v3.25.4
FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND RISK MANAGEMENT
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND RISK MANAGEMENT FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND RISK MANAGEMENT
Fair value is considered to be the exchange price in an orderly transaction between market participants to sell an asset or transfer a liability at the measurement date. The fair value definition focuses on an exit price, which is the price that would be received in the sale of an asset or the amount that would be paid to transfer a liability.
Hydro One classifies its fair value measurements based on the following hierarchy, as prescribed by the accounting guidance for fair value, which prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels:
Level 1 inputs are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that Hydro One has the ability to access. An active market for the asset or liability is one in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide ongoing pricing information.
Level 2 inputs are those other than quoted market prices included within Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, for an asset or liability. Level 2 inputs include, but are not limited to, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in an active market, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active and inputs other than quoted market prices that are observable for the asset or liability, such as interest-rate curves and yield curves observable at commonly quoted intervals, volatilities, credit risk and default rates. A Level 2 measurement cannot have more than an insignificant portion of the valuation based on unobservable inputs.
Level 3 inputs are any fair value measurements that include unobservable inputs for the asset or liability for more than an insignificant portion of the valuation. A Level 3 measurement may be based primarily on Level 2 inputs.
Non-Derivative Financial Assets and Liabilities
As at December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company’s carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, due from related parties, short-term notes payable, accounts payable, and due to related parties are representative of fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments.
Fair Value Measurements of Long-Term Debt
The carrying values and fair values of the Company’s long-term debt as at December 31, 2025 and 2024 are as follows:
2025202520242024
As at December 31 (millions of dollars)
Carrying ValueFair ValueCarrying ValueFair Value
Long-term debt, including current portion19,017 18,721 17,479 17,364 
Fair Value Measurements of Derivative Instruments
Fair Value Hedges
As at December 31, 2025 and 2024, Hydro One Inc. had no fair value hedges.
Cash Flow Hedges
As at December 31, 2025 and 2024, Hydro One Inc. had a $425 million, pay-fixed, receive-floating interest-rate swap agreement designated as a cash flow hedge. This cash flow hedge is intended to offset the variability of interest rates between December 21, 2023 and September 21, 2026.
As at December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company had no derivative instruments classified as undesignated contracts.
Fair Value Hierarchy
The fair value hierarchy of financial assets and liabilities as at December 31, 2025 and 2024 is as follows:
As at December 31, 2025 (millions of dollars)
Carrying
Value		Fair
 Value
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Liabilities:
    Long-term debt, including current portion19,017 18,721 — 18,721 — 
   Derivative instruments (Note 13)
Cash flow hedges, including current portion4 4 — 4 — 
19,021 18,725 — 18,725 — 

As at December 31, 2024 (millions of dollars)
Carrying
Value		Fair
 Value
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Liabilities:
    Long-term debt, including current portion
17,479 17,364 — 17,364 — 
   Derivative instruments (Notes 13 & 14)
Cash flow hedges, including current portion7 7 — 7 — 
17,486 17,371 — 17,371 — 
The fair value of the interest rate swaps designated as cash flow hedges is determined using a discounted cash flow method based on period-end swap yield curves.
The fair value of the long-term debt is based on unadjusted period-end market prices for the same or similar debt of the same remaining maturities.
There were no transfers between any of the fair value levels during the years ended December 31, 2025 or 2024.
Risk Management
Exposure to market risk, credit risk and liquidity risk arises in the normal course of the Company’s business.
Market Risk
Market risk refers primarily to the risk of loss which results from changes in values, foreign exchange rates and interest rates. The Company is exposed to fluctuations in interest rates, as its regulated return on equity is derived using a formulaic approach that takes anticipated interest rates into account. The Company is not currently exposed to material commodity price risk or material foreign exchange risk.
The Company uses a combination of fixed and variable-rate debt to manage the mix of its debt portfolio. The Company also uses derivative financial instruments to manage interest-rate risk. The Company may utilize interest-rate swaps designated as fair value hedges as a means to manage its interest rate exposure to achieve a lower cost of debt. The Company may also utilize interest-rate derivative instruments, such as cash flow hedges, to manage its exposure to short-term interest rates or to lock in interest-rate levels on forecasted financing.
A hypothetical 100 basis point increase in interest rates associated with variable-rate debt would not have resulted in a significant decrease to Hydro One’s net income for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.
For derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as cash flow hedges, the unrealized gain or loss, after tax, on the derivative instrument is recorded as OCI or OCL and is reclassified to net income or net loss in the same period during which the hedged transaction affects results of operations. The following table shows the amounts recorded in OCI/OCL and reclassified to financing charges for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024:
Year ended December 31 (millions of dollars)
20252024
Amounts recorded in OCI/OCL
    Before tax loss21
    After tax loss11
Amounts reclassified to financing charges
    Before tax loss (gain)4 (4)
    After tax loss (gain)3 (3)
This resulted in an AOCL of $3 million related to cash flow hedges as at December 31, 2025 (2024 - $5 million).
