e10vq
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
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þ |
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QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the quarter ended March 31, 2006
OR
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o |
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TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
Commission file number 1-14287
USEC Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
(State of incorporation)
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52-2107911
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
2 Democracy Center
6903 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20817
(301) 564-3200
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be
filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months
(or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has
been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes þ No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated
filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of accelerated filer and large accelerated
filer in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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Large accelerated filer þ
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Accelerated filer o
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Non-accelerated filer o |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). Yes o No þ
As
of April 28, 2006, there were 86,934,000 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PART I FINANCIAL INFORMATION |
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Item 1.
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Financial Statements: |
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Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets at March 31, 2006 and
December 31, 2005 (Unaudited)
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3 |
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Consolidated Condensed Statements of Income for the Three Months
Ended March 31, 2006 and 2005 (Unaudited)
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4 |
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Consolidated Condensed Statements of Cash Flows for the Three Months
Ended March 31, 2006 and
2005 (Unaudited)
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5 |
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Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited)
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6 |
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Item 2.
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Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
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18 |
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Item 3.
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Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
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33 |
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Item 4.
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Controls and Procedures
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33 |
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PART II OTHER INFORMATION |
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Item 1.
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Legal Proceedings
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34 |
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Item 1A.
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Risk Factors
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34 |
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Item 2.
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Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
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38 |
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Item 6.
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Exhibits
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38 |
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Signature |
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39 |
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Exhibit Index |
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40 |
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This document contains forward-looking statements that is, statements related to future
events. In this context, forward-looking statements may address our expected future business and
financial performance, and often contain words such as expects, anticipates, intends,
plans, believes, will and other words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements by their
nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For USEC, particular risks and
uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed
in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the cost of electric power used
at our gaseous diffusion plant; our dependence on deliveries under the Russian Contract and on a
single production facility; the success and timing of the demonstration and deployment of the
American Centrifuge technology and the costs to develop that technology; difficulties in obtaining
financing; changes in existing restrictions on imports of Russian enriched uranium, including the
imposition of duties on imports of enriched uranium under the Russian Contract; the elimination of
duties charged on imports of foreign-produced low enriched uranium and uranium; pricing trends in
the uranium and enrichment markets; changes to, or termination of, our contracts with the U.S.
government and changes in U.S. government priorities and the availability of government funding;
the impact of government regulation; the outcome of legal proceedings and other contingencies
(including lawsuits, government investigations or audits and government/regulatory and
environmental remediation efforts); the competitive environment for our products and services;
changes in the nuclear energy industry; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in this and our
other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form
10-K. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements except as required by law.
2
USEC Inc.
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited)
(millions)
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March 31, |
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December 31, |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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ASSETS |
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Current Assets |
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Cash and cash equivalents |
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$ |
21.6 |
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$ |
259.1 |
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Restricted short-term investments |
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14.8 |
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17.8 |
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Accounts receivable trade |
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196.7 |
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256.7 |
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Inventories |
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970.8 |
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974.3 |
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Deferred income taxes |
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28.4 |
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39.1 |
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Other current assets |
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78.3 |
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68.7 |
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Total Current Assets |
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1,310.6 |
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1,615.7 |
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Property, Plant and Equipment, net |
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170.1 |
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171.2 |
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Other Long-Term Assets |
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Deferred income taxes |
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105.9 |
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100.6 |
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Deposit for depleted uranium |
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25.8 |
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24.6 |
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Prepaid pension benefit costs |
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85.7 |
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86.2 |
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Inventories |
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88.9 |
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71.4 |
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Goodwill and other intangibles |
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11.0 |
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11.1 |
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Total Other Long-Term Assets |
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317.3 |
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293.9 |
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Total Assets |
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$ |
1,798.0 |
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$ |
2,080.8 |
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LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY |
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Current Liabilities |
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Short-term debt |
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$ |
20.5 |
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$ |
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Current portion of long-term debt |
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288.8 |
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Accounts payable and accrued liabilities |
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188.2 |
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217.4 |
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Payables under Russian Contract |
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78.4 |
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111.6 |
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Uranium owed to customers and suppliers |
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13.3 |
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2.3 |
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Deferred revenue and advances from customers |
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130.2 |
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132.9 |
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Total Current Liabilities |
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430.6 |
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753.0 |
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Long-Term Debt |
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150.0 |
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150.0 |
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Other Long-Term Liabilities |
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Depleted uranium disposition |
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52.5 |
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47.0 |
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Postretirement health and life benefit obligations |
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151.7 |
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153.9 |
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Other liabilities |
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69.4 |
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69.3 |
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Total Other Long-Term Liabilities |
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273.6 |
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270.2 |
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Commitments and Contingencies (Note 6) |
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Stockholders Equity |
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943.8 |
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907.6 |
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Total Liabilities and Stockholders Equity |
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$ |
1,798.0 |
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$ |
2,080.8 |
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See notes to consolidated condensed financial statements.
3
USEC Inc.
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited)
(millions, except per share data)
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Three Months Ended |
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March 31, |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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Revenue: |
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Separative work units |
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$ |
234.0 |
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$ |
214.3 |
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Uranium |
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75.8 |
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45.8 |
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U.S. government contracts and other |
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51.5 |
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51.1 |
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Total revenue |
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361.3 |
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311.2 |
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Cost of sales: |
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Separative work units and uranium |
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225.7 |
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218.9 |
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U.S. government contracts and other |
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43.6 |
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44.6 |
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Total cost of sales |
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269.3 |
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263.5 |
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Gross profit |
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92.0 |
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47.7 |
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Special charge for organizational restructuring |
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1.5 |
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Advanced technology costs |
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19.8 |
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22.7 |
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Selling, general and administrative |
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11.7 |
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15.2 |
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Operating income |
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59.0 |
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9.8 |
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Interest expense |
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4.7 |
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8.7 |
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Interest (income) |
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(1.8 |
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(1.9 |
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Income before income taxes |
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56.1 |
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3.0 |
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Provision for income taxes |
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21.5 |
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2.1 |
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Net income |
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$ |
34.6 |
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$ |
0.9 |
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Net income per share basic and diluted |
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$ |
.40 |
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$ |
.01 |
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Dividends per share |
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$ |
.1375 |
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Weighted-average number of shares outstanding: |
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Basic |
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86.3 |
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85.5 |
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Diluted |
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86.6 |
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86.0 |
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See notes to consolidated condensed financial statements.
4
USEC Inc.
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)
(millions)
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Three Months Ended |
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March 31, |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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Cash Flows from Operating Activities |
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Net income |
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$ |
34.6 |
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$ |
0.9 |
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Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating
activities: |
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Depreciation and amortization |
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9.0 |
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8.4 |
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Deferred income taxes |
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5.4 |
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0.8 |
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Depleted uranium disposition |
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4.3 |
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2.2 |
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Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
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Accounts receivable decrease |
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60.0 |
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105.8 |
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Inventories net (increase) |
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(3.0 |
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(32.5 |
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Payables under Russian Contract (decrease) |
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(33.2 |
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(3.2 |
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Deferred revenue, net of deferred costs increase (decrease) |
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(10.5 |
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2.4 |
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Accounts payable and other liabilities (decrease) |
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(31.7 |
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(9.0 |
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Other, net |
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2.2 |
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4.7 |
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Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities |
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37.1 |
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80.5 |
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Cash Flows Used in Investing Activities |
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Capital expenditures |
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(7.5 |
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(6.1 |
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Net Cash (Used in) Investing Activities |
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(7.5 |
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(6.1 |
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Cash Flows Used in Financing Activities |
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Borrowings under credit facility |
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99.0 |
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Repayments under credit facility |
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(78.5 |
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Repayment of senior notes |
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(288.8 |
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Tax benefit related to stock-based compensation |
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0.3 |
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Dividends paid to stockholders |
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(11.7 |
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Common stock issued |
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0.9 |
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4.9 |
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Net Cash (Used in) Financing Activities |
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(267.1 |
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(6.8 |
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Net Increase (Decrease) |
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(237.5 |
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67.6 |
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Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period |
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259.1 |
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174.8 |
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Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period |
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$ |
21.6 |
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$ |
242.4 |
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Supplemental Cash Flow Information: |
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Interest paid |
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$ |
14.8 |
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$ |
16.1 |
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Income taxes paid |
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22.9 |
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12.4 |
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See notes to consolidated condensed financial statements.
5
USEC Inc.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION
The unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements as of and for the three months ended
March 31, 2006 and 2005 have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC). The unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements reflect
all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair statement of the
financial results for the interim period. Certain information and notes normally included in
financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States have been omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations.
Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2006 are not necessarily indicative of
the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2006. The unaudited consolidated
condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial
statements and related notes and managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and
results of operations, included in the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2005.
Certain amounts in the consolidated condensed financial statements have been reclassified to
conform with the current presentation.
New Accounting Standards
In May 2005, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 154, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections, which replaces
Accounting Principles Board (APB) Opinion No. 20, Accounting Changes, and SFAS No. 3,
Reporting Accounting Changes in Interim Financial Statements. SFAS No. 154 applies to all
voluntary changes in accounting principle, and changes the requirements for accounting for and
reporting of a change in accounting principle. SFAS No. 154 requires retrospective application to
prior periods financial statements of a voluntary change in accounting principle unless such
retrospective application is impracticable. APB Opinion No. 20 previously required that most
voluntary changes in accounting principle be recognized with a cumulative effect adjustment in net
income for the period of the change. SFAS No. 154 is effective for accounting changes made in
annual periods beginning after December 15, 2005, and was adopted by USEC on January 1, 2006.
In September 2005, the FASB issued Emerging Issues Task Force Issue (EITF) No. 04-13,
Accounting for Purchases and Sales of Inventory with the Same Counterparty. EITF No. 04-13
provided guidance on the circumstances under which two or more inventory transactions with the same
counterparty should be viewed as a single nonmonetary transaction within the scope of APB Opinion
No. 29, Accounting for Nonmonetary Transactions. EITF No. 04-13 also provided guidance on
circumstances under which nonmonetary exchanges of inventory within the same line of business
should be recognized at fair value. EITF No. 04-13 will be effective for any transactions completed
beginning in the second quarter of 2006. We do not expect that EITF No. 04-13 will have a material
effect on our consolidated financial statements.
In February 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 155, Accounting for Certain Hybrid Financial
Instruments. SFAS No. 155 permits fair value remeasurement for any hybrid financial instrument
that contains an embedded derivative that otherwise would require bifurcation. We do not expect
that SFAS No. 155 will have an impact on our consolidated financial statements, but we will
continue to review this with any future offerings.
6
Effective January 1, 2006, USEC adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 123 Revised 2004, Share
Based Payment (SFAS No. 123(R)), requiring that compensation cost relating to share-based
payments be recognized in the financial statements. The cost is measured based on the fair value of
the award, and is recognized as an expense or inventory cost over the vesting period. Under the
modified prospective transition method, prior periods have not been revised for comparative
purposes. See Note 8 for further information regarding stock-based compensation.
2. INVENTORIES
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March 31, |
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December 31, |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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(millions) |
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Current assets: |
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Separative work units |
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$ |
790.1 |
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$ |
790.3 |
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Uranium |
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172.2 |
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171.3 |
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Materials and supplies |
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8.5 |
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12.7 |
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970.8 |
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974.3 |
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Long-term assets: |
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Uranium |
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42.3 |
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Out-of-specification uranium |
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24.0 |
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37.6 |
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Highly enriched uranium from DOE |
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22.6 |
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33.8 |
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|
88.9 |
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71.4 |
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$ |
1,059.7 |
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$ |
1,045.7 |
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Remediating or Replacing Out-of-Specification Uranium
In December 2000, USEC reported to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that 9,550 metric
tons of natural uranium with a cost of $237.5 million transferred to USEC from DOE prior to
privatization in 1998 may contain elevated levels of technetium that would put the uranium
out-of-specification for commercial use. Out of specification means that the uranium would not meet
the industry standard as defined in the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
specification Standard Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride for Enrichment. The levels of
technetium exceeded allowable levels in the ASTM specification. Under the DOE-USEC Agreement signed
in June 2002 (DOE-USEC Agreement), DOE is obligated to replace or remediate the affected uranium
inventory, and USEC has been working with DOE to meet this obligation. USEC operates facilities at
the Portsmouth plant under contract with DOE to process and remove contaminants from the
out-of-specification uranium.
At March 31, 2006, 8,828 metric tons (or 92%) of USECs out-of-specification uranium had been
replaced or remediated by DOE (using USEC as its contractor for remediation). The remaining 722
metric tons, with a cost of $24.0 million, is expected to be processed by the end of 2006. DOEs
obligation to replace or remediate USECs out-of-specification uranium continues until all such
uranium is replaced or remediated, and DOEs obligations survive any termination of the DOE-USEC
Agreement as long as USEC is producing low enriched uranium (LEU) containing at least one million
SWU per year at the Paducah, Kentucky gaseous diffusion plant or at a new enrichment facility.
In December 2004, USEC entered into a memorandum of agreement with DOE under which USEC agreed
to remediate DOE-owned out-of-specification uranium as well as USECs out-of-specification uranium.
USEC and DOE agreed that USEC would process approximately equal amounts of DOEs
out-of-specification uranium and USECs out-of-specification uranium on a pro-rata basis. Under the
agreement, DOE provided uranium that met specification to USEC in February
7
2005, with the proceeds from USECs sales of such uranium used to reimburse USEC for costs
incurred in remediating out-of-specification uranium. In March 2006, DOE provided an additional
quantity of uranium to USEC for sale. DOE retains rights in any excess proceeds from sales of the
uranium provided to USEC. If sales proceeds exceed the costs of processing the out-of-specification
uranium, USEC is obligated to return any excess proceeds to DOE. USEC is to cease work on
processing out-of-specification uranium if processing costs are expected to exceed proceeds from
the sale of uranium in any government fiscal year.
Proceeds from sales of uranium, pending payment to USEC for processing costs or return to DOE,
if excess, are invested for DOE and reported as restricted short-term investments. The balance
sheet carrying amounts of $14.8 million at March 31, 2006, and $17.8 million at December 31, 2005,
are stated at fair value.
USEC and DOE may agree to one or more additional transfers of uranium for sale from DOE, and
USEC expects that additional quantities of uranium for sale, or direct funding from DOE, will be
required in order to complete the remediation program. Whether or not USEC and DOE agree to
additional transfers, DOE is obligated to remediate or replace USECs remaining
out-of-specification uranium under the terms of the DOE-USEC Agreement. Revenue and costs related
to the processing of DOE and USEC out-of-specification uranium are recognized in the U.S.
government contracts segment.
3. DEBT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
December 31, |
|
|
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
(millions) |
|
Debt: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6.625% senior notes, due January 20, 2006 |
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
288.8 |
|
6.750% senior notes, due January 20, 2009 |
|
|
150.0 |
|
|
|
150.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
150.0 |
|
|
$ |
438.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
USEC repaid the remaining balance of the 6.625% senior notes amounting to $288.8
million on the scheduled maturity date of January 20, 2006.
The 6.750% senior notes are unsecured obligations and rank on a parity with all other
unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of USEC Inc. The senior notes are not subject to any
sinking fund requirements. Interest is paid every six months on January 20 and July 20. The senior
notes may be redeemed by USEC at any time at a redemption price equal to the principal amount plus
any accrued interest up to the redemption date plus a make-whole premium.
At March 31, 2006, the fair value of the senior notes calculated based on a credit-adjusted
spread over U.S. Treasury securities with similar maturities was $144.8 million, compared with the
balance sheet carrying amount of $150.0 million.
Revolving Credit Facility
Short-term borrowings under the revolving credit facility amounted to $20.5 million at March
31, 2006. During the three months ended March 31, 2006, aggregate borrowings and repayments
amounted to $99.0 million and $78.5 million, respectively, and the peak amount outstanding was
$78.5 million. There were no short-term borrowings at December 31, 2005. Letters of credit issued
under the facility amounted to $35.8 million at March 31, 2006 and $25.0 million at December 31,
2005.
8
4. DEFERRED REVENUE AND ADVANCES FROM CUSTOMERS
Deferred revenue and advances from customers were as follows (in millions):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
December 31, |
|
|
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
Deferred revenue |
|
$ |
108.2 |
|
|
$ |
106.8 |
|
Advances from utility customers |
|
|
7.2 |
|
|
|
8.3 |
|
Proceeds from sales of DOE uranium |
|
|
14.8 |
|
|
|
17.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
130.2 |
|
|
$ |
132.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In a number of sales transactions, title to uranium or LEU is transferred to the
customer and USEC receives payment under normal credit terms without physically delivering the
uranium or LEU to the customer. In certain cases, the terms of the agreement require USEC to hold
the uranium to which the customer has title. In other cases, the customer encounters brief delays
in taking delivery of LEU at USECs facilities. Recognition of revenue is deferred until uranium or
LEU to which the customer has title is physically delivered rather than at the time title transfers
to the customer. Related costs associated with deferred revenue, reported in other current assets,
totaled $66.5 million at March 31, 2006 and $55.7 million at December 31, 2005.
Deferred revenue and advances from customers include proceeds from sales of DOE uranium that
are pending either payment to USEC as reimbursement for USECs costs in processing
out-of-specification uranium, or return to DOE if in excess of USECs processing costs.
5. ORGANIZATIONAL RESTRUCTURING
In September 2005, USEC announced it would restructure the Companys organization and resize
the headquarters operations located in Bethesda, Maryland. This included the implementation of an
involuntary reduction of 38 employees in the headquarters staff, including the elimination of some
senior positions and the realignment of responsibilities under a smaller senior management team.
The workforce reductions resulted in special charges for termination benefits of $4.5 million. In
connection with the reduction of workforce, USEC offered a termination benefit that did not require
additional services. Of these termination charges, which principally consist of severance benefits,
$2.7 million was paid or utilized during 2005 and $1.3 million in the first quarter of 2006. USEC
plans to pay or utilize the remaining $0.5 million during the second and third quarters of 2006.
Additionally, facility related charges of $1.5 million related to efforts undertaken to consolidate
office space at the headquarters location were accrued during the first quarter of 2006.
In late October 2005, we continued our restructuring efforts at our field organizations,
announcing voluntary and involuntary staff reductions totaling approximately 200 employees. The
restructuring effort at our field organizations resulted in the reduction of 151 employees. The
workforce reductions resulted in special charges for termination benefits of $2.8 million which
principally consisted of severance benefits. Of these termination charges, $1.5 million was paid or
utilized during 2005 and $1.1 million in the first quarter of 2006. The remaining $0.2 million is
anticipated to be utilized during the second quarter of 2006.
9
A summary of special charges for organizational restructuring and the related balance sheet
account information follows (in millions):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance |
|
|
|
Special |
|
|
Paid and |
|
|
Dec. 31, |
|
|
Special |
|
|
Paid and |
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
|
Charge |
|
|
Utilized |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
Charge |
|
|
Utilized |
|
|
2006 |
|
Workforce reductions: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporate |
|
$ |
4.5 |
|
|
$ |
(2.7 |
) |
|
$ |
1.8 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(1.3 |
) |
|
$ |
0.5 |
|
Field operations |
|
|
2.8 |
|
|
|
(1.5 |
) |
|
|
1.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.1 |
) |
|
|
0.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Facility related charges: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
$ |
7.3 |
|
|
$ |
(4.2 |
) |
|
$ |
3.1 |
|
|
$ |
1.5 |
|
|
$ |
(2.4 |
) |
|
$ |
2.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Organizational restructuring and impairment costs by segment are not presented as USEC
utilizes gross profit as its segment measure.
6. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Power Contracts and Commitments
The gaseous diffusion process uses significant amounts of electric power to enrich uranium.
USEC purchases more than 90% of the electric power for the Paducah plant under a power purchase
agreement signed with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in 2000, and amended in April 2006.
USEC typically purchases the remaining portion of the electric power for the Paducah plant under
short-term fixed-price contracts or at market-based prices. Capacity under the TVA agreement is
fixed through May 2007. USEC is obligated, whether or not it takes delivery of electric power, to
make minimum payments for the purchase of electric power of approximately $500 million through May
2007. Certain power purchases in the summer months of 2006 are fixed at market-based prices. The
remainder of power purchases in the period June 2006 to May 2007 are purchased at prices that are
subject to potential monthly fuel cost adjustments that would reflect changes in TVAs fuel costs,
purchased power costs, and related costs.
Environmental Matter
USEC and certain federal agencies were identified as potentially responsible parties under the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (commonly known as
Superfund), for a site in Barnwell, South Carolina previously operated by Starmet CMI (Starmet),
one of USECs former contractors. In February 2004, USEC entered into an agreement with the EPA to
clean up certain areas at Starmets Barnwell site. Under the agreement, USEC was responsible for
removing certain material from the site that was attributable to quantities of depleted uranium
USEC had sent to the site. In December 2005, the EPA confirmed that USEC completed its clean up
obligations under the agreement. At March 31, 2006, USEC had an accrued current liability of $0.3 million for remaining payments for work associated with completing the agreement. USEC could
incur additional costs associated with its share of costs for cleanup of the Starmet site,
resulting from a variety of factors, including a decision by federal or state agencies to recover
costs for prior cleanup work or require additional remediation at the site.
10
Executive Termination
During 2005, we were in arbitration with our former president and chief executive officer, William
H. Timbers, whose employment at USEC was terminated for cause in December 2004. In his demand for
arbitration, Mr. Timbers disputed cause and sought damages in excess of $36 million. On February 1,
2006, we entered into a settlement agreement with Mr. Timbers pursuant to which we paid Mr. Timbers
a cash settlement of $14.5 million in full settlement of his claims. We also canceled an
outstanding loan to Mr. Timbers from the Company in the amount of approximately $0.3 million as
part of the settlement. Related charges were accrued in prior periods. Under the settlement
agreement, the parties granted each other a mutual release of all claims.
Other Legal Matters
USEC is subject to various other legal proceedings and claims, either asserted or unasserted,
which arise in the ordinary course of business. While the outcome of these claims cannot be
predicted with certainty, we do not believe that the outcome of any of these legal matters will
have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.
7. PENSION AND POSTRETIREMENT HEALTH AND LIFE BENEFITS
The components of net benefit costs for pension and postretirement health and life benefit
plans were as follows (in millions):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Defined Benefit |
|
|
Postretirement Health and |
|
|
|
Pension Plans |
|
|
Life Benefit Plans |
|
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
Service costs |
|
$ |
4.3 |
|
|
$ |
4.0 |
|
|
$ |
1.5 |
|
|
$ |
2.1 |
|
Interest costs |
|
|
10.1 |
|
|
|
9.8 |
|
|
|
2.8 |
|
|
|
3.7 |
|
Expected returns on plan assets (gains) |
|
|
(13.5 |
) |
|
|
(13.7 |
) |
|
|
(1.4 |
) |
|
|
(1.4 |
) |
Amortization of prior service costs (credit) |
|
|
0.4 |
|
|
|
0.4 |
|
|
|
(3.7 |
) |
|
|
(0.2 |
) |
Amortization of actuarial losses |
|
|
1.2 |
|
|
|
0.6 |
|
|
|
0.7 |
|
|
|
0.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net benefit costs (income) |
|
$ |
2.5 |
|
|
$ |
1.1 |
|
|
$ |
(0.1 |
) |
|
$ |
4.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amortization of prior service credit for the postretirement health and life
benefit plans in the three months ended March 31, 2006 reflects the institution of a lifetime cap
on claims after age 65 for medical and drug coverage. The credit is amortized over the average
remaining years of service until full eligibility.
USEC expects total cash contributions to the plans in 2006 will be as follows: $11.1 million
for the defined benefit pension plans and $5.6 million for the postretirement health and life
plans. Of those amounts, contributions made as of March 31, 2006 were $1.7 million and $2.0
million related to the defined benefit pension plans and postretirement health and life plans,
respectively.
At December 31, 2005, projected pension benefit obligations were 94% funded and postretirement
health and life benefit obligations, typically funded on a pay-as-you-go basis, were 34% funded.
11
8. STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
USEC has stock-based compensation plans available to grant non-qualified stock options,
restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance awards and other stock-based awards to key
employees and non-employee directors. In February 1999 and in April 2004, stockholders approved an
aggregate amount of 14.1 million shares of common stock for issuance under the USEC Inc. 1999
Equity Incentive Plan over a 10-year period. There were 7,846,000 shares available for future
awards under the plan at December 31, 2005 (excluding outstanding awards which terminate or are
cancelled without being exercised or that are settled for cash), including 5,201,000 shares
available for grants of stock options and 2,645,000 shares available for restricted stock or stock
units, performance awards and other stock-based awards. USECs practice is to issue shares under
stock-based compensation plans from treasury stock.
In February 1999, stockholders approved the USEC Inc. 1999 Employee Stock Purchase Plan under
which 2.5 million shares of common stock can be purchased over a 10-year period by participating
employees at 85% of the lower of the market price at the beginning or the end of each six-month
offer period. This plan was amended in 2005 to provide that the purchase price is 85% of the market
price at the end of the six-month offer period and to institute a minimum holding period of one
year. Employees can elect to designate up to 10% of their compensation to purchase common stock
under the plan. At December 31, 2005, there were 204,000 remaining shares available for purchase
under the plan.
Effective January 1, 2006, USEC adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 123(R), Share Based
Payment, whereby compensation cost relating to share-based payments is recognized in the financial
statements. Accordingly, stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date, based on the
fair value of the award, and is recognized as an expense or an inventory cost over the requisite
service period, which is either immediate recognition if the employee is eligible to retire, or on
a straight-line basis until the earlier of either the date of retirement eligibility or the end of
the nominal vesting period. Prior to January 1, 2006, USEC accounted for share-based compensation
in accordance with APB Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees, with pro forma
disclosures in accordance with SFAS No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation as amended
by SFAS No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation Transition and Disclosure. Prior to
adoption of SFAS No. 123(R), USEC used a straight-line amortization of stock-based compensation
over the nominal vesting period. Under SFAS No. 123(R), compensation cost for stock-based awards
granted after the adoption is recognized over the requisite service period. USEC has determined
that application of the nominal vesting period approach to the unvested outstanding awards at the
end of 2005 and application of the requisite service period approach to stock-based compensation
awarded beginning in 2006 did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements
for the three months ended March 31, 2006.
The new requirements result in the recognition of compensation costs for stock options granted
and the discounts provided under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. USEC recognized expense of $0.1
million during the first quarter of 2006 related to these plans.
Compensation costs for grants of restricted stock and restricted stock units were recognized
in the financial statements under APB Opinion No. 25 and continue to be recognized under SFAS No.
123(R). USEC recognized a net credit of $0.4 million during the first quarter of 2006 related to
these plans. This credit reflects the early termination of the prior three-year performance
component of the long-term incentive program under the 1999 Equity Incentive Plan for senior
executive officers. A new plan was established April 24, 2006 effective March 1, 2006.
12
In the first quarter of 2006, total stock-based compensation resulted in a net credit to
operating income of $0.3 million (included in selling, general and administrative expenses), or
$0.2 million after tax. Stock-based compensation costs capitalized as part of the cost of
inventory amounted to $0.1 million.
Under the modified prospective transition method, prior periods have not been revised for
comparative purposes. The valuation provisions of SFAS No. 123(R) apply to new grants and to grants
that were outstanding as of the effective date and are subsequently modified. Estimated
compensation for grants that were outstanding as of the effective date will be recognized over the
remaining service period using the compensation cost estimated for the pro forma disclosures under
SFAS No. 123. The following table illustrates the effect on net income for the three months ended
March 31, 2005 under the pro forma disclosure requirements of SFAS No. 123 (in millions, except per
share data):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months |
|
|
|
Ended |
|
|
|
March 31, 2005 |
|
Net income, as reported |
|
$ |
0.9 |
|
Add Stock-based compensation expense included in
reported results, net of tax |
|
|
0.9 |
|
Deduct Stock-based compensation expense
determined under the fair-value method, net of tax |
|
|
(2.4 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Pro forma net income (loss) |
|
$ |
(0.6 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss) per share basic and diluted: |
|
|
|
|
As reported |
|
$ |
.01 |
|
Pro forma |
|
|
(.01 |
) |
The determination of the fair value of stock option awards is affected by our stock
price and a number of complex and subjective variables. Fair value is estimated using the
Black-Scholes option pricing model, which includes a number of assumptions including our estimates
of stock price volatility, employee stock option exercise behaviors, future forfeitures, future
dividend payments, and risk-free interest rates.
The expected term of options granted is estimated as the average of the vesting term and the
contractual term of the option, as illustrated in SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 107, Share
Based Payment. Future stock price volatility is estimated based on historical volatility for the
recent period equal to the expected term of the options. The risk-free interest rate for the
expected option term is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. No
cash dividends are expected in the foreseeable future and therefore an expected dividend yield of
zero is used in the option valuation model. Historical data are used to estimate pre-vesting option
forfeitures at the time of grant. Estimates for option forfeitures are revised in subsequent
periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. Stock-based compensation expense is
recorded for those awards that are expected to vest.
13
The assumptions used to value option grants for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and
March 31, 2005 follow:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
Risk-free interest rate |
|
|
4.6 |
% |
|
|
3.8 |
% |
Expected dividend yield |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
% |
Expected volatility |
|
|
41 |
% |
|
|
42 |
% |
Expected option life |
|
3.5 years |
|
3.5 years |
The weighted-average grant-date fair value of options granted during the three months
ended March 31, 2006 and 2005 was $4.30 and $4.74, respectively. Stock options vest or become
exercisable in equal annual installments over a one to three year period and expire 5 or 10 years
from the date of grant. A summary of stock option activity for the three months ended March 31,
2006 follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted-Average |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock |
|
|
Weighted- |
|
|
Remaining |
|
|
Aggregate |
|
|
|
Options |
|
|
Average |
|
|
Contractual |
|
|
Intrinsic Value |
|
|
|
(thousands) |
|
|
Exercise Price |
|
|
Term (years) |
|
|
(millions) |
|
Outstanding at December 31, 2005 |
|
|
1,355 |
|
|
$ |
8.97 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Granted |
|
|
242 |
|
|
|
12.09 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercised |
|
|
(170 |
) |
|
|
6.95 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forfeited or expired |
|
|
(67 |
) |
|
|
13.41 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding at March 31, 2006 |
|
|
1,360 |
|
|
$ |
9.56 |
|
|
|
4.88 |
|
|
$ |
4.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercisable at March 31, 2006 |
|
|
933 |
|
|
$ |
8.94 |
|
|
|
4.84 |
|
|
$ |
3.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The total intrinsic value of options exercised during the three months ended March 31,
2006 and 2005 was $1.0 million and $3.2 million, respectively. The intrinsic value of an option, if
any, represents the excess of the fair value of the common stock over the exercise price. Cash
received from the exercise of stock options during the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005
was $1.2 million and $3.6 million, respectively.
Stock options outstanding and options exercisable at March 31, 2006, follow (options in
thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remaining |
|
|
Stock Exercise |
|
Options |
|
Contractual |
|
Options |
Price |
|
Outstanding |
|
Life in Years |
|
Exercisable |
$3.63 to $6.97
|
|
|
163 |
|
|
|
4.8 |
|
|
|
163 |
|
7.00
|
|
|
115 |
|
|
|
7.3 |
|
|
|
66 |
|
7.02 to 7.13
|
|
|
207 |
|
|
|
5.9 |
|
|
|
207 |
|
8.05
|
|
|
192 |
|
|
|
2.9 |
|
|
|
157 |
|
8.50
|
|
|
150 |
|
|
|
5.3 |
|
|
|
150 |
|
10.44 to 11.88
|
|
|
103 |
|
|
|
4.5 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
12.09
|
|
|
242 |
|
|
|
5.0 |
|
|
|
12.19 to 16.90
|
|
|
188 |
|
|
|
4.0 |
|
|
|
188 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,360 |
|
|
|
4.9 |
|
|
|
933 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14
The fair value of restricted stock is determined based on the closing price of USECs
common stock on the grant date. Compensation cost for restricted stock is amortized to expense on a
straight-line basis over the vesting period, which, depending on the grant, is amortized ratably
over a three-year period or at the end of either a one-year or five-year period. Sale of such
shares is restricted prior to the date of vesting. A summary of restricted shares activity for the
three months ended March 31, 2006 follows (shares in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted-Average |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grant-Date |
|
|
|
Shares |
|
|
Fair Value |
|
Restricted Shares at December 31, 2005 |
|
|
721 |
|
|
$ |
10.44 |
|
Granted |
|
|
243 |
|
|
|
12.24 |
|
Vested |
|
|
(96 |
) |
|
|
14.81 |
|
Forfeited |
|
|
(22 |
) |
|
|
14.77 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restricted Shares at March 31, 2006 |
|
|
846 |
|
|
$ |
10.34 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The fair value of restricted stock units is determined based on the average trading
price of USECs common stock in the calendar month prior to the grant date. Compensation cost for
restricted stock units is generally recognized over a three-year service period, and is marked to
market each period.
Prior to the adoption of SFAS No. 123(R), tax benefits for deductions resulting from the
exercise of stock options and disqualifying dispositions were presented as operating cash flows on
our consolidated statement of cash flows. SFAS No. 123(R) requires the benefits of tax deductions
in excess of recognized compensation expense (excess tax benefits) to be reported as a financing
cash flow, rather than as an operating cash flow. As a result, excess tax benefits of $0.3 million
were classified as financing cash inflows for the three months ended March 31, 2006.
As of March 31, 2006, there was $9.9 million of unrecognized compensation cost, adjusted for
estimated forfeitures, related to non-vested stock-based payments granted, of which $8.6 million
relates to restricted shares and restricted stock units, and $1.3 million relates to stock options.
That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.6 years.
9. STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY
Changes in stockholders equity were as follows (in millions, except per share data):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accumu- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
lated |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock, |
|
|
Excess of |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Compre- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Par Value |
|
|
Capital |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred |
|
|
hensive |
|
|
Total |
|
|
|
$.10 per |
|
|
over |
|
|
Retained |
|
|
Treasury |
|
|
Comp- |
|
|
Income |
|
|
Stockholders |
|
|
|
Share |
|
|
Par Value |
|
|
Earnings |
|
|
Stock |
|
|
ensation |
|
|
(Loss) |
|
|
Equity |
|
Balance at December 31, 2005 |
|
$ |
10.0 |
|
|
$ |
970.6 |
|
|
$ |
31.3 |
|
|
$ |
(99.5 |
) |
|
$ |
(2.7 |
) |
|
$ |
(2.1 |
) |
|
$ |
907.6 |
|
Common stock issued: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from the exercise of
stock options |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.2 |
|
Restricted and other stock issued |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.9 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.4 |
|
Eliminate deferred compensation
under SFAS No. 123(R) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2.7 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at March 31, 2006 |
|
$ |
10.0 |
|
|
$ |
967.0 |
|
|
$ |
65.9 |
|
|
$ |
(97.0 |
) |
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(2.1 |
) |
|
$ |
943.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In February 2006, the Board of Directors voted to discontinue paying a common stock
dividend.
15
10. NET INCOME PER SHARE
Basic net income per share is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted-average number
of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per share is
calculated by increasing the weighted-average number of shares by the assumed conversion of
potentially dilutive stock compensation awards.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
|
|
(in millions) |
Weighted-average number of shares
outstanding: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic |
|
|
86.3 |
|
|
|
85.5 |
|
Dilutive effect of stock compensation awards |
|
|
0.3 |
|
|
|
0.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted |
|
|
86.6 |
|
|
|
86.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other options to purchase shares of common stock having an exercise price greater than
the average share market price are also excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per
share.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
Options excluded
from diluted earnings per
share calculation: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options to purchase
common stock (in
millions) |
|
|
0.2 |
|
|
|
0.2 |
|
Exercise price |
|
$ |
13.25 to $16.90 |
|
|
$ |
14.00 to $16.90 |
|
16
11. SEGMENT INFORMATION
USEC has two reportable segments: the LEU segment with two components, separative work units
(SWU) and uranium, and the U.S. government contracts segment. The LEU segment is USECs primary
business focus and includes sales of the SWU component of LEU, sales of both the SWU and uranium
components of LEU, and sales of uranium. The U.S. government contracts segment includes work
performed for DOE and DOE contractors at the Portsmouth and Paducah plants, and NAC. Gross profit
is USECs measure for segment reporting. Intersegment sales between the reportable segments
amounted to less than $0.1 million in the three months ended March 31, 2006 and have been
eliminated in consolidation. There were no intersegment sales in the three months ended March 31,
2005.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
(millions) |
|
Revenue |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LEU segment: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Separative work units |
|
$ |
234.0 |
|
|
$ |
214.3 |
|
Uranium |
|
|
75.8 |
|
|
|
45.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
309.8 |
|
|
|
260.1 |
|
U.S. government contracts segment |
|
|
51.5 |
|
|
|
51.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
361.3 |
|
|
$ |
311.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Segment Gross Profit |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LEU segment |
|
$ |
84.1 |
|
|
$ |
41.2 |
|
U.S. government contracts segment |
|
|
7.9 |
|
|
|
6.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit |
|
|
92.0 |
|
|
|
47.7 |
|
Special charge for organizational restructuring |
|
|
1.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced technology costs |
|
|
19.8 |
|
|
|
22.7 |
|
Selling, general, and administrative |
|
|
11.7 |
|
|
|
15.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating income |
|
|
59.0 |
|
|
|
9.8 |
|
Interest expense, net of interest income |
|
|
2.9 |
|
|
|
6.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before income taxes |
|
$ |
56.1 |
|
|
$ |
3.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17
Item 2. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to, the consolidated financial statements and related notes and managements
discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations, including risks and
uncertainties, included in the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005.
