FORM 424B3
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-130549
The information in
this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is
not complete and may be changed. This prospectus supplement and
the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these
securities and are not soliciting an offer to buy these
securities in any state where the offer or sale is not
permitted.
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SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED
JANUARY 23, 2006
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(To Prospectus dated December 21, 2005)
$3,600,000,000
NRG Energy, Inc.
$ FLOATING
RATE SENIOR NOTES DUE 2014
$ %
SENIOR NOTES DUE 2014
$ % SENIOR
NOTES DUE 2016
We are offering Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2014, or the 2014
floating rate notes, % Senior Notes due
2014, or the 2014 fixed rate notes,
and % Senior Notes due 2016, or the
2016 notes. We will pay interest on the 2014 fixed rate notes
and 2016 notes on February 1 and August 1 of each
year, beginning August 1, 2006. We will pay interest on the
2014 floating rate notes on February 1, May 1,
August 1, and November 1 of each year, beginning
May 1, 2006. The 2014 floating rate notes and 2014 fixed
rate notes will mature on February 1, 2014, and the 2016
notes will mature on February 1, 2016.
On September 30, 2005, NRG Energy, Inc., or NRG, entered
into a definitive agreement to acquire Texas Genco LLC. Pending
consummation of NRGs acquisition of Texas Genco LLC, the
net proceeds of this offering will be held in escrow for the
benefit of the holders of the notes. The notes will be unsecured
obligations and rank equally in right of payment to all of
NRGs existing and future unsecured senior indebtedness.
The notes will only be issued in registered form in
denominations of $5,000.
If the acquisition is not consummated prior to
September 30, 2006, the notes are subject to special
redemption at a redemption price of 100% of the aggregate
principal amount, plus accrued interest to, but not including,
the redemption date. See Description of the
NotesEscrow of Proceeds; Special Mandatory
Redemption.
Concurrently with this offering, we are offering shares of our
common stock and mandatory convertible preferred stock. This
offering is not contingent on the consummation of these
concurrent offerings.
Investing in the notes involves risks that are described in
the Risk Factors section beginning on
page S-18 of this
prospectus supplement.
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Proceeds, before | |
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expenses, to | |
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NRG Energy, Inc. | |
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Per 2014 floating rate note
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Total
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Per 2014 fixed rate note
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Total
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Per 2016 note
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Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved of these
securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the
accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The notes will be ready for delivery in book-entry form only
through The Depository Trust Company on or
about ,
2006.
Joint Book-Running Managers
LEHMAN BROTHERS
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BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC |
The date of this prospectus supplement
is ,
2006.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Prospectus Supplement |
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S-49 |
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Prospectus |
Where You Can Find More Information |
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ii |
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Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference
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Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
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NRG Energy, Inc.
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1 |
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Description of Securities We May Offer
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2 |
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Debt Securities and Guarantees
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Preferred Stock
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Common Stock
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Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Earnings to Combined
Fixed Charges and Preference Dividends
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Use of Proceeds
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Validity of the Securities
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Experts
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i
About This Prospectus Supplement
This document consists of two parts. The first part is this
prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of
this offering. The second part is the accompanying prospectus,
which describes more general information, some of which may not
apply to this offering. You should read both this prospectus
supplement and the accompanying prospectus, together with
additional information described below under the headings
Where You Can Find More Information and
Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.
If the description of the offering varies between this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you
should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.
Any statement made in this prospectus supplement or in a
document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
in this prospectus supplement will be deemed to be modified or
superseded for purposes of this prospectus supplement to the
extent that a statement contained in this prospectus supplement
or in any other subsequently filed document that is also
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement modifies or supersedes that statement. Any
statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except
as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
prospectus supplement. See Incorporation of Certain
Documents By Reference.
Where You Can Find More Information
NRG files annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy
statements and other information with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, or the SEC. You can inspect and copy these
reports, proxy statements and other information at the Public
Reference Room of the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330 for
further information on the operation of the public reference
room. NRGs SEC filings will also be available to you on
the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov and through the New
York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, NY 10005,
on which NRGs common stock is listed.
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus,
which forms a part of the registration statement, do not contain
all the information that is included in the registration
statement. You will find additional information about us in the
registration statement. Any statements made in this prospectus
supplement or the accompanying prospectus concerning the
provisions of legal documents are not necessarily complete and
you should read the documents that are filed as exhibits to the
registration statement or otherwise filed with the SEC for a
more complete understanding of the document or matter.
Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference
The SEC allows the incorporation by reference of the
information filed by NRG with the SEC into this prospectus
supplement, which means that important information can be
disclosed to you by referring you to those documents and those
documents will be considered part of this prospectus supplement.
Information that NRG files later with the SEC will automatically
update and supersede the previously filed information. The
documents listed below and any future filings NRG makes with the
SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange
Act, are incorporated by reference herein, after the date of
this prospectus supplement but before the end of any offering
made under this prospectus supplement:
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1. |
NRGs annual report on
Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2004 filed on March 30, 2005
as amended by the current report on Form 8-K filed on
December 20, 2005. |
2. NRGs Definitive Proxy
Statement on Schedule 14A filed on April 12, 2005.
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NRGs quarterly reports on
Form 10-Q for the
quarters ended March 31, 2005 (filed on May 10, 2005),
June 30, 2005 (filed on August 9, 2005) and
September 30, 2005 (filed on November 7, 2005). |
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NRGs current reports on
Form 8-K filed on
February 24, 2005,
Form 8-K filed on
March 3, 2005, two
Forms 8-K filed on
March 30, 2005 (which do not include information deemed
furnished), |
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Form 8-K filed on
May 24, 2005,
Form 8-K/ A filed
on May 24, 2005,
Form 8-K/ A filed
on May 25, 2005,
Form 8-K filed on
June 15, 2005,
Form 8-K/ A filed
on June 15, 2005,
Form 8-K filed on
June 17, 2005,
Form 8-K filed on
July 18, 2005,
Form 8-K filed on
August 1, 2005,
Form 8-K filed on
August 3, 2005,
Form 8-K filed on
August 9, 2005 (which does not include information deemed
furnished),
Form 8-K filed on
August 11, 2005,
Form 8-K filed on
September 1, 2005,
Form 8-K filed on
September 7, 2005 (which does not include information
deemed furnished),
Form 8-K filed on
October 3, 2005,
Form 8-K filed on
October 12, 2005,
Form 8-K filed on
November 7, 2005 (which does not include information deemed
furnished),
Form 8-K filed on
December 20, 2005, Form
8-K filed on
December 21, 2005,
Form 8-K filed on
December 28, 2005 (which does not include information
deemed furnished),
Form 8-K filed on
January 4, 2006,
Form 8-K filed on
January 5, 2006,
Form 8-K/A filed
on January 5, 2006,
Form 8-K filed on
January 13, 2006,
Form 8-K filed on
January 23, 2006 and
Form 8-K/A filed
on January 23, 2006. |
If you make a request for such information in writing or by
telephone, NRG will provide you, without charge, a copy of any
or all of the information incorporated by reference in this
prospectus. Any such request should be directed to:
NRG Energy, Inc.
211 Carnegie Center
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
(609) 524-4500
Attention: General Counsel
You should rely only on the information contained, in this
prospectus supplement, the attached prospectus, the documents
incorporated by reference and any written communication from us
or the underwriters specifying the final terms of the offering.
NRG has not, and the underwriters have not, authorized any other
person to provide you with different information. If anyone
provides you with different or inconsistent information, you
should not rely on it. NRG is not, and the underwriters are not,
making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction
where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that
the information appearing in this prospectus supplement is
accurate as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus
supplement only. NRGs business, financial condition,
results of operations and prospects may have changed since that
date.
Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This prospectus supplement contains, and the documents
incorporated by reference herein may contain, forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are
subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that
include, but are not limited to, expected earnings and cash
flows, future growth and financial performance and the expected
benefits and other benefits of the acquisition of Texas Genco
LLC described herein and typically can be identified by the use
of words such as will, expect,
estimate, anticipate,
forecast, plan, believe and
similar terms. Although we believe that our expectations are
reasonable, we can give no assurance that these expectations
will prove to have been correct, and actual results may vary
materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those contemplated above include, among others:
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Risks and uncertainties related to the capital markets
generally, including increases in interest rates and the
availability of financing for the acquisition of Texas Genco LLC; |
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NRGs indebtedness and the additional indebtedness that it
will incur in connection with the acquisition of Texas Genco LLC; |
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NRGs ability to successfully complete the acquisition of
Texas Genco LLC, regulatory or other limitations that may be
imposed as a result of the acquisition of Texas Genco LLC, and
the success of the business following the acquisition of Texas
Genco LLC; |
iii
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General economic conditions, changes in the wholesale power
markets and fluctuations in the cost of fuel or other raw
materials; |
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Hazards customary to the power production industry and power
generation operations such as fuel and electricity price
volatility, unusual weather conditions, catastrophic
weather-related or other damage to facilities, unscheduled
generation outages, maintenance or repairs, unanticipated
changes to fossil fuel supply costs or availability due to
higher demand, shortages, transportation problems or other
developments, environmental incidents, or electric transmission
or gas pipeline system constraints and the possibility that we
may not have adequate insurance to cover losses as a result of
such hazards; |
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NRGs potential inability to enter into contracts to sell
power and procure fuel on terms and prices acceptable to it; |
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The liquidity and competitiveness of wholesale markets for
energy commodities; |
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Changes in government regulation, including possible changes of
market rules, market structures and design, rates, tariffs,
environmental laws and regulations and regulatory compliance
requirements; |
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Price mitigation strategies and other market structures or
designs employed by independent system operators, or ISOs, or
regional transmission organizations, or RTOs, that result in a
failure to adequately compensate our generation units for all of
their costs; |
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NRGs ability to realize its significant deferred tax
assets, including loss carry forwards; |
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The effectiveness of NRGs risk management policies and
procedures, and the ability of NRGs counterparties to
satisfy their financial commitments; |
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Counterparties collateral demands and other factors
affecting NRGs liquidity position and financial condition; |
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NRGs ability to operate its businesses efficiently, manage
capital expenditures and costs tightly (including general and
administrative expenses), and generate earnings and cash flow
from its asset-based businesses in relation to its debt and
other obligations; and |
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Significant operating and financial restrictions which may be
placed on NRG as a result of the financing transactions
described elsewhere in this prospectus supplement. |
Market and Industry Data
Certain market and industry data included or incorporated by
reference in this prospectus supplement and in the accompanying
prospectus has been obtained from third party sources that we
believe to be reliable. We have not independently verified such
third party information and cannot assure you of its accuracy or
completeness. While we are not aware of any misstatements
regarding any market, industry or similar data presented herein,
such data involves risks and uncertainties and is subject to
change based on various factors, including those discussed under
the headings Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements and Risk Factors in this prospectus
supplement.
iv
SUMMARY
This summary may not contain all the information that may be
important to you. You should read this entire prospectus
supplement, the accompanying prospectus and those documents
incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and
the accompanying prospectus, including the risk factors and the
financial data and related notes, before making an investment
decision.
