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Lease Commitments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

The Company enters into various lease agreements to meet its business needs and to satisfy the needs of its customers. The Company accounts for contracts that convey the use and control of identified assets for a period of time as leases. The Company classifies leases as operating or financing by evaluating the terms of the lease agreement. Agreements under which the Company is likely to utilize substantially all of the economic value or life of the asset or that the Company is likely to own at the end of the lease term, either through purchase or transfer of ownership, are classified as financing leases. Leases not meeting these criteria are accounted for as operating leases. Agreements under which the Company is a lessor are insignificant. PNMR, PNM, and TNMP determine present value for their leases using their incremental borrowing rates at the commencement date of the lease or, when readily available, the rate implicit in the agreement. The Company leases office buildings, vehicles, battery storage facilities, and other equipment. In addition, PNM had lease interests in PVNGS and certain rights-of-way agreements that were or are classified as leases. All of the Company’s leases with terms in excess of one year are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets by recording a present value lease liability and a corresponding right-of-use asset. Operating lease expense is recognized within operating expenses according to the use of the asset on a straight-line basis. Financing lease costs, which are comprised primarily of fleet and office equipment leases commencing after January 1, 2019, are recognized by amortizing the right-of-use asset on a straight-line basis and by recording interest expense on the lease liability. Financing lease right-of-use assets amortization is reflected in depreciation and amortization and interest on financing lease liabilities is reflected as interest charges on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Earnings.

PVNGS

In 1985 and 1986, PNM entered into leases for its interest in PVNGS Unit 1 and 2. The leases initially were scheduled to expire in January 2015 for four Unit 1 leases and January 2016 for four Unit 2 leases. Following procedures set forth in the PVNGS leases, PNM notified four of the lessors under the Unit 1 leases and one lessor under the Unit 2 lease that it would elect to renew those leases on the expiration date of the original leases. The four Unit 1 leases expired in January 2023 and the one Unit 2 lease expired in January 2024. The annual lease payments during the renewal periods aggregated $0.8 million on the

PVNGS Unit 2 lease that terminated in January 2024. PNM will cease depreciation and as authorized by the NMPRC create a regulatory asset for the associated remaining undepreciated investments.

On April 5, 2021, PNM and SRP entered into an Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, pursuant to which PNM agreed to sell to SRP certain PNM-owned assets and nuclear fuel necessary to the ongoing operation and maintenance of leased capacity in PVNGS Unit 1 and Unit 2. In January 2023, the Unit 1 leases expired, and PNM closed on the associated sale to SRP, receiving payments of $33.7 million, of which $28.4 million was recorded as a reduction to Net utility plant on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and is presented as cash flows from investing activities on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. In addition, $5.3 million was recorded as a reduction to materials, supplies, and fuel stock on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and is presented as cash flows from operating activities on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. In January 2024, the Unit 2 leases expired, and PNM closed on the associated sale to SRP, receiving payments of $3.5 million, of which $3.0 million was related to net utility plant and $0.5 million was related to materials and supplies. See Notes 16 and 17 for information on other PVNGS matters including NMPRC authorization to create regulatory assets for the associated remaining undepreciated investments and the PVNGS Leased Interest Abandonment Application.

Land Easements and Rights-of-Ways

Many of PNM’s electric transmission and distribution facilities are located on lands that require the grant of rights-of-way from governmental entities, Native American tribes, or private parties. PNM has completed several renewals of rights-of-way, the largest of which is a renewal with the Navajo Nation. PNM is obligated to pay the Navajo Nation annual payments of $6.0 million, subject to adjustment each year based on the Consumer Price Index, through 2029. PNM’s April 2023 payment for the amount due under the Navajo Nation right-of-way lease was $8.3 million, which included amounts due under the Consumer Price Index adjustment. Changes in the Consumer Price Index subsequent to January 1, 2019, are considered variable lease payments.