Overview
USEC, a global energy company, is a leading supplier of low enriched uranium (LEU) for
commercial nuclear power plants. LEU is a critical component in the production of nuclear fuel for
reactors to produce electricity. We, either directly or through our subsidiaries United States
Enrichment Corporation and NAC International Inc. (NAC):
|
|
|
supply LEU to both domestic and international utilities for use in about 150 nuclear
reactors worldwide, |
|
|
|
|
are the exclusive executive agent for the U.S. government under a nuclear
nonproliferation program with Russia, known as Megatons to Megawatts, |
|
|
|
|
are in the process of demonstrating, and plan to deploy, what we expect to be the
worlds most efficient uranium enrichment technology, known as the American Centrifuge, |
|
|
|
|
perform contract work for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE contractors at
the Paducah and Portsmouth plants, and |
|
|
|
|
provide transportation and storage systems for spent nuclear fuel and provide nuclear
and energy consulting services, including nuclear materials tracking. |
LEU is sold and measured by two components: separative work units (SWU) and uranium. SWU is
a standard unit of measurement that represents the effort required to transform a given amount of
natural uranium into two components: enriched uranium having a higher percentage of
U235 and depleted uranium having a lower percentage of U235. The
SWU contained in LEU is calculated using an industry standard formula based on the physics of
enrichment. The amount of enrichment contained in LEU under this formula is commonly referred to as
the SWU component.
We produce or acquire LEU from two principal sources. We produce LEU at the gaseous diffusion
plant in Paducah, Kentucky, and we acquire LEU by purchasing the SWU component of LEU from Russia
under the Megatons to Megawatts program.
Our View of the Business Today
We believe that the long-term outlook for the nuclear power industry remains strong. Both the
Administration and Congress recognize the importance of nuclear power in our nations future as
evidenced by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, a variety of funding initiatives and the recently
announced Global Nuclear Energy Program. We believe that these actions reflect the growing view
that a strong domestic nuclear power industry is important to our countrys energy security and
global nonproliferation initiatives. Nuclear power is also gaining increased support from the
public and the environmental community. Being a leading supplier of LEU and the sole domestic
producer of LEU provide unique opportunities for us. However, to remain a key supplier to the
nuclear industry over the long term we must effectively manage our significant near-term and
mid-term challenges. Below is a summary of the key aspects of our business we are currently
focused on and efforts we are taking to manage these challenges and deliver shareholder value.
18
Increases in Our Power Costs. In the near to mid-term, dramatically higher costs for power
will be putting significant pressure on our business. Historically, electric power has represented
approximately 60% of our production costs at the Paducah plant. During the past five years, we
satisfied approximately 80% to 90% of our electrical power requirements through below-market,
fixed-price purchases under a multiyear power contract that we entered into with the Tennessee
Valley Authority (TVA), in 2000. However, pricing under the 2000 TVA contract was scheduled to
expire at the end of May 2006 and be negotiated annually. On April 6, 2006, we agreed to pricing
terms for the 12 months from June 1, 2006 through May 31, 2007. We anticipate that this pricing
will be about 50% higher than the previous pricing and consequently power, as a percentage of our
production costs, will increase to about 70%. Our power costs will now also be subject to seasonal
and monthly adjustments to account for TVAs fuel and purchased-power costs, which means that our
actual power costs could be even greater than we anticipate. See Cost of Sales below.
In an effort to manage the risks of a possible increase in power costs, we spent the last
several years seeking to maximize our efficiency and reduce the other costs of our operations. As a
result of these efforts, we have been able to improve the average profit margin on SWU sales to
customers in our backlog and reduce selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses, leading to
our strong results for the year ended December 31, 2005 and the first quarter of 2006. Most of our
current contracts with customers do not give us the ability to pass on the increased cost of power
to customers in the form of higher prices. Therefore, the benefits of our recent increases in
efficiency and cost savings will be more than offset by our higher power costs. The contracts that
we are currently signing with customers (principally for expected delivery of LEU in the 2008 and
2009 timeframe and beyond) reflect todays higher prices and are designed to help us recover future
increases in power costs.
In spite of our efforts, we expect that our higher power costs will begin to reduce our
operating cash flows in the second quarter of 2006. The effect on our consolidated statements of
income will not be as immediately apparent. We expect that the impact of higher power costs will
begin to be reflected in our inventory in the latter half of 2006, although as a result of our
average inventory cost accounting method (which is discussed in this Item under the caption Cost
of Sales) such impact will not be fully reflected in our results of operation until 2007 and 2008.
The Importance of Our Enrichment Technology. We currently depend on our gaseous diffusion
plant in Paducah, Kentucky for approximately one-half of the LEU that we need to meet our delivery
obligations. As a result of our efforts to make our enrichment production more cost effective, the
Paducah plant is operating at its most cost effective levels in decades. However, all of our
competitors either currently use or are transitioning to centrifuge technology, which is a more
advanced technology that uses a fraction of the power required by gaseous diffusion. The impact
that higher power costs has on our business reinforces the need for us to deploy more efficient
ways to produce LEU to remain competitive.
We continue our substantial efforts at developing and deploying the American Centrifuge
technology as a replacement for the gaseous diffusion technology used in Paducah. We believe it
will prove to be even more efficient than the centrifuge technology that our competitors use.
Despite delays over the past year in the demonstration program, we continue to believe that the
American Centrifuge is the future of our business and feel confident in its potential. Our
centrifuge demonstration program is in a critical phase this year as we begin to assemble our first
cascade of machines. We expect to demonstrate the performance and economics of the American
Centrifuge project in the fall. With the data we gather from this performance testing as well as
continuing discussions with our manufacturing and supply partners, we will be refining our total
cost estimates for the American Centrifuge plant later this year. We have seen some increases in
the past year in market costs for some raw materials that we will use in construction of the
American Centrifuge plant, which could impact these cost estimates.
19
We are also focused on formulating a financing plan for the American Centrifuge. The American
Centrifuge project is a large and capital-intensive undertaking, especially for a company of our
size, and while we expect to continue to finance a portion of this project with internal cash, a
significant amount of outside financing will be required. Our ability to secure this financing
will depend in large part on the projects economics, our risk profile and projected earnings,
taking into account overall cost estimates, timing, and market assumptions. See American
Centrifuge Technology below.
Russian Suspension Agreement. We are also actively participating in the pending sunset
review of the Russian Suspension Agreement, which is conducted every five years by the Department
of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission. We expect final determinations by the
agencies in May and July of this year, respectively. The Russian Suspension Agreement restricts
imports into the United States of LEU produced in the Russian Federation other than LEU purchased
by USEC under the Russian Contract. Therefore, unless accompanied by equivalent limitations on
imports or unless other steps are taken by the U.S. government to limit the impact on USEC, a
termination or modification of the Russian Suspension Agreement could result in a significant
increase in sales of Russian-produced LEU that could depress prices and undermine our ability to
sell the large quantity of LEU that we are committed to purchase from the Russian Federation under
the Russian Contract. See Russian Suspension Agreement below.
Please see the further discussion of risks and uncertainties that face us, our business and
the nuclear industry as a whole contained in this report in Part II, Item 1A, Risk Factors, and
in our Annual Report on Form 10-K in Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors.
Revenue from Sales of SWU and Uranium
The majority of our customers are domestic and international utilities that operate nuclear
power plants. Revenue is derived primarily from:
|
|
|
sales of the SWU component of LEU, |
|
|
|
|
sales of both the SWU and uranium components of LEU, and |
|
|
|
|
sales of uranium. |
Our agreements with electric utilities are primarily long-term contracts under which our
customers are obligated to purchase a specified quantity of SWU or uranium or a percentage of their
annual SWU or uranium requirements. Under requirements contracts, our customers are not obligated
to make purchases if they do not have requirements.
Our revenues and operating results can fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter, and in
some cases, year to year. Customer requirements are determined by refueling schedules for nuclear
reactors, which are affected by, among other things, the seasonal nature of electricity demand,
reactor maintenance, and reactors beginning or terminating operations. Our revenue could be
adversely affected by actions of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or nuclear
regulators in foreign countries issuing orders to delay, suspend or shut down nuclear reactor
operations within their jurisdictions.
Utilities typically schedule the shutdown of their reactors for refueling to coincide with the
low electricity demand periods of spring and fall. Thus, some reactors are scheduled for annual or
two-year refuelings in the spring or fall, or for 18-month cycles alternating between both seasons.
Customer payments for the SWU component of LEU typically average $12.0 million per order. Customer
requirements and orders are more predictable over the longer term, and we believe our performance
is best measured on an annual, or even longer, business cycle.
20
Our financial performance over time can be significantly affected by changes in prices for
SWU. The SWU price indicator for new long-term contracts, as published by TradeTech in Nuclear
Market Review, was $122 per SWU on March 31, 2006, $113 per SWU on December 31, 2005, and $108 per
SWU on March 31, 2005. This price indicator is representative of base year prices under new
long-term enrichment contracts in our primary markets. However, our backlog includes contracts
awarded to us when prices were lower. As a result, there is a lag between increases in market
prices and increases in our average SWU price billed to customers.
The spot price indicator for uranium hexafluoride, published in Nuclear Market Review, was
$119 per kilogram of uranium on March 31, 2006, an increase of $13 (or 12%) from $106.00 on
December 31, 2005 and an increase of $49 (or 70%) from $70.00 on March 31, 2005. The long-term
price for uranium hexafluoride, as calculated using indicators published in Nuclear Market Review,
was $118.63 per kilogram of uranium on March 31, 2006, an increase of $12.57 (or 12%) from $106.06
per kilogram of uranium on December 31, 2005, and an increase of $34.78 (or 41%) from $83.85 on
March 31, 2005. However, most of our uranium inventory has been committed under sales contracts
with utility customers, and the positive impact of higher prices is limited to sales under new
contracts and to sales under contracts with prices determined at the time of delivery.
A substantial portion of our earnings and cash flows is derived from sales of uranium. We
expect that our inventory of uranium is sufficient to continue sales through 2007. We will
continue to supplement our supply of uranium for additional sales by underfeeding the production
process at the Paducah plant, as long as it continues to be economical, and by purchasing uranium
from suppliers. Underfeeding is also used to compensate, as necessary, for the difference between
the amount of uranium supplied by us to the Russian Federation for the LEU provided under the
Russian Contract and the amount of uranium supplied to us by customers for the LEU we deliver to
them. Underfeeding is a mode of operation that uses or feeds less uranium but requires more SWU in
the enrichment process, which requires more electric power. In producing the same amount of LEU,
we vary our production process to underfeed uranium based on the economics of the cost of electric
power relative to the price of uranium.
Revenue from U.S. Government Contracts
We perform and earn revenue from contract work for DOE and DOE contractors at the Paducah and
Portsmouth plants, including contracts for cold standby and processing out-of-specification uranium
at the Portsmouth plant. The cold standby program has been extended through September 2006, and
modified to include actions necessary to transition to a preliminary decontamination and
decommissioning program (cold shutdown). We expect that the processing of out-of-specification
uranium for DOE will continue through September 2008. Continuation of U.S. government contracts is
subject to DOE funding and Congressional appropriations. Revenue from U.S. government contracts is
based on allowable costs determined under government cost accounting standards. Allowable costs
include direct costs as well as allocations of indirect plant and corporate overhead costs and are
subject to audit by the Defense Contract Audit Agency. Revenue from U.S. government contracts
includes revenue from NAC.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales for SWU and uranium is based on the amount of SWU and uranium sold during the
period and is determined by a combination of inventory levels and costs, production costs, and
purchase costs. Production costs consist principally of electric power, labor and benefits,
long-term depleted uranium disposition cost estimates, materials, depreciation and amortization,
and maintenance and repairs. Under the monthly moving average inventory cost method coupled with
our inventories of SWU and uranium, an increase or decrease in production or purchase costs will
have an effect on inventory costs and cost of sales over current and future periods.
21
We are the Executive Agent of the U.S. government under a contract (Russian Contract) to
implement a government-to-government agreement to purchase the SWU component of LEU recovered from
dismantled nuclear weapons from the former Soviet Union for use as fuel in commercial nuclear power
plants. We have agreed to purchase 5.5 million SWU each calendar year for the remaining term of the
Russian Contract through 2013. Over the life of the 20-year Russian Contract, we expect to purchase
92 million SWU contained in LEU derived from 500 metric tons of highly enriched uranium.
Purchases under the Russian Contract approximate 50% of our supply mix. Prices are determined
using a discount from an index of international and U.S. price points, including both long-term and
spot prices. A multi-year retrospective of the index is used to minimize the disruptive effect of
short-term market price swings. Increases in these price points in recent years will result in
increases to the index used to determine prices under the Russian Contract.
The gaseous diffusion process uses significant amounts of electric power to enrich uranium.
In 2005, the power load at the Paducah plant averaged 1,320 megawatts and costs for electric power
represented 60% of production costs at the Paducah plant. We purchased 87% of the electric power
for the Paducah plant in 2005 at fixed, below-market prices as part of a multiyear power contract
signed with TVA in 2000. We purchased almost all of the remaining portion of the electric power for
the Paducah plant under higher-cost, fixed-price contracts which were more representative of market
prices.
On April 6, 2006, USEC and TVA entered into an amendment to the 2000 TVA power contract that
provides for the quantity and pricing of power purchases for the period June 1, 2006 through May
31, 2007. Pricing under the amendment consists of a summer and a non-summer power price, which are
subject to a fuel cost adjustment to reflect changes in TVAs fuel costs, purchased power costs,
and related costs. Previously, the TVA power contract did not have a fuel cost adjustment
provision. The fuel cost adjustment will be determined monthly, based on TVAs forecasts, and will
include a monthly true-up adjustment to reconcile TVAs prior forecasts to actual data. This
pricing represents an increase of approximately 50 percent compared to previous prices under the
contract, without taking into account the cost of any additional power purchases during the summer
months (such as the supplemental summer power described below) and the potential positive or
negative impact of future fuel cost adjustments. The increase in electric power costs will increase
overall SWU production costs, which will negatively impact our gross margin and cash flow. We have
begun negotiations with TVA for the quantity and prices of power for the period from June 1, 2007
through May 31, 2008.
We expect our power costs to be negatively impacted immediately under the new fuel cost
adjustment provision, and after termination of our current pricing terms in May 2007 we are at risk
for additional power cost increases in the future. We evaluated the negative economic implications
of these expected increased power prices and determined there is no impairment to the carrying
value of our long-term assets relating to the Paducah plant. We will continue to monitor and
evaluate the situation.
The quantity of power purchases for the Paducah plant under the amendment ranges from 300
megawatts at all hours in the summer months (June August) to 1,600 megawatts at all hours in the
non-summer months. In addition, we can request additional power supply from TVA at market-based
prices. Consistent with past practice, TVA agreed to make available and we agreed to purchase, at
market-based prices, an additional 600 megawatts of power at all hours during the summer months of
2006. We are obligated, whether or not we take delivery of electric power, to make minimum payments
for the purchase of electric power of approximately $500 million through May 2007.
22
We also agreed to certain modifications to the provisions of the power contract that require
us to provide financial assurances to support our payment obligations to TVA. In accordance with
these modified provisions, we are providing certain financial assurances of our payment, including
an irrevocable letter of credit and weekly prepayments based on the price and our usage of power.
We store depleted uranium at the Paducah and Portsmouth plants and accrue estimated costs for
its future disposition. We anticipate that we will send most or all of our depleted uranium to DOE
for disposition unless a more economic disposal option becomes available. DOE is constructing
facilities at the Paducah and Portsmouth plants to process large quantities of depleted uranium
owned by DOE and, under federal law, DOE would also process our depleted uranium if we provided it
to DOE. If we were to dispose of our uranium in this way, we would be required to reimburse DOE for
the related costs of disposing our depleted uranium, including our pro rata share of DOEs capital
costs. Processing DOEs depleted uranium is expected to take about 25 years. The timing of the
disposal of our depleted uranium has not been determined. The long-term liability for our depleted
uranium disposition is dependent upon the volume of the depleted uranium that we generate and
estimated processing, transportation and disposal costs. Our calculation of the estimated unit cost
is based primarily on projected cost data obtained from DOE without consideration given to
unidentified contingencies or reserves, and was increased in 2005. Our estimate is approximately
30% less than a DOE estimate used in our NRC license application for the American Centrifuge Plant
in Piketon that included unidentified contingencies or reserves. Almost all of our depleted uranium
is located at the Paducah plant. Based on a DOE estimate, the estimated cost for processing
depleted uranium at the Paducah plant including unidentified contingencies or reserves is
approximately 20% higher than our estimated unit cost. The estimated cost and accrued liability, as
well as financial assurances we provide for the disposition of depleted uranium, are subject to
change as additional information becomes available.
Under the DOE-USEC Agreement signed in 2002, we incurred costs to process and remove
contaminants from out-of-specification uranium, and, in return, DOE took title to 23.3 million
kilograms of the depleted uranium that we generated at the Paducah plant over a four-year period.
For this quantity of depleted uranium, our effective disposition costs were reduced. Transfers of
depleted uranium to DOE were completed in the quarter ended June 30, 2005 resulting in higher unit
costs for the future disposition of depleted uranium generated subsequent to June 30, 2005.
Replacing Out-of-Specification Uranium Inventory
Reference is made to information regarding out-of-specification uranium inventories
transferred to USEC by DOE prior to privatization in 1998 and in the process of being remediated,
reported in note 2 to the consolidated condensed financial statements.
American Centrifuge Technology
We continue to demonstrate our next-generation American Centrifuge uranium enrichment
technology at facilities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Piketon, Ohio. The first nine project
milestones under the DOE-USEC Agreement have been completed on or ahead of schedule. Testing of
individual machines in special test equipment located in Oak Ridge has shown very good progress
toward achieving our targeted performance level. Refurbishment work at the Piketon facility has
been substantially completed and employees have been practicing assembling centrifuge machines. We
expect to begin installing centrifuge machines in the Lead Cascade this summer, with cascade
operations beginning thereafter, and to meet the next milestone under the DOE-USEC Agreement by
obtaining satisfactory reliability and performance data from the Lead Cascade at the American
Centrifuge Demonstration Facility in Piketon in October. We will operate the Oak Ridge and Piketon
23
facilities for the purpose of demonstrating machine performance, evaluating our enhancements
to U.S. centrifuge technology and obtaining centrifuge performance in a cascade configuration. Data
gathered from these demonstrations relating to cost, schedule, and technology performance will be
evaluated prior to initiating construction of the American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon.
Subject to completion of project milestones, issuance of an NRC license and other permits, and
other factors discussed below, we plan to begin construction of the American Centrifuge Plant in
2007, begin uranium enrichment operations in 2009, and reach an initial annual production capacity
of 3.5 million SWU in 2011. The American Centrifuge Program is estimated to cost approximately $1.7
billion, excluding capitalized interest. We will continue to refine our total cost estimates based
on data gathered from testing and demonstrations as well as further discussions with our
manufacturing and supply partners.
The process of obtaining an operating license from the NRC for the American Centrifuge Plant
continues to proceed on schedule. We believe the NRC will be able to issue the license by early
2007.
