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FY2002 Annual Report · SSE
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Contents

1 Chairman’s Statement
2 Chief Executive’s Statement 
5 Financial Statement 
9 Operating Statement 
14 Corporate Governance and

Social Responsibility Statement

19 Accounts
20 Group Profit and Loss Account
21 Balance Sheets
22 Group Cash Flow Statement

Notes to the Group Cash Flow Statement

24 Group Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses
Reconciliation of Movement in Shareholders’ Funds

25 Notes on the Accounts
43 Directors’ Biographies
44 Directors’ Responsibilities

Independent Auditors’ Report

45 Directors’ Report
46 Remuneration Report
50 Notice of Meeting
52 Shareholder Information

Front Cover:
Torr Achilty Hydro-Electric Power Station

Profit before tax up 7.4% to £597.2m 
Earnings per share up 7.5% to 54.7p 
Full-year dividend up 8% 
Dividend cover of 1.7 times 
Interest cover of 6.9 times 
Controllable costs reduced by 11% 

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Group turnover £m

Operating profit £m 

Adjusted earnings per share pence

Interest cover times

4,005.6

3,585.6

608.2

546.6

656.0

697.0

47.5

50.9

41.1

54.7

6.5

7.1

6.9

6.9

2,809.2

3,047.9

1999

2000

2001

2002

1999

2000

2001

2002

1999

2000

2001

2002

1999

2000

2001

2002

Compound Annual Growth Rate 10.0%

To aid comparison, financial information is, unless otherwise stated, before exceptional items (1999 only), the amortisation of goodwill and the impact of FRS 17 in 2001
and 2002.

 
We will continue to create value for shareholders by
running the business in a way which is safe, responsible,
customer focused and commercially aware.

Scottish and Southern Energy has delivered another year of
good financial and operational performance, through clear
focus on running our businesses well and identifying areas
where we can create additional value for shareholders.

cost savings. The net result is that we have one of the best
customer service records in Britain while continuing to be
at the leading edge of cost efficiency.

We have now exceeded the post-merger cost savings target
of £140m (itself increased from the original target of £90m)
and we are now targeting cost savings of at least £160m.

The credit for this exceptional performance goes, first and
foremost, to our employees. It is they who raise the quality
of customer service and achieve ever greater operational
improvements. The Board and I would like to thank them
most sincerely for their efforts.

During the year, James Martin stepped down from the
Board in order to pursue other interests and I would like
to thank him for his contribution to the development of
the generation business. Alistair Phillips-Davies joined
the Board on 1 January 2002 as Energy Supply Director,
which emphasises the importance we place on energy supply
in current markets.

Since Scottish and Southern Energy was created at the
end of 1998, the staff and the management team have
had outstanding leadership from Jim Forbes, the Chief
Executive. Jim intends to retire before the end of 2002,
having built a fully deserved reputation as one of the best
chief executives in the FTSE-100.

Among his many achievements, he has developed a
management team which has built up an excellent
track record, proving it is capable of meeting the many
challenges in our markets. Our overall strategy and the
way we do business has proved to be right for Scottish
and Southern Energy. We will build on this in the future.

Dr Bruce Farmer CBE
Chairman
23 May 2002

This is clear from our financial results for 2002. Profit
before tax and goodwill rose by 7.4% to £597.2m and
earnings per share increased by 7.5% to 54.7p. The Board
is therefore recommending a full-year dividend of 32.4p,
up from 30p the year before, an increase of 8%. The
full-year dividend is covered 1.7 times by earnings.

This exceeds our established dividend policy, which
committed to delivering at least 4% annual real dividend
growth to 31 March 2003 and sustained real growth
thereafter, until at least 31 March 2005 – while
maintaining dividend cover above 1.5 times. The 4% real
dividend growth target has now been extended until 2004.

We continue to maintain one of the strongest balance sheets
in the utility sector. This was recognised by the credit rating
agency Standard & Poor’s in October 2001, when it
increased our long-term credit rating to AA-, the first
upgrade of this kind for many years.

Our balance sheet strength means we have the full range
of options open to us to create further value for our
shareholders. We are in the position to pursue further
growth through merger or acquisition, if good value for
shareholders can be obtained. Alternatively, we can
continue to return value through the purchase of the
Group’s own shares if the conditions are right.

At the same time, because our strategy is not dependent on
mergers or acquisitions, shareholders can be confident that
our financial strength will not be undermined by any value
diminishing activity. We will continue to create value for
shareholders by running the business in a way which is safe,
responsible, customer focused and commercially aware.

For example, we continue to secure year-on-year
improvements in the quality of service delivered to customers,
as measured by Ofgem’s Guaranteed Standards and Overall
Standards, while securing year-on-year efficiencies and real

1 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

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Scottish and Southern Energy delivered a good
financial performance in the year to 31 March 2002,
and therefore added to the well-established track
record of good, consistent financial performance.

Scottish and Southern Energy is now clearly established as
a financially strong and operationally efficient Group which
is very well placed to extend its track record of growth in
earnings per share well into the future.

Strengths
This growth will continue to be founded on the Group’s core
strengths, which are:

■ maintaining a generation portfolio which is at the

leading edge in the UK in terms of its age, thermal
efficiency, fuel mix, environmental credentials and
capacity to operate flexibly within the New Electricity
Trading Arrangements (NETA);

developing further one of the largest and most efficient
energy supply businesses in the UK through the portfolio
of three strong regional brands: Southern Electric,
SWALEC and Scottish Hydro-Electric; 

building on world class efficiency in the management of
the electricity transmission and distribution networks; 

delivering a quality of service to customers well ahead
of the standards set by Ofgem;

and, in each of the above areas,

achieving year-on-year efficiencies which both improve
the quality of the Group’s operations and reduce costs.

These core strengths are complemented by the significant
progress being achieved by the Group’s other businesses,
such as the SSE Contracting Group, which is now one of
the biggest electrical contracting businesses in the UK,
and by SSE Telecom, which now manages one of the largest
private telecoms networks in the UK.

These strengths will stand Scottish and Southern Energy
in good stead in the years ahead, as the pace of change in
the energy sector accelerates and energy policy in the UK
develops following the publication of the Performance and
Innovation Unit’s report in early 2002.

Generation
During the year, Scottish and Southern Energy’s share of
UK electricity generated was around 10%. The period was
dominated by the introduction of NETA, low wholesale
electricity prices, high wholesale gas prices and the decision
by the government to set a target for 10% of all UK
generation to come from renewable sources by 2010.
The Group is able to perform well in these circumstances
for three key reasons.

First, the generation assets in which the Group has an
ownership or contractual interest are located throughout
the UK, comprise most types and size of plant, and can
operate at different levels in the merit order. For example,
in Keadby, Seabank and Peterhead, we have some of the
newest, most reliable and flexible gas-fired generation
plants in the world. These and other assets are able to
capitalise on our excellence in demand and generation
forecasting and perform flexibly and reliably in the
balancing market under NETA.

Second, the management of our generation assets is aligned
to the management of our supply business in order to secure
the margin between wholesale purchase costs and retail
sales price. In our view, it is currently better to be slightly
short on generation relative to the requirements of our
supply business so that we can capture electricity trading
benefits and prevent our plant becoming stranded assets
in an over-supplied generation market.

Third, Scottish and Southern Energy is the largest generator
of renewable energy in the UK, owning and operating
around half of the total capacity. The government’s
Renewables Obligation requires energy supply companies
to acquire a growing share of their energy from renewable
sources. It also provides an incentive to invest in renewable
energy as it effectively creates a premium of around 3p per
kilowatt hour for renewable electricity.

This has enabled us to embark on a £450m programme
of investment in renewable generation, including
refurbishment of hydro stations and the development
of wind farms and, possibly, new hydro stations. This

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2 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

 
 
■
■
■
■
Scottish and Southern Energy cannot and will not
lose sight of its fundamental purpose: the provision
of energy is an essential service.

investment will help our supply business to meet its own
renewable obligations and should help to deliver a healthy
return for shareholders.

Supply
The Group’s energy supply business has been built up over
time, by bringing together three of the strongest regional
brands in the UK – Southern Electric, SWALEC and Scottish
Hydro-Electric – and by developing affinity partnerships
with the RSPB, AIR MILES and Argos Premier Points.

The energy supply market in the UK is intensely
competitive, a fact confirmed by Ofgem’s decision to
remove all remaining supply price controls from April
2002. More people have switched their supplier in
electricity and gas than in any other comparable industry.
Our strategy is to maximise customer retention in the
‘home’ territories covered by Southern Electric, SWALEC
and Scottish Hydro-Electric and to acquire new domestic,
industrial and commercial customers throughout the UK.

Our supply brands have been relatively successful in
retaining customers in the face of expensive and aggressive
sales and marketing campaigns undertaken by competitors.
The Group has almost five million energy customers and
remains one of the leading energy supply businesses.
We will continue to focus on retention and cost effective
acquisition of customers, but not in an unprofitable or
unsustainable way. Going forward, the success of the supply
business will be founded on three key features.

First, we will continue to strive to secure efficiencies to
keep our ‘cost-to-serve’ at the lowest possible level. Second,
there will be a continuing emphasis on improving customer
service, including exceeding Ofgem’s Guaranteed Standards
and Overall Standards for customer service. Third, we will
seek to add value to our customers’ relationship with us by
broadening the Group’s offering to customers to include
services such as hienergyshop.co.uk, which offers
substantial discounts on domestic appliances. 

Power Systems
The Group manages over 123,000km of electricity network
across one third of the UK landmass. Since Scottish and

3 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Southern Energy was created in 1998, we have secured
clear cost reductions year-on-year through a continual focus
on consistent, streamlined processes and optimal working
practices. While cost reduction becomes more challenging
with each year that passes, we also become more
experienced and adept at it.

An important development has been the implementation,
from April 2002, of Ofgem’s Information and Incentives
Project (IIP) which incentivises companies to reduce the
number and duration of interruptions to electricity supplies.
IIP seeks to strike a balance between reducing costs while
delivering quality of service to customers. Companies which
do not meet these targets will face annual penalties of up to
1.75% of their revenue; companies which beat the targets
will be allowed to earn extra revenue based on how well
they improve standards during the next three years. We will
be targeting our capital expenditure and business procedures
so that additional revenue can be secured.

The next few years are set to see the development, by
Ofgem, of British Electricity Trading and Transmission
Arrangements (BETTA). We are not, in principle, opposed
to a more GB-wide approach for transmission access (and
trading arrangements) provided the transmission system in
Great Britain as a whole is upgraded to allow a genuinely
British solution – and provided the cost of that upgrading
is borne equally by all customers in Great Britain.

Service
The Group cannot and will not lose sight of its fundamental
purpose: the provision of energy is an essential service.
For this reason, we seek not only to achieve Ofgem’s
Guaranteed Standards and Overall Standards, but to exceed
them. To this end, a total of nearly £1bn has been invested
in the electricity network over the past five years.

We continue to make year-on-year improvements on key
measures and our networks in the north of Scotland and the
south of England are now better able to withstand severe
weather. Working practices are in place to minimise the
duration of those supply interruptions which do occur.

Scottish and Southern Energy’s confidence is reflected
in a further improvement in the dividend policy and we
will continue to focus on delivering real and sustained
dividend growth.

The future growth of the Group will be based on its core
strengths, which are well-established and which ensure it
is more than able to adapt to and capitalise on the many
changes which the energy sector will face in the years
ahead. The Board’s confidence is reflected in a further
improvement in the dividend policy and we will continue
to focus on delivering real and sustained dividend growth.

Jim Forbes
Chief Executive
23 May 2002

Since October 2001, all the Group’s energy customers have
been managed using one advanced customer service system,
enabling us to close four mainframe billing systems in just
18 months. All of this allows significant economies of scale
and optimal customer service, delivered from our four main
sites in Basingstoke, Cardiff, Perth and Portsmouth.

As part of our strategy to further improve service and grow
our e-commerce business, our three supply brand websites
and the corporate website were relaunched in 2001.
Existing customers can find a new customer service section
offering advice on meter reading, billing, moving home,
help for the elderly and disabled and safety and emergencies.
Prospective customers can use a ‘tariff calculator’ to work
out how much they can save by buying their electricity and
gas from us and, once they’ve decided to switch, they can
sign-up on line.

Opportunities
Scottish and Southern Energy has built its reputation
through the sound management of its business and a clear
focus on the importance of managing core activities well.
The development of other businesses such as the SSE
Contracting Group and SSE Telecom will also yield
further opportunities for earnings growth going forward.

The energy sector remains subject to significant change
and merger or acquisition opportunities continue to arise.
The Group continues to pursue opportunities that will
deliver value for shareholders. At the same time, it will
maintain its disciplined approach in this, and opportunities
in this area will continue to be measured against the
benefits of returning value to shareholders. Following
events in the energy sector in the US during the second half
of 2001, opportunities in the short-term are more likely to
arise in the UK.

4 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

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Scottish and Southern Energy achieved a 6.8% increase
in operating profit before goodwill, with profit growth
in Power Systems, Generation and Supply and in the
other businesses such as the SSE Contracting Group
and SSE Telecom.

Power Systems
Power Systems is the Group’s electricity transmission and
distribution business. In the year to 31 March 2002, its
operating profit increased by 2.5% to £304.1m, contributing
44.8% of the Group’s operating profit. This increase was
achieved despite the impact of the second year of the price
controls set by Ofgem.

Power Systems is able to achieve increased operating
profit through the year-on-year achievement of clear cost
reduction targets. In Scotland, a 14.3% reduction in
controllable costs, together with a 0.1% increase in units
distributed more than offset the price control impact and so
profits rose by 5.4%. In England, depreciation arising from
the continued network investment, and the increase
in local authority rates, was offset by the 16.6% reduction
in controllable costs and the 2.1% increase in units
distributed, giving a 0.8% rise in operating profit.

output and gas costs, reduced profits further. This was
partially offset by improved hydro generation output.

The Group has performed well under NETA. It has proved to
be one of the best in demand and generation forecasting and
capable of operating generation plant flexibly and reliably in
the balancing market. This success has contributed £25m to
the overall operating profit for Generation and Supply,
helping to offset the impact of higher gas costs and lower
retail sales volume.

SSE Contracting Group, SSE Telecom
and other businesses
Operating profit from other businesses, including the SSE
Contracting Group and SSE Telecom, increased by 51.4%
compared with the previous year, contributing an additional
£23.9m to overall operating profit. Other businesses
represented 10.4% of the Group’s overall operating profit.

This performance, combined with the investment made in
the electricity network, has reinforced the Group’s position
as the most efficient network operator in the UK and means
the Power Systems business is continuing to achieve a
return in excess of the notional 6.5% allowed by Ofgem
on the £2.5bn Regulated Asset Base.

The main increases were achieved in SSE Telecom, where
operating profit increased by over 75% and the SSE
Contracting Group, where operating profit increased by
over 20%. The new connections business also continues
to be successful.

Generation and Supply
In the year to 31 March 2002, operating profit in
Generation and Supply increased by 4% to £303.5m,
contributing 44.8% of the Group’s operating profit. 

Following the introduction of NETA, the generation
portfolio is now managed as one entity with the key
objective of maximising the Group’s overall profit. In
addition, following the successful integration of all the
customer databases onto a single IT system, the supply cost
base is now also managed as a whole. This means that it is
more meaningful to report profits on a GB-wide basis.

Within the Scottish market, margins have been under
pressure as the wholesale price in Scotland is fixed by
direct reference to the price in England and Wales. This
has also reduced profits from interconnector exports. In
addition, an adverse fuel mix, impacted by higher nuclear

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5 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Cost Savings
The Group secured an additional £25m of cost savings,
representing a further 11% reduction in controllable costs
in 2002. This takes the post-merger saving to £145m,
significantly exceeding the original target of £90m.
Cost savings in excess of £160m are now being targeted.

Group Capital Expenditure
Group investment and capital expenditure totalled £278.3m
during the year to 31 March 2002, a reduction of £26m
compared with the previous year, reflecting the completion
of the Peterhead repowering and Seabank 2 projects.

Interest
The net interest charge was £106.7m. The increase of
£4.9m from the previous year reflects the full-year impact
of the acquisition of SWALEC, offset by strong
improvement in cash flow. 

 
During the year, Scottish and Southern Energy reduced
net debt by £136.4m. It continues to have one of the
strongest balance sheets in the utility sector.

The average interest rate for the Group was 6.4%, down
from 6.5% in the previous year. Underlying interest cover
for the year was 6.9 times, the same as last year. 

Tax
The Group’s current effective tax rate was 22% compared
with 21.9% the year before.

FRS 19 has now been adopted on deferred tax liabilities.
As these liabilities are only a potential exposure, discounting
has been applied to reflect the long-term nature of the
Group’s assets, and this impacts on both the profit and loss
account and on the balance sheet. The tax charge is now
26.4% (26.1% in 2001), and an additional discounted
liability of £377.3m at 31 March 2002 has been recognised
on the balance sheet. 

Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) 17
FRS 17 involves a significant change to the measurement
and presentation of the pension scheme assets, liabilities
and costs. In order to maintain and enhance accounting
transparency, FRS 17 has been adopted in full for 2002,
with last year’s results restated as required.

