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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES A. Environmental Matters Eversource, CL&P, NSTAR Electric and PSNH are subject to environmental laws and regulations intended to mitigate or remove the effect of past operations and improve or maintain the quality of the environment. These laws and regulations require the removal or the remedy of the effect on the environment of the disposal or release of certain specified hazardous substances at current and former operating sites. Eversource, CL&P, NSTAR Electric and PSNH have an active environmental auditing and training program and each believes it is substantially in compliance with all enacted laws and regulations. The number of environmental sites and related reserves for which remediation or long-term monitoring, preliminary site work or site assessment is being performed are as follows:
| As of September 30, 2021 |  | As of December 31, 2020
| Number of Sites |  | Reserve (in millions) |  | Number of Sites |  | Reserve (in millions)
Eversource | 62 |  |  | $ | 111.9 |  |  | 63 |  |  | $ | 102.4 |
CL&P | 14 |  |  | 12.5 |  |  | 15 |  |  | 12.3 |
NSTAR Electric | 12 |  |  | 3.7 |  |  | 12 |  |  | 4.7 |
PSNH | 9 |  |  | 6.4 |  |  | 9 |  |  | 7.1 |
The increase in the reserve balance was due primarily to a change in cost estimates at an NSTAR Gas MGP site under investigation for which we now know of additional remediation that is required. Included in the number of sites and reserve amounts above are former MGP sites that were operated several decades ago and manufactured natural gas from coal and other processes, which resulted in certain by-products remaining in the environment that may pose a potential risk to human health and the environment, for which Eversource may have potential liability. The reserve balances related to these former MGP sites were $102.4 million and $92.2 million as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively, and related primarily to the natural gas business segment. These reserve estimates are subjective in nature as they take into consideration several different remediation options at each specific site. The reliability and precision of these estimates can be affected by several factors, including new information concerning either the level of contamination at the site, the extent of Eversource's, CL&P's, NSTAR Electric's and PSNH's responsibility for remediation or the extent of remediation required, recently enacted laws and regulations or changes in cost estimates due to certain economic factors. It is possible that new information or future developments could require a reassessment of the potential exposure to required environmental remediation. As this information becomes available, management will continue to assess the potential exposure and adjust the reserves accordingly. B. Long-Term Contractual Arrangements The following is an update to the current status of long-term contractual arrangements set forth in Note 13B of the Eversource 2020 Form 10-K. Renewable Energy: Renewable energy contracts include non-cancelable commitments under contracts of NSTAR Electric for the purchase of energy and RECs from renewable energy facilities.
NSTAR Electric |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Millions of Dollars) | 2021 |  | 2022 |  | 2023 |  | 2024 |  | 2025 |  | Thereafter |  | Total
Renewable Energy | $ | 27.1 |  |  | $ | 103.9 |  |  | $ | 230.5 |  |  | $ | 341.2 |  |  | $ | 348.1 |  |  | $ | 6,564.2 |  |  | $ | 7,615.0 |
The table has been updated to include long-term commitments of NSTAR Electric pertaining to the Massachusetts Clean Energy 83D contract, for which construction commenced in 2021. Estimated costs under this contract are expected to begin in 2023 and range between $150 million and $415 million per year under a 20-year contract, totaling approximately $6.7 billion. C. Guarantees and Indemnifications In the normal course of business, Eversource parent provides credit assurances on behalf of its subsidiaries, including CL&P, NSTAR Electric and PSNH, in the form of guarantees. Management does not anticipate a material impact to net income or cash flows as a result of these various guarantees and indemnifications. Guarantees issued on behalf of unconsolidated entities, including equity method offshore wind investments, for which Eversource parent is the guarantor, are recorded at fair value as a liability on the balance sheet at the inception of the guarantee. Eversource regularly reviews performance risk under these guarantee arrangements, and in the event it becomes probable that Eversource parent will be required to perform under the guarantee, the amount of probable payment will be recorded. The fair value of guarantees issued on behalf of unconsolidated entities are recorded within Other Long-Term Liabilities on the balance sheet, and was $5.7 million as of September 30, 2021. The following table summarizes Eversource parent's exposure to guarantees and indemnifications of its subsidiaries and affiliates to external parties:
As of September 30, 2021
Company (Obligor) |  | Description |  | Maximum Exposure (in millions) |  | Expiration Dates