In this prospectus supplement, unless otherwise indicated
herein or the context otherwise indicates:
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the term NRG refers to NRG Energy, Inc., together
with its consolidated subsidiaries; |
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the term Texas Genco refers to Texas Genco LLC,
together with its consolidated subsidiaries; |
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the term 2014 floating rate notes refers to
NRGs Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2014 offered pursuant
to this prospectus supplement; |
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the term 2014 fixed rate notes refers to
NRGs % Senior Notes due 2014
offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement; |
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the term 2016 notes refers to
NRGs % Senior Notes due 2016
offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement; |
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the term 2014 notes refers to the 2014 floating
rate notes and the 2014 fixed rate notes, collectively; |
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the term notes refers to the 2014 notes and the
2016 notes, collectively; |
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the term 2014 floating rate indenture refers to
the base indenture dated December 21, 2005, as supplemented
by the 2014 floating rate supplemental indenture to be dated
February , 2006 among NRG,
the Guarantors and Law Debenture Trust Company, as trustee; |
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the term 2014 fixed rate indenture refers to the
base indenture dated December 21, 2005, as supplemented by
the 2014 fixed rate supplemental indenture to be dated
February , 2006 among NRG,
the Guarantors and Law Debenture Trust Company, as trustee; |
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the term 2016 indenture refers to the base
indenture dated December 21, 2005, as supplemented by the
2016 notes supplemental indenture to be dated
February , 2006 among NRG,
the Guarantors and Law Debenture Trust Company, as trustee; |
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the term indentures refers to the 2014 floating
rate indenture, the 2014 fixed rate indenture and the 2016
indenture, collectively; |
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the term Acquisition refers to the purchase by
NRG of all the outstanding equity interests of Texas Genco,
pursuant to the acquisition agreement, dated as of
September 30, 2005, between NRG, Texas Genco and the
sellers named therein; |
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the term Financing Transactions refers to this
offering and the concurrent offerings by NRG of its common stock
and mandatory convertible preferred stock and the application of
the net proceeds therefrom, and the execution of NRGs new
senior secured credit facility and the application of the
initial borrowings thereunder, each as described elsewhere in
this prospectus supplement; |
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the term Transactions refers to the Acquisition,
the Financing Transactions, the pending sale of Audrain
Generating LLC, the pending acquisition of 50% interest in WCP
(Generation) Holdings LLC and the pending sale of our 50%
ownership interest in Rocky Road Power LLC, or Rocky
Road; |
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the terms we, our, us,
the combined company and the Company
refer to NRG and Texas Genco on a combined basis, together with
their consolidated subsidiaries, after giving pro forma effect
to the completion of the Acquisition and the Financing
Transactions; |
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the terms MW and MWh refer to
megawatts and megawatt-hours. The megawatt figures provided
represent nominal summer net megawatt capacity of power
generated as adjusted for the combined companys ownership
position excluding capacity from inactive/mothballed units as of
September 30, 2005. NRG has previously shown gross MWs when
presenting its operations. Capacity is tested following standard
industry practices. The combined companys numbers denote
saleable MWs net of internal/parasitic load. The MW and MWh
figures and other operational figures related to the combined
company only give pro forma effect to the Acquisition and the
Financing Transactions; and |
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the term expected annual baseload generation
refers to the net baseload capacity limited by economic factors
(relationship between cost of generation and market price) and
reliability factors (scheduled and unplanned outages). |
S-1
Our Business
We are a leading wholesale power generation company with a
significant presence in many of the major competitive power
markets in the United States. We are primarily engaged in the
ownership and operation of power generation facilities,
purchasing fuel and transportation services to support our power
plant operations, and the marketing of energy, capacity and
related products in the competitive markets in which we operate.
As of September 30, 2005, the combined company would have
had a total global portfolio of 235 operating generation units
at 62 power generation plants, with an aggregate generation
capacity of approximately 25,041 MW. Within the United
States, the combined company will have one of the largest and
most diversified power generation portfolios with approximately
23,124 MW of generation capacity in 213 generating units at
54 plants as of September 30, 2005. These power generation
facilities are primarily located in our core regions in the
Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, market
(approximately 11,119 MW), and in the Northeast
(approximately 7,099 MW), South Central (approximately
2,395 MW) and Western (approximately 1,044 MW) regions
of the United States. Our facilities consist primarily of
baseload, intermediate and peaking power generation facilities,
which we refer to as the merit order, and also include thermal
energy production and energy resource recovery plants. The sale
of capacity and power from baseload generation facilities
accounts for the majority of our revenues and provides a stable
source of cash flow. In addition, our diverse generation
portfolio provides us with opportunities to capture additional
revenues by selling power into our core regions during periods
of peak demand, offering capacity or similar products to retail
electric providers and others, and providing ancillary services
to support system reliability.
The Texas Genco Acquisition
On September 30, 2005, NRG entered into an acquisition
agreement, or the Acquisition Agreement, with Texas Genco and
each of the direct and indirect owners of equity interests in
Texas Genco, or the Sellers. Pursuant to the Acquisition
Agreement, NRG agreed to purchase all of the outstanding equity
interests in Texas Genco for a total pro forma purchase price of
approximately $6.121 billion that includes the assumption
of approximately $2.7 billion of indebtedness. The purchase
price is subject to adjustment, and includes an equity component
valued at approximately $2.0 billion based on a price per
share of $45.37 of NRGs common stock issued to the
Sellers, and an average price per share of $40.73 for the
consideration with a fair value of $368 million, or the
Other Consideration. As a result of the Acquisition, Texas Genco
will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of NRG. Each of NRGs
and the Sellers obligation to consummate the Acquisition
is subject to certain customary conditions, including the
receipt of required regulatory consents and approvals. See
The Acquisition for a discussion of the Acquisition.
Our Strategy
Our strategy is to increase the value of, and extract value
from, our generation assets while using that asset base as a
platform for enhanced financial performance which can be
sustained and expanded upon in years to come. We plan to
maintain and enhance our position as a leading wholesale power
generation company in the United States in a cost effective and
risk mitigating manner in order to serve the bulk power
requirements of our customer base and other entities who offer
load, or otherwise consume wholesale electricity products and
services in bulk. Our strategy includes the following elements:
Increase value from our existing assets. Following
the Acquisition, we believe that we will have a highly
diversified portfolio of power generation assets in terms of
region, fuel type and dispatch levels. We will continue to focus
on extracting value from our portfolio by improving plant
performance, reducing costs and harnessing our advantages of
scale in the procurement of fuels: a strategy that we have
branded FORNRG, or Focus on ROIC@NRG.
Pursue intrinsic growth opportunities at existing sites in
our core regions. We believe that we are favorably
positioned to pursue growth opportunities through expansion of
our existing generating capacity. We intend to invest in our
existing assets through plant improvements, repowering and
brownfield development to meet anticipated regional requirements
for new capacity. We expect that these efforts will provide more
S-2
efficient energy, lower our delivered cost, expand our
electricity production capability and improve our ability to
dispatch economically across the merit order.
Maintain financial strength and flexibility. We
remain focused on increasing cash flow and maintaining liquidity
and balance sheet strength in order to ensure continued access
to capital for growth; enhancing risk-adjusted returns; and
providing flexibility in executing our business strategy. We
intend to continue our focus on maintaining operational and
financial controls designed to ensure that our financial
position remains strong.
Reduce the volatility of our cash flows through
asset-based commodity hedging activities. We will
continue to execute asset-based risk management, hedging,
marketing and trading strategies within well-defined risk and
liquidity guidelines in order to manage the value of our
physical and contractual assets. Our marketing and hedging
philosophy is centered on generating stable returns from our
portfolio of power generation assets while preserving the
ability to capitalize on strong spot market conditions and to
capture the extrinsic value of our portfolio. We believe that we
can successfully execute this strategy by leveraging our
expertise in marketing power and ancillary services, our
knowledge of markets, our flexible financial structure and our
diverse portfolio of power generation assets.
Participate in continued industry consolidation.
We will continue to pursue selective acquisitions, joint
ventures and divestitures to enhance our asset mix and
competitive position in our core regions to meet the fuel and
dispatch requirements in these regions. We intend to concentrate
on acquisition and joint venture opportunities that present
attractive risk-adjusted returns. We will also opportunistically
pursue other strategic transactions, including mergers,
acquisitions or divestitures during the consolidation of the
power generation industry in the United States.
Our Competitive Strengths
Scale and diversity of assets. The combined
company will have one of the largest and most diversified power
generation portfolios in the United States with approximately
23,124 MW of generation capacity in 213 generating units at
54 plants as of September 30, 2005. Our power generation
assets will be diversified by fuel type, dispatch level and
region, which will help mitigate the risks associated with fuel
price volatility and market demand cycles. The combined
companys U.S. baseload facilities, which will consist
of approximately 8,558 MW of generation capacity measured
as of September 30, 2005, will provide the combined company
with a significant source of stable cash flow, while the
combined companys intermediate and peaking facilities,
with approximately 14,566 MW of generation capacity as of
September 30, 2005, will provide the combined company with
opportunities to capture the significant upside potential that
can arise from time to time during periods of high demand. In
addition, approximately 10% of the combined companys
domestic generation facilities will have dual or multiple fuel
capability, which will allow most of these plants to dispatch
with the lowest cost fuel option.
Reliability of future cash flows. We have sold
forward a significant amount of our expected baseload generation
capacity for 2006 and 2007. As of September 30, 2005 the
combined company would have sold forward 68% of its baseload
generation in the Texas (ERCOT) market for 2006 through
2009. As of the same date, the combined company would have sold
approximately 83% of its expected annual baseload generation in
the Southeastern Electric Reliability Council/ Entergy, or
SERCEntergy, market for 2006 through 2009, and
approximately 70% of its expected annual baseload generation in
the Northeast region for 2006. In addition, as of
September 30, 2005, the combined company would have
purchased forward under fixed price contracts (with
contractually-specified price escalators) to provide fuel for
approximately 81% of its expected baseload coal generation
output from 2006 to 2009.
Favorable market dynamics for baseload power
plants. As of September 30, 2005, approximately 38%
of the combined companys domestic generation capacity
would have been fueled by coal or nuclear fuel. In many of the
competitive markets where we operate, the price of power
typically is set by the marginal costs of natural gas-fired and
oil-fired power plants that currently have substantially higher
variable costs than our solid fuel baseload power plants. For
example, in the ERCOT market, a 2004 report by Henwood Energy
Services, Inc., or Henwood, found that natural gas-fired power
plants set the market price of power more than
S-3
90% of the time. As a result of our lower marginal cost for
baseload coal and nuclear generation assets, we expect such
assets to generate power nearly 100% of the time they are
available.
Locational advantages. Many of our generation
assets are located within densely populated areas that are
characterized by significant constraints on the transmission of
power from generators outside the region. Consequently, these
assets are able to benefit from the higher prices that prevail
for energy in these markets during periods of transmission
constraints. The combined company will have generation assets
located within New York City, southwestern Connecticut, Houston
and the Los Angeles and San Diego load basins, all areas
with constraints on the transmission of electricity. This allows
us to capture additional revenues through offering capacity to
retail electric providers and others, selling power at
prevailing market prices during periods of peak demand and
providing ancillary services in support of system reliability.
Summary of Risk Factors
We are subject to a variety of risks related to our competitive
position and business strategies. Some of the more significant
challenges and risks include those associated with the operation
of our power generation plants, volatility in power prices and
fuel costs, our leveraged capital structure and extensive
governmental regulation. See Risk Factors beginning
on page S-17 for a
discussion of the factors you should consider before investing
in our securities.
The Financing Transactions
The offering of the notes forms part of a larger financing plan
for the Acquisition described elsewhere in this prospectus
supplement. See The Acquisition. Concurrently with
this offering, NRG intends to offer, by means of separate
prospectus supplements, (i) $1.0 billion of its common
stock and (ii) $500 million of its mandatory
convertible preferred stock. See Description of Certain
Other Indebtedness and Preferred StockMandatory
Convertible Preferred Stock. This offering, the mandatory
convertible preferred stock offering and the common stock
offering are expected to be consummated at or prior to the
completion of the Acquisition. The closing of this offering will
not necessarily be contemporaneous with the closing of the
common stock offering and/or the closing of the mandatory
convertible preferred stock offering. The net proceeds of the
offering of these notes (after payment of underwriting discounts
and commissions) will be placed into an escrow account held by
the escrow agent until the consummation of the Acquisition.
In addition, NRG intends to enter into a new senior secured
credit facility at or prior to the closing of the Acquisition
that will replace its existing senior secured credit facility.
See Description of Certain Other Indebtedness and
Preferred StockNew Senior Secured Credit Facility.
Concurrently with this offering, NRG is conducting a cash tender
offer and consent solicitation with respect to (i) all of
its outstanding 8% Second Priority Senior Secured Notes due
2013, or the Second Priority Notes, and (ii) all of Texas
Gencos outstanding 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014, or
the Unsecured Senior Notes. The completion of the Acquisition is
not conditioned on the completion of the tender offer or receipt
of the consents for either the Second Priority Notes or Texas
Gencos Unsecured Senior Notes. The completion of the
tender offer for the Second Priority Notes and Texas
Gencos Unsecured Senior Notes is conditioned on the
completion of the Acquisition. However, NRG can waive this
condition in the case of the tender offer and consent
solicitation for the Second Priority Notes.
NRG intends to use initial borrowings under its new senior
secured credit facility, together with the net proceeds from
this offering, the offerings of common stock, the mandatory
convertible preferred stock and cash on hand (i) to finance
the Acquisition, (ii) to repurchase NRGs outstanding
Second Priority Notes, (iii) to repurchase Texas
Gencos outstanding Unsecured Senior Notes, (iv) to
repay amounts outstanding under NRGs existing senior
secured credit facility and Texas Gencos existing senior
secured credit facility, (v) for ongoing credit needs of
the combined company, including replacement of existing letters
of credit and (vi) to pay related premiums, fees and
expenses. In the event that NRG does not consummate the
Acquisition, NRG will use the net proceeds from this offering to
redeem the notes offered hereby. See Description of the
NotesEscrow of Proceeds; Special Mandatory
Redemption and Use of Proceeds.
The closing of this offering is not contingent on the closing of
the mandatory convertible preferred stock offering, the closing
of the common stock offering, the effectiveness of the new
senior secured credit facility, the
S-4
completion of the tender offers and receipt of the consents in
connection with the outstanding tender offers for NRGs and
Texas Gencos notes or the consummation of the Acquisition.
NRGs obligations under the Acquisition Agreement are not
conditioned upon the consummation of any or all of the Financing
Transactions.
