COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
9 Months Ended |
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Sep. 30, 2024 | |
| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | |
| COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES From time to time, we issue letters of credit and performance bonds with our third-party lenders, to provide collateral.
Legal Proceedings
We are involved in a variety of other claims and other legal proceedings generally incidental to our normal business activities. When we conclude that it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated, it is accrued through a charge to earnings and, if material, disclosed below. When only a range of amounts is reasonably estimable and no amount within the range is more likely than another, the low end of the range is recorded. While the ultimate amount of liability incurred in any of these matters is dependent on future developments, in our opinion, the recorded liability is adequate to cover the future payment of such liability and claims. However, the final outcome of any of these claims and legal proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, and unfavorable or unexpected outcomes could result in additional accruals that could be significant to results of operations in a particular year or quarter. Any adjustments to the recorded liability will be reflected in earnings in the periods in which such adjustments become known. For any other claims where a loss may be reasonably possible, but not probable, or is probable but not reasonably estimable, no accrual is established, but the matter, if potentially material, is disclosed below. We routinely review relevant information with respect to our matters and update our accruals, disclosures and estimates of reasonably possible loss based on such reviews. While the outcome of any of these matters cannot be accurately predicted, we do not believe the ultimate resolution of any of these existing matters would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.
In October 2021, we entered into a contract with SCE to design and build three grid scale battery energy storage system (“BESS”) at three sites near existing substation parcels throughout SCE’s service territory in California with an aggregate capacity of 537.5 megawatt (“MW”) (“the SCE Agreement”). As previously disclosed, due to supply chain delays, weather, and other events, we were unable to complete the projects by August 1, 2022 (the “Guaranteed Completion Date”) and made related force majeure claims. In late 2022, SCE also instructed us to adjust the completion of the sites into 2023. Under the SCE Agreement, a failure to reach the Guaranteed Completion Date could, under certain circumstances, result in liquidated damages up to a maximum amount of $89 million being applied. On August 30 2024, we reached an agreement with SCE on the substantial completion of two out of three battery energy storage system projects. We received approximately $110 million on September 5, 2024 as milestone payments, reflecting a set-off of liquidated damages for these two projects. The agreement confirmed that the final resolution related to our obligation to pay the liquidated damages withheld and the applicability and scope of any force majeure relief as well as any cost recovery we may be entitled to remain subject to dispute. We are continuing discussions with SCE on these matters and our view continues to be that liquidated damages should not be applied. It is at least reasonably possible we may incur an obligation to pay liquidated damages up to the maximum amount.
Commitments as a Result of Acquisitions
In December 2021, we completed our acquisition of Plug Smart which provided for an earn-out based on future EBITDA targets beginning with EBITDA performance for the month of December 2021 and each fiscal year thereafter, over a five-year period through December 31, 2026. The maximum cumulative earn-out is $5,000 and we evaluated financial forecasts of the acquired business and concluded that the fair value of this earn-out after payments of $3,040 was approximately $1,465 at December 31,
2023. At September 30, 2024 the fair value of the contingent consideration increased to $1,552 and is included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The increase is due to a $87 increase in fair value. See Note 11 for additional information.
The August 4, 2023 purchase and sale agreement with BCE includes a potential earn-out that could be earned if the projects achieve specified value thresholds in certain phase 2 projects, each of which is very early in development, or if milestones are achieved on other future projects that are not yet started. The total earn-out is limited to $40,000 over a seven-year period beginning on January 12, 2024. We will record a liability for the phase 2 earn-out payments when the amounts are probable and estimable. As of September 30, 2024, none of the earn-out amounts are considered probable and estimable.
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