Total expenditures, including both expense and capital related to American Centrifuge
technology for the three months ended March 31, 2006, and 2005 are as follows (in millions ):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
2006 |
|
2005 |
Total expenditures (A) |
|
$ |
25.1 |
|
|
$ |
26.2 |
|
Amount expensed |
|
$ |
19.5 |
|
|
$ |
22.1 |
|
Amount capitalized (B) |
|
$ |
5.6 |
|
|
$ |
4.1 |
|
|
|
|
(A) |
|
Total expenditures are all American Centrifuge costs
including demonstration facility, licensing activities, commercial plant
facility, program management, and interest related costs. |
|
(B) |
|
Cumulative capitalized costs as of March 31, 2006 are $27.7
million and include interest of $1.5 million. |
The successful construction and operation of the American Centrifuge Plant is dependent
upon a number of risks and uncertainties including those related to our ability to satisfactorily
and timely demonstrate and deploy the American Centrifuge technology and achieve the milestones
under the DOE-USEC Agreement as well as to the risks and uncertainties related to our ability to
finance the project and to recover the capital that we invest in connection with the American
Centrifuge Plant. For a further discussion of these risks and uncertainties, see Part II, Item 1A,
Risk Factors.
Government Investigation of Imports from France
In 2002, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) imposed antidumping and countervailing duty
(anti-subsidy) orders on imports of LEU produced in France. The orders were imposed in response to
unfair trading practices by our French competitors in connection with imports of LEU into the
United States.
In 2005, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (Federal Circuit) ruled that:
|
|
|
SWU contracts were sales of services, not merchandise, and thus were not subject to
the U.S. antidumping law, and |
|
|
|
|
a subsidy provided through government payments under SWU contracts at above-market
prices is not subject to the countervailing duty law. |
24
In January 2006, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) issued remand orders that
required the DOC to revise the final determinations and orders in the French LEU cases based on the
Federal Circuits rulings. Pursuant to the CITs order, the DOC determined in March 2006 that (1)
the countervailing duty investigation would result in a de minimis subsidy margin that would not
support imposition of a countervailing duty order on imports of French LEU and (2) the antidumping
margin applicable only to imports of French LEU is slightly higher than the margin found in the
original investigation, but is applicable only to LEU sold for cash, and not to LEU supplied under
SWU contracts in which the customer delivers uranium and only pays cash for the SWU component of
the LEU.
The DOCs remand determinations will not be implemented until there is a final decision in the
pending appeals of the French LEU cases. The CIT is now considering the DOCs remand
determinations. If the remand determinations are affirmed by the CIT, the CITs decisions can be
appealed to the Federal Circuit. If the Federal Circuit affirms the DOCs remand determinations,
any of the parties to the appeal in turn could petition the U.S. Supreme Court to review the
Federal Circuits decision regarding the remand determinations and orders, as well as the 2005
rulings described above.
Russian Suspension Agreement
Imports of LEU produced in the Russian Federation are subject to restrictions imposed under
the Russian Suspension Agreement (Russian SA). Currently, the DOC and the U.S. International
Trade Commission (ITC) are conducting a sunset review of the Russian SA to determine whether
termination of the Russian SA is likely to lead to (1) a continuation or recurrence of dumping of
Russian uranium products or (2) a continuation or recurrence of material injury to the U.S. uranium
industry, including USEC. We are supporting continuation of the Russian SA before both the DOC and
ITC, and are actively participating in these proceedings.
On March 24, 2006, the DOC announced that it had preliminarily determined that termination of
the Russian SA would result in a recurrence of dumping. We expect the DOC to make its final
determination on May 30, 2006. The ITC, which does not issue a preliminary determination in
sunset reviews, is expected to make its final determination in July 2006. Termination of the
Russian Suspension Agreement pursuant to a negative determination by either the DOC or the ITC in
the sunset review could result in a significant increase in sales of Russian-produced LEU that
could depress prices and undermine our ability to sell the large quantity of LEU that we are
committed to purchase under the Russian Contract, which could substantially reduce our revenues,
gross margins and cash flows.
Regardless of the outcome of the sunset review, the Russian Federation may terminate the
Russian SA upon sixty days notice to the DOC. If the Russian Federation were to exercise this
right, the DOC would recommence its 1991 antidumping investigation that was suspended by the
Russian SA, and would require importers of Russian LEU, including USEC under the Russian Contract,
to post bonds to cover estimated duties on imports subject to that investigation. In this event,
we would be required to post bonds to cover those duties, which would likely exceed 100% of the
value of the imports. Further, if the investigation resulted in an antidumping order, we would
have to pay the estimated duties on future imports of Russian LEU in cash. We would be obligated
for both posting of the bonds and payment of duties unless a legal mechanism could be identified
that would remove these obligations. We are evaluating ways that could possibly reduce or eliminate
this obligation, but at this time, we have not completed our review. We believe that the cost of
posting the bonds and paying any duties ultimately imposed on imports under the Russian Contract
would significantly increase our cost of importing Russian LEU and could make the purchase of SWU
under the Russian Contract uneconomic.
25
In February 2006, OAO Techsnabexport (TENEX), the Russian Federations Executive Agent under
the Russian Contract, asked the DOC to confirm that it could sell in the United States a stockpile
of LEU imported in the 1990s by TENEX pursuant to the Russian SA. We believe that the sale of the
stockpile would undercut prices in the U.S. market and we have submitted comments to the DOC
opposing the sale of the LEU.
Results of Operations Three Months Ended March 31, 2006 and 2005
The following table shows for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005, certain items
from the accompanying Consolidated Condensed Statements of Income detailed by reportable segments
and in total. We have two reportable segments: the low enriched uranium (LEU) segment with two
components, separative work units (SWU) and uranium, and the U.S. government contracts segment.
The LEU segment is the primary business focus and includes sales of the SWU component of LEU, sales
of both SWU and uranium components of LEU, and sales of uranium. The U.S. government contracts
segment includes work performed for DOE and DOE contractors at the Portsmouth and Paducah plants as
well as nuclear energy solutions provided by NAC. Intersegment sales between the reportable
segments were less than $0.1 million in the three months ended March 31, 2006 and have been
eliminated in consolidation. There were no intersegment sales in the three months ended March 31,
2005. Results of operations are discussed following this table (in millions):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U.S. Government |
|
|
|
|
|
|
LEU Segment |
|
|
Contracts Segment |
|
|
Total |
|
Three Months Ended March 31, 2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue |
|
$ |
309.8 |
|
|
$ |
51.5 |
|
|
$ |
361.3 |
|
Cost of sales |
|
|
225.7 |
|
|
|
43.6 |
|
|
|
269.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit |
|
$ |
84.1 |
|
|
$ |
7.9 |
|
|
|
92.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Special charge for organizational restructuring |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.5 |
|
Advanced technology costs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19.8 |
|
Selling, general and administrative |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
59.0 |
|
Interest expense |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.7 |
|
Interest (income) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.8 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before income taxes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
56.1 |
|
Provision for income taxes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
34.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended March 31, 2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue |
|
$ |
260.1 |
|
|
$ |
51.1 |
|
|
$ |
311.2 |
|
Cost of sales |
|
|
218.9 |
|
|
|
44.6 |
|
|
|
263.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit |
|
$ |
41.2 |
|
|
$ |
6.5 |
|
|
|
47.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced technology costs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22.7 |
|
Selling, general and administrative |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9.8 |
|
Interest expense |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8.7 |
|
Interest (income) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1.9 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before income taxes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.0 |
|
Provision for income taxes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
0.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26
Revenue
Total revenue increased $50.1 million in the three months ended March 31, 2006 compared
to the same period in 2005. Total LEU revenue increased $49.7 million in three months ended March
31, 2006 compared to the corresponding period in 2005 as shown in the table below (in millions,
except percentage change):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
|
|
SWU |
|
|
Uranium |
|
|
LEU |
|
|
|
Revenue |
|
|
Revenue |
|
|
Revenue |
|
Three months ended March 31, 2006 |
|
$ |
234.0 |
|
|
$ |
75.8 |
|
|
$ |
309.8 |
|
Three months ended March 31, 2005 |
|
|
214.3 |
|
|
|
45.8 |
|
|
|
260.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Increase / (Decrease) from 2005 to 2006 |
|
$ |
19.7 |
|
|
$ |
30.0 |
|
|
$ |
49.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percentage Change |
|
|
9 |
% |
|
|
66 |
% |
|
|
19 |
% |
Revenue from sales of SWU increased $19.7 million in the three months ended March 31,
2006 compared to the corresponding period in 2005, reflecting a 9% increase in the average price
billed to customers. The volume of SWU sold was about the same. The increase in the average price
reflects changes in the customer mix, as well as SWU price increases resulting from contractual
provisions for inflation and the higher prices charged to customers under contracts signed in
recent years. We estimate the average SWU price billed to customers in 2006 will be 4% to 5% higher
than in 2005.
Revenue from sales of uranium increased $30.0 million in the three months ended March 31, 2006
compared to the corresponding period in 2005, reflecting an increase in the average price billed to
customers of 96%, partly offset by a decrease in the volume of uranium sold of 15%. The increase in
the average price billed to customers reflects changes in the customer mix and the periods when
contracts were signed. We estimate the average price for uranium billed to customers in 2006 will
be about 25% higher than in 2005.
Revenue from the U.S. government contracts segment increased $0.4 million (or less than 1%) in
the three months ended March 31, 2006 compared to the corresponding period in 2005.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales for SWU and uranium increased $6.8 million (or 3%) in the three months ended
March 31, 2006 compared to the corresponding period in 2005. Cost of sales per SWU was 4% higher
in the 2006 three-month period reflecting increases in the monthly moving average inventory costs.
Under the monthly moving average inventory cost method we use to value our SWU and uranium
inventories, an increase or decrease in production or purchase costs has an effect on inventory
costs and cost of sales over future periods.
We purchase approximately 5.5 million SWU per year under the Russian Contract. Purchase costs
for the SWU component of LEU under the Russian Contract declined $11.7 million in the three months
ended March 31, 2006, compared with the corresponding period in 2005. Although the market-based
purchase cost per SWU under the Russian Contract increased in this period, the decrease in total
purchase cost for Russian SWU was due to lower volumes reflecting the timing of deliveries.
Production costs decreased $5.2 million (or 4%) in the three months ended March 31, 2006
compared to the corresponding period in 2005. Our production level decreased 6% and unit production
costs increased 2% in that three-month period. The cost for electric power decreased $3.8 million due to lower megawatt hours purchased despite a slight increase in the average cost
per megawatt hour compared to the corresponding period in 2005.
27
Cost of sales for the U.S. government contracts segment decreased $1.0 million (or 2%) in the
three months ended March 31, 2006 compared to the corresponding period in 2005.
Gross Profit
Our gross profit margin increased to 25.5% in the three months ended March 31, 2006, compared
with 15.3% in the corresponding period in 2005. We estimate our gross profit margin for the full
year will be 15% to 16% in 2006, compared to 15% in 2005, reflecting an increase in power costs in
the second half of 2006 and more modest SWU and uranium price increases for the full year 2006 than
in the first quarter of 2006.
Gross profit for SWU and uranium increased $42.9 million (or 104%) in the three months ended
March 31, 2006 compared to the corresponding period in 2005, reflecting higher sales prices for SWU
and uranium, partly offset by a lower volume of uranium sold and
higher cost of sales per SWU. The uranium component of low enriched
uranium is generating a higher gross profit margin.
Gross profit for the U.S. government contracts segment increased $1.4 million (or 22%) in the
three months ended March 31, 2006 primarily due to the timing of sales of higher margin NAC
products and services as compared to the corresponding period in 2005.
Special Charge for Organizational Restructuring
In connection with our organizational restructuring announced in September 2005, facility
related charges of $1.5 million were accrued during the first quarter of 2006 related to efforts
undertaken to consolidate office space at the headquarters location in Bethesda, Maryland. We
ceased use of a portion of the headquarters office space by the end of the first quarter of 2006
leading to the facility related charge.
Advanced Technology Costs
Advanced technology costs, primarily demonstration costs for the American Centrifuge
technology, decreased $2.9 million (or 13%) in the three months ended March 31, 2006 compared to
the corresponding period in 2005. Spending in the 2005 period reflected refurbishment costs for the
American Centrifuge Demonstration Facility. In the first quarter of 2006, we performed less Lead
Cascade refurbishment and focused our efforts on Lead Cascade systems testing and confirmation,
procedure development, training and other lower-cost activities.
Selling, General and Administrative
Selling, general, and administrative expenses declined $3.5 million (or 23%) in the three
months ended March 31, 2006 compared to the corresponding period in 2005. The decrease is primarily
a result of $3.1 million reductions in compensation and employee benefit related expenses from the
organizational restructuring of headquarters that was announced in September 2005, and the early
termination of the prior three-year performance component of the long-term incentive program for
senior executive officers. A new plan was established April 24, 2006 effective March 1, 2006.
Consulting expenses also decreased period to period by $0.2 million as a result of continued
efforts to manage administrative costs.
28
Operating Income
Operating income increased $49.2 million (or 502%) in the three months ended March 31, 2006
compared to the corresponding period in 2005, reflecting higher gross profits in both business
segments and lower selling, general and administrative expenses and advanced technology costs.
Interest Expense and Interest Income
Interest expense declined $4.0 million (or 46%) in the three months ended March 31, 2006
compared to the corresponding period in 2005. The decline resulted primarily from our repurchase
in January 2006 of $288.8 million of our 6.625% senior notes. Interest income in the three months
ended March 31, 2006 was about the same as in the corresponding period in 2005.
Provision for Income Taxes
The provision for income taxes is $21.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006,
compared to $2.1 million in the corresponding period in 2005. Our effective tax rate is
approximately 38% for the three months ended March 31, 2006. We recorded negative effects on
deferred tax assets from reductions in the Kentucky tax rate in the first quarter of 2005.
Excluding the one-time effects of the Kentucky deferred tax asset reductions, our effective tax
rate was 34% in the corresponding period in 2005. The difference in the effective rates between
periods reflects accruals of a nontaxable Medicare subsidy and research tax credits.
Net Income
Net income amounted to $34.6 million (or $.40 per share) in the three months ended March 31,
2006, compared with net income of $0.9 million (or $.01 per share) in the corresponding period in
2005. The improvement of $33.7 million reflects higher gross profits in both business segments and
decreases in interest expense, selling, general and administrative expenses and advanced technology
costs.
2006 Outlook
USEC reiterates our previous earnings and cash flow guidance for 2006 provided in February
2006. Specifically, the guidance recognizes that an approximately 50 percent increase in power
prices will begin to impact results in the second half of the year. We reiterate our guidance for
net income in a range of $70 to $80 million after expenses for the American Centrifuge and we
expect a gross profit margin of 15 to 16 percent. Cash flow from operations in 2006 is expected to
generate approximately $145 to $155 million. We have not provided guidance for 2007 but we expect
higher electricity prices to have a substantial impact on financial results in 2007 and beyond.
29
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Operating Activities
Cash flow from operating activities was $37.1 million in the three months ended March 31,
2006, compared with $80.5 million in the corresponding period in 2005, or $43.4 million less cash
generated from operating activities period to period. Results of operations contributed $33.7
million along with a reduced build-up of inventories of $29.5 million period to period, but these
amounts were more than offset by the timing of purchases of SWU under the Russian Contract of $30.0
million period to period, accounts receivable providing less cash period to period of $45.8
million, and accounts payables and other liabilities utilizing more cash period to period of $22.7
million. The accounts receivables and payable changes were based on year-end sales and production
volume changes.
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures amounted to $7.5 million in the three months ended March 31, 2006,
compared with $6.1 million in the corresponding period in 2005. Capital expenditures include
capitalized costs associated with the American Centrifuge Plant, amounting to $5.6 million in the
three months ended March 31, 2006, compared with $4.1 million in the corresponding period in 2005.
Financing Activities
The issuance of common stock, primarily from the exercise of stock options, provided cash flow
from financing activities of $0.9 million in the three months ended March 31, 2006, compared with
$4.9 million in the corresponding period in 2005. There were 86.9 million shares of common stock
outstanding at March 31, 2006, compared with 86.6 million at December 31, 2005, an increase of 0.3 million shares (or less than a 1% increase). There were 86.1 million shares of common stock
outstanding at March 31, 2005, compared with 85.1 million at December 31, 2004, an increase of 1.0 million shares (or a 1% increase).
In February 2006, the Board of Directors voted to discontinue paying a common stock dividend
in order to redirect those funds to reduce the level of external financing needed for construction
of the American Centrifuge Plant. Dividends paid to stockholders amounted to $11.7 million (or a
quarterly rate of $0.1375 per share) in the three months ended March 31, 2005.
We repaid the remaining principal balance of our 6.625% senior notes amounting to $288.8
million on the scheduled maturity date of January 20, 2006, using cash on hand and borrowing under
our bank credit facility of approximately $78.5 million. We repaid the $78.5 million draw with
funds from operations by the end of January 2006. Short-term borrowings of $20.5 million under the
revolving credit facility supplied cash on a net basis for the three months ended March 31, 2006.
Working Capital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
December 31, |
|
|
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
(millions) |
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
21.6 |
|
|
$ |
259.1 |
|
Accounts receivable trade |
|
|
196.7 |
|
|
|
256.7 |
|
Inventories |
|
|
970.8 |
|
|
|
974.3 |
|
Short-term debt |
|
|
(20.5 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Current portion of long-term debt |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(288.8 |
) |
Other current assets and liabilities, net |
|
|
(288.6 |
) |
|
|
(338.6 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Working capital |
|
$ |
880.0 |
|
|
$ |
862.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30
Capital Structure and Financial Resources
At March 31, 2006, our long-term debt consisted of $150.0 million of 6.750% senior notes due
January 20, 2009. The senior notes are unsecured obligations and rank on a parity with all of our
other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. We repaid the remaining balance of our 6.625%
senior notes amounting to $288.8 million on the scheduled maturity date of January 20, 2006.
In August 2005, we entered into a five-year, syndicated bank credit facility, providing up to
$400.0 million in revolving credit commitments, including up to $300.0 million in letters of
credit, secured by assets of the Company and our subsidiaries. The credit facility is available to
finance working capital needs, refinance existing debt and fund capital programs, including the
American Centrifuge project. Borrowings under the facility are subject to limitations based on
established percentages of eligible accounts receivable and inventory.
Outstanding borrowings under the facility bear interest at a variable rate equal to, based on
our election, either:
|
|
|
the sum of (1) the greater of the JPMorgan Chase Bank prime rate and the federal funds
rate plus 1/2 of 1% plus (2) a margin ranging from 0.25% to 0.75% based upon collateral
availability, or |
|
|
|
|
the sum of LIBOR plus a margin ranging from 2.0% to 2.5% based on collateral
availability. |
The revolving credit facility includes various customary operating and financial covenants,
including restrictions on the incurrence and prepayment of other indebtedness, granting of liens,
sales of assets, making of investments, maintenance of a minimum amount of inventory, and payment
of dividends or other distributions. Failure to satisfy the covenants would constitute an event of
default under the revolving credit facility.
