Tokyo, August 26, 2014 -- Moody's Japan K.K. has affirmed its ratings on four
Japanese electric power utilities.
At the same time, Moody's has changed the ratings outlook
to stable from negative for all four issuers.
Of the four affected utilities, three are regional integrated power
utilities that own nuclear facilities, and one is a nationwide wholesale
power utility whose only customers are regional integrated utilities.
Details of the rating affirmations are as follows:
Chubu Electric Power Company, Inc. (Chubu): Senior
secured and issuer ratings A3; Senior secured shelf registration
(P)A3
Chugoku Electric Power Company, Inc. (Chugoku): Senior
secured and issuer ratings A3
Hokuriku Electric Power Company (Hokuriku): Senior secured rating
A3; short-term rating Prime-2
Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (J-Power):
Senior unsecured and issuer ratings A1; Senior unsecured shelf registration
(P)A1
RATINGS RATIONALE
The affirmation of the ratings and change in outlook from negative to
stable, principally reflects a number of positive developments for
Japan's electric utility sector over recent months. The stable
outlooks reflect Moody's expectation that the positive developments
should lead to stabilization of profitability for the three integrated
utilities and lead to enhanced stability in J-Power's profit
levels.
Positive developments since the last rating actions are as follows (we
last affirmed all ratings with negative outlook in November 2013) :
[1] The government clarified nuclear power's position as "an
important base-load power source" and reiterated its intention
to restart those nuclear facilities deemed safe, on the "Strategic
Energy Plan", approved by the Cabinet in April 2014.
[2] Progress on safety assessment for restarting nuclear power generation.
In July 2014, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) approved a
safety assessment of Sendai plant, the first such approval since
the accident at Fukushima in March 2011.
[3] Seven utilities have applied for and received approval for higher
tariffs since the disaster at Fukushima. In addition, in
July 2014, a second tariff increase was applied by a utility,
based on the newly introduced approval process for subsequent rate increases,
for the first time.
Moody's believes that these events indicate the government's
supportiveness for the nuclear-exposed utilities, and that
Japan's regulatory framework designed to allow utilities to fully
recover operational costs -- through the application of a regulated
tariff framework -- remains intact.
Moody's also notes that support of the utilities by major Japanese financial
institutions, as well as the smooth access of the utilities to the
bond market, remain ongoing and these are underpinning factors for
the company's ratings.
The three regional integrated utilities -- Chubu, Chugoku and
Hokuriku -- have demonstrated relatively favorable profitability
compared with their peers, even without nuclear power generation,
because of their historically low dependency on nuclear generation.
Chugoku and Hokuriku in particular, have posted more stable and
consistent operating profit levels, throughout the three fiscal
years after the Fukushima accident. These utilities also recorded
7.7% and 10.3% of operating profit margins,
respectively, in April-June 2014.
Chubu recorded a JPY24.2 billion operating profit in April-June
2014, despite posting JPY60.6 billion of operating loss in
FYE3/2014. The profit has been achieved mainly through its newly
approved higher electricity tariff, implemented in May 2014.
Moody's notes that Chubu's new tariff assumes only a limited
dependence on nuclear generation, and takes into greater consideration
the higher costs of replacement thermal generation. It is therefore
far more realistic in its cost assumptions than the tariffs of other utilities
who still have heavy dependency on nuclear generation and recovery.
Chubu is the only nuclear exposed utility with a full-year operating
profit forecast -- JPY 75 billion -- for FYE3/2015. Moody's
further believes Chubu can achieve this target.
Further supporting the trend in profitability is the capacity for ongoing
cost reductions by the three utilities.
As a non-nuclear-dependent wholesaler of electric power,
J-Power is far less affected by the stresses in the industry.
J-Power sells electricity on a wholesale basis under long-term
contracts to 10 regional utilities throughout Japan. It is among
the lowest-cost producers of electricity in Japan and its contracts
allow for price increases to cover its costs. The company has consistently
reported profits even after the Fukushima accident.
Moody's previous main concern was J-Power's customer
base exposed to the nuclear dependant utilities, and the potential
for these to impact the company's own operating performance.
The further improvement of the sector's operational environment
and the enhanced credit quality of its customer base have -- in turn
-- driven the stabilization of J-Power's A1 rating outlook.
Moody's also notes J-Power has one nuclear power plant currently
under construction.
Moody's does not see positive rating pressure in the near future,
considering the prolonged uncertainties for nuclear power generation in
the country and in the absence of further balance sheet repair of the
major nuclear utilities, as well as improved transparency over tariff
arrangements.
Looking further ahead, a steady business environment, solid
cash flows, and significantly improved balance sheet structures
as well as clearer tariff arrangements, could have positive implications
for the ratings.
On the other hand, Moody's would see negative rating implications
if there is a significant change in the regulatory and business environment,
which may cause more intensive competition and may lead to lower profitability
for the utilities.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Regulated Electric
and Gas Utilities (Japanese) published in February 2014. Please
see the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com for a copy
of this methodology.
The rated utility companies are integrated and dominant suppliers of electricity
in their respective service areas and J-Power is a nationwide wholesale
power company.
Chubu Electric Power Company, Inc. (headquarters in Aichi),
Chugoku Electric Power Company, Inc. (headquarters in Hiroshima),
Hokuriku Electric Power Company (headquarters in Toyama), and Electric
Power Development Co., Ltd. (headquarters in Tokyo).
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For ratings issued on a program, series or category/class of debt,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series
or category/class of debt or pursuant to a program for which the ratings
are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's
rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to the rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular
rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the
support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive
rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt,
in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed
prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would
have affected the rating. For further information please see the
ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.
For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit
support from the primary entity(ies) of this rating action, and
whose ratings may change as a result of this rating action, the
associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity.
Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures,
if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure
to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Moody's Japan K.K. is a credit rating agency registered
with the Japan Financial Services Agency and its registration number is
FSA Commissioner (Ratings) No. 2. The Financial Services
Agency has not imposed any supervisory measures on Moody's Japan K.K.
in the past year.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to
the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued
the rating.
Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com
for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
Kazusada Hirose
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Japan K.K.
Atago Green Hills Mori Tower 20fl
2-5-1 Atago, Minato-ku
Tokyo 105-6220
Japan
JOURNALISTS: 813-5408-4110
SUBSCRIBERS: 813-5408-4100
Ian Lewis
Associate Managing Director
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 813-5408-4110
SUBSCRIBERS: 813-5408-4100
Releasing Office:
Moody's Japan K.K.
Atago Green Hills Mori Tower 20fl
2-5-1 Atago, Minato-ku
Tokyo 105-6220
Japan
JOURNALISTS: 813-5408-4110
SUBSCRIBERS: 813-5408-4100
Moody's affirms ratings of four Japanese utilities; changes outlook to stable from negative