Loan Guarantees for Projects That Employ Innovative Technologies, 39569-39582 [E9-18810]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 151 (Friday, August 7, 2009)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 39569-39582]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-18810]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Part 609

RIN 1901-AB21


Loan Guarantees for Projects That Employ Innovative Technologies

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: On October 23, 2007, the Department of Energy (DOE or the 
Department) published a final rule establishing regulations for the 
loan guarantee program authorized by Section 1703 of Title XVII of the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Title XVII or the Act). Section 1703 of 
Title XVII authorizes the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to make loan 
guarantees for projects that ``avoid, reduce, or sequester air 
pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases; and employ 
new or significantly improved technologies as compared to commercial 
technologies in service in the United States at the time the guarantee 
is issued.'' Section 1703 of Title XVII also identifies ten categories 
of technologies and projects that are potentially eligible for loan 
guarantees. The two principal goals of section 1703 of Title XVII are 
to encourage commercial use in the United States of new or 
significantly improved energy-related technologies and to achieve 
substantial environmental benefits. DOE believes that commercial use of 
these technologies will help sustain and promote economic growth, 
produce a more stable and secure energy supply and economy for the 
United States, and improve the environment.
    Through experience gained implementing the loan guarantee program 
authorized by section 1703 of Title XVII, and information received from 
industry indicating the wide variety of ownership structures which 
participants would like to employ in implementing projects seeking loan 
guarantees, DOE believes it is appropriate to consider certain changes 
to the existing regulations to provide flexibility in the determination 
of an appropriate collateral package to secure guaranteed loan 
obligations, facilitate collateral sharing and related intercreditor 
arrangements with other project lenders, and to provide a more workable 
interpretation of certain statutory provisions regarding DOE's 
treatment of collateral.

DATES: Comments on this proposed rule must be postmarked no later than 
September 8, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted using any of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: lgprogram@hq.doe.gov.
     Postal Mail: David G. Frantz, Director, Loan Guarantee 
Program Office, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC.20585-0121. Please submit one 
signed original paper copy.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: David G. Frantz, Director, Loan 
Guarantee Program Office, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Please submit one 
signed original paper copy.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David G. Frantz, Director, Loan 
Guarantee Program Office, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-8336, e-
mail: lgprogram@hq.doe.gov; or Susan S. Richardson, Chief Counsel for 
the Loan Guarantee Program, Office of the General Counsel, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-9521, e-
mail: lgprogram@hq.doe.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background and Proposed Amendment
II. Regulatory Review
    A. Executive Order 12866
    B. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
    C. The Regulatory Flexibility Act
    D. Paperwork Reduction Act
    E. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
    F. Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 1999
    G. Executive Order 13132
    H. Executive Order 12988
    I. Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2001
    J. Executive Order 13211
    K. Congressional Notification
    L. Approval by the Office of the Secretary of Energy

I. Background and Proposed Amendment

    Today's proposed rule would amend the regulations implementing the 
loan guarantee program authorized by section 1703 of Title XVII of the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16511-16514) (referred to as Title 
XVII). Section 1703 of Title XVII authorizes the Secretary of Energy 
(Secretary), after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, to 
make loan guarantees for projects that ``(1) avoid, reduce, or 
sequester air pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse 
gases; and (2) employ new or significantly improved technologies as 
compared to commercial technologies in service in the United States at 
the time the guarantee is issued.'' (42 U.S.C. 16513(a))
    Section 1702 of Title XVII outlines general terms and conditions 
for loan guarantee agreements and directs the Secretary to include in 
loan guarantee agreements ``such detailed terms and conditions as the 
Secretary determines appropriate to (i) protect the interests of the 
United States in case of a default; and (ii) have available all the 
patents and technology necessary for any person selected, including the 
Secretary, to complete and operate the project. (42 U.S.C. 
16512(g)(2)(c)). Further, section 1702(d) addresses certain threshold 
requirements that must be met before the guaranty is made; and section 
1702(g) addresses the Secretary's rights in the case of default of the 
loan. Specifically, section 1702(d) of Title XVII states, under the 
heading ``Repayment'' and addressing ``Subordination,'' that ``[t]he 
[guaranteed] obligation shall be subject to the condition that the 
obligation is not subordinate to other financing.'' Further, when 
addressing the situation of default, section 1702(g)(2) of Title XVII 
states, with respect to ``subrogation'' and ``superiority of rights,'' 
that ``[t]he rights of the Secretary, with respect to any property 
acquired pursuant to a guarantee or related agreements, shall be 
superior to the rights of any other person with respect to the 
property.''
    In the October 23, 2007 final rule implementing Title XVII, DOE 
interpreted the interplay between these two provisions of section 1702 
such that both describe the rights the Secretary must secure as a 
condition of making a guarantee. This understanding is reflected in the 
text of the regulations which requires that the Secretary receive a 
first lien security interest in all project assets as an incident to 
making a guarantee. Moreover, this

[[Page 39570]]

