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SHORT-TERM DEBT
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
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 and NSTAR Electric 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 October 25, 2019, 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, 2021.  On December 18, 2019, 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 31, 2021.

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, 2020, PSNH's short-term debt authorization under the 10 percent of net fixed plant test plus $60 million totaled $383.9 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, 2020, CL&P had $907.6 million of unsecured debt capacity available under this authorization.

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

Short-Term Debt - Commercial Paper Programs and Credit Agreements: Eversource parent has a $2.00 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, Yankee Gas and Aquarion Water Company of Connecticut are parties to a five-year $1.45 billion revolving credit facility, which terminates on December 6, 2024. On October 21, 2020, Eversource parent and EGMA entered into a short-term $550 million revolving credit facility, which terminates on October 20, 2021. These revolving credit facilities serve to backstop Eversource parent's $2.00 billion commercial paper program.

NSTAR Electric has a $650 million commercial paper program allowing NSTAR Electric to issue commercial paper as a form of short-term debt. NSTAR Electric is also a party to a five-year $650 million revolving credit facility, which terminates on December 6, 2024. The revolving credit facility serves to backstop NSTAR Electric's $650 million commercial paper program.

The amount of borrowings outstanding and available under the commercial paper programs were 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)202020192020201920202019
Eversource Parent Commercial Paper Program $1,054.3 $1,224.9 $945.7 $225.1 0.25 %1.98 %
NSTAR Electric Commercial Paper Program 195.0 10.5 455.0 639.5 0.16 %1.63 %

There were no borrowings outstanding on the revolving credit facilities as of December 31, 2020 or 2019.

On May 15, 2020, CL&P and PSNH entered into uncommitted line of credit agreements, which will expire by May 14, 2021. The CL&P agreements total $450 million and the PSNH agreements total $300 million. There are no borrowings outstanding on either the CL&P or PSNH uncommitted line of credit agreements as of December 31, 2020.

Amounts outstanding under the commercial paper programs are included in Notes Payable and classified in current liabilities on the Eversource and NSTAR Electric balance sheets, as all borrowings are outstanding for no more than 364 days at one time.  

Under the credit facilities described above, Eversource and its subsidiaries, including CL&P, NSTAR Electric, PSNH, NSTAR Gas, EGMA, Yankee Gas, and Aquarion Water Company of Connecticut, must comply with certain financial and non-financial covenants, including a consolidated debt to total capitalization ratio.  As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, 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.

The Company expects the future operating cash flows of Eversource, CL&P, NSTAR Electric and PSNH, along with existing borrowing availability and access to both debt and equity markets, will be sufficient to meet any working capital and future operating requirements, and capital investment forecasted opportunities.
Intercompany Borrowings: Eversource parent uses its available capital resources to provide loans to its subsidiaries to assist in meeting their short-term borrowing needs. Eversource parent records intercompany interest income from its loans to subsidiaries, which is eliminated in consolidation. Intercompany loans from Eversource parent to its subsidiaries are eliminated in consolidation on Eversource's balance sheets. As of December 31, 2020, there were intercompany loans from Eversource parent to PSNH of $46.3 million, and to a subsidiary of NSTAR Electric of $21.3 million. As of December 31, 2019, there were intercompany loans from Eversource parent to CL&P of $63.8 million, to PSNH of $27.0 million, and to a subsidiary of NSTAR Electric of $30.3 million. Intercompany loans from Eversource parent are included in Notes Payable to Eversource Parent and classified in current liabilities on the respective subsidiary's balance sheets.