Special Purpose Entities	3 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2015
Text Block [Abstract]
Special Purpose Entities	NOTE 2 – SPECIAL PURPOSE ENTITIES Construction Joint Ventures GPS has assigned its contracts for the engineering, procurement and construction of two natural gas-fired power plants (the “EPC Contracts”), known as Panda Liberty and Panda Patriot, to two separate joint ventures that were formed in order to perform the work for the applicable project and to spread the bonding risk of each project. The joint venture partner for both projects is a large, heavy civil contracting firm. GPS has no significant commitments under these arrangements beyond those related to the completion of the EPC Contracts. The joint venture partners are dedicating resources that are necessary to complete the projects and are being reimbursed for their costs. GPS is performing most of the activities of the EPC Contracts. The corresponding joint venture agreements, as amended, provide that GPS has the majority interest in any profits, losses, assets and liabilities that may result from the performance of the EPC Contracts. Due to the financial control of GPS, the accounts of the joint ventures have been included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements since the commencement of contract activities near the end of the fiscal year ended January 31, 2014. The shares of the profits of the joint ventures attributable to the stockholders of Argan have been determined based on the percentages by which the Company believes profits will ultimately be shared by the joint venture partners. If the joint venture partner is unable to pay its share of any losses, GPS would be fully liable for those losses incurred under the EPC Contracts. In January 2015, the joint ventures made cash distributions including $25 million paid to the Company’s joint venture partner. Moxie Freedom LLC In August 2014, Gemma Power, Inc. (“GPI”), which is included in the group of companies identified above as “GPS” and is wholly owned by Argan, entered into a Development Loan Agreement (the “DLA”) with Moxie Freedom LLC (“Moxie Freedom”), a variable interest entity wholly owned by Moxie Energy, LLC (“Moxie”), a power facility project development firm. GPI’s financial support is planned to cover the costs of Moxie Freedom’s development of a large natural gas-fired power plant with nominal capacity of 1,000 MW. The current development plan estimates that a financial closing on a long-term construction and working capital credit facility, along with any related equity investment, will occur in calendar year 2016. Under the DLA, GPI has agreed to make development loans to Moxie Freedom of up to $6 million. As of April 30, 2015, the total amount of the notes receivable and accrued interest was $2,830,000; such loans earn interest based on an annual rate of 20% and shall mature no later than December 31, 2017. In connection with the DLA, GPI has been provided a first priority lien and security interest in all of the assets of Moxie Freedom and a first priority lien on Moxie’s membership interest in Moxie Freedom. Moxie Freedom reimburses GPS for certain project development support costs through additions to each monthly loan. Included in accrued expenses as of April 30 and January 31, 2015 was the amount owed by Moxie Freedom to Moxie for financial support provided by Moxie (without recourse to GPI) prior to the DLA in the approximate amount of $262,000. At the time that Moxie Freedom secures construction and working capital financing and repays all development loans and any outstanding obligations related to letters of credit, it shall pay, or cause to be paid, a development success fee to GPI in an amount that could be as much as $6 million. As additional consideration for the financial commitments made by GPI under the DLA, Moxie Freedom has granted GPS the exclusive rights to provide engineering, procurement and construction services for the project in accordance with basic terms that are outlined in the DLA. Moxie Freedom represents a VIE due to the current lack of sufficient equity capital for it to complete the contemplated project development activities. The development loans being made by GPI to Moxie Freedom represent variable interests in the entity. Through its current arrangements with Moxie Freedom, the Company is deemed to have the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly affect its economic performance, and the Company possesses the rights to receive benefits from the VIE that could be significant to the VIE. Therefore, the Company is the primary beneficiary of the VIE and the condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Moxie Freedom. Accordingly, the amounts of GPI’s notes receivable from Moxie Freedom and the corresponding amounts of accrued interest and interest income have been eliminated in consolidation. Pursuant to a participation agreement, an equipment supplier to Moxie Freedom has agreed to provide GPI with 40% of the funding for the development loans made to Moxie Freedom; as of April 30, 2015, GPI had received cash from the supplier of approximately $1,042,000 in connection this agreement. The supplier received an undivided fractional interest in all present and future loans from GPI. Accordingly, it will earn interest on the cash provided to GPI based on an annual rate of 20% and it will be entitled to receive from GPI 40% of any development success fee earned by GPI in connection with the permanent financing and/or sale of the project. Under current accounting guidance, the funding provided to GPI is treated as a secured borrowing which was included in the Company’s balance of accrued expenses as of April 30 and January 31, 2015.

