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N.S.C. Agua, S.A. de C.V. | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2016
Investments In and Advances To Affiliates, Schedule Of Investments [Abstract] |
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Schedule of Investments [Text Block] | 9. N.S.C. Agua, S.A. de C.V. In May 2010, the Company acquired, through its wholly-owned Netherlands subsidiary, CW-Cooperatief, a 50% interest in NSC, a development stage Mexican company. The Company has since purchased, through the conversion of a loan it made to NSC, sufficient shares to raise its ownership interest in NSC to 99.9%. NSC was formed to pursue a project (the “Project”) that originally encompassed the construction, operation and minority ownership of a 100 million gallon per day seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant to be located in northern Baja California, Mexico and accompanying pipelines to deliver water to the Mexican potable water system. As discussed in paragraphs that follow, during 2015 the scope of the Project was defined by the State of Baja California (the “State”) to consist of a first phase consisting of a 50 million gallons per day plant and a pipeline that connects to the Mexican potable water infrastructure and a second phase consisting of an additional 50 million gallons of production capacity. Since its inception, NSC has engaged engineering groups with extensive regional and/or technical experience to prepare preliminary designs and cost estimates for the desalination plant and the proposed pipeline and prepare the environmental impact studies for local, state and federal regulatory agencies, and has also acquired the land, performed pilot plant and feed water source testing and evaluated financing alternatives for the Project. Through a series of transactions completed in 2012-2014, NSC purchased 20.1 hectares of land on which the proposed Project’s plant would be constructed for an aggregate price of approximately $20.6 million. In November 2012, NSC entered into a lease with an effective term of 20-years from the date of full operation of the desalination plant, with the Comisión Federal de Electricidad for approximately 5,000 square meters of land on which it plans to construct the water intake and discharge works for the plant. The amounts due on this lease are payable in Mexican pesos at an amount that is currently equivalent to approximately $20,000 per month. This lease may be cancelled by NSC should NSC ultimately not proceed with the Project. In August 2014, the State enacted new legislation to regulate Public-Private Association projects which involve the type of long-term contract between a public sector authority and a private party that NSC is seeking to complete the Project. Pursuant to this new legislation, on January 4, 2015, NSC submitted an expression of interest for its project to the Secretary of Infrastructure and Urban Development of the State of Baja California (“SIDUE”). SIDUE accepted NSC’s expression of interest and requested that NSC submit a detailed proposal for the Project that complies with requirements of the new legislation. NSC submitted this detailed proposal (the “APP Proposal”) to SIDUE in late March 2015. The new legislation required that such proposal be evaluated by SIDUE and submitted to the Public-Private Association Projects State Committee (the “APP Committee”) for review and authorization. If the Project was authorized the State would be required to conduct a public tender for the Project. In response to its APP Proposal, in September 2015 NSC received a letter dated June 30, 2015 from the Director General of the Comisión Estatal de Agua de Baja California (“CEA”), the State agency with responsibility for the Project, stating that (i) the Project is in the public interest with high social benefits and is consistent with the objectives of the State development plan and (ii) that the Project should proceed and the required public tender should be conducted. In November 2015, the State officially commenced the tender for the Project, the scope of which the State defined as a first phase to be operational in 2019 consisting of a 50 million gallons per day plant and a pipeline that connects to the Mexican potable water infrastructure and a second phase to be operational in 2024 consisting of an additional 50 million gallons per day of production capacity. A consortium comprised of NSC, NuWater S.A.P.I. de C.V. and Degremont S.A. de C.V. (the “Consortium”) submitted its tender for the Project on the April 21, 2016 tender submission deadline date set by the State. The Company has acknowledged since the inception of the Project that, due to the amount of capital the Project requires, NSC will ultimately need an equity partner or partners for the Project. Consequently, NSC’s tender to the State for the Project was based upon the following: (i) NSC will sell or otherwise transfer the land and other Project assets to a new company (“Newco”) that would build and own the Project; (ii) NSC’s potential partners would provide the majority of the equity for the Project and thereby would own the majority interest in Newco; (iii) NSC would maintain a minority ownership position in Newco; and (iv) Newco would enter into a long-term management and technical services contract for the Project with an entity partially owned by NSC or another Company subsidiary. On June 15, 2016, the State designated the Consortium as the winner of tender process for the Project. On August 17, 2016, NSC and NuWater incorporated Aguas de Rosarito S.A.P.I. de C.V. (“AdR”), a special project company, to execute the Project and executed a shareholders agreement for AdR agreeing among other things that (i) AdR would purchase the land and other Project assets from NSC on the date that the Project begins commercial operations; and (ii) AdR would enter into a Management and Technical Services Agreement with NSC effective on the first day that the Project begins commercial operations. As of December 31, 2016, NSC owned 99.6% of AdR. On August 22, 2016, the Public Private