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LEASES | 12 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2024
Leases [Abstract] |
LEASES | 13. LEASES Lessee Accounting The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception based on whether the Company has the right to control the use of an identified asset, the right to obtain substantially all of the economic benefits from the use of the asset and the right to direct the use of the asset. After the criteria are satisfied, the Company accounts for these arrangements as leases in accordance with ASC 842, Leases. Right-of-use assets represent the Company’s right to use the underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Right-of-use assets and liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term, including payments at commencement that depend on an index or rate. Most leases in which the Company is the lessee do not have a readily determinable implicit rate, so an incremental borrowing rate, based on the information available at the lease commencement date, is utilized to determine the present value of lease payments. When a secured borrowing rate is not readily available, unsecured borrowing rates are adjusted for the effects of collateral to determine the incremental borrowing rate. The Company uses the implicit rate for agreements in which it is a lessor. The Company has not entered into any material agreements in which it is a lessor. Lease expense and lease income are recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term for operating leases. The Company’s lease agreements primarily consist of commercial solar land leases, storage and capacity leases, equipment and real property, including land and office facilities, office equipment and the sale leaseback of certain natural gas meters. Certain leases contain escalation provisions for inflation metrics. The storage leases contain a variable payment component that relates to the change in the inflation metrics that are not known past the current payment period. The variable components of these lease payments are excluded from the lease payments that are used to determine the related right-of-use lease asset and liability. The variable portion of these leases are recognized as leasing expenses when they are incurred. The capacity lease payments are fully variable and based on the amount of natural gas stored in the storage caverns. Generally, the Company’s solar land lease terms are between 20 and 50 years and may include multiple options to extend the terms for an additional five to 20 years. The Company’s office leases vary in duration, ranging from two to 11 years, and may or may not include extension or early purchase options. The Company’s meter lease terms are between six and 10 years with purchase options available prior to the end of the term. Equipment leases, including general office equipment, also vary in duration, with an average term of nine years. The Company’s storage and capacity leases have assumed terms of 50 years to coincide with the expected useful lives of the cavern assets with which the leases are associated. The Company’s lease terms may include options to extend, purchase the leased asset or terminate a lease, and they are included in the lease liability calculation when it is reasonably certain that those options will be exercised. The Company has elected an accounting policy that exempts leases with an original term of one year or less from the recognition requirements of ASC 842, Leases. The Company has lease agreements with lease and non-lease components and has elected the practical expedient to combine lease and non-lease components for certain classes of leases, such as office buildings, solar land leases and office equipment. Variable payments are not considered material to the Company. The Company’s lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees, material restrictions or material covenants. In July 2021, NJNG entered into 16-year lease agreements, as Lessor, with various NJR subsidiaries, as Lessees, for office space at the Company’s headquarters in Wall, New Jersey, the effects of which are eliminated in consolidation. The following table presents the Company’s lease costs included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the fiscal year ended September 30:
(Thousands) | Income Statement Location | 2024 | 2023 | 2022
Operating lease cost (1) | Operation and maintenance | $ | 10,368 |  | $ | 9,336 |  | $ | 9,702 |
Finance lease cost |  |  |  |
Amortization of right-of-use assets | Depreciation and amortization | 2,160 |  | 2,105 |  | $ | 1,769 |
Interest on lease liabilities | Interest expense, net of capitalized interest | 914 |  | 1,084 |  | 612 |
Total finance lease cost |  | $ | 3,074 |  | $ | 3,189 |  | 2,381 |
Short-term lease cost | Operation and maintenance | — |  | — |  | 34 |
Variable lease cost | Operation and maintenance | 1,099 |  | 1,128 |  | 781 |
Total lease cost |  | $ | 14,541 |  | $ | 13,653 |  | $ | 12,898 |
(1)Net of capitalized costs. The following table presents supplemental cash flow information related to leases for the fiscal year ended September 30:
(Thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | 2022
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities |  |  |
Operating cash flows for operating leases | $ | 7,932 |  | $ | 8,942 |  | $ | 7,417 |
Operating cash flows for finance leases | $ | 914 |  | $ | 1,084 |  | $ | 831 |
Financing cash flows for finance leases | $ | 7,792 |  | $ | 7,379 |  | $ | 7,145 |