interpretation of the applicability of the superiority of rights 
provision as a required element of the Secretary's making a guarantee 
was embedded in the text of the rule and was made explicit in the 
preambles to the proposed and final rules implementing section 1703 of 
Title XVII.
    The Department has critically reexamined the statute, particularly 
its text and structure, and now concludes, as described below, that the 
interpretation of the statute requiring receipt of a first lien on all 
project assets is not one that it was legally compelled to adopt, and 
was not correct. A first lien on all project assets is better 
understood as one element that the Secretary may require for a 
particular project, but is not compelled by the statute to require. 
This proposed rulemaking reflects what the Department has concluded is 
the correct interpretation of section 1702.
    First, it should be borne in mind that nowhere does section 1702 
itself require that the Secretary receive a first lien on all project 
assets as a condition of his ability to make a loan guarantee. Instead 
the statute requires only that the Secretary's guaranteed obligation 
``not be subordinate to other financing.'' In fact, section 1702 does 
not require that the lender or the Secretary receive any collateral as 
a statutory requirement for making a loan guarantee.
    Next, the ``first lien on all project assets'' requirement 
contained in the regulations seems traceable only to the ``superiority 
of rights'' provision contained in section 1702(g)(2)(B). The structure 
of the statute, however, is suggestive that section 1702(g)'s 
provisions are designed to govern post-default rights of the Secretary, 
rather than to impose conditions that must be met at the time the 
Secretary determines to make a loan guarantee. So understood, the 
``property acquired'' as to which the Secretary's rights ``shall be 
superior to the rights of any other person'' relates to property 
``acquired'' by the Secretary pursuant to his right of subrogation to 
the rights of the lender in any collateral or security interest.
    As a structural matter, it is notable that the ``superiority of 
rights'' provision appears within and under the head ``subrogation'' 
contained in section 1702(g)(2). Consideration of the structure of the 
statute is aided by the various captions that introduce its various 
substantive provisions. In general, those captions--first 
``repayment,'' then ``subordination,'' then ``defaults,'' ``payment by 
the Secretary,'' ``subrogation,'' and then ``superiority of rights,''--
tend to reinforce the structural understanding of the statute as keying 
its particular provisions to the sequence of stages that are 
foreseeable in the loan guarantee relationship. So perceived, the topic 
of ``superiority of rights'' would become germane only as a subset of 
the sequence that begins with a ``default'' and after ``payment by the 
Secretary.''
    Moreover, in reviewing applications for projects seeking a loan 
guarantee under section 1703 of Title XVII, DOE became aware that its 
original reading of the statute was in tension with the financing 
structure of many commercial transactions in the energy sector. In 
particular, the tenancy in common ownership structure proposed for the 
next generation of nuclear generating facilities, under which multiple 
entities own undivided interests in a single facility, does not lend 
itself to the unitary project ownership anticipated by the regulations. 
In fact, tenancy in common is the typical form of ownership of utility 
grade power plants that are jointly owned by public power agencies, 
cooperative power systems and investor-owned utilities. Approximately 
one-third of all currently operating nuclear power reactors, and 
approximately one-third of all planned nuclear power reactors for which 
applications are pending at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are 
jointly owned through tenancies in common. As such, each owner holds an 
undivided interest in the physical project assets, and each owner 
typically finances its investment in the project separately. In this 
scenario, DOE would not be lending directly to a project company, and 
may be lending only to some but not all of the project owners. As a 
result, it may not be commercially feasible to obtain a lien on all 
project assets. Moreover, in certain circumstances, both in large 
infrastructure projects and in smaller projects, creditworthy sponsors 
may be willing to offer a corporate lending structure in which DOE 
would rely on the balance sheet of the sponsor. In such a case, the 
credit of the sponsor may be sufficient to support a more modest pledge 
of assets.
    Additionally, in response to prior solicitations, DOE has received 
expressions of interest from Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) concerning 
their possible participation in eligible projects as co-lenders, co-
guarantors or insurers of loans. ECAs are governmental, quasi-
governmental, or private institutions supported by and acting on behalf 
of their host governments that facilitate financing for home country 
exporters doing business in other nations. In addition to ECAs, there 
is a variety of other potential sources of financing for power 
generation projects, including municipal bond financing. There also 
could be interest rate or commodity hedging agreements and, after 
completion, working capital facilities for project companies. The ECAs, 
and likely the other sources of financing, will expect to share, on a 
pari passu basis, in collateral pledged to secure the borrower's debt 
obligations.
    Thus, the interpretation of the statute contained in the October 
23, 2007, final rule effectively disqualifies from participation in 
Title XVII programs proposed energy production facilities that employ 
innovative technologies, particularly in the nuclear power industry, 
that are jointly owned through a tenants in common structure or where 
there are appropriate co-lenders or co-guarantors who require a pari 
passu structure. DOE does not believe that a statute intended to 
encourage commercial use in the United States of new or significantly 
improved energy-related technologies would be written in a way as to 
make ineligible such industry participants.
    As stated and explained above, DOE has concluded that section 1702 
of Title XVII does not mandate that DOE receive a first lien position 
on all projects assets. In light of this interpretation of section 1702 
of Title XVII, DOE is proposing amendments to the existing regulations. 
Specifically, to ensure that the loan guarantee program has the ability 
to respond to the kinds of structuring issues discussed above, the 
proposed rule would delete the requirement of a first priority lien on 
all project assets (and other pledged collateral) and leave to the 
Secretary the determination of an appropriate collateral package, as 
well as intercreditor arrangements. Such a determination by the 
Secretary is contemplated by sections 1702(a) and 1702 (g)(2)(C), and 
remains subject to the requirement of section 1702(d)(3) that the 
guaranteed obligation not be subordinate to other financing. The 
Department believes that having the flexibility to determine on a 
project by project basis the scope of the collateral package and 
whether pari passu lending is in the best interests of the United 
States, will enable the Department to reduce its exposure on individual 
projects, diversify its portfolio and maximize the benefits of the 
resources available for the loan guarantee program.

[[Page 39571]]

II. Regulatory Review

A. Executive Order 12866

    Today's proposed rule has been determined to be a significant 
regulatory action under Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory Planning 
and Review,'' 58 FR 51735 (October 4, 1993). Accordingly, this action 
was subject to review under that Executive Order by the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs at Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB).

B. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

    Through the issuance of this proposed rule, DOE is making no 
decision relative to the approval of a loan guarantee for a particular 
proposed project. DOE has, therefore, determined that publication of 
the proposed rule is covered under the Categorical Exclusion found at 
paragraph A.6 of Appendix A to Subpart D, 10 CFR part 1021, which 
applies to the establishment of procedural rulemakings. Accordingly, 
neither an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact 
statement is required at this time. However, appropriate NEPA project 
review will be conducted prior to execution of a Loan Guarantee 
Agreement.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) requires 
preparation of an initial regulatory flexibility analysis for any rule 
that by law must be proposed for public comment, unless the agency 
certifies that the rule, if promulgated, will not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. As required 
by Executive Order 13272, ``Proper Consideration of Small Entities in 
Agency Rulemaking,'' 67 FR 53461 (August 16, 2002), DOE published 
procedures and policies on February 19, 2003, to ensure that the 
potential impacts of its rules on small entities are properly 
considered during the rulemaking process (68 FR 7990). DOE has made its 
procedures and policies available on the Office of the General 
Counsel's Web site: https://www.gc.doe.gov.
    DOE is not obliged to prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis for 
this rulemaking because there is no requirement to publish a general 
notice of proposed rulemaking for rules related to loans under the 
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2)).

D. Paperwork Reduction Act

    This proposed rule involves a collection of information previously 
approved by OMB under Control Number [1910-5134]. The burden imposed by 
that collection is ----------------.

E. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

    Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Act) (2 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires each Federal agency, to the extent 
permitted by law, to prepare a written assessment of the effects of any 
Federal mandate in an agency rule that may result in the expenditure by 
State, local, and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the 
private sector, of $100 million or more (adjusted annually for 
inflation) in any one year. The Act also requires a Federal agency to 
develop an effective process to permit timely input by elected 
officials of State, tribal, or local governments on a proposed 
``significant intergovernmental mandate,'' and requires an agency plan 
for giving notice and opportunity to provide timely input to 
potentially affected small governments before establishing any 
requirements that might significantly or uniquely affect small 
governments.
    The term ``Federal mandate'' is defined in the Act to mean a 
Federal intergovernmental mandate or a Federal private sector mandate 
(2 U.S.C. 658(6)). Although the rule will impose certain requirements 
on non-Federal governmental and private sector applicants for loan 
guarantees, the Act's definitions of the terms ``Federal 
intergovernmental mandate'' and ``Federal private sector mandate'' 
exclude, among other things, any provision in legislation, statute, or 
regulation that is a condition of Federal assistance or a duty arising 
from participation in a voluntary program (2 U.S.C. 658(5) and (7), 
respectively). Today's proposed rule establishes requirements that 
persons voluntarily seeking loan guarantees for projects that would use 
certain new and improved energy technologies must satisfy as a 
condition of a Federal loan guarantee. Thus, the proposed rule falls 
under the exceptions in the definitions of ``Federal intergovernmental 
mandate'' and ``Federal private sector mandate'' for requirements that 
are a condition of Federal assistance or a duty arising from 
participation in a voluntary program. The Act does not apply to this 
rulemaking.

F. Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 1999

    Section 654 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations 
Act, 1999 (Pub. L. 105-277) requires Federal agencies to issue a Family 
Policymaking Assessment for any proposed rule that may affect family 
well being. This proposed rule would not have any impact on the 
autonomy or integrity of the family as an institution. Accordingly, DOE 
has concluded that it is not necessary to prepare a Family Policymaking 
Assessment.

G. Executive Order 13132

    Executive Order 13132, ``Federalism,'' 64 FR 43255 (August 4, 1999) 
imposes certain requirements on agencies formulating and implementing 
policies or regulations that preempt State law or that have Federalism 
implications. Agencies are required to examine the constitutional and 
statutory authority supporting any action that would limit the 
policymaking discretion of the States and carefully assess the 
necessity for such actions. DOE has examined this proposed rule and has 
determined that it would not preempt State law and would not have a 
substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship between 
the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power 
and responsibilities among the various levels of government. No further 
action is required by Executive Order 13132.

H. Executive Order 12988

    With respect to the review of existing regulations and the 
promulgation of new regulations, section 3(a) of Executive Order 12988, 
``Civil Justice Reform,'' 61 FR 4729 (February 7, 1996), imposes on 
Executive agencies the general duty to adhere to the following 
requirements: (1) Eliminate drafting errors and ambiguity; (2) write 
regulations to minimize litigation; and (3) provide a clear legal 
standard for affected conduct rather than a general standard and 
promote simplification and burden reduction. With regard to the review 
required by section 3(a), section 3(b) of Executive Order 12988 
specifically requires that Executive agencies make every reasonable 
effort to ensure that the regulation: (1) Clearly specifies the 
preemptive effect, if any; (2) clearly specifies any effect on existing 
Federal law or regulation; (3) provides a clear legal standard for 
affected conduct while promoting simplification and burden reduction; 
(4) specifies the retroactive effect, if any; (5) adequately defines 
key terms; and (6) addresses other important issues affecting clarity 
and general draftsmanship under any guidelines issued by the Attorney 
General. Section 3(c) of Executive Order 12988 requires Executive 
agencies to review regulations in light of applicable standards in 
section 3(a) and section 3(b) to determine whether they are met or it 
is

[[Page 39572]]

unreasonable to meet one or more of them. DOE has completed the 
required review and determined that, to the extent permitted by law, 
this proposed rule meets the relevant standards of Executive Order 
12988.

I. Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2001

    The Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2001 (44 
U.S.C. 3516 note) provides for agencies to review most disseminations 
of information to the public under guidelines established by each 
agency pursuant to general guidelines issued by OMB.
    OMB's guidelines were published at 67 FR 8452 (February 22, 2002), 
and DOE's guidelines were published at 67 FR 62446 (October 7, 2002). 
DOE has reviewed today's proposed rule under the OMB and DOE guidelines 
and has concluded that it is consistent with applicable policies in 
those guidelines.

J. Executive Order 13211

    Executive Order 13211, ``Actions Concerning Regulations That 
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use,'' 66 FR 28355 
(May 22, 2001) requires Federal agencies to prepare and submit to the 
OMB, a Statement of Energy Effects for any proposed significant energy 
action. A ``significant energy action'' is defined as any action by an 
agency that promulgated or is expected to lead to promulgation of a 
final rule, and that: (1) Is a significant regulatory action under 
Executive Order 12866, or any successor order; and (2) is likely to 
have a significant adverse effect on the supply, distribution, or use 
of energy, or (3) is designated by the Administrator of OIRA as a 
significant energy action. For any proposed significant energy action, 
the agency must give a detailed statement of any adverse effects on 
energy supply, distribution, or use should the proposal be implemented, 
and of reasonable alternatives to the action and their expected 
benefits on energy supply, distribution, and use. Today's regulatory 
action would not have a significant adverse effect on the supply, 
distribution, or use of energy and is therefore not a significant 
energy action. Accordingly, DOE has not prepared a Statement of Energy 
Effects.

K. Approval by the Office of the Secretary of Energy

    The Secretary of Energy has approved the issuance of this proposed 
rule.

List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 609

    Administrative practice and procedure, Energy, Loan programs, and 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 31, 2009.
Steve Isakowitz,
Chief Financial Officer.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, chapter II of title 10 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations is proposed to be amended to read as 
set forth below.
    1. Part 609 is revised to read as follows:

PART 609--LOAN GUARANTEES FOR PROJECTS THAT EMPLOY INNOVATIVE 
TECHNOLOGIES

Sec.
609.1 Purpose and Scope.
609.2 Definitions.
609.3 Solicitations.
609.4 Submission of Pre-Applications.
609.5 Evaluation of Pre-Applications.
609.6 Submission of Applications.
609.7 Programmatic, Technical and Financial Evaluation of 
Applications.
609.8 Term Sheets and Conditional Commitments.
609.9 Closing on the Loan Guarantee Agreement.
609.10 Loan Guarantee Agreement.
609.11 Lender Eligibility and Servicing Requirements.
609.12 Project Costs.
609.13 Principal and Interest Assistance Contract.
609.14 Full Faith and Credit and Incontestability.
609.15 Default, Demand, Payment, and Collateral Liquidation.
609.16 Perfection of Liens and Preservation of Collateral.
609.17 Audit and Access to Records.
609.18 Deviations.