Partnership Agreement for public private partnership number 002/2015, contest number SIDUE-CEA-APP-2015-002 (“APP Contract”) was executed between AdR, CEA, the Government of Baja California represented by the Secretary of Planning and Finance (“SPF”), and the Public Utilities Commission of Tijuana (“CESPT”). The APP Contract requires AdR to design, construct, finance and operate a seawater desalination plant (and accompanying aqueducts) with a capacity of up to 100 million gallons per day in two phases: the first with a capacity of 50 million gallons per day and an aqueduct to the Mexican potable water system in Tijuana, Baja California; and the second phase with a capacity of 50 million gallons per day and an aqueduct to a second delivery point in Tijuana. The first phase must be operational within 36 months of commencing construction, and the second phase must be operational by the end of 2024. The APP Contract further requires AdR to operate and maintain the plant and aqueducts for a period of 37 years starting from the commencement of operation of the first phase. At the end of the operating period the plant and aqueducts will be transferred to CEA. The total Project cost is expected to be approximately 9 billion Mexican pesos, or approximately US$463 million (based upon the currency exchange rate as of March 10, 2017). Annual revenues from the Project are expected to be approximately 1.02 billion Mexican pesos, or approximately US$52 million (based upon the currency exchange rate as of March 10, 2017). Water rates under the APP Contract are indexed to the Mexican national consumer price index over its term. Electrical energy costs incurred by AdR to desalinate and deliver water are treated as a pass through charge to CEA, subject to efficiency guarantees. AdR expects to raise Mexican peso denominated debt financing through a consortium led by the North American Development Bank, which also provided financial advisory services to the Consortium through the bidding process and contract negotiations. The APP Contract does not become effective until the following conditions are met:
| · | the State has established and registered various payment trusts, guaranties and bank credit lines for specific use by the Project;
| · | the CEA has obtained the rights from the relevant federal authority to take and desalinate seawater and distribute it for municipal use;
| · | various water purchase and sale agreements between the CEA, the payment trusts and the CESPT have been executed;
| · | AdR has obtained all rights of ways required for the aqueduct;
| · | AdR has obtained permission from the relevant federal authority to discharge the residual water from the Project’s desalination plant; and
| · | all equity and debt financing agreements necessary to provide the funding to AdR for the first phase of the Project have been executed.
Both the exchange rate for the Mexico peso relative to the dollar and general macroeconomic conditions in Mexico have declined since the U.S. Presidential election in November 2016. These changes have adversely impacted the estimated construction, operating, and financing costs for the Project. The APP Contract and the APP Law allow for the parties to negotiate (but do not guarantee) modifications to the water tariff in the event of such significant macroeconomic condition changes. On February 10, 2017 AdR submitted proposals to the CEA requesting an increase to the water tariff to compensate for changes in foreign exchange rates, lending rates and certain changes in law which have impacted the Project. If AdR is unable to obtain this requested increase in the water tariff it may be unable to obtain the debt and equity financing required for the Project. The Company is currently unable to say whether or not such water tariff increase will be approved. If AdR is ultimately unable to proceed with the Project, the land NSC has purchased may lose its strategic importance as the site for the Project and consequently may decline in value. If AdR does not proceed with the Project, NSC may ultimately be unable to sell this land for an amount equal to or in excess of its current carrying value of approximately $20.6 million, and any loss on sale of the land, or impairment loss NSC may be required to record as a result of a decrease in the fair value of the land could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations. Included in the Company’s results of operations are general and administrative expenses from NSC and AdR, consisting of organizational, legal, accounting, engineering, consulting and other costs relating to Project development activities. Such expenses amounted to approximately $3.0 million, $2.0 million and $3.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The assets and liabilities of NSC and AdR included in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets amounted to approximately $23.3 million and $221,000, respectively, as of December 31, 2016 and approximately $22.0 million and $488,000 respectively, as of December 31, 2015. NSC Litigation Immediately following CW-Cooperatief’s acquisition of its initial 50% ownership in NSC, the remaining 50% ownership interest in NSC was held by an unrelated company, Norte Sur Agua, S. de R.L. de C.V. (“NSA”). NSA subsequently transferred ownership of half of its shares in NSC to EWG Water LLC (“EWG”) and the other half of its shares in NSC to Alejandro de la Vega (the “individual shareholder”). In February 2012, the Company paid $300,000 to enter into an agreement (the “Option Agreement”) that provided it with an option, exercisable through February 7, 2014, to purchase the shares of NSC owned by the individual shareholder, along with an immediate power of attorney to vote those shares, for $1.0 million. Such shares constituted 25% of the ownership of NSC as of February 2012. In May 2013, NSC repaid a $5.7 million loan payable to CW-Cooperatief by issuing additional shares of its stock. As a result of this share issuance to CW-Cooperatief, the Company acquired 99.9% of the ownership of NSC. The Option Agreement contained an anti-dilution provision