NRG has entered into an amended and restated commitment letter,
or the commitment letter, with Morgan Stanley Senior Funding,
Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Lehman Commercial Paper
Inc., Lehman Brothers Inc., Banc of America Bridge LLC, Deutsche
Bank AG Cayman Islands Branch, Merrill Lynch Capital Corporation
and Goldman Sachs Credit Partners L.P., or the bridge lenders,
pursuant to which the bridge lenders have committed to fund
NRGs new senior secured credit facility and to provide,
subject to certain conditions, the additional financing required
for the Acquisition through a $5.1 billion bridge loan
facility in the event that sufficient funds are not raised from
this offering, the common stock offering and/or the mandatory
convertible preferred stock offering. See Description of
Certain Other Indebtedness and Preferred StockBridge
Loan Facility. In the event that NRG is unable to
raise sufficient proceeds through the consummation of this
offering, the common stock offering and/or the mandatory
convertible preferred stock offering, NRG may draw down on the
bridge loan facility, in whole or in part, in order to finance
the Acquisition. In the event that NRG does not consummate the
common stock and mandatory convertible preferred stock offerings
as currently contemplated and elects not to consummate the
financing under the bridge loan facility, it could seek
alternative sources of financing for the Acquisition, which may
include, among other alternatives, the issuance in part of
senior secured debt securities or borrowing in part on a senior
secured basis.
S-5
Sources and Uses of Funds
The following table sets forth the expected sources and uses of
funds in connection with the Acquisition on a pro forma basis
giving effect to the Transactions as if they had occurred on
September 30, 2005. No assurances can be given that the
information in the following table will not change depending on
the nature of our financings. See Risk FactorsRisks
Related to the AcquisitionBecause the historical and pro
forma financial information incorporated by reference or
included elsewhere in this prospectus supplement may not be
representative of our results as a combined company or capital
structure after the Acquisition, and NRGs and Texas
Gencos historical financial information are not comparable
to their current financial information, you have limited
financial information on which to evaluate us, NRG, Texas Genco
and your investment decision and Risk
FactorsRisks Related to the OfferingIf NRG is unable
to raise sufficient proceeds through other Financing
Transactions described elsewhere in this prospectus supplement,
NRG may draw down on a bridge loan facility in order to close
the Acquisition which would significantly increase our
indebtedness. If NRG elects not to consummate the financing
under the bridge loan facility, NRG may seek alternative sources
of financing for the Acquisition, the terms of which are unknown
to us and could limit our ability to operate our business.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sources(1) |
|
Amount |
|
|
|
|
|
(in millions) |
Gross proceeds of 2014 floating rate notes offered hereby
|
|
|
|
$ |
300 |
|
Gross proceeds of 2014 fixed rate notes offered hereby
|
|
|
|
|
1,100 |
|
Gross proceeds of 2016 notes offered hereby
|
|
|
|
|
2,200 |
|
New senior secured term loan facility
|
|
|
|
|
3,575 |
|
Cash released from canceling existing funded letter of credit
facility(3)
|
|
|
|
|
350 |
|
Gross proceeds of common stock offering
|
|
|
|
|
1,000 |
|
Common stock consideration to be issued to Sellers
|
|
|
|
|
1,606 |
(2) |
Gross proceeds of mandatory convertible preferred stock offering
|
|
|
|
|
500 |
|
|
NRGs cash on hand
|
|
|
|
|
383 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
$ |
11,014 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Uses |
|
Amount | |
|
|
| |
|
|
(in millions) | |
Purchase price less acquisition
costs(2)
|
|
|
|
$ |
6,005 |
|
Texas Gencos cash on hand to reduce consideration
|
|
|
|
|
(222 |
) |
Refinancing:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Repayment of NRGs existing credit
facilities(3)
|
|
877 |
|
|
|
|
|
Repayment of Texas Gencos existing credit facilities
(4)
|
|
1,614 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total repayment of existing credit facilities
|
|
|
|
|
2,491 |
|
Repurchase of NRGs Second Priority
Notes(5)
|
|
|
|
|
1,080 |
|
Repurchase of Texas Gencos Unsecured Senior
Notes(6)
|
|
|
|
|
1,125 |
|
Accrued interest for NRG and Texas Genco outstanding debt
|
|
|
|
|
52 |
|
Estimated underwriting commissions, tender offer premiums, fees
and expenses
|
|
|
|
|
483 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
$ |
11,014 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
NRG has entered into the commitment letter with the bridge
lenders pursuant to which the bridge lenders have committed to
fund NRGs new senior secured credit facility and to
provide, subject to certain conditions, the additional financing
required for the Acquisition through a $5.1 billion bridge
loan facility in the event that this offering, the common stock
offering and/or the mandatory convertible preferred stock
offering are not consummated. In the event that NRG is unable to
raise sufficient proceeds through the consummation of this
offering, the common stock offering and/or the mandatory
convertible preferred stock offering, NRG may draw down on the
bridge loan facility, in whole or in part, in order to finance
the Acquisition. In the event that NRG does not consummate the
common stock and mandatory convertible stock offerings as
currently contemplated and elects not to consummate the
financing under the bridge loan facility, it could seek
alternative sources of financing for the Acquisition, which may
include, among other alternatives, the issuance in part of
senior secured debt securities or borrowing in part on a senior
secured basis. |
|
(2) |
The common stock component of the consideration for the
Acquisition is based on a fair value of $45.37 per share of
NRGs common stock and consideration with a fair value of
$368 million, or the Other Consideration, which may be
comprised of either an additional 9,038,125 shares of
common stock, additional cash, shares of a new series of
NRGs Cumulative Preferred Stock or a combination of the
foregoing. This fair value is based on an average stock price of
$40.73, as prescribed by the Acquisition |
S-6
|
|
|
Agreement. The Company has elected
to pay this amount in cash. This is because the foregoing table
is based on a pro forma closing date of the Acquisition of
September 30, 2005. To the extent the fair value of
NRGs common stock price for purposes of the equity
component, and Texas Gencos cash on hand, is different at
closing of the Acquisition, this amount and the purchase price
for the Acquisition will be adjusted accordingly.
|
|
|
(3) |
Before giving effect to the Acquisition and the Financing
Transactions, as of September 30, 2005, NRG had
$876.6 million of outstanding indebtedness under its
amended and restated credit facility, which consisted of
(a) $446.6 million in term loans outstanding, which
term loans provide for interest at a rate of LIBOR (4.02% at
September 30, 2005) plus 187.5 basis points payable
quarterly and mature on December 24, 2011,
(b) $80.0 million in principal amount outstanding
under the revolving credit facility, which provides for interest
at a rate of LIBOR (3.83% at September 30, 2005) plus 2.5%
and matures on December 24, 2007 and
(c) $350.0 million outstanding under the funded letter
of credit facility, which provide for a participation fee of
1.875%, a deposit fee of 0.10%, and an issuance fee of 0.25%,
and matures on December 24, 2011. |
|
(4) |
Before giving effect to the Acquisition and Financing
Transactions, as of September 30, 2005, Texas Genco had
$1,614 million in term loans outstanding under its existing
senior secured credit facility, which term loans provide for
interest at a rate of 5.94% (as of September 30, 2005)
payable at least quarterly and mature in December 2011. |
|
(5) |
Before giving effect to the Acquisition and Financing
Transactions, as of September 30, 2005, NRG had
$1.08 billion of Second Priority Notes outstanding, which
provide for cash interest at 8.0% per annum payable
semiannually. |
|
(6) |
Before giving effect to the Acquisition and Financing
Transactions, as of September 30, 2005, Texas Genco had
$1.125 billion of Unsecured Senior Notes outstanding, which
provide for cash interest at 6.875% per annum payable
semiannually. |
Recent Developments
Acquisitions and Dispositions
We anticipate that the following transactions will be
consummated after the Acquisition and Financing Transactions.
On December 8, 2005, NRG entered into an asset purchase and
sale agreement to sell NRG Audrain Generating LLC, or Audrain, a
gas fired 577 MW peaking facility in Vandalia, Missouri to
AmerenUE, a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation. The purchase price
is $115 million, subject to customary purchase price
adjustments, plus the assumption of $240 million of
non-recourse capital lease obligations and assignment of a
$240 million note receivable. Of the $115 million in
cash proceeds, approximately $93 million of the proceeds
will be paid to the project lenders with the balance of
approximately $22 million paid to NRG. This transaction,
which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close
during the first half of 2006.
On December 27, 2005, NRG entered into two purchase and
sale agreements with Dynegy Inc., or Dynegy, through which the
companies will each simultaneously purchase the others
interest in two jointly held entities that own power generation
facilities in the states of California and Illinois,
respectively. Under the purchase and sale agreement for the
California interests, NRG will acquire Dynegys 50%
interest in WCP (Generation) Holdings LLC, or WCP Holdings, for
a purchase price of $205 million. As a result of this
transaction, NRG will become the sole owner of power plants
totaling approximately 1,800 MW in southern California.
Pursuant to the terms of the purchase and sale agreement for the
Illinois interests, NRG will sell to Dynegy its 50% ownership
interest in the jointly held entity that owns the Rocky Road
power plant, a 330 MW natural gas-fired peaking facility
near Chicago, for a purchase price of $45 million. NRG will
effectively fund the net purchase price of $160 million
with cash held by West Coast Power LLC, or WCP. The
transactions, which are conditioned upon each other and subject
to regulatory approval, are expected to close in the first
quarter of 2006.
These transactions have been reflected in our pro forma
financial statements as filed on our amended Current Report on
Form 8-K/A filed
on January 23, 2006 and incorporated herein by reference.
Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations
On December 29, 2005, NRG announced that it had received
valid tenders and consents from holders of approximately
$1,078,137,353 in aggregate principal amount of Second Priority
Notes and $1,124,875,000 in aggregate principal amount of
Unsecured Senior Notes, representing approximately 99.78% and
99.98% of the outstanding Second Priority Notes and Unsecured
Senior Notes, respectively, in connection with the cash tender
offer and consent solicitation for the Second Priority Notes and
the Unsecured Senior Notes. Consummation of the tenders offers
are conditioned upon the satisfaction of certain conditions.
S-7
Corporate Structure and Material Components of Consolidated
Debt
The following simplified diagram represents the combined
companys corporate structure and material components of
the combined companys indebtedness at September 30,
2005 on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the
Transactions:
|
|
(1) |
The combined companys corporate structure also includes
$246.2 million of our 3.625% Convertible Preferred Stock,
which is reflected in the mezzanine section of NRGs
balance sheet as of September 30, 2005. |
|
(2) |
$1.0 billion revolving credit facility is expected to be
undrawn at closing of the Acquisition and the Financing
Transactions. |
|
(3) |
Includes Camas, Thermal and Peakers. Such subsidiaries had
$368 million of outstanding debt as of September 30,
2005 on a pro forma basis. Although the Excluded Domestic
Subsidiaries do not guarantee the notes, their results of
operations will be counted when measuring certain financial
ratios under the terms of the notes. See Description of
the Notes. |
|
(4) |
Includes SEG, Itiquira and Flinders. Such subsidiaries had
$470 million of outstanding debt as of September 30,
2005 on a pro forma basis. Although the Excluded Foreign
Subsidiaries do not guarantee the notes, their results of
operations will be counted when measuring certain financial
ratios under the terms of the notes. See Description of
the Notes. |
NRG Energy, Inc. is a Delaware corporation. Our principal
executive office is located at 211 Carnegie Center, Princeton,
New Jersey 08540, and our telephone number at that address is
(609) 524-4500. Our website is located at
www.nrgenergy.com. The information on, or linked to, our website
is not part of this prospectus supplement.
S-8
The Offering
|
|
|
Issuer |
|
NRG Energy, Inc. |
|
Notes |
|
$ in
aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Senior Notes due
2014. |
|
|
|
$ in
aggregate principal amount
of %
Senior Notes due 2014. |
|
|
|
$ in
aggregate principal amount
of %
Senior Notes due 2016. |
|
Maturity Date |
|
The 2014 notes will mature on February 1, 2014. |
|
|
|
The 2016 notes will mature on February 1, 2016. |
|
Interest Rates |
|
The 2014 floating rate notes will accrue interest from the date
of their issuance at a floating rate per year equal to LIBOR (as
defined) plus %, and
will be reset and payable quarterly on each February 1,
May 1, August 1 and November 1. |
|
|
|
The 2014 fixed rate notes will accrue interest at a rate per
year equal to %. |
|
|
|
The 2016 notes will accrue interest at a rate per year equal
to %. |
|
Interest Payment Dates |
|
We will pay interest on the 2014 fixed rate notes and 2016 notes
on February 1 and August 1 of each year, commencing
August 1, 2006. |
|
|
|
We will pay interest on the 2014 floating rate notes on
February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1,
commencing May 1, 2006. |
|
Guarantees |
|
The notes will be guaranteed jointly and severally by each of
our current and future restricted subsidiaries, excluding
certain foreign, project and immaterial subsidiaries.