In the profit and loss account there is a charge against
operating profit of £19m (£21m in 2001), reflecting
current service costs, but this is more than offset by
a credit in other income of £24.3m (£21m in 2001)
representing the expected return on the pension scheme
assets. The balance sheet reflects a pensions asset, after
deferred tax, of £64.4m (£175m in 2001).

Earnings per Share
The Group continues to focus on earnings per share before
goodwill and the impact of FRS 19. On this basis, earnings
per share increased by 7.5% to 54.7p. In the three years
since Scottish and Southern Energy was created earnings
per share have grown by 33%, a compound annual growth
rate of 10%. 

Dividend
The Board has recommended a final dividend of 22.7p
making a full-year dividend of 32.4p, up from 30p the year
before, an increase of 8%. This is significantly ahead of the

target of 4% real growth for 2001/02 and represents the
second successive year in which the target has been beaten.
Given the continued strength of the business and its growth
prospects, the dividend target has been revised. From this
higher base of 32.4p, the target dividend increase will
now be at least 4% above inflation for each of the two
years until March 2004. As previously, the Group is also
committed to continued real dividend growth in the year
to March 2005. The full-year dividend is covered 1.7 times
by earnings before the impact of FRS 19.

Cash Flow
During the year to 31March 2002, the Group reduced net
debt by £136.4m to £1,207.3m. This resulted from an
improvement in the net cash flow from operations of
£166.4m to £816.6m.

Balance Sheet
Scottish and Southern Energy continues to have one of
the strongest balance sheets in the utility sector. This was
recognised by the rating agency Standard & Poor’s in
October 2001, when it increased the Group’s long-term
credit rating to AA-, the first upgrade of this kind for
many years.

Shareholders’ funds stood at £1,706.1m as at 31 March
2002, compared with £1,656.2m the year before. The
comparison of net debt with shareholders’ funds gives
headline gearing for the Group of 70.8%, compared
with 81.1% in the year before.

Purchase of Own Shares
Each year the Directors seek authority from shareholders
to purchase, in the market, the company’s own shares,
as is permitted under the company’s Articles of Association.
Purchases are only made if the Directors expect them to
result in an increase in the Group’s earnings per share and
to be in the best interests of shareholders generally. All
shares purchased in this way are cancelled and the number
of issued shares is reduced accordingly.

During the year, the Group purchased 850,000 ordinary
shares of 50p each, representing 0.1% of the called-up
share capital of the company, at an aggregate consideration

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6 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

 
 
In December 2001, Scottish and Southern Energy
issued a £250m, 30-year bond at an interest rate
of 5.5%, at the time the lowest in the UK.

of £5.1m. The number of shares in issue at 31 March 2002
was 860,110,957. This is the third successive year in which
the Group has purchased shares in this way.

(renamed SSE Services plc) is now responsible for
providing shared services to the Group’s companies.

Financial Risk Management 
The Board reviews and agrees policies for the main areas
of financial risk the Group faces from its treasury activities,
including interest rates, liquidity and foreign currency. They
were most recently reviewed in September 2001. See also
‘Internal Control’ on page 15.

The Group’s operations are financed by a combination of
retained profits, bank borrowings, long-term loans and
commercial paper. As a matter of policy, a minimum of
50% of the Group’s interest rate exposure is kept at fixed
rates of interest, with the balance at floating rates.

Within this policy framework, the Group borrows as
required, at both fixed and floating rates, with interest rate
swaps and forward rate agreements being used to achieve
the desired profile. All borrowings in foreign currencies are
swapped back into Sterling.

At 31 March 2002, 86.8% of the Group’s borrowings were
at fixed rates, after taking account of interest rate swaps.

Business Separation and Transfer
In order to satisfy the requirements of the Utilities Act
2000, the Supply, Distribution and Transmission activities
of Scottish and Southern Energy plc and the Supply and
Distribution activities of Southern Electric plc were
separated and transferred into separate legal entities. In
addition, the Generation, Retail and Telecoms businesses
of Scottish and Southern Energy plc and the Telecoms
business of Southern Electric plc were transferred to new
legal entities.

The transfers were implemented through statutory transfer
schemes and intra-group transfers, and for accounting
purposes the transfer of the businesses took effect from
1 April 2001. The new Group structure has resulted in a
number of additional trading entities (as detailed in note
14, page 33) and Scottish and Southern Energy plc is now
an investment holding company. Southern Electric plc

7 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

The businesses were transferred together with any
associated external debt to the new entities in exchange for
the issue of loan stock and share capital. The majority of
external borrowings are now held by Scottish and Southern
Energy plc and Southern Electric Power Distribution plc
(the owner of the Southern Electric Distribution business).
These entities will be the principal vehicles for raising
external finance in the future. In addition, SSE Generation
Limited, Scottish Hydro-Electric Power Distribution
Limited and Scottish Hydro-Electric Transmission Limited
hold a proportion of the Group’s European Investment
Bank borrowings.

Borrowings and Facilities
In December 2001 Southern Electric Power Distribution
plc issued a £250m Sterling Eurobond maturing in 2032
at an interest rate of 5.5%, at the time the lowest in the
UK. Part of the proceeds were used to repay the Southern
Electric 10.25% Bond which matured in March 2002.
The Group’s £600m Revolving Credit Facility was
refinanced in March 2002 into a £500m Dual Tranche
Facility of 364-day and five year maturity. £180m of the
£280m Southern Electric Power Distribution plc facility
matured in October 2001 and the Group now has £600m
of committed credit facilities.

During the year a drawdown of £25m was made under the
Group’s facility with the European Investment Bank at a
fixed rate of 5.24% and maturity of 10 years.

The objective for the Group is to maintain a balance
between continuity of funding and flexibility with a range
of maturity dates. The Group’s funding activities during the
year mean that the Group’s average debt maturity profile
as at 31 March 2002 increased to 14.1 years compared
with eight for last year. This maturity profile reflects the
medium to long-term nature of the underlying assets of the
Group and puts the Group’s debt structure in an excellent
position going forward, with just under £1.1bn of
borrowings in medium to long-term funding in the form of
Sterling Eurobonds, European Investment Bank borrowings

Scottish and Southern Energy has increased earnings
per share by 33% in the three full financial years
since it was formed.

and the US Dollar Bond. Note 28 on page 41 shows that
14.7% of the Group’s total borrowings will mature in the
next 12 months.

The Group’s policy is to ensure it has committed borrowing
facilities of at least 110% of forecast borrowings over a 12
month period. This provides flexibility in the management
of the Group’s liquidity and a backstop for the commercial
paper programme. As at 31 March 2002, the Group had
undrawn committed bank facilities of £600m, with a
weighted average period, until maturity, of 2.9 years.

There is relatively little exposure to foreign currency risk as
the United Kingdom is the Group’s main area of operation.
If either fuel or plant are contracted in foreign currency,
it is the Group’s policy to hedge all material purchases
through the use of foreign currency swaps and forward
rate agreements.

Financial Summary 
To monitor financial performance Scottish and Southern
Energy focuses on earnings per share before goodwill and
the impact of FRS 19. In the year to 31 March 2002, it
increased by 7.5% to 54.7p. This represents another strong
performance and means that the Group has increased
earnings per share by 33% in the three full financial
years since it was formed. 

Over the same period, the Group has delivered consistent
growth in operating profits amounting to almost 30%.
This growth is combined with the maintenance of one of
the strongest balance sheets in the utility sector. As a
result, the Group has the means and the capability to
deliver further growth in the future and, in particular,
to deliver its revised dividend growth target.

8 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

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Scottish and Southern Energy invested a total of £158m
in the electricity networks during the year, building on
the £150m which was invested in the previous year.

Scottish and Southern Energy’s good financial performance
is founded on achieving operational excellence across all
activities. At all times, the Group aims to carry out its
business in a way which is safe, responsible, customer
focused and commercially aware.

Power Systems
Power Systems is responsible for managing one electricity
transmission network and two distribution networks,
serving 3.3 million customers. Its Regulated Asset Base
is just over £2.5bn.

Transmission and distribution of electricity within specified
areas is a monopoly activity and the income which each
business is able to earn by charging electricity customers
for the use of their wires is closely regulated and monitored
by Ofgem, as is the level of investment which is made in
electricity networks. Scottish and Southern Energy has
completed the second year of the price controls set for
the period up to 31 March 2005.

The price control review process is intended to allow
transmission and distribution businesses a sufficient return
to fund capital and operational expenditure, as well as
allowing a return to shareholders. The RPI-X formula used
in the process ensures that efficient companies achieve
better financial performance during the price control period.

Power Systems is able to achieve increased operating profit
through the year-on-year achievement of clear cost
reduction targets.

We have completed the second year of a five year
investment programme agreed with Ofgem. Investment is
focused on areas which benefit customers most. It is vital
to manage the growth in demand for electricity and ensure
the overall system is secure and the number of transient
faults experienced by customers is reduced.

invested in the electricity networks during the year, building
on the £150m which was invested in the previous year.

In England, the programme to upgrade and refurbish our
rural network continued during the year, with 1,081km
of our high voltage overhead lines refurbished. A total
of 574km of low voltage overhead lines in the south of
England were refurbished and a further 47km have been
replaced with aerial bundled conductor. This improves both
the visual impact of electricity supply and its reliability.
We have maintained a substantial programme of network
automation, with another 112 substations completed.
This allows faster restoration of supply for customers.
In Scotland, another 1,920km of high voltage rural
network has been refurbished, along with 240km of the
low voltage system. Our programme of network automation
saw 26 urban schemes and 340 rural schemes completed.

The English and Scottish networks were both subjected to
unusually adverse weather conditions in the course of the
year. In October 2001, the southern part of the Southern
Electric region was hit by storm-force winds and in January
2002 much of the Scottish Hydro-Electric region faced
its most severe storms for 20 years. In both cases, prompt
responses to early warnings about the severe weather, robust
contingency plans and swift implementation of those plans
through the rapid deployment of hundreds of engineers,
kept the interruptions to supply to an absolute minimum.
This is helped by our ability to deploy engineers from the
north to the south and vice versa as conditions demand.

Scottish and Southern Energy supported, and participated
fully in, the government’s study of the UK’s electricity
transmission and distribution systems’ resilience and
their ability to cope with extreme conditions. It identified
industry-leading practice in the Group’s integrated network
management centres which incorporate customer reporting,
resource dispatch and system control and also high in-house
capability across the range of skills.

Overall, our aim is to ensure the electricity network is as
robust as possible, able to withstand severe weather and
other interruption risks. Upgrading existing supplies and
automating our networks so that faults are restored as quickly
as possible are priorities. To this end, a total of £158m was

Power Systems’ connections business acquired a number
of private networks from the Ministry of Defence and
companies such as Sony, Estee Lauder, Kenwood and
British Telecom, which it is now operating and maintaining

9 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

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Scottish and Southern Energy is the largest generator
from renewable resources in Britain, and during the
year we announced plans to embark on a £450m
programme of investment in renewable energy.

as part of its network. We are also expanding the portfolio
of electricity networks we own and operate beyond our
existing network in areas such as London docklands,
Preston, Coventry and Newcastle.

Generation
Scottish and Southern Energy’s generation portfolio is
the youngest, most diverse, efficient and flexible of all
the major British generators. Because our generation assets
are valued for their contribution to our performance as
an energy supply company, their contribution is measured
entirely by their ability to control costs, enhance value
or minimise risk – all within the context of NETA. 

For this reason, the characteristics of the generation assets
– flexibility, reliability and diversity – are absolutely vital.
During the first 12 months of NETA, they have performed
well. Our approach is to extract maximum value from the
portfolio, but in doing so we operate plant well within its
engineering tolerances.

Seabank 2, the second phase of the combined cycle
gas turbine power station near Bristol, had its first full
year of commercial operation. Seabank Power Station,
a joint venture between Scottish and Southern Energy
and BG Group plc, now has a generation capacity of
1,140MW.

In keeping with the diverse nature of the Group’s generation
portfolio, a new 10MW power station has been developed
on the site of the former Wheldale Colliery near Castleford
in Yorkshire to generate electricity from coal mine methane.
There is a clear environmental benefit as untapped coal mine
methane has a global warming potential 23 times that of
CO2. Following the budget statement in April 2002,
electricity produced from this technology is set to be exempt
from the Climate Change Levy.

During the year, we built a 10MW gas-fired power plant at
our primary substation in Chippenham. Directly linked to
the local distribution system, the plant is specially designed
to operate flexibly and respond quickly to changes in
network conditions. 

Scottish and Southern Energy has over 300MW of
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant. Like other
developers of CHP, we currently find that the return from
new development is inadequate. During the year, our interest
in the Fellside CHP plant was sold to BNFL and the related
power purchase contract was re-structured. This did not
have a material impact on the Group’s results. Going
forward, it reduces the risk to the Group of both plant
failure and from gas supply markets.

Scottish and Southern Energy is the largest generator from
renewable resources in the UK, owning and operating
around half of the total renewable generation capacity,
and during the year we announced plans to embark on a
£450m programme of investment in renewable energy. This
comprises £250m to refurbish our hydro power stations and
£200m to develop over 200MW of new renewable energy.

In line with this, the refurbishment of the Invergarry, Aigas,
Orrin, Guar, Torr Achilty and Ceannacroc hydro power
stations, totalling around 100MW, is now under way.
Refurbishment extends the life of hydro power stations
by around 30 years and secures increases in output of
typically 6%.

Our first new hydro station for 40 years, Cuileig, is now
operational. At the same time, we have announced plans
for a £60m, 100MW windfarm in South Ayrshire and
have begun the process of consulting with the statutory
authorities and local representatives. We continue to look
for suitable sites throughout the UK where we can invest
in other new renewable projects.

Our first investment in wind energy, a 12MW wind farm at
Tangy on the Mull of Kintyre, will be operational before the
end of 2002. Contracts in respect of the development have
been let to Vestas-Celtic Wind Technology, and the site is
close to its Campbeltown factory. 

During the year, the Group signed its first international
power agreement, involving the sale of renewable energy to
Eirtricity, the largest supplier of ‘green’ energy in Ireland,
via the new Scotland-Ireland Moyle interconnector.

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10 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

 
 
Although competition for customers is intense,
Scottish and Southern Energy is not prepared to drop
its high standards in the drive to gain new customers.

Supply
Scottish and Southern Energy’s position as one of the
largest and most efficient suppliers of electricity and gas
in the UK has been confirmed by the successful integration
of the SWALEC energy supply business into the Group,
following its acquisition for £210m in August 2000. The
SWALEC brand complements the Southern Electric and
Scottish Hydro-Electric brands.

Despite intense competition, we have been relatively
successful in retaining customers and in acquiring new ones.
There was a slight downward trend in the overall number
of customers in the run up to the end of 2001. This has
been reversed since the start of 2002 with an increase
of over 50,000 customers following a variety of initiatives,
geared to minimising our customer losses and acquiring
new domestic, industrial and commercial customers.

The initiatives include a high profile sales campaign in the
SWALEC area in the first part of 2002, which confirmed
SWALEC’s ongoing presence in south Wales. This had
previously been emphasised in October 2001, when the
First Minister of Wales, Rhodri Morgan, opened Ty
Meridian, SWALEC’s new £11m, purpose-built, customer
service centre in Cardiff.

Our three supply brand websites and the corporate website
were relaunched during 2001, with new services for both
existing and prospective customers. There are links between
the corporate site, the supply sites and hienergyshop.co.uk.
The sites also have reciprocal links to our partners – RSPB,
AIR MILES and Argos. These affinity partnerships continue
to open up new markets for the sale of our energy products
or provide a means of rewarding the loyalty of our existing
customers. We now have over 150,000 customers registered
through these affinity partnerships.

the highest standards. A similar approach to basic good
practice means the Group will continue to focus on having
the lowest cost-to-serve of any energy supply company,
as well as competitive electricity purchasing costs, which
positions us well for future growth in this exceptionally
competitive market. 

NETA
The last financial year coincided almost exactly with the
first year of the New Electricity Trading Arrangements
(NETA) in England and Wales. Five factors are critical
to success under NETA: the ability to forecast accurately
demand for electricity; access to flexible generation plant;
the ability to actually run that plant flexibly; an
experienced energy trading team; and systems to enable
the efficient and active management of the NETA processes
(such as reporting systems capable of delivering customer
information to the forecasting team).

Scottish and Southern Energy has proved itself to be very
well-equipped to operate under NETA. In particular, our
flexible generation plant has given us a great ability to
increase or decrease power output, which is exactly what is
required to respond to rapidly changing trading conditions.
Moreover, the experienced energy trading team is skilled
in risk management. 

From an industry leading Energy Management Centre in
Perth, the team monitors trading conditions 24 hours a day,
365 days a year and aims to minimise the Group’s risk and
financial exposure in the new market. The centre combines
in one facility our 24-hour control room for power stations
and our real-time energy trading function. The purpose in
bringing the generation controllers and the energy trading
team together was to develop improved communication and
response times within the NETA environment. 

Although competition is intense, the Group is determined
not to drop its high standards in the drive to gain new
customers. The Group receives a much lower than average
number of complaints in respect of direct selling and
customer transfers, with the actual level of complaints
generally running at fewer than one per 1,000 energy
transfers. This is because our sales people are trained to

The centre allows Scottish and Southern Energy to
run its generation portfolio as a single unit and take
advantage of the opportunities in the day-ahead market.
It is geared to ensuring that we can react quickly to
market conditions and get the best from our energy
portfolio by matching demand forecasts with the flexibility
of our power stations.