North East Offshore LLC |  | Construction-related purchase agreements with third-party contractors (1) |  | $ | 1,093.5 |  |  | (1)
Eversource Investment LLC |  | Funding and indemnification obligations of North East Offshore LLC (2) |  | — |  |  | (2)
Sunrise Wind LLC |  | OREC capacity production (3) |  | 2.2 |  |  | (3)
Sunrise Wind LLC |  | Construction-related purchase agreements with third-party contractors (4) |  | 386.4 |  |  | —
South Fork Wind, LLC |  | Transmission interconnection |  | 1.2 |  |  | —
South Fork Wind, LLC |  | Construction-related purchase agreements with third-party contractors (5) |  | 40.6 |  |  | 2023
Bay State Wind LLC |  | Real estate purchase |  | 2.5 |  |  | 2022
Various |  | Surety bonds (6) |  | 67.5 |  |  | 2021 - 2023
Rocky River Realty Company and Eversource Service |  | Lease payments for real estate |  | 4.0 |  |  | 2024
(1) Eversource parent issued guarantees on behalf of its 50 percent-owned affiliate, North East Offshore LLC (NEO), under which Eversource parent agreed to guarantee 50 percent of NEO’s performance of obligations under certain purchase agreements with third-party contactors, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $1.3 billion with an expiration date in 2025. Eversource parent also issued a separate guarantee to Ørsted on behalf of NEO, under which Eversource parent agreed to guarantee 50 percent of NEO’s payment obligations under certain offshore wind project construction-related agreements with Ørsted in an aggregate amount not to exceed $62.5 million. Any amounts paid under this guarantee to Ørsted will count toward, but not increase, the maximum amount of the Funding Guarantee described in Note 2, below. The guarantee expires upon the full performance of the guaranteed obligations. (2) Eversource parent issued a guarantee (Funding Guarantee) on behalf of Eversource Investment LLC (EI), its wholly-owned subsidiary that holds a 50 percent ownership interest in NEO, under which Eversource parent agreed to guarantee certain funding obligations and certain indemnification payments of EI under the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement of NEO, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $910 million. The guaranteed obligations include payment of EI's funding obligations during the construction phase of NEO’s underlying offshore wind projects and indemnification obligations associated with third party credit support for its investment in NEO. Eversource parent’s obligations under the Funding Guarantee expire upon the full performance of the guaranteed obligations. (3) Eversource parent issued a guarantee on behalf of its 50 percent-owned affiliate, Sunrise Wind LLC, whereby Eversource parent will guarantee Sunrise Wind LLC's performance of certain obligations, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $15.4 million, under the Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Certificate Purchase and Sale Agreement (the Agreement). The Agreement was executed on October 23, 2019, by and between the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Sunrise Wind LLC. The guarantee expires upon the full performance of the guaranteed obligations. (4) Eversource parent issued a guaranty on behalf of its 50 percent-owned affiliate, Sunrise Wind LLC, whereby Eversource parent will guarantee Sunrise Wind LLC's performance of certain obligations, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $420.6 million, in connection with a construction-related purchase agreement. Eversource parent’s obligations under the guarantee expire upon the earlier of (i) April 14, 2026 and (ii) full performance of the guaranteed obligations. (5) Eversource parent issued two guarantees on behalf of its 50 percent-owned affiliate, South Fork Wind, LLC, whereby Eversource parent will guarantee South Fork Wind, LLC's performance of certain obligations in connection with two construction-related purchase agreements. Under one guarantee, Eversource parent will guarantee South Fork Wind, LLC's performance of certain obligations, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $25.8 million. Eversource parent’s obligations under the guarantee expire upon the earlier of (i) October 4, 2023 and (ii) full performance of the guaranteed obligations. Under the second guaranty, Eversource parent will guarantee South Fork Wind, LLC's performance of certain obligations, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $14.8 million. Eversource parent’s obligations under the guarantee expire upon the earlier of (i) October 18, 2023 and (ii) full performance of the guaranteed obligations. (6) Surety bond expiration dates reflect termination dates, the majority of which will be renewed or extended. Certain surety bonds contain credit ratings triggers that would require Eversource parent to post collateral in the event that the unsecured debt credit ratings of Eversource parent are downgraded. Letter of Credit: On September 16, 2020, Eversource parent entered into a guarantee on behalf of EI, which holds Eversource's investments in offshore wind-related equity method investments, under