Common Stock - During the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, there were 7,787 common shares (approximately $0.6 million) and 9,378 common shares (approximately $0.6 million), respectively, issued under the Middlesex Water Company Investment Plan (the Investment Plan).

Long-term Debt - Subject to regulatory approval, the Company periodically issues long-term debt to fund its investments in utility plant. To the extent possible, the Company finances qualifying capital projects under State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan programs in New Jersey and Delaware. These government programs provide financing at interest rates that are typically below rates available in the broader financial markets. A portion of the borrowings under the New Jersey SRF is interest-free. Under the New Jersey SRF program, borrowers first enter into a construction loan agreement with the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank (NJIB) at a below market interest rate. The interest rate on the Company’s current construction loan borrowings is zero percent (0%). When construction on the qualifying project is substantially complete, NJIB will coordinate the conversion of the construction loan into a long-term securitized loan with a portion of the principal balance having a stated interest rate of zero percent (0%) and a portion of the principal balance at a market interest rate at the time of closing using the credit rating of the State of New Jersey. The term of the long-term loans currently offered through the NJIB is up to thirty years.

Middlesex currently has two projects that are in the construction loan phase of the New Jersey SRF program:

In April 2018, the NJBPU approved Middlesex’s request to participate in the NJIB loan program to fund the construction of a 4.5 mile large-diameter transmission pipeline from the Carl J. Olsen water treatment plant in Edison, New Jersey and interconnect with our distribution system. Middlesex closed on a $43.5 million NJIB interest-free construction loan in August 2018 and completed withdrawal of the proceeds in June 2021.

In March 2018, the NJBPU approved Middlesex’s request to participate in the NJIB loan program to fund the 2018 RENEW Program, which is an ongoing initiative to eliminate unlined water distribution mains in the Middlesex system. Middlesex closed on an $8.7 million NJIB construction loan in September 2018 and completed withdrawal of the proceeds in October 2019.

The Company anticipates that these two construction loans will be converted into long-term securitized loans by the NJIB during the fourth quarter of 2021.

In May 2020, Middlesex received approval from the NJBPU to borrow up to $100 million, in one or more private placement transactions through December 31, 2023 to help fund Middlesex’s multi-year capital construction program. In November 2020, Middlesex closed on a $40 million private placement loan with a payment maturity date of November 2050 and an interest rate of 2.90% by issuing First Mortgage Bonds (FMBs) designated as Series 2020A. Proceeds from this loan were used to reduce the Company’s existing short-term borrowings under its lines of credit and to fund the 2020 capital program.

As part of its ongoing comprehensive financing plan, Middlesex received approval from the NJBPU in February 2019 to issue and sell up to $140 million of FMBs through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) in one or more transactions through December 31, 2022. Because the interest paid to the bondholders is exempt from federal and New Jersey income taxes, the interest rate on debt issued through the NJEDA is generally lower than otherwise achievable in the traditional taxable corporate bond market. However, the interest received by the bondholder is subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax.

Index

In August 2019, Middlesex priced and closed on a NJEDA debt financing transaction of $53.7 million by issuing FMBs designated as Series 2019A ($32.5 million at coupon interest rate of 4.0%) and Series 2019B ($21.2 million at coupon interest rate of 5.0%). The proceeds, including an issuance premium of $7.1 million, were used to finance several projects under the Water For Tomorrow capital program initiated by the Company to upgrade and replace aging water utility infrastructure. The proceeds were initially recorded as Restricted Cash on the balance sheet and held in escrow by a bond trustee. Funds were drawn down by requisition for the qualifying projects as costs were incurred with the final requisition made in February 2021.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments - The following methods and assumptions were used by the Company in estimating its fair value disclosure for financial instruments for which it is practicable to estimate that value. The carrying amounts reflected in the condensed consolidated balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables, accounts payable and notes payable approximate their respective fair values due to the short-term maturities of these instruments. The fair value of FMBs and SRF Bonds (collectively, the Bonds) issued by Middlesex is based on quoted market prices for similar publicly traded issues. Under the fair value hierarchy, the fair value of cash and cash equivalents is classified as a Level 1 measurement and the fair value of notes payable and the Bonds in the table below are classified as Level 2 measurements. The carrying amount and fair value of the Bonds were as follows:

	(In Thousands)
	June 30, 2021		December 31, 2020
	Carrying	Fair	Carrying	Fair
	Amount	Value	Amount	Value
Bonds	$147,209	$157,436	$147,667	$159,195

For other long-term debt for which there was no quoted market price and there is not an active trading market, it was not practicable to estimate their fair value (for details, including carrying value, interest rates and due dates on these series of long-term debt, please refer to those series noted as “Amortizing Secured Note”, “State Revolving Trust Note”, “State Revolving Trust Bond”, “Construction Loans” and “Series 2020A” on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Capital Stock and Long-Term Debt). The carrying amount of these instruments was $129.3 million and $129.6 million at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. Customer advances for construction have carrying amounts of $23.6 million and $23.4 million at June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Their relative fair values cannot be accurately estimated since future refund payments depend on several variables, including new customer connections, customer consumption levels and future rate increases.