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 7254, 16511-16514.


Sec.  609.1  Purpose and Scope.

    (a) This part sets forth the policies and procedures that DOE uses 
for receiving, evaluating, and, after consultation with the Department 
of the Treasury, approving applications for loan guarantees to support 
Eligible Projects under Section 1703 of Title XVII of the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005, as amended.
    (b) Except as set forth in paragraph (c) of this section, this part 
applies to all Pre-Applications, Applications, Conditional Commitments 
and Loan Guarantee Agreements to support Eligible Projects under 
Section 1703 of Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, as 
amended.
    (c) Sections 609.3, 609.4 and 609.5 of this part shall not apply to 
any Pre-Applications, Applications, Conditional Commitments or Loan 
Guarantee Agreements under the Guidelines issued by DOE on August 8, 
2006, which were published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2006 
(71 FR 46451) and the solicitation issued on August 8, 2006 under Title 
XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, provided the Pre-Application is 
accepted under the Guidelines and an Application is invited pursuant to 
such Pre-Application no later than December 31, 2007.
    (d) Part 1024 of chapter X of title 10 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations shall not apply to actions taken under this part.


Sec.  609.2  Definitions.

    Act means Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
16511-16514), as amended.
    Administrative Cost of Issuing a Loan Guarantee means the total of 
all administrative expenses that DOE incurs during:
    (1) The evaluation of a Pre-Application, if a Pre-Application is 
requested in a solicitation, and an Application for a loan guarantee;
    (2) The offering of a Term Sheet, executing the Conditional 
Commitment, negotiation, and closing of a Loan Guarantee Agreement; and
    (3) The servicing and monitoring of a Loan Guarantee Agreement, 
including during the construction, startup, commissioning, shakedown, 
and operational phases of an Eligible Project.
    Applicant means any person, firm, corporation, company, 
partnership, association, society, trust, joint venture, joint stock 
company, or other business entity or governmental non-Federal entity 
that has submitted an Application to DOE and has the authority to enter 
into a Loan Guarantee Agreement with DOE under the Act.
    Application means a comprehensive written submission in response to 
a solicitation or a written invitation from DOE to apply for a loan 
guarantee pursuant to Sec.  609.6 of this part.
    Borrower means any Applicant who enters into a Loan Guarantee 
Agreement with DOE and issues Guaranteed Obligations.
    Commercial Technology means a technology in general use in the 
commercial marketplace in the United States at the time the Term Sheet 
is issued by DOE. A technology is in general use if it has been 
installed in and is being used in three or more commercial projects in 
the United States in the same general application as in the proposed 
project, and has been in operation in each such commercial project for 
a period of at least five years. The five year period shall be 
measured, for each project, starting on the service date of the project 
or facility employing

[[Page 39573]]

that particular technology. For purposes of this section, commercial 
projects include projects that have been the recipients of a loan 
guarantee from DOE under this part.
    Conditional Commitment means a Term Sheet offered by DOE and 
accepted by the Applicant, with the understanding of the parties that 
if the Applicant thereafter satisfies all specified and precedent 
funding obligations and all other contractual, statutory and regulatory 
requirements, or other requirements, DOE and the Applicant will execute 
a Loan Guarantee Agreement: Provided that the Secretary may terminate a 
Conditional Commitment for any reason at any time prior to the 
execution of the Loan Guarantee Agreement; and Provided further that 
the Secretary may not delegate this authority to terminate a 
Conditional Commitment.
    Contracting Officer means the Secretary of Energy or a DOE official 
authorized by the Secretary to enter into, administer and/or terminate 
DOE Loan Guarantee Agreements and related contracts on behalf of DOE.
    Credit Subsidy Cost has the same meaning as ``cost of a loan 
guarantee'' in section 502(5)(C) of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 
1990 (2 U.S.C. 661a(5)(C)), which is the net present value, at the time 
the Loan Guarantee Agreement is executed, of the following estimated 
cash flows, discounted to the point of disbursement:
    (1) Payments by the Government to cover defaults and delinquencies, 
interest subsidies, or other payments; less
    (2) Payments to the Government including origination and other 
fees, penalties, and recoveries; including the effects of changes in 
loan or debt terms resulting from the exercise by the Borrower, 
Eligible Lender or other Holder of an option included in the Loan 
Guarantee Agreement.
    DOE means the United States Department of Energy.
    Eligible Lender means:
    (1) Any person or legal entity formed for the purpose of, or 
engaged in the business of, lending money, including, but not limited 
to, commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, insurance 
companies, factoring companies, investment banks, institutional 
investors, venture capital investment companies, trusts, or other 
entities designated as trustees or agents acting on behalf of 
bondholders or other lenders; and
    (2) Any person or legal entity that meets the requirements of Sec.  
609.11 of this part, as determined by DOE; or
    (3) The Federal Financing Bank.
    Eligible Project means a project located in the United States that 
employs a New or Significantly Improved Technology that is not a 
Commercial Technology, and that meets all applicable requirements of 
section 1703 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 16513), the applicable solicitation 
and this part.
    Equity means cash contributed by the Borrowers and other 
principals. Equity does not include proceeds from the non-guaranteed 
portion of Title XVII loans, proceeds from any other non-guaranteed 
loans, or the value of any form of government assistance or support.
    Federal Financing Bank means an instrumentality of the United 
States government created by the Federal Financing Bank Act of 1973 (12 
U.S.C. 2281 et seq.). The Bank is under the general supervision of the 
Secretary of the Treasury.
    Guaranteed Obligation means any loan or other debt obligation of 
the Borrower for an Eligible Project for which DOE guarantees all or 
any part of the payment of principal and interest under a Loan 
Guarantee Agreement entered into pursuant to the Act.
    Holder means any person or legal entity that owns a Guaranteed 
Obligation or has lawfully succeeded in due course to all or part of 
the rights, title, and interest in a Guaranteed Obligation, including 
any nominee or trustee empowered to act for the Holder or Holders.
    Intercreditor Agreement means any agreement between or among DOE 
and one or more other persons providing financing for the benefit of an 
Eligible Project, entered into in connection with a Loan Guarantee upon 
a determination by DOE that such agreement is reasonable and necessary 
to protect the interests of the United States and addressing customary 
matters, such as priorities and voting rights among lenders, as such 
agreement may be amended or modified from time to time with the consent 
of DOE.
    Loan Agreement means a written agreement between a Borrower and an 
Eligible Lender or other Holder containing the terms and conditions 
under which the Eligible Lender or other Holder will make loans to the 
Borrower to start and complete an Eligible Project.
    Loan Guarantee Agreement means a written agreement that, when 
entered into by DOE and a Borrower, an Eligible Lender or other Holder, 
pursuant to the Act, establishes the obligation of DOE to guarantee the 
payment of all or a portion of the principal and interest on specified 
Guaranteed Obligations of a Borrower to Eligible Lenders or other 
Holders subject to the terms and conditions specified in the Loan 
Guarantee Agreement.
    New or Significantly Improved Technology means a technology 
concerned with the production, consumption or transportation of energy 
and that is not a Commercial Technology, and that has either:
    (1) Only recently been developed, discovered or learned; or
    (2) Involves or constitutes one or more meaningful and important 
improvements in productivity or value, in comparison to Commercial 
Technologies in use in the United States at the time the Term Sheet is 
issued.
    OMB means the Office of Management and Budget in the Executive 
Office of the President.
    Pre-Application means a written submission in response to a DOE 
solicitation that broadly describes the project proposal, including the 
proposed role of a DOE loan guarantee in the project, and the 
eligibility of the project to receive a loan guarantee under the 
applicable solicitation, the Act and this part.
    Project Costs means those costs, including escalation and 
contingencies, that are to be expended or accrued by Borrower and are 
necessary, reasonable, customary and directly related to the design, 
engineering, financing, construction, startup, commissioning and 
shakedown of an Eligible Project, as specified in Sec.  609.12 of this 
part. Project costs do not include costs for the items set forth in 
Sec.  609.12(c) of this part.
    Project Sponsor means any person, firm, corporation, company, 
partnership, association, society, trust, joint venture, joint stock 
company or other business entity that assumes substantial 
responsibility for the development, financing, and structuring of a 
project eligible for a loan guarantee and, if not the Applicant, owns 
or controls, by itself and/or through individuals in common or 
affiliated business entities, a five percent or greater interest in the 
proposed Eligible Project, or the Applicant.
    Secretary means the Secretary of Energy or a duly authorized 
designee or successor in interest.
    Term Sheet means an offering document issued by DOE that specifies 
the detailed terms and conditions under which DOE may enter into a 
Conditional Commitment with the Applicant. A Term Sheet imposes no 
obligation on the Secretary to enter into a Conditional Commitment.
    United States means the several states, the District of Columbia, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American 
Samoa

