Note 13 - Tax Monetization Transactions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Notes to Financial Statements
Disclosure Of Investments In And Advances To Affiliates [Text Block]	NOTE 13 —TAX MONETIZATION TRANSACTIONS Opal Geo Transaction On December 16, 2016, Ormat Nevada entered into an equity contribution agreement (the “Equity Contribution Agreement”) with OrLeaf LLC (“OrLeaf”) and JPM Capital Corporation (“JPM”) with respect to Opal Geo LLC (“Opal Geo”). Also on December 16, 2016, OrLeaf, a newly formed limited liability company formed by Ormat Nevada and ORPD LLC, entered into an amended and restated limited liability company agreement of Opal Geo (the “LLC Agreement”) with JPM. The transactions contemplated by the Equity Contribution Agreement and LLC Agreement will allow the Company to monetize federal production tax credits (“PTCs”) and certain other tax benefits relating to the operation of five geothermal power plants located in Nevada. In connection with the transactions contemplated by the Equity Contribution Agreement and the LLC Agreement, Ormat Nevada transferred its indirect ownership interest in the McGinness Hills (Phase I and Phase II), Tuscarora, Jersey Valley and second phase of the Don A. Campbell (“DAC 2” ) geothermal power plants to Opal Geo. Prior to such transfer, Ormat Nevada held an approximately 63 .25% indirect ownership interest in DAC 2 through ORPD LLC, a joint venture between Ormat Nevada and Northleaf Geothermal Holdings LLC (“Northleaf”), an affiliate of Northleaf Capital Partners, and held, directly or indirectly, a 10 0% ownership interest in the remaining geothermal power plants that were transferred to Opal Geo. Pursuant to the Equity Contribution Agreement, JPM contributed approximately $62.1 million to Opal Geo in exchange for 100% of the Class B Membership Interests of Opal Geo. JPM also agreed to make deferred capital contributions to Opal Geo based on the amount of electricity generated by the DAC 2 and McGinness Hills Phase II power plants which are eligible for the federal PTC. The Company expects the aggregate amount of JPM’s deferred capital contributions to equal approximately $21 million and to be paid over time covering the period through December 31, 2022. Und er the LLC Agreement, until December 31, 2022, OrLeaf will receive distributions of 97.5% of any distributable cash generated by operation of the power plants while JPM will receive distributions of 2.5% of any distributable cash generated by operation of the power plants. Unless JPM has already achieved its target internal rate of return on its investment in Opal Geo, from December 31, 2022 until JPM has achieved its target internal rate of return, JPM will receive 10 0% of any distributable cash generated by operation of the power plants. Thereafter, OrLeaf will receive distributions of 97.5%, and JPM will receive 2.5%, of any distributable cash generated by operation of the power plants. Und er the LLC Agreement, all items of Opal Geo income and loss , gain, deduction and credit (including the federal production tax credits relating to the operation of the two PTC eligible power plants) will be allocated, until JPM has achieved its target internal rate of return on its investment in Opal Geo (and for so long as the two PTC eligible power plants are generating PTCs), 99% to JPM and 1% to OrLeaf, or 5% to JPM and 95% to OrLeaf if PTCs are no longer available to either of the two PTC eligible power plants. Once JPM achieves its target internal rate of return, all items of Opal Geo income and loss, gain, deduction and credit will be allocated 5% to JPM and 95% to OrLeaf. Und er the LLC Agreement, OrLeaf, which owns 1 00% of the Class A Membership Interests in Opal Geo, will serve as the managing member of Opal Geo and control the day-to -day management of Opal Geo and its portfolio of five power plants. However, in certain limited circumstances (such as bankruptcy of Orleaf, fraud or gross negligence by OrLeaf) JPM may remove OrLeaf as the managing member of Opal Geo. JPM, as the Class B Member of Opal Geo, has consent and approval rights with respect to certain items that are designated as major decisions for Opal Geo and the five power plants. In addition, by virtue of certain provisions in OrLeaf’s own limited liability company agreement, and consistent with the ORPD LLC formation documents, Northleaf has similar consent and approval rights with respect to OrLeaf’s determination of major decisions pertaining to the DAC 2 power plant . In both cases, these major decisions are generally equivalent to customary minority protection rights. As a result, the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary , Ormat Nevada, which serves as the managing member of OrLeaf and as the managing member of ORPD LLC , will effectively retain the day-to-day control and management of Opal Geo and its portfolio of five power plants. The LLC Agreement contains certain customary restrictions on transfer applicable to both OrLeaf and JPM with respect to their respective Membership Interests in Opal Geo, and also provides OrLeaf with a right of first offer in the event JPM desires to transfer any of its Class B Membership Interests, pursuant to which OrLeaf may purchase such Class B Membership Interests. The LLC Agreement also provides OrLeaf with the option to purchase all of the Class B Membership Interests on either December 31, 2022 or the date that is 9 years after the closing date under the Equity Contribution Agreement at a price equal to the greater of (i) the fair market value of the Class B Membership Interests as of the date of purchase (subject to certain adjustments) and (ii) $3 million. Pursuant to the Equity Contribution Agreement, the Company has provided a guaranty for the benefit of JPM of certain of OrLeaf’s indemnification obligations to JPM under the LLC Agreement. In addition, Ormat Nevada also provided a guaranty for the benefit of JPM of all present and future payment and performance obligations of OrLeaf under the LLC Agreement and each ancillary document to which OrLeaf is a party. JPM’s approximately $62.1 million capital contribution to Opal Geo was recorded as a $3.7 million allocation to noncontrolling interests and a $58.5 million allocation to liability associated with sale of tax benefits as described in Note 1. JPM also agreed to make deferred capital contributions to Opal Geo based on the amount of electricity generated by the DAC 2 and McGinness Hills Phase II power plants which are eligible for the federal PTC. OPC TRANSACTION In June 2007, Ormat Nevada entered into agreements with affiliates of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and Lehman Brothers Inc. (Morgan Stanley Geothermal LLC and Lehman-OPC LLC), under which those investors purchased, for cash, interests in a newly formed subsidiary of Ormat Nevada, OPC LLC (“OPC”), entitling the investors to certain tax benefits (such as PTCs and accelerated depreciation) and distributable cash associated with four geothermal power plants . The first closing under the agreements occurred in 2007 and covered the Company ’s Desert Peak 2, Steamboat Hills, and Galena 2 power plants. The investors paid $71.8 million at the first closing. The second closing under the agreements occurred in 2008 and covered the Galena 3 power plant. The investors paid $63.0 million at the second closing. Ormat Nevada continued to operate and maintain the power plants. Under the agreements, Ormat Nevada initially received all of the distributable cash flow generated by the power plants, while the investors received substantially all of the production tax credits and taxable income or loss (together, the “Economic Benefits”). Once Ormat Nevada recovered the capital that it has invested in the power plants, which occurred in the fourth quarter of 2010, the investors received both the distributable cash flow and the Economic Benefits. The investors ’ return was limited by the term of the transaction. Once the investors reached a target after-tax yield on their investment in OPC (the “OPC Flip Date”), Ormat Nevada received 95% of both distributable cash and taxable income, on a going forward basis. On October 30, 2009, Ormat Nevada acquired from Lehman-OPC LLC all of the Class B membership units of OPC held by Lehman-OPC pursuant to a right of first offer for a price of $18.5 million. A substantial portion of the initial sale of the Class B membership units by Ormat Nevada was accounted for as a financing transaction. As a result, the repurchase of these interests at a discount resulted in a pre-tax gain of $13.3 million in the year ended December 31, 2009. In addition, an amount of approximately $1.1 million has been reclassified from noncontrolling interest to additional paid-in capital representing the 1.5% residual interest of Lehman-OPC’s Class B membership units. On February 3, 2011, Ormat Nevada sold to JPM all of the Class B membership units of OPC for a sale price of $24.9 million in cash. The Company did not record any gain from the sale of its Class B membership interests in OPC to JPM . A substantial portion of the Class B membership units were accounted for as a financing transaction. As a result, the majority of these proceeds were recorded as a liability. In addition, $2.3 million was reclassified from additional paid-in capital to noncontrolling interest representing the 1.5% residual interest of JPM’s Class B membership units. On May 31, 2017, the Company ’s partners JPM and Morgan Stanley achieved their target after-tax yield on its investment in OPC and on October 31, 2017, Ormat Nevada purchased all of the Class B membership units in OPC from JPM and Morgan Stanley for $1.9 million. As a result, Ormat Nevada is now the sole owner of all of the economic and voting interests in OPC and continues to consolidate OPC in its financial statements. The purchase of Class B membership units of OPC was recorded in equity as a reduction of $6.5 million to Noncontrolling Interest with the surplus of $8.5 million charged to Additional Paid-in Capital. O RTP TRANSACTION In January 2013, Ormat Nevada entered into agreements with JP Morgan (“JPM”) under which JPM purchased interests in a newly formed subsidiary of Ormat Nevada, ORTP, LLC (“ORTP”), entitling JPM to certain tax benefits (such as PTCs and accelerated depreciation) associated with certain geothermal power plants in California and Nevada. Under the terms of the transaction, Ormat Nevada transferred the Heber complex, the Mammoth complex, the Ormesa complex, and the Steamboat 2 and 3, Burdette (Galena 1 ) and Brady power plants to ORTP, and sold class B membership units in ORTP to JPM. In connection with the closing, JPM paid approximately $35.7 million to Ormat Nevada and made additional payments to Ormat Nevada of 25% of the value of PTCs generated by the portfolio over time. The additional payments that were made until July 2017 totaled to approximately $7.9 million over time. In March 2017, JPM achieved its target after-tax yield on its investment in ORTP and on July 10, 2017, Ormat Nevada purchased all of the Class B membership units in ORTP from JPM for $2.4 million. As a result, Ormat Nevada is now the sole owner of all of the economic and voting interests in ORTP and continues to consolidate ORTP in its financial statements. The purchase of Class B membership units of ORTP was recorded in equity as a reduction to Noncontrolling Interest of $7.0 million with the surplus of $ $2.9 million charged to Additional Paid-in Capital.