The revolving credit facility also contains various reserve provisions that may reduce the
facilitys availability periodically or restrict the use of borrowings. First, after July 19, 2006,
the facilitys availability will be reduced by $150 million less the amount of any proceeds from
any debt or equity offering completed prior to that date. Debt or equity offerings after July 19,
2006 would reduce the amount of the reserve. The effect of this restriction is that unless we
complete a debt or equity offering of at least $150 million prior to July 19, 2006, the
availability under our revolving credit facility will, until we complete such an offering, be
reduced by up to $150 million. Second, the facility contains covenants that can periodically limit
us to $50 million in capital expenditures based on available liquidity levels. Other reserves under
the revolving credit facility, such as availability reserves and borrowing base reserves, are
customary for credit facilities of this type.
As of March 31, 2006, we were in compliance with all covenants under the revolving credit
facility. Short-term borrowings and letters of credit under the revolving credit facility amounted
to $20.5 million and $35.8 million at March 31, 2006, respectively.
Our current ratings are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Standard & Poors |
|
Moodys |
Corporate credit/family rating |
|
B+ |
|
B1 |
Senior unsecured debt |
|
B |
|
B2 |
Outlook |
|
Negative |
|
Stable |
31
We do not have any debt obligations that are accelerated or in which interest rates increase
in the event of a credit rating downgrade, although reductions in our credit ratings may increase
the cost and reduce the availability of financing to us in the future.
The total debt-to-capitalization ratio was 15% at March 31, 2006 and 33% at December 31, 2005.
We expect that our cash, internally generated funds from operations, and available financing under
the revolving credit facility will be sufficient over the next 12 months to meet our cash flow
obligations.
We continue to evaluate various options for financing construction of the American Centrifuge
Plant, including an equity securities offering later this year. Any offering would be subject to
market conditions. Restrictions in our revolving credit facility provide that unless we complete an
offering of at least $150 million prior to July 19, 2006, availability under the $400 million
credit facility will, until we complete such an offering, be reduced by up to $150 million.
We are in the process of demonstrating, and plan to deploy, the American Centrifuge
technology. American Centrifuge is currently estimated to cost approximately $1.7 billion,
excluding capitalized interest. We will continue to refine our total cost estimates based on data
gathered from testing and demonstrations as well as discussions with our manufacturing and supply
partners. Initial funding for American Centrifuge costs are expected to be through internally
generated cash and some form of equity securities offering. Thereafter, we expect to fund capital
costs using a number of sources, including all cash flow from operations and proceeds from debt
offerings, the terms of which will depend on conditions at the time funds are needed for
construction of the American Centrifuge Plant. The credit facility may be used for general
corporate purposes including the funding of capital expenditures but the facility contains
restrictive covenants that could periodically limit the amount of funding of capital expenditures
based on available liquidity levels.
New Accounting Standards
Reference is made to New Accounting Standards in note 1 of the notes to the consolidated
condensed financial statements for information on new accounting standards.
32
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
At March 31, 2006, the balance sheet carrying amounts for cash and cash equivalents,
restricted short-term investments, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities,
and payables under the Russian Contract approximate fair value because of the short-term nature of
the instruments.
USEC has long-term debt consisting of $150.0 million in 6.750% senior notes scheduled to
mature January 20, 2009. At March 31, 2006, the fair value of the senior notes is $144.8 million
and the balance sheet carrying amount is $150.0 million. The fair value is calculated based on a
credit-adjusted spread over U.S. Treasury securities with similar maturities. USEC has not entered
into financial instruments for trading purposes.
Reference is made to our disclosures in Item 7A of our 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the
additional information reported in managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and
results of operations included herein for quantitative and qualitative disclosures relating to:
|
|
|
commodity price risk subsequent to May 2006 for electric power requirements for the
Paducah plant (refer to Overview Cost of Sales and Results of Operations Cost of
Sales), and |
|
|
|
|
interest rate risk relating to any outstanding borrowings at variable interest rates
under the $400.0 million revolving credit agreement (refer to Liquidity and Capital
Resources Capital Structure and Financial Resources). |
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information
required to be disclosed by us in reports we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported on a timely basis and that such information is
accumulated and communicated to management, including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief
Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In
designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognized that any
controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable
assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and management necessarily was required to
apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.
Our management, with the participation of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial
Officer, has performed an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our
disclosure controls and procedures as of March 31, 2006. Based on this evaluation, our Chief
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures
were effective at the reasonable assurance level as of March 31, 2006. There were no changes in our
internal control over financial reporting during the fiscal quarter to which this report relates
that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control
over financial reporting.
33
USEC Inc.
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
Reference is made to information regarding an environmental matter involving Starmet CMI, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USEC and others, reported in note 6 to the consolidated
condensed financial statements.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
We have updated or supplemented the risk factors previously disclosed in Item 1A of our Annual
Report on Form 10-K primarily to take into account the effects of recent increases in our power
costs on our business and prospects and increased perceived threats to competition relating to the
Russian Suspension Agreement. Investors should carefully consider the updated risk factors below
and the other risk factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, in addition to the other information
in our Annual Report and in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q, before deciding to purchase our
securities.
The future viability of our business depends on our ability to replace our enrichment
technology by deploying the American Centrifuge technology.
We currently depend on our gaseous diffusion facility in Paducah, Kentucky for approximately
one-half of the LEU that we need to meet our delivery obligations to our customers. The gaseous
diffusion technology that we use at the Paducah plant is an older, high-operating cost technology
that requires substantially greater amounts of electric power than the centrifuge technology used
by our competitors. Due to significant increases in our power costs, the likelihood of additional
power cost increases in the future and the fact that our competitors use enrichment technologies
that enable them to produce LEU at a far lower operating cost, we believe that the production of
LEU using gaseous diffusion technology may become increasingly uneconomic in the future. We are
focusing on developing and deploying an advanced uranium enrichment centrifuge technology, which we
refer to as American Centrifuge technology, as a replacement for our gaseous diffusion technology.
American Centrifuge technology is more advanced and substantially more operationally cost-efficient
than gaseous diffusion. We are not currently pursuing any strategies to replace our gaseous
diffusion plant at Paducah with alternatives other than the American Centrifuge Plant. As a
result, if we are unable to successfully and timely demonstrate and deploy the American Centrifuge
Plant due to the risks and uncertainties described in this Item or for any other reasons, then our
gross margins, cash flows and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected and
our business may not remain viable.
We face a number of risks and uncertainties associated with the successful demonstration,
construction and deployment of the American Centrifuge technology.
American Centrifuge technology is more advanced and operationally cost-efficient than our
gaseous diffusion technology that we currently depend on for LEU production at our Paducah plant.
Nevertheless, the development, demonstration, construction and deployment of the American
Centrifuge technology is a large and capital-intensive undertaking that is subject to numerous
risks and uncertainties.
We are in the process of demonstrating the American Centrifuge technology and are working
toward reaching initial capacity of the American Centrifuge Plant by 2011. To date, however, we
have experienced several delays in demonstrating the American Centrifuge technology. These delays
resulted from the failure of certain materials to meet specifications, performance issues related
to certain centrifuge components and compliance with new regulatory requirements, and we could
34
experience additional delays in the future for these and other reasons. Our next milestone
under the DOE-USEC Agreement is to obtain satisfactory reliability and performance data from the
lead cascade by October 2006. Under the DOE-USEC Agreement, if, for reasons within our control, we
fail to meet this or any other milestone and the resulting delay would materially impact our
ability to begin commercial operations on schedule, DOE could take a number of actions. These
actions include terminating the DOE-USEC Agreement, recommending a reduction or termination of our
access to Russian LEU or the Paducah plant, revoking our access to DOEs U.S. centrifuge technology
that we require for the success of the American Centrifuge project, or supporting competing
projects for production of LEU.
In addition to the issues that could arise under the DOE-USEC Agreement, delays in the
demonstration and deployment of the American Centrifuge could make it more difficult for us to
attract and retain customers and could extend the time under which we are contractually required to
continue to operate our high-cost Paducah plant. These outcomes could substantially reduce our
revenues, gross margins and cash flows.
We will require significant financing in order to achieve commercial deployment of the
American Centrifuge Plant. We cannot assure investors that we will be able to obtain sufficient
financing and we cannot predict the cost of or the terms on which such financing will be available.
Factors that could affect our ability to obtain financing and the cost of the financing could
include:
|
|
|
downgrades in our credit rating; |
|
|
|
|
market price and volatility of our common stock; |
|
|
|
|
general economic and capital market conditions; |
|
|
|
|
the expected success of our demonstration of the American Centrifuge and its expected
costs, timing and return on investment; |
|
|
|
|
conditions in energy markets; |
|
|
|
|
regulatory developments; |
|
|
|
|
the impact on USEC of reductions or changes in trade restrictions on imports of Russian
and other foreign LEU; |
|
|
|
|
investor confidence in the industry and in us and any entity with whom we may partner; |
|
|
|
|
our perceived competitive position; |
|
|
|
|
expectations as to future SWU prices and our ability to secure long-term SWU purchase
commitments from customers at adequate prices; |
|
|
|
|
the level of success of our current operations; and |
|
|
|
|
restrictive covenants in the agreements governing our revolving credit facility that
limit our operating and financial flexibility. |
Our ability to obtain sufficient financing for the American Centrifuge Plant might also be
adversely impacted by our inability to accurately estimate the capital that will be required. Our
cost estimates for the American Centrifuge Plant are based on many assumptions that are subject to
change as new information becomes available or as unexpected events occur. Many of these
assumptions, such as the cost of raw materials to build the plant, are outside our control.
Accordingly, we cannot assure investors that costs associated with the American Centrifuge Plant
will not be materially higher than anticipated. Even if we are able to accurately estimate its cost
and obtain the external financing necessary for the American Centrifuge Plant, we cannot assure
investors that the benefits that we gain from the American Centrifuge Plant will be sufficient to
offset the costs of our investment.
35
In addition, certain actions by DOE are required for the American Centrifuge commercial
plant to proceed, including entering into a long-term lease agreement with DOE for the American
Centrifuge facilities, removal of machines, wastes and other materials from the facilities, and
agreeing with DOE on terms for our license of the intellectual property upon which the American
Centrifuge is based. If DOE fails to take appropriate and timely action, it could delay or disrupt
our ability to meet the milestones in the DOE-USEC Agreement, which could delay or prevent
successful demonstration or deployment of the American Centrifuge technology or affect our ability
to obtain necessary financing.
Because of its central importance to our business strategy and our current lack of
alternatives, if we are unable to successfully and timely demonstrate, construct and deploy the
American Centrifuge Plant, our gross margins, cash flows and results of operations could be
materially and adversely affected and our business may not remain viable.
Significant increases in the cost of the electric power supplied to our Paducah plant will
significantly increase our overall production costs and may, in the future, increase these overall
production costs to a level above the prices we charge our customers.
The gaseous diffusion enrichment process that we use to produce LEU at our Paducah plant
requires significant amounts of electric power, making the cost of electric power about 60% of the
total production costs at the Paducah plant in 2005. We purchase more than 90% of the electric
power for the Paducah plant under a power purchase agreement signed with the Tennessee Valley
Authority, or TVA, in 2000 and amended in April 2006. Pricing and quantities under the TVA power
contract were at fixed, below-market, prices but were scheduled to expire at the end of May 2006
and be negotiated annually. The TVA power contract was amended to provide for the pricing and
quantity of power purchases for the twelve-month period June 1, 2006 through May 31, 2007. We
anticipate that pricing under the amendment will be approximately 50% higher than under the TVA
power contract and power, as a percentage of our production costs at the Paducah plant, will
increase to approximately 70%. However, because prices under the amended contract are subject to
monthly adjustments to account for TVAs fuel and purchased-power costs and other related costs,
our actual power costs under the amendment could be even greater than we anticipate.
Our sales contracts prior to 2006 do not include provisions that permit us to pass through
increases in power prices to our customers. As a result our gross margin and cash flow under our
sales contracts will be significantly reduced by the higher power costs that we will incur under
the amended TVA contract. Additionally, if our power costs continue to rise, profit margins under
sales contracts that we are currently entering into may be similarly impacted. Accordingly, if our
power costs continue to rise and mitigating steps are unavailable or insufficient, production at
the Paducah plant will become increasingly uneconomic at existing contract prices, which will
adversely affect the long-term viability of our business. In addition, in accordance with the TVA
power contract, we provide financial assurances to support our payment obligations to TVA,
including providing an irrevocable letter of credit and making weekly prepayments based on the
price and usage of power. A significant increase in the price we pay for power could increase the
amount of these financial assurances, which could adversely affect our liquidity. For a further
discussion of the amended TVA contract, see Part I, Item 2, Managements Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsOverviewCost of Sales.
Capacity and prices under the TVA contract are only agreed upon through May 2007 and we have
not yet contracted for power for periods beyond that time. While we expect to reach an agreement
with TVA for power beyond May 2007, we may be unable to reach an acceptable agreement and we are at
risk for additional power increases in the future.
36
Changes in, or termination of, the Russian Suspension Agreement could lead to significantly
increased competition from Russian LEU or, if replaced with tariffs, could increase our costs under
the Russian Contract.
The Russian Suspension Agreement is a 1992 agreement between the United States and Russia that
today precludes Russian LEU from being sold for consumption in the United States except under the
Russian Contract. The agreement could be terminated (1) unilaterally by the Russian government upon
60 days notice or (2) as a result of periodic administrative procedures under U.S. international
trade laws. For example, the sunset review of the Russian Suspension Agreement is conducted every
five years by the Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission. A sunset
review is currently pending, and we expect a final determination by the agencies in May and July of
2006, respectively. The agreement can also be modified by negotiation between the U.S. and Russian
governments.
Unless accompanied by equivalent limitations on imports or unless other steps are taken by the
U.S. government to limit the impact on USEC, a termination or modification of the Russian
Suspension Agreement could result in a significant increase in sales of Russian-produced LEU that
could depress prices and undermine our ability to sell the large quantity of LEU that we are
committed to purchase under the Russian Contract, which could substantially reduce our revenues,
gross margins and cash flows.
Alternatively, if the Russian Federation unilaterally terminated the Russian Suspension
Agreement, the Department of Commerce would recommence its antidumping investigation and would
require importers of Russian LEU, including us under the Russian Contract, to post bonds to cover
estimated duties on imports subject to that investigation which would likely exceed 100% of the
value of the imports. Further, if the investigation resulted in an antidumping order, we would
have to pay estimated duties on future imports of Russian LEU in cash. Because we have a fixed
commitment to purchase the Russian LEU under the Russian Contract and must continue to import the
Russian LEU in order to meet our obligations to customers, we may not have any alternative to
posting the bonds or paying these duties. Depending on the cost of the bonds and the magnitude of
the duties imposed, the increase in our costs could materially adversely affect our gross margins,
cash flows and results of operations and our business may not remain viable.
The long-term and fixed nature of our customer contracts could adversely affect our results of
operations in current and future years.
As is typically the case in our industry, we sell nearly all of our SWU under long-term
contracts. The prices that we charge under these contracts are typically fixed or only increase
with inflation. Therefore, these contracts do not allow us to pass along increases in our costs,
such as increased power costs or increases in the prices we pay under the Russian Contract for SWU,
or to take advantage of market increases in the price of SWU. We anticipate that these
limitations, combined with our cost-structure and our sensitivity to increased power costs due to
the power-intensive gaseous diffusion technology that we currently depend on, will reduce our
ability to cover our cost of sales with revenues earned under our customer contracts and will
materially and adversely impact our gross margins and cash flows in current and future periods.
37
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
(c) First Quarter 2006 Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(c) Total Number |
|
|
(d) Maximum Number |
|
|
|
(a) Total |
|
|
(b) |
|
|
of Shares (or Units) |
|
|
(or Approximate Dollar |
|
|
|
Number of |
|
|
Average |
|
|
Purchased as Part |
|
|
Value) of Shares (or |
|
|
|
Shares (or |
|
|
Price Paid |
|
|
of Publicly |
|
|
Units) that May Yet Be |
|
|
|
Units) |
|
|
Per Share |
|
|
Announced Plans |
|
|
Purchased Under the |
|
Period |
|
Purchased(1) |
|
|
(or Unit) |
|
|
or Programs |
|
|
Plans or Programs |
|
January 1 January 31 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
February 1 February 28 |
|
|
8,555 |
|
|
$ |
12.15 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 1 March 31 |
|
|
25,775 |
|
|
$ |
11.80 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
|
34,330 |
|
|
$ |
11.89 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
These purchases were not made pursuant to a publicly announced repurchase plan or
program. Represents 34,330 shares of common stock surrendered to USEC to pay withholding
taxes in connection with the vesting of restricted stock under the 1999 Equity Incentive
Plan, as amended. |
Item 6. Exhibits
|
10.1 |
|
Amendment No. 2 to the December 10, 2004 Memorandum of Agreement between the United
States Department of Energy and USEC Inc., dated February 9, 2006. |
|
|
10.2 |
|
First Amendment to Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of
August 18, 2005 among USEC Inc., United States Enrichment Corporation, the lenders named
therein, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative and collateral agent, and the other
financial institutions named therein, dated March 6, 2006. |
|
|
10.3 |
|
Supplement No. 1 dated March 2, 2006 to Power Contract dated July 11, 2000 between
Tennessee Valley Authority and United States Enrichment Corporation. (Certain information
has been omitted and filed separately pursuant to a request for confidential treatment
under Rule 24b-2). |
|
|
10.4 |
|
Supplement No. 2 dated March 2, 2006 to Power Contract dated July 11, 2000 between
Tennessee Valley Authority and United States Enrichment Corporation. (Certain information
has been omitted and filed separately pursuant to a request for confidential treatment
under Rule 24b-2). |
|
|
10.5 |
|
Amendatory Agreement (Supplement No. 3) dated April 3, 2006 to Power Contract dated
July 11, 2000 between Tennessee Valley Authority and United States Enrichment
Corporation. (Certain information has been omitted and filed separately pursuant to a
request for confidential treatment under Rule 24b-2). |
|
|
31.1 |
|
Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a). |
|
|
31.2 |
|
Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a). |
|
|
32 |
|
Certification of CEO and CFO pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350. |
38
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
USEC Inc. |
|
|
|
|
|
May 4, 2006
|
|
By
|
|
/s/ John C. Barpoulis |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John C. Barpoulis |
|
|
|
|
Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
39
EXHIBIT INDEX
|
|
|
|
|
Exhibit No. |
|
Description |
|
10.1 |
|
|
Amendment No. 2 to the December 10, 2004 Memorandum of Agreement between the United
States Department of Energy and USEC Inc., dated February 9, 2006. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.2 |
|
|
First Amendment to Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of August 18,
2005 among USEC Inc., United States Enrichment Corporation, the lenders named therein,
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative and collateral agent, and the other financial
institutions named therein, dated March 6, 2006. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.3 |
|
|
Supplement No. 1 dated March 2, 2006 to Power Contract dated July 11, 2000 between Tennessee
Valley Authority and United States Enrichment Corporation. (Certain information has been
omitted and filed separately pursuant to a request for confidential treatment under Rule
24b-2). |
|
|
|
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10.4 |
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Supplement No. 2 dated March 2, 2006 to Power Contract dated July 11, 2000 between Tennessee
Valley Authority and United States Enrichment Corporation. (Certain information has been
omitted and filed separately pursuant to a request for confidential treatment under Rule
24b-2). |
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10.5 |
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Amendatory Agreement (Supplement No. 3) dated April 3, 2006 to Power Contract dated July 11,
2000 between Tennessee Valley Authority and United States Enrichment Corporation. (Certain
information has been omitted and filed separately pursuant to a request for confidential
treatment under Rule 24b-2). |
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31.1 |
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Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a). |
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31.2 |
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Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a). |
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Certification of CEO and CFO pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350. |
40
exv10w1
Exhibit 10.1
AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE DECEMBER 10, 2004 MOA TO PROVIDE FOR THE
TRANSFER OF
SUPPLEMENTAL BARTER MATERIAL
This Amendment No. 2 to the December 10, 2004 Memorandum of Agreement between the United
States Department of Energy (DOE) and USEC Inc, a Delaware Corporation headquartered at 6903
Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD. 20817 is entered into this 9th day of February, 2006 (the
Amendment No. 2 Effective Date). USEC, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, United States
Enrichment Corporation, are herein referred to as, USEC. DOE and USEC are sometimes referred to
herein as Parties.