[[Page 39574]]

or any territory or possession of the United States of America.


Sec.  609.3  Solicitations.

    (a) DOE may issue solicitations to invite the submission of Pre-
Applications or Applications for loan guarantees for Eligible Projects. 
DOE must issue a solicitation before proceeding with other steps in the 
loan guarantee process including issuance of a loan guarantee. A 
Project Sponsor or Applicant may only submit one Pre-Application or 
Application for one project using a particular technology. A Project 
Sponsor or Applicant, in other words, may not submit a Pre-Application 
or Application for multiple projects using the same technology.
    (b) Each solicitation must include, at a minimum, the following 
information:
    (1) The dollar amount of loan guarantee authority potentially being 
made available by DOE in that solicitation;
    (2) The place and time for response submission;
    (3) The name and address of the DOE representative whom a potential 
Project Sponsor may contact to receive further information and a copy 
of the solicitation;
    (4) The form, format, and page limits applicable to the response 
submission;
    (5) The amount of the application fee (First Fee), if any, that 
will be required;
    (6) The programmatic, technical, financial and other factors the 
Secretary will use to evaluate response submissions, including the loan 
guarantee percentage requested by the Applicant and the relative 
weightings that DOE will use when evaluating those factors; and
    (7) Such other information as DOE may deem appropriate.


Sec.  609.4  Submission of Pre-Applications.

    In response to a solicitation requesting the submission of Pre-
Applications, either Project Sponsors or Applicants may submit Pre-
Applications to DOE. Pre-Applications must meet all requirements 
specified in the solicitation and this part. At a minimum, each Pre-
Application must contain all of the following:
    (a) A cover page signed by an individual with full authority to 
bind the Project Sponsor or Applicant that attests to the accuracy of 
the information in the Pre-Application, and that binds the Project 
Sponsor(s) or Applicant to the commitments made in the Pre-Application. 
In addition, the information requested in paragraphs (b) and (c) should 
be submitted in a volume one and the information requested in 
paragraphs (d) through (h) of this section should be submitted in a 
volume two, to expedite the DOE review process.
    (b) An executive summary briefly encapsulating the key project 
features and attributes of the proposed project;
    (c) A business plan which includes an overview of the proposed 
project, including:
    (1) A description of the Project Sponsor, including all entities 
involved, and its experience in project investment, development, 
construction, operation and maintenance;
    (2) A description of the new or significantly improved technology 
to be employed in the project, including:
    (i) A report detailing its successes and failures during the pilot 
and demonstration phases;
    (ii) The technology's commercial applications;
    (iii) The significance of the technology to energy use or emission 
control;
    (iv) How and why the technology is ``new'' or ``significantly 
improved'' compared to technology already in general use in the 
commercial marketplace in the United States;
    (v) Why the technology to be employed in the project is not in 
``general use;''
    (vi) The owners or controllers of the intellectual property 
incorporated in and utilized by such technologies; and
    (vii) The manufacturer(s) and licensee(s), if any, authorized to 
make the technology available in the United States, the potential for 
replication of commercial use of the technology in the United States, 
and whether and how the technology is or will be made available in the 
United States for further commercial use;
    (3) The estimated amount, in reasonable detail, of the total 
Project Costs;
    (4) The timeframe required for construction and commissioning of 
the project;
    (5) A description of any primary off-take or other revenue-
generating agreements that will provide the primary sources of revenues 
for the project, including repayment of the debt obligations for which 
a guarantee is sought.
    (6) An overview of how the project complies with the eligibility 
requirements in section 1703 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 16513);
    (7) An outline of the potential environmental impacts of the 
project and how these impacts will be mitigated;
    (8) A description of the anticipated air pollution and/or 
anthropogenic greenhouse gas reduction benefits and how these benefits 
will be measured and validated; and
    (9) A list of all of the requirements contained in this part and 
the solicitation and where in the Pre-Application these requirements 
are addressed;
    (d) A financing plan overview describing:
    (1) The amount of equity to be invested and the sources of such 
equity;
    (2) The amount of the total debt obligations to be incurred and the 
funding sources of all such debt if available;
    (3) The amount of the Guaranteed Obligation as a percentage of 
total project debt; and as a percentage of total project cost; and
    (4) A financial model detailing the investments in and the cash 
flows generated and anticipated from the project over the project's 
expected life-cycle, including a complete explanation of the facts, 
assumptions, and methodologies in the financial model;
    (e) An explanation of what estimated impact the loan guarantee will 
have on the interest rate, debt term, and overall financial structure 
of the project;
    (f) Where the Federal Financing Bank is not the lender, a copy of a 
letter from an Eligible Lender or other Holder(s) expressing its 
commitment to provide, or interest in providing, the required debt 
financing necessary to construct and fully commission the project;
    (g) A copy of the equity commitment letter(s) from each of the 
Project Sponsors and a description of the sources for such equity; and
    (h) A commitment to pay the Application fee (First Fee), if invited 
to submit an Application.


