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Related Parties
9 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2016
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Parties

Note 12. Related Parties  

Management Services Agreements

Immediately prior to the completion of the IPO on June 24, 2015, the Partnership, together with the General Partner, OpCo and Holdings, entered into similar but separate Management Services Agreements (the “MSAs”) with affiliates of each of the Sponsors (each, a “Service Provider”). Under the MSAs, the Service Providers will provide or arrange for the provision of certain administrative and management services for the Partnership and certain of its subsidiaries, including managing the Partnership’s day-to-day affairs, in addition to those services that are provided under existing O&M agreements and asset management agreements (“AMAs”) between affiliates of the Sponsors and certain of the subsidiaries of the Partnership. In August 2015, the First Solar MSA and the SunPower MSA were amended to adjust the annual management fee payable to each respective Service Provider. In the case of the First Solar MSA, OpCo will initially pay an annual management fee of $0.6 million to the First Solar Service Provider. In the case of the SunPower MSA, OpCo will initially pay an annual management fee of $1.1 million to the SunPower Service Provider. These payments are subject to annual adjustments for inflation. Between December 1, 2015 and November 30, 2016, each Service Provider will have a one-time right to increase the management fee by an amount not to exceed 15%.

Costs incurred for these services were $0.4 million and $1.2 million for the three and nine months ended August 31, 2016, respectively. Costs incurred for these services were $0.3 million in each of the three and eight months ended August 31, 2015.

Engineering, Procurement and Construction Agreements

Various projects are designed, engineered, constructed and commissioned pursuant to EPC agreements with affiliates of the Sponsors, which may include a 2- to 10-year system warranty against defects in materials, construction, fabrication and workmanship, and in some cases, may include a 25-year power and product warranty on certain modules.

As of August 31, 2016, all of the projects contributed by the Sponsors on the date of the IPO have achieved COD and the Kern Phase 1(a) Assets and the Macy’s Maryland Project are construction-in-progress and expected to achieve COD in December 2016 and October 2016, respectively. SunPower as the EPC provider is required to complete the Kern Phase 1(a) Assets, the Kern Phase 1(b) Assets and the Macy’s Maryland Project and pursuant to the Amended and Restated Omnibus Agreement, all the associated costs to complete the Kern Phase 1(a) Assets, the Kern Phase 1(b) Assets and the Macy’s Maryland Project are obligations of SunPower.

Operations and Maintenance Agreements and Asset Management Agreements

The Project Entities and certain other subsidiaries have entered into O&M agreements and AMAs with affiliates of the Sponsors, as applicable (except where such persons are otherwise subject to O&M agreements or AMAs with unaffiliated third parties). Under the terms of the O&M agreements and the AMAs, such affiliates have agreed to provide a variety of operation, maintenance and asset management services, and certain performance warranties or availability guarantees, to the subsidiaries of the Partnership in exchange for annual fees, which are subject to certain adjustments.

O&M services to the leased solar power systems, also known as executory costs, were allocated to the Predecessor by SunPower and disclosed as cost of operations-SunPower in the combined carve-out statement of operations of the Predecessor.

Costs incurred for O&M and AMA services were $1.5 million and $3.8 million for the three and nine months ended August 31, 2016, respectively, compared to $0.1 million and $0.5 million for the three and eight months ended August 31, 2015, respectively.

Omnibus Agreement

In connection with the IPO, the Partnership entered into an omnibus agreement (the “Original Omnibus Agreement”), with its Sponsors, the General Partner, OpCo and Holdings, under which (i) each Sponsor was granted an exclusive right to perform certain services not otherwise covered by an O&M agreement or an AMA on behalf of the IPO Project Entities contributed by such Sponsor, (ii) with respect to any project in the Portfolio that did not achieve commercial operation as of the closing of the IPO, the Sponsor who contributed such project will pay to OpCo all costs required to complete such project, as well as certain liquidated damages in the event such project fails to achieve operability pursuant to an agreed schedule, (iii) each Sponsor agreed to certain undertakings on the part of its affiliates who are members of the IPO Project Entities or who provide asset management, construction, operating and maintenance and other services to the IPO Project Entities contributed by such Sponsor, (iv) to the extent a Sponsor continues to post credit support on behalf of an IPO Project Entity after it has been contributed to OpCo, OpCo agreed to reimburse such Sponsor upon any demand or draw under such credit support, and the Sponsor agreed to maintain such support pursuant to the applicable underlying contractual or regulatory requirements, (v) each Sponsor agreed to indemnify OpCo for any costs it incurs with respect to certain tax-related events and events in connection with tax equity financing arrangements, and (vi) the parties agreed to a mutual undertaking regarding confidentiality and use of names, trademarks, trade names and other insignias.

