FCEL FuelCell Energy Inc

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. (the “Company”), 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 the Company’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, the Company 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 the Company’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. In addition, in connection with closing on the Financing Facility, proceeds of the Term Loan were used to repay a portion of the Company’s long-term indebtedness to Connecticut Green Bank in the amount of approximately $1.8 million.

At the closing, the entire amount of the Term Loan portion of the Financing Facility, $80.5 million, was drawn down. After payment of fees and transaction costs (including fees to the Lenders and legal costs) of approximately $2.9 million in the aggregate, the remaining proceeds of approximately $77.6 million were used as follows: (i) approximately $15.0 million was used (in addition to the approximately $7.3 million released from restricted and unrestricted reserve accounts held at PNC) to pay the lease buyout amounts and sales taxes referred to above and to re-acquire the three projects owned by PNC as referred to above; (ii) approximately $11.4 million was used to extinguish the indebtedness to Liberty Bank, Fifth Third Bank, and Connecticut Green Bank relating to the Bridgeport Fuel Cell Project; (iii) approximately $1.8 million was used to repay a portion of the Company’s long-term indebtedness to Connecticut Green Bank; (iv) $14.5 million was used to fund a capital expenditure reserve account required to be maintained pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement (which will be classified as restricted cash on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet); and (v) approximately $34.9 million was distributed to the Company for use as the Company determines in its sole discretion. In addition, in connection with the extinguishment of the Company’s indebtedness to Liberty Bank and Fifth Third Bank referred to above, approximately $11.2 million of restricted cash was released to the Company from Liberty Bank and Fifth Third Bank. Taking into consideration the release of such funds, the total net proceeds to the Company from these transactions were approximately $46.1 million (which will be classified as unrestricted cash on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet).

The Term Loan portion of the Financing Facility will accrue interest on the unpaid principal amount calculated from the date of such Term Loan until the maturity date thereof at a rate per annum during each Interest Period (as defined in the Financing Agreement) for such Term Loan equal to (A) with respect to SOFR Rate Loans, (i) the Adjusted Daily Compounded SOFR for such Interest Period with respect to SOFR Rate Loans plus (ii) the Applicable Margin, and (B) with respect to Base Rate Loans, (i) the Base Rate from time to time in effect plus (ii) the Applicable Margin (in each case as defined in the Financing Agreement). The Applicable Margin for SOFR Rate Loans is 2.5% for the first four years of the term and thereafter, 3%. The Applicable Margin for Base Rate Loans is 1.5% for the first four years of the term and thereafter, 2%. At the closing, in connection with the draw down of the entire amount of the Term Loan, Borrower elected to make such draw down a SOFR Rate Loan with an initial Interest Period of three months. After the initial Interest Period of three months, Borrower may elect both the applicable Interest Period (i.e., one month, three months or six months) and whether the Term Loan will be treated as a SOFR Rate Loan or a Base Rate Loan for such Interest Period. Interest payments are required to be made quarterly.

Quarterly principal amortization obligations are also required to be made (based on 17-year principal amortization designed to be fully repaid in 2039), with quarterly amortization payments based on a 1.30x debt service coverage ratio sizing based on contracted cash flows (before giving effect to module replacement expenses and module replacement drawdown releases). The Term Loan has a seven-year term, maturing on May 19, 2030.

Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement, Borrower is required to maintain a capital expenditures reserve to pay for expected module replacements. The total reserve balance is required to reach $29.0 million, $14.5 million of which was funded out of the closing advance of the Term Loan and the remainder of which is to be funded pursuant to an agreed upon funding schedule through cash flows generated by the Projects set forth in the Financing Agreement.

Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement, Borrower is required to maintain a debt service reserve of not less than six months of the scheduled principal and interest payments. The letter of credit component of the Financing Facility is for the purpose of obtaining letters of credit to satisfy such obligation; at the closing, an Irrevocable Letter of Credit was issued by Investec Bank plc as the issuing bank in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Lenders in the amount of $6.5 million to satisfy the debt service reserve funding obligation.

Pursuant to the Financing Agreement, within 30 days of the financial close of the Financing Agreement, Borrower is required to enter into one or more hedge transactions, with a Lender or an affiliate thereof pursuant to one or more interest rate agreements, to hedge Borrower’s interest rate exposure relating to the Term Loan from floating to fixed. Such hedge transactions are required to be in effect at all times during the entire amortization period and have an aggregate notional amount subject to the hedge transactions at any time equal to at least seventy five percent (75%) and no more than one hundred five percent (105%) of the aggregate principal balance of the Term Loan outstanding (taking into account scheduled amortization of the Term Loan).

Upon closing, on May 19, 2023, Borrower entered into an ISDA 2002 Master Agreement (the “Investec Master Agreement”) and an ISDA Schedule to the 2002 Master Agreement (the “Investec Schedule”) with Investec Bank plc as a hedge provider, and an ISDA 2002 Master Agreement (the “BMO Master Agreement”) and an ISDA Schedule to the 2002 Master Agreement (the “BMO Schedule”) with Bank of Montreal (Chicago Branch) as a hedge provider. On May 22, 2023, Borrower executed the related trade confirmations for these interest rate swap agreements with these hedge providers to protect against adverse price movements in the floating SOFR rate associated with 100% of the aggregate principal balance of the Term Loan outstanding. Pursuant to the terms of such agreements, Borrower will pay a fixed rate of interest of 3.716%. The net interest rate across the Financing Agreement and the swap transaction is 6.366% in the first four years and 6.866% thereafter. The obligations of Borrower to the hedge providers under the interest rate swap agreements are treated as obligations under the Financing Agreement and, accordingly, are secured, on a pari passu basis, by the same collateral securing the obligations of Borrower under the Financing Agreement, which collateral is described below.