which Eversource parent would guarantee EI's obligations under a letter of credit facility with a financial institution that EI may request in an aggregate amount of up to approximately $25 million. D. Spent Nuclear Fuel Obligations - Yankee Companies CL&P, NSTAR Electric and PSNH have plant closure and fuel storage cost obligations to the Yankee Companies, which have each completed the physical decommissioning of their respective nuclear power facilities and are now engaged in the long-term storage of their spent fuel. The Yankee Companies fund these costs through litigation proceeds received from the DOE and, to the extent necessary, through wholesale, FERC-approved rates charged under power purchase agreements with several New England utilities, including CL&P, NSTAR Electric and PSNH. CL&P, NSTAR Electric and PSNH, in turn recover these costs from their customers through state regulatory commission-approved retail rates. The Yankee Companies collect amounts that management believes are adequate to recover the remaining plant closure and fuel storage cost estimates for the respective plants. Management believes CL&P and NSTAR Electric will recover their shares of these obligations from their customers. PSNH has recovered its total share of these costs from its customers. Spent Nuclear Fuel Litigation: The Yankee Companies have filed complaints against the DOE in the Court of Federal Claims seeking monetary damages resulting from the DOE's failure to accept delivery of, and provide for a permanent facility to store, spent nuclear fuel pursuant to the terms of the 1983 spent fuel and high-level waste disposal contracts between the Yankee Companies and the DOE. The court previously awarded the Yankee Companies damages for Phases I, II, III and IV of litigation resulting from the DOE's failure to meet its contractual obligations. These Phases covered damages incurred in the years 1998 through 2016, and the awarded damages have been received by the Yankee Companies with certain amounts of the damages refunded to their customers. DOE Phase V Damages - On March 25, 2021, each of the Yankee Companies filed a fifth set of lawsuits against the DOE in the Court of Federal Claims. The Yankee Companies are calculating and will be seeking monetary damages for CYAPC, YAEC and MYAPC, resulting from the DOE's failure to begin accepting spent nuclear fuel for disposal covering the years from 2017 to 2020 (DOE Phase V). E. FERC ROE Complaints Four separate complaints were filed at the FERC by combinations of New England state attorneys general, state regulatory commissions, consumer advocates, consumer groups, municipal parties and other parties (collectively, the Complainants). In each of the first three complaints, filed on October 1, 2011, December 27, 2012, and July 31, 2014, respectively, the Complainants challenged the NETOs' base ROE of 11.14 percent that had been utilized since 2005 and sought an order to reduce it prospectively from the date of the final FERC order and for the separate 15-month complaint periods. In the fourth complaint, filed April 29, 2016, the Complainants challenged the NETOs' base ROE billed of 10.57 percent and the maximum ROE for transmission incentive (incentive cap) of 11.74 percent, asserting that these ROEs were unjust and unreasonable. The ROE originally billed during the period October 1, 2011 (beginning of the first complaint period) through October 15, 2014 consisted of a base ROE of 11.14 percent and incentives up to 13.1 percent. On October 16, 2014, the FERC set the base ROE at 10.57 percent and the incentive cap at 11.74 percent for the first complaint period. This was also effective for all prospective billings to customers beginning October 16, 2014. This FERC order was vacated on April 14, 2017 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (the Court). All amounts associated with the first complaint period have been refunded, which totaled $38.9 million (pre-tax and excluding interest) at Eversource and reflected both the base ROE and incentive cap prescribed by the FERC order. The refund consisted of $22.4 million for CL&P, $13.7 million for NSTAR Electric and $2.8 million for PSNH. Eversource has recorded a reserve of $39.1 million (pre-tax and excluding interest) for the second complaint period as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. This reserve represents the difference between the billed rates during the second complaint period and a 10.57 percent base ROE and 11.74 percent incentive cap. The reserve consisted of $21.4 million for CL&P, $14.6 million for NSTAR Electric and $3.1 million for PSNH as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. On October 16, 2018, FERC issued an order on all four complaints describing how it intends to address the issues that were remanded by the Court. FERC proposed a new framework to determine (1) whether an existing ROE is unjust and unreasonable and, if so, (2) how to calculate a replacement ROE. Initial briefs were filed by the NETOs, Complainants and FERC Trial Staff on January 11, 2019 and reply briefs were filed on March 8, 2019. The NETOs' brief was supportive of the overall