Sec.  609.5  Evaluation of Pre-Applications.

    (a) Where Pre-Applications are requested in a solicitation, DOE 
will conduct an initial review of the Pre-Application to determine 
whether:
    (1) The proposal is for an Eligible Project;
    (2) The submission contains the information required by Sec.  609.4 
of this part; and
    (3) The submission meets all other requirements of the applicable 
solicitation.
    (b) If a Pre-Application fails to meet the requirements of 
paragraph (a) of this section, DOE may deem it non-responsive and 
eliminate it from further review.
    (c) If DOE deems a Pre-Application responsive, DOE will evaluate:
    (1) The commercial viability of the proposed project;
    (2) The technology to be employed in the project;

[[Page 39575]]

    (3) The relevant experience of the principal(s); and
    (4) The financial capability of the Project Sponsor (including 
personal and/or business credit information of the principal(s)).
    (d) After the evaluation described in paragraph (c) of this 
section, DOE will determine if there is sufficient information in the 
Pre-Application to assess the technical and commercial viability of the 
proposed project and/or the financial capability of the Project Sponsor 
and to assess other aspects of the Pre-Application. DOE may ask for 
additional information from the Project Sponsor during the review 
process and may request one or more meetings with the Project Sponsor.
    (e) After reviewing a Pre-Application and other information 
acquired under paragraph (c) of this section, DOE may provide a written 
response to the Project Sponsor or Applicant either inviting the 
Applicant to submit an Application for a loan guarantee and specifying 
the amount of the Application filing fee (First Fee) or advising the 
Project Sponsor that the project proposal will not receive further 
consideration. Neither the Pre-Application nor any written or other 
feedback that DOE may provide in response to the Pre-Application 
eliminates the requirement for an Application.
    (f) No response by DOE to, or communication by DOE with, a Project 
Sponsor, or an Applicant submitting a Pre-Application or subsequent 
Application shall impose any obligation on DOE to enter into a Loan 
Guarantee Agreement.


Sec.  609.6  Submission of Applications.

    (a) In response to a solicitation or written invitation to submit 
an Application, an Applicant submitting an Application must meet all 
requirements and provide all information specified in the solicitation 
and/or invitation and this part.
    (b) An Application must include, at a minimum, the following 
information and materials:
    (1) A completed Application form signed by an individual with full 
authority to bind the Applicant and the Project Sponsors;
    (2) Payment of the Application filing fee (First Fee) for the Pre-
Application, if any, and Application phase;
    (3) A detailed description of all material amendments, 
modifications, and additions made to the information and documentation 
provided in the Pre-Application, if a Pre-Application was requested in 
the solicitation, including any changes in the proposed project's 
financing structure or other terms;
    (4) A description of how and to what measurable extent the project 
avoids, reduces, or sequesters air pollutants and/or anthropogenic 
emissions of greenhouse gases, including how to measure and verify 
those benefits;
    (5) A description of the nature and scope of the proposed project, 
including:
    (i) Key milestones;
    (ii) Location of the project;
    (iii) Identification and commercial feasibility of the new or 
significantly improved technology(ies) to be employed in the project;
    (iv) How the Applicant intends to employ such technology(ies) in 
the project; and
    (v) How the Applicant intends to assure, to the extent possible, 
the further commercial availability of the technology(ies) in the 
United States;
    (6) A detailed explanation of how the proposed project qualifies as 
an Eligible Project;
    (7) A detailed estimate of the total Project Costs together with a 
description of the methodology and assumptions used;
    (8) A detailed description of the engineering and design 
contractor(s), construction contractor(s), equipment supplier(s), and 
construction schedules for the project, including major activity and 
cost milestones as well as the performance guarantees, performance 
bonds, liquidated damages provisions, and equipment warranties to be 
provided;
    (9) A detailed description of the operations and maintenance 
provider(s), the plant operating plan, estimated staffing requirements, 
parts inventory, major maintenance schedule, estimated annual downtime, 
and performance guarantees and related liquidated damage provisions, if 
any;
    (10) A description of the management plan of operations to be 
employed in carrying out the project, and information concerning the 
management experience of each officer or key person associated with the 
project;
    (11) A detailed description of the project decommissioning, 
deconstruction, and disposal plan, and the anticipated costs associated 
therewith;
    (12) An analysis of the market for any product to be produced by 
the project, including relevant economics justifying the analysis, and 
copies of any contractual agreements for the sale of these products or 
assurance of the revenues to be generated from sale of these products;
    (13) A detailed description of the overall financial plan for the 
proposed project, including all sources and uses of funding, equity and 
debt, and the liability of parties associated with the project over the 
term of the Loan Guarantee Agreement;
    (14) A copy of all material agreements, whether entered into or 
proposed, relevant to the investment, design, engineering, financing, 
construction, startup commissioning, shakedown, operations and 
maintenance of the project;
    (15) A copy of the financial closing checklist for the equity and 
debt to the extent available;
    (16) Applicant's business plan on which the project is based and 
Applicant's financial model presenting project pro forma statements for 
the proposed term of the Guaranteed Obligations including income 
statements, balance sheets, and cash flows. All such information and 
data must include assumptions made in their preparation and the range 
of revenue, operating cost, and credit assumptions considered;
    (17) Financial statements for the past three years, or less if the 
Applicant has been in operation less than three years, that have been 
audited by an independent certified public accountant, including all 
associated notes, as well as interim financial statements and notes for 
the current fiscal year, of Applicant and parties providing Applicant's 
financial backing, together with business and financial interests of 
controlling or commonly controlled organizations or persons, including 
parent, subsidiary and other affiliated corporations or partners of the 
Applicant;
    (18) A copy of all legal opinions, and other material reports, 
analyses, and reviews related to the project;
    (19) An independent engineering report prepared by an engineer with 
experience in the industry and familiarity with similar projects. The 
report should address: The project's siting and permitting, engineering 
and design, contractual requirements, environmental compliance, testing 
and commissioning and operations and maintenance;
    (20) Credit history of the Applicant and, if appropriate, any party 
who owns or controls, by itself and/or through individuals in common or 
affiliated business entities, a five percent or greater interest in the 
project or the Applicant;
    (21) A preliminary credit assessment for the project without a loan 
guarantee from a nationally recognized rating agency for projects where 
the estimated total Project Costs exceed $25 million. For projects 
where the total estimated Project Costs are $25 million or less and

