Equity in Nonconsolidated Investments

The Company, through its ownership interest in EQM, has an ownership interest in the MVP Joint Venture, a nonconsolidated investment that is accounted for under the equity method of accounting. The following table summarizes the Company's equity in the nonconsolidated investment:

Interest

Ownership % as of

Equity as of

Investee

Location

Type

June 30, 2016

December 31, 2015

(Thousands)

MVP Joint Venture

USA

Joint

45.5%

135,949

77,025

The Company’s ownership share of the earnings for the six months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015 related to the total investments accounted for under the equity method was $3.4 million and $0.6 million, respectively, reported in other income on the Statements of Consolidated (Loss) Income.

The MVP Joint Venture has been determined to be a variable interest entity because the MVP Joint Venture has insufficient equity to finance activities during the construction stage of the project. EQM is not the primary beneficiary because it does not have the power to direct the activities of the MVP Joint Venture that most significantly impact its economic performance. Certain business decisions, including, but not limited to, decisions with respect to operating and construction budgets, project construction schedule, material contracts or precedent agreements, indebtedness, significant acquisitions or dispositions, material regulatory filings and strategic decisions, require the approval of owners holding a super majority percentage in the MVP Joint Venture and no one member individually owns such super majority interest. Beginning on the date it was assumed from the Company, EQM accounted for its interest in the MVP Joint Venture as an equity method investment as EQM has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies of the MVP Joint Venture.

On January 21, 2016, affiliates of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (ConEd) acquired a 12.5% interest in the MVP Joint Venture and entered into 20-year firm capacity commitments for approximately 0.25 Bcf per day on both the MVP and EQM’s transmission system (ConEd Transaction). As a result of the ConEd Transaction, EQM’s interest in the MVP Joint Venture decreased by 8.5% to 45.5%, and during the first quarter of 2016, ConEd reimbursed EQM $12.5 million related to the proportionate reduction in EQM’s interest in the joint venture. ConEd has the right to terminate its purchase of the interest in the MVP Joint Venture and be reimbursed for the purchase price and all capital contributions made to the MVP Joint Venture for a period ending no later than December 31, 2016.

As of June 30, 2016, EQM had issued a $91 million performance guarantee in favor of the MVP Joint Venture to provide performance assurances for MVP Holdco's obligations to fund its proportionate share of the construction budget for the MVP. Upon the FERC’s initial release to begin construction of the MVP, EQM's guarantee will terminate; EQM will then be obligated to issue a new guarantee in an amount equal to 33% of MVP Holdco’s remaining obligations to make capital contributions to the MVP Joint Venture in connection with the then remaining construction budget, less, subject to certain limits, any credit assurances issued by any affiliate of EQM under such affiliate's precedent agreement with the MVP Joint Venture.

As of June 30, 2016, EQM's maximum financial statement exposure related to the MVP Joint Venture was approximately $227 million, which included the investment balance of $136 million on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2016 and amounts which could have become due under the performance guarantee as of that date.