The Company estimates that the amount of AOCL, after tax, related to cash flow hedges to be reclassified to results of operations in the next 12 months is approximately $3 million. Actual amounts reclassified to results of operations depend on the interest rate in effect until the derivative contracts mature. For all forecasted transactions, as at December 31, 2025, the maximum term over which the Company is hedging exposures to the variability of cash flows is less than one year.
The Pension Plan manages market risk by diversifying investments in accordance with the Pension Plan’s Statement of Investment Policies and Procedures. Interest rate risk arises from the possibility that changes in interest rates will affect the fair value of the Pension Plan’s financial instruments. In addition, changes in interest rates can also impact discount rates which impact the valuation of the pension and post-retirement and post-employment liabilities. Currency risk is the risk that the value of the Pension Plan’s financial instruments will fluctuate due to changes in foreign currencies relative to the Canadian dollar. Other price risk is the risk that the value of the Pension Plan’s investments in equity securities will fluctuate as a result of changes in market prices, other than those arising from interest risk or currency risk. All three factors may contribute to changes in values of the Pension Plan investments. See Note 18 - Pension and Post-Retirement and Post-Employment Benefits for further details.
Credit Risk
Financial assets create a risk that a counterparty will fail to discharge an obligation, causing a financial loss. As at December 31, 2025 and 2024, there were no significant concentrations of credit risk with respect to any class of financial assets. The Company’s revenue is earned from a broad base of customers. As a result, Hydro One did not earn a material amount of revenue from any single customer. As at December 31, 2025 and 2024, there was no material accounts receivable balance due from any single customer.
As at December 31, 2025, the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts was $57 million (2024 - $61 million). The allowance for doubtful accounts reflects the Company's CECL for all accounts receivable balances, which are based on historical overdue balances, customer payments and write-offs. As at December 31, 2025, approximately 7% (2024 - 7%) of the Company’s net accounts receivable were outstanding for more than 60 days.
Hydro One manages its counterparty credit risk through various techniques including (i) entering into transactions with highly rated counterparties, (ii) limiting total exposure levels with individual counterparties, (iii) entering into master agreements which enable net settlement and the contractual right of offset, and (iv) monitoring the financial condition of counterparties. The Company monitors current credit exposure to counterparties on both an individual and an aggregate basis. The Company’s credit risk for accounts receivable is limited to the carrying amounts on the consolidated balance sheets.
Derivative financial instruments result in exposure to credit risk since there is a risk of counterparty default. The maximum credit exposure of derivative contracts, before collateral, is represented by the fair value of contracts in an asset position at the reporting date. As at December 31, 2025 and 2024, Hydro One’s credit exposure for all derivative instruments and applicable payables was with one financial institution with investment grade credit ratings as counterparty.
The Pension Plan manages its counterparty credit risk with respect to bonds by investing in investment-grade corporate and government bonds and with respect to derivative instruments by transacting only with highly rated financial institutions and by ensuring that exposure is diversified across counterparties.
Liquidity Risk
Liquidity risk refers to the Company’s ability to meet its financial obligations as they come due. Hydro One meets its short-term operating liquidity requirements using cash and cash equivalents on hand, funds from operations, the issuance of commercial paper, and the Operating Credit Facilities. The short-term liquidity under the commercial paper program, the Operating Credit Facilities, and anticipated levels of funds from operations are expected to be sufficient to fund the Company’s operating requirements.
In February 2024, Hydro One Inc. filed a short form base shelf prospectus in connection with its MTN Program, which expires in March 2026. Hydro One’s Universal Base Shelf Prospectus allows it to offer, from time to time in one or more public offerings, debt, equity or other securities, or any combination thereof, during the 25-month period ending on September 19, 2026.
On November 29, 2024, HOHL filed a short form base shelf prospectus (HOHL U.S. Debt Shelf Prospectus) with securities regulatory authorities in Ontario and the U.S., that expires in December 2026. The HOHL U.S. Debt Shelf Prospectus allows HOHL to offer, from time to time in one or more public offerings, debt securities, unconditionally guaranteed by Hydro One. As at December 31, 2025, no securities have been issued under the HOHL U.S. Debt Shelf Prospectus.
On August 18, 2025, Hydro One Inc. filed a short form base shelf prospectus (HOI U.S. Debt Shelf Prospectus) with securities regulatory authorities in Ontario and the U.S. The HOI U.S. Debt Shelf Prospectus allows Hydro One Inc. to offer, from time to time in one or more public offerings, U.S. debt securities, during the 25-month period ending on September 18, 2027. As at December 31, 2025, no securities have been issued under the HOI U.S. Debt Shelf Prospectus.
The Pension Plan’s short-term liquidity is provided through cash and cash equivalents, contributions, investment income and proceeds from investment transactions. In the event that investments must be sold quickly to meet current obligations, the majority of the Pension Plan’s assets are invested in securities that are traded in an active market and can be readily disposed of as liquidity needs arise.