Legal Proceedings
From time to time, the Company is involved in legal proceedings, including, but not limited to, regulatory proceedings, claims, mediations, arbitrations and litigation, arising out of the ordinary course of its business (“Legal Proceedings”). Although the Company cannot assure the outcome of such Legal Proceedings, management presently believes that the result of such Legal Proceedings, either individually, or in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, and no material amounts have been accrued in the Company’s consolidated financial statements with respect to these matters.
Note 18. Subsequent Events
Project Financing Facility
On May 19, 2023, FuelCell Energy Opco Finance 1, LLC (“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 a Financing Agreement (the “Financing Agreement”) with, by and among Investec Bank plc in its capacities as a lender (“Investec Lender”), administrative agent (“Administrative Agent”), and collateral agent (“Collateral Agent”); Investec, Inc. as coordinating lead arranger and sole bookrunner; Bank of Montreal (Chicago Branch) in its capacity as a lender (“BMO Lender”) and as mandated lead arranger; and each of Liberty Bank, Amalgamated Bank and Connecticut Green Bank as lenders (collectively with Investec Lender and BMO Lender, the “Lenders”) for a term loan facility in an amount not to exceed $80.5 million (the “Term Loan Facility” and such term loan, the “Term Loan”) and a letter of credit facility in an amount not to exceed $6.5 million (the “LC Facility” and together with the Term Loan Facility, the “Financing Facility”).
Borrower’s obligations under the Financing Agreement are secured by Parent’s interest in six operating fuel cell generation projects: (i) the Bridgeport Fuel Cell Project, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut; (ii) the Central CT State University Project, located in New Britain, Connecticut; (iii) the Pfizer Project, located in Groton, Connecticut; (iv) the LIPA Yaphank Project, located in Long Island, New York; (v) the Riverside Regional Water Quality Control Plant Project, located in Riverside, California; and (vi) the Santa Rita Jail Project, located in Alameda County, California (each, a “Project” and collectively, the “Projects”).
Immediately prior to the closing on the Financing Facility, which closing occurred on May 19, 2023, Parent caused to be transferred to Borrower all of the outstanding equity interests in: (i) Bridgeport Fuel Cell, LLC (the “Bridgeport Project Company”), the entity that owns the Bridgeport Fuel Cell Project; (ii) New Britain Renewable Energy, LLC (the “CCSU Project Company”), the entity that owns the Central CT State University Project; (iii) Groton Fuel Cell 1, LLC (the “Pfizer Project Company”), the entity that owns the Pfizer Project; (iv) Riverside Fuel Cell, LLC (the “Riverside Project Company”), the entity that owns the Riverside Regional Water Quality Control Plant Project; (v) SRJFC, LLC (the “Santa Rita Project Company”), the entity that owns the Santa Rita Jail Project; and (vi) Fuel Cell YT Holdco, LLC (the “Class B Member”), the entity that owns Parent’s Class B membership interest in YTBFC Holdco, LLC (the “Yaphank Tax Equity Partnership”), the tax equity partnership with Renewable Energy Investors, LLC (the “Class A Member”), as tax equity investor, which Yaphank Tax Equity Partnership, in turn, owns Yaphank Fuel Cell Park, LLC (the “Yaphank Project Company”), the entity that owns the LIPA Yaphank Project.
At the time of closing on the Financing Facility: (i) the Bridgeport Fuel Cell Project was encumbered by senior and subordinated indebtedness to Liberty Bank, Fifth Third Bank and Connecticut Green Bank in the aggregate amount of approximately $11.4 million; and (ii) the Pfizer Project, the Riverside Regional Water Quality Control Plant Project and the Santa Rita Jail Project were subject to sale and leaseback transactions and agreements with PNC Energy Capital, LLC (“PNC”) in which the lease buyout amounts, including sales taxes, were approximately $15.7 million, $3.7 million and $2.8 million, respectively. In connection with closing on the Financing Facility, all of the foregoing indebtedness and lease buyout amounts were repaid and extinguished with proceeds of the Term Loan and funds of approximately $7.3 million that were released from restricted and unrestricted reserve accounts held at PNC at the time of closing, resulting in the applicable project company’s re-acquiring ownership of the three leased projects from PNC, the termination of the agreements with PNC related to the sale-leaseback transactions, and the termination of the senior and subordinated credit agreements with, the related promissory notes issued to, and the related pledge and security agreements with, Liberty Bank, Fifth Third Bank and Connecticut Green Bank related to the Bridgeport Fuel Cell Project. Further, in connection with the closing on the Financing Facility and the termination of the senior and subordinated credit agreements with Liberty Bank, Fifth Third Bank and Connecticut Green Bank related to the Bridgeport Fuel Cell Project, Fifth Third Bank and the Bridgeport Project Company agreed that the obligations arising out of the swap transactions contemplated by their related