Debt

6 Months Ended

Apr. 30, 2024

Debt

Debt

Note 15. Debt

Debt as of April 30, 2024 and October 31, 2023 consisted of the following (in thousands):

	April 30,		October 31,
	2024		2023
Liberty Bank Term Loan Agreement (Derby Senior Back Leverage Loan Facility)	$	6,500	$	—
Connecticut Green Bank Term Loan Agreement (Derby Senior Back Leverage Loan Facility)		3,000		—
Connecticut Green Bank Loan (Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Loan Facility)		3,500		—
Connecticut Green Bank Loan (Groton Subordinated Back Leverage Loan Facility)		8,000		8,000
Liberty Bank Term Loan Agreement (Groton Senior Back Leverage Loan Facility)		5,659		5,876
Amalgamated Bank Loan (Groton Senior Back Leverage Loan Facility)		5,649		5,873
Finance obligation for sale-leaseback transactions		18,813		18,814
State of Connecticut Loan		6,468		6,908
Finance lease obligations		—		12
OpCo Financing Facility		73,891		77,510
Deferred finance costs		(3,553)		(3,526)
Total debt and finance obligations		127,927		119,467
Current portion of long-term debt and finance obligations		(11,733)		(10,067)
Long-term debt and finance obligations	$	116,194	$	109,400

Derby Back Leverage Financing

On April 25, 2024, FuelCell Energy Derby Finance Holdco, LLC (“Derby Holdco Borrower”), a wholly owned subsidiary of FuelCell Energy Finance, LLC (“FCEF”), which, in turn, is a wholly owned subsidiary of FuelCell Energy, Inc. (“Parent”), entered into: (i) a Credit Agreement (the “Derby Senior Back Leverage Credit Agreement”) with, by and among Liberty Bank, in its capacities as a lender (“Liberty Lender”), administrative agent (the “Senior Administrative Agent”), and lead arranger, and Connecticut Green Bank, in its capacity as a lender (“Green Bank Lender” and, collectively with Liberty Lender, the “Derby Senior Back Leverage Lenders”), for a term loan facility in an amount not to exceed an aggregate of $9.5 million to be provided 68% by Liberty Lender and 32% by Green Bank Lender (such facility, the “Derby Senior Back Leverage Loan Facility,” each such term loan, a “Derby Senior Back Leverage Loan” and such term loans together, the “Derby Senior Back Leverage Loans”); and (ii) a Credit Agreement (the “Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Credit Agreement”) with Connecticut Green Bank, as administrative agent (the “Subordinated Administrative Agent”) and lender (“Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Lender”), for a term loan facility in an amount not to exceed $3.5 million (such facility, the “Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Loan Facility” and such term loan, the “Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Loan”). The Derby Senior Back Leverage Lenders and the Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Lender are referred to collectively as the “Derby Back Leverage Lenders.”

Derby Holdco Borrower’s obligations under the Derby Senior Back Leverage Credit Agreement and the Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Credit Agreement are secured by a lien on all of Derby Holdco Borrower’s assets, consisting principally of its Class B Member Interests (the “Derby Class B Interests”) in Derby Fuel Cell Holdco, LLC (the “Derby Tax Equity Holdco”).  The Class A Membership Interests (the “Derby Class A Interests”) in the Derby Tax Equity Holdco are held by Franklin Park (see Note 1 for further discussion of the tax equity financing transaction structure).  Derby Holdco Borrower is also the Managing Member of the Derby Tax Equity Holdco.  The Derby Tax Equity Holdco’s primary asset is ownership of all of the outstanding equity interests in Derby Station Fuel Cell, LLC and SCEF1 Fuel Cell, LLC (the “Derby Project Companies”).  The Derby Project Companies, in turn, are the owners of the fuel cell power plants located in Derby, Connecticut (which are referred to herein as the “Derby Projects”).  As additional context concerning the relationship among the parties with respect to the Derby Senior Back Leverage Loan Facility and the Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Loan Facility more fully described below, on October 19, 2018, the Derby Project Companies and Parent entered into an Amended and Restated Power Purchase Agreement (the “Derby Amended and Restated PPA”) with The Connecticut Light and Power Company d/b/a Eversource Energy (“CLPC”), pursuant to which the Derby Project Companies agreed to sell to CLPC, and CLPC agreed to purchase from the Derby Project Companies, all of the electricity output produced by the Derby Projects pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Derby Amended and Restated PPA.

At the closing (the “Derby Closing”) of each of the Derby Senior Back Leverage Loan Facility and the Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Loan Facility, which occurred simultaneously on April 25, 2024 (the “Derby Closing Date”), the entire amount of each of the Derby Senior Back Leverage Loan Facility and the Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Loan Facility

was drawn down in the aggregate amount of $13.0 million.  After payment of fees and transaction costs (including fees to the Derby Back Leverage Lenders and legal costs) of approximately $0.2 million in the aggregate, the remaining proceeds of approximately $12.8 million were used as follows: (i) approximately $0.9 million was used to fund debt service and module replacement reserve accounts (“DSCR Reserve Accounts”) for the Derby Senior Back Leverage Lenders in amounts of approximately $0.6 million for Liberty Lender and approximately $0.3 million for Green Bank Lender; (ii) approximately $0.4 million was used to fund a DSCR Reserve Account for the Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Lender; and (iii) the remaining amount of approximately $11.5 million was released to Parent from the Derby Back Leverage Lenders.  Additionally, the Company incurred legal fees of approximately $0.2 million in relation to the financing that was not deducted from the debt proceeds.