PNM has other prepaid rights-of-way agreements that are not accounted for as leases or recognized as a component of plant in service. PNM reflects the unamortized balance of these prepayments in other deferred charges on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and recognizes amortization expense associated with these agreements in the Consolidated Statement of Earnings over their term. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the unamortized balance of these rights-of-ways was $56.2 million and $54.6 million. During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, PNM recognized amortization expense associated with these agreements of $3.5 million, $3.8 million, and $3.7 million.

Fleet Vehicles and Equipment

Fleet vehicle and equipment leases commencing on or after January 1, 2019, are classified as financing leases. Fleet vehicle and equipment leases existing as of December 31, 2018, are classified as operating leases. The Company’s fleet vehicle and equipment lease agreements include non-lease components for insignificant administrative and other costs that are billed over the life of the agreement. At December 31, 2023, residual value guarantees on fleet vehicle and equipment leases are $0.8 million, $1.0 million, and $1.8 million for PNM, TNMP, and PNMR Consolidated.

Battery Storage Agreements

The Company has entered into various battery storage agreements and, in the third quarter of 2023, two battery storage facilities with an aggregate capacity of 170 MW began commercial operation. The agreements are for 20-year terms and have fixed payments over the life of the agreements. The Company has accounted for the agreements as operating leases and initially recorded lease liabilities with corresponding right-of-use assets of $138.0 million. In addition, the Company has elected to separate lease components from non-lease components for battery storage agreements and accordingly, does not include non-lease components in the measurement of the lease liability or right-of-use asset. The non-lease components, currently not included in the measurement of the lease liability or the corresponding right-of-use asset, comprise of 25.5% of the value of the agreements.

Information related to the Company’s operating leases recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets is presented below:


	December 31, 2023						December 31, 2022
	PNM		TNMP		PNMR Consolidated		PNM		TNMP		PNMR Consolidated
	(In thousands)
Operating leases:
Operating lease assets, net of amortization	$	180,370	$	1,814	$	182,201	$	52,556	$	3,426	$	55,982
Current portion of operating lease liabilities	11,371		895		12,267		17,239		1,543		18,781
Long-term portion of operating lease liabilities	166,191		809		167,000		39,633		1,703		41,336

As discussed above, the Company classifies its fleet vehicle and equipment leases and its office equipment leases commencing on or after January 1, 2019, as financing leases. Information related to the Company’s financing leases recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets is presented below:


	December 31, 2023						December 31, 2022
	PNM		TNMP		PNMR Consolidated		PNM		TNMP		PNMR Consolidated
	(In thousands)
Financing leases:
Non-utility property	$	25,425	$	24,487	$	49,981	$	19,324	$	20,084	$	39,738
Accumulated depreciation	(11,984)		(11,869)		(23,905)		(7,726)		(8,202)		(16,189)
Non-utility property, net	$	13,441	$	12,618	$	26,076	$	11,598	$	11,882	$	23,549

Other current liabilities	$	4,146	$	4,616	$	8,776	$	3,441	$	3,867	$	7,363
Other deferred credits	9,300		8,023		17,326		8,079		8,028		16,123

Information concerning the weighted average remaining lease terms and the weighted average discount rates used to determine the Company’s lease liabilities is presented below:


	December 31, 2023						December 31, 2022
	PNM		TNMP		PNMR Consolidated		PNM		TNMP		PNMR Consolidated
Weighted average remaining lease term (years):
Operating leases	16.79		1.65		16.65		6.74		2.16		6.48
Financing leases	3.81		3.08		3.45		3.99		3.39		3.68

Weighted average discount rate:
Operating leases	5.61	%	4.16	%	5.60	%	4.01	%	3.94	%	4.00	%
Financing leases	4.54		4.63		4.58		3.36		3.53		3.44

Information for the components of lease expense is as follows:


	Year Ended December 31, 2023
	PNM		TNMP		PNMR Consolidated
	(In thousands)
Operating lease cost:
Battery storage leases	$	4,351	$	—	$	4,351
Other operating leases	11,127		1,479		12,606
Amounts capitalized	(374)		(1,298)		(1,672)
Total operating lease expense	15,104		181		15,285
Financing lease cost:
Amortization of right-of-use assets	4,566		4,634		9,253
Interest on lease liabilities	562		497		1,060
Amounts capitalized	(3,190)		(4,250)		(7,440)
Total financing lease expense	1,938		881		2,873
Variable lease expense	1,342		—		1,342
Short-term lease expense	675		29		782
Total lease expense for the period	$	19,059	$	1,091	$	20,282


	Year Ended December 31, 2022
	PNM		TNMP		PNMR Consolidated
	(In thousands)
Operating lease cost	$	26,764	$	2,020	$	28,835
Amounts capitalized	(690)		(1,728)		(2,417)
Total operating lease expense	26,074		292		26,418
Financing lease cost:
Amortization of right-of-use assets	3,175		3,279		6,529
Interest on lease liabilities	327		330		659
Amounts capitalized	(2,264)		(3,208)		(5,471)
Total financing lease expense	1,238		401		1,717
Variable lease expense	890		—		890
Short-term lease expense (1)	3,058		5		3,109
Total lease expense for the period	$	31,260	$	698	$	32,134

(1) Includes expense of $2.7 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 for rental of temporary cooling towers associated with the SJGS Unit 1 outage. These amounts are partially offset with insurance reimbursements of $2.7 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022.

Supplemental cash flow information related to the Company’s leases is as follows:


	Year Ended December 31, 2023						Year Ended December 31, 2022
	PNM		TNMP		PNMR Consolidated		PNM		TNMP		PNMR Consolidated
	(In thousands)
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash flows from operating leases	$	21,575	$	110	$	21,685	$	25,687	$	246	$	25,984
Operating cash flows from financing leases	183		73		256		96		43		141
Financing cash flows from financing leases	1,671		802		2,527		1,123		499		1,711

Non-cash information related to right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations:
Operating leases	$	138,204	$	6	$	138,210	$	2,924	$	179	$	3,103
Financing leases	6,421		5,407		11,828		4,205		4,061		8,266

Capitalized lease costs are reflected as investing activities on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.

Future expected lease payments are shown below:


	As of December 31, 2023
	PNM						TNMP				PNMR Consolidated
			Operating										Operating
	Financing		Battery Storage		Other		Financing		Operating		Financing		Battery Storage		Other
	(In thousands)
2024	$	4,649	$	11,786	$	8,046	$	5,083	$	945	$	9,746	$	11,786	$	8,991
2025	3,605		11,786		7,087		3,991		770		7,598		11,786		7,857
2026	3,089		11,786		7,025		2,781		76		5,870		11,786		7,101
2027	1,859		11,786		7,029		1,381		—		3,240		11,786		7,029
2028	889		11,786		7,032		310		—		1,199		11,786		7,032
Later years	614		172,254		10,587		37		—		651		172,254		10,587
Total minimum lease payments	14,705		231,184		46,806		13,583		1,791		28,304		231,184		48,597
Less: Imputed interest	1,259		94,563		5,865		944		87		2,202		94,563		5,951
Lease liabilities	$	13,446	$	136,621	$	40,941	$	12,639	$	1,704	$	26,102	$	136,621	$	42,646

The above table includes $12.6 million, $12.3 million, and $24.9 million for PNM, TNMP, and PNMR at December 31, 2023 for expected future payments on fleet vehicle and equipment leases that could be avoided if the leased assets were returned and the lessor is able to recover estimated market value for the equipment from third parties. The Company’s contractual commitments for leases that have not yet commenced are insignificant.

At December 31, 2023, the Company has various lease arrangements that have been executed but have not yet commenced, which are primarily related to battery storage agreements. The Company currently expects lease commencement dates in 2024, with lease terms expiring in 2044, and will recognize lease assets and liabilities upon lease commencement. The expected total fixed consideration to be paid for these arrangements, which includes non-lease payments, is approximately $961.0 million over the 20-year terms of the agreements.

Lease Commitments