11 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Customers rightly expect a supply of electricity to be
available with minimal interruptions, as a fundamental
part of their lives at both home and work.

As a result, the Group has been able to earn £25m in the
balancing market under NETA, from bidding plant into
the balancing mechanism and from redistribution of surplus
imbalance charges (penalties paid for not accurately
forecasting production of electricity, or consumption). This
has been achieved while minimising the Group’s risk and
financial exposure in the market.

Customer Service
The quality of supply which our customers experience is
one of the most important ways in which we measure our
success in managing the electricity distribution system.
Our customers rightly expect a supply of electricity to be
available with minimal interruptions, as a fundamental
part of their lives both at home and at work.

The Group is measured on customer service standards set
by Ofgem, both in terms of Guaranteed Standards (by which
we are obliged to make a penalty payment to customers if
we do not meet any of the standards) and Overall Standards
(for which Ofgem sets targets for minimum levels of service
to all customers in general).

Customer service standards are set for issues such as
restoring supplies, new connections and responding to
enquiries. The number of Guaranteed Standards failures
has once again fallen, to just four. Of the 10 different
Overall Standards, performance has in 2001/02, improved
or remained constant in all but two of the measured
standards. We have, therefore, one of the best customer
service records in the UK.

These achievements, year-on-year, are a tremendous tribute
to our staff, who constantly strive to find new ways of
improving the service we offer our customers. 

SSE Contracting Group, SSE Telecom
and other businesses
The SSE Contracting Group is one of the largest and most
successful contracting businesses in the UK, providing
everything from household wiring, domestic insulation
and heating systems to electrical installations for major
infrastructure projects and high specification environmental
systems for IT, pharmaceutical and manufacturing processes.

This is reflected in the diverse activities undertaken by the
SSE Contracting Group during the year. These ranged from
securing a £25m, five year contract from Hampshire County
Council to maintain 140,000 street lamps and road signs,
one of the largest and most prestigious lighting maintenance
contracts in the UK, to a contract to rewire completely
Sherborne Castle in Dorset, which was built by Sir Walter
Raleigh in 1594.

One of the businesses within the SSE Contracting Group,
Southern Electric Contracting, fought off national
competition to be named Principal Contractor of the
Year in the 2001 Electrical Industry Awards.

SSE Telecom manages one of the largest private telecoms
networks in the UK, with over 2,000km of fibre optic cable
installed on the Group’s own electricity infrastructure and
further links to London, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The business has around 100 major customers, comprising
all the mobile phone operators like Vodafone and T-Mobile;
other telecoms carriers; and major telecoms users such as
the emergency services, local councils and other public
sector organisations.

SSE Telecom offers two main groups of products: use of
the Group’s comprehensive telecoms system for network
services including dark fibre and managed bandwidth; and
use of the extensive property portfolio, including pylons,
for site services to the mobile phone operators. The latter
is an increasingly important asset that helps to bring the
benefits of modern telecommunications to all areas while
minimising the impact on environment and amenity.

The Group’s new connections business continues to be
successful. A major achievement was the signing in
November 2001 of a £20m electricity connection agreement
with BAA for Heathrow Airport Terminal Five. During the
year the business installed utility connections for a number
of Britain’s leading house builders.

SSE Pipelines is our licensed gas transporter business
which owns and operates gas mains and services throughout
Britain with thousands of domestic, commercial and

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12 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

 
 
The internet-based retail business, hienergyshop.co.uk,
offers over 1,500 domestic appliances at discounts of
up to 30% on high street prices and has enjoyed
considerable success.

industrial properties connected to its gas networks.
In this competitive marketplace, it connected in excess
of 4,000 properties to our gas mains in 2002. 

Our internet-based retail business, hienergyshop.co.uk,
offers over 1,500 domestic appliances at discounts of up
to 30% on high street prices and has enjoyed considerable
success. In its second year, it secured sales in excess of
£2.5m, well over double the previous year.

The 52 Scottish Hydro-Electric shops in the north of
Scotland were again profitable, through a strong focus on
increasing sales and keeping costs under control. These
shops continue to provide a presence in remote communities
in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. 

Our financial services subsidiary, Simple2, is evolving
to become a pension Application Service Provider (ASP).
It will concentrate on the development and marketing of
its pension administration solutions and technology for
the UK’s leading Independent Financial Advisors.

13 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Scottish and Southern Energy has continued its
commitment to high standards of corporate governance.

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Scottish and Southern Energy seeks to run its entire
business and maximise profits in a way which is
responsible, safe, customer focused and commercially
aware. These are the four core values which underlie
everything the Group does. Moreover, the Group aims to
conduct its business in an ethical manner that maintains
an appropriate balance between social, economic and
environmental issues.

In keeping with this, Scottish and Southern Energy
has continued its commitment to high standards of
corporate governance.

Combined Code
Throughout the year ended 31 March 2002 the Group
has complied with the provisions of the Combined Code
of Corporate Governance set out in the Listing Rules of the
Financial Services Authority. The Board acknowledges its
responsibility for ensuring that an adequate system of
internal control exists which accords with the requirement
of the Turnbull Committee guidance. More broadly, the
Board is mindful of the Association of British Insurers’
development guidelines on social responsibility and
recognises fully that the value of shareholders’ investments
could be affected by any failure to meet society’s reasonable
expectations. The Board’s approach to risk management
encompasses any possible exposure to these issues. 

Board of Directors
The Board consists of a non-Executive Chairman and five
non-Executive Directors who are considered to be fully
independent, and five Executive Directors, thus achieving
an appropriate balance of independence and experience.
The senior independent Director is the Deputy Chairman,
Ian Grant. Biographical details are shown on page 43.

Due to the complexity and regulated nature of the energy
sector, the Group, when appropriate, seeks to retain the
services of non-Executive Directors for periods longer than
may be the custom in other sectors, due to their experience
and knowledge.

This accumulated experience and knowledge, in turn, helps
the Board to discharge its duties in an effective manner.

14 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

There are also regular meetings, comprehensive information
systems and timely reporting procedures. All Directors
are required under the Articles of Association to stand for
re-election at least every three years. All of the non-Executive
Directors have been appointed for fixed terms.

The Board normally meets a minimum of nine times and
during the year all Directors attended all meetings.
It has specifically reserved to it powers in respect of areas
significant to the Group’s business. There is an agreed
procedure for Directors to be able to take independent
professional advice in the furtherance of their duties,
if necessary, at the Group’s expense.

Board Committees
The Board has established a number of committees,
the terms of reference of each having been approved
by the Board and which, where applicable, comply with
the Combined Code.

The Audit Committee, chaired by a non-Executive Director,
Sir Graeme Odgers, reviews the financial reports of the
Group and considers the results of the Auditor’s
examination of Group Accounts. It meets regularly with
management and with the internal and external auditors to
review the effectiveness of the Group’s systems of internal
control and business risk management on behalf of the
Board, and also receives reports on areas such as energy
trading and treasury. The chairman of the Audit Committee
reports to the Board on risk management and internal
control matters following each Audit Committee meeting.

The Remuneration Committee, chaired by Ian Grant, is
responsible for approving all aspects of Executive Directors’
remuneration, including bonuses and the granting of
incentives under the company’s schemes. The Board’s
Remuneration Report is set out on pages 46 to 49. 

The Nomination Committee is chaired by Bruce Farmer and
it meets when necessary to consider the composition and
balance of the Board and recommends suitable candidates
for appointment as Directors.

 
 
 
 
 
The Board has adopted a statement of ethical principles
which is intended to go right to the heart of the way
Scottish and Southern Energy goes about its business.

Internal Control
The Directors have overall responsibility for the Group’s
systems of internal control and risk management and for
monitoring their effectiveness. The purpose of these systems
is to manage, rather than eliminate, the risk of failure to
achieve business objectives, and provide reasonable
assurance as to the quality of management information and
to maintain proper control over the income, expenditure,
assets and liabilities of the Group.

No system of control can, however, provide absolute
assurance against material mis-statement or loss.
Accordingly, the Directors have regard to what controls,
in their judgement, are appropriate to the Group’s
businesses, to the materiality of the risks inherent in
these businesses, and to the relative costs and benefits of
implementing specific controls. The Board maintains an
ongoing process of identifying, evaluating and managing
the key commercial, financial and general risks to the
Group’s business. This process is regularly reviewed by
the Board and has been in place for the whole year.

Control is maintained through an organisational structure
with clearly defined responsibilities, authority levels and
lines of reporting; the appointment of suitably qualified
staff in specialised business areas; and continuing
investment in high quality information systems. These
methods of control are subject to periodical review as to
their implementation and continued suitability, and have
been in place throughout the year and up to the date of
approval of the accounts.

There are established procedures in place for regular
budgeting and reporting of financial information. The
Group performance is reviewed by the Executive Directors
and the Board. Reports include variance analysis and
projected forecasts for the year compared to approved
budgets and non-financial performance indicators.

There are Group policies in place covering a wide range
of issues such as financial authorisations, IT procedures,
health and safety and environmental risks. The business
risks associated with the Group’s operations are regularly
assessed by the Board and its Committees. There is an

15 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Energy Trading Risk Committee comprising four Executive
Directors, together with senior managers, which meets
regularly to review risks and authority levels in this key
area of the Group’s activities.

The effectiveness of the Group’s systems of internal control
is monitored by the Group’s internal audit department.
Their reports, which include where appropriate relevant
action plans, are distributed to senior managers and
Directors, and the findings are reviewed regularly by
the Audit Committee.

Against a background of concern about the extent of
non-audit work carried out for audit clients by leading
accountancy firms, the annual FTSE-100 Audit Fees survey
was featured in Financial Director magazine in January
2002. It showed that Scottish and Southern Energy had
the lowest ‘other fees to auditor’ of any FTSE-100 company.

Going Concern
The Directors consider that the Group has adequate
resources to continue in operational existence for the
foreseeable future. The accounts are therefore prepared
on a going concern basis.

Ethical Principles
The Board has adopted a statement of ethical principles
which is intended to go right to the heart of the way the
Group goes about its business. The statement commits
Scottish and Southern Energy to five key ethical principles:

seeking to meet the needs of, and contributing to the
welfare of, customers by supplying energy to them and
the communities it serves in a way which is reliable, safe
and represents value for money;

achieving the highest standards of health and safety
performance so that employees and contractors are
able to carry out their responsibilities in the safest
possible manner, reflecting the fact that safety will
never be compromised for business interests or
operational pressures;

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Scottish and Southern Energy’s Safety and
Environmental Manual has the status not just
of a policy but of a ‘work instruction’ – one with
which all staff must comply.

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prioritising and continually improving the environmental
performance of its activities;

investigated by, the Safety and Environment Committee
which is actively chaired by the Chief Executive.

enabling employees to derive the maximum possible
benefit from their employment with the Group, through
participation in its affairs, active encouragement of
share ownership and the maintenance of effective
policies on issues such as equal opportunities; and

taking proper account of the interests of the communities
in which Scottish and Southern Energy operates and
assisting in projects which fall within agreed criteria,
including the interests of young people, safety,
environment and energy efficiency.

The Group actively encourages best practice on the part
of contractors and suppliers through the evaluation of their
policies and approaches to health, safety and environment
issues. Their practices have to equal the Group’s standards
or they will not be employed. 

Customers
Because the core business of the Group is the provision of
an essential service, its first social responsibility must be
to provide that service in a way which is safe and reliable.
That is why there is such an emphasis on keeping the
number, and duration, of electricity supply interruptions
to an absolute minimum.

Safety
Scottish and Southern Energy aims to grow and
maximise profits in a way which is safe. Safety will not be
compromised for business interests or operational pressures.
The Group believes it is possible to operate in such a
way that no-one – staff, contractors or members of the
communities which we serve – suffers from its operations.

In line with that, the Group’s Safety and Environmental
Manual has the status not just of a policy but of a ‘work
instruction’ – one with which all staff must comply. At its
core is the belief that all injuries should be preventable.
The Group aims to provide staff with training, work
methods and equipment to achieve that goal. All injuries,
plant damage and near misses are reported to, and

The net result of this commitment to safety is that Scottish
and Southern Energy continues to lead Britain’s electricity
industry in safety. In the last year there have been just three
reportable injuries across the utility business. In the SSE
Contracting Group, there were 12 reportable injuries,
compared with 27 in the previous year. This is still too
many and the Group’s entire approach to safety is founded
on the belief that all injuries should be preventable.

Environment
Scottish and Southern Energy manages a wide range of
environmental issues. Significant and diverse aspects of the
Group’s business can have an impact upon the environment.
The emissions which arise from the use of fossil fuels in
power stations cause the main environmental impact.
Most significant is the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide
(CO2). Scottish and Southern Energy emits relatively little
of the acid rain gasses sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen
oxides (NOX) because of its gas-dominated fuel mix and
the contribution from renewables. During the year, CO2
emissions were 14 million tonnes, compared with 19
million tonnes in the previous year. 

‘Green’ energy also has an impact on the environment.
Disruption to fish migration is one example of this. For this
reason, hydro schemes are designed and operated to
minimise the impact upon fish, incorporating, for example,
fish passes, smolt screens on intakes, and passing
compensation flows to maintain water levels in rivers.

More generally, operating power stations and the power
systems network are recognised as priority areas and
formal environmental management systems have been
developed across the Group. The systems have five main
elements, based on the established management cycle of
(1) setting policy, (2) planning, (3) implementing and
operating, (4) checking and correcting and (5) reviewing. 

Nevertheless, policies themselves are not enough. As with
health and safety, the system exists to enable managers
to deliver the Group’s environmental policies through

16 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

 
 
 
 
 
 
■
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Of the 79 FTSE-100 companies participating in the
Business in the Environment Index, Scottish and
Southern Energy came fifth.

procedures and work instructions. It reflects an integrated,
Group-wide health and safety and environmental
management system.

Research and Development
Expenditure on research and development was £1.4m in
the year.

Scottish and Southern Energy also sets great store by its
relationships with key agencies such as English Nature, the
Environment Agency, the Scottish Environment Protection
Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage. The Group works
particularly closely with the Royal Society for the
Protection of Birds, with whom we have a partnership
agreement to market a no-premium green energy tariff,
under the brand RSPB Energy. This generates funds for 
the RSPB to invest in conservation through a land purchase
fund and an investment fund which is designed to encourage
new renewable generation into the market. The RSPB
also provides advice to the Group on a broad range of
environmental issues.

To benchmark activities, the Group participated in the
sixth Business in the Environment Index of Corporate
Environmental Engagement, the results of which were
announced in February 2002. Of the 79 FTSE-100
companies participating in the Index, Scottish and
Southern Energy came fifth.

Business in the Environment commented that our
performance scores were ‘outstanding’ and commended
our ability to ‘demonstrate performance improvement’
and ‘commitment to excellence’.

The Group had one environmental incident last year.
A corporate environmental impacts strategy has recently
been initiated, founded on the belief that our Environmental
Management System needs to be progressive to ensure
that risks to the business are limited and shareholder value
is enhanced.

Our lead Director for the environment, David Sigsworth,
has Board level responsibility for all environmental issues.

Scottish and Southern Energy produces an Environment
Annual Report which is available on our website at
www.scottish-southern.co.uk or from the address on
the back cover.

The Group pursues a range of research and development
programmes, particularly for increasing energy efficiency
and for energy management on the remoter parts of its
electricity network. It contributes to the research activities
managed by the Electricity Foundation and the Scottish
Energy and Environment Association. Generation research
includes a programme of fisheries work, thermal power
plant emissions and new energy conversion technology.

Employees 
Enabling employees to derive the maximum possible
benefit from their employment with the Group is one of
the principles which the Board has adopted. The Board
believes that this can be achieved through active
encouragement of share ownership, participation in the
Group’s affairs, and the maintenance of effective policies
on issues such as equal opportunities. 

To this end, the Group has a Joint Negotiating and
Co-ordinating Council, which has a consultative and
negotiating role. There are lay and full-time representatives
from five trade unions. Ownership of shares in the Group is
encouraged by means of a new share incentive plan which
enables staff to buy ‘partnership’ shares in the Group
(up to a limit of £125 a month) using pre-tax and national
insurance salary. The Group then matches the ‘partnership’
shares purchased, on a one-for-one basis, up to £30 per
month. Over 40% of eligible employees have already joined
this plan. In 2001/02, 3,574 staff participated in the
company’s Savings-related Share Option Scheme. 

Participation in the Group’s affairs is encouraged through
team meetings, briefing documents and an internal
magazine. During the year, employees were invited to
attend business development and financial results briefings.
Policies on such matters as Equal Opportunities and Health
and Safety are regularly communicated to staff.

It is Group policy, where possible, to provide employment
opportunities for disabled people. Staff who become

17 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Scottish and Southern Energy is mindful that
its first social responsibility is to maintain
supplies of electricity.

d
e
u
n
i
t
n
o
c

t
n
e
m
e
t
a
t
S
y
t
i
l
i
b
i
s
n
o
p
s
e
R

l
a
i
c
o
S
d
n
a

e
c
n
a
n
r
e
v
o
G
e
t
a
r
o
p
r
o
C

disabled are supported in continuing employment through
identification of suitable jobs and the provision of any
necessary re-training.