Significant guarantors will include NRG Power Marketing, Inc.,
NRG South Central Generating LLC and certain of its
subsidiaries, and the subsidiaries owning NRGs assets in
the MidAtlantic region and in the Northeast region. Each
guarantee will rank pari passu with all existing and
future senior indebtedness of that guarantor and will be senior
in right of payment to all existing and future subordinated
indebtedness of that guarantor. |
|
Ranking |
|
The notes will be our general unsecured obligations and will
rank: |
|
|
|
pari passu in right of payment with all existing
and future unsecured senior indebtedness of NRG; and |
|
|
|
senior in right of payment to any future subordinated
indebtedness of NRG. |
|
|
|
Because the notes will be guaranteed by only certain of our
subsidiaries, they will be structurally subordinated to all
indebtedness and other liabilities, including trade payables, of
those subsidiaries that do not guarantee the notes. After giving
pro forma effect to the Transactions, (i) our guarantor
subsidiaries accounted for approximately 90% of our revenues
from wholly-owned operations for the nine months ended
September 30, 2005 and held approxi- |
S-9
|
|
|
|
|
mately 90% of our consolidated assets as of September 30,
2005, and (ii) our non-guarantor subsidiaries had
approximately $781 million in aggregate principal amount of
external funded indebtedness as of September 30, 2005, and
our outstanding consolidated trade payables were
$339 million as of September 30, 2005. Approximately
77% of these trade payables constituted obligations of NRG and
its guarantor subsidiaries. See Risk FactorsRisks
Related to the OfferingWe may not have access to the cash
flow and other assets of our subsidiaries that may be needed to
make payment on the notes. |
|
Optional Redemption |
|
On or after February 1, 2008, we can redeem some or all of
the 2014 floating rate notes at the redemption prices listed in
the Description of the NotesOptional
Redemption2014 Floating Rate Notes section of this
prospectus supplement, plus accrued and unpaid interest. |
|
|
|
We may redeem some or all of the 2014 fixed rate notes at any
time prior to February 1, 2010 at a price equal to 100% of
the principal amount of the 2014 fixed rate notes redeemed plus
a make-whole premium and accrued and unpaid
interest. On or after February 1, 2010, we can redeem some
or all of the 2014 fixed rate notes at the redemption prices
listed in the Description of the NotesOptional
Redemption2014 Fixed Rate Notes section of this
prospectus supplement, plus accrued and unpaid interest. |
|
|
|
We may redeem some or all of the 2016 notes at any time prior to
February 1, 2011 at a price equal to 100% of the principal
amount of the 2016 notes redeemed plus a
make-whole premium and accrued and unpaid
interest. On or after February 1, 2011, we can redeem some
or all of the 2016 notes at the redemption prices listed in the
Description of the NotesOptional
Redemption2016 Notes section of this prospectus
supplement, plus accrued and unpaid interest. |
|
|
|
Prior to February 1, 2008, we may redeem up to 35% of the
2014 floating rate notes issued under the 2014 floating rate
indenture with the net cash proceeds of certain equity
offerings, provided at least 65% of the aggregate principal
amount of the 2014 floating rate notes issued in this offering
remains outstanding after the redemption. |
|
|
|
Prior to February 1, 2009, we may redeem up to 35% of the
2014 fixed rate notes issued under the 2014 fixed rate indenture
with the net cash proceeds of certain equity offerings, provided
at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2014 fixed
rate notes issued in this offering remains outstanding after the
redemption. |
|
|
|
Prior to February 1, 2009, we may redeem up to 35% of the
2016 notes issued under the 2016 indenture with the net cash
proceeds of certain equity offerings, provided at least 65% of
the aggregate principal amount of the 2016 notes issued in this
offering remains outstanding after the redemption. |
|
|
|
NRG may redeem the notes, at its option, in whole but not in
part, at any time prior to September 30, 2006 at a
redemption price |
S-10
|
|
|
|
|
equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes
plus accrued interest to, but not including, the redemption date
if, in its judgment, any of the conditions to the release of
funds from the escrow account to NRG to fund the Acquisition
will not be satisfied on or prior to September 30, 2006. |
|
Change of control |
|
Upon the occurrence of a change of control, holders of the notes
will have the right, subject to certain conditions, to require
us to repurchase their notes at a price equal to 101% of their
principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of
repurchase. See Description of the NotesRepurchase
at the Option of HoldersChange of Control. |
|
Certain Covenants |
|
The indentures governing the notes will contain certain
covenants that will, among other things, limit our ability and
the ability of our restricted subsidiaries to: |
|
|
|
incur additional debt; |
|
|
|
declare or pay dividends, redeem stock or make other
distributions to stockholders; |
|
|
|
create liens; |
|
|
|
make certain restricted investments; |
|
|
|
enter into transactions with affiliates; |
|
|
|
sell or transfer assets; and |
|
|
|
consolidate or merge. |
|
|
|
These covenants are subject to a number of important
qualifications and limitations. See Description of the
NotesCertain Covenants. |
|
Escrow of Proceeds; Redemption |
|
The underwriters will deposit the net proceeds of this offering
(after payment of underwriting discounts and commissions) into
an escrow account held by the escrow agent, and these proceeds
will be used to pay the special mandatory redemption price for
the notes described below, when and if due. |
|
|
|
The notes are subject to a special mandatory redemption at a
redemption price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount
of the notes plus accrued interest to, but not including, the
redemption date if the Acquisition is not consummated by
September 30, 2006 on substantially the terms described in
this prospectus supplement. NRG has received consents from the
lenders under its existing credit facility to permit the funding
of the escrow, the granting of a lien on the escrow account and
the making of the special mandatory redemption in connection
with this offering and the Acquisition. |
|
|
|
The funds held in the escrow account, including the net proceeds
from this offering, will be released from escrow to NRG upon
consummation of the Acquisition on substantially the terms
described in this prospectus supplement on or prior to
September 30, 2006. See Description of the
NotesEscrow of Proceeds; Special Mandatory
Redemption. |
S-11
|
|
|
Use of Proceeds |
|
We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering, after giving
effect to underwriting discounts and commissions, will be
approximately
$ million.
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering and the
offerings of common stock and the mandatory convertible
preferred stock, together with initial borrowings under our new
senior secured credit facility and cash on hand, (i) to
finance the Acquisition, (ii) to repurchase NRGs
outstanding Second Priority Notes, (iii) to repurchase
Texas Gencos outstanding Unsecured Senior Notes,
(iv) to repay amounts outstanding under NRGs existing
senior secured credit facility and Texas Gencos existing
senior secured credit facility, (v) for ongoing credit
needs of the combined company, including replacement of existing
letters of credit and (vi) to pay related fees, premiums
and expenses. See Use of Proceeds. |
S-12
Summary Historical and Pro Forma Financial Information
The following table presents summary historical consolidated
financial information of (i) NRG as of and for the year
ended December 31, 2004 and as of and for the nine months
ended September 30, 2005, (ii) Texas Genco as of and
for the year ended December 31, 2004 and as of and for the
nine months ended September 30, 2005, and (iii) the
combined company on a pro forma basis for the year ended
December 31, 2004 and as of and for the nine months ended
September 30, 2005, giving effect to (a) the
reclassification of Audrain as a discontinued operation; see
Recent Developments; (b) the inclusion of
the results pursuant to the ROFR (as described below);
(c) the refinancing of NRGs old debt structure;
(d) the remaining Financing Transactions and subsequent
Acquisition; and (e) the acquisition of the remaining 50%
ownership interest in WCP Holdings and the sale of our 50%
ownership interest in Rocky Road; see Recent
Developments.
The summary historical consolidated financial information of NRG
as of and for the year ended December 31, 2004 were derived
from the audited consolidated financial information contained in
the audited consolidated financial statements of NRG
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. The
summary unaudited historical consolidated financial information
for NRG as of and for the nine months ended September 30,
2005 (i) were derived from NRGs unaudited
consolidated financial statements which are incorporated by
reference into this prospectus supplement, (ii) have been
prepared on a similar basis to that used in the preparation of
the audited financial statements of NRG and (iii) in the
opinion of NRGs management, include all adjustments
necessary for a fair statement of the results for the unaudited
interim period. The results for periods for less than a full
year are not necessarily indicative of the results to be
expected for any interim period.
The summary historical consolidated financial information of
Texas Genco as of and for the year ended December 31, 2004
were derived from the audited consolidated financial information
contained in the audited consolidated financial statements of
Texas Genco incorporated by reference into this prospectus
supplement. The summary unaudited historical consolidated
financial information for Texas Genco as of and for the nine
months ended September 30, 2005 (i) were derived from
Texas Gencos unaudited financial statements which are
incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement,
(ii) have been prepared on a similar basis to that used in
the preparation of the audited financial statements of Texas
Genco, and (iii) in the opinion of Texas Gencos
management, include all adjustments necessary for a fair
statement of the results for the unaudited interim period. The
results for periods for less than a full year are not
necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any
interim period.
The historical financial information for WCP as of and for the
year ended December 31, 2004 were derived from the audited
financial statements of WCP as of and of the year ended
December 31, 2004 contained as Exhibit 99.1 in
NRGs
Form 10-K filed on
March 30, 2005. The unaudited historical consolidated
financial information as of and for the nine months ended
September 30, 2005 (i) have been derived from
WCPs unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements
that are included as Exhibit 99.06 to the current report on
Form 8-K/A filed
on January 5, 2006 and incorporated in this prospectus
supplement by reference, (ii) have been prepared on a
similar basis to that used in the preparation of the audited
financial statements and (iii) in the opinion of WCPs
management, include all adjustments necessary for a fair
statement of the results for the unaudited interim period.
The unaudited pro forma combined income statement data and other
financial data for the combined company for the year ended
December 31, 2004 and for the nine months ended
September 30, 2005 give effect to (a) the
reclassification of Audrain as a discontinued operation;
(b) the inclusion of the results pursuant to the ROFR;
(c) the refinancing of NRGs old debt structure;
(d) the remaining Financing Transactions and subsequent
Acquisition; and (e) the acquisition of the remaining 50%
ownership interest in WCP Holdings and the sale of our 50%
ownership interest in Rocky Road, as if they had occurred on
January 1, 2004. The unaudited pro forma combined balance
sheet data as of September 30, 2005 gives effect to
(a) the sale of Audrain as of September 30, 2005;
(b) the refinancing of NRGs old debt structure;
(c) the remaining Financing Transactions and subsequent
Acquisition; and (d) the acquisition of the remaining 50%
ownership interest in WCP Holdings and the sale of our 50%
ownership interest in Rocky Road as if they had
S-13
occurred on September 30, 2005. The adjustments reflected
in the unaudited pro forma financial data are based on available
information and assumptions management believes are reasonable.
However, due to the lack of asset appraisals and a future
closing date, it is difficult to estimate a pro forma allocation
of purchase price for the Acquisition. For purposes of these pro
forma statements we have assumed that the consideration paid in
excess of the historical book value of net assets acquired is
related to the step-up
in fair value of Texas Gencos emission credit inventory, a
step-up in the value of
Texas Gencos fixed assets, and an increase in liabilities
for assumed
out-of-market
contracts. Once the Acquisition is closed, the excess of the
estimated purchase price may differ considerably from these
assumptions based on the results of appraisals and the
finalization of the purchase price allocation as a result of
closing and other analyses, which NRG is obtaining. The other
analyses include actuarial studies of employee benefit plans,
income tax effects of the Acquisition, analyses of operations to
identify assets for disposition and the evaluation of staffing
requirements necessary to meet future business needs.
Ultimately, the excess of the purchase price over the fair value
of the net tangible and identified intangible assets acquired
will be recorded as goodwill.
The unaudited pro forma financial information is for
informational purposes only, however, and is based on several
assumptions, including our assumptions regarding the Financing
Transactions and the Acquisition, that may prove to be
inaccurate. The unaudited pro forma consolidated financial data
presented below do not purport to represent what the combined
companys results of operations would actually have been
had the Acquisition and the Financing Transactions in fact
occurred on the dates specified above or to project the combined
companys results of operations for any future period.