In August 2015, the Original Omnibus Agreement was amended to provide that (i) with respect to each of the North Star Project and the Quinto Project, which were contributed to the Partnership by First Solar and SunPower, respectively, the Sponsors agreed to pay to OpCo the difference, if any, between the amount of network upgrade refunds projected to be received in respect of the Sponsor’s project at the time of contribution and the amount of network upgrade refunds projected to be received in respect of such project at the commencement of commercial operation of such project; and (ii) SunPower agreed to indemnify OpCo for certain costs it may incur in connection with the termination of certain tax equity financing arrangements relating to the contributed residential lease portfolios, which occurred before the Partnership’s IPO. During the three months ended February 29, 2016, the Partnership received a $10.0 million indemnity payment for a shortfall associated with the network upgrade refunds projected to be received.

In November 2015, the Original Omnibus Agreement was amended to provide that the indemnity for energy produced prior to commercial operation owed by each Sponsor to OpCo will be calculated on an aggregate basis with respect to all projects contributed by such Sponsor in connection with the IPO, rather than on a project-by-project basis. As a result of this indemnity, the Partnership received $3.9 million as an indemnity payment from SunPower for a test energy shortfall associated with the Quinto Project.  

On January 26, 2016, March 31, 2016 and April 1, 2016, in connection with the Kern Phase 1(a) Acquisition, Kingbird Acquisition and Hooper Acquisition, respectively, the Original Omnibus Agreement was amended to update the schedules thereto to include the solar power systems held indirectly by the Kern Class B Partnership at the closing of the Kern Phase 1(a) Acquisition, the Kingbird Project and the Hooper Project, respectively, for all purposes, except for certain tax indemnities which are included in the Kern Purchase Agreement, Kingbird Purchase Agreement and Hooper Purchase Agreement.

On April 6, 2016, the Partnership amended and restated the Original Omnibus Agreement (as amended and restated, the “Amended and Restated Omnibus Agreement”) with its Sponsors, the General Partner, OpCo and Holdings (i) to expand each sponsor’s tax equity indemnification obligations (as further discussed below), (ii) to provide that the sponsors’ obligation to cover costs required to achieve commercial operation (as further discussed below) will be reduced to the extent OpCo and its affiliates receive alternate funds that are contemplated to be used to pay project expenses, and such funds are applied accordingly, and (iii) to integrate changes from prior amendments to the Original Omnibus Agreement disclosed above. The material provisions of the Amended and Restated Omnibus Agreement are as follows: (a) each Sponsor was granted an exclusive right to perform certain services not otherwise covered by an O&M agreement or an AMA on behalf of the Project Entities contributed by such Sponsor; (b) with respect to any project in the Portfolio that has not achieved commercial operation, the Sponsor who contributed such project will pay to OpCo all costs required to complete such project, subject to certain exclusions; (c) with respect to any project in the Portfolio that did not achieve commercial operation as of the closing of the IPO, the Sponsor who contributed such project will pay to OpCo certain liquidated damages in the event such project fails to achieve operability pursuant to an agreed schedule; (d) with respect to the Quinto Project and the North Star Project, the Sponsor who contributed such project will pay to OpCo the difference, if any, between the amount of network upgrade refunds projected to be received in respect of such sponsor’s project at the time of contribution and the amount of network upgrade refunds projected to be received given the actual amount of upgrade costs incurred in respect of such project; (e) certain undertakings on the part of each Sponsor’s affiliates who act as a manager of any Project Entity or who provide asset management, construction, operating and maintenance and other services to the Project Entities contributed by such Sponsor; (f) to the extent a Sponsor continues to post credit support on behalf of a Project Entity after it has been contributed to OpCo, OpCo agreed to reimburse such Sponsor upon any demand or draw under such credit support, and the Sponsor agreed to maintain such support pursuant to the applicable underlying contractual or regulatory requirements; (g) each Sponsor agreed to indemnify OpCo for any costs it incurs with respect to certain tax-related events and events in connection with tax equity financing arrangements; and (h) the parties agreed to a mutual undertaking regarding confidentiality and use of names, trademarks, trade names and other insignias. Upon the execution of the Amended and Restated Omnibus Agreement, the tax indemnities included in the Kern Purchase Agreement, the Kingbird Purchase Agreement and the Hooper Purchase Agreement automatically terminated.

