File No. 070-10128
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM U-1/A
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 11
TO
APPLICATION/DECLARATION
UNDER
THE PUBLIC UTILITY HOLDING COMPANY ACT OF 1935
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
1111 Louisiana
Houston, Texas 77002
(Name of companies filing this statement and
address of principal executive offices)
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
1111 Louisiana
Houston, Texas 77002
(Name of top registered holding company parent of each applicant or declarant)
Rufus S. Scott
Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
1111 Louisiana
Houston, Texas 77002
(713) 207-7451
The Commission is also requested to send
copies of any communications in connection with this matter to:
James R. Doty, Esq. Margo S. Scholin, Esq.
Joanne C. Rutkowski, Esq. Baker Botts L.L.P.
Baker Botts L.L.P. 3000 One Shell Plaza
The Warner Houston, Texas 77002-4995
1299 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (713) 229-1234
Washington, D.C. 20004-2400
(202) 639-7700
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
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ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF POSSIBLE TRANSACTION...............................1
A. REQUESTED AUTHORIZATION.......................................1
B. BACKGROUND....................................................1
ITEM 2. FEES, COMMISSIONS AND EXPENSES....................................2
ITEM 3. APPLICABLE STATUTORY PROVISIONS...................................3
A. APPLICABLE PROVISIONS.........................................3
B. RULE 54 ANALYSIS..............................................3
ITEM 4. REGULATORY APPROVAL...............................................3
ITEM 5. PROCEDURE.........................................................3
ITEM 6. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.................................4
A. EXHIBITS......................................................4
B. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS..........................................4
ITEM 7. INFORMATION AS TO ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS...........................4
ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF POSSIBLE TRANSACTION
A. Requested Authorization
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. ("CenterPoint" or the "Applicant") hereby
files this Post-Effective Amendment No. 11, asking the Commission to modify the
authority granted under the order dated June 30, 2003 (HCAR No. 27692 (the
"Omnibus Financing Order")) to reflect the implementation of SFAS No. 150,
"Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both
Liabilities and Equity."
B. Background
1. Existing Authority
In connection with the Omnibus Financing Order, CenterPoint advised the
Commission that financing entities that were indirect subsidiaries of
CenterPoint had issued $725 million of trust preferred securities. The Omnibus
Financing Order authorized CenterPoint to issue or sell preferred stock and
preferred securities (including trust preferred securities) and equity-linked
securities in an incremental amount of $250 million such that the total
outstanding amount of CenterPoint preferred stock and preferred and
equity-linked securities will not exceed $975 million at any one time
outstanding through June 30, 2005 (the "Authorization Period").
CenterPoint had requested that the Commission authorize the issuance of
external debt in an amount not to exceed $5.847 billion at any one time
outstanding during the Authorization Period. The Omnibus Financing Order
reserved jurisdiction over the issuance of $478 million in incremental external
debt securities. CenterPoint is currently authorized to issue external debt in
an amount not to exceed $5.369 billion at any one time outstanding during the
Authorization Period.
CenterPoint is asking the Commission to modify this authority to
reflect the implementation of SFAS No. 150, as discussed below.
2. SFAS No. 150
In May 2003, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued SFAS No.
150, "Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both
Liabilities and Equity." SFAS No. 150 establishes standards for how an issuer
classifies and measures certain financial instruments with characteristics of
both liabilities and equity. It requires that an issuer classify a financial
instrument that is within its scope as a liability (or an asset in some
circumstances). Many of those instruments were previously classified as equity.
Effective July 1, 2003, upon the adoption of SFAS No. 150, CenterPoint
reclassified $725 million of trust preferred securities as long-term debt and
began to recognize the dividends paid on the trust preferred securities as
interest expense. Prior to July 1, 2003, the dividends were classified as
"Distribution on Trust Preferred Securities" in the Statements of Consolidated
Operations. Additionally, $19 million of debt issuance costs previously netted
against the balance of the trust preferred securities was reclassified to
unamortized debt issuance costs. SFAS No. 150 does not
permit restatement of prior periods. The adoption of SFAS No. 150 did not impact
the Company's income from continuing operations, net income or earnings per
share.
3. Request for Relief
By reason of the accounting change described above, CenterPoint
reclassified $725 million of trust preferred securities as long-term debt.(1)
This change does not affect the ability of CenterPoint to achieve a consolidated
equity capitalization of 30% or more by year-end 2006. It does, however, require
that the authorization granted under the Omnibus Financing Order be increased
from $5.847 billion to $6.572 billion to reflect the change in characterization
from trust-preferred securities to long-term debt. Accordingly, CenterPoint asks
the Commission to issue an order in File No. 70-10128 clarifying the company's
financing authority as follows:
CenterPoint is hereby authorized to issue or sell preferred stock and
preferred securities (including trust preferred securities) and
equity-linked securities in an incremental amount of $250 million such
that the total outstanding amount of CenterPoint preferred stock and
preferred and equity-linked securities will not exceed $250 million at
any one time outstanding during the Authorization Period.