NOTE

—TAX MONETIZATION TRANSACTIONS

Opal Geo Transaction

December

16,

2016,

Ormat Nevada entered into an equity contribution agreement (the “Equity Contribution Agreement”) with OrLeaf LLC (“OrLeaf”) and JPM Capital Corporation (“JPM”) with respect to Opal Geo LLC (“Opal Geo”). Also on

December 16, 2016,

OrLeaf, a newly formed limited liability company formed by Ormat Nevada and ORPD LLC, entered into an amended and restated limited liability company agreement of Opal Geo (the “LLC Agreement”) with JPM. The transactions contemplated by the Equity Contribution Agreement and LLC Agreement will allow the Company to monetize federal production tax credits (“PTCs”) and certain other tax benefits relating to the operation of

five

geothermal power plants located in Nevada.

In connection with the

transactions contemplated by the Equity Contribution Agreement and the LLC Agreement, Ormat Nevada transferred its indirect ownership interest in the McGinness Hills (Phase I and Phase II), Tuscarora, Jersey Valley and

second

phase of the Don A. Campbell (“DAC

2”

) geothermal power plants to Opal Geo. Prior to such transfer, Ormat Nevada held an approximately

.25%

indirect ownership interest in DAC

through ORPD LLC, a joint venture between Ormat Nevada and Northleaf Geothermal Holdings LLC (“Northleaf”), an affiliate of Northleaf Capital Partners, and held, directly or indirectly, a

ownership interest in the remaining geothermal power plants that were transferred to Opal Geo.

Pursuant

to the Equity Contribution Agreement, JPM contributed approximately

$62.1

million to Opal Geo in exchange for

100%

of the Class B Membership Interests of Opal Geo. JPM also agreed to make deferred capital contributions to Opal Geo based on the amount of electricity generated by the DAC

and McGinness Hills Phase II power plants which are eligible for the federal PTC. The Company expects the aggregate amount of JPM’s deferred capital contributions to equal approximately

$21

million and to be paid over time covering the period through

December 31, 2022.