Assets obtained or modified through operating lease liabilities totaled approximately $14.1M and $13.2M during fiscal 2024 and 2023, respectively. Assets obtained or modified through other leases, including those which are finance leases and financing transactions for accounting purposes, totaled $8.4M during fiscal 2023. There were no assets obtained or modified through finance leases during fiscal 2024. The following table presents the balance and classifications of the Company’s right of use assets and lease liabilities included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for the fiscal year ended September 30:
(Thousands) | Balance Sheet Location | 2024 | 2023 |  |
Assets |  |  |  |  |
Noncurrent |  |  |  |  |
Operating lease assets | Operating lease assets | $ | 184,485 |  | $ | 175,740 |  |  |
Finance lease assets | Utility plant | 26,088 |  | 28,248 |  |  |
Total lease assets |  | $ | 210,573 |  | $ | 203,988 |  |  |
Liabilities |  |  |  |  |
Current |  |  |  |  |
Operating lease liabilities | Operating lease liabilities | $ | 4,945 |  | $ | 4,772 |  |  |
Finance lease liabilities | Current maturities of long-term debt | 7,534 |  | 8,477 |  |  |
Noncurrent |  |  |  |  |
Operating lease liabilities | Operating lease liabilities | 159,303 |  | 148,023 |  |  |
Finance lease liabilities | Long-term debt | 16,026 |  | 22,875 |  |  |
Total lease liabilities |  | $ | 187,808 |  | $ | 184,147 |  |  |
For operating lease assets and liabilities, the weighted average remaining lease term was 28.6 years and 29.2 years and the weighted average discount rate used in the valuation over the remaining lease term was 3.8% and 3.5% as of September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. For finance lease assets and liabilities, the weighted average remaining lease term was 3.0 years and 3.3 years and the weighted average discount rate used in the valuation over the remaining lease term was 3.4% and 2.7% as of September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The following table presents the Company’s maturities of lease liabilities as of September 30, 2024:
(Thousands) | Operating | Finance
2025 | $ | 8,408 |  | $ | 8,169 |
2026 | 8,852 |  | 6,411 |
2027 | 8,834 |  | 4,083 |
2028 | 8,925 |  | 4,715 |
2029 | 8,994 |  | 1,676 |
Thereafter | 233,942 |  | — |
Total future payments | 277,955 |  | 25,054 |
Less: interest | (113,707) |  | (1,494) |
Total liability | $ | 164,248 |  | $ | 23,560 |
LEASES | 13. LEASES Lessee Accounting The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception based on whether the Company has the right to control the use of an identified asset, the right to obtain substantially all of the economic benefits from the use of the asset and the right to direct the use of the asset. After the criteria are satisfied, the Company accounts for these arrangements as leases in accordance with ASC 842, Leases. Right-of-use assets represent the Company’s right to use the underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Right-of-use assets and liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term, including payments at commencement that depend on an index or rate. Most leases in which the Company is the lessee do not have a readily determinable implicit rate, so an incremental borrowing rate, based on the information available at the lease commencement date, is utilized to determine the present value of lease payments. When a secured borrowing rate is not readily available, unsecured borrowing rates are adjusted for the effects of collateral to determine the incremental borrowing rate. The Company uses the implicit rate for agreements in which it is a lessor. The Company has not entered into any material agreements in which it is a lessor. Lease expense and lease income are recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term for operating leases. The Company’s lease agreements primarily consist of commercial solar land leases, storage and capacity leases, equipment and real property, including land and office facilities, office equipment and the sale leaseback of certain natural gas meters. Certain leases contain escalation provisions for inflation metrics. The storage leases contain a variable payment component that relates to the change in the inflation metrics that are not known past the current payment period. The variable components of these lease payments are excluded from the lease payments that are used to determine the related right-of-use lease asset and liability. The variable portion of these leases are recognized as leasing expenses when they are incurred. The capacity lease payments are fully variable and based on the amount of natural gas stored in the storage caverns. Generally, the Company’s solar land lease terms are between 20 and 50 years and may include multiple options to extend the terms for an additional five to 20 years. The Company’s office leases vary in duration, ranging from two to 11 years, and may or may not include extension or early purchase options. The Company’s meter lease terms are between six and 10 years with purchase options available prior to the end of the term. Equipment leases, including general office equipment, also vary in duration, with an average term of nine years. The Company’s storage and capacity leases have assumed terms of 50 years to coincide with the expected useful lives of the cavern assets with which the leases are associated. The Company’s lease terms may include options