On July 1, 2016 and September 9, 2016, in connection with the Macy’s Maryland Acquisition and the Kern Phase 1(b) Acquisition, respectively, the Amended and Restated Omnibus Agreement was amended to update the schedules thereto to include the Macy’s Maryland Project and the solar power systems held indirectly by the Kern Class B Partnership at the closing of the Kern Phase 1(b) Acquisition for all purposes.

Promissory Note

On November 25, 2015, OpCo, issued a Promissory Note to First Solar in the principal amount of $2.0 million (the “Note”), in exchange for First Solar’s loan of such amount to OpCo. Upon the receipt of certain payments by the Solar Gen 2 Project Entity from SDG&E under the power purchase agreement between the Solar Gen 2 Project Entity and SDG&E, which had been previously withheld pending completion of an administrative requirement (each, a “Specified Payment”), OpCo is obligated to repay a portion of the principal amount of the Note equal to such Specified Payment and the unpaid balance of all interest accrued under the Note to and including the date of such repayment. Interest will accrue at a rate of 1% on the portion of the principal of the Note equal to the amount of each Specified Payment from the date SDG&E remits such payment to the Solar Gen 2 Project Entity through the date that OpCo repays such amount to First Solar as described above. OpCo is permitted to prepay the Note at any time without penalty or premium.

Purchase and Sale Agreements

Prior to the closing of the IPO, each of (i) SSCA XIII Holding Company, LLC, an indirect subsidiary of OpCo and the holder of the Quinto Project Entity (“Quinto Holdings”), (ii) SSCA XXXI Holding Company, LLC, an indirect subsidiary of OpCo and the indirect holder of the RPU Project Entity (“RPU Holdings”), and (iii) SunPower Commercial Holding Company I, LLC, an indirect subsidiary of OpCo and the holder of the UC Davis Project Entity and the Macy’s California Project Entities (“C&I Holdings,” and together with Quinto Holdings and RPU Holdings, the “SP Holding Companies”), entered into purchase and sale agreements (collectively, the “PSAs”) with affiliates of SunPower in connection with SunPower’s contribution of the SP Holding Companies to OpCo, and also entered into certain tax equity financing arrangements with third party investors to finance the purchases of the SP Holding Companies. Pursuant to the PSAs, the purchase prices were paid in installments, which were made when the projects met certain construction milestones, with final installment payments due upon COD. Since all of these projects have attained COD, there are no purchase price payments remaining.

On January 26, 2016, OpCo entered into the Kern Purchase Agreement with SunPower pursuant to which OpCo agreed to purchase an interest in the Kern Project, as further described above in “—Note 2—Business Combinations—2016 Acquisitions.” Effective January 26, 2016, a subsidiary of OpCo acquired from SunPower all of the class B limited liability company interests of the Kern Class B Partnership.  Pursuant to the Kern Purchase Agreement, the purchase price for the Kern Project will be paid by OpCo when each phase of the project reaches “mechanical completion.” In addition, on January 22, 2016, a subsidiary of the Kern Class B Partnership entered into a tax equity financing facility with a third-party investor, which allocates to OpCo a certain share of cash flows from the Kern Project pursuant to a specified distribution waterfall. Purchase price payments of up to approximately $31.2 million will be funded by the tax equity investor’s capital contributions, of which $0.9 million and $1.8 million was paid on January 22, 2016 and September 9, 2016, respectively, and the remaining balance of up to $28.5 million will be made when the Kern Project’s phases meet certain construction milestones and will be transferred to affiliates of SunPower for the remaining purchase price payments. Please read “—Note 2—Business Combinations—2016 Acquisitions” for further details.

