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NSC and AdR project development | 6 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2020
NSC and AdR project development |
NSC and AdR project development | 5. NSC and AdR project development ​ In May 2010, the Company acquired, through its wholly owned Netherlands subsidiary, CW-Cooperatief, a 50% interest in NSC, a development stage Mexican company. CW-Cooperatief subsequently purchased, through the conversion of a loan it made to NSC, additional shares that increased its ownership interest in NSC to 99.99%. 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 public 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 an aqueduct that connects to the Mexican public water infrastructure and a second phase consisting of an additional 50 million gallons per day of production capacity. ​ Through a series of transactions that began in 2012, NSC purchased 20.1 hectares of land for approximately $21.1 million on which the proposed Project’s plant would be constructed. ​ 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 required for the Project (the “APP Law”). Pursuant to this new legislation, in January 2015, NSC submitted an expression of interest for its project to the Ministry 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 complied with the 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. ​ 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 del 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 gallon per day plant and an aqueduct 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 (the “Consortium”) comprised of NSC, NuWater S.A.P.I. de C.V. (“NuWater”) and Suez Medio Ambiente México, S.A. de C.V. (“Suez MA”), a subsidiary of SUEZ International, S.A.S., submitted its tender for the Project in April 2016 and in June 2016, the State designated the Consortium as the winner of the tender process for the Project. ​ In August 2016, NSC and NuWater incorporated Newco under the name Aguas de Rosarito S.A.P.I. de C.V. (“AdR”), a special purpose company, to complete 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. NSC initially owned 99.6% of the equity of AdR. In February 2018, NSC acquired the remaining 0.4% ownership in AdR from NuWater. ​ On August 22, 2016, the Public Private Partnership Agreement for public private partnership number 002/2015, bid number SIDUE-CEA-APP-2015-002 (“APP Contract”), was executed between AdR, CEA, the Government of Baja California, as represented by the Secretary of Planning and Finance and the Public Utilities Commission of Tijuana (“CESPT”). The APP Contract required AdR to design, construct, finance and operate a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant (and accompanying aqueduct) 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 public water system in Tijuana, Baja California and the second phase with a capacity of 50 million gallons per day. The first phase was to be operational within 36 months of commencing construction and the second phase was to be operational by January 2025. The APP Contract further required AdR to operate and maintain the plant and aqueduct 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 aqueduct would have been transferred to CEA. ​ In December 2016, the Congress of the State of Baja California, Mexico (the “Congress”) passed Decreto #57 which, among other things, ratified and authorized the payment obligations of the corresponding public entities under the APP Contract and authorized the corresponding public entities to obtain a credit facility to guarantee their payment obligations. During 2017, following consultations between representatives of the State and the Ministry of Finance of the Federal Government of Mexico, it was determined that certain amendments to Decreto #57 were required to comply with recent changes to the Federal Financial Discipline Law for Federative Entities and Municipalities. In addition, an amendment of Decreto #57 was required to authorize the inclusion of revenue from the CESPT in the primary payment trust for the Project. These amendments were included in Decreto #168, which was approved by the Congress in December 2017. The authorization of the payment obligations of the public entities under the APP Contract and for the execution of the credit agreement to guarantee such payment obligations given in Decreto #57, as amended by Decreto #168, expired on December 31, 2018. During the congressional session held at the end of March 2019, the Congress passed Decreto #335, which renewed the authorizations for the various payment trusts, guaranties and bank credit lines required to be established for the Project by the State entities. Decreto #335 expired December 31, 2019. During the congressional session held at the end of December 2019, the Congress passed Decreto #37, which renewed the authorizations for the various payment trusts, guaranties and bank credit lines required to be established for the Project by the State entities. Decreto #37 expired June 30, 2020. ​ Both the exchange rate for the Mexican peso relative to the dollar and general macroeconomic conditions in Mexico varied since the execution of the APP Contract. These changes adversely impacted the estimated construction, operating and financing costs for the Project. The APP Contract and the APP Law allowed for the parties to negotiate (but did not guarantee) modifications to the consideration (i.e. water tariff) under the APP Contract in the event of such significant macroeconomic condition changes. In February 2017, AdR submitted proposals to CEA requesting the definition of the mechanism required by the APP Contract to update the consideration under the APP Contract for changes in foreign exchange rates, lending rates and certain laws which have impacted the Project. On June 1, 2018, AdR and CEA executed an amendment to the APP Contract which, among other things, increased the scope of Phase 1 of the Project for including the aqueduct originally designated for Phase 2, and addressed AdR’s concerns regarding the impact on the Project for changes in the exchange rate for the peso relative to the dollar and changes in interest rates that occurred subsequent to the submission of the Consortium’s bid for the Project. As a result of this amendment to the APP Contract, the final cost of Phase 1 and the related consideration to be charged by AdR under the APP Contract would have been determined based upon the bid submitted by the Consortium, the changes set forth in the amendment to the APP Contract and the economic conditions (e.g. interest rates and currency exchange rates) in effect on the financial closing date for Phase 1. ​ In February 2018, AdR executed a subscription agreement (the “Agreement”) for the equity funding required for the Project. The Agreement calls for NSC to retain a minimum of 25% of the equity in AdR. One or more affiliates of Greenfield SPV VII, S.A.P.I. de C.V. (“Greenfield”), a Mexico company managed by an affiliate of a leading U.S. asset manager, would acquire a minimum of 55% of the