WHEREAS, on December 10, 2004, the Parties entered into a Memorandum of Agreement for the
Continued Operation of the Portsmouth S&T Facilities for the Processing of Affected Inventory in
Fiscal Year 2005 and Thereafter (the MOA); and
WHEREAS, on May 16, 2005, the Parties entered into Amendment No. 1 to the MOA; and
WHEREAS, as of December 31, 2005, USEC had cleaned 737 MTU of DOE Affected Inventory by
removing Tc-99 so that the Affected Inventory meets ASTM specification C-787-90; and
WHEREAS, Section 1.7 of the MOA requires USEC to cease performance when Allowable Costs exceed
the proceeds received or expected to be received from the sale of Feed Material; and
WHEREAS, USEC anticipates that by early February, Allowable Costs will exceed proceeds from
the sale of the Feed Material transferred to USEC pursuant to the MOA; and
WHEREAS, the 2006 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act (the Act) provides
additional authorization for the Secretary to barter, transfer or sell uranium and to use any
proceeds to continue the Tc-99 cleanup project; and
WHEREAS, the Act also provides that any such barter, transfer or sale shall, to the extent
possible, be competitive and comply with all applicable Federal procurement laws (including
regulations); and
WHEREAS, under Section 7.2(c) of the MOA, the Parties may agree to one or more additional
exchanges of Supplemental Barter Material (as that term is defined in the MOA) to continue
processing Affected Inventory, without additional amendment to the MOA, provided the transfer,
administration, and use of the proceeds from the Supplemental Barter Material is in accordance with
the terms and conditions of the MOA, as amended;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties hereby agree that:
Subject to the availability of funds and legislative authority for this purpose, work under
the MOA, as amended, will be continued as follows:
1. DOE shall transfer title to an additional 200 MTU of Feed Material (Supplemental
Barter Material) to USEC within three business days of the date on which USEC and DOE have
1
executed pursuant to Section 1.2(b) of the MOA a Security Agreement satisfactory to DOE that grants
DOE a security interest in the Supplemental Barter Material, in accounts receivable generated by
the sale of Supplemental Barter Material, and in the proceeds received from the sale of
Supplemental Barter Material.
2. DOE shall transfer possession of the Supplemental Barter Material to USEC within thirty
days of the date on which USEC and DOE execute the Security Agreement referred to in Section 1
above.
3. USEC shall sell the Supplemental Barter Material in accordance with the following
procedures:
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In addition to soliciting prospective uranium buyers of whom it is
aware, USEC shall announce the sale by placing an announcement (or equivalent) in
Ux Weekly. That announcement shall, at a minimum, inform the public that, pursuant
to an agreement with the DOE, USEC is selling approximately 200 metric tons of
natural uranium hexafluoride (UF6) that is being transferred to USEC by DOE; that
the sale is being conducted on a competitive basis and is open to all
prospective buyers; and that anyone interested in purchasing any of this uranium
should contact Patrick Ducmet, Director, Global Sales at USEC, by e-mail at
ducmetu@usec.com or by telephone at (301) 564-3200. The announcement shall inform
readers that USEC has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) that is available on
USECs web site. |
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USEC shall provide a draft copy of the RFP to the Manager of DOEs
Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office for DOE review two business days prior to
issuance. |
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USEC shall provide copies of all responsive bids to the Manager of
DOEs Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office along with a recommendation as to which
offer should be accepted and the basis for this recommendation. |
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d. |
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In the event DOE does not object to USECs recommendation within two
business days of DOEs confirmed receipt of USECs recommendation, USEC shall
accept the offer that it recommended accepting. The Parties agree that DOEs
receipt of USECs recommendation may be confirmed by e-mail evidence of DOEs
receipt. |
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e. |
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In the event DOE objects to USECs recommendation and another offer is
acceptable to DOE, then DOE shall, within two business days of DOEs confirmed
receipt of USECs recommendation, direct USEC to accept the offer that is
acceptable to DOE. |
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If DOE objects to USECs recommendation and DOE determines that all
offers are unacceptable, DOE and USEC shall enter into discussions to identify a
mutually agreeable alternative. |
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If the Parties cannot identify a mutually agreeable alternative within
ten business days, of DOEs determination that all offers are unacceptable, DOE
shall either: |
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Make direct payment of USEC Allowable Costs
pursuant to Section 2.3 of the MOA, or; |
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2. |
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Terminate the MOA pursuant to Section 13 of the
MOA. |
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In the event the Parties cannot reach an agreement pursuant to 3(f)
and, pursuant to Section 3(g) DOE directs USEC to accept direct payment or
terminate the program USEC shall within three business days transfer title to the
200 MTU of Supplemental Barter Material back to DOE (less the amount of such
material that has previously been sold, if any). |
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i. |
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If pursuant to Section 3(g) DOE directs USEC to terminate the MOA USEC
may nonetheless continue processing USEC Affected Inventory at its own risk and
cost. The Parties agree, however, that any such continuation shall not impact
their respective rights and responsibilities under the June 17, 2002 Agreement
between DOE and USEC. |
4. The Advanced Cost Agreement concluded by the Parties pursuant to Section 2.1 of the MOA as
of March 9, 2005 shall govern the disposition of proceeds from the sale of Supplemental Barter
Material.
5. DOEs and USECs obligations under this Amendment No. 2 are subject to compliance with
applicable law including but not limited to the National Environmental Policy Act.
6. All provisions contained in the MOA, as amended, are applicable to this Amendment No. 2.
In the event there is a conflict between this Amendment No. 2 and the MOA, as amended, this
Amendment No. 2 shall be controlling.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, The Parties, through their duly authorized representatives, have signed
this Amendment in two originals on the Amendment No. 2 Effective Date listed above.
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT |
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USEC INC. |
OF ENERGY |
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By:
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/s/ William E. Murphie
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By:
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/s/ Philip G. Sewell |
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William E. Murphie
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Philip G. Sewell
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Title:
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Manager, PPPO
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Title:
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Senior Vice President |
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Date:
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February 9, 2006
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Date:
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February 9, 2006 |
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3
exv10w2
Exhibit 10.2
FIRST AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT
This FIRST AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of March 6,
2006 (this Amendment), among USEC INC., a Delaware corporation (Holdings),
UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (Enrichment and, together
with Holdings, the Borrowers), the LENDERS UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT REFERRED TO BELOW
WHICH ARE PARTY HERETO, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative and Collateral Agent (the
Administrative Agent), and THE OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS WHICH ARE NAMED IN THE CREDIT
AGREEMENT AS AGENTS THEREUNDER WHICH ARE PARTY HERETO, amends the Amended and Restated Revolving
Credit Agreement dated as of August 18, 2005 (as amended, the Credit Agreement), among
the Borrowers, the Lenders party thereto, the Administrative Agent and the other financial
institutions named therein as agents thereunder.
WHEREAS, the Borrowers and the United States Department of Energy (the DOE) have
entered into (a) Amendment No. 2 to the December 10, 2004 MOA to Provide for the Transfer of
Supplemental Barter Material dated as of February 9, 2006 (the MOA Amendment), pursuant
to which the Borrowers and the DOE amended the Memorandum of Agreement dated as of December 10,
2004 for the Continued Operation of the Portsmouth S&T Facilities for the Processing of Affected
Inventory in Fiscal Year 2005 and Thereafter (as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented,
renewed or restated from time to time, the MOA) to provide for the transfer by the DOE to
the Borrowers of title to an additional 200 MTU of feed material (the Additional Feed
Material) and (b) First Amendment to Security Agreement dated as of March 6, 2006 (DOE
Security Agreement Amendment No. 1), pursuant to which the Borrowers and the DOE have amended
the DOE Security Agreement to provide for the grant by the Borrowers to the DOE of a security
interest in the Additional Feed Material, in the accounts receivable generated by the sale of the
Additional Feed Material and in the proceeds thereof to secure the obligations of the Borrower
under the MOA;
WHEREAS, the grant by the Borrowers to the DOE of the liens in the Supplemental Barter
Material and the related collateral pursuant to DOE Security Agreement Amendment No. 1 would be
prohibited by Section 6.02 of the Credit Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Borrowers have requested that the Administrative Agent and the Lenders amend the
Credit Agreement to permit the Borrowers to execute and deliver DOE Security Agreement Amendment
No. 1 and grant the liens to the DOE thereunder and make certain other amendments in connection
therewith, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders are willing to do so, subject to the terms
and conditions of this Amendment;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the agreements contained herein, the
parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Capitalized Terms.
Capitalized terms used herein which are defined in the Credit Agreement have the same meanings
herein as therein, except to the extent that such meanings are amended hereby.
2. Amendments to Credit Agreement.
Subject to the satisfaction of the terms and conditions set forth in Section 4 hereof and in
reliance on the representations set forth in Section 3 hereof, the Borrowers, the Lenders and the
Administrative Agent agree that the Credit Agreement is hereby amended, effective as of the date
hereof, as follows:
(a) Amendments to Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement. Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement
is hereby amended as follows:
(i) Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by inserting the following new
definitions therein in appropriate alphabetical order:
First Amendment Date means March 6, 2006.
MOA means that certain Memorandum of Agreement dated as of December 10,
2004 for the Continued Operation of the Portsmouth S&T Facilities for the Processing of
Affected Inventory in Fiscal Year 2005 and Thereafter (as the same may be modified,
amended, supplemented, renewed or restated from time to time).
Supplemental Barter Material means natural uranium feed material or other
material acceptable to the Borrowers transferred by the DOE to the Borrowers pursuant to
Section 7.2(c) of the MOA as payment in kind for services rendered by the Borrowers to
the DOE under the MOA.
(ii) Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby further amended by deleting the
definitions of DOE Collateral and DOE Security Agreement set forth therein in their
entirety and replacing them with the following:
DOE Collateral means Supplemental Barter Material maintained by the
Credit Parties in specifically designated cylinders and physically separated from
Eligible Inventory, the Receivables arising from the sale by the Borrowers of such
Supplemental Barter Material to the extent such Receivables are identified as DOE
Collateral in the Borrowers written or electronic records, all contracts and agreements
for the sale of such Supplemental Barter Material, books and records related to such
Supplemental Barter Material and all proceeds of such Supplemental Barter Material, in
each case, which are subject to Liens in favor of the DOE pursuant to the DOE Security
Agreement. The Credit Parties shall cause all Supplemental Barter Material constituting
DOE Collateral to be maintained in specifically designated cylinders and physically
separated from Eligible Inventory, and shall maintain separate written or electronic
records identifying all Receivables constituting DOE Collateral.
DOE Security Agreement means (a) that certain Security Agreement dated as
of February 2, 2005 by the Borrowers in favor of the DOE pursuant to which the Borrowers
have granted to the DOE security interests in Supplemental Barter Material (as the same
may be modified, amended, supplemented, renewed or restated from time to time,
provided that after giving effect to any such modification, amendment,
supplement, renewal or restatement, such security agreement remains substantially in the
form of the original Security Agreement dated as of February 2, 2005 but for the
inclusion of additional Supplemental Barter Material as collateral thereunder) and (b)
any other security agreement entered into by the Borrowers and the DOE after the First
Amendment Date pursuant to which the Borrowers grant to the DOE security interests in
Supplemental Barter Material and substantially in the form of the security agreement
referred to in clause (a) hereof (as the same may be modified, amended, supplemented,
renewed or restated from time to time, provided that after giving effect to any
2
such modification, amendment, supplement, renewal or restatment, such security agreement
remains substantially in the form of the original security agreement but for the
inclusion of additional Supplemental Barter Material as collateral thereunder).
(b) Amendment to Section 6.02 of the Credit Agreement. Section 6.02 of the Credit Agreement
is hereby amended by (i) deleting the word and appearing after the semi-colon at the end of
subsection (j) of such
Section 6.02, (ii) deleting the period at the end of subsection (k) of such Section 6.02 and
replacing it with the following: ; and and (c) inserting the following as new subsection (l) of
such Section 6.02:
(l) Liens granted in favor of the DOE on DOE Collateral securing the obligations of
the Borrowers under the MOA, provided that, within five (5) Business Days after
granting any such Lien, the Borrowers shall have provided to the Administrative Agent copies
of the DOE Security Agreement pursuant to which such Liens have been granted, all Uniform
Commercial Code financing statements to be filed in connection therewith and any amendment
to the MOA or other documents to be entered into in connection therewith.
3. No Default; Representations and Warranties, etc.
Each of the Borrowers represents and warrants to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent that
as of the date hereof (a) the representations and warranties of the Credit Parties contained in
Article III of the Credit Agreement are true and correct in all material respects as of the date
hereof as if made on such date (except to extent that such representations and warranties expressly
relate to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects as
of such date); (b) the Borrowers are in compliance in all material respects with all of the terms
and provisions set forth in the Credit Agreement and the other Financing Documents to be observed
or performed by them thereunder; (c) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing; and (d) the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrowers of this Amendment (i)
have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, shareholder action on the
part of the Borrowers, (ii) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the organizational
documents of any Borrower, (iii) will not violate or result in a default under any material
indenture, agreement or other instrument binding on any Borrower or any of its assets and (iv) do
not require any consent, waiver or approval of or by any Person (other than the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders) which has not been obtained.
4. Conditions Precedent. The effectiveness of this Amendment shall be conditioned
upon the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
(a) Counterparts of Amendment. The Agent shall have received either (i) a counterpart
of this Amendment signed on behalf of the Borrowers and the Required Lenders and counterparts of
the Ratification of Guarantees attached hereto signed on behalf of NAC Holdings Inc. and NAC
International Inc., as guarantors, or (ii) written evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Agent
(which may include telecopy transmission of a signed signature page of this Amendment or such
Ratification of Guarantees, as applicable) that such parties have signed a counterpart of this
Amendment and such Ratification of Guarantees, as applicable.
(b) DOE Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have received copies of the MOA
Amendment duly executed by the DOE and the Borrowers, and the same shall be in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(c) Other Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have received such certificates
and other documents in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby as the Administrative
Agent shall
3
have requested, all of which shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
the Administrative Agent.
5. Additional Agreements. The Borrowers will promptly furnish to the
Administrative Agent (a) in no event later than three (3) Business Days after the date hereof,
copies of the DOE Security Agreement
Amendment No. 1 duly executed by the DOE and the Borrowers, which shall be substantially in the
form attached hereto as Exhibit A and (b) copies of any Uniform Commercial Code financing
statements to be filed by the DOE in connection therewith, which shall be in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. The failure of the Borrowers to comply with
the terms of this Section 5 shall, at the option of the Administrative Agent, constitute an Event
of Default under the Credit Agreement.
6. Miscellaneous.
(a) The Borrowers, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent hereby ratify and
confirm the terms and provisions of the Credit Agreement and the other Financing Documents and
agree that, except to the extent specifically amended hereby, the Credit Agreement, the other
Financing Documents and all related documents shall remain in full force and effect. Nothing
contained herein shall constitute a waiver of any provision of the Financing Documents, except such
waivers or consents as are expressly set forth herein.
(b) The Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to file amendments to the
Uniform Commercial Code financing statements filed in connection with the Financing Documents
confirming that the Collateral securing the obligations of the Borrowers under the Financing
Documents does not include the DOE Collateral, to the extent that any such amendment is requested
by the DOE or the Borrowers (any such amendments to be in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent). For avoidance of doubt, the Credit Parties acknowledge
and agree that neither the Credit Parties nor the DOE shall be authorized to file any such
amendments to the Uniform Commerical Code financing statements filed in connection with the
Financing Documents.
(c) The Borrowers agree to pay all reasonable expenses, including legal fees and
disbursements, incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with this Amendment and the
transactions contemplated thereby.
(d) This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts (including by way
of facsimile transmission), each of which, when executed and delivered, shall be an original, but
all counterparts shall together constitute one instrument.
(e) This Amendment shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York and shall
be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and
assigns.
[Signature Pages Follow]
4
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed by their
respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.
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BORROWERS: |
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USEC INC. |
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By
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/s/ John C. Barpoulis |
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Name:
Title:
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John C. Barpoulis
Vice President and Treasurer |
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UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORPORATION |
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By:
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/s/ John C. Barpoulis |
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Name:
Title:
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John C. Barpoulis
Vice President and Treasurer |
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ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT: |
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JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative and Collateral Agent |
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By:
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/s/ James M. Barbato |
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Name:
Title:
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James M. Barbato
Vice President |
[Signature Pages to First Amendment to Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement]
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LENDERS: |
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JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. |
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By:
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/s/ James M. Barbato |
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Name:
Title:
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James M. Barbato
Vice President |
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MERRILL LYNCH CAPITAL,
a division of MERRILL LYNCH BUSINESS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC., as Co-Syndication Agent and a Lender |
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By:
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/s/ Mark Gertzof |
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Name:
Title:
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Mark Gertzof
Director, Team Leader |
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GMAC COMMERCIAL FINANCE LLC, as Co-Documentation Agent and a
Lender |
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By:
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/s/ Thomas Maile |
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Name:
Title:
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Thomas Maile
Director |
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WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Co-Documentation Agent
and a Lender |
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By:
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/s/ Jason Searle |
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Name:
Title:
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Jason Searle
Vice President |
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SIEMENS FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. |
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By:
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/s/ Frank Amodio |
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Name:
Title:
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Frank Amodio
Vice President Credit |
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SOVEREIGN BANK |
[Signature Pages to First Amendment to Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement]
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By:
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/s/ Steven Fahringer |
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Name:
Title:
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Steven Fahringer
Vice President |
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WELLS FARGO FOOTHILL, LLC |
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By:
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/s/ Dennis King |
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Name:
Title:
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Dennis King
Vice President |
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THE FOOTHILL GROUP, INC. |
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By:
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/s/ Dennis R. Ascher |
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Name:
Title:
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Dennis R. Ascher
Sr. VP |
[Signature Pages to First Amendment to Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement]
RATIFICATION OF GUARANTEES
Each of the undersigned Guarantors hereby acknowledges and consents to the foregoing First
Amendment to Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of March 6, 2006 (the
First Amendment) among USEC Inc. (Holdings), United States Enrichment
Corporation (Enrichment and, together with Holdings, the Borrowers), the
Lenders party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent (the
Administrative Agent), and the other financial institutions named therein as agents,
confirms that the obligations of the Borrowers under the Credit Agreement, as amended by the First
Amendment, constitute Guaranteed Obligations guarantied by and entitled to the benefits of each
respective Amended and Restated Guarantee dated as of August 18, 2005 executed and delivered by
each such Guarantor to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Lenders and the other
Secured Parties (each a Guarantee and collectively, the Guarantees), agrees
that its respective Guarantee remains in full force and effect and ratifies and confirms all of its
obligations thereunder. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the
meanings attributed to them in the Guarantees.