to extend, purchase the leased asset or terminate a lease, and they are included in the lease liability calculation when it is reasonably certain that those options will be exercised. The Company has elected an accounting policy that exempts leases with an original term of one year or less from the recognition requirements of ASC 842, Leases. The Company has lease agreements with lease and non-lease components and has elected the practical expedient to combine lease and non-lease components for certain classes of leases, such as office buildings, solar land leases and office equipment. Variable payments are not considered material to the Company. The Company’s lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees, material restrictions or material covenants. In July 2021, NJNG entered into 16-year lease agreements, as Lessor, with various NJR subsidiaries, as Lessees, for office space at the Company’s headquarters in Wall, New Jersey, the effects of which are eliminated in consolidation. The following table presents the Company’s lease costs included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the fiscal year ended September 30:
(Thousands) | Income Statement Location | 2024 | 2023 | 2022
Operating lease cost (1) | Operation and maintenance | $ | 10,368 |  | $ | 9,336 |  | $ | 9,702 |
Finance lease cost |  |  |  |
Amortization of right-of-use assets | Depreciation and amortization | 2,160 |  | 2,105 |  | $ | 1,769 |
Interest on lease liabilities | Interest expense, net of capitalized interest | 914 |  | 1,084 |  | 612 |
Total finance lease cost |  | $ | 3,074 |  | $ | 3,189 |  | 2,381 |
Short-term lease cost | Operation and maintenance | — |  | — |  | 34 |
Variable lease cost | Operation and maintenance | 1,099 |  | 1,128 |  | 781 |
Total lease cost |  | $ | 14,541 |  | $ | 13,653 |  | $ | 12,898 |
(1)Net of capitalized costs. The following table presents supplemental cash flow information related to leases for the fiscal year ended September 30:
(Thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | 2022
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities |  |  |
Operating cash flows for operating leases | $ | 7,932 |  | $ | 8,942 |  | $ | 7,417 |
Operating cash flows for finance leases | $ | 914 |  | $ | 1,084 |  | $ | 831 |
Financing cash flows for finance leases | $ | 7,792 |  | $ | 7,379 |  | $ | 7,145 |
Assets obtained or modified through operating lease liabilities totaled approximately $14.1M and $13.2M during fiscal 2024 and 2023, respectively. Assets obtained or modified through other leases, including those which are finance leases and financing transactions for accounting purposes, totaled $8.4M during fiscal 2023. There were no assets obtained or modified through finance leases during fiscal 2024. The following table presents the balance and classifications of the Company’s right of use assets and lease liabilities included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for the fiscal year ended September 30:
(Thousands) | Balance Sheet Location | 2024 | 2023 |  |
Assets |  |  |  |  |
Noncurrent |  |  |  |  |
Operating lease assets | Operating lease assets | $ | 184,485 |  | $ | 175,740 |  |  |
Finance lease assets | Utility plant | 26,088 |  | 28,248 |  |  |
Total lease assets |  | $ | 210,573 |  | $ | 203,988 |  |  |
Liabilities |  |  |  |  |
Current |  |  |  |  |
Operating lease liabilities | Operating lease liabilities | $ | 4,945 |  | $ | 4,772 |  |  |
Finance lease liabilities | Current maturities of long-term debt | 7,534 |  | 8,477 |  |  |
Noncurrent |  |  |  |  |
Operating lease liabilities | Operating lease liabilities | 159,303 |  | 148,023 |  |  |
Finance lease liabilities | Long-term debt | 16,026 |  | 22,875 |  |  |
Total lease liabilities |  | $ | 187,808 |  | $ | 184,147 |  |  |
For operating lease assets and liabilities, the weighted average remaining lease term was 28.6 years and 29.2 years and the weighted average discount rate used in the valuation over the remaining lease term was 3.8% and 3.5% as of September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. For finance lease assets and liabilities, the weighted average remaining lease term was 3.0 years and 3.3 years and the weighted average discount rate used in the valuation over the remaining lease term was 3.4% and 2.7% as of September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The following table presents the Company’s maturities of lease liabilities as of September 30, 2024:
(Thousands) | Operating | Finance
2025 | $ | 8,408 |  | $ | 8,169 |
2026 | 8,852 |  | 6,411 |
2027 | 8,834 |  | 4,083 |
2028 | 8,925 |  | 4,715 |
2029 | 8,994 |  | 1,676 |
Thereafter | 233,942 |  | — |
Total future payments | 277,955 |  | 25,054 |
Less: interest | (113,707) |  | (1,494) |
Total liability | $ | 164,248 |  | $ | 23,560 |

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- Definition The entire disclosure for finance leases of lessee. Includes, but is not limited to, description of lessee's finance lease and maturity analysis of finance lease liability. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/842-20/tableOfContent + Details
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- Definition The entire disclosure for operating leases of lessee. Includes, but is not limited to, description of operating lease and maturity analysis of operating lease liability. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/842-20/tableOfContent + Details
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