The Group directly employed 9,354 staff at the end
of March 2002, compared with 9,672 the year before.
There have been no compulsory redundancies, and staff
who have requested to leave the Group have been treated
with fairness and consideration. 

Communities
The Board also seeks to ensure that the Group takes
proper account of the interests of the communities in
which it operates by assisting projects which fall within
agreed criteria, including the interests of young people,
safety, the environment and energy efficiency. During
the year, the Group directly supported charitable and
community activities with donations totalling over
£300,000. No political donations were made.

Other initiatives include a partnership agreement,
announced at the end of 2001, between the Group and the
EAGA Partnership. This is an employee-owned company
administering public and private funding for programmes
aimed at eradicating fuel poverty and encouraging the use
of energy efficiency measures. The partnership will generate
a £1.4m investment programme for insulation measures to
be installed by EAGA in over 8,000 homes. The partnership
will also save around 45,000 tonnes of CO2 from being
released into the atmosphere. More details on this can
be found in the Environment Annual Report.

The Group is mindful that its first social responsibility is
to maintain supplies of electricity. This was perhaps best
illustrated during the year with the completion of a new
£250,000 2.4km submarine cable across Scapa Flow,
from Orphir to Graemsay, in Orkney, which has improved
significantly the security of supply to the 36 customers
on Graemsay.

For example, Scottish Hydro-Electric provided the funding
for a mobile drop-in project for young people in Perth.
SWALEC supported the Sketty Youth project in Swansea,
which operates a drop-in centre for young people. Southern
Electric supported Honeypot, which is dedicated to improving
the quality of life for severely disadvantaged children.

In addition, the Group is committed to raising £1m for the
NSPCC and Children 1ST by 2005.

The Group runs a Visitor Centre at Pitlochry hydro power
station in Perthshire and a Museum of Electricity in
Christchurch in Dorset. As well as providing a community
service, both sites provide free visits for schools to give
children the opportunity to learn about electricity. 

Under the third Ofgem Standards of Performance for
Energy Efficiency Scheme, which means energy suppliers
should help their customers save energy, the Group has
promoted the necessary number of energy efficiency
measures to achieve its target of 721.6GWh savings of
electricity and 219.4GWh of gas, through initiatives such
as home insulation projects and schemes promoting low
energy lighting.

18 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

 
 
 
 
 
 
s
t
n
u
o
c
c
A

Group Profit and Loss Account

for the year ended 31 March 2002

Turnover

Group and share of joint ventures
Less: share of joint ventures

Group turnover
Cost of sales

Gross profit
Distribution costs
Administrative costs

Operating profit
Group
Share of joint ventures
Share of associates

Total operating profit
Income from fixed asset investments
Net interest payable and similar charges

Group
Joint ventures
Associates

Other finance income

Profit on ordinary activities before taxation
Taxation

Profit on ordinary activities after taxation
Equity minority interests in subsidiary undertaking

Profit attributable to ordinary shareholders
Dividends
Retained profit for the financial year

Earnings per share (p)
– basic

– adjusted basic

– diluted

Note 

3

4

3

7

8

9

24

10
23

11

The above results are derived from continuing activities and there were no acquisitions during the year.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these accounts.

Total
2002
£m

4,056.5
50.9

4,005.6
(2,989.2)

1,016.4
(225.8)
(188.6)

602.0
28.8
35.7

666.5
1.6

(74.2)
(13.2)
(19.3)
24.3

585.7
(154.6)

431.1
0.5

431.6
(278.5)
153.1

50.3

54.7

50.2

Total
2001 
restated
£m

3,706.7
121.1

3,585.6
(2,611.1)

974.5
(223.8)
(184.5)

566.2
25.4
37.5

629.1
2.1

(67.7)
(11.8)
(22.3)
21.0

550.4
(143.8)

406.6
0.4

407.0
(257.0)
150.0

47.6

50.9

47.4

20 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Balance Sheets

as at 31 March 2002

Fixed Assets

Intangible assets
Tangible assets
Investments in subsidiaries
Investments in joint ventures
Share of gross assets
Share of gross liabilities

Investments in associates
Other investments

Current assets
Stocks
Debtors
Investments
Cash at bank and in hand

Creditors: amounts falling due

within one year

Net current (liabilities)/assets

Total assets less current liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due

after more than one year
Provisions for liabilities and charges

Deferred taxation
Other provisions

Net assets excluding pension asset/(liability)

Pension asset
Pension liability

Net Assets including pension asset/(liability)

Capital and reserves

Called up share capital
Share premium account
Capital redemption reserve
Profit and loss account

Total shareholders’ funds

Equity minority interests in subsidiary undertaking

Note

12
13
14

14
14
14

15
16
17

18

19

20
21

25
25

22
23
23
23

24

Group

Company

2002
£m

211.9
3,609.2
–

209.7
(19.3)

190.4
45.9
0.2

236.5

2001
restated
£m

223.4
3,525.9
–

263.8
(44.9)

218.9
47.2
0.2

266.3

4,057.6

4,015.6

54.6
577.0
23.7
25.0

680.3

1,153.7

(473.4)

3,584.2

36.2
672.3
31.3
27.3

767.1

1,621.7

(854.6)

3,161.0

2002
£m

–
–
832.1

–
–

–
–
–

832.1

832.1

–
2,987.1
–
1.9

2,989.0

1,693.7

1,295.3

2,127.4

1,392.4

1,134.4

684.0

427.3
122.6

401.7
143.0

–
–

1,641.9

1,481.9

1,443.4

79.8
(15.4)

175.0
–

79.8
–

1,706.3

1,656.9

1,523.2

430.1
60.9
11.3
1,203.8

1,706.1

0.2

429.3
48.3
10.9
1,167.7

1,656.2

0.7

430.1
60.9
11.3
1,020.9

1,523.2

–

1,706.3

1,656.9

1,523.2

2001
restated
£m

–
1,698.2
615.2

–
–

20.0
16.6
–

651.8

2,350.0

18.0
624.5
5.3
4.3

652.1

1,125.7

(473.6)

1,876.4

743.9

170.2
118.3

844.0

98.0
–

942.0

429.3
48.3
10.9
453.5

942.0

–

942.0

These Accounts were approved by the Board of Directors on 23 May 2002 and signed on their behalf by:

Ian Marchant, Finance Director

Bruce Farmer CBE, Chairman

21 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Note

(i)

(ii)

(iii)
(iv)

(v)
(vi)

2002
£m
816.6
16.1
(67.7)
(127.8)

637.2
(264.8)
20.0
(263.4)

129.0
7.6
(139.6)

(3.0)

2002
£m
(3.0)
147.0
(7.6)

136.4
(1,343.7)

(1,207.3)

2001
£m
650.2
10.1
(67.7)
(79.9)

512.7
(278.4)
(217.8)
(241.6)

(225.1)
15.6
227.1

17.6

2001
£m
17.6
(230.9)
(15.6)

(228.9)
(1,114.8)

(1,343.7)

As at
31 March
2002
£m
25.0
(0.7)
(184.6)

(160.3)
(1,070.7)
23.7

(1,207.3)

Group Cash Flow Statement

for the year ended 31 March 2002

Net cash inflow from operating activities
Dividends received from joint ventures and associates
Returns on investments and servicing of finance
Taxation

Free cash flow
Capital expenditure and financial investment
Acquisitions and disposals
Equity dividends paid

Net cash inflow/(outflow) before management of liquid resources and financing
Management of liquid resources
Financing

(Decrease)/increase cash in the year

Notes to the Group Cash Flow Statement

for the year ended 31 March 2002

Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt

(Decrease)/increase cash in the year
Cash outflow/(inflow) from decrease/(increase) in debt and lease financing
Cash (inflow) from decrease in liquid resources

Movement in net debt in the year
Net debt at 1 April

Net debt at 31 March

Analysis of net debt

Cash at bank and in hand
Overdrafts
Other debt due within one year

Net borrowings due within one year
Net borrowings due after more than one year
Current asset investments

Net debt

22 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

As at 
1 April 2001
£m
27.3
–
(600.7)

(573.4)
(801.6)
31.3

(1,343.7)

Decrease
in cash
£m
(2.3)
(0.7)
–

(3.0)
–
–

(3.0)

(Increase)/
decrease
in debt
£m
–
–
416.1

416.1
(269.1)
(7.6)

139.4

Notes to the Group Cash Flow Statement (continued)

for the year ended 31 March 2002

Reconciliation of operating profit to operating cash flows
Operating profit
FRS 17 pension charge (note 25)
Depreciation (note 13)
Amortisation of goodwill (note 12)
Customer contributions and capital grants released
(Profit) on disposal of tangible fixed assets
(Increase)/decrease in stocks
Decrease/(increase) in debtors
(Decrease)/increase in creditors
(Decrease) in provisions

(i) Net cash inflow from operating activities

Returns on investments and servicing of finance
Interest received
Interest paid
Dividends received from trade investment

(ii) Net cash outflow from returns on investments and servicing of finance

Capital expenditure and financial investment
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Sale of tangible fixed assets
Loans to associates
Loans repaid by associates
Loans repaid by/(to) joint venture
Customer contributions

(iii) Net cash outflow from capital expenditure and financial investment

Acquisitions and disposals
Purchase of subsidiary undertakings
Disposal of joint venture

(iv) Net cash inflow/(outflow) from acquisitions and disposals

Management of liquid resources
Decrease in short-term deposits

(v) Net cash inflow from management of liquid resources

Financing
Issue of ordinary share capital (note 22)
Repurchase of ordinary share capital for cancellation (note 22)
New long-term borrowings
New short-term borrowings
Repayment of short-term borrowings

(vi) Net cash (outflow)/inflow from financing

2002
£m

602.0
19.0
186.3
11.5 
(15.9)
(1.6)
(18.4)
95.7
(46.9)
(15.1)

816.6

19.6
(88.9)
1.6

(67.7)

(294.9)
10.1
(0.2)
5.3
9.9
5.0

(264.8)

–
20.0

20.0

7.6

7.6

12.5
(5.1)
269.1
184.6
(600.7)

(139.6)

2001
£m

566.2
21.0
173.0
5.9
(15.1)
(2.9)
6.9
(242.5)
161.6
(23.9)

650.2

28.2
(98.0)
2.1

(67.7)

(301.5)
2.3
–
14.6
(9.0)
15.2

(278.4)

(217.8)
–

(217.8)

15.6

15.6

7.5
(11.3)
147.8
600.7
(517.6)

227.1

23 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Group Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses

for the year ended 31 March 2002

Profit for the financial year 

Group
Share of joint ventures
Share of associates

Profit for the financial year

Actuarial loss recognised in respect of pension fund (note 25)

Total recognised gains and losses relating to the financial year

Prior year adjustment for implementation of FRS 19 – Deferred Tax 
Prior year adjustment for implementation of FRS 17 – Retirement Benefits

Total gains and losses recognised since last annual report

2002
£m

410.3
11.5
9.8

431.6

(110.6)

321.0

(351.7)
175.0

144.3

Reconciliation of Movement in Shareholders’ Funds

as at 31 March 2002

Total recognised gains and losses relating to the financial year
Dividends

Retained profit for the year
New share capital subscribed
Premium on issue of shares to QUEST
Contribution to QUEST
Repurchase of ordinary share capital for cancellation (note 22)

Net addition to shareholders’ funds
Opening shareholders’ funds

Closing shareholders’ funds

Group

Company

2002
£m
321.0
(278.5)

42.5
12.6
1.2
(1.3)
(5.1)

49.9
1,656.2

1,706.1

2001
restated
£m
335.0
(257.0)

78.0
8.2
8.0
(8.7)
(11.3)

74.2
1,582.0

1,656.2

2002
£m
852.3
(278.5)

573.8
12.6
1.2
(1.3)
(5.1)

581.2 
942.0

1,523.2

2001
restated
£m

389.5
9.2
8.3

407.0

(72.0)

335.0

2001
restated
£m
246.4
(257.0)

(10.6)
8.2
8.0
(8.7)
(11.3)

(14.4)
956.4

942.0

Opening Group shareholders’ funds at 1 April 2000 were originally £1,663.7m before a prior year reduction of £81.7m through the
creation of a pension asset of £247m and an increased deferred tax liability of £328.7m (note 2).

Opening Company Shareholders’ Funds at 1 April 2000 were originally £986.3m before a prior year reduction of £29.9m through the
creation of a pension asset of £129.5m and an increased deferred tax liability of £159.4m.

24 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Notes on the Accounts

for the year ended 31 March 2002

1. Principal accounting policies

Basis of accounting
The Accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and comply with all applicable United Kingdom accounting
standards including the requirements of two new Financial Reporting Standards: FRS 18 – Accounting Policies; and FRS 19 –
Deferred Tax and the early full adoption of FRS 17 – Retirement Benefits. The principal accounting policies are summarised below
and have been applied consistently. There have been no significant changes to the Group’s accounting policies other than those required
by FRS 17 and 19 , the impact of which is summarised in note 2.

Utilities Act
In accordance with the provisions of the Utilities Act 2000, the Scottish and Southern Energy Group and the company underwent a
major reorganisation on 1 April 2001 which significantly altered the activities carried out by the company. In particular, the businesses
of the Supply, Generation and Distribution of electricity were transferred to SSE Energy Supply Limited, SSE Generation Limited and
Scottish Hydro-Electric Power Distribution Limited with Scottish and Southern Energy plc now primarily the holding company of the
Group. The main purpose of this reorganisation was to provide increased transparency and autonomy for regulated businesses and
increased consistency with regulatory reporting. Under the transfer schemes approved under the Utilities Act, the company transferred
the assets and liabilities associated with the relevant activities at net book value in exchange for share capital, internal loans and the
allocation of retained profit. The notes to several balance sheet items have been amended to highlight the impact of these transfers.

Basis of consolidation
The Group Accounts consolidate the Accounts of Scottish and Southern Energy plc and its subsidiary undertakings together with the
Group’s share of the results and net assets of its joint ventures and associates.

The results of subsidiary undertakings acquired or sold are consolidated from the date of acquisition, or when control passed, using the
acquisition method of accounting. The Group’s share of the results of joint ventures and associates are included using the equity method
of accounting.

Turnover
Turnover comprises sales of energy, including monies received from the balancing market in England and Wales, and the value of goods,
services and facilities provided during the year. Turnover includes an estimate of the value of electricity and gas supplied to customers
between the date of the last meter reading and the year end.

Recognition of profits on contracts
Profit is taken on long-term contracts whilst the contract is in progress having regard to the proportion of the total contract which has
been completed at the balance sheet date. Provision is made for all foreseeable losses.

Research and development
Expenditure on research and development is charged to the profit and loss account as incurred.

Pensions
Pension scheme assets are measured using market values. Pension scheme liabilities are measured using the projected unit actuarial
method and are discounted at the current rate of return on a high quality corporate bond of equivalent term and currency to the
liability. Any increase in the present value of liabilities within the Group’s defined benefit pension schemes expected to arise from
employee service in the period is charged to operating profit. The expected return on the schemes’ assets and the increase during the
period in the present value of the schemes’ liabilities arising from the passage of time are included in other finance income. Actuarial
gains and losses are recognised in the consolidated statement of total recognised gains and losses. Pension scheme surpluses, to the
extent that they are considered recoverable, or deficits are recognised in full and presented on the face of the balance sheet net of
related deferred tax (note 25).

The Group also operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Group in
an independently administered fund. The amounts charged against profits represent the contributions payable to the scheme in the year
(note 25).

Derivatives and financial instruments
The Group uses a range of derivative financial instruments to reduce its exposure to interest rate movements. The Group does not hold
derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes. 

Interest rate swap agreements, used to manage the Group’s interest charge, are carried at cost. Interest receipts and payments are
accrued to match the net income or cost with the related finance expense. No amounts are recognised in respect of future periods.
Gains and losses on early termination of interest rate swaps or repayment of borrowings are taken to the profit and loss account.

25 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Notes on the Accounts continued

for the year ended 31 March 2002

1. Principal accounting policies continued

Interest
Interest on the funding attributable to major capital projects is capitalised during the period of construction and written off as part
of the total cost over the operational life of the asset. The issue costs and interest payable on bonds are charged to the profit and loss
account at a constant rate over the life of the bond. All other interest payable and receivable is reflected in the profit and loss account
as it arises.

Depreciation of tangible fixed assets
Heritable and freehold land is not depreciated.

The Group is obliged under the Reservoirs Act 1975 to maintain its hydro infrastructure network, including its dams, tunnels and other
hydro civil engineering structures. This network is considered to have an indefinite life and is maintained in good repair. Expenditure
to maintain the hydro generation infrastructure is dealt with under a renewals accounting approach, and the annualised planned
expenditure to maintain the operating capacity of this infrastructure is treated and charged as depreciation to the profit and loss
account. The actual maintenance expenditure incurred is capitalised. Cyclical maintenance on hydro civil assets of a longer life nature
is capitalised and depreciated over the anticipated useful life of the refurbishment.

Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets to write off cost, less residual values, on a straight line basis over their estimated
operational lives. The estimated operational lives are as follows:

Power stations
Overhead lines
Other transmission and distribution buildings, plant and equipment
Shop refurbishment, fixtures, equipment, vehicles and mobile plant

Years
20 to 60
40 to 80
10 to 45
3 to 10

Leased assets
Rentals payable under operating leases are charged to the profit and loss account on a straight line basis over the lease term.

Stocks and work in progress
Stocks are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value. The valuation of work in progress is based on the cost of labour, plus
appropriate overheads and the cost of materials. Progress invoices are deducted in arriving at the amounts stated.

Taxation
Deferred tax is recognised in respect of all timing differences which have originated but not reversed at the balance sheet date, subject
to certain exceptions. Previously deferred tax was provided for in respect of timing differences to the extent that it was probable that a
liability would crystallise in the foreseeable future. As permitted by FRS 19, deferred tax is calculated on a discounted basis and the net
present value of the deferred tax liability is reflected in the accounts. Comparative figures have been restated as required (note 2).

Customer contributions and capital grants
Customer contributions, with the exception of those received for the contestable part of new connections work, and capital grants are
recorded as deferred income and released to the profit and loss account over the estimated life used in calculating contributions.

Goodwill
From 1 April 1998, any purchased goodwill is capitalised and amortised on a straight line basis to the profit and loss account, normally
over a period of up to 20 years from the date of acquisition.

Goodwill arising on acquisitions purchased prior to 1 April 1998 was written off to reserves in accordance with the accounting standard
then in force. As permitted by FRS 10 – Goodwill and Intangible Assets, the goodwill previously written off to reserves has not been
reinstated in the balance sheet. On disposal or closure of a previously acquired business, any attributable goodwill will be included in
determining the profit or loss on disposal.

26 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

2. Accounting policy changes
FRS 17 – Retirement Benefits has been applied in preparing these accounts and involves a significant change to the measurement
and presentation of pension scheme assets, liabilities and costs. FRS 19 – Deferred Tax, including the option to discount, has also
been applied. The effect of these changes on the Group’s profit and loss account and balance sheet is as follows with comparative
figures restated as required:

Profit attributable to shareholders

Impact of FRS 17

Increased charge to operating profit
Increased finance income

Net increase in profit

Impact of FRS 19 

Increased tax charge

Total net profit decrease

As previously reported

As restated

Net assets as at 31 March 2001

Impact of FRS 17

Creation of pension asset
Deferred tax thereon

Net pension asset

Impact of FRS 19 

Increase in provision for deferred tax

Reduction in net assets
As previously reported

As restated

31 March
2002
£m

31 March
2001
£m

(19.0)
24.3

5.3

(25.6)

(20.3)

Group
As at
31 March
2001

250.0
(75.0)

175.0

(21.0)
21.0

–

(23.0)

(23.0)

430.0

407.0

Company
As at
31 March
2001

140.0
(42.0)

98.0

(351.7)

(172.6)

(176.7)
1,833.6

1,656.9

(74.6)
1,016.6

942.0

3. Turnover and profit analysis
All turnover and profit before taxation arise from operations within Great Britain.

The Group’s principal business is the generation, distribution and supply of electricity and sale of gas in Great Britain and the
transmission of electricity in the north of Scotland. Analysis of turnover, operating profit and net assets by activity is provided below:

Turnover

Power Systems

Scotland
England and Wales

Generation and Supply

Other Businesses

Total turnover

Internal turnover

External turnover

2002
£m

243.2
363.8

607.0

3,430.4

566.6

2001
£m

225.5
367.2

592.7

3,080.6

387.6

2002
£m

186.4
190.5

376.9

3.5

218.0

2001
£m

180.5
226.7

407.2

–

68.1

2002
£m

56.8
173.3

230.1

3,426.9

348.6

2001
£m

45.0
140.5

185.5

3,080.6

319.5

4,604.0

4,060.9

598.4

475.3

4,005.6

3,585.6

27 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Notes on the Accounts continued

for the year ended 31 March 2002

3. Turnover and profit analysis continued
Operating profit and net assets/(liabilities)

Power Systems

Scotland
England and Wales

Generation and Supply

Other Businesses 

Unallocated borrowings
Unallocated net liabilities 

*See note 1.

Operating profit

Net assets/(liabilities)

2002
£m

117.0
187.1

304.1

292.1

70.3

666.5
–
–

666.5

2001
restated
£m

111.0
185.7

296.7

286.1

46.3

629.1
–
–

629.1

2002*
£m

122.7
89.9

212.6

476.1

1,883.6

2,572.3
(628.4)
(237.8)

1,706.1

2001
restated
£m

704.5
1,156.5

1,861.0

1,590.5

70.1

3,521.6
(1,402.3)
(463.1)

1,656.2

The total operating profits relating to joint ventures of £28.8m (2001 – £25.4m) and associates of £35.7m (2001 – £37.5m) are
included in Generation and Supply.

Income and costs have been allocated specifically to the activity to which they relate wherever possible. Certain costs have been
apportioned or recharged between businesses. Unallocated net liabilities include corporate items such as taxation, dividends,
investments and the net pension assets.

4. Operating profit
Operating profit is arrived at after charging/(crediting): 

Depreciation of tangible fixed assets (note 13)
Operating lease rentals
Amortisation of goodwill (note 12)
Release of deferred income in relation to customer contributions and capital grants
Research and development
Auditors’ remuneration – audit services

2002
£m
186.3
5.0
11.5
(15.9)
1.4
0.2

Audit fees include £0.1m (2001 – £0.1m) payable in respect of the Company. Non-audit fees payable to KPMG Audit Plc and
its associates amounted to £0.07m (2001 – £0.03m), principally for accounting advice with regard to the Utilities Act 2000.

5. Staff costs and numbers

Staff costs:

Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs

Less charged as capital expenditure

28 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

2002
£m

228.3
18.4
21.3

268.0
(46.6)

221.4

2001
£m
173.0
7.4
5.9
(15.1)
1.3
0.2

2001 
restated
£m

225.6
18.7
23.5

267.8
(43.1)

224.7

5. Staff costs and numbers continued 

Numbers employed at 31 March

2002
Number
9,354

The monthly average number of people employed by the Group (including Executive Directors) during the year was:

Power Systems
Generation and Supply
Other businesses and corporate services

2002
Number
2,308
2,484
4,453

9,245

2001 
Number
9,672

2001 
restated
Number
2,391
2,154
4,889

9,434

6. Directors’ remuneration and interests
Information concerning Directors’ remuneration, shareholdings, options, long-term incentive schemes and pensions is shown in the
Remuneration Report on pages 46 to 49. No Director had, during or at the end of the year, any material interest in any contract of
significance in relation to the Group’s business.

7. Net interest payable

Interest receivable:

Interest from short-term deposits
Other interest receivable

Interest payable and similar charges:

Bank loans and overdrafts
Other loans
Other financing charges
Amortisation of discount

Interest capitalised

Group

Joint Ventures

Associates

2002
£m

2.1
15.2

17.3

31.3
51.5
2.0
6.9

91.7
(0.2)

91.5

2001
£m

0.7
23.3

24.0

37.3
47.6
3.5
9.0

97.4
(5.7)

91.7

2002
£m

–
0.7

0.7

–
13.9
–
–

13.9
–

13.9

2001
£m

–
0.6

0.6

–
12.4
–
–

12.4
–

12.4

2002
£m

–
2.0

2.0

19.9
1.4
–
–

21.3
–

21.3

2001
£m

–
2.3

2.3

22.0
2.6
–
–

24.6
–

24.6

Net interest payable

74.2

67.7

13.2

11.8

19.3

22.3

8. Other finance income

Expected return on pension scheme assets
Less: finance income on restricted surplus

Interest on pension scheme liabilities

See note 25.

29 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

2002
£m
124.5
(14.8)

109.7
(85.4)

24.3

2001
£m
141.3
(37.5)

103.8
(82.8)

21.0

Notes on the Accounts continued

for the year ended 31 March 2002

9. Taxation
Analysis of charge in the year

Current tax:

UK Corporation tax on profits of the year
Adjustments in respect of previous years
Joint ventures
Associates

Total current tax

Deferred tax:

Origination and reversal of timing differences
Increase in discount

Total deferred tax

Tax on profit on ordinary activities

Tax on group profit on ordinary activities at standard UK corporation tax rate of 30% (2001 – 30%)
Effects of:

Expenses not deductible for tax purposes
Capital allowances in excess of depreciation
Utilisation of tax losses
Other timing differences
Adjustments to tax charge in respect of previous periods

Group current tax charge for the period

10. Dividends

Dividends on ordinary shares
Interim of 9.7p (2001 – 9.0p)

Proposed final of 22.7p (2001 – 21.0p)

11. Earnings per share

Basic
Adjusted for:

amortisation of goodwill
deferred tax

Adjusted basic

Diluted

2002
Earnings
£m
431.6

11.5
25.6

468.7

431.6

2001
Earnings
restated
£m
407.0

5.9
23.0

435.9

407.0

The adjusted figures are before amortisation of goodwill and the incremental charge for deferred tax.

30 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

2002
£m

143.4
(24.8)
4.1
6.3

129.0

28.1
(2.5)

25.6

2001
restated
£m

116.5 
(17.0) 
4.4 
6.9 

110.8

38.9
(5.9)

33.0

154.6

143.8

2002
£m
175.7

5.7
(19.1)
–
(8.5)
(24.8)

129.0

2002
£m

83.7

194.8

278.5

2002
Earnings
pence per
share
50.3

1.3
3.1

54.7

50.2

2001
£m
165.1

2.4
(32.8)
(6.4)
(0.5)
(17.0)

110.8

2001
£m

77.3

179.7

257.0

2001
restated
Earnings
pence per
share
47.6

0.7
2.6

50.9

47.4

2001
Number of
shares
(millions)
855.9
2.6

858.5

Goodwill on 
acquisition
£m

229.4

6.0
11.5

17.5

211.9

223.4

Total
£m

5,306.4
278.1
(24.9)

5,559.6

1,780.5
186.3
(16.4)

1,950.4

3,609.2

3,525.9

11. Earnings per share continued
The weighted average number of shares used in each calculation is as follows:

2002
Number of
shares 
(millions)
857.4
2.2

859.6

Generation
assets
£m

Other land
and buildings
£m

1,542.6
67.0
(6.0)

1,603.6

399.5
48.6
(1.2)

446.9

1,156.7

1,143.1

77.5
6.0
(4.6)

78.9

16.3
1.7
(2.2)

15.8

63.1

61.2

Network
assets
£m

3,441.7
193.7
(1.5)

3,633.9

1,194.4
104.1
(0.9)

1,297.6

2,336.3

2,247.3

Vehicles and
miscellaneous
equipment
£m

244.6
11.4
(12.8)

243.2

170.3
31.9
(12.1)

190.1

53.1

74.3

For basic and adjusted earnings per share
Effect of exercise of share options

For diluted earnings per share

12. Intangible fixed assets
Group

Cost:

At 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2002

Amortisation:

At 1 April 2001
Charge for the year

At 31 March 2002

Net book value:

At 31 March 2002

At 31 March 2001

13. Tangible fixed assets
Group

Cost:

At 1 April 2001
Additions
Disposals

At 31 March 2002

Depreciation:

At 1 April 2001
Charge for the year
Disposals

At 31 March 2002

Net book value

At 31 March 2002

At 31 March 2001

31 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Notes on the Accounts continued

for the year ended 31 March 2002

13. Tangible fixed assets continued
Company

Cost:

At 1 April 2001
Transfers (note 1)
At 31 March 2002

Depreciation:

At 1 April 2001
Transfers (note 1)
At 31 March 2002

Net book value:

At 31 March 2002

At 31 March 2001

Generation
assets
£m

Other land
and buildings
£m

1,101.1
(1,101.1)
–

326.0
(326.0)
–

–

775.1

44.4
(44.4)
–

2.8
(2.8)
–

–

41.6

Network
assets
£m

1,281.1
(1,281.1)
–

429.4
(429.4)
–

–

851.7

Vehicles and
miscellaneous
equipment
£m

70.7
(70.7)
–

40.9
(40.9)
–

–

29.8

Total
£m

2,497.3
(2,497.3)
–

799.1
(799.1)
–

–

1,698.2

Land is predominantly heritable or freehold. The net book value of other land and buildings includes freehold £22m (2001 – £18.4m),
long leasehold nil (2001 – £0.5m) and short leasehold £0.7m (2001 – £0.6m). Generation assets comprise generating stations and
related plant and machinery and include all hydro civil assets.

Cumulative interest capitalised for the Group, included in the cost of tangible fixed assets amounts to £16.1m (2001 – £15.9m).
The equivalent amount for the company is £nil (2001 – £15.9m).

Assets in the course of construction

Group

Company

2002
£m
33.1

2001
£m
38.4

2002
£m
–

2001
£m
24.2

14. Fixed asset investments
Group

At 1 April
2001
£m
20.5
26.7

Investment in associates
Loans to associates 

47.2
Investment in joint ventures 62.3
156.6
Loans to joint ventures
0.2
Other investments

266.3

Company

Investment in subsidiary undertakings
Loans to associates
Investment in joint ventures

Additions
£m
–
0.2

0.2
–
–
–

0.2

At 1 April
2001
£m
615.2
16.6
20.0

651.8

Disposals
£m
–
–

–
(20.0)
–
–

(20.0)

Transfer
Note 1
£m
216.9
(16.6)
–

200.3

Repayment
£m
–
(5.3)

(5.3)
–
(9.9)
–

(15.2)

Additions
£m
–
–
–

–

Dividends
received
£m
(6.0)
–

(6.0)
(10.1)
–
–

(16.1)

Disposals
£m
–
–
(20.0)

(20.0)

Group share of
post tax profits
£m
9.8
–

9.8
11.5
–
–

21.3

Repayment
£m
–
–
–

At 31 March
2002
£m
24.3
21.6

45.9
43.7
146.7
0.2

236.5

At 31 March
2002
£m
832.1
–
–

–

832.1

32 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

14. Fixed asset investments continued
Details of the principal subsidiary undertakings, joint ventures and associates are as follows:

Country of 
incorporation

Holding
%

Principal activity

Subsidiary undertakings
SSE Services plc
SSE Energy Supply Limited
Scottish Hydro-Electric Transmission Limited
Scottish Hydro-Electric Power Distribution Limited
Southern Electric Power Distribution plc
Southern Electric Gas Limited
SSE Retail Limited
SSE Telecommunications Limited
Southern Electric Contracting Limited (iv)
Thermal Transfer Limited (iv)
SSE Utility Services plc (iii)
SSE Generation Limited
SSE Insurance Limited
Simple2 Limited

England
Wales
Scotland
Scotland
England
England
Scotland
Scotland
England
Scotland
England
England
Isle of Man
England

100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
80

IT, finance and customer services
Electricity supply
Transmission of electricity
Distribution of electricity
Distribution of electricity
Gas supply
Electrical appliance sales and servicing
Telecommunication services
Electrical contractor
Environmental engineering
Utility contractor
Electricity generation
Insurance services
Financial Services

Joint venture

Seabank Power Limited (ii)

England

50

Electricity generation

Associates

Scottish Electricity Settlements Limited
Barking Power Limited (i)
Medway Power Limited (i)
Derwent Co-generation Limited (i)

Scotland
England
England
England

50
22
37.5
49.5

Electricity trading systems and supply
Electricity generation
Electricity generation
Electricity generation

The above companies’ shares consist of ordinary shares only. All companies operate in Great Britain except for SSE Insurance Limited
which operates in the Isle of Man. Seabank Power Limited and Medway Power Limited have accounting periods ending on 31 December.
All other companies of the Group have accounting periods ending on 31 March.

(i) Shares held by SSE Generation Limited.

(ii) Shares held by SSE Seabank Investments Limited.

(iii) Shares held by Southern Electric Contracting Limited.

(iv) Shares held by SSE Contracting Limited.

33 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Notes on the Accounts continued

for the year ended 31 March 2002

15. Stocks

Fuel and consumables
Work in progress
Goods for resale

16. Debtors 

Amounts falling due within one year:

Trade debtors
Amounts owed by subsidiary undertakings
Amounts owed by joint ventures and associates
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income

Amounts falling due after more than one year:

Prepayments and accrued income
Amounts owned by subsidiary undertakings

17. Current asset investments

Listed investments
Short-term deposits

2002
£m
36.7
15.1
2.8

54.6

2002
£m

344.9
–
0.3
49.7
181.2

576.1

0.9
–

577.0

2002
£m
10.2
13.5

23.7

Group

Company

2001
£m
20.1
13.0
3.1

36.2

2002
£m
–
–
–

–

Group

Company

2001
£m

364.6
–
1.1
39.8
264.5

670.0

2.3
–

672.3

2002
£m

–
276.1
–
189.7
–

465.8

–
2,521.3

2,987.1

Group

Company

2001
£m
13.2
18.1

31.3

2002
£m
–
–

–

2001
£m
14.9
–
3.1

18.0

2001
restated
£m

146.9
416.0
–
13.2
48.4

624.5

–
–

624.5

2001
£m
–
5.3

5.3

The market value of the listed investments at 31 March 2002 and 31 March 2001 is not materially different from their cost. Of these
listed investments, £0.4m (2001 – £1.1m) are subject to the terms of a Trust Deed as security for payment of liabilities due under a
reinsurance treaty.

18. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Group

Company

2002
£m
0.7
184.6
19.5
404.4
–
–
105.9
29.8
85.9
128.1
194.8

2001
£m
–
600.7
16.7
487.8
–
15.1
112.8
13.0
49.3
146.6
179.7

1,153.7

1,621.7

2002
£m
–
184.6
–
–
1,268.0
–
37.1
–
9.2
–
194.8

1,693.7

2001
£m
–
450.8
–
222.6
118.2
14.1
39.8
1.8
36.1
62.6
179.7

1,125.7

Bank overdrafts
Other short-term loans
Payments received in advance
Trade creditors
Amounts owed to subsidiary undertakings
Amounts owed to joint ventures and associates
Corporation tax
Taxation and social security
Other creditors
Accruals and other deferred income
Proposed dividends

34 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

19. Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year

Loans
Deferred income
Amounts owed to subsidiary undertakings

Group

Company

2002
£m
1,070.7
321.7
–

1,392.4

2001
£m
801.6
332.8
–

1,134.4

2002
£m
443.8
–
240.2

684.0

2001
£m
618.4
125.5
–

743.9

20. Deferred taxation

Restated at 1 April 2001
Deferred tax charged to the profit and loss account
Transfer (note 1)

Group
31 March 2002
£m
401.7
25.6
–

Company
31 March 2002
£m
170.2
–
(170.2)

427.3

–

The balance at 1 April 2001 was originally £50m, before adjusting for prior year adjustments of £351.7m in respect of the implementation
of FRS 19.

Group

Company

Accelerated capital allowances
Other timing differences

Undiscounted provision for deferred tax 
Discount

Discounted provision for deferred tax

21. Provisions for liabilities and charges
Group

At 1 April 2001
Profit and loss account
Utilised during the year

At 31 March 2002

Company

At 1 April 2001
Transfer (note 1)

At 31 March 2002

2002
£m
713.9
(25.6)

688.3
(261.0)

427.3

Restructure
£m
43.4 
– 
(15.5)

27.9 

Restructure
£m
24.0 
(24.0) 

– 

2001
restated
£m
694.3
(34.1)

660.2
(258.5)

401.7

Onerous
energy
contracts
£m
85.7 
6.9 
(12.6)

80.0 

Onerous
energy
contracts
£m
85.7
(85.7)

– 

2002
£m
–
–

–
–

–

Other
£m
13.9 
4.5
(3.7)

14.7 

Other
£m
8.6 
(8.6) 

– 

2001
restated
£m
300.6
(19.9)

280.7
(110.5)

170.2

Total
£m
143.0 
11.4 
(31.8)

122.6 

Total
£m
118.3
(118.3)

– 

The restructure provision is in relation to expected costs associated with the continuing rationalisation of the business. The costs mainly
comprise employee related costs, principally redundancy and early retirement costs. The majority of the expenditure is expected to be
incurred in the next two years.

The onerous energy contracts provision relates to the present value of the out of money purchase contracts and will be utilised over a
maximum period to 2011 when the contracts terminate. Other provisions include insurance/warranty claims and the costs of various
committed expenditures relating to hydro civil assets.

35 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Notes on the Accounts continued

for the year ended 31 March 2002

22. Share capital
Company

Equity: Ordinary shares of 50p each:
Authorised:

At 31 March 2002 and 1 April 2001

Allotted, called up and fully paid:
At 1 April 2001
Repurchase of shares for cancellation (ii)
Issue of shares (iii)

At 31 March 2002

Number
(millions)

£m

1,200.0

600.0

858.5
(0.8)
2.4

860.1

429.3
(0.4)
1.2

430.1

(i) There is one authorised and allotted non-equity special rights non-voting redeemable £1 preference share. This special share is

redeemable, at par, at any time at the option of the Secretary of State for Scotland after consulting the company. This share, which
may only be held by the Secretary of State for Scotland or another person acting on behalf of HM Government, confers the right to
attend and speak at any general meeting but has no voting rights or rights to participate in the profits or capital of the company
except on a winding-up of the company. Certain matters are effective only with the written consent of the special shareholder: in
particular there are limitations which prevent a person from owning or having an interest in 15% or more of the ordinary shares in
the company.

(ii) The repurchased and subsequently cancelled ordinary shares represent 0.1% of the issued share capital. The total cost of the

repurchase, including expenses, was £5.1m which has been charged against the profit and loss account reserve.

(iii) The company issued 2,436,610 shares during the year under the Savings-related Share Option Schemes and Discretionary Share

Option Schemes for a consideration of £13.8m and 201,571 were funded by contributions to the QUEST.

(iv) The QUEST was established under a Trust Deed on 30 June 1997 to acquire shares in the company for the benefit of employees and
directors of the company and its subsidiaries. The total number of shares held by the QUEST at 31 March 2002 was 1,925,379
which had a market value of £13.1m. These shares will be allocated to employees and Directors in satisfaction of their options under
the Savings-related Share Option Schemes.

The shares held by the QUEST at 31 March 2002 have been included in the Group balance sheet at nil value reflecting their cost to
the Group. Dividends are waived on the shares held by the QUEST.

23. Reserves
Group

Restated at 1 April 2001 (note 2)
Premium on issue of shares
Repurchase of shares for cancellation (note 22)
Premium on issue of shares to QUEST
Contribution to QUEST
Actuarial loss net of deferred tax
Retained profit for the year

Share premium
account
£m
48.3
11.4
–
1.2
–
–
–

Capital
redemption
reserve
£m
10.9
–
0.4
–
– 
–
–

Profit and loss
account excluding
pension reserve
£m
992.7
–
(5.1)
–
(1.3)
–
153.1

Pension
reserve
£m
175.0
–
–
–
–
(110.6)
–

Profit and loss
account including
pension reserve
£m
1,167.7
–
(5.1)
–
(1.3)
(110.6)
153.1

At 31 March 2002

60.9

11.3

1,139.4

64.4

1,203.8

The cumulative amount of goodwill previously written off to reserves is £139.1m (note 1). The pension reserve is non-distributable.

36 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

23. Reserves continued
Company

Restated at 1 April 2001
Transfers (note 1)
Premium on issue of shares
Repurchase of shares for cancellation (note 20)
Premium on issue of shares to QUEST
Contribution to QUEST
Actuarial loss net of deferred tax thereon
Retained profit for the year

At 31 March 2002

Share 
premium
account
£m
48.3
–
11.4
–
1.2
–
–
–

60.9

Capital
redemption
reserve
£m
10.9
–
–
0.4
–
–
–
–

Profit and loss
account excluding
pension reserve
£m
355.5
4.5
–
(5.1)
–
(1.3)
–
587.5

Pension reserve
£m
98.0
–
–
–
–
–
(18.2)
–

Profit and
loss account
£m
453.5
4.5
–
(5.1)
–
(1.3)
(18.2)
587.5

11.3

941.1

79.8

1,020.9 

The profit for the year attributable to shareholders dealt with in the Accounts of the company was £866m (2001 – £277.9m restated for
FRS 19 deferred tax charge of £13.2m). As allowed by section 230 of the Companies Act 1985, the company has not presented its own
profit and loss account. The pension reserve is non-distributable.

24. Minority interests

At 1 April 2001
Share of loss on ordinary activities after taxation

At 31 March 2002

Equity 
£m
0.7
(0.5)

0.2

25. Pensions
Scottish and Southern Energy plc has two funded Final Salary Pension Schemes which provide defined benefits, based on final
pensionable pay. The Group also has a personal pension scheme which is a money purchase scheme whereby the Group matches
the members’ contributions up to a maximum of 6% of salary. The scheme is managed by Legal and General and administered by
Simple2 Ltd.

A full actuarial valuation was carried out at 31 March 2000 for the Scottish Hydro-Electric scheme and 31 March 2001 for the
Southern Electric scheme. Both have been updated to 31 March 2002 by qualified independent actuaries. The major assumptions
used by the actuaries were:

Rate of increase in pensionable salaries
Rate of increase in pension payments
Discount rate
Inflation rate

At
31 March 2002
4.3%
2.8%
5.9%
2.8%

At
31 March 2001
3.9%
2.4%
5.9%
2.4%

At
31 March 2000
4.3%
2.8%
6.0%
2.8%

37 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Notes on the Accounts continued

for the year ended 31 March 2002

25. Pensions continued
Pension fund valuation and surplus

Scottish Hydro-Electric Pension Scheme

Long-term
rate of
return
expected at
31 March
2002
%
8.2
5.2
5.9
5.9

Long-term
rate of
return
expected at
31 March
2002
%
8.2
5.2
5.3

Long-term
rate of
return
expected at
31 March
2001
%
7.7
4.8
5.9
5.6

Long-term
rate of
return
expected at
31 March
2001
%
7.7
4.8
5.2

Value at 
31 March
2002
£m
590.3
31.5
94.4
70.8

787.0
673.0

114.0
–

114.0

34.2

79.8

Value at 
31 March
2002
£m
663.0
179.2
53.8

896.0
918.0

(22.0)
–

(22.0)

6.6

(15.4)

Value at 
31 March
2002
£m

64.4

Long-term
rate of
return
expected at
31 March
2000
%
7.8
4.8
5.9
5.2

Long-term
rate of
return
expected at
31 March
2000
%
7.8
4.8
5.4

Value at
31 March
2001
£m
588.2
114.4
49.0
65.4

817.0
591.0

226.0
(86.0)

140.0

42.0

98.0

Value at
31 March
2001
£m
685.9
231.8
48.3

966.0
856.0

110.0
–

110.0

(33.0)

77.0

Value at
31 March
2001
£m

175.0

Value at
31 March
2000
£m
708.4
82.8
55.2
73.6

920.0
586.0

334.0
(149.0)

185.0

55.5

129.5

Value at
31 March
2000
£m
767.5
259.4
54.0

1,080.9
804.0

276.9
(109.0)

167.9

(50.4)

117.5

Value at
31 March
2000
£m

247.0

Equities
Government bonds
Corporate bonds
Other investments

Total market value of assets
Present value of scheme liabilities

Surplus in the scheme
Non-recognisable surplus

Recognisable surplus

Deferred tax thereon

Net pension asset

Southern Electric Pension Scheme

Equities
Government bonds
Other investments

Total market value of assets
Present value of scheme liabilities

(Deficit)/Surplus in the scheme
Non-recognisable surplus

Recognisable (Deficit)/surplus

Deferred tax thereon

Net pension (liability)/asset

Grand total

Net pension asset

38 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

25. Pensions continued
Movements in surplus during the year

Total gross surplus at beginning of the year
Movement in year:

Current service costs 
Curtailment costs charged to reorganisation provision
Other finance income (note 8)

Profit before tax impact

Actual return less expected return on pension scheme assets
Experience gain/(loss) arising on pension scheme liabilities
Adjustment to irrecoverable surplus
Changes in financial assumptions underlying pension scheme liabilities

Variance between pension fund actuarial assumptions and actual experience

Total gross surplus in scheme at end of the year

2002
£m
250.0

(19.0)
(5.3)
24.3

–

(132.0)
7.0
66.0
(99.0)

(158.0)

92.0

The curtailment costs for the Scottish Hydro-Electric pension scheme of £20m (2001 – £18m) have been offset against the
irrecoverable surplus.

Variance between pension fund actuarial assumptions and actual experience
Release of non-recognisable pension surplus

Gross actuarial loss recognised in pension fund
Deferred tax 

Net actuarial loss recognised in respect of the pension asset in STRGL

History of experience gains and losses

Difference between the expected and actual return on scheme assets
Amount
Percentage of scheme assets
Experience gains/losses on scheme liabilities
Amount
Percentage of the present value of scheme liabilities
Total amount recognised in statement of total recognised gains and losses
Amount
Percentage of the present value of scheme liabilities

2002
£m
(244.0)
86.0

(158.0)
47.4

(110.6)

2002
£m

(132.0)
(7.8%)

7.0
0.4%

(158.0)
(9.9%)

2001
£m
352.9

(21.0)
–
21.0

–

(247.9)
(40.0)
154.0
31.0

(102.9)

250.0

2001
£m
(274.9)
172.0

(102.9)
30.9

(72.0)

2001
£m

(247.9)
(13.9%)

(40.0)
(2.8%)

(102.9)
(7.1%)

Defined contribution scheme
The total contribution payable by the Group including charges for defined contribution schemes during the year was £2.3m (2001 – £2.5m).

39 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Notes on the Accounts continued

for the year ended 31 March 2002

26. Share options
Shares subject to option under the various schemes are as follows:

Discretionary Share Option Scheme

Savings-related Share Option Schemes

Date of grant

Number
31 March 2002

Price
(pence)

June 1994
January 1995
July 1995
October 1996
December 1996
June 1997
June 1998
July 1998

July 1997
July 1998
July 1998
July 1999
July 1999
July 2000
July 2000
October 2001
October 2001

9,000
6,000
8,000
30,000
256,400
64,641
189,969
700,900

682,465
9,506
388,330
470,358
1,112,149
1,010,693
2,259,239
755,979
1,118,582

348
392
327
282
315
406
547
547

327
466
438
532
532
458
458
566
566

Date from which
exercisable

Expiry date

June 1997
January 1998
July 1998
October 1999
December 1999
June 2000
June 2001
July 2001

October 2002
September 2001
September 2003
September 2002
September 2004
October 2003
October 2005
December 2004
December 2006

June 2004
January 2005
July 2005
October 2006
December 2006
June 2007
June 2008
July 2008

March 2003
June 2002
February 2004
February 2003
February 2005
March 2004
March 2006
May 2005
May 2007

27. Related party transactions
The following transactions took place during the year with entities which were joint venture and associates:

Net purchase of electricity
Interest received on loans

The aggregate loans to joint ventures and associates are shown in note 14.

Joint venture
2002
£m
105.3
14.8

Joint venture
2001
£m
162.0
14.2

Associates
2002
£m
201.9
0.3

Associates
2001
£m
199.8
2.6

28. Derivatives and financial instruments
Pages 7 to 8 of the Financial Statement provide an explanation of the role that financial instruments had during the period in managing
the risks the Group faces in its activities. This summarises the objectives and policies for holding or issuing financial instruments and
similar contracts, and the strategies for achieving those objectives that have been followed during the year.

The numerical disclosures in this note deal with financial assets and liabilities as defined in FRS 13 –  Derivatives and Other Financial
Instruments: Disclosures. Certain financial assets such as investments in subsidiary and associated companies are excluded from the
scope of these disclosures. As permitted by FRS 13, short-term debtors and creditors have also been excluded from the disclosures,
other than the currency disclosures.

Interest rate profile
The Group has fixed interest investments of £23.8m (2001 – £31.3m) which are part of the financing activities of the Group. After
taking into account interest rate swaps and currency swaps, the interest rate profile of the Group’s total borrowings was as follows:

31 March 2002

31 March 2001

Borrowings

Fixed rate borrowings

Total
£m
1,256.0

1,402.3

Floating rate
£m
166.2

401.4

Weighted average
interest rate
%
5.98

Weighted average
period for which
rate is fixed
Years
17.10

7.02

11.85

Fixed rate
£m
1,089.8

1,000.9

The floating rate borrowings mainly comprise commercial paper bearing interest rates less than LIBOR at the date of issue, cash advances
from the European Investment Bank and medium-term notes issued through the Group’s Euro Medium-Term Note Programme.

40 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

28. Derivatives and financial instruments continued
Maturity of borrowings

Within one year

Between two and five years:

7.875% Eurobond repayable on 26 March 2007

Over five years:

US$100m repayable on 1 May 2007
6.83% European Investment Bank repayable on 15 September 2007
Floating rate European Investment Bank repayable on 15 December 2011
5.24% European Investment Bank repayable on 5 April 2011
7.32% European Investment Bank repayable on 15 March 2012*
6.44% European Investment Bank repayable on 15 September 2012*
6.29% European Investment Bank repayable on 24 September 2012
5.66% European Investment Bank repayable on 20 December 2012
5.69% European Investment Bank repayable on 15 September 2013*
5.875% Eurobond repayable on 26 September 2022
5.50% Eurobond repayable on 19 June 2032

2002
£m
185.3

2001
£m
600.7

149.4

149.4

61.4
25.0
100.0
25.0
22.1
21.7
75.0
25.0
24.3
294.4
247.4

61.4
25.0
100.0
–
23.6
23.1
75.0
25.0
25.0
294.1
–

1,256.0

1,402.3

*Amortising

The US$100m loan has been swapped into Sterling with £60m being fixed at an effective rate of 7.78%. The floating rate European
Investment Bank advance is reset quarterly at a rate normally less than 3 month Libor.

Borrowing facilities
The Group has an established US$1bn Euro commercial paper programme. Paper is issued in a range of currencies and swapped into
Sterling.

The Group has £600m of committed credit facilities in place; £250m maturing in 2003, £100m maturing in 2004 and £250m maturing
in 2007. These provide a back-up facility to the commercial paper programme and at 31 March 2002 there was no draw-down of
these facilities.

