[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 11]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR1717.155]

[Page 141]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
    CHAPTER XVII--RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 1717--POST-LOAN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES COMMON TO INSURED AND GUARANTEED ELECTRIC LOANS--Table of Contents
 
       Subpart D--Mergers and Consolidations of Electric Borrowers
 
Sec. 1717.155  Transitional assistance affecting new and preexisting loans.

    Requests for transitional assistance affecting new and preexisting 
loans must be received by RUS no later than 2 years after the effective 
date.
    (a) Section 12 deferments. (1) Section 12 of the RE Act (7 U.S.C. 
912) allows RUS to extend the time of payment of interest or principal 
of RUS loans. Section 12 deferments do not extend the final maturity of 
the loan; lower payments during the deferment period result in higher 
payments later. Therefore, RUS may approve a Section 12 deferment of 
loan payments of up to 5 years only if such deferments will help to 
avoid substantial increases in retail electric rates during the 
transition period, without placing borrowers in financial stress after 
the deferment period.
    (2) Section 12 deferment may be available following any merger where 
at least one of the merging parties is an active borrower.
    (b) Coverage ratios. Required levels for coverage ratios are set 
forth in 7 CFR 1710.114 and in the loan documents. RUS may approve a 
plan, on a case by case basis, that provides for a phase-in period for 
these coverage ratios of up to 5 years from the effective date. Under 
such a plan the successor would be permitted to project and achieve 
lower levels for one or more of these coverage ratios during the phase-
in period.
    (1) A phase-in plan for coverage ratios must provide a pro forma 
level for each ratio during each year of the phase-in period and be 
supported by a financial forecast covering a period of not less than 10 
years from the effective date of the merger. The plan must demonstrate 
that a minimum TIER level of 1.00 will be achieved in each year, that 
trends will be generally favorable, that the borrower will achieve the 
levels required in its loan documents and RUS regulations by the end of 
the phase-in period, and that these levels will be maintained in 
subsequent years.
    (2) In reviewing phase-in plans for coverage ratios, RUS will review 
rates, rate disparity, and likely mitigating effects of the proposed 
phase-in plan.
    (3) The borrower is responsible for obtaining approvals of 
supplemental lenders.
    (4) Upon RUS approval of a phase-in plan, the levels in that plan 
will be substituted for the levels required in the borrower's 
preexisting loan documents and will be incorporated in any new loan or 
security documents.
    (5) A phase in plan for coverage ratios may be available if:
    (i) All parties to the merger are active distribution borrowers, or
    (ii) At least one of the merging parties is an active distribution 
borrower, all merging parties are either active distribution borrowers 
or former distribution borrowers, and the merger is effective after 
December 19, 1996.