ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Business Combinations [Abstract]

ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS

17. ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS

Acquisitions

Leaf River

On October 11, 2019, NJR Pipeline Company, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of NJR, acquired 100 percent of the issued and outstanding limited liability company interests of Leaf River Energy Center LLC for $367.5 million. The purchase price was subject to certain contractual conditions, including customary purchase price adjustments related to the amount of net working capital and transaction expenses. Leaf River owns and operates a 32.2 million Dth salt dome natural gas storage facility, located in southeastern Mississippi.

The Company evaluated the acquisition under the guidance of ASU 2017-01, Clarifying the Definition of a Business and concluded that the acquisition did not meet the definition of a business. As a result, the purchase was accounted for as an asset acquisition as almost all of the fair value relates to the storage assets acquired.

The following table summarizes the consideration transferred and preliminary purchase price allocation based upon the relative fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities to be assumed:

(Thousands)	Estimated Fair Value
Purchase price	$	367,500
Net working capital adjustment	4,111
Transaction costs	1,664
Total consideration transferred	$	373,275
Identifiable assets acquired
Property, plant and equipment	$	365,715
Base gas	3,445
Other assets, net	4
Net working capital	4,111
Net assets acquired	$	373,275

The total consideration transferred is comprised of the purchase price to the seller and the transaction costs incurred during the acquisition. The Company utilized a discounted cash flow valuation technique to measure the fair value of the property, plant, and equipment based upon the present value of their future economic benefits reflecting current market expectations. Base gas is valued based upon the estimated replacement costs associated with the respective assets.

Base gas is needed to maintain the necessary pressure to allow efficient operation of the storage facility. The base gas is determined to be recoverable and is considered a component of the facility and presented as a component in property, plant and equipment. This gas is not depreciated, as it is expected to be recovered and sold.

Property, plant and equipment consist primarily of surface equipment and pipelines necessary to operate the facility. Depreciation is computed on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the assets, ranging from five to 50 years, based on various classes of depreciable property.

Asset retirement obligations are initially recognized when the legal obligation to retire an asset has been incurred and a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made. The Company records any asset retirement obligations in the period in which information permitting a reasonable estimate of such obligation becomes available. The Company is unable to predict when, or if, the storage facilities and related pipelines would become completely obsolete and require decommissioning. As such, upon acquisition and as of December 31, 2019, there were no liabilities recorded for asset retirement obligations, as both the timing and future estimates of decommissioning the storage facilities and related pipelines were indeterminable.

The assumptions used in the discounted cash flow valuation are not observable in active markets and thus represent non-recurring Level 3 fair value measurements.

Adelphia

In October 2017, Adelphia, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of NJR, entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with Talen pursuant to which Adelphia acquired all of Talen’s membership interests in IEC for a base purchase price of $166 million. As additional consideration, Adelphia will pay Talen specified amounts of up to $23 million contingent upon the achievement of certain regulatory approvals and binding natural gas capacity commitments. In November 2017, the Company made an initial payment of $10 million towards the base purchase price, which is included in other noncurrent assets on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. On December 19, 2019, FERC issued Adelphia Gateway’s Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. The transaction closed on January 13, 2020.

IEC owned an existing 84-mile pipeline in southeastern Pennsylvania. Adelphia acquired IEC and, with it, IEC’s existing pipeline, related assets and rights of way. Adelphia has also agreed to provide firm natural gas transportation service for ten years following the closing to two power generators owned by affiliates of Talen that are currently served by IEC.

Dispositions

On February 7, 2019, Clean Energy Ventures finalized the sale of its remaining wind assets to a subsidiary of Skyline Renewables LLC for a total purchase price of $208.6 million. The transaction generated a pre-tax gain of $645,000, which was recognized as a component of O&M expense on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS

17. ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS

Acquisitions

Leaf River

On October 11, 2019, NJR Pipeline Company, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of NJR, acquired 100 percent of the issued and outstanding limited liability company interests of Leaf River Energy Center LLC for $367.5 million. The purchase price was subject to certain contractual conditions, including customary purchase price adjustments related to the amount of net working capital and transaction expenses. Leaf River owns and operates a 32.2 million Dth salt dome natural gas storage facility, located in southeastern Mississippi.

The Company evaluated the acquisition under the guidance of ASU 2017-01, Clarifying the Definition of a Business and concluded that the acquisition did not meet the definition of a business. As a result, the purchase was accounted for as an asset acquisition as almost all of the fair value relates to the storage assets acquired.

The following table summarizes the consideration transferred and preliminary purchase price allocation based upon the relative fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities to be assumed:

(Thousands)	Estimated Fair Value
Purchase price	$	367,500
Net working capital adjustment	4,111
Transaction costs	1,664
Total consideration transferred	$	373,275
Identifiable assets acquired
Property, plant and equipment	$	365,715
Base gas	3,445
Other assets, net	4
Net working capital	4,111
Net assets acquired	$	373,275

The total consideration transferred is comprised of the purchase price to the seller and the transaction costs incurred during the acquisition. The Company utilized a discounted cash flow valuation technique to measure the fair value of the property, plant, and equipment based upon the present value of their future economic benefits reflecting current market expectations. Base gas is valued based upon the estimated replacement costs associated with the respective assets.

Base gas is needed to maintain the necessary pressure to allow efficient operation of the storage facility. The base gas is determined to be recoverable and is considered a component of the facility and presented as a component in property, plant and equipment. This gas is not depreciated, as it is expected to be recovered and sold.

Property, plant and equipment consist primarily of surface equipment and pipelines necessary to operate the facility. Depreciation is computed on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the assets, ranging from five to 50 years, based on various classes of depreciable property.

Asset retirement obligations are initially recognized when the legal obligation to retire an asset has been incurred and a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made. The Company records any asset retirement obligations in the period in which information permitting a reasonable estimate of such obligation becomes available. The Company is unable to predict when, or if, the storage facilities and related pipelines would become completely obsolete and require decommissioning. As such, upon acquisition and as of December 31, 2019, there were no liabilities recorded for asset retirement obligations, as both the timing and future estimates of decommissioning the storage facilities and related pipelines were indeterminable.

The assumptions used in the discounted cash flow valuation are not observable in active markets and thus represent non-recurring Level 3 fair value measurements.

Adelphia

In October 2017, Adelphia, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of NJR, entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with Talen pursuant to which Adelphia acquired all of Talen’s membership interests in IEC for a base purchase price of $166 million. As additional consideration, Adelphia will pay Talen specified amounts of up to $23 million contingent upon the achievement of certain regulatory approvals and binding natural gas capacity commitments. In November 2017, the Company made an initial payment of $10 million towards the base purchase price, which is included in other noncurrent assets on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. On December 19, 2019, FERC issued Adelphia Gateway’s Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. The transaction closed on January 13, 2020.

IEC owned an existing 84-mile pipeline in southeastern Pennsylvania. Adelphia acquired IEC and, with it, IEC’s existing pipeline, related assets and rights of way. Adelphia has also agreed to provide firm natural gas transportation service for ten years following the closing to two power generators owned by affiliates of Talen that are currently served by IEC.

Dispositions

On February 7, 2019, Clean Energy Ventures finalized the sale of its remaining wind assets to a subsidiary of Skyline Renewables LLC for a total purchase price of $208.6 million. The transaction generated a pre-tax gain of $645,000, which was recognized as a component of O&M expense on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.