Fair values
Set out below is a comparison of book values and fair values of the Group’s other financial assets and liabilities:

Primary financial instruments held or issued
to finance the Group’s operations
Short-term borrowings
Long-term borrowings
Short-term deposits 

Derivative financial instruments held to manage the
interest rate and currency profile

Interest rate swaps and options
Cross currency swaps
Foreign exchange swaps and forward contracts
Oil price contracts

2002

2001

Book value
£m

Fair value
£m

Book value
£m

Fair value
£m

185.3
1,070.7
13.5

186.0
1,089.3
13.5

– 
–
–
(0.3)

(32.4)
6.1
1.0
8.7

600.7
801.6
18.1

–
–
–
(0.3)

598.5 
839.0 
18.1 

(32.3)
5.9 
7.0
12.4 

Market values have been used to determine the fair values of the interest rate swaps and options, foreign currency contracts, oil price
contracts and Sterling denominated long-term fixed rate debt. All the other fair values shown above have been calculated by discounting
cash flows at prevailing interest rates.

41 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Notes on the Accounts continued

for the year ended 31 March 2002

29. Capital and lease commitments

Capital expenditure:

Contracted for but not provided

Group

Company

2002
£m

105.3

2001
£m

42.1

2002
£m

–

2001
£m

40.1

Leases:
The payments under operating leases which are due to be made in the next year, analysed over the periods when the leases expire, are:

Group
Properties

Company
Properties

Group and company
Other assets

Within one year
Between two and five years
After five years

2002
£m
0.3
0.4
2.4

3.1

2001
£m
1.4
0.2
2.6

4.2

2002
£m
–
–
0.3

0.3

2001
£m
–
–
1.5

1.5

2002
£m
0.1
0.9
–

1.0

30. Contingent liabilities
Guarantees
Scottish and Southern Energy plc has provided guarantees on behalf of subsidiary and associated undertakings as follows:

Bank borrowing
Performance of contracts
Purchase of gas

2002
£m
4.4
39.7
29.3

2001
£m
0.7
2.0
–

2.7

2001
£m
4.4
45.5
19.7

In addition unlimited guarantees have been provided on behalf of subsidiary undertakings in relation to six contracts in respect of
performance of work and any liabilities arising.

31. Regulatory accounts
The Group publishes Regulatory Accounts for its Distribution and Transmission businesses. Copies are available on application to the
Company Secretary, Inveralmond House, 200 Dunkeld Road, Perth, PH1 3AQ.

42 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Directors’ Biographies

Bruce Farmer CBE (65) Chairman * † §
Bruce Farmer became Chairman of Scottish and Southern Energy
in November 2000. He is Chairman of The Morgan Crucible
Company plc, President of the Institute of Materials
and a Council member of the CBI. He was previously Chairman
of Southern Electric from April 1998 until the merger forming
Scottish and Southern Energy in December 1998. He has also
previously been Chairman of Bodycote plc, Allied Colloids and
Devro plc, and Chief Executive of The Morgan Crucible Company
plc, Wellworthy and Brico Engineering. He is Chairman of the
Nomination Committee.

Jim Forbes (55) Chief Executive †
Jim Forbes joined the Board of Southern Electric as Operations
Director in 1991, becoming Managing Director Electricity and
subsequently Chief Operating Officer before being appointed Chief
Executive in 1996. Prior to this he held several appointments with
the SSEB (now Scottish Power) and Northern Electric.

Colin Hood (47) Power Systems Director
Colin Hood joined the Board of Scottish and Southern Energy
as Power Systems Director in January 2001. Previously he was
Director of Distribution for Southern Electric having joined the
industry with the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board in 1977.

Ian Marchant (41) Finance Director
Ian Marchant was previously Finance Director of Southern
Electric. He joined Southern Electric in 1992 as Head of
Corporate Financial Planning and joined the Board as Finance
Director in 1996. Previously he worked for Coopers & Lybrand
(now PwC) and this included a two year secondment to the
Department of Energy working on electricity privatisation.

Alistair Phillips-Davies (34) Energy Supply Director
Alistair Phillips-Davies joined the Board in January 2002.
He was previously Director of Energy Supply Operations
overseeing the introduction of the New Electricity Trading
Arrangements. He joined Southern Electric in February 1997
from the National Westminster Bank where he was Corporate
Finance Development Manager.

David Sigsworth (55) Generation Director
David Sigsworth is a director and immediate past Chairman of
the Combined Heat and Power Association and Chairman of the
Energy Services Association. He held several appointments in the
Yorkshire Electricity Board before joining the North of Scotland
Hydro-Electric Board in 1987. He was appointed as Commercial
Director of Scottish Hydro-Electric in January 1995, becoming
Energy Trading Director in 1998, Energy Supply Director in
April 2000 and Generation Director in January 2002.

Henry Casley (64) Non-Executive Director *
Henry Casley was previously a non-Executive Director of Southern
Electric, after retiring as Chief Executive, the post he held from
1993 to 1996. He entered the electricity industry in 1961, moving
to Eastern Electricity Board in 1966 where he held several senior
management positions before joining the Board of Southern
Electric in 1986 as Deputy Chairman. He was also a member
of the Advisory Committee on Business in the Environment
and was a non-Executive Director of Guernsey Electricity.

Ian Grant CBE (58) Deputy Chairman † §
Ian Grant joined the Board of Scottish Hydro-Electric in May
1992 becoming Deputy Chairman of Scottish and Southern
Energy in November 2000. He is Chairman of the Scottish Hydro-
Electric Community Trust and is a Crown Estate Commissioner
for Scotland. He is also Chairman of the Scottish Exhibition
Centre Ltd, a non-Executive Director of the NFU Mutual
Insurance Society and East of Scotland Farmers Ltd, and is
Chairman of the Cairngorm Partnership. He is Chairman
of the Remuneration Committee.

Sir Graeme Odgers (68) Non-Executive Director * †
Sir Graeme Odgers joined the Board as a non-Executive Director
of Southern Electric in April 1998. He is Chairman of Locate
in Kent, the inward investment agency for the county of Kent,
and of the Kent and Medway Economic Board. He was formerly
Chairman of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, Chief
Executive of Alfred McAlpine Plc, and Group Managing Director
of British Telecommunications PLC and of Tarmac Plc. He is
Chairman of the Audit Committee.

David Payne (59) Non-Executive Director §
David Payne was Deputy Chief Executive of BP Oil. In a career
of over 30 years with the BP Group, he held a number of senior
positions both in London and abroad, including experience in
refinery development, oil trading and retail investment
programmes. David joined the Board of Scottish Hydro-Electric
in June 1998.

Nick Timpson (61) Non-Executive Director * §
Nick Timpson was previously a non-Executive Director of
Southern Electric having joined the Board in 1990. From 1973 to
1998 he was Chairman and Managing Director of Furnitureland
Holdings PLC. He is currently a non-executive director of
Baronsmead VCT2 plc and The Vestey Group Limited.

* Audit Committee Member
† Nomination Committee Member
§ Remuneration Committee Member

43 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Directors’ Responsibilities

for preparation of the Accounts

The following statement, which should be read in conjunction
with the statement of auditors’ responsibilities included in the
Auditors’ Report below, is made with a view to distinguishing
for shareholders the respective responsibilities of the Directors
and of the auditors in relation to the Accounts.

the financial position of the company and which enable them to
ensure that the Accounts comply with the Companies Act 1985.
They have a general responsibility for taking such steps as are
reasonably open to them to safeguard the assets of the company
and Group and to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.

The Directors are required by the Companies Act 1985 to
prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and
fair view of the state of affairs of the company and the Group as
at the end of the financial year and of the profit or loss for the
financial year. The Directors are required to use a going concern
basis in preparing the Accounts unless this is inappropriate.

The Directors consider that, in preparing the Accounts on pages
20 to 42, the company and the Group have used appropriate
accounting policies, consistently applied and supported by
reasonable and prudent judgements and estimates, and that
all accounting standards which they consider to be applicable
have been followed.

The Directors are responsible for keeping proper accounting
records which disclose with reasonable accuracy, at any time,

Independent Auditors’ Report

to the Members of Scottish and Southern Energy plc

We have audited the Accounts on pages 20 to 42.

Respective Responsibilities of Directors and Auditors
The Directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report.
As described above, this includes responsibility for preparing
the Accounts in accordance with applicable United Kingdom law
and accounting standards. Our responsibilities, as independent
auditors, are established in the United Kingdom by statute, the
Auditing Practices Board, the Listing Rules of the Financial
Services Authority, and by our profession’s ethical guidance.

We report to you our opinion as to whether the Accounts give a
true and fair view and are properly prepared in accordance with
the Companies Act 1985. We also report to you if, in our opinion,
the Directors’ Report is not consistent with the Accounts, if the
company has not kept proper accounting records, if we have not
received all the information and explanations we require for our
audit, or if information specified by law or the Listing Rules
regarding Directors’ remuneration and transactions with the
Group is not disclosed.

We review whether the statement on page 14 reflects the
company’s compliance with the seven provisions of the Combined
Code specified for our review by the Listing Rules, and we report
if it does not. We are not required to consider whether the Board’s
statements on internal control cover all risks and controls, or
form an opinion on the effectiveness of the Group’s corporate
governance procedures or its risk and control procedures.

We read the other information contained in the Annual Report,
including the corporate governance statement, and consider
whether it is consistent with the audited Accounts. We consider
the implications for our report if we become aware of any
apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with
the Accounts.

44 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Basis of Audit Opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with Auditing Standards
issued by the Auditing Practices Board. An audit includes
examination, on a test basis, of evidence relevant to the amounts
and disclosures in the Accounts. It also includes an assessment
of the significant estimates and judgements made by the Directors
in the preparation of the Accounts, and of whether the accounting
policies are appropriate to the Group’s circumstances, consistently
applied and adequately disclosed.

We planned and performed our audit so as to obtain all the
information and explanations which we considered necessary
in order to provide us with sufficient evidence to give reasonable
assurance that the Accounts are free from material misstatement,
whether caused by fraud or other irregularity or error. In forming
our opinion we also evaluated the overall presentation of
information in the Accounts.

Opinion
In our opinion the Accounts give a true and fair view of the state
of affairs of the company and the Group as at 31 March 2002 and
of the profit of the Group for the year then ended and have been
properly prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 1985.

KPMG Audit Plc
Chartered Accountants
Registered Auditor
Edinburgh 
23 May 2002

Directors’ Report

Principal Activities
Scottish and Southern Energy plc is a holding company. Its
subsidiaries are organised into the main businesses of generation,
transmission, distribution, and supply of electricity, electrical and
utility contracting, and gas marketing.

A review of the year’s operations and future developments is
contained in the Chief Executive’s, Financial, Operating and
Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility Statements
on pages 2 to 18 which form part of this report.

Directors
The Directors as at the date of the Annual Report and their
biographical details are set out on page 43.

James Martin resigned as Generation Director on 2 October 2001
and Alistair Phillips-Davies was appointed Energy Supply Director
on 1 January 2002. In accordance with the Articles of Association,
Alistair Phillips-Davies is required to stand for election at the
forthcoming AGM. Bruce Farmer, Jim Forbes, Ian Grant and
Nick Timpson retire by rotation and, being eligible, offer
themselves for re-election.

Details of the service contracts for Directors standing for election
and re-election are set out in the Remuneration Report on page
46. The interests of the Directors in the ordinary shares of the
company are set out in the Remuneration Report on page 49.

Results and Dividends
The Group profit for the financial year amounted to £431.6m.
The Directors recommend a final dividend of 22.7p per ordinary
share which, subject to approval at the AGM, will be payable on
27 September 2002 to shareholders on the register at close of
business on 6 September 2002. With the interim dividend of 9.7p
per ordinary share paid on 25 March 2002, this makes a total
dividend of 32.4p per ordinary share.

Share Capital
Details of the company’s authorised and issued share capital
at 31 March 2002, of shares issued during the year, which
includes shares issued to the Group’s Qualifying Employee Share
Ownership Trust (QUEST), shares re-purchased and subsequently
cancelled, and of options granted under the Group’s employee
share option schemes, are detailed in note 22 to the Accounts.

AGM Special Business
Remuneration Report
Consultation is currently being carried out by the Department of
Trade and Industry as to whether an annual resolution should be
put to shareholders of the company’s remuneration of its
Executive Directors.

renewed at the AGM in 2001, provides greater flexibility in
respect of the company’s financing arrangements.

This resolution deals with the allotment of shares for cash under
a rights issue with power to make adjustments to deal with
overseas shareholders, fractions of shares and other such matters.
It also permits the Directors to make additional issues of shares
for cash up to £21,502,774 nominal of share capital, representing
five per cent of the issued share capital. This limit is within the
guidelines issued by the Investment Committees of the Association
of British Insurers and the National Association of Pension Funds.
There is no present intention of exercising this authority.

Purchase of Own Shares
The Directors are authorised by the shareholders to purchase,
in the market, the company’s own shares as permitted by the
Articles of Association. The Directors recommend that shareholders
renew this authority in terms of Special Resolution 11. Purchases
will only be made if the Directors expect them to result in an
increase in the Group’s earnings per share and to be in the best
interests of shareholders generally. Any shares purchased in this
way will be cancelled and the number of issued shares will be
reduced accordingly.

During the year, the company purchased and cancelled 850,000
ordinary shares at 50p each, representing 0.1% of the called-up
share capital of the company, at an aggregate consideration of
£5.1m. The Directors considered that the share purchases were
advantageous for the Group and would enhance earnings per share.

Substantial Shareholdings
As at 23 May 2002 the company had received the following
notifications of beneficial interests of three per cent or more in the
company’s issued share capital.

Barclays PLC
Prudential plc

Number of shares
25,824,139
33,908,951

Percentage 
3.00%
3.95%

Creditor Payment Policy
The company complies with the CBI Prompt Payment Code.
The main features of the Code are that payment terms are agreed
at the outset of a transaction and are adhered to; that there is
a clear and consistent policy that bills are paid in accordance
with the contract; and that there are no alterations to payment
terms without prior agreement. The numbers of suppliers’ days
represented by trade creditors was 32 at 31 March 2002.

Auditors
A resolution to re-appoint KPMG Audit Plc as auditors, and to
authorise the Directors to fix their remuneration, will be proposed
at the forthcoming AGM.

The Board considers it appropriate, in line with the proposed new
legislation, to ask shareholders to receive the Remuneration
Report set out on pages 46 to 49.

Annual General Meeting
The 13th Annual General Meeting of the company will be held
on 25 July 2002 at 12 noon at the Bournemouth International
Centre. The Notice of Meeting is set out on pages 50 and 51.

Authority to Allot Shares
Resolution 10 proposes as a special resolution to continue the
Directors’ authority under section 89 of the Companies Act 1985,
to allot shares for cash in certain circumstances otherwise than
pro rata to all the shareholders. This authority, which was last

By Order of the Board
Vincent Donnelly
Company Secretary
23 May 2002

45 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Remuneration Report

The following is the report of the Board of Directors in compliance
with the Combined Code.

Committee Membership
The Remuneration Committee comprises Ian Grant, who chairs
the committee, Bruce Farmer, David Payne and Nick Timpson.
Biographical details are given on page 43.

Company Policy on Executive Directors’ Remuneration
The Remuneration Committee’s composition, responsibilities and
operation comply with Section B of the Combined Code annexed
to the Listing Rules of the Financial Services Authority. In forming
remuneration policy, the Committee has given full consideration to
the best practice provisions set out in Section B1 of the Code.

The company’s policy is to ensure that the Executive Directors are
rewarded competitively in comparison with similar companies in
order to attract, retain and motivate them to run the company
effectively and meet the expectations of shareholders. This is done
by providing remuneration consisting of basic salary, benefits and
an Annual Bonus Scheme, together with other incentive schemes,
involving the achievement of demanding performance targets. 

The Committee receives advice from independent remuneration
consultants, including a relevant comparability assessment relating
to other companies in the energy sector. 

Annual Salary and Benefits
The Committee follows a broad principle that salaries should be
consistent with those in comparable companies with variations
to reflect individual performance, experience and job size. For
guidance, the Committee considers data extracted from surveys
produced by professional consultants, published data and
independent external advice.

Annual Bonus
The 2001/02 Annual Bonus Scheme for Executive Directors
provides for cash bonuses of up to a maximum of 50% of basic
salary, attributable approximately two-thirds to corporate
performance and one-third to personal objectives which includes
improvements in efficiency, customer service standards and safety.
To achieve the maximum corporate element of bonus, performance
had to exceed target by 7.5%. No corporate element of the bonus
would have been payable if performance had fallen below 90%
of target.

Other Incentive Schemes
Executive Directors, like other members of staff, participate in
the company’s incentive schemes. The company has previously
operated a Discretionary Share Option Scheme and an Employee
Share Trust Scheme, and continues to operate a Savings-related
Share Option Scheme and a Deferred Bonus Scheme. No options
have been granted under the Discretionary Share Option Scheme
since 1998. 

The company has launched a Share Incentive Plan for all eligible
employees, including Executive Directors, in its core electricity and
gas businesses. This plan allows employees to allocate part of their
pre-tax salary to shares in the company without paying tax or
national insurance contributions, up to a maximum of £125 in any

46 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

month. The company matches the first £30 worth of shares
purchased by the employee in any month. The first purchases of
shares took place in May 2002 and they are held in Trust, normally
being transferred to participants tax free after a five year holding
period. Dividends are also reinvested in shares held by the Trust.