The historical consolidated financial information and the
unaudited pro forma combined financial information set forth
below should be read in conjunction with (i) the
consolidated financial statements of NRG, the related notes
thereto and Managements Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in
NRGs annual report for the year ended December 31,
2004 as amended by the current report on
Form 8-K filed on
December 20, 2005, and quarterly report on
Form 10-Q for the
nine months ended September 30, 2005, each as incorporated
in this prospectus supplement by reference, (ii) the
consolidated financial statements of Texas Genco and Texas Genco
Holdings, Inc., the related notes thereto and Managements
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations for the year ended December 31, 2004 and for the
nine months ended September 30, 2005, each as incorporated
in this prospectus supplement by reference to NRGs current
report on Form 8-K
filed on December 21, 2005, (iii) the financial
statements of WCP, the related notes thereto included in
NRGs annual report on
Form 10-K as
Exhibit 99.1 as of and for the year ended December 31,
2004 and the financial statements as of and for the nine months
ended September 30, 2005 as found in Exhibit 99.06 to
the current report on
Form 8-K/A filed
on January 5, 2006 and (iv) Selected
Consolidated Financial Information of NRG, Selected
Consolidated Financial Information of Texas Genco,
Risk Factors Risks Related to the Acquisition
Because the historical and pro forma financial information
incorporated by reference or included elsewhere in this
prospectus supplement may not be representative of our results
as a combined company or capital structure after the
Acquisition, and NRGs and Texas Gencos historical
financial information are not comparable to their current
financial information, you have limited financial information on
which to evaluate us, NRG, Texas Genco and your investment
decision, and Risk Factors Risks Related to
the Offering If NRG is unable to raise sufficient proceeds
through other Financing Transactions described elsewhere in this
prospectus supplement, NRG may draw down on a bridge loan
facility in order to close the Acquisition which would
significantly increase our indebtedness. If NRG elects not to
consummate the financing under the bridge loan facility, NRG may
seek alternative sources of financing for the Acquisition, the
terms of which are unknown to us and could limit our ability to
operate our business.
S-14
|
|
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|
|
|
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NRG Energy, | |
|
Texas Genco | |
|
NRG Energy, | |
|
Texas Genco | |
|
Pro Forma Combined | |
|
|
Inc.(1) | |
|
LLC | |
|
Inc.(1) | |
|
LLC | |
|
Company(1)(2) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
For the | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period from | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
July 19, | |
|
For the | |
|
For the | |
|
|
|
For the | |
|
|
For the Year | |
|
2004 | |
|
Nine Months | |
|
Nine Months | |
|
For the Year | |
|
Nine Months | |
|
|
Ended | |
|
through | |
|
Ended | |
|
Ended | |
|
Ended | |
|
Ended | |
|
|
December 31, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
|
2004 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(unaudited) | |
|
(unaudited) | |
|
(unaudited) | |
|
(unaudited) | |
|
|
($ in thousands, except per share data) | |
Income Statement Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating revenues
|
|
$ |
2,347,882 |
|
|
$ |
95,847 |
|
|
$ |
1,942,828 |
|
|
$ |
1,999,827 |
|
|
$ |
5,394,910 |
|
|
$ |
5,180,190 |
|
Total operating costs and expenses
|
|
|
1,955,887 |
|
|
|
82,105 |
|
|
|
1,861,569 |
|
|
|
1,502,170 |
|
|
|
4,559,583 |
|
|
|
3,820,967 |
|
Income/(loss) from continuing operations
|
|
|
159,144 |
|
|
|
(20,133 |
) |
|
|
6,991 |
|
|
|
345,928 |
|
|
|
183,286 |
|
|
|
617,507 |
|
Income/(loss) on discontinued operations, net of income taxes
|
|
|
26,473 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,612 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
Net income/(loss)
|
|
|
185,617 |
|
|
|
(20,133 |
) |
|
|
19,603 |
|
|
|
345,928 |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
Earnings per share-Basic
|
|
$ |
1.86 |
|
|
$ |
(0.13 |
) |
|
$ |
0.07 |
|
|
$ |
2.05 |
|
|
$ |
0.96 |
|
|
$ |
4.02 |
|
Earnings per share-Diluted
|
|
$ |
1.85 |
|
|
$ |
(0.13 |
) |
|
$ |
0.07 |
|
|
$ |
1.98 |
|
|
$ |
0.96 |
|
|
$ |
3.70 |
|
Other Financial Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital expenditures
|
|
$ |
(114,360 |
) |
|
$ |
(5,744 |
) |
|
$ |
(45,518 |
) |
|
|
(73,781 |
) |
|
|
(120,104 |
) |
|
|
(119,299 |
) |
Cash flows from operating activities
|
|
|
643,993 |
|
|
|
36,023 |
|
|
|
(113,802 |
) |
|
|
408,821 |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
EBITDA(3)(4)(5)
|
|
|
965,627 |
|
|
|
26,614 |
|
|
|
395,874 |
|
|
|
764,463 |
|
|
|
1,763,642 |
|
|
|
842,040 |
|
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
|
|
|
1.83 |
x |
|
|
0.4 |
x |
|
|
1.19 |
x |
|
|
3.70 |
x |
|
|
1.39 |
x |
|
|
3.41 |
x |
Balance Sheet Data (at period end):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$ |
1,103,678 |
|
|
|
85,939 |
|
|
$ |
504,336 |
|
|
|
222,393 |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
153,967 |
|
Restricted cash
|
|
|
109,633 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
91,508 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
91,508 |
|
Total Assets
|
|
|
7,830,283 |
|
|
|
4,587,566 |
|
|
|
7,795,367 |
|
|
|
6,098,723 |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
20,818,402 |
|
Total long-term debt including current maturities
|
|
|
3,723,854 |
|
|
|
2,280,105 |
|
|
|
3,042,398 |
|
|
|
2,742,910 |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
7,634,504 |
|
Stockholders equity/(deficit)
|
|
|
2,692,164 |
|
|
|
771,516 |
|
|
|
2,019,168 |
|
|
|
773,112 |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
4,952,919 |
|
|
|
(1) |
NRGs results and our pro forma results include the
following items that have had a significant impact on operations
during the periods indicated below: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro Forma | |
|
|
NRG Energy, Inc. | |
|
Combined Company | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
For the | |
|
|
|
For the | |
|
|
For the | |
|
Nine Months | |
|
For the | |
|
Nine Months | |
|
|
Year Ended | |
|
Ended | |
|
Year Ended | |
|
Ended | |
|
|
December 31, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
(unaudited) | |
|
(unaudited) | |
|
(unaudited) | |
|
|
($ in thousands) | |
(Income)/loss on discontinued operations, net of income taxes
|
|
$ |
26,473 |
|
|
$ |
12,612 |
|
|
|
(a |
) |
|
|
(a |
) |
Corporate relocation charges
|
|
|
16,167 |
|
|
|
5,651 |
|
|
|
16,167 |
|
|
|
5,651 |
|
Reorganization items
|
|
|
(13,390 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(13,390 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Restructuring and impairment charges
|
|
|
44,661 |
|
|
|
6,223 |
|
|
|
69,009 |
|
|
|
6,223 |
|
Gain on sale of assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(689 |
) |
|
|
(28,358 |
) |
Write downs, gains and losses on sales of equity method
investments
|
|
|
(16,270 |
) |
|
|
15,894 |
|
|
|
(16,270 |
) |
|
|
15,894 |
|
FERC authorized settlement
|
|
|
(38,357 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(38,357 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Write down of Note Receivable
|
|
|
4,572 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,572 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(a) |
Our pro forma combined company reflects items from continuing
operations only. |
|
(2) |
On May 19, 2005, pursuant to the exercise of a right of
first refusal, or the ROFR, by Texas Genco, subsequent to a
third party offer to American Electric Power, or AEP, in early
2004, Texas Genco acquired from AEP an additional 13.2%
undivided interest in South Texas Project Electric Generating
Station, or STP. As a result, Texas Genco currently owns a 44.0%
undivided interest in |
S-15
|
|
|
STP. For pro forma purposes, NRG
has accounted for the ROFR as a business acquisition and
included the ROFR in its pro forma adjustments to the statements
of operation. NRG has also accounted for the sale of Audrain,
the acquisition of WCP and the sale of Rocky Road for purposes
of these pro forma financial statements.
|
|
(3) |
NRG and Texas Gencos EBITDA
represent net income before interest, taxes, depreciation and
amortization. We present EBITDA because we consider it an
important supplemental measure of our liquidity and our ability
to service our debt and believe it is frequently used by
securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in
the evaluation of companies liquidity in our industry.
EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not
consider it in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of NRG
and Texas Gencos operating results as reported under
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States,
or GAAP. Some of these limitations are:
|
|
|
|
|
|
EBITDA does not reflect our cash expenditures, or future
requirements for capital expenditures, or contractual
commitments; |
|
|
|
EBITDA does not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for,
our working capital needs; |
|
|
|
EBITDA does not reflect the significant interest expense, or the
cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal
payments, on our debts; |
|
|
|
Although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the
assets being depreciated and amortized will often have to be
replaced in the future, and our EBITDA does not reflect any cash
requirements for such replacements; and |
|
|
|
Other companies may calculate EBITDA differently than we do,
limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure. |
|
|
|
Because of these limitations, EBITDA should not be considered as
a measure of discretionary cash available to use to invest in
the growth of our business. We compensate for these limitations
by relying primarily on our GAAP results and using EBITDA only
supplementally. |
|
|
The following table summarizes the calculation of NRGs
EBITDA and provides a reconciliation to NRGs net income
for the periods indicated: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NRG Energy, Inc. | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
For the | |
|
|
For the Year | |
|
Nine Months | |
|
|
Ended | |
|
Ended | |
|
|
December 31, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(unaudited) | |
|
(unaudited) | |
|
|
($ in thousands) | |
Net income/(loss)
|
|
$ |
185,617 |
|
|
$ |
19,603 |
|
Plus
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income tax expense/(benefit)
|
|
|
65,364 |
|
|
|
21,201 |
|
Interest and refinancing expense
|
|
|
337,714 |
|
|
|
194,634 |
|
Depreciation and amortization expense
|
|
|
208,036 |
|
|
|
144,317 |
|
WCP CDWR Contract amortization
|
|
|
115,751 |
|
|
|
|
|
Amortization of power contracts
|
|
|
35,316 |
|
|
|
6,485 |
|
Amortization of emission credits
|
|
|
17,829 |
|
|
|
9,634 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NRG EBITDA
|
|
$ |
965,627 |
|
|
$ |
395,874 |
|
|
|
(4) |
The following table summarizes the calculation of Texas
Gencos EBITDA and provides a reconciliation to Texas
Gencos net income for the periods include: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Predecessor | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Texas Genco | |
|
|
|
Combined | |
|
|
|
|
Holdings, | |
|
Texas Genco | |
|
Texas Genco | |
|
Texas Genco | |
|
|
Inc. | |
|
LLC | |
|
LLC(a) | |
|
LLC | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
For the Period | |
|
|
|
For the | |
|
|
For the Year | |
|
from July 19, | |
|
For the Year | |
|
Nine Months | |
|
|
Ended | |
|
2004 through | |
|
Ended | |
|
Ended | |
|
|
December 31, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
|
2004 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
($ in thousands) | |
|
|
|
(unaudited) | |
Net income/(loss)
|
|
|
(99,118 |
) |
|
$ |
(20,133 |
) |
|
|
(119,251 |
) |
|
$ |
345,928 |
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
88,928 |
|
|
|
12,607 |
|
|
|
101,535 |
|
|
|
253,399 |
|
Fuel-related depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
29,079 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
29,079 |
|
|
|
10,278 |
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
126 |
|
|
|
34,140 |
|
|
|
34,266 |
|
|
|
134,306 |
|
Income taxes
|
|
|
(170,479 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(170,479 |
) |
|
|
20,552 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Texas Genco EBITDA
|
|
$ |
(151,464 |
) |
|
$ |
26,614 |
|
|
$ |
(124,850 |
) |
|
$ |
764,463 |
|
S-16
|
|
(a) |
Reflects a combination of Texas Genco LLC and its predecessor,
Texas Genco Holdings, Inc., results for the year ended
December 31, 2004, combined for presentation purposes only. |
|
(5) |
The following table sets forth a reconciliation of the combined
companys pro forma income from continuing operations to
pro forma combined EBITDA: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro Forma Combined Company | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
For the | |
|
|
For the Year | |
|
Nine Months | |
|
|
Ended | |
|
Ended | |
|
|
December 31, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(unaudited) | |
|
(unaudited) | |
|
|
($ in thousands) | |
Income/(loss) from continuing operations
|
|
$ |
183,286 |
|
|
$ |
617,507 |
|
Plus
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income tax expense
|
|
|
51,418 |
|
|
|
394,319 |
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
620,885 |
|
|
|
413,781 |
|
|
Refinancing expense
|
|
|
71,569 |
|
|
|
44,036 |
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
780,250 |
|
|
|
460,383 |
|
|
Fuel-related depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
28,017 |
|
|
|
17,121 |
|
|
Amortization of power contracts
|
|
|
35,316 |
|
|
|
6,485 |
|
|
Amortization of emission credits
|
|
|
141,611 |
|
|
|
102,431 |
|
|
Amortization of out of market contracts for coal and power sales
|
|
|
(264,461 |
) |
|
|
(1,214,023 |
) |
|
WCP CDWR contract amortization
|
|
|
115,751 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma combined EBITDA
|
|
|
1,763,642 |
|
|
|
842,040 |
|
|
|
(6) |
Our pro forma results include the following items that have had
a significant impact on operations during the periods indicated
below: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro Forma Combined Company | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
For the | |
|
|
For the Year | |
|
Nine Months | |
|
|
Ended | |
|
Ended | |
|
|
December 31, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(unaudited) | |
|
(unaudited) | |
|
|
($ in thousands) | |
Corporate relocation charges
|
|
|
16,167 |
|
|
|
5,651 |
|
Reorganization items
|
|
|
(13,390 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Impairment charges
|
|
|
69,009 |
|
|
|
6,223 |
|
FERC-authorized settlement with CLSP
|
|
|
(38,357 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Write down on notes receivable
|
|
|
4,572 |
|
|
|
|
|
Write downs (Gains)/Loss on sales of equity investments
|
|
|
16,270 |
|
|
|
(15,894 |
) |
(Gains)/Loss on sale of assets
|
|
|
(689 |
) |
|
|
(28,358 |
) |
Restructuring costs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
35,293 |
|
Transaction costs
|
|
|
2,694 |
|
|
|
|
|
Domestic mark to market (gains)/loss
|
|
|
(55,253 |
) |
|
|
235,156 |
|
S-17
RISK FACTORS
Investing in the notes involves a high degree of risk. The
risks below are not the only risks that we face. Additional
risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we
currently deem to be immaterial may also materially adversely
affect our business operations. The following risks could affect
our business, financial condition or results of operations. In
such a case, you may lose all or part of your original
investment. You should carefully consider the risks described
below as well as other information and data set forth in this
prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the
documents incorporated by reference herein and therein before
making an investment decision with respect to the notes.