CenterPoint had requested that the Commission authorize the issuance
of external debt in an amount not to exceed $6.572 billion at any one
time outstanding during the Authorization Period. The Omnibus
Financing Order reserved jurisdiction over the issuance of $478
million in incremental external debt securities. CenterPoint is
currently authorized to issue external debt in an amount not to exceed
$6.094 billion at any one time outstanding during the Authorization
Period. The Commission continues to reserve jurisdiction over
CenterPoint's request to issue up to $478 million in incremental
external debt, pending completion of the record.
ITEM 2. FEES, COMMISSIONS AND EXPENSES.
The fees, commissions and expenses paid or incurred or to be incurred
in connection with this Amendment are estimated to be $20,000, plus the fees
paid in connection with the proposed refunding transactions.
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(1) $250 million of the trust preferred securities that were reclassified
as long-term debt pursuant to SFAS No. 150 were redeemed in January 2004.
Currently, $475 million of such securities are outstanding.
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ITEM 3. APPLICABLE STATUTORY PROVISIONS.
A. Applicable Provisions
Sections 6(a) and 7 of the Act and Rule 54 thereunder are considered
applicable to the proposed transactions. To the extent that the proposed
transactions are considered by the Commission to require authorizations,
exemption or approval under any section of the Act or the rules and regulations
thereunder other than those set forth above, request for such authorization,
exemption or approval is hereby made.
B. RULE 54 ANALYSIS.
The proposed transactions are subject to Rule 54 under the Act, which
refers to Rule 53. Rule 54 under the Act provides that in determining whether to
approve certain transactions other than those involving exempt wholesale
generators ("EWGs") or foreign utility companies ("FUCOs"), as defined in the
Act, the Commission will not consider the effect of the capitalization or
earnings of any Subsidiary which is an EWG or FUCO if Rule 53(a), (b) and (c)
under the Act are satisfied. CenterPoint has qualified Texas Genco, LP as an EWG
but does not intend to seek any long-term financing authority in connection
therewith.
As a result of the Restructuring authorized in the order dated July 5,
2002 (HCAR No. 27548 (the "July Order")) (as such term is defined in the July
Order), CenterPoint had negative retained earnings as of December 31, 2003, and
so is not in compliance with Rule 53(a)(1). CenterPoint complies with, and will
continue to comply with, the record-keeping requirements of Rule 53(a)(2) under
the Act, the limitation under Rule 53(a)(3) under the Act on the use of domestic
public-utility company personnel to render services to EWGs and FUCOs, and the
requirements of Rule 53(a)(4) under the Act concerning the submission of copies
of certain filings under the Act to retail regulatory commissions. Further, none
of the circumstances described in Rule 53(b) under the Act has occurred or is
continuing. Rule 53(c) under the Act is by its terms inapplicable to the
transactions proposed herein that do not involve the issue and sale of
securities (including guarantees) to finance an acquisition of an EWG or FUCO.
ITEM 4. REGULATORY APPROVAL.
No state or federal commission other than the Commission has
jurisdiction with respect to any of the proposed transactions described in this
Amendment.
ITEM 5. PROCEDURE.
The Applicants request that the Commission's order be issued as soon as
possible, and that there should not be a 30-day waiting period between issuance
of the Commission's order and the date on which the order is to become
effective. The Applicants hereby waive a recommended decision by a hearing
officer or any other responsible officer of the Commission and consent that the
Division of Investment Management may assist in the preparation of the
Commission's decision and/or order, unless the Division opposes the matters
proposed herein.
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ITEM 6. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
A. EXHIBITS.
B. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
FS-2 Consolidated Balance Sheets of CenterPoint as of December 31, 2003 and
Statements of Consolidated Income and Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows for
the nine months ended December 31, 2003 (incorporated by reference to
CenterPoint's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003
(File No. 1-31447)).
ITEM 7. INFORMATION AS TO ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
The proposed transaction involves neither a "major federal action" nor
"significantly affects the quality of the human environment" as those terms are
used in Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C.
Sec. 4321 et seq. No federal agency is preparing an environmental impact
statement with respect to this matter.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Public Utility Holding Company Act
of 1935, as amended, the Applicants have duly caused this Amendment to be signed
on their behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
Date: July 15, 2004
CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.
and its Subsidiaries
By: /s/ Rufus S. Scott
---------------------------
Rufus S. Scott
Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
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