The Deferred Bonus Scheme is designed to contribute to increasing
shareholder return and motivation of senior management over
the longer-term. Participants are granted awards over shares
purchased in the market by the independent trustees of the
company’s Employee Share Ownership Trust. The number of shares
awarded to the recipient is adjusted based predominantly on total
shareholder return as measured against FTSE-100 companies,
and also customer service and safety as measured against other
companies in the sector. The shares awarded can normally
be realised after three years.

During the year, the scheme was amended to permit up to 50%
of the shares under a participant’s award to be called for before
three years, provided the participant undertakes to retain the
shares acquired (less such number as is sold to discharge income
tax liability on the shares) until the three years have elapsed.
The scheme was also amended to permit shares to be called for
up to seven years following the vesting date.

Service Contracts and Compensation
All Executive Directors have service contracts with notice periods
of one year. The Remuneration Committee considers that these
arrangements are in the best interests of the company. Should the
company need to consider termination of a service contract, it will
have regard to all the specific circumstances of the case with
particular reference to the principles of mitigation in respect
of any payment of compensation.

Remuneration and Pensions
The remuneration of Directors who served during the year was as
shown on pages 47 and 48.

The Executive Directors are provided with pension benefits through
the Group’s main contributory pension schemes detailed in note 25
of the Accounts. Executive top-up plans exist which provide a
possible maximum pension of two-thirds of final salary on
retirement at age 60. In the case of Jim Forbes, who was in post
at 31 March 1996, the annual bonus up to 25% of basic salary is
pensionable following reduction of the notice period in his service
contract from three years to one year. This provision does not apply
to any other current Director.

Non-Executive Directors
The remuneration of non-Executive Directors is determined by the
Board, with the non-Executive Directors concerned not participating
in this process. The non-Executive Directors do not have service
contracts and do not participate in the Annual Bonus Scheme,
any of the share option schemes, or any Group pension scheme.

Directors’ Remuneration
The emoluments of each of the Directors were as follows:

Salary/fee
£000

Bonuses
£000

Benefits
£000

Executive Directors
Jim Forbes
Colin Hood
Ian Marchant 
James Martin (i) (iii)
Alistair Phillips-Davies (ii)
David Sigsworth

Non-Executive Directors
Bruce Farmer (Chairman)
Henry Casley 
Ian Grant
Graeme Odgers
David Payne
Nick Timpson 

Former Directors 
Jim Hart 
Ian McMillan
Peter Stormonth Darling
Lord Wilson

Total

533
170
271
128
40
203

180
29
52
34
29
29

–
–
–
–

240
82
123
–
51
90

–
–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–

13
15
14
7
3
15

–
–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–

Total
2002
£000

786
267
408
135
94
308

180
29
52
34
29
29

–
–
–
–

Total
2001
£000

707
99
366
224
–
281

100
27
35
30
27
27

306
111
9
121

1,698

586

67

2,351

2,470

(i) To date of resignation from the Board on 2 October 2001. 

(ii) From date of appointment to the Board on 1 January 2002: Alistair Phillips-Davies’ bonus of £51,000 was in respect of his

employment for the full year.

(iii)In addition to the above emoluments, James Martin will receive a payment in lieu of notice of £214,000, including expected bonus
and cash equivalent of an award under the Deferred Bonus Scheme. The total compensation payments to former directors in 2001
amounted to £254,000.

(iv) Total emoluments of the Directors, including the payments to James Martin referred to in Note (iii) above, was £2,565,000

(2001–£2,724,000).

47 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Remuneration Report (continued)

Directors’ Pensions
Details of Directors’ pensions are as follows:

Jim Forbes
Colin Hood
Ian Marchant (note 3)
James Martin (notes 3 and 5)
David Sigsworth 
Alistair Phillips-Davies (notes 3 and 4)

At 31 March 2002

Age at
year
end

55
46
41
48
55
34

Years of
industry
service

38
24
10
12
39
5

Directors’
contributions
in the year
£
26,520
6,800
10,860
10,732
0
1,431

Accrued pension entitlement
Increase
during year
(note 2)
£
46,536
21,650
11,119
8,049
8,400
6,069

Accumulated
at year end
(note 1)
£
398,934
72,506
62,572
56,567
136,248
17,550

Members of the Scheme have the option to pay additional voluntary contributions; neither the contributions nor the resulting benefits
are included in the above table. The normal retirement age of Executive Directors is 60. Certain Directors are entitled to retire from
55 onwards.

The following is information relating to the Directors’ pensions of David Sigsworth and James Martin.

(i) Dependants’ pensions on death are half of members’ pension entitlements.

(ii) For members who joined the Pension Scheme before 1 February 1996, all benefit payments are increased annually by the same

percentage as state pensions, which is currently linked to movements in the UK Retail Price Index.

The following is information relating to the Directors’ pensions of Jim Forbes, Colin Hood, Ian Marchant and Alistair Phillips-Davies.

(i) Dependants’ pensions on death are four-ninths of the member’s pensionable pay, together with a capital sum equal to four times

pensionable pay. If death occurs after attaining the age of 55 an additional lump sum between three to five times notional pension
is payable dependent upon age and length of service. On death in retirement, the Director’s spouse will receive a pension equal
to two-thirds of that payable to the Director. In addition, on death within the first five years of retirement, a lump sum is payable
equal to the balance outstanding of the first five years’ pension payments.

(ii) Post retirement increases are expected to be in line with inflation (guaranteed up to the level of 5% per annum and discretionary

above that level).

Notes to Directors’ Pensions
1. The pension entitlement shown is that which would be paid annually on retirement based on service to the end of the year or the date

where the individual ceased to be a Director, if earlier.

2. The increase in accrued pension during the year excludes any increase for inflation. For individuals retiring during the year it is the

increase before any reduction in lieu of a cash sum.

3. Ian Marchant, Alistair Phillips-Davies and James Martin have unfunded retirement benefits for salary above the Inland Revenue cap

which are included in their total pension benefits above.

4. Alistair Phillips-Davies joined the Board on 1 January 2002.

5. James Martin resigned as a Director on 2 October 2001.

48 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Directors’ Interests
The interests of the Directors, all of which are beneficial, in the ordinary shares of the company on the dates shown were as follows:

Henry Casley 
Bruce Farmer
Jim Forbes
Ian Grant 
Colin Hood 
Ian Marchant
Graeme Odgers
David Payne
Alistair Phillips-Davies 
David Sigsworth
Nick Timpson

31 March 2002

1 April 2001

Shares held
121,827
9,106
76,864
3,000
12,949
35,146
15,000
8,000
4,070
51,191
13,351

Shares under
option
–
–
105,192
–
23,125
29,427
–
–
7,900
62,470
–

Shares held
121,029
9,106
86,620
3,000
12,531
17,822
15,000
8,000
*52
24,149
13,351

Shares under
option
– 
– 
63,027 
– 
11,829 
34,085 
– 
– 
*12,631
136,574 
– 

* At date of appointment to the Board on 1 January 2002.

There have been no changes to the interests of the Directors in the ordinary shares of the Company from 31 March 2002 to
23 May 2002.

A further analysis of the Directors’ shares under option as at 31 March 2002, and options granted and exercised during the year, is set
out below. The Register of Directors’ Interests (which is open to shareholders’ inspection) contains full details of Directors’
shareholdings and options to subscribe for shares.

Jim Forbes

Colin Hood

Options at
1 April 
Option
2001
scheme
2,955
Savings-related
60,072
Deferred Bonus
3,365
Savings-related
8,464
Deferred Bonus
2,955
Savings-related
31,130
Deferred Bonus
3,171†
Savings-related
Alistair
Phillips-Davies Deferred Bonus
9,460†
David Sigsworth Discretionary 115,000
6,369
15,205

Savings-related
Deferred Bonus

Ian Marchant

Granted
during
year
–
42,583
596
11,118
596
21,455
–
–
–
–
15,155

Options at
31 March
2002
2,537
102,655
3,543
19,582
3,133
26,294
3,171
4,729
30,000
2,110
30,360

Weighted
average
option price
per share
(pence)

Options
exercised
418
–
418
–
418

Normally
exercisable
532 Sep 2004-Mar 2005
* Aug 2002-Jan 2013
476 Oct 2005-Mar 2007
* Aug 2002-Jan 2013
538 Sep 2004-Mar 2007

Date
exercised
3 Sept 2001
–
3 Sept 2001
–
3 Sept 2001
* Aug 2002-Jan 2013 28,234†† 27 Mar 2002
–
5,048†† 27 Mar 2002
Jun 2001-Jun 2008 85,000 22 June 2001
1 Oct 2001
–

547
327 Oct 2002-Mar 2003
* Aug 2003-Jan 2013

532 Sep 2004-Mar 2005
* Aug 2002-Jan 2013

4,259
–

–

Closing
price at
date of
exercise
(pence)
663p
–
663p
–
663p
678p
–
678p
656p
643p
–

*£1 per grant.  †At date of appointment to the Board on 1 January 2002.  ††Shares exercised under the Deferred Bonus Scheme
included the following arising from dividend reinvestment: Ian Marchant – 1,943 shares, Alistair Phillips-Davies – 317 shares.

Ian Marchant and Alistair Phillips-Davies elected to exercise their right to call for 50% of the shares under the Deferred Bonus Scheme
awards granted in 1999-2001, and have undertaken to retain the shares acquired (less such number as has been sold to discharge their
income tax liability on the shares) until the third anniversary of grant of the deferred bonus. The aggregate amount of gains made by
Directors on calling for awards was £225,319.

The closing market price of the shares at 31 March 2002 was 680p and range for the year was 694p to 582p.

The options granted during the year were granted under the Savings-related Scheme (at a price of £5.66) and under the Deferred
Bonus Scheme.

The aggregate amount of gains made by Directors on the exercise of share options during the year was £513,124 (2001 – £274,360).
Under the Deferred Bonus Scheme, the aggregate value of the shares placed in trust for Directors in the year to 31 March 2002 was
£609,599 (2001 – £433,074). The aggregate amount of gains made by the highest-paid Director, Jim Forbes was £823 (2001 – £nil).

During the year options over 11,811 shares under the Deferred Bonus Scheme for the year ending 31 March 2002 were also awarded to
James Martin, who was a Director during the year.

49 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Notice of Meeting

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the THIRTEENTH ANNUAL
GENERAL MEETING of Scottish and Southern Energy plc will
be held at the Bournemouth International Centre, Exeter Road,
Bournemouth, BH2 5BH on Thursday, 25 July 2002 at 12 noon
for the following purposes:

To consider and, if thought fit, pass the following resolutions
which will be proposed as Ordinary Resolutions:

Resolution 1
to receive the Audited Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2002
together with the Reports of the Directors and Auditors thereon.

(b) otherwise than pursuant to sub-paragraph (a) above up to an
aggregate nominal amount of £21,502,774;
and shall expire on the conclusion of the next Annual General
Meeting of the company after the passing of this resolution or
15 months from the date of this resolution, whichever is earlier,
save that the company may, before such expiry make an offer or
agreement which would or might require equity securities to be
allotted after such expiry and the Directors may allot ‘equity
securities’ in pursuance of any such offer or agreement
notwithstanding that the power conferred hereby has expired and
in this resolution the expression ‘equity securities’ and references
to allotment of equity securities shall bear the same respective
meanings as in section 94 of the Act.

Resolution 2
to receive the Board Remuneration Report.

Resolution 3
to declare a final dividend in respect of the year ended 31 March
2002 of 22.7 pence per ordinary share.

Resolution 4
to elect Alistair Phillips-Davies a Director of the company.

Resolution 5
to re-elect Bruce Farmer a Director of the company.

Resolution 6
to re-elect Jim Forbes a Director of the company.

Resolution 7
to re-elect Ian Grant a Director of the company.

Resolution 8
to re-elect Nick Timpson a Director of the company.

Resolution 9
that KPMG Audit Plc be appointed auditors of the company to hold
office from the conclusion of this meeting until the conclusion of
the next general meeting at which accounts are laid before the
company, at a remuneration to be fixed by the Directors.

Resolution 11
that, pursuant to Article 12 of the Articles of Association, the
company is generally and unconditionally authorised to make
market purchases (within the meaning of section 163(3) of the
Companies Act 1985) of ordinary shares of 50p each in the
capital of the company provided that:

(i)

the maximum number of ordinary shares authorised to be
purchased is 86,011,096;

(ii)

the minimum price, which may be paid for an ordinary share,
is 50p per share which amount shall be exclusive of expenses;

(iii) the maximum price which may be paid for an ordinary share 
is, in respect of an ordinary share contracted to be purchased
on any day, an amount (exclusive of expenses) equal to 105
per cent of the average of the mid-market quotations for an
ordinary share of the company as derived from the Daily
Official List of the London Stock Exchange for the five
business days immediately preceding the day on which the
ordinary share is purchased;

(iv) the authority hereby conferred shall expire 15 months after 
the date of the passing of this resolution or at the conclusion
of the next Annual General Meeting of the company following
the passing of this resolution, whichever first occurs, unless
such authority is renewed prior to such time; and

To consider and, if thought fit, pass the following Special
Resolutions:

(v)

the company may conclude a contract to purchase ordinary
shares under the authority hereby conferred prior to the
expiry of such authority which will or may be executed wholly
or partly after the expiry of such authority and may make a
purchase of ordinary shares in pursuance of any such contract
as if the authority hereby conferred had not expired.

By Order of the Board
Vincent Donnelly
Company Secretary
18 June 2002

Registered Office:
Inveralmond House
200 Dunkeld Road
Perth
PH1 3AQ

Resolution 10
that the Directors be and they are hereby empowered pursuant to
section 95 of the Companies Act 1985 (‘the Act’) to allot equity
securities for cash pursuant to the authority conferred by Resolution
14 passed by the company on 29 July 1999 as if section 89(1) of
the Act did not apply to any such allotment provided that this power
shall be limited to the allotment of equity securities:

(a) in connection with an offer of such securities by way of rights
to holders of ordinary shares in proportion (as nearly as may be
practicable) to their respective holdings of such shares, but subject
to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may
deem necessary or expedient in relation to fractional entitlements
or any legal or practical problems under the laws of any territory,
or the requirements of any regulatory body or stock exchange; and

50 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Notes
1. Only holders of ordinary shares on the register at close of

business on 23 July 2002 may attend and vote in respect of
the number of shares registered in their name at that time.
A shareholder of the company is entitled to appoint one or
more proxies to attend and, on a poll, vote instead of him
or her. A proxy need not be a shareholder. A Proxy Form is
enclosed with this Notice. The Proxy Form, duly completed
and signed, together with any power of attorney or other
authority under which it is signed or a notarially certified
copy thereof, must reach the registrar of the company,
Computershare Investor Services PLC, The Pavilions,
Bridgwater Road, Bristol, BS13 8FB, not later than
12 noon on 23 July 2002.

Alternatively, you can submit your proxy vote electronically.
Further information can be found in the Guidance Notes on
the reverse of the Proxy Form.

2. The following documents will be available for inspection at
the registered office of the company during normal business
hours on any weekday (public holidays excepted) from the
date of this Notice until the date of the Meeting and
thereafter at the place of the Meeting from 11.45 a.m. until
the conclusion of the Meeting:

(i)

the register of Directors’ share interests kept pursuant to 
section 325 of the Companies Act 1985; and

(ii) copies of Directors’ service contracts.

51 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

Shareholder Information

Communication with Shareholders
The Group attaches considerable importance to the effectiveness
of communication with shareholders. A full Annual Report and
Accounts and/or concise Annual Review and Summary Financial
Statement are issued to shareholders. A separate Environment
Annual Report is also published. Further copies of these documents
are available from the company or by accessing the company’s
website at www.scottish-southern.co.uk.

Shareholders may also attend the Annual General Meeting at
which key business developments during the financial year are
highlighted and at which shareholders will have the opportunity
to ask questions.

The Chief Executive and Finance Director adopt an active
programme of contact with institutional shareholders and
brokers, including presentations after the interim and preliminary
results and visits to the Group’s facilities and briefings on the
Group’s business.

Financial Calendar
Annual General Meeting
Ex dividend date
Record date
Final dividend payable
Interim announcement

25 July 2002
4 September 2002
6 September 2002
27 September 2002

7 November 2002*

The Group’s half year results will be published on the company’s
website at www.scottish-southern.co.uk on 7 November 2002*
and in the Independent and Business a.m. newspapers on
8 November 2002,* and will detail the ex dividend and record
dates for the interim dividend payable in March 2003. The half
year results are not distributed to individual shareholders.

*Provisional dates

Shareholder Enquiries
For further information about your shareholdings, please contact:

Computershare Investor Services PLC
Owen House
8 Bankhead Crossway North
Edinburgh
EH11 4BR

Telephone: 0870 702 0125
E-mail: web.enquiries@computershare.co.uk
Website: www.computershare.com

52 Scottish and Southern Energy plc Annual Report and Accounts 2002

For further information about
Scottish and Southern Energy
please contact:

Scottish and Southern Energy plc
Corporate Communications
Inveralmond House
200 Dunkeld Road
Perth
PH1 3AQ

Telephone: 01738 456000
Facsimile: 01738 457005
E-mail: info@scottish-southern.co.uk
Website: www.scottish-southern.co.uk

Registered in Scotland No. 117119

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