On March 31, 2016, OpCo entered into the Kingbird Purchase Agreement with First Solar, pursuant to which OpCo agreed to acquire an interest in the Kingbird Project, as further described above in “—Note 2—Business Combinations—2016 Acquisitions.” Effective March 31, 2016, a subsidiary of OpCo acquired FSAM Kingbird Solar Holdings, LLC from First Solar. FSAM Kingbird Solar Holdings, LLC holds the class B limited liability company interests of Kingbird Solar, LLC. The Kingbird Project Entities are direct subsidiaries of Kingbird Solar, LLC, and OpCo holds a controlling interest in the Kingbird Solar, LLC effective March 31, 2016. Pursuant to the Kingbird Purchase Agreement, the $60.0 million purchase price due from OpCo to acquire an interest in the Kingbird Project was paid in installments with $42.9 million in cash paid to First Solar on March 31, 2016 and a $17.1 million contribution to FSAM Kingbird Solar Holdings, LLC on May 31, 2016 which was subsequently paid to an affiliate of First Solar for the remaining balance due under the Kingbird Project’s EPC contract.  In addition, Kingbird Solar, LLC entered into a tax equity financing facility with a third-party investor, which allocates to OpCo a certain share of cash flows from the Kingbird Project pursuant to a specified distribution waterfall. The tax equity investor made capital contributions to fund purchase price payments of approximately $11.7 million on February 26, 2016 and $46.8 million on May 31, 2016, which were made when the Kingbird Project’s phases met certain construction milestones and were transferred to an affiliate of First Solar for the remaining purchase price payments. Since the Kingbird Project has attained COD as of May 31, 2016 there are no purchase price payments remaining. Please read “—Note 2—Business Combinations—2016 Acquisitions” for further details. 

On March 31, 2016, OpCo entered into the Hooper Purchase Agreement with SunPower, pursuant to which OpCo agreed to acquire an interest in the Hooper Project, as further described above in “—Note 2—Business Combinations—2016 Acquisitions.” Effective April 1, 2016, a subsidiary of OpCo acquired from SunPower all of the class B limited liability company interests of the Hooper Class B Partnership for a cash purchase price of $53.5 million. Since the Hooper Project attained COD prior to the acquisition date there are no purchase price payments remaining. Please read “—Note 2—Business Combinations—2016 Acquisitions” for further details. 

On June 29, 2016, OpCo entered into the Macy’s Maryland Purchase Agreement with SunPower pursuant to which OpCo agreed to purchase an interest in the Macy’s Maryland Project, as further described above in “—Note 2—Business Combinations—2016 Acquisitions.” Effective July 1, 2016, a subsidiary of OpCo acquired from SunPower all of the class B limited liability company interests of the Macy’s Maryland Class B Partnership. Pursuant to the Macy’s Maryland Purchase Agreement, the $12.0 million purchase price due from OpCo to acquire an interest in the Macy’s Maryland Project was contributed to Macy’s Maryland Class B Partnership, the acquired company, on July 1, 2016 of which $6.4 million was subsequently paid to SunPower and the $5.6 million remaining balance was paid to SunPower on September 21, 2016 when the Macy’s Maryland Project met certain construction milestones. In addition, a subsidiary of the Macy’s Maryland Class B Partnership entered into a tax equity financing facility with a third-party investor, which allocates to OpCo a certain share of cash flows from the Macy’s Maryland Project pursuant to a specified distribution waterfall. Purchase price payments of $8.9 million will be funded by the tax equity investor’s capital contributions, of which $0.6 million and $3.3 million was paid on May 6, 2016 and September 21, 2016, respectively, and the remaining balance of $5.0 million will be made when the Macy’s Maryland Project’s phases meet certain construction milestones and will be transferred to affiliates of SunPower for the remaining purchase price payments.