ROE methodology determined in the October 16, 2018 order provided the FERC does not change the proposed methodology or alter its implementation in a manner that has a material impact on the results. The FERC order included illustrative calculations for the first complaint using FERC's proposed frameworks with financial data from that complaint. Those illustrative calculations indicated that for the first complaint period, for the NETOs, which FERC concludes are of average financial risk, the preliminary just and reasonable base ROE is 10.41 percent and the preliminary incentive cap on total ROE is 13.08 percent. If the results of the illustrative calculations were included in a final FERC order for each of the complaint periods, then a 10.41 percent base ROE and a 13.08 percent incentive cap would not have a significant impact on our financial statements for all of the complaint periods. These preliminary calculations are not binding and do not represent what we believe to be the most likely outcome of a final FERC order. On November 21, 2019, FERC issued Opinion No. 569 affecting the two pending transmission ROE complaints against the Midcontinent ISO (MISO) transmission owners, in which FERC adopted a new methodology for determining base ROEs. Various parties sought rehearing. On December 23, 2019, the NETOs filed supplementary materials in the NETOs' four pending cases to respond to this new methodology because of the uncertainty of the applicability to the NETOs’ cases. On May 21, 2020, the FERC issued its order in Opinion No. 569-A on the rehearing of the MISO transmission owners' cases, in which FERC again changed its methodology for determining the MISO transmission owners' base ROEs. Various parties appealed the MISO transmission owners' opinion. On November 19, 2020, the FERC issued Opinion No. 569-B denying rehearing of Opinion No. 569-A and reaffirmed the methodology previously adopted in Opinion No. 569-A. The new methodology differs significantly from the methodology proposed by FERC in its October 16, 2018 order to determine the NETOs' base ROEs in its four pending cases. Given the significant uncertainty regarding the applicability of the FERC opinions in the MISO transmission owners' two complaint cases to the NETOs' pending four complaint cases, Eversource concluded that there is no reasonable basis for a change to the reserve or recognized ROEs for any of the complaint periods at this time. As well, Eversource cannot reasonably estimate a range of any gain or loss for any of the four complaint proceedings at this time. Eversource, CL&P, NSTAR Electric and PSNH currently record revenues at the 10.57 percent base ROE and incentive cap at 11.74 percent established in the October 16, 2014 FERC order. A change of 10 basis points to the base ROE used to establish the reserves would impact Eversource's after-tax earnings by an average of approximately $3 million for each of the four 15-month complaint periods. F. Eversource and NSTAR Electric Boston Harbor Civil Action In 2016, the United States Attorney on behalf of the United States Army Corps of Engineers filed a civil action in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts against NSTAR Electric, HEEC, and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (together with NSTAR Electric and HEEC, the "Defendants"). The action alleged that the Defendants failed to comply with certain permitting requirements related to the placement of the HEEC-owned electric distribution cable beneath Boston Harbor. The parties reached a settlement pursuant to which HEEC agreed to install a new 115kV distribution cable across Boston Harbor to Deer Island, utilizing a different route, and remove portions of the existing cable. Construction of the new distribution cable was completed in August 2019, and removal of the portions of the existing cable was completed in January 2020. All issues surrounding the current permit from the United States Army Corps of Engineers are expected to be resolved, and subsequently, such litigation then dismissed with prejudice. G. CL&P Regulatory Matters CL&P Tropical Storm Isaias Response Investigation: In August 2020, PURA opened a docket to investigate the preparation for and response to Tropical Storm Isaias by Connecticut utilities, including CL&P. On April 28, 2021, PURA issued a final decision on CL&P’s compliance with its emergency response plan that concluded CL&P failed to comply with certain storm performance standards and was imprudent in certain instances. Specifically, PURA concluded that CL&P did not satisfy the performance standards for managing its municipal liaison program, timely removing electrical hazards from blocked roads, communicating critical information to its customers, or meeting its obligation to secure adequate external contractor and mutual aid resources in a timely manner. Based on its findings, PURA ordered CL&P to adjust its future rates in a pending or future rate proceeding to reflect a monetary penalty in the form of a downward adjustment of 90 basis points in its allowed rate of return on equity (ROE), which is currently 9.25 percent. In its decision, PURA explained that additional monetary penalties and further enforcement orders pursuant to Connecticut statute would be considered in a separate proceeding that was initiated on May 6, 2021. On May 6, 2021, as part of the penalty proceeding, PURA issued a notice of violation that included an assessment of $30 million, consisting of a $28.4 million civil penalty for non-compliance with storm performance standards to be provided as credits on customer bills and a $1.6 million fine for violations of accident reporting requirements to be paid to the State of Connecticut’s general fund. On July 14, 2021, PURA issued a final decision in this penalty proceeding that included an assessment of $28.6 million, maintaining the $28.4 million performance penalty and reducing the $1.6 million fine for accident reporting to $0.2 million. The $28.4 million performance penalty is currently being credited to customers on electric bills beginning on September 1, 2021 over a one-year period. The $28.4 million is the maximum statutory penalty amount under applicable Connecticut law in effect at the time of Tropical Storm Isaias, which is 2.5 percent of CL&P’s annual distribution revenues. The liability for the performance penalty was recorded as a current regulatory liability on CL&P’s balance sheet and as a reduction to Operating Revenues on the nine months ended September 30, 2021 income statement. The after-tax earnings impact of this charge was $0.07 per share. CL&P Settlement Agreement: On October 1, 2021, CL&P entered into a settlement agreement with the DEEP, Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC), Office of the Attorney General (AG) and the Connecticut Industrial Energy Consumers, resolving certain issues that arose in pending regulatory proceedings initiated by the PURA. PURA approved the settlement agreement on October 27, 2021. In the settlement agreement, CL&P agreed to provide a total of $65 million of customer credits to be distributed based on customer sales over a two-month period from December 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022. CL&P also agreed to irrevocably set aside $10 million to fund various customer assistance initiatives as directed by PURA for disbursement to state-designated purposes, with the objective of disbursing the funds prior to April 30, 2022, including providing credits to existing hardship and non-hardship customers carrying arrearages and other purposes. In the third quarter of 2021, CL&P recorded a current regulatory liability of $75 million on the balance sheet associated with the provisions of the settlement agreement, with a $65 million pre-tax charge as a reduction to Operating Revenues associated with the customer credits and a $10 million charge to Operations and Maintenance expense associated with the customer assistance initiatives on the three months ended September 30, 2021 income statement. In exchange for the $75 million of customer credits and assistance, PURA’s interim rate reduction docket was resolved without findings. As a result of the settlement agreement, neither the 90 basis point reduction to CL&P’s return on equity introduced in PURA’s storm-related decision issued April 28, 2021, nor the 45 basis point reduction to CL&P’s return on equity included in PURA’s draft decision issued September 14, 2021 in the interim rate reduction docket, will be implemented. CL&P has also agreed that its current base distribution rates shall be frozen, subject to the customer credits described above, until no earlier than January 1, 2024. The rate freeze applies only to base distribution rates (including storm costs) and not to other rate mechanisms such as the retail rate components, rate reconciling mechanisms, formula rates and any other adjustment mechanisms. The rate freeze also does not apply to any cost recovery mechanism outside of the base distribution rates with regard to grid-modernization initiatives or any other proceedings, either currently pending or that may be initiated during the rate freeze period, that may place additional obligations on CL&P. The approval of the settlement agreement satisfies the Connecticut statute of rate review requirements that requires electric utilities to file a distribution rate case within four years of the last rate case. As part of the settlement agreement, CL&P agreed to withdraw with prejudice its pending appeals of PURA’s April 28, 2021 and July 14, 2021 decisions related to Storm Isaias and agreed to waive its right to file an appeal and seek a judicial stay of the final decision in the interim rate reduction docket. The settlement agreement assures that CL&P will have the opportunity to petition for and demonstrate the prudence of the storm costs incurred to respond to customer outages associated with Storm Isaias in a future ratemaking proceeding. The cumulative pre-tax impact of the settlement agreement and the Storm Isaias assessment imposed in PURA’s April 28, 2021 and July 14, 2021 decisions totaled $103.6 million, and the after-tax earnings impact was $85.8 million, or $0.25 per share, for the nine months ended September 30, 2021.

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