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Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

NOTE 13. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Commitments

In the normal course of business, the Company enters into contracts that contain a variety of indemnifications with its employees, licensors, suppliers and service providers. The Company’s maximum exposure under these arrangements, if any, is unknown as of March 31, 2024. The Company does not anticipate recognizing any significant losses relating to these arrangements.

On August 14, 2023, the Company, through CMTI, entered into a master loan agreement with Coinbase Credit, Inc., as lender, and Coinbase, Inc., as lending service provider. Pursuant to the master loan agreement, the Company established a secured line of credit up to $10.0 million (the “Credit Facility”). The Company will not incur commitment fees for unused portions of the Credit Facility. The borrowing rate on amounts drawn against the Credit Facility is determined on the basis of the Federal Funds Target Rate - Upper Bound, plus 2.5%, calculated daily based on a 365-day year and payable monthly for the duration of the loan. Borrowings under the Credit Facility are available on demand, open term, and collateralized by bitcoin transferred to the lending service provider’s platform. As of March 31, 2024 the Company has not drawn upon the Credit Facility.

Contingencies

The Company, and its subsidiaries, are subject at times to various claims, lawsuits and governmental proceedings relating to the Company’s business and transactions arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company cannot predict the final outcome of such proceedings. Where appropriate, the Company vigorously defends such claims, lawsuits and proceedings. Some of these claims, lawsuits and proceedings seek damages, including consequential, exemplary or punitive damages, in amounts that could, if awarded, be significant. Certain of the claims, lawsuits and proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business are covered by the Company’s insurance program. The Company maintains property and various types of liability insurance in an effort to protect the Company from such claims. In terms of any matters where there is no insurance coverage available to the Company, or where coverage is available and the Company maintains a retention or deductible associated with such insurance, the Company may establish an accrual for such loss, retention or deductible based on current available information. In accordance with accounting guidance, if it is probable that an asset has been impaired or a liability has been incurred as of the date of the financial statements, and the amount of loss is reasonably estimable, then an accrual for the cost to resolve or settle these claims is recorded by the Company in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets. If it is reasonably possible that an asset may be impaired as of the date of the financial statements, then the Company discloses the range of possible loss. Expenses related to the defense of such claims are recorded by the Company as incurred and included in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations. Management, with the assistance of outside counsel, may from time to time adjust such accruals according to new developments in the matter, court rulings, or changes in the strategy affecting the Company’s defense of such matters. On the basis of current information, the Company does not believe there is a reasonable possibility that a material loss, if any, will result from any claims, lawsuits and proceedings to which the Company is subject to either individually, or in the aggregate.

Litigation

Luminant Power Agreement

On November 18, 2022, Luminant filed suit against CMTI in the 95th District Court of Dallas County, Texas, asserting Texas state law claims for declaratory judgment and “money had and received”, seeking recoupment and return of money previously paid by Luminant to CMTI in connection with Luminant’s (and its affiliates’) construction and energization of Cipher’s bitcoin mining data

center in Odessa, Texas. These prior payments were (i) the sum of $5.1 million paid to CMTI in September 2022 pursuant to a contractual provision requiring such payment in the parties’ written and executed August 25, 2022 Third Amendment to the Luminant Power Agreement, and (ii) the sum of $1.7 million also paid to CMTI in September 2022, as agreed by the parties, for electrical power sold by Luminant for CMTI’s benefit into the open market prior to the final energization of the Odessa Facility. Luminant contended that such payments were mistaken because, although voluntarily made by Luminant, they were not actually due under the terms of the Luminant Power Agreement, as amended. The Company filed its answer on January 17, 2023, denying any liability to Luminant. Cipher did not receive payment from Luminant for electricity sold in the ERCOT market in September 2022 and October 2022.

The Company established a $2.0 million accrual for the cost of resolving the claims in the second quarter of 2023, $1.5 million of which has been paid as of March 31, 2024 in connection with the Luminant Settlement (defined below).

On July 11, 2023, the Company entered into an amendment of the payment schedule to the Luminant Purchase and Sale Agreement, reflecting monthly installments of principal and interest totaling $19.7 million on an undiscounted basis, due over the remaining four-year period starting in July 2023.

 

On August 23, 2023, the Company settled the dispute with Luminant (the “Luminant Settlement”). In connection with the Luminant Settlement, the Company, through CMTI, entered into (i) a Fourth Amendment to the Power Purchase Agreement (the “Amended PPA”) with Luminant, which amended the Luminant Power Agreement and (ii) a Second Amendment to the Lease Agreement (the "Amended Lease") with an affiliate of Luminant, which amended the Luminant Lease Agreement.

The Amended PPA, among other items, reduces the notice requirements that CMTI must satisfy in connection with changes to its energy consumption at the Odessa Facility and the Amended Lease provides that the initial term of the agreement shall end on July 31, 2027.