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GUARANTORS: |
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NAC HOLDING INC. |
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By:
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/s/ Peter Walier |
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Name:
Title:
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Peter Walier
President |
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NAC INTERNATIONAL INC. |
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By:
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/s/ Peter Walier |
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Name:
Title:
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Peter Walier
President |
[Signature
Pages to Ratification of Guarantees]
EXHIBIT A
FIRST AMENDMENT TO SECURITY AGREEMENT
This FIRST AMENDMENT TO SECURITY AGREEMENT dated as of March 6th, 2006 (this
Amendment), is made by UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the
Company), USEC INC., a Delaware corporation (Parent) and, together with the
Company, USEC), and the UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) amends the
Security Agreement dated as of February 2, 2005 (as amended, the Security Agreement), by
USEC in favor of DOE.
WHEREAS, USEC and DOE have entered into that certain Amendment No. 2 to the December 10, 2004
MOA to Provide for the Transfer of Supplemental Barter Material dated as of February 9, 2006,
pursuant to which USEC and DOE amended the Memorandum of Agreement dated as of December 10, 2004
for the Continued Operation of the Portsmouth S&T Facilities for the Processing of Affected
Inventory in Fiscal Year 2005 and Thereafter (as the same may be modified, amended, supplemented,
renewed or restated from time to time, the MOA) to provide for the transfer by DOE to
USEC of title to an additional 200 MTU of feed material (the Additional Feed Material);
WHEREAS, USEC and DOE desire to amend the Security Agreement to provide for the grant by USEC
to DOE of a security interest in the Additional Feed Material, in the accounts receivable generated
by the sale of the Additional Feed Material and in the proceeds thereof to secure the obligations
of USEC under the MOA;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the agreements contained herein, the
parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Capitalized Terms.
Capitalized terms used herein which are defined in the Security Agreement have the same
meanings herein as therein, except to the extent that such meanings are amended hereby.
2. Amendments to Security Agreement.
The Security Agreement is hereby amended, effective as of the date hereof, as follows:
(a) Amendments to Section 1.1 of the Security Agreement. Section 1.1 of the Security
Agreement is hereby amended by deleting the definition of Feed Material set forth therein in its
entirety and replacing it with the following:
Feed Material shall mean all the cylinders identified on Schedule A
and Schedule B and all contents thereof.
(b) Amendment to Schedules to the Security Agreement. The Security Agreement is hereby
amended by inserting Schedule B attached hereto following Schedule A.
3. No Default; Representations and Warranties, etc.
USEC represents and warrants to DOE that as of the date hereof (a) the representations and
warranties of USEC contained in Article III of the Security Agreement are true and correct in all
material respects as of the date hereof as if made on the date hereof (except to extent that such
representations and
warranties expressly relate to an earlier date, in which case
they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such date); (b) USEC is in compliance
in all material respects with all of the terms and provisions set forth in the Security Agreement
to be observed or performed by it thereunder; (c) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing; and (d) the execution, delivery and performance by USEC of this Amendment (i) have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of USEC, (ii) will not violate any
applicable law or regulation or the organizational documents of USEC, (iii) will not violate or
result in a default under any material contract or other instrument binding on USEC or any of its
assets and (iv) do not require any authorization, consent, or approval of, or declaration or filing
with, any governmental authority.
4. Financing Statements. USEC authorizes DOE to file financing statements under
the Uniform Commercial Code with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware
describing the Collateral as it relates to the Additional Feed Material listed in Schedule B. At
DOEs request, USEC shall prepare and upon DOEs authorization file at USECs expense filing
statements under the Uniform Commercial Code with the office of the Secretary of State of the State
of Delaware describing the Collateral as it relates to the Additional Feed Material listed in
Schedule B.
5. Miscellaneous.
(a) On and after the effective date of this Amendment, each reference in the
Security Agreement to this Agreement, hereunder, hereof, herein or words of like import
referring to the Security Agreement shall mean and be a reference to the Security Agreement as
amended hereby.
(b) USEC and DOE hereby ratify and confirm the terms and provisions of the Security
Agreement and agree that, except to the extent specifically amended hereby, the Security Agreement
and all related documents shall remain in full force and effect. Nothing contained herein shall
constitute a waiver of any provision of the Security Agreement, except such waivers or consents as
are expressly set forth herein.
(c) This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts (including by way
of facsimile transmission), each of which, when executed and delivered, shall be an original, but
all counterparts shall together constitute one instrument, and shall become effective when copies
hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the parties hereto shall be
delivered to DOE.
(d) Section headings in this Amendment are included herein for convenience of
reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Amendment for any other purpose or be given
any substantive effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed by their
respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.
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UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORPORATION |
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By:
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/s/ John C. Barpoulis |
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Name:
Title:
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John C. Barpoulis
Vice President and Treasurer |
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USEC INC. |
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By:
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/s/ John C. Barpoulis |
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Name:
Title:
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John C. Barpoulis
Vice President and Treasurer |
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY |
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By:
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/s/ William E. Murphie |
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Name:
Title:
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William E. Murphie
Manager, PPPO |
exv10w3
Exhibit 10.3
CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT HAS BEEN REQUESTED FOR THE REDACTED PORTIONS. THE CONFIDENTIAL REDACTED
PORTIONS HAVE BEEN FILED SEPARATELY WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.
ASTERISKS DENOTE SUCH REDACTIONS.
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March 2, 2006
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#1012780
TV-05356W, Supp. No. 1 |
Mr. Robert Van Namen
Marketing and Operations VP
United States Enrichment Corporation
Two Democracy Center, Tenth Floor
6903 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817-1818
Dear Mr. Namen:
This letter will confirm arrangements agreed upon between representatives of United States
Enrichment Corporation (USEC) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for TVA to make
available, and for USEC to take, Additional Energy as provided for under subsection 2.2(e) of the
Power Contract numbered TV-05356W and dated July 11, 2000 (Power Contract). This letter also
confirms related arrangements to replace Article IV of the Power Contract with the new Article IV
attached hereto.
It is understood and agreed that:
1. |
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As set forth in the following table, TVA will make available, and USEC will take, Additional
Energy in the amounts of the specified additional availability amounts at the specified prices
during the specified hours of the specified Supply Period: |
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Additional |
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Availability |
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Additional Energy |
Supply Period |
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Amount |
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Price |
06/01/06 HE 0100 CDT to 08/31/06
HE 2400 CDT
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600 MW All Hours
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$ |
***** |
(a total of 1,324,800 MWh)
2. |
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During the Supply Periods, the total amounts of power available to USEC under the Power
Contract will be increased by the sum of the additional availability amounts designated by TVA
in accordance with section 1 above and USEC shall take such increased amounts; provided,
however, that it is expressly recognized that the Additional Energy made available under the
arrangements described by this confirmation will be subject to suspension as Interruptible
Baseline Energy in accordance with Attachment 2 to the Power Contract. |
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3. |
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For billing purposes, USECs minimum energy takings under the Power Contract shall be deemed
to have been increased by the additional availability amounts so designated by TVA |
#1012780
Mr. Robert Van Namen
Page 2
March 2, 2006
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and the
Additional Energy price specified in section 1 above shall be applied to the resulting
additional minimum energy takings in accordance with subsection 2.6(b) of the Power Contract
to increase the Power Bill. |
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4. |
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From and after the meter-reading time on June 1, 2006, the Power Contract is further
supplemented and amended by replacing Article IV thereof with the substitute Article IV
attached to this letter agreement. Further, it is expressly recognized that the credit
assurance provisions of the attached Article IV shall apply with respect to any obligations
under the Power Contract as it may be amended, including, without limitation, the Additional
Energy arrangements provided for by this letter agreement and, unless otherwise agreed, with
respect to any subsequent Additional Energy arrangements entered into under the Power
Contract. |
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It is recognized that TVA and USEC have agreed in principal to Quantity and Pricing of
Baseline Energy for the first annual period of Period Two, subject to the final approval of
the TVA Board of Directors and the execution of final documents to reflect that agreement. It
is further recognized and agreed that nothing related to any failure to complete such final
documents shall excuse the performance of either party under this letter agreement. |
If the foregoing satisfactorily states the understanding between us, please have a duly authorized
representative execute this Confirmation on behalf of USEC and return by facsimile an executed copy
to Mike Davis at (423) 751-3387. Also please return one executed copy by mail to Mike Davis,
Tennessee Valley Authority, 1101 Market Street MR 2A, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402.
Sincerely,
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/s/ Clyde S. Harmon
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/s/ Bruce S. Schofield |
Clyde S. Harmon
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Bruce S. Schofield |
Sr., Manager, Origination
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Vice President, Industrial Marketing and Account Management |
Accepted and agreed to as of
the date first above written.
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UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORPORATION |
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By:
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/s/ Robert Van Namen |
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Name:
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Robert Van Namen |
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Title:
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Marketing and Operations VP |
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[ATTACHMENT ON FOLLOWING PAGE]
ATTACHMENT
ARTICLE IV
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND INFORMATION
SECTION 4.1 ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS
In addition to the terms defined in Article I above, the following additional defined terms shall
be applicable for purposes of applying the provisions of this Article IV.
4.1.1 Commercial Credit Rating shall mean a credit rating assigned by Standard and
Poors (S&P), Moodys Investor Services, Inc. (Moodys), or Fitch Ratings (Fitch) (such
agencies are hereafter individually referred to as a Rating Agency or collectively referred
to as Rating Agencies) to a rated entitys unsecured, senior long-term debt obligations (not
supported by third party credit enhancements), or if such entity does not have a rating for
its senior unsecured long-term debt obligations, then the rating assigned to such entity as
an issuer rating by S&P, Moodys or Fitch.
4.1.2 CRR shall mean the customer risk rating assigned by TVA under TVAs credit
policy for the purpose of classifying its customers, suppliers, and vendors according to the
level of risk deemed by TVA to be associated with their financial condition. Such ratings
are assigned by TVA, and updated from time to time, as a result of quantitative financial
analysis, as well as consideration of subjective judgments about both the entity being rated
and market conditions. In the event of any change in Companys CRR which will cause
a change in the amount of Performance Assurance, if any, that Company is obligated
to provide to TVA under section 4.5 of this Article, TVA will promptly give Company written
notice of the revised CRR and, for purposes of this contract, such revised
CRR will be deemed to be effective:
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(a) |
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as of the date of such notice, if the revised CRR is a
higher rating than Companys previously effective CRR, or |
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(b) |
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5 business days after the date of such notice, if the revised
CRR is a lower rating than Companys previously effective CRR. |
4.1.3 The following CRRs referred to as Superior, Strong,
Satisfactory, Acceptable, and Below Investment Grade Rating,
shall be defined and assigned to Company under the following framework:
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(a) |
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If a Commercial Credit Rating is not assigned by the Rating
Agencies, then TVA shall determine the appropriate CRR in its sole
discretion under its credit policy. |
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(b) |
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If a Commercial Credit Rating is assigned by a Rating
Agency or Rating Agencies, then the CRR will be deemed to be as is
shown on the chart |
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below, unless there are multiple Rating Agencies and their
Commercial Credit Ratings are not equivalent under TVAs CRR
system, in which case subsection (c) will apply. |
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(c) |
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If more than one Rating Agency provides a Commercial Credit Rating
and such ratings do not provide equivalent CRRs under the below chart, then the
following will apply: |
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(i) |
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if two Rating Agencies provide a Commercial Credit
Rating and those ratings equate to different CRRs (according
to the chart below), then the lower CRR will govern; |
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(ii) |
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if three Rating Agencies provide a Commercial
Credit Rating and those ratings equate to three different
CRRs (according to the chart below) then the middle CRR
will govern; |
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(iii) |
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if three Rating Agencies provide a Commercial
Credit Rating and those ratings equate to two different CRRs
(according to the chart below) then the two equivalent CRRs will
govern. |
Chart Comparing TVA CRR Ratings to the
Commercial Credit Ratings of Rating Agencies
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S&P |
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Moodys |
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Fitch |
TVA |
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Commercial Credit |
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Commercial Credit |
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Commercial Credit |
CRR |
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Rating |
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Rating |
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Rating |
Superior
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AAA
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Aaa
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AAA |
Strong
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AA+ to AA-
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Aa1 to Aa3
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AA+ to AA- |
Satisfactory
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A+ to A-
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A1 to A3
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A+ to A- |
Acceptable
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BBB+ to BBB-
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Baa1 to Baa3
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BBB+ to BBB- |
Below Investment Grade
Rating
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BB+ or lower
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Ba1 or lower
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BB+ or lower |
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4.1.4 |
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Credit Risk shall mean: |
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(a) |
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an amount reasonably determined by TVA as approximating all charges
applicable for a 75-day period either under this contact or any previous power
arrangement, including, but not limited to, all amounts Company owes or will
owe for power and energy made available for, or delivered during, that period
and without regard to whether or not a bill has been rendered for such amounts,
less |
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(b) |
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the amount of credit risk protection afforded to TVA by any
then-existing Performance Assurance already covering TVAs risk of
non-payment of the amount designated by TVA; |
Provided, however, that during any period when Company is deemed to have a CRR that
is equal to a Below Investment Grade Rating so that the payment obligations provided
for below in paragraph b of section 4.5 are applicable, the 75-day period provided for in
(a) above shall be reduced to 45-days to reflect the revised payment obligations provided
for in said paragraph.
4.1.5 Collateral Threshold shall mean the dollar amount or amounts specified in
section 4.3 of this Article to reflect the amount of credit that will be extended to Company
without Performance Assurance being provided by Company.
4.1.6 Performance Assurance shall mean collateral in the form of either:
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(a) |
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a cash deposit, |
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(b) |
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a Letter of Credit, in form and substance acceptable to TVA, issued
by a financial institution which has and maintains at least a
Satisfactory CRR. |
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(c) |
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other security acceptable to TVA and agreed to in writing by the
parties to this contract, including, without limitation, a corporate guaranty,
in form and substance acceptable to TVA, by an entity which has and maintains
at least an Acceptable CRR; provided however, that such a
guaranty will only be acceptable to secure Performance Assurance equal
to the Collateral Threshold which TVA would assign to such entity if it
were the party contracting with TVA for the power supply arrangements that are
provided for in this contract. |
SECTION 4.2 CRR AS OF CONTRACT EXECUTION
As of the date that this contract was executed, Company has been determined by TVA to have a
CRR which qualifies as a Below Investment Grade Rating.
SECTION 4.3 COLLATERAL THRESHOLD
At all times that Company has and maintains at least an Acceptable CRR, the amount
of the Collateral Threshold will be the applicable amount set forth in the table below as
corresponding to Companys then existing CRR. At any other times, the amount of the
Collateral Threshold shall be deemed to be zero. Company and TVA agree that from time to
time exceptional circumstances may occur that merit either an increase or a decrease in Companys
Collateral Threshold amounts. Accordingly, at any such time, TVA may in its discretion
revise the Collateral Threshold amounts upward or downward upon 30 days written notice to
Company.
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COMPANYS CRR |
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COLLATERAL THRESHOLD |
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Superior |
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$ |
0 |
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Strong |
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$ |
0 |
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Satisfactory |
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$ |
0 |
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Acceptable |
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$ |
0 |
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As set out in the above table, Companys current Collateral Threshold is zero. At such
time, if any, that Company determined to have an Acceptable CRR or higher, TVA will
determine a Collateral Threshold appropriate to Companys CRR.
SECTION 4.4 FINANCIAL INFORMATION
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(a) |
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For TVAs use in evaluating Companys financial condition, at TVAs request, Company
shall provide to TVA: |
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(i) |
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within 120 days following the end of each Company fiscal year, a copy of
Companys annual report containing consolidated financial statements for such fiscal
year; |
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(ii) |
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within 60 days after the end of each of its first three fiscal quarters of each
such fiscal year, a copy of Companys quarterly report containing consolidated
financial statements for such fiscal quarter; and |
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(iii) |
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such different or additional financial information as TVA may from time to
time reasonably request for TVAs use in evaluating Companys financial condition; |
provided, however, Company shall not be required to provide TVA with such information if:
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(i) |
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the information is publicly available and accessible by TVA, or |
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(ii) |
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Company is rated by S&P, Moodys or Fitch. |
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(b) |
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In all cases the statements to be provided under (a) above shall be for the most recent
accounting period and prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
provided, however, that should any such statements not be available on a timely basis due
to a delay in preparation or certification, such delay shall not be a breach of this
contract so long as Company diligently pursues the preparation, certification and delivery
of the statements. Further, it is expressly recognized that TVA prefers the financial
statements provided under (a)(i) above to be audited financial statements and the
unavailability of audited statements may be considered by TVA to be a negative factor in
evaluating Companys CRR. |
SECTION 4.5 PERFORMANCE ASSURANCE OBLIGATION
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(a) |
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If at any time during the term of this contract the then-applicable Credit Risk
exceeds the then-applicable Collateral Threshold, a Performance Assurance
Deficiency in the amount of the excess shall exist. Upon written notice from TVA of such
Performance Assurance Deficiency, Company shall be obligated to promptly provide
Performance Assurance, or additional Performance Assurance, as applicable,
to TVA in an amount equal to the amount of such Performance Assurance Deficiency. |
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(b) |
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In addition, if at any time during the term of this contract, Company is deemed to have
a CRR that is equal to a Below Investment Grade Rating, the following shall
apply: |
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(i) |
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Notwithstanding Section 2 of the Terms and Conditions of the Power Contract,
Company shall pay by using one of the electronic methods approved by TVA, all charges
applicable under the Power Contract within ten (10) days after the date of any bill;
provided, however, if the tenth day after the day of the bill is a non-business day,
then payment shall be made by no later than the next business day. If such charges are
not paid within such period, then TVA may, upon 5 days written notice, discontinue
supply of power to Company. Any such discontinuance of supply shall not relieve
company of its liability for minimum monthly charges or payment of past due amounts. |
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(ii) |
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Notwithstanding sections 2(b) and 2(c) of the Terms and Conditions, the late
payment charges provided for in section 2(b) shall be applicable to any amount
remaining unpaid after the end of the payment period provided for in subsection (i)
above. |
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(iii) |
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Notwithstanding sections 2(b) and 2(c) of the Terms and Conditions, the early
payment credit shall be applied as follows: For any month that that Company pays its
bill in full prior to the payment date established in subsection (i) above, TVA shall
apply the amount of the Average Short Term Interest Rate (as defined in the Terms and
Conditions) to the amount of such early payment for each day prior to the payment date
for which the bill is paid. No early payment credits shall be applicable
for any payment that is not made prior to the payment date provided for in subsection
(i) above. |
SECTION 4.6 FAILURE TO PROVIDE PERFORMANCE ASSURANCE
In the event of any Performance Assurance Deficiency arising under 4.5 above:
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(a) |
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If Company does not fully remedy the Performance Assurance Deficiency by the date
falling 10 days after the date when TVA gives notice of such deficiency under 4.5 above (or
such later date as may be agreed upon), TVA shall have the right, upon 5 days notice, to
discontinue the supply of power, and may refuse to resume delivery as long as
Performance Assurance has not been provided to fully remedy the deficiency.
