DEBT

9 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

9. DEBT

NJR and NJNG finance working capital requirements and capital expenditures through various short-term debt and long-term financing arrangements, including a commercial paper program and committed unsecured credit facilities.

Credit Facilities

On April 24, 2020, NJR entered into a 364-day $250 million revolving credit facility with an interest rate based on LIBOR plus 1.625 percent. After six months, all outstanding amounts under the credit facility will convert to a term loan and will be due on April 23, 2021. Proceeds will be used to fund ongoing ordinary working capital requirements and other general corporate purposes. In connection with entry into this credit facility, all outstanding borrowings under NJR's December 13, 2019, $150 million revolving line of credit facility were repaid.

A summary of NJR's credit facility and NJNG's commercial paper program and credit facility are as follows:



(Thousands)	June 30, 2020			September 30, 2019			Expiration Dates
NJR
Bank revolving credit facilities⁽¹⁾	$	425,000		$	425,000		December 2023
Notes outstanding at end of period	$	416,300		$	25,450
Weighted average interest rate at end of period	1.06		%	3.04		%
Amount available at end of period ⁽²⁾	$	244		$	394,800
Bank revolving credit facilities⁽¹⁾	$	250,000		$	—		April 2021
Notes outstanding at end of period	$	—		$	—
Weighted average interest rate at end of period	—		%	—		%
Amount available at end of period⁽²⁾	$	250,000		$	—
NJNG
Bank revolving credit facilities ⁽¹⁾	$	250,000		$	250,000		December 2023
Commercial paper outstanding at end of period	$	—		$	—
Weighted average interest rate at end of period	0.25		%	—		%
Amount available at end of period ⁽³⁾	$	249,269		$	249,269


(1)	Committed credit facilities, which require commitment fees on the unused amounts.


(2)	Letters of credit outstanding total $8.5 million and $4.8 million for June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively, which reduces amount available by the same amount.


(3)	Letters of credit outstanding total $731,000 for both June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019, which reduces the amount available by the same amount.

Amounts available under credit facilities are reduced by bank or commercial paper borrowings, as applicable, and any outstanding letters of credit. Neither NJNG nor the results of its operations are obligated or pledged to support the NJR credit or debt shelf facilities.

On October 9, 2019, NJR entered into a $350 million Bridge Facility, which was used primarily to finance the Leaf River acquisition. The Bridge Facility accrues interest at the LIBOR rate for a 1-month interest period plus 0.875 percent during the first 180 days, and 1.075 percent after 180 days. Loans under the Bridge Facility are required to be prepaid to the extent of new cash proceeds received upon the issuance of equity of NJR, the incurrence of indebtedness by NJR or its subsidiaries, the disposition of assets by NJR or its subsidiaries or upon other specified events, in each case subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Bridge Facility. As of June 30, 2020, there were $137.1 million in borrowings remaining against the facility. The net proceeds from the December 2019 equity issuance were used to pay down the Bridge Facility. On July 23, 2020, the remaining $137.1 million in borrowings were repaid.

Long-term Debt

NJNG

NJNG received $4 million and $9.9 million in December 2019 and 2018, respectively, in connection with the sale-leaseback of its natural gas meters. NJNG records a capital lease obligation that is paid over the term of the lease and has the option to purchase the meters back at fair value upon expiration of the lease. NJNG exercised early purchase options with respect to certain outstanding meter leases by making final principal payments of $1.2 million and $1.1 million during the nine months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

On May 14, 2020, NJNG entered into a Note Purchase Agreement for $125 million of its senior notes, of which $100 million were at an interest rate of 3.13 percent, maturing in 2050, and $25 million were at an interest rate of 3.33 percent, maturing in 2060. On June 30, 2020, NJNG issued $50 million of the 3.13 percent senior notes due June 30, 2050. On July 23, 2020, NJNG issued the remaining $50 million of 3.13 percent senior notes due July 23, 2050, and $25 million of 3.33 percent senior notes due July 23, 2060. The senior notes are secured by an equal principal amount of NJNG’s FMBs issued under NJNG’s Mortgage Indenture.

NJR

On May 14, 2020, NJR entered into a Note Purchase Agreement for $260 million of its senior notes, of which $130 million were at an interest rate of 3.5 percent, maturing in 2030, and $130 million were at an interest rate of 3.6 percent, maturing in 2032. On July 23, 2020, NJR issued all $260 million of the senior notes. The senior notes are unsecured and guaranteed by certain unregulated subsidiaries of NJR.

On April 29, 2020, NJR settled a treasury lock resulting in a $2.5 million loss, which was recorded to accumulated other comprehensive income on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. When the related forecasted debt issuance occurs, the loss will be amortized to interest expense on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Clean Energy Ventures

In June 2020, Clean Energy Ventures received proceeds of $42.9 million in connection with the sale-leaseback of three commercial solar projects. Clean Energy Ventures did not receive proceeds related to the sale-leaseback of commercial solar assets during the nine months ended June 30, 2019. Clean Energy Ventures enters into transactions to sell the commercial solar assets concurrent with agreements to lease the assets back over a period of five to 15 years. These transactions are considered failed sale-leasebacks for accounting purposes and are therefore treated as financing obligations, which are typically secured by the renewable energy facility asset and its future cash flows from SREC and energy sales. ITCs and other tax benefits associated with these solar projects are transferred to the buyer, if applicable. Clean Energy Ventures continues to operate the solar assets, including related expenses, and retain the revenue generated from SRECs and energy sales, and has the option to renew the lease or repurchase the assets sold at the end of the lease term.