Risks Related to the Operation of our Business
|
|
|
Many of our power generation facilities operate, wholly or
partially, without long-term power sale agreements. |
Many of our facilities operate as merchant
facilities without long-term power sale agreements, and
therefore are exposed to market fluctuations. Without the
benefit of long-term power purchase agreements for certain
assets, we cannot be sure that we will be able to sell any or
all of the power generated by these facilities at commercially
attractive rates or that these facilities will be able to
operate profitably. This could lead to future impairments of our
property, plant and equipment or to the closing of certain of
our facilities resulting in economic losses and liabilities,
which could have a material adverse effect on our results of
operations, financial condition or cash flows.
|
|
|
Our financial performance may be impacted by future
decreases in oil and natural gas prices, significant and
unpredictable price fluctuations in the wholesale power markets
and other market factors that are beyond our control. |
A significant percentage of the combined companys domestic
revenues is derived from baseload power plants that are fueled
by coal or nuclear fuel. In many of the competitive markets
where NRG and Texas Genco operate, the price of power typically
is set by marginal cost natural gas-fired and oil-fired power
plants that currently have substantially higher variable costs
than our solid fuel baseload power plants. This tends to
increase the market clearing price for power. The current
pricing and cost environment allows NRGs and Texas
Gencos baseload coal and nuclear fuel generation assets to
earn attractive operating margins compared to plants fueled by
natural gas and oil. A decrease in oil and natural gas prices
could be expected to result in a corresponding decrease in the
market price of power but would generally not affect the cost of
the solid fuels that NRG and Texas Genco use. This could
significantly reduce the operating margins of NRGs and
Texas Gencos baseload generation assets and materially and
adversely impact NRGs and Texas Gencos financial
performance.
We sell all or a portion of the energy, capacity and other
products from many of our facilities to wholesale power markets,
including energy markets operated by independent system
operators, or ISOs, or regional transmission organizations, or
RTOs, as well as wholesale purchasers. We are generally not
entitled to traditional cost-based regulation, therefore we sell
electric generation capacity, power and ancillary services to
wholesale purchasers at prices determined by the market. As a
result, we are not guaranteed any rate of return on our capital
investments through mandated rates, and our revenues and results
of operations depend upon current and forward market prices for
power.
Market prices for power, generation capacity and ancillary
services tend to fluctuate substantially. Unlike most other
commodities, electric power can only be stored on a very limited
basis and generally must be produced concurrently with its use.
As a result, power prices are subject to significant volatility
from supply and demand imbalances, especially in the day-ahead
and spot markets. Long-term and short-term power prices may also
fluctuate substantially due to other factors outside of our
control, including:
|
|
|
|
|
increases and decreases in generation capacity in our markets,
including the addition of new supplies of power from existing
competitors or new market entrants as a result of the
development of new generation plants, expansion of existing
plants or additional transmission capacity; |
S-18
|
|
|
|
|
changes in power transmission or fuel transportation capacity
constraints or inefficiencies; |
|
|
|
electric supply disruptions, including plant outages and
transmission disruptions; |
|
|
|
weather conditions; |
|
|
|
changes in the demand for power or in patterns of power usage,
including the potential development of demand-side management
tools and practices; |
|
|
|
availability of competitively priced alternative power sources; |
|
|
|
development of new fuels and new technologies for the production
of power; |
|
|
|
natural disasters, wars, embargoes, terrorist attacks and other
catastrophic events; |
|
|
|
regulations and actions of the ISOs or RTOs; and |
|
|
|
federal and state power market and environmental regulation and
legislation. |
These factors have caused NRGs and Texas Gencos
quarterly operating results to fluctuate in the past and will
continue to cause them to do so in the future.
|
|
|
Our costs, results of operations, financial condition and
cash flows could be adversely impacted by an increase in fuel
prices or disruption of our fuel supplies. |
We rely on coal, nuclear fuel derived from uranium, oil and
natural gas to fuel our power generation facilities. Delivery of
these fuels to our facilities is dependent upon the continuing
financial viability of contractual counterparties as well as
upon the infrastructure (including rail lines, rail cars, barge
facilities, roadways, and natural gas pipelines) available to
serve each generation facility. As a result, we are subject to
the risks of disruptions or curtailments in the production of
power at our generation facilities if a counterparty fails to
perform or if there is a disruption in the fuel delivery
infrastructure.
The combined company has sold forward a substantial part of its
baseload power in order to lock in long-term prices that it
deemed to be favorable at the time it entered into the forward
sale contracts. In order to hedge our obligations under these
forward power sales contracts, we have entered into long-term
and short-term contracts for the purchase and delivery of fuel.
Many of our forward power sales contracts do not allow us to
pass through changes in fuel costs or discharge the
companys power sale obligations in the case of a
disruption in fuel supply due to force majeure events or the
default of a fuel supplier or transporter. Disruptions in our
fuel supplies may therefore require us to find alternative fuel
sources at higher costs, to find other sources of power to
deliver to counterparties at higher cost, or to pay damages to
counterparties for failure to deliver power as contracted. Any
such event could have a material adverse effect on our financial
performance.
We also buy significant quantities of fuel on a short-term or
spot market basis. Prices for all of our fuels fluctuate,
sometimes rising or falling significantly over a short period.
The price we can obtain for the sale of energy may not rise at
the same rate, or may not rise at all, to match a rise in fuel
or delivery costs. This may have a material adverse effect on
our financial performance. Changes in market prices for natural
gas, coal and oil may result from the following:
|
|
|
|
|
weather conditions; |
|
|
|
seasonality; |
|
|
|
demand for energy commodities and general economic conditions; |
|
|
|
disruption of electricity, gas or coal transmission or
transportation, infrastructure or other constraints or
inefficiencies; |
|
|
|
additional generating capacity; |
|
|
|
availability of competitively priced alternative energy sources; |
S-19
|
|
|
|
|
availability and levels of storage and inventory for fuel stocks; |
|
|
|
natural gas, crude oil, refined products and coal production
levels; |
|
|
|
the creditworthiness or bankruptcy or other financial distress
of market participants; |
|
|
|
changes in market liquidity; |
|
|
|
natural disasters, wars, embargoes, acts of terrorism and other
catastrophic events; |
|
|
|
federal, state and foreign governmental regulation and
legislation; and |
|
|
|
our creditworthiness and liquidity and willingness of fuel
suppliers/transporters to do business with us. |
Our plant operating characteristics and equipment, particularly
at our coal-fired plants, often dictate the specific fuel
quality to be combusted. The availability and price of specific
fuel qualities may vary due to supplier financial or operational
disruptions, transportation disruptions and force majeure. At
times, coal of specific quality may not be available at any
price, or we may not be able to transport such coal to our
facilities on a timely basis. In such case, we may not be able
to run a coal facility even if it would be profitable. Operating
a coal facility with lesser quality coal can lead to emission or
operating problems. If we had sold forward the power from such a
coal facility, we could be required to supply or purchase power
from alternate sources, perhaps at a loss. This could have a
material adverse impact on the financial results of specific
plants and on our results of operations.
Texas Genco procures approximately 70% of the fuel for its
Limestone facility from a lignite mine adjacent to the plant,
pursuant to a contract that expires in 2015. The contract has
been the subject of past litigation over pricing and other
matters, and requires the parties periodically to renegotiate
both the price and volume of lignite provided. If we are unable
to renegotiate the terms of the agreement, if the counterparty
fails to perform, or if the mine is unable to yield sufficient
quantities of lignite, we could experience a disruption of
supply, which could result in a curtailment or shutdown of the
Limestone plant, or could require us to acquire the fuel at
higher spot market prices.
The owners (including Texas Genco) of STP satisfy fuel supply
requirements for STP by acquiring uranium concentrates and
contracting to convert uranium concentrates into uranium
hexafluoride, enrich uranium hexafluoride and fabricate nuclear
fuel assemblies. These contracts have varying expiration dates,
and most are short to medium term. A disruption in uranium
supplies, or in conversion, enrichment or fabrication services,
could adversely affect operations at STP or increase the fuel
costs associated with operations.
|
|
|
There may be periods when we will not be able to meet our
commitments under our forward sales obligations at a reasonable
cost or at all. |
A substantial portion of the output from NRGs units is
sold forward under fixed price power sales contracts through
2010, and we also sell forward the output from our intermediate
and peaking facilities when we deem it commercially advantageous
to do so. Because our obligations under most of these agreements
are not contingent on a unit being available to generate power,
we are generally required to deliver power to the buyer, even in
the event of a plant outage, fuel supply disruption or a
reduction in the available capacity of the unit. To the extent
that we do not have sufficient lower cost capacity to meet our
commitments under our forward sales obligations, we would be
required to supply replacement power either by running our
other, higher cost power plants or by obtaining power from
third-party sources at market prices that could substantially
exceed the contract price. If we failed to deliver the
contracted power, then we would be required to pay the
difference between the market price at the delivery point and
the contract price, and the amount of such payments could be
substantial.
In NRGs South Central region, NRG has long-term contracts
with rural cooperatives that require it to serve all of the
cooperatives requirements at prices that generally reflect
the costs of coal-fired generation. At times, the output from
NRGs coal-fired Big Cajun II facility is inadequate
to serve these obligations, and when that happens NRG typically
purchases power from other power producers, often at a loss.
NRGs
S-20
financial returns from its South Central region are likely to
deteriorate over time as the rural cooperatives grow their
customer bases, unless NRG is able to amend or renegotiate its
contracts with the cooperatives or add generating capacity.
|
|
|
Our trading operations and the use of hedging agreements
could result in financial losses that negatively impact our
results of operations. |
We enter into hedging agreements, including contracts to
purchase or sell commodities at future dates and at fixed
prices, in order to manage the commodity price risks inherent in
our power generation operations. These activities, although
intended to mitigate price volatility, expose us to other risks.
When we sell power forward, we give up the opportunity to sell
power at higher prices in the future, which not only may result
in lost opportunity costs but also may require us to post
significant amounts of cash collateral or other credit support
to our counterparties. Further, if the values of the financial
contracts change in a manner we do not anticipate, or if a
counterparty fails to perform under a contract, it could harm
our business, operating results or financial position.
We do not typically hedge the entire exposure of our operations
against commodity price volatility. To the extent we do not
hedge against commodity price volatility, our results of
operations and financial position may be improved or diminished
based upon movement in commodity prices.
From time to time we may engage in trading activities, including
the trading of power, fuel and emissions credits, that are not
directly related to the operation of our generation facilities
or the management of related risks. These trading activities
take place in volatile markets and some of these trades could be
characterized as speculative. We would expect to settle these
trades financially rather than through the production of power
or the delivery of fuel. This trading activity may expose us to
the risk of significant financial losses which could have a
material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.
|
|
|
We may not have sufficient liquidity to hedge market risks
effectively. |
We are exposed to market risks through our power marketing
business, which involves the sale of energy, capacity and
related products and the purchase and sale of fuel, transmission
services and emission allowances. These market risks include,
among other risks, volatility arising from location and timing
differences that may be associated with buying and transporting
fuel, converting fuel into energy and delivering the energy to a
buyer.