equity of AdR. The Agreement also provided Suez MA with the option to purchase 20% of the equity of AdR. If Suez MA did not exercise this option, NSC would retain 35% of the equity of AdR and Greenfield will acquire 65% of the equity of AdR. The Agreement became effective when the certain conditions precedent related to the Project were met. The aggregate investment to be made by the equity partners in the Project, in the form of equity and subordinated shareholder loans, is presently estimated at approximately 20% of the total cost of Phase 1 of the Project. This Agreement was scheduled to expire on September 30, 2020. NSC expected to generate a portion of its funding for its additional future equity investment in AdR through the sale to AdR of the land it had purchased for the Project. ​ As of June 30, 2020, NSC had paid approximately $3.0 million to acquire rights of way for the aqueduct to be constructed for the Project to deliver water to the Mexico public water system. ​ On June 29, 2020, AdR received a letter (the “Letter”) from the Director General of CEA and the Director General of CESPT terminating the APP Contract. The reasoning provided in the Letter for the decision to terminate the APP Contract is that the Project (a) is not financially feasible due to increases in the construction, operating and financing costs for the Project in addition to negative changes in economic conditions (e.g. interest rates and currency exchange rates); (b) is not sustainable for CEA and CESPT given its financial unfeasibility; (c) puts pressure to increase the rates charged to customers; (d) would force the Government of the State to cover a deficit of CEA and CESPT, thus preventing the State Government from spending on investment programs or social expenditures; and (e) negatively affects the general interest. The Letter requested that AdR provide an inventory of the assets that currently comprise the “Project Works” (as defined in the APP Contract) for the purpose of acknowledging and paying the non-recoverable expenses made by AdR in connection with the Project, with such reimbursement to be calculated in accordance with the terms of the APP Contract. The applicable law requires this list of non-recoverable expenses made by AdR in connection with the Project be submitted to CEA and CESPT within 20 business days from the date of receipt of the Letter. ​ AdR initiated an amparo claim before a federal district court in Tijuana, Baja California, to challenge the provision of the applicable law requiring submittal of the list of non-recoverable expenses within the 20 business days term, as AdR considers such term to be unreasonably short due to the magnitude of the Project and the scope of supporting documentation required to be provided with respect to the non-recoverable expenses. AdR obtained an initial provisional suspension of the lapsing of such 20 day term from the court, and on August 10, 2020 the court made such suspension definitive until the completion of the amparo trial. As such, as of the filing of this report, the 20 day term for filing the list of non-recoverable expenses is suspended. ​ The Company, AdR and NSC plan to vigorously pursue all legal remedies and courses of action available under the APP Contract and applicable law (including, if necessary, international treaties and agreements) with respect to any rights they may have upon termination of the APP Contract, including the reimbursement of expenses and investments. However, the Company cannot provide any assurances that it will be able to obtain reimbursement for any expenses or investments made with respect to the Project. ​ The Company, AdR and NSC will terminate the various agreements ancillary to the Project as a result of the termination of the APP Contract unless the State elects to assume such agreements. ​ As a consequence of the termination of the APP Contract, the rights of way NSC and AdR acquired for the aqueduct no longer have any value due to the loss of their strategic importance derived from their incorporation in the Project. Consequently, the Company recorded an impairment loss of $(3.0 million) for the three months ended June 30, 2020 to write off its investment in these rights of way. The Company also recorded adjustments during the three months ended June 30, 2020 of $2.6 million and $2.2 million to reduce its operating lease right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities, respectively, due to the planned cancellation (or transfer to the State) of a long-term land lease associated with the Project. ​ Based upon independent appraisals performed in July 2020, the fair value of the investment in land purchased for the Project exceeded its carrying value of $21.1 million as of June 30, 2020. ​ 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 $304,000 and $779,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and approximately $762,000 and $1,263,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The assets and liabilities of NSC and AdR included in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets amounted to approximately $23.4 million and $135,000, respectively, as of June 30, 2020 and approximately $29.3 million and $2.9 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2019. ​ Project 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 an individual (the “individual shareholder”). In February 2012, CW-Cooperatief 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 for a price of $1.0 million along with an immediate usufruct and power of attorney to vote those shares. 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 indirectly acquired 99.99% of the ownership of NSC. The Option Agreement contained an anti-dilution provision that required CW-Cooperatief to transfer or otherwise cause the individual shareholder to acquire, for a total price of $1 (regardless of their par or market value), 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 (causing the individual shareholder’s 25% ownership interest in NSC to be decreased); and (ii) CW-Cooperatief did not exercise its share purchase option by February 7, 2014. CW-Cooperatief exercised its option and paid the $1.0 million to the individual shareholder to purchase the Option Agreement shares in February 2014. ​ In January 2018, EWG initiated an ordinary mercantile claim against the individual shareholder, NSC and CW-Cooperatief, (with AdR being named as a third party to be called to trial) before the Tenth Civil Judge in Tijuana, Baja California for Mercantile Matters (the “Tenth Civil Judge”). The paragraphs that follow include a description of such litigation, while subparagraphs a) through f) that follow describe certain separate amparo claims, an appeal and an administrative act arising from or relating to such ordinary mercantile claim, all in chronological order. Due to the current global COVID-19 pandemic, most tribunals in Mexico suspended their activities since March, with certain such tribunals restarting activities in August. As such, several resolutions are pending issuance.
| - In the ordinary mercantile claim, EWG challenged, among other things, the transactions contemplated under the Option Agreement, and therefore, the capital investment transactions that increased the ownership interest of CW-Cooperatief in NSC to 99.99% as a consequence of the Option Agreement. EWG requested that the courts, as a preliminary matter (a) suspend the effectiveness of the challenged transactions; (b) order certain public officials in Mexico to record the pendency of the lawsuit in the public records (including a special request to register a lien over the real estate owned by NSC); (c) appoint an inspector for NSC to oversee its commercial activities; and (d) order public officials in Mexico and credit institutions abroad to refrain from authorizing or executing any legal act related with the activities of the plaintiff, the co-defendants and the third party called to trial to avoid damages to third parties, including those with whom negotiations or any form of commercial or administrative activities, or activities of any other nature related with the “Rosarito” water desalination project, are being conducted. The Tenth Civil Judge granted, ex-parte, the preliminary relief sought by EWG, which resulted in the issuance of official writs to several governmental and public entities involved with the Project, including the registration of the pendency of the lawsuit in certain public records.
a) AdR amparo claim against the preliminary relief sought by EWG. ​ In April 2018, AdR filed an amparo against the official writs issued by the Tenth Civil Judge to two governmental entities. In May 2018, the amparo claim was amended to also request protection against additional official writs issued by the Tenth Civil Judge to two other governmental entities and one banking institution. In May 2018, the Third District Court for Amparo and Federal Trials in the State of Baja California with residence in Tijuana granted a temporary suspension of the effects and consequences of the claimed official writs issued by the Tenth Civil Judge pending a further determination by the Third District Court. Such suspension was granted definitively in July 2018, and in August 2018, a resolution determining that the claimed official writs are unconstitutional, was issued. EWG appealed such resolution, and in January 2020, the Collegiate Tribunal resolving such appeal dismissed the amparo filed by AdR. However, such dismissal does not adversely impact AdR, considering the resolution to the appeal mentioned in subparagraph b) that follows.
| - On October 16, 2018, NSC was served with the ordinary mercantile claim. On November 7, 2018, NSC filed a legal response to the claim, vigorously opposing the claims made by EWG. In addition to such legal response, NSC filed (i) a request to submit the claim to arbitration, based on certain provisions of the by-laws of NSC, (ii) an appeal remedy against the preliminary relief, and (iii) a request for the setting of a guarantee to release the preliminary relief granted in favor of EWG.
b) Appeal filed by NSC against the preliminary relief sought by EWG. ​ The appeal remedy mentioned previously in item (ii) suspended the proceeding (through the posting of a guarantee by NSC) and was resolved in December 2019 and communicated to EWG in January 2020. Such resolution revoked the order of the Tenth Civil Judge whereby EWG was granted the preliminary relief. ​ c) Amparo filed by EWG against the revocation of the preliminary relief. ​ In January 2020, EWG filed a new amparo claim against the resolution of the appeal remedy previously mentioned in item (ii). NSC has responded to this new amparo to vigorously oppose such amparo claim of EWG and to uphold the resolution of such appeal remedy. To this date, this amparo claim has not been resolved and, as such, it does not affect the revocation of the preliminary relief.