The Derby Senior Back Leverage Loan will accrue interest on the unpaid principal amount calculated from the date of such Derby Senior Back Leverage Loan until the maturity date at a rate per annum equal to 7.25%.  Quarterly principal amortization and interest payments are required to be made by Derby Holdco Borrower on the Derby Senior Back Leverage Loan based on a seven-year amortization period.  The Derby Senior Back Leverage Loans have a seven-year term, maturing on March 31, 2031.

The Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Loan will accrue interest on the unpaid principal amount calculated from the date of such Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Loan until the maturity date at a rate per annum equal to 8%.  Pursuant to the Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Loan Facility, during the “Derby Interest Only Period” (as defined below), Derby Holdco Borrower is required to make quarterly payments of interest only until June 30, 2031.  Following the end of the “Derby Interest Only Period,” principal and interest payments are required to be made quarterly in quarterly level payments (“mortgage style”) of principal and interest until the maturity date on March 31, 2038.  

Each of the Derby Senior Back Leverage Credit Agreement and the Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Credit Agreement contains certain reporting requirements and other affirmative and negative covenants which are customary for transactions of this type. Included in the covenants are covenants that: (i) Derby Holdco Borrower maintain a “Senior” debt service coverage ratio (which is computed taking into account debt service obligations on the Derby Senior Back Leverage Loans) of not less than 1.25:1.00 (based on the trailing 12 months and tested every quarter) and a “Total” debt service coverage ratio (which is computed taking into account debt service obligations on both the Derby Senior Back Leverage Loans and the Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Loan) of not less than 1.10:1.00 (based on the trailing 12 months and tested on a quarterly basis); (ii) Derby Holdco Borrower may make distributions or dividends only if the foregoing debt to equity coverage ratios have been satisfied and Derby Holdco Borrower is not in default under any provisions of either the Derby Senior Back Leverage Credit Agreement or the Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Credit Agreement, including having made all required deposits into reserve accounts; (iii) Derby Holdco Borrower is required to exercise its right under the Derby Tax Equity Holdco limited liability company agreement to acquire the Derby Class A Interests from Franklin Park during the ninety day period beginning on the “Flip Point” (which, pursuant to the Derby Tax Equity Holdco limited liability company agreement, is the date on which the holder of Derby Class A Interests has realized a certain return on investment and, accordingly, Derby Holdco Borrower, as holder of the Derby Class B Interests, has the right to purchase the Derby Class A Interests); and (iv) the consent of the Senior Administrative Agent is required prior to Derby Holdco Borrower’s taking certain material actions under the Derby Tax Equity Holdco limited liability company agreement. Each of the Derby Senior Back Leverage Credit Agreement and the Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Credit Agreement also contains customary representations and warranties and customary events of default that cause, or entitle the Derby Back Leverage Lenders to cause, the outstanding loans to become immediately due and payable.  In addition to customary events of default for transactions of this kind, the events of default include if a Change of Control occurs (meaning Parent no longer directly or indirectly owns Derby Holdco Borrower), a cross default (meaning that a default under the Derby Senior Back Leverage Loan Facility shall be deemed a default under the Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Loan Facility and vice versa) or if CLPC should become insolvent, is in bankruptcy or commits a specified number of payment defaults with regard to its payment obligations to the Derby Project Companies.

The Derby Senior Back Leverage Loans may be prepaid at any time at the option of Derby Holdco Borrower provided that (i) each prepayment on or prior to the second anniversary of the Derby Closing Date shall require a prepayment fee of 3% of the principal amount being prepaid; (ii) each prepayment after the second anniversary of the Derby Closing Date but on or prior to the fourth anniversary of the Derby Closing Date shall require a prepayment fee of 2% of the principal amount being prepaid; and (iii) each prepayment after the fourth anniversary of the Derby Closing Date but on or prior to the seventh anniversary of the Derby Closing Date shall require a prepayment fee of 1% of the principal amount being prepaid. The Derby Subordinated Back Leverage Loan may be prepaid at any time without premium or penalty.

OpCo Financing Facility Interest Rate Swap – Fair Value Adjustment

The Company’s interest rate swap related to the OpCo Financing Facility (as defined elsewhere herein) is recorded at its fair value each reporting period, with the resulting gains/losses recorded to other income/expense. The interest rate swap is a Level 2 asset/liability since the value can be determined based on the observed values for underlying interest rates. The fair value adjustment for the three and six months ended April 30, 2024 resulted in a gain (loss) of $2.7 million and ($0.8) million, respectively. The Company has recorded a derivative asset within other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, which had an estimated fair value of $2.5 million and $3.3 million as of April 30, 2024 and October 31, 2023, respectively.