the holding company by 2025. Thank you, and I'll now turn the call back to Chris for his closing remarks.