[[Page 39576]]

where conditions justify, in the sole discretion of the Secretary, DOE 
may require such an assessment;
    (22) A list showing the status of and estimated completion date of 
Applicant's required project-related applications or approvals for 
Federal, State, and local permits and authorizations to site, 
construct, and operate the project;
    (23) A report containing an analysis of the potential environmental 
impacts of the project that will enable DOE to assess whether the 
project will comply with all applicable environmental requirements, and 
that will enable DOE to undertake and complete any necessary reviews 
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969;
    (24) A listing and description of assets associated, or to be 
associated, with the project and any other asset that will serve as 
collateral for the Guaranteed Obligations, including appropriate data 
as to the value of the assets and the useful life of any physical 
assets. With respect to real property assets listed, an appraisal that 
is consistent with the ``Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal 
Practice,'' promulgated by the Appraisal Standards Board of the 
Appraisal Foundation, and performed by licensed or certified 
appraisers, is required;
    (25) An analysis demonstrating that, at the time of the 
Application, there is a reasonable prospect that Borrower will be able 
to repay the Guaranteed Obligations (including interest) according to 
their terms, and a complete description of the operational and 
financial assumptions and methodologies on which this demonstration is 
based;
    (26) Written affirmation from an officer of the Eligible Lender or 
other Holder confirming that it is in good standing with DOE's and 
other Federal agencies' loan guarantee programs;
    (27) A list of all of the requirements contained in this part and 
the solicitation and where in the Application these requirements are 
addressed;
    (28) A statement from the Applicant that it believes that there is 
``reasonable prospect'' that the Guaranteed Obligations will be fully 
paid from project revenue; and
    (29) Any other information requested in the invitation to submit an 
Application or requests from DOE in order to clarify an Application;
    (c) DOE will not consider any Application complete unless the 
Applicant has paid the First Fee and the Application is signed by the 
appropriate entity or entities with the authority to bind the Applicant 
to the commitments and representations made in the Application.


Sec.  609.7  Programmatic, Technical and Financial Evaluation of 
Applications.

    (a) In reviewing completed Applications, and in prioritizing and 
selecting those to whom a Term Sheet should be offered, DOE will apply 
the criteria set forth in the Act, the applicable solicitation, and 
this part. Applications will be considered in a competitive process, 
i.e. each Application will be evaluated against other Applications 
responsive to the Solicitation. Greater weight will be given to 
applications that rely upon a smaller guarantee percentage, all else 
being equal. Concurrent with its review process, DOE will consult with 
the Secretary of the Treasury regarding the terms and conditions of the 
potential loan guarantee. Applications will be denied if:
    (1) The project will be built or operated outside the United 
States;
    (2) The project is not ready to be employed commercially in the 
United States, cannot yield a commercially viable product or service in 
the use proposed in the project, does not have the potential to be 
employed in other commercial projects in the United States, and is not 
or will not be available for further commercial use in the United 
States;
    (3) The entity or person issuing the loan or other debt obligations 
subject to the loan guarantee is not an Eligible Lender or other 
Holder, as defined in Sec.  609.11 of this part;
    (4) The project is for demonstration, research, or development;
    (5) The project does not avoid, reduce or sequester air pollutants 
or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases; or
    (6) The Applicant will not provide an equity contribution.
    (b) In evaluating Applications, DOE will consider the following 
factors:
    (1) To what measurable extent the project avoids, reduces, or 
sequesters air pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouses 
gases;
    (2) To what extent the new or significantly improved technology to 
be employed in the project, as compared to Commercial Technology in 
general use in the United States, is ready to be employed commercially 
in the United States, can be replicated, yields a commercially viable 
project or service in the use proposed in the project, has potential to 
be employed in other commercial projects in the United States, and is 
or will be available for further commercial use in the United States;
    (3) To what extent the new or significantly improved technology 
used in the project constitutes an important improvement in technology, 
as compared to Commercial Technology, used to avoid, reduce or 
sequester air pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse 
gases, and the Applicant has a plan to advance or assist in the 
advancement of that technology into the commercial marketplace;
    (4) The extent to which the requested amount of the loan guarantee, 
and requested amount of Guaranteed Obligations are reasonable relative 
to the nature and scope of the project;
    (5) The total amount and nature of the Eligible Project Costs and 
the extent to which Project Costs are funded by Guaranteed Obligations;
    (6) The likelihood that the project will be ready for full 
commercial operations in the time frame stated in the Application;
    (7) The amount of equity commitment to the project by the Applicant 
and other principals involved in the project;
    (8) Whether there is sufficient evidence that the Applicant will 
diligently pursue the project, including initiating and completing the 
project in a timely manner;
    (9) Whether and to what extent the Applicant will rely upon other 
Federal and non-Federal governmental assistance such as grants, tax 
credits, or other loan guarantees to support the financing, 
construction, and operation of the project and how such assistance will 
impact the project;
    (10) The feasibility of the project and likelihood that the project 
will produce sufficient revenues to service the project's debt 
obligations over the life of the loan guarantee and assure timely 
repayment of Guaranteed Obligations;
    (11) The levels of safeguards provided to the Federal government in 
the event of default through collateral, warranties, and other 
assurance of repayment described in the Application, including the 
nature of any anticipated intercreditor arrangements;
    (12) The Applicant's capacity and expertise to successfully operate 
the project, based on factors such as financial soundness, management 
organization, and the nature and extent of corporate and personal 
experience;
    (13) The ability of the applicant to ensure that the project will 
comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including all 
applicable environmental statutes and regulations;
    (14) The levels of market, regulatory, legal, financial, 
technological, and other risks associated with the project and their 
appropriateness for a loan guarantee provided by DOE;

[[Page 39577]]

    (15) Whether the Application contains sufficient information, 
including a detailed description of the nature and scope of the project 
and the nature, scope, and risk coverage of the loan guarantee sought 
to enable DOE to perform a thorough assessment of the project; and
    (16) Such other criteria that DOE deems relevant in evaluating the 
merits of an Application.
    (c) During the Application review process DOE may raise issues or 
concerns that were not raised during the Pre-Application review process 
where a Pre-Application was requested in the applicable solicitation.
    (d) If DOE determines that a project may be suitable for a loan 
guarantee, DOE will notify the Applicant and Eligible Lender or other 
Holder in writing and provide them with a Term Sheet. If DOE reviews an 
Application and decides not to proceed further with the issuance of a 
Term Sheet, DOE will inform the Applicant in writing of the reason(s) 
for denial.