We undertake these marketing activities through agreements with
various counterparties. Many of our agreements with
counterparties include provisions that require us to provide
guarantees, offset of netting arrangements, letters of credit, a
second lien on assets and/or cash collateral to protect the
counterparties against the risk of our default or insolvency.
The amount of such credit support that must be provided
typically is based on the difference between the price of the
commodity in a given contract and the market price of the
commodity. Significant movements in market prices can result in
our being required to provide cash collateral and letters of
credit in very large amounts. The effectiveness of our strategy
may be dependent on the amount of collateral available to enter
into or maintain these contracts, and liquidity requirements may
be greater than we anticipate or are able to meet. Without a
sufficient amount of working capital to post as collateral in
support of performance guarantees or as cash margin, we may not
be able to manage price volatility effectively or to implement
our strategy. An increase in demands from our counterparties to
post letters of credit or cash collateral may negatively affect
our liquidity position and financial condition.
Further, if our facilities experience unplanned outages, we may
be required to procure replacement power at spot market prices
in order to fulfill contractual commitments. Without adequate
liquidity to post margin and collateral requirements, we may be
exposed to significant losses, may miss significant
opportunities, and may have increased exposure to the volatility
of spot markets.
S-21
|
|
|
The accounting for our hedging activities may increase the
volatility in our quarterly and annual financial results. |
We engage in commodity-related marketing and price-risk
management activities in order to economically hedge our
exposure to market risk with respect to:
|
|
|
|
|
electricity sales from our generation assets; |
|
|
|
fuel utilized by those assets; and |
|
|
|
emission allowances. |
We generally attempt to balance our fixed-price physical and
financial purchases and sales commitments in terms of contract
volumes and the timing of performance and delivery obligations,
through the use of financial and physical derivative contracts.
These derivatives are accounted for in accordance with
SFAS No. 133, Accounting for Derivative
Instruments and Hedging Activities, as amended by
SFAS No. 137, SFAS No. 138 and
SFAS No. 149. SFAS No. 133 requires us to
record all derivatives on the balance sheet at fair value with
changes in the fair value resulting from fluctuations in the
underlying commodity prices immediately recognized in earnings,
unless the derivative qualifies for hedge accounting treatment.
Whether a derivative qualifies for hedge accounting depends upon
it meeting specific criteria used to determine if hedge
accounting is and will remain appropriate for the term of the
derivative. Economic hedges will not necessarily qualify for
hedge accounting treatment. As a result, we are unable to
predict the impact that our risk management decisions may have
on our quarterly and annual operating results.
|
|
|
Goodwill and/or other intangible assets that we will
record in connection with the Acquisition are subject to
mandatory annual impairment evaluations and as a result, the
combined company could be required to write off some or all of
this goodwill and other intangibles, which may adversely affect
its financial condition and results of operations. |
NRG will account for the Acquisition using the purchase method
of accounting. The purchase price for Texas Genco will be
allocated to identifiable tangible and intangible assets and
assumed liabilities based on estimated fair values at the date
of consummation of the Acquisition. Any unallocated portion of
the purchase price will be allocated to goodwill. On a pro forma
basis, approximately 23% of the pro forma combined
companys total assets will be goodwill and other
intangibles, of which approximately $2.4 billion will be
goodwill. In accordance with Financial Accounting Standard
No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets,
goodwill is not amortized but is reviewed annually or more
frequently for impairment and other intangibles are also
reviewed at least annually or more frequently, if certain
conditions exist, and may be amortized. Any reduction in or
impairment of the value of goodwill or other intangible assets
will result in a charge against earnings which could materially
adversely affect our reported results of operations and
financial position in future periods.
|
|
|
Competition in wholesale power markets may have a material
adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and the
market value of our assets. |
We have numerous competitors in all aspects of our business, and
additional competitors may enter the industry. Because many of
our facilities are old, newer plants owned by our competitors
are often more efficient than our aging plants, which may put
some of our plants at a competitive disadvantage to the extent
our competitors are able to consume the same fuel as we consume
at those plants. Over time, our plants may be squeezed out of
their markets, or may be unable to compete with these more
efficient plants.
In our power marketing and commercial operations, we compete on
the basis of our relative skills, financial position and access
to capital with other providers of electric energy in the
procurement of fuel and transportation services, and the sale of
capacity, energy and related products. In order to compete
successfully, we seek to aggregate fuel supplies at competitive
prices from different sources and locations and to efficiently
utilize transportation services from third-party pipelines,
railways and other fuel transporters and transmission services
from electric utilities.
Other companies with which we compete may have greater
liquidity, access to credit and other financial resources, lower
cost structures, more effective risk management policies and
procedures, greater ability to incur
S-22
losses, longer-standing relationships with customers, greater
potential for profitability from ancillary services or greater
flexibility in the timing of their sale of generation capacity
and ancillary services than we do.
Our competitors may be able to respond more quickly to new laws
or regulations or emerging technologies, or to devote greater
resources to the construction, expansion or refurbishment of
their power generation facilities than we can. In addition,
current and potential competitors may make strategic
acquisitions or establish cooperative relationships among
themselves or with third parties. Accordingly, it is possible
that new competitors or alliances among current and new
competitors may emerge and rapidly gain significant market
share. There can be no assurance that we will be able to compete
successfully against current and future competitors, and any
failure to do so would have a material adverse effect on our
business, financial condition, results of operations and cash
flow. See BusinessCompetition.
|
|
|
Operation of power generation facilities involves
significant risks that could have a material adverse effect on
our revenues and results of operations. |
The ongoing operation of our facilities involves risks that
include the breakdown or failure of equipment or processes,
performance below expected levels of output or efficiency and
the inability to transport our product to our customers in an
efficient manner due to a lack of transmission capacity.
Unplanned outages of generating units, including extensions of
scheduled outages due to mechanical failures or other problems
occur from time to time and are an inherent risk of our
business. Unplanned outages typically increase our operation and
maintenance expenses and may reduce our revenues as a result of
selling fewer MWh or require us to incur significant costs as a
result of running one of our higher cost units or obtaining
replacement power from third parties in the open market to
satisfy our forward power sales obligations. Our inability to
operate our plants efficiently, manage capital expenditures and
costs, and generate earnings and cash flow from our asset-based
businesses in relation to our debt and other obligations could
have a material adverse effect on our results of operations,
financial condition or cash flows.
While we maintain insurance, obtain warranties from vendors and
obligate contractors to meet certain performance levels, the
proceeds of such insurance, warranties or performance guarantees
may not be adequate to cover our lost revenues, increased
expenses or liquidated damages payments should we experience
equipment breakdown or non-performance by contractors or vendors.
|
|
|
Construction, expansion and refurbishment of power
generation facilities involve significant risks that could
result in unplanned power outages or reduced output and could
have a material adverse effect on our revenues and results of
operations. |
Many of our facilities are old and are likely to require
periodic upgrading and improvement. Any unexpected failure,
including failure associated with breakdowns, forced outages or
any unanticipated capital expenditures, could result in reduced
profitability.
We cannot be certain of the level of capital expenditures that
will be required due to changing environmental and safety laws
and regulations (including changes in the interpretation or
enforcement thereof), needed facility repairs and unexpected
events (such as natural disasters or terrorist attacks). The
unexpected requirement of large capital expenditures could have
a material adverse effect on our financial performance and
condition.
If we make any major modifications to our power generation
facilities, we may be required to install the best available
control technology or to achieve the lowest achievable emissions
rate, as such terms are defined under the new source review
provisions of the federal Clean Air Act. Any such modifications
would likely result in substantial additional capital
expenditures.
We may also choose to undertake the repowering, refurbishment or
upgrade of current facilities based on our assessment that such
activity will provide adequate financial returns. Such projects
often require several years of development and capital
expenditures before commencement of commercial operations, and
key assumptions underpinning a decision to make such an
investment may prove incorrect, including assumptions regarding
construction costs, timing, available financing and future fuel
and power prices. The construction,
S-23
expansion, modification and refurbishment of power generation
facilities involve many additional risks, including:
|
|
|
|
|
delays in obtaining necessary permits and licenses; |
|
|
|
environmental remediation of soil or groundwater at contaminated
sites; |
|
|
|
interruptions to dispatch at our facilities; |
|
|
|
supply interruptions; |
|
|
|
work stoppages; |
|
|
|
labor disputes; |
|
|
|
weather interferences; |
|
|
|
unforeseen engineering, environmental and geological
problems; and |
|
|
|
unanticipated cost overruns. |
Any of these risks could cause our financial returns on new
investments to be lower than expected, or could cause us to
operate below expected capacity or availability levels, which
could result in lost revenues, increased expenses, higher
maintenance costs and penalties.
|
|
|
Supplier and/or customer concentration at certain of our
facilities may expose us to significant financial credit or
performance risks. |
We often rely on a single contracted supplier or a small number
of suppliers for the provision of fuel, transportation of fuel
and other services required for the operation of certain of our
facilities. If these suppliers cannot perform, we utilize the
marketplace to provide these services. There can be no assurance
that the marketplace can provide these services.
At times, we rely on a single customer or a few customers to
purchase all or a significant portion of a facilitys
output, in some cases under long-term agreements that account
for a substantial percentage of the anticipated revenue from a
given facility. We have hedged a portion of our exposure to
power price fluctuations through forward fixed price power sales
and natural gas price swap agreements. Counterparties to these
agreements may breach or may be unable to perform their
obligations. We may not be able to enter into replacement
agreements on terms as favorable as our existing agreements, or
at all. If we were unable to enter into replacement power
purchase agreements, we would sell our plants power at
market prices. If we were unable to enter into replacement fuel
or fuel transportation purchase agreements, we would seek to
purchase our plants fuel requirements at market prices,
exposing us to market price volatility and the risk that fuel
and transportation may not be available during certain periods
at any price.
In the past several years, a substantial number of companies,
some of which serve as our counterparties from time to time,
have experienced downgrades in their credit ratings. The failure
of any supplier or customer to fulfill its contractual
obligations to us could have a material adverse effect on our
financial results. Consequently, the financial performance of
our facilities is dependent on the credit quality of, and
continued performance by, suppliers and customers.
|
|
|
We rely on power transmission facilities that we do not
own or control and are subject to transmission constraints
within a number of our core regions. If these facilities fail to
provide us with adequate transmission capacity, we may be
restricted in our ability to deliver wholesale electric power to
our customers and we may either incur additional costs or forego
revenues. Conversely, improvements to certain transmission
systems could also reduce revenues. |
We depend on transmission facilities owned and operated by
others to deliver the wholesale power we sell from our power
generation plants to our customers. If transmission is
disrupted, or if the transmission capacity infrastructure is
inadequate, our ability to sell and deliver wholesale power may
be adversely impacted. If a regions power transmission
infrastructure is inadequate, our recovery of wholesale costs
and profits may be
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limited. If restrictive transmission price regulation is
imposed, the transmission companies may not have sufficient
incentive to invest in expansion of transmission infrastructure.
We also cannot predict whether transmission facilities will be
expanded in specific markets to accommodate competitive access
to those markets.
In addition, in certain of the markets in which we operate,
energy transmission congestion may occur and we may be deemed
responsible for congestion costs if we schedule delivery of
power between congestion zones during times when congestion
occurs between the zones. If we are liable for congestion costs,
our financial results could be adversely affected.
In the ERCOT, California ISO, New York ISO and New England ISO
markets, the combined company will have a significant amount of
generation located in load pockets making that generation
valuable, particularly with respect to maintaining the
reliability of the transmission grid. Expansion of transmission
systems to reduce or eliminate these load pockets could
negatively impact the value or profitability of our existing
facilities in these areas.
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Because we own less than a majority of some of our project
investments, we cannot exercise complete control over their
operations. |
We have limited control over the operation of some project
investments and joint ventures because our investments are in
projects where we beneficially own less than a majority of the
ownership interests. We seek to exert a degree of influence with
respect to the management and operation of projects in which we
own less than a majority of the ownership interests by
negotiating to obtain positions on management committees or to
receive certain limited governance rights, such as rights to
veto significant actions. However, we may not always succeed in
such negotiations. We may be dependent on our co-venturers to
operate such projects. Our co-venturers may not have the level
of experience, technical expertise, human resources management
and other attributes necessary to operate these projects
optimally. The approval of co-venturers also may be required for
us to receive distributions of funds from projects or to
transfer our interest in projects.
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Future acquisition activities may not be
successful. |
We may seek to acquire additional companies or assets in our
industry. The acquisition of power generation companies and
assets is subject to substantial risks, including the failure to
identify material problems during due diligence, the risk of
over-paying for assets and the inability to arrange financing
for an acquisition as may be required or desired. Further, the
integration and consolidation of acquisitions requires
substantial human, financial and other resources and,
ultimately, our acquisitions may not be successfully integrated.
There can be no assurances that any future acquisitions will
perform as expected or that the returns from such acquisitions
will support the indebtedness incurred to acquire them or the
capital expenditures needed to develop them.
