Sims and Singleton as Liquidators of Enron Australia Pty Limited v TXU Electricity Limited & Anor
[2005] NSWCA 12
At a glance
Source factsCourt
Court of Appeal (NSW)
Decision date
2004-12-07
Before
Spigelman CJ, Sheller JA, Austin J
Source
Original judgment source is linked above.
Judgment (7 paragraphs)
Background Facts 6 The case proceeded before Austin J on the basis of an Agreed Statement of Facts. His Honour made the following findings which were not contentious: "[3] Prior to its liquidation, Enron traded in the Australian electricity derivatives market, by entering into electricity swap contracts with various counterparties. An electricity swap contract or 'trade' is for the notional sale and purchase of electricity to be delivered in the future. One party agrees to pay a fixed price for a nominated type and quantity of electricity or the other party agrees to pay a floating price for the same electricity. The terms of each trade include a start date and an end date, which define the period over which payments fall due under the swap contract. The contractual arrangements provide that payment obligations are set off and the counterparties settle up periodically by one of them paying a net amount to the other. Thus, if the fixed price exceeds the spot price then the fixed price payer is liable to pay the difference to the floating price payer, and vice versa. [4] The Statement of Agreed Facts gives the following explanation: 'The fixed price is the price which the payer agrees to pay and the payee (the floating price payer) agrees to receive, calculated by reference to the electricity referred to in the trade. The floating price is nominated as the spot price for the electricity referred to in the trade as determined under the National Electricity Code over the duration of the trade. The spot price for electricity is subject to market fluctuation.' [5] One counterparty to electricity swap contracts entered into by Enron was the first defendant, TXU Electricity Ltd ('TXU'). Another was the second defendant, Yallourn Energy Pty Ltd ('Yallourn'). In each case, particular swap contracts were entered into pursuant to a master contract. [6] TXU and Enron entered into a master contract on 15 December 2000 to govern trading between them ('TXU Agreement'). It was the standard master agreement for multicurrency-crossborder transactions issued in 1992 by the International Swap Dealers Association, Inc, supplemented and modified by a Schedule and by 'Australian Addendum No 13 - Electricity Transactions'. TXU and Enron then entered into particular electricity swap contracts with each other governed by the TXU Agreement. In some cases Enron took the fixed price position and TXU took the floating price position, and in others, the positions were reversed. When a swap contract was made, Enron issued a swap confirmation setting out the terms of the transaction, including the notional quantity of electricity measured in mega-watts per hour, the effective date and termination date, and the fixed price for each calculation period, stipulating which party was the fixed price payer and which was the floating price payer. Prior to the appointment of voluntary administrators to Enron, Enron and TXU settled the amounts which fell due under the trades by net payments on a weekly basis. [7] Enron ceased to make new contracts with TXU prior to the commencement of its voluntary administration on 3 December 2001. However, 78 swap contracts between them remained 'open' as at that time, in the sense that the time for performing the contract by ascertaining and paying amounts due had not then arrived. In fact, the time for performance of some open swap contracts extends out to 31 December 2005. Since 3 December 2001 TXU has not made any payments to Enron. [8] The plaintiffs contend (and TXU denies) that, as at 28 February 2003, the total present value of the TXU Agreement to Enron was approximately $3.3 million (plus interest, if interest is payable). That sum is said to comprise: (a) out of all settlements which would have 'accrued' to that time: (i) approximately $10.5 million payable by TXU to Enron; and (ii) approximately $3.2 million payable by Enron to TXU; (b) the present value of the open trades which were yet to accrue at that time, calculated at AFMA mid-point prices, which would be: (i) approximately $1.1 million payable by TXU to Enron; and (ii) approximately $5.1 million payable by Enron to TXU. (AFMA mid-point prices are prices taken from the mid-point of the forward pricing curve produced daily by the Australian Financial Markets Association.) [9] Yallourn's position is not conceptually different from the position of TXU. The Yallourn Agreement was dated 10 August 2000. Under that Agreement, as at 3 December 2001 33 swap contracts were open, extending out to 31 December 2003. The plaintiffs' calculation (denied by Yallourn) is that, as at 28 February 2003, the total present value of the Yallourn Agreement to Enron was approximately $2.9 million (plus interest if payable). That sum is said to comprise: (a) out of all settlements which would have accrued: (i) approximately $5.1 million payable by Yallourn to Enron; and (ii) approximately $2.2 million payable by Enron to Yallourn; (b) the present value of those trades which are yet to accrue calculated at AFMA mid-point prices, which would be: (i) approximately nil payable by Yallourn to Enron; and (ii) approximately $70,000 payable by Enron to Yallourn." 7 The position of the two Respondents, TXU and Yallourn, was relevantly identical save that in the case of the TXU Agreement the last day for performance under the open trades was 31 December 2005. Under the Yallourn Agreement the last performance date was 31 December 2003. Accordingly, since the judgment of Austin J that date has passed in the case of Yallourn, but not TXU. 8 The Court was informed that in the case of Yallourn an issue has arisen as to what Enron has to do before it can ensure payment to it. However, no separate consideration is required for Yallourn. 9 It is unnecessary to set out in detail the contractual provisions. It is sufficient to note that the obligation of TXU to make payments is subject to two conditions precedent that (1) no Event of Default has occurred and (2) no Early Termination Date in respect of the relevant transaction has occurred or has been effectively designated. The appointment of voluntary administrators, and the subsequent appointment of liquidators, to Enron was an Event of Default. By force of the contract TXU had no obligation to make the payments under the open trades. TXU acquired a contractual right, but no obligation, to bring the relevant Agreement to an end by designating an Early Termination Date. It did not do so. Enron had no contractual entitlement to bring the Agreement to an end until the last date of performance under the open trades and then only on certain conditions. 10 The Appellants' case is that Enron has a substantial asset in the open trades but it is unable to promptly realise that asset in the absence of a contractual right to designate, or to force TXU to designate, an Early Termination Date. 11 In order to achieve the early realisation of the assets of Enron the liquidators sought leave to disclaim, but only on the basis that the Court would make an order which had the effect that TXU was taken to have designated an Early Termination Date and, accordingly, would be obliged to pay to Enron the present value of the open trades as at the date of disclaimer.