Sec.  609.8  Term Sheets and Conditional Commitments.

    (a) DOE, after review and evaluation of the Application, additional 
information requested and received by DOE, potentially including a 
preliminary credit rating or credit assessment, and information 
obtained as the result of meeting with the Applicant and the Eligible 
Lender or other Holder, may offer to an Applicant and the Eligible 
Lender or other Holder detailed terms and conditions that must be met, 
including terms and conditions that must be met by the Applicant and 
the Eligible Lender or other Holder.
    (b) The terms and conditions required by DOE will be expressed in a 
written Term Sheet signed by a Contracting Officer and addressed to the 
Applicant and the Eligible Lender or other Holder, where appropriate. 
The Term Sheet will request that the Project Sponsor and the Eligible 
Lender or other Holder express agreement with the terms and conditions 
contained in the Term Sheet by signing the Term Sheet in the designated 
place. Each person signing the Term Sheet must be a duly authorized 
official or officer of the Applicant and Eligible Lender or other 
Holder. The Term Sheet will include an expiration date on which the 
terms offered will expire unless the Contracting Officer agrees in 
writing to extend the expiration date.
    (c) The Applicant and/or the Eligible Lender or other Holder may 
respond to the Term Sheet offer in writing or may request discussions 
or meetings on the terms and conditions contained in the Term Sheet, 
including requests for clarifications or revisions. When DOE, the 
Applicant, and the Eligible Lender or other Holder agree on all of the 
final terms and conditions and all parties sign the Term Sheet, the 
Term Sheet becomes a Conditional Commitment. When and if all of the 
terms and conditions specified in the Conditional Commitment have been 
met, DOE and the Applicant may enter into a Loan Guarantee Agreement.
    (d) DOE's obligations under each Conditional Commitment are 
conditional upon statutory authority having been provided in advance of 
the execution of the Loan Guarantee Agreement sufficient under FCRA and 
Title XVII for DOE to execute the Loan Guarantee Agreement, and either 
an appropriation has been made or a borrower has paid into the Treasury 
sufficient funds to cover the full Credit Subsidy Cost for the loan 
guarantee that is the subject of the Conditional Commitment.
    (e) The Applicant is required to pay fees to DOE to cover the 
Administrative Cost of Issuing a Loan Guarantee for the period of the 
Term Sheet through the closing of the Loan Guarantee Agreement (Second 
Fee).


Sec.  609.9  Closing on the Loan Guarantee Agreement.

    (a) Subsequent to entering into a Conditional Commitment with an 
Applicant, DOE, after consultation with the Applicant, will set a 
closing date for execution of Loan Guarantee Agreement.
    (b) By the closing date, the Applicant and the Eligible Lender or 
other Holder must have satisfied all of the detailed terms and 
conditions contained in the Conditional Commitment and other related 
documents and all other contractual, statutory, and regulatory 
requirements. If the Applicant and the Eligible Lender or other Holder 
has not satisfied all such terms and conditions by the closing date, 
the Secretary may, in his/her sole discretion, set a new closing date 
or terminate the Conditional Commitment.
    (c) In order to enter into a Loan Guarantee Agreement at closing:
    (1) DOE must have received authority in an appropriations act for 
the loan guarantee; and
    (2) All other applicable statutory, regulatory, or other 
requirements must be fulfilled.
    (d) Prior to, or on, the closing date, DOE will ensure that:
    (1) Pursuant to section 1702(b) of the Act, DOE has received 
payment of the Credit Subsidy Cost of the loan guarantee, as defined in 
Sec.  609.2 of this part from either (but not from a combination) of 
the following:
    (i) A Congressional appropriation of funds; or
    (ii) A payment from the Borrower.
    (2) Pursuant to section 1702(h) of the Act, DOE has received from 
the Borrower the First and Second Fees and, if applicable, the Third 
fee, or portions thereof, for the Administrative Cost of Issuing the 
Loan Guarantee, as specified in the Loan Guarantee Agreement;
    (3) OMB has reviewed and approved DOE's calculation of the Credit 
Subsidy Cost of the loan guarantee;
    (4) The Department of the Treasury has been consulted as to the 
terms and conditions of the Loan Guarantee Agreement;
    (5) The Loan Guarantee Agreement and related documents contain all 
terms and conditions DOE deems reasonable and necessary to protect the 
interest of the United States; and
    (6) All conditions precedent specified in the Conditional 
Commitment are either satisfied or waived by a Contracting Officer and 
all other applicable contractual, statutory, and regulatory 
requirements are satisfied.
    (e) Not later than the period approved in writing by the 
Contracting Officer, which may not be less than 30 days prior to the 
closing date, the Applicant must provide in writing updated project 
financing information if the terms and conditions of the financing 
arrangements changed between execution of the Conditional Commitment 
and that date. The Conditional Commitment must be updated to reflect 
the revised terms and conditions.
    (f) Where the total Project Costs for an Eligible Project are 
projected to exceed $25 million, the Applicant must provide a credit 
rating from a nationally recognized rating agency reflecting the 
revised Conditional Commitment for the project without a Federal 
guarantee. Where total Project Costs are projected to be $25 million or 
less than $25 million, the Secretary may, on a case-by-case basis, 
require a credit rating. If a rating is required, an updated rating 
must be provided to the Secretary not later than 30 days prior to 
closing.
    (g) Changes in the terms and conditions of the financing 
arrangements will affect the Credit Subsidy Cost for the Loan Guarantee 
Agreement. DOE may postpone the expected closing date pursuant to any 
changes submitted under paragraph (e) and (f) of this section. In 
addition, DOE may choose to terminate the Conditional Commitment.

[[Page 39578]]

Sec.  609.10  Loan Guarantee Agreement.

    (a) Only a Loan Guarantee Agreement executed by a duly authorized 
DOE Contracting Officer can contractually obligate DOE to guarantee 
lo