The Financing Agreement contains certain reporting requirements and other affirmative and negative covenants which are customary for transactions of this type. Included in the covenants are covenants that: (i) the Yaphank Project Company obtain ongoing three year extensions of its current gas agreement; (ii) any annual operating expense budget that exceeds 115% of the Base Case Model (as defined in the Financing Agreement) for that year be approved by the Required Lenders (i.e., Lenders constituting more than 50% of the amounts loaned); (iii) Borrower maintain a debt service coverage ratio of not less than 1.20:1.00 (based on the trailing 12 months and tested every six months); and (iv) the Class B Member is required to exercise its option to purchase the Class A Member’s interest in the Yaphank Tax Equity Partnership during the six month period following the “flip Point” as set forth in the limited liability company agreement for the Yaphank Tax Equity Partnership. The Financing Agreement also contains customary representations and warranties and customary events of default that cause, or entitle the Lenders to cause, the outstanding loans under the Financing Agreement to become immediately due and payable.

The Term Loan may be prepaid at any time at the option of Borrower without premium or penalty other than any “liquidation costs” if such prepayment occurs other than at the end of an Interest Period. In addition, there are certain mandatory repayments required under the Financing Agreement, including in connection with any sale or disposition of all of the Projects or of any of the LIPA Yaphank Project, the Bridgeport Fuel Cell Project or the Pfizer Project. If the Company disposes of any of the Riverside Regional Water Quality Control Plant Project, the Santa Rita Jail Project or the Central CT State University Project, Borrower is required to prepay an amount of the Term Loan based on the then stipulated value of the disposed Project.

Simultaneously with Borrower entering into the Financing Agreement, FCEF (as pledgor), Borrower and each of the Bridgeport Project Company, the Pfizer Project Company, the Riverside Project Company, the Santa Rita Project Company, the CCSU Project Company and the Class B Member, each as a subsidiary grantor party and guarantor, entered into an Omnibus Guarantee, Pledge and Security Agreement (the “Security Agreement”) with Investec Bank plc as Collateral Agent, pursuant to which, as collateral for the Term Loan Facility, the LC Facility and the hedge agreements (i) FCEF granted to Collateral Agent a security interest in all of FCEF’s equity interest in Borrower; (ii) Borrower granted to Collateral Agent a security interest in all of Borrower’s assets consisting of its equity interests in the Bridgeport Project Company, the Pfizer Project Company, the Riverside Project Company, the Santa Rita Project Company, the CCSU Project Company and the Class B Member; (iii) each of the Bridgeport Project Company, the Pfizer Project Company, the Riverside Project Company, the Santa Rita Project Company and the CCSU Project Company granted to Collateral Agent a security interest in all of each such entity’s assets consisting principally of the respective generation facilities and project agreements; and (iv) the Class B Member granted to Collateral Agent a security interest in all of such Class B Member’s assets, consisting principally of its equity interest in the Yaphank Tax Equity Partnership. Pursuant to the Security Agreement, each of the subsidiary grantor parties jointly and severally guaranteed payment of all of the obligations secured by the Security Agreement.

Simultaneously with the execution of the Financing Agreement, Borrower, Investec Bank plc as Collateral Agent and Administrative Agent and Liberty Bank as Depositary Agent entered into a Depositary Agreement (the “Depositary Agreement”) pursuant to which Borrower established certain accounts at Liberty Bank, all of which were pledged to Collateral Agent as security for the Term Loan Facility, the LC Facility and the hedge agreements, including a Revenue Account; a Debt Service Reserve Account; a Redemption Account (for prepayments); a Capital Expenditure Reserve Account; and a Distribution Reserve Account (in each case as defined in the Depositary Agreement). Pursuant to the terms of the Financing Agreement and the Depositary Agreement, Borrower may make quarterly distributions to FCEF and the Company provided that: (i) no Event of Default or Default (in each case as defined in the Financing Agreement) exists under the Financing Facility; (ii) all reserve accounts have been funded; (iii) no letter of credit loans or unpaid drawings are outstanding with regard to any drawn down letter of credit under the LC Facility; (iv) Borrower has maintained a greater than 1.20:1.00 debt service coverage ratio for the immediate 12 month period; and (v) no Cash Diversion Event (i.e., certain events that would adversely impact distributions to the Class B Member in connection with the LIPA Yaphank Project, as further defined in the Financing Agreement) has occurred. Beginning with the quarter ending June 2025 and continuing until the quarter ending March 2026, prior to making contributions to the Debt Service Reserve Account or the Capital Expenditure Reserve Account or having funds available for distribution, out of operating cash flow, Borrower is required to make a quarterly payment to the Administrative Agent (on behalf of the Lenders) in the amount of $675,000 per quarter to be applied to outstanding principal.

The foregoing description of the Financing Agreement, the Security Agreement, the Depositary Agreement, the Investec Master Agreement, the Investec Schedule, the BMO Master Agreement, and the BMO Schedule is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Financing Agreement, the Security Agreement, the Depositary Agreement, the Investec Master Agreement, the Investec Schedule, the BMO Master Agreement, and the BMO Schedule, copies of which are attached as Exhibit 10.1, Exhibit 10.2, Exhibit 10.3, Exhibit 10.4, Exhibit 10.5, Exhibit 10.6, and Exhibit 10.7, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein.