S.N. Nuclearelectrica S.A. (SNN) Earnings Call Transcript & Summary

We are about to start. Before we start, I would like to mention that this teleconference is recorded and that the audio file is going to be posted on our website, Investor Relations page. Given that, please allow me to start recording. So thank you, everyone, for joining. This teleconference will address the audited individual financial statements for 2023, actually, the final results. Next to me is the CFO of the company, Mr. Vasile Dascalu. He's going to deliver the presentation. And after delivering the presentation, you can ask whatever questions you want to or you need to. So this being said, Vasile, the floor is yours. Thank you.

Thank you. Hello, everybody, and welcome to the presentation. Today, we are going to present you the results of the financial statements of Nuclearelectrica for 12 months period at the end of 2023. Presentation will include the 2023 financial results; net results evolution; income statement; financial position; final versus preliminary income statement; sales of electricity; sales structure analysis; information about OpEx and CapEx main investments; KPI related to technical performances; and other details. Regarding the financial results, you may notice in terms of production sold at the end of 2023 that we have reported 10.5 terawatts with a small variation of 0.5% compared with the year 2022. Total value increased by 16% or RON 1 million. Regarding the OpEx, we talk about the same value. In comparison with the last year, we have small differences. The windfall tax increased by 142%, representing RON 1.5 billion. EBITDA compared with the last year, it's decreased by 13% from RON 3.6 billion to RON 3.1 billion. Financial results looked better than previous year, increased by 83%. Net profit at the end of 2023 is RON 2.5 billion, decreasing by 9% versus previous year. The main elements that contributed to the net profit results are presented into this slide. And we have a negative impact that is coming from increasing in windfall tax, the contribution to the energy transition fund being RON 1.5 billion and the increasing in cost with personnel employees by RON 184 million. The positive impact is generated by increases in sales, electricity, where the main factor was higher price or more the same quantity sold with RON 1 billion positive impact. We have also a decrease in electricity traded, generated by less unplanned outage hours. This cost is helping us with an impact of RON 392 million. Then we have a detailed breakdown of the income statement where you can notice, besides those presented earlier, increasing cost to uranium fuel and other operating expense, which are mainly due by increasing in tariff of industrial water usage. Next slide, underlying the financial position where we can notice increasing in noncurrent assets by 24%, represented by purchasing of long-term bonds issued by CEC Bank, almost RON 0.5 billion, and financial investments in our affiliated entities. In the current assets, we can notice increase in inventories due to growing of the acquisition cost of uranium. And the quantities that we acquired, a little bit higher than previous year and we have in stock. The same is for decreasing in cash and cash equivalents to be noticed as a result of purchasing of the long-term bonds, as I previously mentioned. In terms of noncurrent liabilities, we may notice decreasing of the long-term portion of the loan concluded with EURATOM, which is now due in 2024 and, of course, that we are on instead of noncurrent and current liabilities. Current liabilities increased by 30%, which is mainly due by windfall tax. In December, an increasing accounts payable coming mainly from higher transaction and increasing prices. Equity positions included the -- is including the profit credit for the previous period. The next slide is including details regarding the reasons recorded between the preliminary and the audited financial statements. Here, we can notice the profit increased by RON 24 million, which is coming from reduction in personnel expenses by RON 10 million; increasing in operating expense RON 20 million, mainly generated by provisioning an amount of RON 19 million related to calculation of contribution to windfall tax; and of course, the updating of the profit tax calculation because of adjustment and collection that we perform between these statements. Next slide presents the electricity sales evolution during this period. The local market particularities during this period is reflected into this slide. And when you may notice, the impact of higher price we got on competitive market with a positive effect of RON 4.9 billion, also gain from centralized mechanism regulated market by an increase of RON 2.2 billion. Also, we have a reduction of the quantity sold on the competitive market by 53% that impact in a negative way the electricity sales evolution, and you can notice here RON 5.3 billion impact. Yes, next slide, it's related to the sales price evolution. During this period, we can notice selling on the market through the centralized electricity mechanism, which is representing 47% of the total electricity sold at a price of RON 450 per megawatt. The difference are being sold at a competitive market, which is representing 42% with an average selling price of RON 940 per megawatt. The quantity of electricity sold on the spot market was similar with the previous year, and this is representing 11% on the total -- of the total sales volume. The average on the spot market was RON 513. Next slide, it's presenting the detailed