Discontinuance of supply under this paragraph (a) shall not relieve Company of its
liability for minimum monthly charges or payment of past due amounts. |
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(b) |
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If Company does not fully remedy the Performance Assurance Deficiency by the date
falling 30 days after the date when TVA gives a notice of such deficiency under 4.5 above,
TVA shall have the right to consider the contract breached and to cancel the contract upon
written notice that if full Performance Assurance is not received within 5 days (or
such longer period as may be specified) after the date of said notice, the contract shall
be deemed permanently breached and canceled; and such cancellation by TVA shall be without
waiver of any amounts which may be due or of any rights, including the right |
to damages for
such breach, which may have accrued up to and including the date of such cancellation.
SECTION 4.7 SECURITY INTEREST
To the extent Company provides any Performance Assurance under section 4.5 of this Article,
Company grants to TVA a present and continuing security interest in, and lien on (and right of
setoff against), and assignment of, all cash collateral and cash equivalent collateral and any and
all proceeds resulting therefrom or the liquidation thereof, whether now or hereafter held by, on
behalf of, or for the benefit of, TVA, and Company agrees to take such action as TVA may reasonably
require in order to perfect TVAs first-priority security interest in, and lien on (and right of
setoff against), such collateral and any and all proceeds resulting therefrom or from the
liquidation thereof. It is expressly recognized and agreed, however, that:
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(a) |
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any security interest provided for under this section 4.7 above shall only apply to the
specific collateral that is provided as Performance Assurance to meet Companys
obligations under this Article IV; and |
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(b) |
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by virtue of this section 4.7, TVA will have no security interest of other preferred
interest in any other property of Company or in any other property of any other entity
providing the Performance Assurance. It is expressly recognized and agreed that
this paragraph shall not affect any security interest that may be provided for under a
separate agreement. |
SECTION 4.8 REMEDIES
Upon failure of Company to pay all charges applicable under this contract within 30 days after the
date of any bill, or any shorter period for final payment or for correcting a Performance Assurance
Deficiency applicable under any provision of this contract or any amendment or supplement to this
contract, it is expressly recognized and agreed that TVA may do any one or more of the following:
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(a) |
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exercise any of its rights and remedies with respect to such failure to pay and any of
its rights and remedies with respect to Performance Assurance, including any such
rights and remedies under law then in effect; |
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(b) |
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exercise its rights of setoff against any and all property of Company in the possession
of TVA; |
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(c) |
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draw on any outstanding letter of credit issued for its benefit; and |
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(d) |
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liquidate all Performance Assurance then held by or for the benefit of TVA,
free from any claim or right of any nature whatsoever of Company or other pledgor of
Performance Assurance, including any equity or right of purchase or redemption by
Company or any such pledgor. |
exv10w4
EXHIBIT
10.4
CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT HAS BEEN REQUESTED FOR THE REDACTED PORTIONS. THE CONFIDENTIAL
REDACTED PORTIONS HAVE BEEN FILED SEPARATELY WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.
ASTERISKS DENOTE SUCH REDACTIONS.
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March 2, 2006
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TV-05356W, Supp. No. 2 |
Mr. Robert Van Namen
Marketing and Operations VP
United States Enrichment Corporation
Two Democracy Center, Tenth Floor
6903 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817-1818
Dear Mr. Van Namen:
In accordance with the provisions of Power Contract TV-05356W, as amended (Power Contract), TVA has
determined that United States Enrichment Corporation (Company) presently has a CRR equal to
a Below Investment Grade Rating. Accordingly, this letter is to confirm the arrangements
agreed upon between representatives of TVA and Company, regarding Companys Performance
Assurance to be provided and maintained by Company:
It is understood and agreed that until such time, if any, that Companys CRR and
corresponding Collateral Threshold is such that no Performance Assurance is due
from Company under the Power Contract, and in accordance with Article IV of the Power Contract, the
parties have agreed that the provisions below shall be applicable to provide for the
Performance Assurance to be provided and maintained by Company.
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1. |
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Letter of Credit. Company shall provide TVA an Irrevocable Letter of Credit,
in a form acceptable to TVA, in the amount of $***** not later than March 15, 2006.
Company shall at all times keep such Letter of Credit in full force and effect. The Letter
of Credit may be utilized by TVA to cover any obligations arising after June 1, 2006, for
which the Power Contract provides and for which payments are not made by Company,
including, but not limited to, minimum bill obligations. Notwithstanding hereunder,
Company will remain obligated to make all payments as they become due under the Power
Contract. |
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2. |
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Weekly Prepayments. Notwithstanding the provision of section 2.6 of the Power
Contract, Company shall pay TVA a designated sum of money per week in advance for
power and energy used under the Power Contract (Weekly Prepayment). On or before May 26,
2006, Company shall pay TVA the amount of $*****. Beginning on June 2, 2006, and each
Friday thereafter, Company shall pay TVA a Weekly Prepayment in the amount of $***** per
week. Such Weekly Prepayments shall be made no later than 3 |
Mr. Robert Van Namen
Page 2 of 3
March 2, 2006
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p.m. CST or CDT, whichever is
currently effective, on each Friday and shall be made electronically through Automated
Clearing House to TVAs account. TVAs monthly bill for power and energy shall reflect the
cumulative Weekly Prepayments for that month as a credit to be applied against that monthly
bill. Company shall have seven (7) days from the date of the monthly bill, or until the
next Weekly Prepayment (whichever comes later) to pay any amount that is not covered by the
cumulative Weekly Prepayments for that month. In the event that the cumulative Weekly
Prepayments for any month exceed the amount of that monthly bill, TVA shall notify Company
of the overpayment and credit such amount to Companys next Weekly Prepayment. |
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3. |
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Adjustments to Performance Assurance. The Performance Assurance provided for
in this letter agreement is based on the price and usage of power and energy taken by
Company and may be adjusted by TVA as provided in the Power Contract. If TVA determines
that any adjustment is necessary, TVA will provide Company with written notice of any
increased or decreased amount of Performance Assurance required under the Power Contract.
Within ten (10) days after such notice is given, Company shall provide TVA with the amount
of the adjusted Performance Assurance required. |
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4. |
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Early Payment Credits. Notwithstanding Section 2 of the Terms and Conditions
set forth in Attachment 4 of the Power Contract, for any Billing Month, in which
Company fails to make a Weekly Prepayment on or before a Weekly Prepayment Due Date falling
within that Billing Month, Company shall not be entitled to any early payment
credit that would otherwise apply with respect to early payments for usage in that
Billing Month. |
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5. |
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Default. Failure to comply with any of the above provisions shall constitute
an immediate default under this contract. Upon such default, TVA shall have the right to
immediately discontinue the supply of power, upon 5 days written notice, to Company. |
Discontinuance of supply under this letter agreement shall not relieve Company of its liability for
minimum monthly charges or payment of past due amounts. TVAs election of any remedies under this
letter agreement shall be without waiver of any other rights, including, without limitation, the
right to damages for such default.
The Power Contract, as supplemented and amended by this letter agreement, is hereby ratified and
confirmed as the continuing obligation of the parties.
If this letter satisfactorily sets forth the understandings between us, please have a duly
authorized representative execute two copies on behalf of Company and return them to TVA. Upon
completion by TVA, one fully executed copy will be returned to you.
Sincerely,
/s/ Bruce S. Schofield
Bruce S. Schofield for
Kenneth R. Breeden
Mr. Robert Van Namen
Page 3 of 3
March 2, 2006
Executive Vice President
Customer Service and Marketing
Accepted
and agreed to as of the
date first above written:
UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORPORATION
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/s/ Robert Van Namen |
By:
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Robert Van Namen |
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Marketing and Operations VP |
exv10w5
Exhibit 10.5
CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT HAS BEEN REQUESTED FOR THE REDACTED PORTIONS. THE CONFIDENTIAL
REDACTED PORTIONS HAVE BEEN FILED SEPARATELY WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.
ASTERISKS DENOTE SUCH REDACTIONS.
AMENDATORY AGREEMENT
Between
TENESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
And
UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORPORATION
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Date: April 3, 2006
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TV-05356W, Supp. No. 3 |
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into by and between TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY (TVA), a
corporation created and existing under and by virtue of the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933,
as amended (TVA Act), and UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORPORATION (Company), a corporation created and
existing under the laws of the State of Delaware;
W
I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, Company has been purchasing power from TVA under Power Contract TV-05356W, dated July
11, 2000, as amended (2000 Contract), for the operation of Companys uranium enrichment facilities
near Paducah, Kentucky; and
WHEREAS, the parties wish to amend the 2000 Contract to provide for the pricing and quantity
of power and energy for the time period commencing on June 1, 2006, and ending on May 31, 2007;
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and of the mutual agreements
hereinafter set forth, and subject to the provisions of the TVA Act, the parties mutually agree as
follows:
SECTION 1 DEFINITIONS
1.1 Defined Terms. Initial capped terms used in this agreement which are defined in
Article I of the 2000 Contract shall have the meaning there defined.
1.2 References to the 2000 Contract. References to this contract in any section
of or attachment to this agreement shall be deemed to refer to the 2000 Contract as amended
by TV-05356W, Supp. No 1, dated March 2, 2006, TV-05356W, Supp. No 2, dated March 2, 2006,
and this agreement.
SECTION 2 QUANTITY OF ENERGY
Subject to the terms and conditions of this contract, Baseline Energy, in the monthly MW
amounts set forth in Exhibit A, shall be made available to USEC for the first year of
Period
Two (June 1, 2006, through May 31, 2007). Of each monthly amount, 300 MW would continue to
be Firm Baseline Energy and any remaining amount would be Interruptible Baseline Energy, as
provided in the 2000 Contract.
SECTION 3 BASE CHARGES
Pursuant to section 2.3(b) and in accordance with section 2.4 of the 2000 Contract, the
Baseline Energy Price during the first year of Period Two shall be as follows:
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$***** from June 1, 2006, through August 31, 2006, and |
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(ii) |
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$***** from September 1, 2006, through May 31, 2007. |
SECTION 4 FUEL COST ADJUSTMENT
The Baseline Energy Prices as set forth in section 3 above of this agreement are subject to
the TVA Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) as calculated under Exhibit B, attached hereto and hereby
incorporated herein. The FCA shall mean the per-MWh amount by which the Baseline Energy
Prices under section 3 above of this agreement are increased or decreased from time to time
in accordance with the formula designed to reflect changes in TVAs fuel costs, purchased
power costs, and related costs as shown in Exhibit B. It is recognized that TUm (as defined
in Exhibit B) has a lag integrated into the formula and that unless otherwise agreed between
the parties, any such amount shall remain an
obligation even though the payment of the bill for power taken during May of 2007 has been
made.
SECTION 5 RATIFICATION OF THE 2000 CONTRACT
This contract is ratified and confirmed as the continuing obligation of the parties.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties to this agreement have caused it to be executed by their duly
authorized representatives, as of the day and year first above written.
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UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORPORATION |
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By
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/s/ Robert Van Namen |
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Title: Senior Vice President |
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Uranium Enrichment |
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TENESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY |
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By
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/s/ Kenneth. R. Breeden |
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Executive Vice President |
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Customer Service and Marketing |
2
EXHIBIT A
BASELINE ENERGY
JUNE 1, 2006, THROUGH MAY 31, 2007
(TOTAL OF FIRM AND INTERRUPTIBLE BASELINE ENERGY IN MW)*
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2006 |
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2007 |
January |
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1,550 |
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February |
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1,525 |
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March |
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1,540 |
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April |
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1,540 |
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May |
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1,400 |
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June |
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300 |
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July |
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300 |
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August |
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300 |
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September |
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1,450 |
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October |
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1,560 |
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November |
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1,600 |
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December |
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1,590 |
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* |
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The monthly MW amounts shall be multiplied by the number of hours in that month to determine the
required quantities of Baseline Energy. The actual hourly MW amounts shall be essentially constant
except during ramp up/ramp down periods and will be scheduled in accordance with operating
procedures jointly developed under section 2.2(f) of the 2000 Contract. |
EXHIBIT B
FUEL COST ADJUSTMENT
In accordance with the formula below, the Fuel Cost Adjustment amount (FCA) shall be determined for
each month by applying data from TVAs forecasts of TVAs actual operations, as well as actual data
when it becomes available. The FCA consists of two parts. The first part is the monthly
adjustment (Am) (as defined below), which is an adder to be applied to each Megawatthour (MWh).
TVA will publish the amount of Am no later than 15 days in advance of the month of application, and
the formula will be applied as part of the monthly USEC bill. In addition to the Am, there is a
monthly true-up to bring TVAs forecasts to actual amounts (TUm) (as defined below) that will add
or credit a lump sum amount on the monthly bill once actual data is collected.
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m = |
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a particular month. |
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Am = |
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The FCA adjustment to be applied to the MWh sales during the current billing period and computed to the nearest cent per
MWh. |
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CF = |
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The core FCA adjustment
amount. CF =
FFm/SFm - Bm |
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FF =
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TVAs estimate of FA (as described below) for month m, based
on the latest TVA Financial Forecast. |
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SF =
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TVAs estimate of SA (as described below) for month m, based
on the latest TVA Financial Forecast. |
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B =
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The monthly per MWh Base Fuel Rates (as shown in the table
below). |
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June |
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$ |
16.07 |
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July |
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$ |
20.40 |
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August |
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$ |
17.21 |
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September |
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$ |
15.96 |
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October |
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$ |
14.36 |
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November |
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$ |
14.57 |
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December |
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$ |
13.28 |
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January |
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$ |
14.02 |
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February |
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$ |
13.62 |
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March |
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$ |
13.59 |
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April |
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$ |
14.17 |
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May |
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$ |
14.30 |
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TUm = |
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The true-up adjustment amount necessary to reconcile prior estimates to actual data, which
shall be computed with the formula below. The true-up will be a dollar payment or credit on
the bill two months after a forecast FCA month. |
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(FAm-2/SAm-2-FFm-2/SFm-2)*USECSm-2/.95 |
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FA = |
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Actual total fuel and purchased power expenses (in dollars) under the framework and
accounts provided below (or such similar or successor accounts as may be proscribed by FERC in
the future). |
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(1)
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Fossil Fuel Expense Account 501 Direct cost of fuel burned
in TVA coal plants, including transportation and fuel treatments. Costs to be
excluded are lease payments for rail cars, maintenance on rail cars, sampling
and fuel analysis, and fuel handling expenses in unloading fuel from shipping
media and the handling of fuel up to the point where fuel enters the bunker or
other boiler-house structure. |
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(2)
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Reagents Expense Account 501.L Cost of emission reagents
such as limestone and ammonia that are directly related to the level of
generation output. |
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(3)
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Emission Allowance Expense Account 509 Cost of emission
allowance expense such as SO2 and NOx that are directly related to the level of
generation output. |
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(4)
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Nuclear Fuel Expense Account 518 Cost of nuclear fuel
amortization expense dependent upon burn, including DOE spent fuel disposal
charges. |
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(5)
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Gas Turbine Fuel Expense Account 547 Direct cost of gas and
oil delivered to TVA plants, including transportation. Costs to be excluded
are costs of gas storage facilities and sampling and fuel analysis that do not
vary with changes in generation volume. |
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(6)
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Purchased Power Expense Account 555 Energy cost of
purchased power to serve native load demand or to displace higher cost
generation. Costs to be excluded are fixed demand or capacity payments in
tolling agreements and purchased power agreements that do not vary with volume
and costs of purchased power linked to off-system sales transactions. |
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SA = |
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Actual total TVA energy sales (in MWh) for month m, as determined
from TVAs General Ledger with specific accounts 442, 445, 447,
447.1, and 448 (or such similar or successor accounts as may be
proscribed by FERC in the future), excluding any displacement
sales reflected in account 447.1. |
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USECSm |
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= USEC actual sales in a particular month, excluding Additional
Energy sales (as defined in Power Contract number TV-05356W
between USEC and TVA dated July 4, 2000) unless otherwise agreed
between the parties. |
3
exv31w1
EXHIBIT 31.1
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
I, John K. Welch, certify that:
1. |
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I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of USEC Inc.; |
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2. |
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Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
covered by this report; |
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3. |
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Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in
this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of
operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this
report; |
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4. |
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The registrants other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and
maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules
13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange
Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have: |
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Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls
and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information
relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by
others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being
prepared; |
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(b) |
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Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal
control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation
of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles; |
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(c) |
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Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrants disclosure controls and procedures and
presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such
evaluation; and |
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(d) |
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Disclosed in this report any change in the registrants internal control over financial
reporting that occurred during the registrants most recent fiscal quarter (the
registrants fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially
affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrants internal control
over financial reporting; and |
5. |
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The registrants other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent
evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrants auditors and the
audit committee of the registrants board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent
functions): |
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(a) |
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All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of
internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect
the registrants ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information;
and |
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(b) |
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Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who
have a significant role in the registrants internal control over financial reporting. |
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May 4, 2006
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/s/ John K. Welch |
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John K. Welch |
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President and Chief Executive Officer |
exv31w2
EXHIBIT 31.2
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
I, John C. Barpoulis, certify that:
1. |
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I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of USEC Inc.; |
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2. |
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Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
covered by this report; |
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3. |
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Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in
this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of
operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this
report; |
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4. |
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The registrants other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and
maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and
15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules
13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have: |
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(a) |
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Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls
and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information
relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by
others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being
prepared; |
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(b) |
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Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal
control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation
of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles; |
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(c) |
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Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrants disclosure controls and procedures and
presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such
evaluation; and |
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(d) |
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Disclosed in this report any change in the registrants internal control over financial
reporting that occurred during the registrants most recent fiscal quarter (the
registrants fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially
affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrants internal control
over financial reporting; and |
5. |
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The registrants other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent
evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrants auditors and the
audit committee of the registrants board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent
functions): |
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(a) |
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All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of
internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect
the registrants ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information;
and |
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(b) |
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Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who
have a significant role in the registrants internal control over financial reporting. |
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May 4, 2006
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/s/ John C. Barpoulis |
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John C. Barpoulis |
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Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer |
exv32
EXHIBIT 32
CERTIFICATION OF CEO AND CFO PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the quarterly report on Form 10-Q of USEC Inc. for the quarter ended March
31, 2006, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the Report),
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, John K. Welch, President and Chief Executive Officer, and John C.
Barpoulis, Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, each hereby certifies, that, to
his knowledge:
(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the
financial condition and results of operations of USEC Inc.
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May 4, 2006
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/s/ John K. Welch |
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John K. Welch |
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President and Chief Executive Officer |
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May 4, 2006
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/s/ John C. Barpoulis |
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John C. Barpoulis |
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Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer |