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Assets and Liabilities Held for Sale
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Assets and Liabilities Held for Sale [Abstract]  
Assets and Liabilities Held for Sale Assets and Liabilities Held For Sale
On February 26, 2020, NiSource and Columbia of Massachusetts entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Eversource (the "Asset Purchase Agreement"). Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Asset Purchase Agreement, NiSource and Columbia of Massachusetts agreed to sell to Eversource, with certain additions and exceptions: (1) substantially all of the assets of Columbia of Massachusetts and (2) all of the assets held by any of Columbia of Massachusetts’ affiliates that primarily relate to the Massachusetts Business, and Eversource agreed to assume certain liabilities of Columbia of Massachusetts and its affiliates. The liabilities assumed by Eversource under the Asset Purchase Agreement did not include, among others, any liabilities arising out of the Greater Lawrence Incident or liabilities of Columbia of Massachusetts or its affiliates pursuant to civil claims for injury of persons or damage to property to the extent such injury or damage occurs prior to the closing in connection with the Massachusetts Business.
On July 2, 2020, NiSource, Columbia of Massachusetts, Eversource and Eversource Gas Company of Massachusetts, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eversource (“EGMA”), filed with the Massachusetts DPU a joint petition for the approval of the purchase and sale of the Massachusetts Business ("the Transaction") and a proposed multi-year rate plan. Additionally, the petition sought approval of a settlement agreement executed on July 2, 2020 (the “Settlement Agreement”) among, NiSource, Columbia of Massachusetts, Eversource, EGMA, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office ("Massachusetts AGO"), the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources ("DOER"), and the Low-Income Weatherization and Fuel Assistance Program Network. Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, NiSource agreed to make a payment in lieu of penalties in full settlement of all of the pending and potential claims, lawsuits, investigations or proceedings settled by and released by the Settlement Agreement in the amount of $56.0 million. This payment, which was withheld from the proceeds received from Eversource, will be used to create an Energy Relief Fund that will benefit customers of the Massachusetts Business.
The Settlement Agreement was conditioned on its approval in full by the Massachusetts DPU no later than September 30, 2020; however, this deadline was extended to October 7, 2020. The Settlement Agreement was approved by the Massachusetts DPU on October 7, 2020, and the closing of the Transaction occurred on October 9, 2020. On October 9, 2020, NiSource and Columbia of Massachusetts received net proceeds from the sale of $1,112.6 million, which includes the $1,100.0 million purchase price and an estimate of Columbia of Massachusetts' net working capital, net of closing costs and the $56.0 million payment in lieu of penalties. Under the Asset Purchase Agreement, the final net working capital amount will be determined within 120 days from the closing date. In connection with the sale of the Massachusetts Business, NiSource and Eversource entered into a Transition Services Agreement (TSA). See Note 18-B, "Legal Proceedings," and Note 18-D, "Other Matters," for additional information regarding the sale and TSA, respectively.
As of September 30, 2020, the Massachusetts Business continues to meet the requirements under GAAP to be classified as held for sale, and the assets and liabilities of the Massachusetts Business are measured at fair value, less costs to sell. Our estimated
total pre-tax loss on classification as held for sale recorded in the the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 is $35.6 million and $400.2 million, respectively, based on September 30, 2020 asset and liability balances, estimated net working capital and estimated transaction costs, including the $56.0 million payment in lieu of penalties described above. This estimated pre-tax loss is presented as Loss on Classification as Held for Sale on the Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income (Loss) (unaudited) and is subject to change based on actual transaction costs, net working capital, and asset and liability balances as of the close of the transaction on October 9, 2020.
The Massachusetts Business had the following pretax income (loss) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019:
Three Months Ended
September 30,		Nine Months Ended
September 30,
(in millions)2020201920202019
Pretax Income (Loss)($74.1)($55.2)($402.9)$183.5
The pretax income (loss) amounts exclude allocated executive compensation expense and interest expense for intercompany and external debt that was not assumed by Eversource or required to be repaid at closing. The pretax income (loss) amounts for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 include costs directly related to the Greater Lawrence Incident. In addition, the pretax loss amounts for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 include the Loss on Classification as Held for Sale. The major classes of assets and liabilities classified as held for sale on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited) at September 30, 2020 were:
(in millions)
Assets Held for SaleNet Property, Plant and EquipmentTotal Current AssetsTotal Other Assets
Loss on Classification as Held for Sale(1)
Total Assets Held for Sale
Gas Distribution Operations1,705.0 161.5 91.8 (392.6)1,565.7 
Liabilities Held for SaleLong-term Debt, Excluding Amounts Due Within One YearTotal Current LiabilitiesTotal Other LiabilitiesTotal Liabilities Held for Sale
Gas Distribution Operations41.6 60.1 350.1 451.8 
(1) Amount differs from that presented in the Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income (Loss) (unaudited) due to cash already paid for certain transaction costs.