| - On February 26, 2019, the Tenth Civil Judge acknowledged NSC’s filing of the legal response to the ordinary mercantile claim, its request to submit to arbitration, and the appeal remedy previously mentioned in item (ii), granting EWG a period of three business days to, among others, state what it deemed convenient to its interest. ​
| - Further, on February 26, 2019, the Tenth Civil Judge set the guarantee requested in NSC’s November 7, 2018 legal response, in the form of a security deposit in the amount of 1,000,000 Mexican pesos, to release the preliminary relief sought by EWG. On March 4, 2019, NSC filed before the Tenth Civil Judge evidence of such security deposit, requesting the release of the mentioned preliminary relief. ​ - Irrespective of the resolution revoking the preliminary relief previously granted in favor of EWG (due to the filing of the security deposit by NSC) and the pendency of the appeal remedy filed by EWG against such revocation, on April 12, 2019, the Tenth Civil Judge granted EWG the opportunity to file a counter guarantee in the amount of 1,500,000 Mexican pesos to maintain the ex-parte preliminary relief granted in its favor. With respect to this matter, the Tenth Civil Judge issued a resolution on April 26, 2019 allowing such counter guarantee to be filed in the form of a security deposit or in any other form allowed by the law, without extending the term initially granted for the filing of the counter guarantee. ​ - NSC has vigorously opposed the resolution of the Tenth Civil Judge allowing the filing of a counter guarantee through the filing of a revocation remedy. To date, such appeal remedy has not been resolved. ​ - Further, on April 12, 2019, the Tenth Civil Judge ruled that the request for arbitration filed on November 7, 2018 was not applicable under Mexican law. ​
d) Amparo filed by NSC against the resolution rejecting submission to arbitration. ​ On May 17, 2019, NSC filed an amparo claim against the April 12, 2019 ruling. Such amparo claim was resolved on October 31, 2019, ordering the Tenth Civil Judge to issue a new resolution on the request to submit the claim to arbitration. EWG filed an appeal remedy opposing such order for the issuance of a new resolution, and NSC has filed pleadings to uphold the order for the issuance of a new resolution challenged by EWG. In March 2020, such appeal remedy was resolved in favor of NSC, as the order to the Tenth Civil Judge for issuing a new resolution was confirmed. ​ While such order requires the Tenth Civil Judge to issue a new resolution on the matter of arbitration, this order does not necessarily imply that the Tenth Civil Judge shall rule to move to arbitration. However, if the new resolution is unfavorable for NSC, NSC is prepared to vigorously oppose such resolution. ​ e) Administrative cancellation of registrations before the Public Registry of Property. ​ Despite the posting of the previously mentioned 1,000,000 Mexican pesos guarantee in February 26, 2019 to release the preliminary relief sought by EWG within the ordinary mercantile claim, the Tenth Civil Judge failed to make the resolution effective, which would thereby rescind the previously mentioned preliminary relief granted to EWG. ​ Consequently, on June 19, 2019 (i.e. before obtaining a resolution revoking the preliminary relief as mentioned previously), NSC filed before the Public Registry of Property of Baja California a cancellation request for the provisional lien and the preventive annotation recorded against NSC’s property in the public real estate records. ​ On June 24, 2019, the Public Registry of Property of Baja California issued an encumbrances cancellation resolution, approving the release of the provisional lien and the preventive annotation recorded against NSC’s property in the public real estate records. Such encumbrances cancellation resolution was registered before the Public Registry of Property of Playas de Rosarito on June 25, 2019. On June 26, 2019, the Public Registry of Property of Playas de Rosarito issued a certificate of no liens with respect to the real estate owned by NSC. ​ f) Amparo filed by EWG against the administrative cancellation of registrations before the Public Registry of Property. ​ In November 2019, NSC learned that EWG had filed an amparo claim before the Third District Court in Tijuana against such encumbrances cancellation resolution, and in December 2019, NSC responded to such claim, vigorously opposing it. Thereafter, NSC submitted a motion to dismiss, based on the resolution of the appeal remedy mentioned previously in subparagraph b) revoking the preliminary relief, previously mentioned in item (ii). The Court resolved in favor of such motion to dismiss. However, EWG may file an appeal remedy against such resolution.
| - On June 27, 2019, the Tenth Civil Judge acknowledged the posting, by EWG, of a bond policy as the counter guarantee allowed pursuant to the Tenth Civil Judge’s ruling on April 26, 2019. NSC plans to vigorously oppose the filing of such bond policy upon continuation of the proceedings, following the suspension granted as a result of the filing of the appeal remedy previously mentioned in subparagraph b). ​ - CW-Cooperatief has not been officially served with the ordinary mercantile claim, and AdR has not been notified that it has to appear for such trial. In any event, AdR is only a named third party called to trial in this claim, and no claims have been made by EWG against AdR.
The Company cannot presently determine what impact the resolution of this litigation may have on its consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. ​

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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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 946 -SubTopic 320 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2324412 + Details
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