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INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED AFFILIATES
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]  
INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED AFFILIATES INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED AFFILIATES
Investments in entities that are not consolidated are included in long-term assets on the balance sheets and earnings impacts from these equity investments are included in Other Income, Net on the statements of income.  Eversource's investments included the following:
 Investment Balance as of December 31,
(Millions of Dollars)Ownership Interest20202019
Offshore Wind Business - North East Offshore and Bay State Wind50 %$887.1 $649.3 
Natural Gas Pipeline - Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC15 %125.2 127.8 
Renewable Energy Investment Fund90 %71.6 72.4 
Other various23.2 22.1 
Total Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates$1,107.1 $871.6 

For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, Eversource had equity in earnings, net of impairment, of unconsolidated affiliates of $14.2 million, $42.2 million, and $3.8 million, respectively. Eversource received dividends from its equity method investees of $21.8 million, $48.9 million, and $22.3 million, respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.

Investments in affiliates where Eversource has the ability to exercise significant influence, but not control, over an investee are initially recognized as an equity method investment at cost. Any differences between the cost of an investment and the amount of underlying equity in net assets of an investee are considered basis differences, and are determined based upon the estimated fair values of the investee's identifiable assets and liabilities. The carrying amount of Eversource’s offshore wind investments exceeded its share of underlying equity in net assets by $264.1 million and $240.3 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. As of December 31, 2020, these basis differences are primarily comprised of $168.3 million of equity method goodwill that is not being amortized, intangible assets for PPAs, which will be amortized over the term of the PPAs, and capitalized interest.

Offshore Wind Business: Eversource's offshore wind business includes ownership interests in North East Offshore and Bay State Wind, which together hold PPAs and contracts for the Revolution Wind, South Fork Wind, and Sunrise Wind projects, as well as offshore leases through BOEM. Eversource's offshore wind projects are being developed and constructed through a joint and equal partnership with Ørsted. On February 8, 2019, Eversource and Ørsted entered into an equal partnership to acquire key offshore wind assets in the Northeast. Eversource has a 50 percent ownership interest in North East Offshore, which holds the Revolution Wind and South Fork Wind projects, as well as a 257 square-mile lease off the coasts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Eversource also has a 50 percent ownership interest in Bay State Wind, which holds the Sunrise Wind project. Bay State Wind's separate 300-square-mile ocean lease is located approximately 25 miles south of the coast of Massachusetts adjacent to the North East Offshore area.

NSTAR Electric: As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, NSTAR Electric's investments included a 14.5 percent ownership interest in two companies that transmit hydro-electricity imported from the Hydro-Quebec system in Canada of $8.6 million and $8.2 million, respectively.
Impairment of Equity Method Investments: Equity method investments are assessed for impairment when conditions exist that indicate that the fair value of the investment is less than book value.  If the decline in value is considered to be other-than-temporary, the investment is written down to its estimated fair value, which establishes a new cost basis in the investment. Impairment evaluations involve a significant degree of judgment and estimation, including identifying circumstances that indicate an impairment may exist and developing undiscounted future cash flows.

During the year ended December 31, 2020, Eversource recorded an other-than-temporary impairment of $2.8 million within Other Income, Net on the statement of income, related to a write-off of an investment within a renewable energy fund.
During the year ended December 31, 2018, Eversource recorded an other-than-temporary impairment of $32.9 million within Other Income, Net on the statement of income, related to Access Northeast, a natural gas pipeline and storage project, which represented the full carrying value of our equity method investment. On April 1, 2019, pursuant to a provision in the partnership agreement jointly entered into by Eversource, Enbridge, Inc. and National Grid plc, through Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, the Access Northeast project was terminated.