that required the Company to issue new shares in NSC of an amount sufficient to maintain the individual shareholder’s 25% ownership interest in NSC if (i) any new shares of NSC were issued subsequent to the execution of the Option Agreement and (ii) the Company did not exercise its share purchase option by February 7, 2014. The Company exercised its option and paid the $1.0 million to the individual shareholder to purchase the Option Agreement shares in February 2014. In October 2015, the Company learned that EWG had filed a lawsuit against the individual shareholder, NSC, NSA, CW-Cooperatief, Ricardo del Monte Nunez, Carlos Eduardo Ahumada Arruit, Luis de Angitia Becerra, and the Public Registry of Commerce of Tijuana, Baja California in the Civil Court located in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico. In this lawsuit, EWG is challenging, among other things, the capital investment transactions that increased the Company’s ownership interest in NSC to 99.9%. EWG requested that the court, as a preliminary matter: (a) suspend the effectiveness of the challenged transactions; (b) order public officials in Mexico to record the pendency of the lawsuit in the public records; and (c) appoint an inspector for NSA and NSC to oversee its commercial activities. The court granted, ex-parte, the preliminary relief sought by EWG, which resulted in the placement of inscriptions for the lawsuit on NSC’s public records. EWG is also seeking an order directing, among other things: (i) NSA, NSC and CW-Cooperatief to refrain from carrying out any transactions with respect to the Project; and (ii) NSA, NSC and CW-Cooperatief, and the partners thereof, to refrain from transferring any interests in NSA, NSC and CW-Cooperatief. On April 5, 2016, NSC filed a motion for reconsideration with the Tecate, Mexico Court asking, among other things, that the Court; (i) reverse its order to record the pendency of the lawsuit in the public records, (ii) cancel the appointment of the inspector, and (iii) allow NSC to provide a counter-guarantee to suspend the effects of the Court’s order regarding the challenged transactions. On April 26, 2016, the Tecate, Mexico Court issued an interlocutory judgment (i) ordering the cancellation of the inscriptions on NSC’s public records and (ii) rejecting NSC’s motion for cancellation of the appointment of the inspector. On April 26, 2016, NSC filed a full answer to EWG’s claims rejecting every claim made by EWG. The Court’s response on this matter is pending. On May 17, 2016, NSC filed a claim with the Third District Court in Matters of Amparo and Federal Trials in the City of Tijuana, Baja California (the “Amparo Court”) challenging the Tecate, Mexico Court ex-parte order which appointed an inspector over NSC’s commercial activities. On July 29, 2016, the Amparo Court found that such appointment is unconstitutional and reversed the Tecate, Mexico Court’s appointment of an inspector. On September 6, 2016, the Tecate, Mexico Court issued a decree granting the counter guaranty requested by NSC. Such counter-guaranty was fixed in the amount of 300,000 Mexican pesos and was given to the Court on October 13, 2016 at which time all remaining ex-parte restrictions on NSC related to the challenged transactions were suspended. The Company believes that the claims made by EWG are baseless and without merit, will vigorously defend NSC and CW-Cooperatief in this litigation, and will seek dismissal of the orders entered by the court and all claims against NSC and CW-Cooperatief. The Company incurred legal fees in connection with this litigation of approximately $203,000 and $138,000 for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The Company cannot presently determine the outcome of this litigation. However, such litigation could adversely impact the Company’s efforts to complete the Project. Mexico Tax Authority The Mexico tax authority, the Servicio de Administracion Tributaria (“SAT”), assessed NSC for taxes relating to payments to foreign vendors on which the SAT contended should have been subject to income tax withholdings during NSC’s 2011 tax year. As of December 31, 2015, the assessment and related penalties, surcharges, inflation adjustments and late fees totaled 7,367,875 Mexican pesos. Such assessments were equivalent to approximately $428,203 as of December 31, 2015 based upon the exchange rate between the United States dollars and the Mexican peso. NSC retained the assistance of Mexican tax advisers in this matter, as it believed the assumptions and related work performed by the SAT did not support their tax assessment. As a result, NSC elected to contest this assessment in Mexico federal tax court. NSC was required to provide an irrevocable letter of credit which amounted to 7,367,875 Mexican pesos as of December 31, 2015 as collateral in connection with this tax case. The restricted cash balance of $428,203 included in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015 represented the US dollar equivalent of Mexican pesos on deposit with a bank to secure payment of this irrevocable letter of credit. In November 2014, NSC received a favorable judgment from the tax court. Based on this outcome, the SAT filed an appeal shortly thereafter to contest the judgment. On February 15, 2016, NSC received a favorable judgment from the appellate tax court and shortly thereafter obtained the release of the Mexican pesos cash balance that had been restricted and pledged as collateral as of December 31, 2015 for the irrevocable letter of credit.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the information summarizing investments in and advances to majority-owned subsidiaries, other controlled companies, and other affiliates. It reflects specified information about ownership, financial results from, and financial position in such entities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 946 -SubTopic 320 -Section S99 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-14) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611322-123010 + Details
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