structure of the OpEx. We can notice the windfall tax that is representing 51% of the total cost. This tax increased by 140% due to changes in legislation. We are talking about the taxation percentage that increased to 100% from 80% starting September 2022. Also, we noticed the expense related to our personnel that increased by 33% due to a slight increase in the number of employees and the company commitment regarding increasing of salaries and employees' participation to the profit. Also, technological and non-technological water and energy cost increased by 35% due to higher utility prices recorded in 2023. Cost of traded electricity decreased by 76% due to few hours on unplanned outage. Therefore, a lower quantity of electricity was acquired during this period. Cost with repair and maintenance recorded a slight increase of 7%. Electricity transmission expense recorded an increase of 63% due to increasing of transmission into the grid tariff. Regarding the CapEx, the investment program reached the amount of RON 630 million from the total plan of RON 710 million, representing a degree of completion of 89%. Here, you may notice the split between ongoing investment, the investment made on tangible assets and equipments. The next part of the presentation, it's related to the main investments and long-term strategic projects. We talk about the Unit 1 refurbishment, Units 3 and 4 projects, small modular reactors and tritium removal facility project. Regarding Unit 1 refurbishment, I'm underlining the main stage of the project. The company signed the project engineering contract with Candu Energy in March 2023 for a value of about CAD 65 million. In October 2023, the company signed the most important contract with Canadian Commercial Corporation in association with Candu Energy for supplying of reactor components; supplying of the tools necessary for the same purpose; and engineering services and technical assistance. On February 2024, SNN signed a memorandum of understanding with SACE and Ansaldo Nucleare. Ansaldo Nucleare expressed the interest to formulate a bid for the supply of engineering and project management services. SACE expressed its interest in supporting financing of Nuclearelectrica for 2 projects, Unit 1 refurbishment and Unit 3 and 4 for an amount of about EUR 2 million. Regarding Units 3 and 4, I'm stressing the Law 74 issued on 2023 regarding the support agreement between Romania -- Romanian State, sorry, and Nuclearelectrica. The support agreement allows start of the Phase II of the project, meaning conclusion of the contract for development of the critical engineer and design, which is necessary to update the project. In terms of financing, Canadian government shows the support for this project. Consequently, Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources announced Canadian decision -- Canada's decision to support the development of Unit 3 and Unit 4 with CAD 3 billion. As I have mentioned earlier, SNN, Nuclearelectrica signed a memorandum of understanding with SACE and Ansaldo Nucleare. From Small Modular Reactors, as you probably know, on May 20, 2023, the U.S. and multinational public-private partners looked to finance up to USD 275 million for the Small Modular Reactors Project, which includes a letter of interest from U.S. Export-Import Bank, EXIM Bank, for an amount up to USD 99 million, supported from EMP, Engineering Multiplier Program. U.S. Export-Import (sic) [ U.S. Export-Impact Bank ] and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation issued letters of interest of financial support up to USD 3 billion and respectively, $1 billion for development of this project. The national local body issued the official approval letter in August 2023 as a confirmation of the Licensing Basis Document compliance, meaning the compliance with the national regulatory requirements, which represent a key milestone in this project. And this will facilitate the implementation of the licensing process for all stages of the plant in Romania. Regarding the Tritium Removal Facility Project. Yes, next slide. This is, in fact, an installation that capture the tritium from the heavy water. This project is contributing to an improvement in operational performance and financial efficiency and increased protection of the population, staff and the environment. The company signed a contract in value of EUR 195 million for the completion of this facility with KHNP in June 2023. This is a Korean company with experience in the nuclear field. And also this year, through the General Meeting Shareholders' approval, this strategy was updated and the total estimated investment was updated to EUR 254 million, including the previous approval of EUR 195 million. Then to support, yes, the -- from KPI point of view, the radioactive emission were kept into the limits, very good results. Also for the fuel burn-up factor, we got very good results also. And you may notice also for the capacity factor that it's very good in this moment. And also for 2023, we have a very good factor. The presentation slide, it's end here. If you have questions, we are at your disposal.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Okay. If there are no questions for this conference call, thank you very much for joining in. Right after the presentation, those of you who have confirmed by email are going to receive both the presentation and the audio file. Of course, the presentation and the audio file and the transcript of the teleconference will be published on our website on the Investor Relations page. Thank you all very much. Have a good day.