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Long-Term Debt
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Long-term Debt, Unclassified [Abstract]  
Long-Term Debt
LONG-TERM DEBT
The following details long-term debt outstanding as of December 31 (dollars in thousands):
Maturity
Year
 
Description
 
Interest
Rate
 
2013
 
2012
2013
 
First Mortgage Bonds
 
1.68%
 
$

 
$
50,000

2016
 
First Mortgage Bonds
 
0.84%
 
90,000

 

2018
 
First Mortgage Bonds
 
5.95%
 
250,000

 
250,000

2018
 
Secured Medium-Term Notes
 
7.39%-7.45%
 
22,500

 
22,500

2019
 
First Mortgage Bonds
 
5.45%
 
90,000

 
90,000

2020
 
First Mortgage Bonds
 
3.89%
 
52,000

 
52,000

2022
 
First Mortgage Bonds
 
5.13%
 
250,000

 
250,000

2023
 
Secured Medium-Term Notes
 
7.18%-7.54%
 
13,500

 
13,500

2028
 
Secured Medium-Term Notes
 
6.37%
 
25,000

 
25,000

2032
 
Secured Pollution Control Bonds (1)
 
(1)
 
66,700

 
66,700

2034
 
Secured Pollution Control Bonds (2)
 
(2)
 
17,000

 
17,000

2035
 
First Mortgage Bonds
 
6.25%
 
150,000

 
150,000

2037
 
First Mortgage Bonds
 
5.70%
 
150,000

 
150,000

2040
 
First Mortgage Bonds
 
5.55%
 
35,000

 
35,000

2041
 
First Mortgage Bonds
 
4.45%
 
85,000

 
85,000

2047
 
First Mortgage Bonds
 
4.23%
 
80,000

 
80,000

 
 
Total secured long-term debt
 
 
 
1,376,700

 
1,336,700

 
 
Other long-term debt and capital leases
 
 
 
4,630

 
5,092

 
 
Settled interest rate swaps (3)
 
 
 
(23,560
)
 
(27,900
)
 
 
Unamortized debt discount
 
 
 
(1,287
)
 
(1,453
)
 
 
Total
 
 
 
1,356,483

 
1,312,439

 
 
Secured Pollution Control Bonds held by Avista Corporation (1) (2)
 
 
 
(83,700
)
 
(83,700
)
 
 
Current portion of long-term debt
 
 
 
(358
)
 
(50,372
)
 
 
Total long-term debt
 
 
 
$
1,272,425

 
$
1,178,367

 
(1)
In December 2010, $66.7 million of the City of Forsyth, Montana Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds (Avista Corporation Colstrip Project) due 2032, which had been held by Avista Corp. since 2008, were refunded by a new bond issue (Series 2010A). The new bonds were not offered to the public and were purchased by Avista Corp. due to market conditions. The Company expects that at a later date, subject to market conditions, these bonds may be remarketed to unaffiliated investors. So long as Avista Corp. is the holder of these bonds, the bonds will not be reflected as an asset or a liability on Avista Corp.'s Consolidated Balance Sheets.
(2)
In December 2010, $17.0 million of the City of Forsyth, Montana Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds, (Avista Corporation Colstrip Project) due 2034, which had been held by Avista Corp. since 2009, were refunded by a new bond issue (Series 2010B). The new bonds were not offered to the public and were purchased by Avista Corp. due to market conditions. The Company expects that at a later date, subject to market conditions, the bonds may be remarketed to unaffiliated investors. So long as Avista Corp. is the holder of these bonds, the bonds will not be reflected as an asset or a liability on Avista Corp.'s Consolidated Balance Sheet.
(3)
Upon settlement of interest rate swaps, these are recorded as a regulatory asset or liability and included as part of long-term debt above. They are amortized as a component of interest expense over the life of the associated debt and included as a part of the Company's cost of debt calculation for ratemaking purposes.
In August 2013, Avista Corp. entered into a $90.0 million term loan agreement with an institutional investor that bears an annual interest rate of 0.84 percent and matures in 2016. The term loan agreement is secured by non-transferable First Mortgage Bonds of the Company issued to the agent bank that will only become due and payable in the event, and then only to the extent, that the Company defaults on its obligations under the term loan agreement. The net proceeds from the $90.0 million term loan agreement were used to repay a portion of corporate indebtedness in anticipation of $50.0 million in First Mortgage Bonds that matured in December 2013.
The following table details future long-term debt maturities including long-term debt to affiliated trusts (see Note 14) (dollars in thousands):
 
2014
 
2015
 
2016
 
2017
 
2018
 
Thereafter
 
Total
Debt maturities
$

 
$

 
$
90,000

 
$

 
$
272,500

 
$
982,047

 
$
1,344,547


Substantially all utility properties owned by the Company are subject to the lien of the Company’s mortgage indenture. Under the Mortgage and Deed of Trust securing the Company’s First Mortgage Bonds (including Secured Medium-Term Notes), the Company may issue additional First Mortgage Bonds in an aggregate principal amount equal to the sum of: 1) 66-2/3 percent of the cost or fair value (whichever is lower) of property additions which have not previously been made the basis of any application under the Mortgage, or 2) an equal principal amount of retired First Mortgage Bonds which have not previously been made the basis of any application under the Mortgage, or 3) deposit of cash. However, the Company may not issue any additional First Mortgage Bonds (with certain exceptions in the case of bonds issued on the basis of retired bonds) unless the Company’s “net earnings” (as defined in the Mortgage) for any period of 12 consecutive calendar months out of the preceding 18 calendar months were at least twice the annual interest requirements on all mortgage securities at the time outstanding, including the First Mortgage Bonds to be issued, and on all indebtedness of prior rank. As of December 31, 2013, property additions and retired bonds would have allowed, and the net earnings test would not have prohibited, the issuance of $916.3 million in aggregate principal amount of additional First Mortgage Bonds.
See Note 12 for information regarding First Mortgage Bonds issued to secure the Company’s obligations under its committed line of credit agreement.
Nonrecourse Long-Term Debt
Nonrecourse long-term debt (including current portion) represents the long-term debt of Spokane Energy. To provide funding to acquire a long-term fixed rate electric capacity contract from Avista Corp., Spokane Energy borrowed $145.0 million from a funding trust in December 1998. The long-term debt has scheduled monthly installments and interest at a fixed rate of 8.45 percent with the final payment due in January 2015. Spokane Energy bears full recourse risk for the debt, which is secured by the fixed rate electric capacity contract and $1.6 million of funds held in a trust account. The following table details future nonrecourse long-term debt maturities (dollars in thousands):
 
2014
 
2015
 
2016
 
2017
 
Total
Debt maturities
$
16,407

 
$
1,431

 
$

 
$

 
$
17,838