On September 20, 2016, OpCo entered into a Contribution Agreement with SunPower and SunPower AssetCo, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SunPower, to acquire a 49% interest in the Henrietta Project for $134.0 million in cash. Please read “—Note 15—Subsequent Events” for further details.

First Solar ROFO Agreement

On March 28, 2016 and June 28, 2016, OpCo entered into an Amendment and Waiver to Right of First Offer Agreement (“Waiver No. 1”) and into an Amendment and Waiver No. 2 to the First Solar ROFO Agreement (“Waiver No. 2”) with First Solar. Pursuant to Waiver No. 1 and Waiver No. 2, OpCo waived certain of its rights under the First Solar ROFO Agreement, dated as of June 24, 2015, between OpCo and First Solar, and First Solar and OpCo agreed to amend certain provisions of the First Solar ROFO Agreement. Pursuant to the First Solar ROFO Agreement, First Solar previously granted to OpCo a right of first offer to purchase certain solar energy generating facilities for a period of five years. Such solar projects included the 300 MW Stateline facility in San Bernardino County, California (“Stateline”) and the 250 MW Moapa solar generation project in Clark County, Nevada (“Moapa”). Pursuant to Waiver No. 1 and Waiver No. 2, OpCo waived its rights under the First Solar ROFO Agreement with respect to 24% of the aggregate interest in Stateline and 100% of the aggregate interest in Moapa, respectively. Concurrently with Waiver No. 1, OpCo’s rights under the First Solar ROFO Agreement were expanded to cover First Solar’s 100 MW Switch Station 1 and 79-MW Switch Station 2 facilities in Clark County, Nevada (collectively, “Switch Station”), which had not previously been subject to the First Solar ROFO Agreement. Additionally, OpCo and First Solar agreed to impose certain limitations on First Solar’s right to offer projects to OpCo under the First Solar ROFO Agreement (each, a “ROFO Offer”). These limitations include commitments by First Solar (i) to not make ROFO Offers in respect of Switch Station or Stateline before February 1, 2017 and October 1, 2016, respectively, and (ii) during the period between October 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016, to limit all ROFO Offers in respect of Stateline to either (A) an offer for 50% of First Solar’s remaining indirect interest or (B) an offer pursuant to which OpCo may elect to purchase either 50% or 100% of First Solar’s remaining indirect interest. Concurrently with Waiver No. 2, OpCo’s rights under the First Solar ROFO Agreement were expanded to cover First Solar’s 130 MW California Flats and 150 MW California Flats facilities in Monterey County, California, which had not previously been subject to the First Solar ROFO Agreement.

SunPower ROFO Agreement

On September 30, 2016, OpCo entered into an amendment and waiver to the Right of First Offer Agreement with SunPower. Please read “—Note 15—Subsequent Events” for further details.

Maryland Solar Lease Arrangement

The Maryland Solar Project Entity has leased the Maryland Solar Project to an affiliate of First Solar. Under the arrangement, First Solar’s affiliate is obligated to pay a fixed amount of rent that is set based on the expected operations of the plant. The lease agreement will expire on December 31, 2019.

Operating Expense Allocations

The Predecessor’s condensed carve-out financial statements include allocations of certain SunPower operating expenses. The allocations include: (i) charges that were incurred by SunPower that were specifically identified as attributable to the Predecessor; and (ii) an allocation of applicable SunPower operating expenses based on the proportional level of effort attributable to the operation of the Predecessor’s portfolio of solar power systems leased to residential homeowners and projects under construction. These expenses include legal, accounting, tax, treasury, information technology, insurance, employee benefit costs, human resources, procurement and other corporate services and infrastructure costs. The allocation of applicable SunPower operating expenses was principally based on management’s estimate of the proportional level of effort devoted by corporate resources. The amounts allocated to the Predecessor related to SunPower operating expenses were $0.8 million and $4.8 million for the three and eight months ended August 31, 2015, respectively, and are disclosed as SG&A expenses on the unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations.