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Commitments and Contingent Liabilities
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities  
Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

Note 4 - Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

 

Water Supply - Middlesex has an agreement with the NJWSA for the purchase of untreated water through November 30, 2023, which provides for an average purchase of 27 million gallons a day (mgd). Pricing is set annually by the NJWSA through a public rate making process. The agreement has provisions for additional pricing in the event Middlesex overdrafts or exceeds certain monthly and annual thresholds.

 

Middlesex also has an agreement with a non-affiliated regulated water utility for the purchase of treated water. This agreement, which expires February 27, 2016, provides for the minimum purchase of 3.0 mgd of treated water with provisions for additional purchases.

 

Purchased water costs are shown below:

 

   (Millions of Dollars) 
   Years Ended December 31, 
Purchased Water  2013   2012   2011 
Untreated  $2.4   $2.4   $2.4 
Treated   3.2    3.1    2.7 
Total Costs  $5.6   $5.5   $5.1 

 

Contract Operations - USA-PA operates the City of Perth Amboy, New Jersey’s (Perth Amboy) water and wastewater systems under a 20-year agreement, which expires in 2018. In connection with the agreement with Perth Amboy, USA-PA entered into a 20-year subcontract with a wastewater operating company for the operation and maintenance of the Perth Amboy wastewater collection system. The subcontract provides for the sharing of certain fixed and variable fees and operating expenses.

 

Guarantees - In September 2013, Middlesex entered into an agreement with Monmouth County to serve as guarantor of the performance of AWM to design, construct and operate a leachate pretreatment facility at the Monmouth County Reclamation Center in Tinton Falls, New Jersey (see Note 1 – Organization, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Recent Developments for further discussion of Middlesex’s guaranty of AWM’s performance). Middlesex expects to act as guarantor of AWM’s performance through at least August 2018 and is contractually obligated to act as guarantor of AWM’s performance through 2028 unless another guarantor, acceptable to Monmouth County, is identified.  Construction of the facility is being financed by Monmouth County and is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2014. In addition, Middlesex entered into agreements with AWM and NSU, the parent company of AWM, whereby, Middlesex earns a fee for providing the guaranty of AWM’s performance to Monmouth County, Middlesex provides operational support to the project, and AWM and NSU, serving as guarantor to Middlesex with respect to the performance of AWM, indemnify Middlesex against any claims that may arise under the Middlesex guaranty to Monmouth County.

 

Middlesex believes it is unlikely any payments would need to be made under Middlesex’s guaranty of AWM’s performance to Monmouth County. If asked to perform under the guaranty to Monmouth County, and, if AWM and NSU, as guarantor to Middlesex, do not fulfill their obligations to indemnify Middlesex against any claims that may arise under the Middlesex guaranty to Monmouth County, Middlesex would be required to fulfill the construction and operational commitments of AWM. As of December 31, 2013, the liability recognized in Other Non-Current Liabilities on the balance sheet for the guaranty is approximately $0.4 million.

 

Construction –The Company may spend up to $31.4 million in 2014, $32.6 million in 2015 and $23.9 million in 2016 on its construction program. The actual amount and timing of capital expenditures is dependent on customer growth, residential new home construction and sales and project scheduling. There is no assurance that projected customer growth and residential new home construction and sales will occur.

 

Litigation – The Company is a defendant in lawsuits in the normal course of business. We believe the resolution of pending claims and legal proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Change in Control Agreements – The Company has Change in Control Agreements with certain of its officers that provide compensation and benefits in the event of termination of employment in connection with a change in control of the Company.