v3.22.2.2
ORGANIZATION
6 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
ORGANIZATION  
ORGANIZATION

1.ORGANIZATION

Just Energy is a corporation established under the laws of Canada to hold securities of its directly or indirectly owned operating subsidiaries. The registered office of Just Energy is First Canadian Place, 100 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements consist of Just Energy and its subsidiaries. The Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements were approved by the Board of Directors on November 29, 2022.

Companies’ creditors arrangement and Chapter 15 proceedings

In February 2021, the State of Texas experienced the Weather Event. The Weather Event led to increased electricity demand and sustained high prices from February 13, 2021 through February 20, 2021. As a result of the losses sustained and without sufficient liquidity to pay the corresponding invoices from the ERCOT when due, and accordingly, on March 9, 2021, Just Energy applied for and received Court Orders under the CCAA from the Ontario Court and under Chapter 15 in the U.S. from the Houston Court. Protection under the Court Orders allows Just Energy to operate while it restructures its capital structure.

As part of the CCAA filing, the Company entered into a $125.0 million DIP Facility financing with certain affiliates of PIMCO (refer to Part I, Item 1, “Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements And Notes”, Note 9(a) Long-Term Debt and Financing). The Company also entered into qualifying support agreements with its largest commodity supplier and ISO services provider. The filings and associated DIP Facility arranged by the Company, enabled Just Energy to continue all operations without interruption throughout the U.S. and Canada and to continue making payments required by ERCOT and satisfy other regulatory obligations.

On September 15, 2021, the Ontario Court approved the Company’s request to establish a claims process to identify and determine claims against the Company and its subsidiaries that are subject to the ongoing Claims Procedure Order. On August 18, 2022, the Ontario Court suspended the Claims Procedure Order with (i) the barring of claims pursuant to the applicable provisions of such order remaining in effect and (ii) the Company’s ability, with the consent of the Monitor, to refer claims for adjudication for the purposes of determining entitlement to proceeds to be distributed in accordance with a transaction completed pursuant to the SISP.  As part of item (ii) above, Just Energy continues to review and determine which claims will be allowed, modified or disallowed, which may result in additional liabilities subject to compromise that are not currently reflected in the Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (refer to Part I, Item 1, “Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements And Notes” Note 15(b) Commitments and Contingencies).

Sale and Solicitation Process and Stalking Horse Transaction

On August 4, 2022, the Company entered into the Transaction Agreement and the SISP Support Agreement in connection with the SISP to facilitate its exit from the CCAA proceedings as a going concern.  On August 18, 2022, the Ontario Court granted an order, among other things, authorizing the Company to conduct the SISP.  On October 17, 2022, the Company announced that the transaction (the “Transaction”) contemplated by the Transaction Agreement was the successful bid pursuant to the SISP.

On November 3, 2022,  the Ontario Court issued an order (the “Reverse Vesting Order”) that approves the Transaction contemplated by the Transaction Agreement.

The Just Energy Entities are seeking recognition in the U.S. of the Reverse Vesting Order in their Chapter 15 case in the Houston Court on December 1, 2022.

Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the other conditions to closing, upon the closing of the Transaction, the Purchaser will own all of the outstanding equity of Just Energy (U.S.) Corp., which will be the new parent company

of all of the Just Energy Entities (other than those excluded pursuant to the terms of the Transaction Agreement), including the Company, and the Just Energy Entities will continue their business and operations in the ordinary course. All currently outstanding shares, options and other equity of Just Energy will be cancelled or redeemed for no consideration and without any vote or other action of the existing shareholders.

Key terms of the Transaction include:

The purchase price payable pursuant to the Transaction is (i) $184.9 million in cash, plus up to an additional CAD $10 million solely in the event that additional amounts are required to make applicable payments pursuant to the Transaction Agreement; plus (ii) a credit bid of approximately $230 million plus accrued interest of secured claims assigned to the Purchaser; plus (iii) the assumption of Assumed Liabilities (as defined below), including up to CAD $10 million owing under the Credit Facility (the “Credit Facility Remaining Debt”) to remain outstanding under an amended and restated credit agreement.
Applicable post-filing claims, the Credit Facility Remaining Debt, claims by energy regulators, and certain other liabilities enumerated in the Transaction Agreement (“Assumed Liabilities”) will continue to be liabilities of the Just Energy Entities following consummation of the Transaction.
Excluded liabilities and excluded assets of the Just Energy Entities will be discharged from the Just Energy Entities pursuant to the Reverse Vesting Order.

The consummation of the Transaction is subject to satisfaction or waiver of a number of conditions precedent set forth in the Transaction Agreement including, among other things, receipt of all required regulatory approvals, and the recognition of such Reverse Vesting Order by the Houston Court. The outside date for completion of the Transaction is December 16, 2022, subject to extension in certain circumstances set forth in the Transaction Agreement.

Under the Transaction, no amounts will be available for distribution to the Just Energy Entities’ general unsecured creditors, including the holders of Just Energy’s USD $205.9 million Term Loan and the holders of Just Energy’s 7.0% subordinated Notes Indenture due September 15, 2026, unless expressly classified as “Assumed Liabilities” pursuant to the Transaction Agreement. Liabilities that will not be retained, including the Term Loan and the Notes Indenture, will be transferred to newly formed corporations (the “ResidualCos”), along with excluded assets, under the Transaction Agreement. The Company expects that there will not be any recoveries available from the ResidualCos.

On November 3, 2022, the Ontario Court extended the stay until January 31, 2023. The stay extension allows the Company to continue to operate in the ordinary course of business while pursuing its proposed restructuring.

Common shares

On May 19, 2022, the common shares of the Company were transferred from the TSX Venture Exchange to the NEX and are trading under the symbol “JE.H.”. The Company’s common shares continue to trade on the OTC Pink Market under the symbol “JENGQ”.

Implementation of the Transaction is subject to the condition that Just Energy, and the other Just Energy Entities, will have ceased to be a reporting issuer under any Canadian or U.S. securities laws, and that no Just Energy Entity will become a reporting issuer under any Canadian or U.S. securities laws as a result of completion of the Transaction. In connection with the completion of the Transaction, the Company intends to: (i) apply for an order from Canadian securities administrators that it will cease to be a reporting issuer under Canadian securities laws immediately prior to the effective date of the Transaction; and (ii) file to suspend its reporting obligations under U.S. securities laws. Additionally, the Company intends to submit an application to delist its common shares from trading on the NEX on or before the closing of the Transaction. The Company’s common shares are also quoted on the OTC Pink Sheets. Concurrent with the delisting from the NEX, the Company expects that the common shares will cease trading on the OTC Pink Market.

Weather-event related uplift securitization proceeds

On June 16, 2021, HB 4492 became law in Texas. HB 4492 provides a mechanism for recovery of certain Weather Event Costs incurred by various parties, including the Company during the Weather Event through certain securitization structures.

On October 13, 2021, the PUCT approved the Final Order authorizing the securitization of certain Weather Event Costs by ERCOT. On December 7, 2021, ERCOT filed its calculation with the PUCT in accordance with the PUCT Final Order implementing HB 4492. The Company received $147.5 million in June 2022.