RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

16. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

NJNG has an agreement with Steckman Ridge for 3 Bcf of firm storage capacity, which expires on March 31, 2025. Under the terms of the agreement, NJNG incurs demand fees at market rates of approximately $9.3 million annually, a portion of which is eliminated in consolidation. These fees are recoverable through NJNG's BGSS mechanism and are included as a component of regulatory assets.

Energy Services may periodically enter into storage or park and loan agreements with its affiliated FERC-jurisdictional natural gas storage facility, Steckman Ridge. As of March 31, 2020, Energy Services has entered into transactions with Steckman Ridge for varying terms, all of which expire by October 31, 2020.

Demand fees, net of eliminations, associated with Steckman Ridge were as follows:



	Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
	March 31,				March 31,
(Thousands)	2020		2019		2020		2019
Natural Gas Distribution	$	1,477	$	1,443	$	2,971	$	2,916
Energy Services	29		701		59		1,413
Total	$	1,506	$	2,144	$	3,030	$	4,329

The following table summarizes demand fees payable to Steckman Ridge as of:



(Thousands)	March 31, 2020		September 30, 2019
Natural Gas Distribution	$	785	$	775
Energy Services	16		15
Total	$	801	$	790

NJNG and Energy Services have entered into various asset management agreements, the effects of which are eliminated in consolidation. Under the terms of these agreements, NJNG releases certain transportation and storage contracts to Energy Services. As of March 31, 2020, NJNG and Energy Services had four asset management agreements with expiration dates ranging from October 31, 2020 through October 31, 2021.

NJNG has entered into a 15-year transportation precedent agreement for committed capacity of 180,000 Dths per day and NJRES has entered into a 5-year, 50,000 Dths per day transportation precedent agreement with PennEast, both to commence when PennEast is placed in service.

NJNG has entered into a 5-year transportation precedent agreement with Adelphia for committed capacity of 130,000 Dths per day.

Energy Services has a 5-year agreement for 3 Bcf of firm storage capacity with Leaf River, which is eliminated in consolidation.