Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (continued)
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (continued)
As a result of prior defaults, various stays and the Title III cases, Puerto Rico failed to make certain scheduled debt service payments for National insured bonds. As a consequence, National has paid gross claims in the aggregate amount of $2.9 billion relating to GO bonds, PBA bonds, PREPA bonds and PRHTA bonds through December 31, 2022, inclusive of the commutation payment and the additional payment in the amount of $66 million in 2019 related to COFINA and the GO PSA and HTA PSA acceleration and commutation payments of $277 million and $556 million, respectively, in 2022.
Status of Puerto Rico’s Fiscal Plans
The Oversight Board certified fiscal plans for PREPA, University of Puerto Rico (the “University”) and PRHTA on June 28, 2022, May 27, 2022 and October 14, 2022, respectively. The Oversight Board also certified the fiscal year 2023 budgets for Commonwealth, PREPA, the University and PRHTA on June 30, 2022. The University is not a debtor in Title III and continues to be current on its debt service payment. However, the University is subject to a standstill agreement with its senior bondholders, which has been extended to May 31, 2023. National is not a party to the standstill agreement. As of December 31, 2022, National had $84 million of debt service outstanding related to the University.
PREPA
National’s largest remaining exposure to Puerto Rico, by gross par outstanding, is to PREPA.
On May 3, 2019, PREPA, the Oversight Board, the AAFAF, the Ad Hoc Group of PREPA bondholders (the “Ad Hoc Group”), and Assured Guaranty Corp. and Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp. (“Assured”) entered into the a restructuring support agreement (“RSA”) which was amended on September 9, 2019 to include National and Syncora Guarantee, Inc. (“Syncora”) as supporting parties. On March 8, 2022, AAFAF and PREPA terminated the RSA. On April 8, 2022, the Court appointed a new panel of judges to commence mediation among the Oversight Board, the Ad Hoc creditor group of holders of PREPA Senior Bonds, Assured, National and Syncora. The mediation initially terminated on September 16, 2022; however on September 29, 2022, the Court entered an order of restarting mediation through January 31, 2023. Mediation will be further continued until April 28, 2023. On January 31, 2023, National entered into the PREPA PSA with the Oversight Board, on behalf of itself and as the sole Title III representative of PREPA. On February 9, 2023, the Oversight Board filed an amendment to the Plan of Adjustment originally filed with the Title III court on December 16, 2022 (the “Amended Plan”), that reflects the entry into the PREPA PSA and the settlement described therein. The PREPA PSA provides, among other things, for the consensual resolution of the treatment of claims held by National related to insured PREPA revenue bonds and the settlement of National’s participation in litigation related to such claims. The PREPA PSA provides that, upon the effective date of a plan of adjustment, National shall receive in exchange for its bond and reimbursement claims newly issued PREPA secured revenue bonds together with certain fees and expense reimbursement payments, including an interim payment subject to regulatory approval. The PREPA PSA also provides National with the potential to receive additional consideration. The PREPA PSA remains subject to a number of conditions, including (but not limited to) the Title III Court’s approval, and confirmation and effectiveness, of the Amended Plan. There is no assurance the Amended Plan or a substantially similar plan of adjustment will ultimately be confirmed and go effective.
On June 22, 2020, the Oversight Board and the Puerto Rico P3 Authority announced an agreement and contract with LUMA Energy, LLC (“LUMA”) which calls for LUMA to take full responsibility for the operation and maintenance of PREPA’s transmission and distribution system; the contract runs for 15-years following a transition period expected to take 12 months. PREPA retains ownership of the system as well as responsibility for the power generation system. LUMA assumed responsibility for operations on June 1, 2021.
On September 18, 2020, FEMA and the PR COR3 Authority announced the commitment by FEMA to provide approximately $11.6 billion (net of the required 10% cost share) to fund projects built by PREPA and the PR Department of Education; approximately $9.4 billion (net) of this amount is designated for PREPA. LUMA is now involved in the planning of the related projects as well as proceedings related thereto in front the PR Energy Bureau as well as PR-COR3.
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