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SHORT-TERM DEBT
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
SHORT-TERM DEBT
SHORT-TERM DEBT

Short-Term Debt Borrowing Limits:  The amount of short-term borrowings that may be incurred by CL&P, NSTAR Electric and NPT is subject to periodic approval by the FERC.  Because the NHPUC has jurisdiction over PSNH's short-term debt, PSNH is not currently required to obtain FERC approval for its short-term borrowings.  On November 30, 2017, the FERC granted authorization that allows CL&P to issue total short-term borrowings in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $600 million outstanding at any one time, through December 31, 2019.  On November 30, 2017, the FERC granted authorization that allows NSTAR Electric to issue total short-term borrowings in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $655 million outstanding at any one time, through December 30, 2019.  On November 3, 2016, FERC authorized NPT to issue up to an aggregate of $800 million in short-term debt and long-term debt through December 31, 2018.

PSNH is authorized by regulation of the NHPUC to incur short-term borrowings up to 10 percent of net fixed plant plus an additional $60 million until further ordered by the NHPUC.  As of December 31, 2017, PSNH's short-term debt authorization under the 10 percent of net fixed plant test plus $60 million totaled approximately $364 million.  

CL&P's certificate of incorporation contains preferred stock provisions restricting the amount of unsecured debt that CL&P may incur, including limiting unsecured indebtedness with a maturity of less than 10 years to 10 percent of total capitalization.  As of December 31, 2017, CL&P had $607.4 million of unsecured debt capacity available under this authorization.

Yankee Gas and NSTAR Gas are not required to obtain approval from any state or federal authority to incur short-term debt.

Commercial Paper Programs and Credit Agreements: Eversource parent has a $1.45 billion commercial paper program allowing Eversource parent to issue commercial paper as a form of short-term debt. Eversource parent, CL&P, PSNH, NSTAR Gas and Yankee Gas are also parties to a five-year $1.45 billion revolving credit facility. On December 8, 2017, Eversource parent amended and restated the revolving credit facility. The amended and restated credit facility terminates on December 8, 2022 and serves to backstop Eversource parent's $1.45 billion commercial paper program.  There were no borrowings outstanding on the revolving credit facility as of December 31, 2017 or 2016.

NSTAR Electric has a $650 million commercial paper program allowing NSTAR Electric to issue commercial paper as a form of short-term debt. On December 8, 2017, NSTAR Electric increased its commercial paper program from $450 million to $650 million. NSTAR Electric is also a party to a five-year $650 million revolving credit facility. On December 8, 2017, NSTAR Electric amended and restated the revolving credit facility, increasing it from $450 million to $650 million. The amended and restated credit facility terminates on December 8, 2022 and serves to backstop NSTAR Electric's $650 million commercial paper program.  There were no borrowings outstanding on the revolving credit facility as of December 31, 2017 or 2016.

The amount of borrowings outstanding and available under the commercial paper programs and revolving credit facility was as follows:
 
Borrowings Outstanding
 as of December 31,
 
Available Borrowing Capacity as of December 31,
 
Weighted-Average Interest Rate as of December 31,
(Millions of Dollars)
2017
 
2016
 
2017
 
2016
 
2017
 
2016
Eversource Parent Commercial Paper Program
$
979.3

 
$
1,022.0

 
$
470.7

 
$
428.0

 
1.86
%
 
0.88
%
NSTAR Electric Commercial Paper Program
234.0

 
126.5

 
416.0

 
323.5

 
1.55
%
 
0.71
%
Revolving Credit Facility (1)
76.0

 
N/A

 
24.0

 
N/A

 
2.66
%
 
N/A



(1) Aquarion has a $100.0 million revolving credit facility, which expires on August 19, 2019.

Amounts outstanding under the commercial paper programs and revolving credit facility are included in Notes Payable for Eversource and NSTAR Electric and are classified in current liabilities on the balance sheets as all borrowings are outstanding for no more than 364 days at one time.  As a result of the Eversource parent long-term debt issuances on January 8, 2018, the net proceeds of which were used to repay short-term borrowings outstanding under its commercial paper program, $201.2 million of commercial paper borrowings under the Eversource parent commercial paper program were reclassified as Long-Term Debt as of December 31, 2017.

As of December 31, 2017, there were intercompany loans from Eversource parent of $69.5 million to CL&P and $262.9 million to PSNH. As of December 31, 2016, there were intercompany loans from Eversource parent of $80.1 million to CL&P, $160.9 million to PSNH and $51.0 million to NSTAR Electric. These intercompany loans from Eversource parent are included in Notes Payable to Eversource Parent and are classified in current liabilities on the respective subsidiary's balance sheets.  Intercompany loans from Eversource parent are eliminated in consolidation on Eversource's balance sheets.

Under the credit facilities described above, Eversource and its subsidiaries must comply with certain financial and non-financial covenants, including a consolidated debt to total capitalization ratio.  As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, Eversource and its subsidiaries were in compliance with these covenants. If Eversource or its subsidiaries were not in compliance with these covenants, an event of default would occur requiring all outstanding borrowings by such borrower to be repaid, and additional borrowings by such borrower would not be permitted under its respective credit facility.