Und

er the LLC Agreement, until

December 31, 2022,

OrLeaf will receive distributions of

97.5%

of any distributable cash generated by operation of the power plants while JPM will receive distributions of

2.5%

of any distributable cash generated by operation of the power plants. Unless JPM has already achieved its target internal rate of return on its investment in Opal Geo, from

December 31, 2022

until JPM has achieved its target internal rate of return, JPM will receive

of any distributable cash generated by operation of the power plants. Thereafter, OrLeaf will receive distributions of

97.5%,

and JPM will receive

2.5%,

of any distributable cash generated by operation of the power plants.

Und

er the LLC Agreement, all items of Opal Geo income and loss

, gain, deduction and credit (including the federal production tax credits relating to the operation of the

two

PTC eligible power plants) will be allocated, until JPM has achieved its target internal rate of return on its investment in Opal Geo (and for so long as the

two

PTC eligible power plants are generating PTCs),

99%

to JPM and

to OrLeaf, or

to JPM and

95%

to OrLeaf if PTCs are

longer available to either of the

two

PTC eligible power plants. Once JPM achieves its target internal rate of return, all items of Opal Geo income and loss, gain, deduction and credit will be allocated

to JPM and

95%

to OrLeaf.

Und

er the LLC Agreement, OrLeaf, which owns

00%

of the Class A Membership Interests in Opal Geo, will serve as the managing member of Opal Geo and control the day-to

-day management of Opal Geo and its portfolio of

five

power plants. However, in certain limited circumstances (such as bankruptcy of Orleaf, fraud or gross negligence by OrLeaf) JPM

may

remove OrLeaf as the managing member of Opal Geo. JPM, as the Class B Member of Opal Geo, has consent and approval rights with respect to certain items that are designated as major decisions for Opal Geo and the

five

power plants. In addition, by virtue of certain provisions in OrLeaf’s own limited liability company agreement, and consistent with the ORPD LLC formation documents, Northleaf has similar consent and approval rights with respect to OrLeaf’s determination of major decisions pertaining to the DAC

power plant

. In both cases, these major decisions are generally equivalent to customary minority protection rights. As a result, the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary

, Ormat Nevada, which serves as the managing member of OrLeaf and as the managing member of ORPD LLC

, will effectively retain the day-to-day control and management of Opal Geo and its portfolio of

five

power plants.

The

LLC Agreement contains certain customary restrictions on transfer applicable to both OrLeaf and JPM with respect to their respective Membership Interests in Opal Geo, and also provides OrLeaf with a right of

first

offer in the event JPM desires to transfer any of its Class B Membership Interests, pursuant to which OrLeaf

may

purchase such Class B Membership Interests. The LLC Agreement also provides OrLeaf with the option to purchase all of the Class B Membership Interests on either

December 31, 2022

or the date that is

years after the closing date under the Equity Contribution Agreement at a price equal to the greater of (i) the fair market value of the Class B Membership Interests as of the date of purchase (subject to certain adjustments) and (ii)

million.

Pursuant

to the Equity Contribution Agreement, the Company has provided a guaranty for the benefit of JPM of certain of OrLeaf’s indemnification obligations to JPM under the LLC Agreement. In addition, Ormat Nevada also provided a guaranty for the benefit of JPM of all present and future payment and performance obligations of OrLeaf under the LLC Agreement and each ancillary document to which OrLeaf is a party.

JPM’s approximately

$62.1

million capital contribution to Opal Geo was recorded as a

$3.7

million allocation to noncontrolling interests and a

$58.5

million allocation to liability associated with sale of tax benefits as described in Note

JPM also agreed to make deferred capital contributions to Opal Geo based on the amount of electricity generated by the DAC

and McGinness Hills Phase II power plants which are eligible for the federal PTC.

OPC TRANSACTION

June 2007,

Ormat Nevada entered into agreements with affiliates of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and Lehman Brothers Inc. (Morgan Stanley Geothermal LLC and Lehman-OPC LLC), under which those investors purchased, for cash, interests in a newly formed subsidiary of Ormat Nevada, OPC LLC (“OPC”), entitling the investors to certain tax benefits (such as PTCs and accelerated depreciation) and distributable cash associated with

four

geothermal power plants

The

first

closing under the agreements occurred in

2007

and covered the Company

’s Desert Peak

Steamboat Hills, and Galena

power plants. The investors paid

$71.8

million at the

first

closing. The

second

closing under the agreements occurred in

2008

and covered the Galena

power plant. The investors paid

$63.0

million at the

second

closing.

Ormat Nevada continued to operate and maintain the power plants. Under the agreements, Ormat Nevada initially received all of the distributable cash flow generated by the power plants, while the investors received substantially all of the production tax credits and taxable income or loss (together, the “Economic Benefits”). Once Ormat Nevada recovered the capital that it has invested in the power plants, which occurred in the

fourth

quarter of

2010,

the investors received both the distributable cash flow and the Economic Benefits. The investors

’ return was limited by the term of the transaction. Once the investors reached a target after-tax yield on their investment in OPC (the “OPC Flip Date”), Ormat Nevada received

95%

of both distributable cash and taxable income, on a going forward basis.

October 30, 2009,

Ormat Nevada acquired from Lehman-OPC

LLC all of the Class B membership units of OPC held by Lehman-OPC pursuant to a right of

first

offer for a price of

$18.5

million. A substantial portion of the initial sale of the Class B membership units by Ormat Nevada was accounted for as a financing transaction. As a result, the repurchase of these interests at a discount resulted in a pre-tax gain of

$13.3

million in the year ended

December 31, 2009.

In addition, an amount of approximately

$1.1

million has been reclassified from noncontrolling interest to additional paid-in capital representing the

1.5%

residual interest of Lehman-OPC’s Class B membership units.

February 3, 2011,

Ormat Nevada sold to JPM all of the Class B membership units of OPC for a sale price of

$24.9

million in cash. The Company did

not

record any gain from the sale of its Class B membership interests in OPC to JPM

A substantial portion of the Class B membership units were accounted for as a financing transaction. As a result, the majority of these proceeds were recorded as a liability. In addition,

$2.3

million was reclassified from additional paid-in capital to noncontrolling interest representing the

1.5%

residual interest of JPM’s Class B membership units.

May 31, 2017,

the Company

’s partners JPM and Morgan Stanley achieved their target after-tax yield on its investment in OPC and on

October 31, 2017,

Ormat Nevada purchased all of the Class B membership units in OPC from JPM and Morgan Stanley for

$1.9

million. As a result, Ormat Nevada is now the sole owner of all of the economic and voting interests in OPC and continues to consolidate OPC in its financial statements. The purchase of Class B membership units of OPC was recorded in equity as a reduction of

$6.5

million to Noncontrolling Interest with the surplus of

$8.5

million charged to Additional Paid-in Capital.

RTP

TRANSACTION

January

2013,

Ormat Nevada entered into agreements with JP Morgan (“JPM”) under which JPM purchased interests in a newly formed subsidiary of Ormat Nevada, ORTP, LLC (“ORTP”), entitling JPM to certain tax benefits (such as PTCs and accelerated depreciation) associated with certain geothermal power plants in California and Nevada.

Under the terms of the transaction, Ormat Nevada transferred the Heber complex, the Mammoth complex, the Ormesa complex, and the Steamboat

and

Burdette (Galena

) and Brady power plants to ORTP, and sold class

B membership units in ORTP to JPM. In connection with the closing, JPM paid approximately

$35.7

million to Ormat Nevada and made additional payments to Ormat Nevada of

25%

of the value of PTCs generated by the portfolio over time. The additional payments that were made until

July

2017

totaled to approximately

$7.9

million over time.

March

2017,

JPM achieved its target after-tax yield on its investment in ORTP and on

July 10, 2017,

Ormat Nevada purchased all of the Class B membership units in ORTP from JPM for

$2.4

million. As a result, Ormat Nevada is now the sole owner of all of the economic and voting interests in ORTP and continues to consolidate ORTP in its financial statements. The purchase of Class B membership units of ORTP was recorded in equity as a reduction to Noncontrolling Interest of

$7.0

million with the surplus of $

$2.9

million charged to Additional Paid-in Capital.