NOTE 2 – SPECIAL PURPOSE ENTITIES

Construction Joint Ventures

GPS has assigned its contracts for the engineering, procurement and construction of two natural gas-fired power plants (the “EPC Contracts”), known as Panda Liberty and Panda Patriot, to two separate joint ventures that were formed in order to perform the work for the applicable project and to spread the bonding risk of each project. The joint venture partner for both projects is a large, heavy civil contracting firm. GPS has no significant commitments under these arrangements beyond those related to the completion of the EPC Contracts. The joint venture partners are dedicating resources that are necessary to complete the projects and are being reimbursed for their costs. GPS is performing most of the activities of the EPC Contracts. The corresponding joint venture agreements, as amended, provide that GPS has the majority interest in any profits, losses, assets and liabilities that may result from the performance of the EPC Contracts.

Due to the financial control of GPS, the accounts of the joint ventures have been included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements since the commencement of contract activities near the end of the fiscal year ended January 31, 2014. The shares of the profits of the joint ventures attributable to the stockholders of Argan have been determined based on the percentages by which the Company believes profits will ultimately be shared by the joint venture partners. If the joint venture partner is unable to pay its share of any losses, GPS would be fully liable for those losses incurred under the EPC Contracts. In January 2015, the joint ventures made cash distributions including $25 million paid to the Company’s joint venture partner.

Moxie Freedom LLC

In August 2014, Gemma Power, Inc. (“GPI”), which is included in the group of companies identified above as “GPS” and is wholly owned by Argan, entered into a Development Loan Agreement (the “DLA”) with Moxie Freedom LLC (“Moxie Freedom”), a variable interest entity wholly owned by Moxie Energy, LLC (“Moxie”), a power facility project development firm. GPI’s financial support is planned to cover the costs of Moxie Freedom’s development of a large natural gas-fired power plant with nominal capacity of 1,000 MW. The current development plan estimates that a financial closing on a long-term construction and working capital credit facility, along with any related equity investment, will occur in calendar year 2016.

Under the DLA, GPI has agreed to make development loans to Moxie Freedom of up to $6 million. As of April 30, 2015, the total amount of the notes receivable and accrued interest was $2,830,000; such loans earn interest based on an annual rate of 20% and shall mature no later than December 31, 2017. In connection with the DLA, GPI has been provided a first priority lien and security interest in all of the assets of Moxie Freedom and a first priority lien on Moxie’s membership interest in Moxie Freedom. Moxie Freedom reimburses GPS for certain project development support costs through additions to each monthly loan. Included in accrued expenses as of April 30 and January 31, 2015 was the amount owed by Moxie Freedom to Moxie for financial support provided by Moxie (without recourse to GPI) prior to the DLA in the approximate amount of $262,000.

At the time that Moxie Freedom secures construction and working capital financing and repays all development loans and any outstanding obligations related to letters of credit, it shall pay, or cause to be paid, a development success fee to GPI in an amount that could be as much as $6 million. As additional consideration for the financial commitments made by GPI under the DLA, Moxie Freedom has granted GPS the exclusive rights to provide engineering, procurement and construction services for the project in accordance with basic terms that are outlined in the DLA.

Moxie Freedom represents a VIE due to the current lack of sufficient equity capital for it to complete the contemplated project development activities. The development loans being made by GPI to Moxie Freedom represent variable interests in the entity. Through its current arrangements with Moxie Freedom, the Company is deemed to have the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly affect its economic performance, and the Company possesses the rights to receive benefits from the VIE that could be significant to the VIE. Therefore, the Company is the primary beneficiary of the VIE and the condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Moxie Freedom. Accordingly, the amounts of GPI’s notes receivable from Moxie Freedom and the corresponding amounts of accrued interest and interest income have been eliminated in consolidation.

Pursuant to a participation agreement, an equipment supplier to Moxie Freedom has agreed to provide GPI with 40% of the funding for the development loans made to Moxie Freedom; as of April 30, 2015, GPI had received cash from the supplier of approximately $1,042,000 in connection this agreement. The supplier received an undivided fractional interest in all present and future loans from GPI. Accordingly, it will earn interest on the cash provided to GPI based on an annual rate of 20% and it will be entitled to receive from GPI 40% of any development success fee earned by GPI in connection with the permanent financing and/or sale of the project. Under current accounting guidance, the funding provided to GPI is treated as a secured borrowing which was included in the Company’s balance of accrued expenses as of April 30 and January 31, 2015.