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Our operations are subject to hazards customary to the
power generation industry. We may not have adequate insurance to
cover all of these hazards. |
Power generation involves hazardous activities, including
acquiring, transporting and unloading fuel, operating large
pieces of rotating equipment and delivering electricity to
transmission and distribution systems. In addition to natural
risks such as earthquake, flood, lightning, hurricane and wind,
other hazards, such as fire, explosion, structural collapse and
machinery failure are inherent risks in our operations. These
and other hazards can cause significant personal injury or loss
of life, severe damage to and destruction of property, plant and
equipment, contamination of, or damage to, the environment and
suspension of operations. The occurrence of any one of these
events may result in our being named as a defendant in lawsuits
asserting claims for substantial damages, including for
environmental cleanup costs, personal injury and property damage
and fines and/or penalties. We maintain an amount of insurance
protection that we consider adequate, but we cannot assure you
that our insurance will be sufficient or effective under all
circumstances and against all hazards or liabilities to which we
may be subject. A successful claim for which we are not fully
insured could hurt our financial results and materially harm our
financial condition. Further, due to rising
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insurance costs and changes in the insurance markets, we cannot
assure you that insurance coverage will continue to be available
at all or at rates or on terms similar to those presently
available to us. Any losses not covered by insurance could have
a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of
operations or cash flows.
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Our business is subject to substantial governmental
regulation and may be adversely affected by liability under, or
any future inability to comply with, existing or future
regulations or requirements. |
Our business is subject to extensive foreign, federal, state and
local laws and regulation. Compliance with the requirements
under these various regulatory regimes may cause us to incur
significant additional costs and failure to comply with such
requirements could result in the shutdown of the non-complying
facility, the imposition of liens, fines and/or civil or
criminal liability.
Public utilities under the Federal Power Act, or FPA, are
required to obtain the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commissions, or FERCs, acceptance of their rate
schedules for wholesale sales of electricity. All of NRGs
non-qualifying facility generating companies and power marketing
affiliates in the United States make sales of electricity in
interstate commerce and are public utilities for purposes of the
FPA. FERC has granted each of NRGs generating and power
marketing companies the authority to sell electricity at
market-based rates. The FERCs orders that grant NRGs
generating and power marketing companies market-based rate
authority reserve the right to revoke or revise that authority
if FERC subsequently determines that NRG can exercise market
power in transmission or generation, create barriers to entry or
engage in abusive affiliate transactions. In addition,
NRGs market-based sales are subject to certain market
behavior rules and, if any of NRGs generating and power
marketing companies were deemed to have violated one of those
rules, they are subject to potential disgorgement of profits
associated with the violation and/or suspension or revocation of
their market-based rate authority. If NRGs generating and
power marketing companies were to lose their market-based rate
authority, such companies would be required to obtain
FERCs acceptance of a
cost-of-service rate
schedule and would become subject to the accounting,
record-keeping and reporting requirements that are imposed on
utilities with cost-based rate schedules. This could have an
adverse effect on the rates NRG charges for power from its
facilities.
We are also affected by changes to market rules, tariffs,
changes in market structures, changes in administrative fee
allocations and changes in market bidding rules that occur in
the existing ISOs and RTOs. The ISOs and RTOs that oversee most
of the wholesale power markets impose, and in the future may
continue to impose, price limitations, offer caps, and other
mechanisms to address some of the volatility and the potential
exercise of market power in these markets. These types of price
limitations and other regulatory mechanisms may adversely affect
the profitability of our generation facilities that sell energy
and capacity into the wholesale power markets. In addition, the
regulatory and legislative changes that have recently been
enacted at the federal level and in a number of states in an
effort to promote competition are novel and untested in many
respects. These new approaches to the sale of electric power
have very short operating histories, and it is not yet clear how
they will operate in times of market stress or pressure, given
the extreme volatility and lack of meaningful long-term price
history in many of these markets and the imposition of price
limitations by independent system operators.
Similarly, the Texas Genco subsidiaries are registered as power
generation companies with the Public Utility Commission of
Texas, or PUCT. PUCT has jurisdiction with respect to the
mitigation of undue market power and has authority to remedy
market power abuses in the ERCOT market, both directly and,
indirectly, through oversight of ERCOT. PUCT has proposed a
significant change in the rules governing the ERCOT market.
Specifically the PUCT adopted a rule directing the ERCOT ISO to
develop and implement a wholesale market that, among other
things, replaces the existing zonal market design with a nodal
market design based on locational marginal prices for power. The
market redesign project is expected to take effect in 2009. We
expect that implementation of any new market design will require
modification to our procedures and systems. We do not know for
certain how the planned market restructuring will affect our
revenues, and some of the combined companys plants in
ERCOT may experience adverse pricing effects due to their
location on the transmission grid.
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Texas Gencos ownership interest in a nuclear power
facility subjects it to regulations, costs and liabilities
uniquely associated with these types of facilities. |
Under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, or AEA,
operation of STP, of which Texas Genco owns indirectly a 44.0%
interest, is subject to regulation by the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, or NRC. Such regulation includes licensing,
inspection, enforcement, testing, evaluation and modification of
all aspects of nuclear reactor power plant design and operation,
environmental and safety performance, technical and financial
qualifications, decommissioning funding assurance and transfer
and foreign ownership restrictions. Texas Gencos 44.0%
share of the output of STP represents approximately
1,101 MW of generation capacity, which is approximately 10%
of the total gross generation capacity owned by Texas Genco.
There are unique risks to owning and operating a nuclear power
facility. These include liabilities related to the handling,
treatment, storage, disposal, transport, release and use of
radioactive materials, particularly with respect to spent
nuclear fuel, and uncertainties regarding the ultimate, and
potential exposure to, technical and financial risks associated
with modifying or decommissioning a nuclear facility. The NRC
could require the shutdown of the plant for safety reasons or
refuse to permit restart of the unit after unplanned or planned
outages. New or amended NRC safety and regulatory requirements
may give rise to additional operation and maintenance costs and
capital expenditures. STP may be obligated to continue storing
spent nuclear fuel if the Department of Energy continues to fail
to meet its contractual obligations to STP made pursuant to the
U.S. Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to accept and dispose
of STPs spent nuclear fuel. See
BusinessEnvironmental MattersU.S. Federal
Environmental InitiativesNuclear Waste. Costs
associated with these risks could be substantial and have a
material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial
condition or cash flow. In addition, to the extent that all or a
part of STP is required by the NRC to permanently or temporarily
shut down or modify its operations, or is otherwise subject to a
forced outage, Texas Genco may incur additional costs to the
extent it is obligated to provide power from more expensive
alternative sourceseither Texas Gencos own plants,
third party generators or the ERCOTto cover Texas
Gencos then existing forward sale obligations. Such
shutdown or modification could also lead to substantial costs
related to the storage and disposal of radioactive materials and
spent nuclear fuel.
Texas Genco and the other owners of STP maintain nuclear
property and nuclear liability insurance coverage as required by
law. The Price-Anderson Act, as amended by the Energy Policy Act
of 2005, requires owners of nuclear power plants in the United
States to be collectively responsible for retrospective
secondary insurance premiums for liability to the public arising
from nuclear incidents resulting in claims in excess of the
required primary insurance coverage amount of $300 million
per reactor. The Price-Anderson Act only covers nuclear
liability associated with any accident in the course of
operation of the nuclear reactor, transportation of nuclear fuel
to the reactor site, in the storage of nuclear fuel and waste at
the reactor site and the transportation of the spent nuclear
fuel and nuclear waste from the nuclear reactor. All other
non-nuclear liabilities are not covered. Any substantial
retrospective premiums imposed under the Price-Anderson Act or
losses not covered by insurance could have a material adverse
effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash
flows.
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We are subject to environmental laws and regulations that
impose extensive and increasingly stringent requirements on our
ongoing operations, as well as potentially substantial
liabilities arising out of environmental contamination. These
environmental requirements and liabilities could adversely
impact our results of operations, financial condition and cash
flows. |
Our business is subject to the environmental laws and
regulations of foreign, federal, state and local authorities. We
must comply with numerous environmental laws and regulations and
obtain numerous governmental permits and approvals to operate
our plants. If we fail to comply with any environmental
requirements that apply to our operations, we could be subject
to administrative, civil and/or criminal liability and fines,
and regulatory agencies could take other actions seeking to
curtail our operations. In addition, when new requirements take
effect or when existing environmental requirements are revised,
reinterpreted or subject to changing enforcement policies, our
business, results of operations, financial condition and cash
flows could be adversely affected.
S-27
Environmental laws and regulations have generally become more
stringent over time, and we expect this trend to continue. In
particular, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or
USEPA, has recently promulgated regulations requiring additional
reductions in nitrogen oxides, or NOx and sulfur dioxide, or
SO2,
emissions, commencing in 2009 and 2010 respectively, and has
also promulgated regulations requiring reductions in mercury
emissions from coal-fired electric generating units, commencing
in 2010 with more substantial reductions in 2018. These
regulatory programs are currently subject to litigation and
reconsideration by the USEPA, which could affect the timing of
our future capital projects. See
BusinessEnvironmental MattersU.S. Federal
Environmental InitiativesAir. Moreover, certain of
the states in which we operate have promulgated air pollution
control regulations which are more stringent than existing and
proposed federal regulations. Ongoing public concerns about
emissions of
SO2,
NOx, mercury and carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from
power plants have resulted in proposed laws and regulations at
the federal, state and regional levels that, if they were to
take effect substantially as proposed, would likely apply to our
operations. For example, we could incur substantial costs
pursuant to the proposed multi-state carbon cap-and-trade
program known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or
RGGI, which would apply to the facilities in our Northeast
region. A model rule for implementation of RGGI is expected to
be released within the next few months. See
BusinessEnvironmental MattersRegional
U.S. Regulatory Initiatives.
Significant capital expenditures may be required to keep our
facilities compliant with environmental laws and regulations,
and if it is not economical to make those capital expenditures
then we may need to retire or mothball facilities, or restrict
or modify our operations to comply with more stringent standards.
Certain environmental laws impose strict, joint and several
liability for costs required to clean up and restore sites where
hazardous substances have been disposed or otherwise released.
We are generally responsible for all liabilities associated with
the environmental condition of our power generation plants,
including any soil or groundwater contamination that may be
present, regardless of when the liabilities arose and whether
the liabilities are known or unknown, or arose from the
activities of our predecessors or third parties. We are
currently subject to remediation obligations at a number of our
facilities. See BusinessEnvironmental
MattersDomestic Site Remediation Matters.
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The value of our assets is subject to the nature and
extent of decommissioning and remediation obligations applicable
to us. |
Our facilities and related properties may become subject to
decommissioning and/or site remediation obligations that may
require material unplanned expenditures or otherwise materially
affect the value of those assets. The closure or modification of
any of our facilities, especially with respect to STP, could
lead to substantial liabilities, including related to the
cleanup of any contamination that occurred during the
facilitys operation. While we believe that we meet, or are
performing, all site remediation obligations currently
applicable to our assets (including through the provision of
various forms of financial assurance at certain facilities at
which we are not currently required to perform remediation),
more onerous obligations often apply to sites where a plant is
to be dismantled, which could negatively affect our ability to
economically undertake power redevelopments or alternate uses at
existing power plant sites. Further, laws and regulations may
change to impose material additional decommissioning and
remediation obligations on us in the future, negatively
impacting the value of our assets and/or our ability to
undertake redevelopment projects.
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Our business, financial condition and results of
operations could be adversely impacted by strikes or work
stoppages by our unionized employees. |
As of September 30, 2005, after giving pro forma effect to
the Acquisition, approximately 46.8% of the combined
companys employees at its U.S. generation plants would
have been covered by collective bargaining agreements, and 774
employees of the combined companys plants in Texas are
covered by a single collective bargaining agreement that expires
in September 2006. In the event that our union employees strike,
participate in a work stoppage or slowdown or engage in other
forms of labor strife or disruption, we would be responsible for
procuring replacement labor or we could experience reduced power
generation or outages. Our ability to procure such labor is
uncertain. Strikes, work stoppages or the inability to negotiate
future collective
S-28
bargaining agreements on favorable terms could have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of
operations and cash flows.
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Changes in technology may impair the value of our power
plants. |
Research and development activities are ongoing to provide
alternative and more efficient technologies to produce power,
including fuel cells, clean coal and coal gasification,
microturbines, photovoltaic (solar) cells and improvements
in traditional technologies and equipment, such as more
efficient gas turbines. Advances in these or other technologies
could reduce the costs of power production to a level below what
we have currently forecasted, which could adversely affect our
revenue, results of operations or competitive position.
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Acts of terrorism could have a material adverse effect on
our financial condition, results of operations and cash
flows. |
Our generation facilities and the facilities of third parties on
which they rely may be targets of terrorist activities, as well
as events occurring in response to or in connection with them,
that could cause environmental repercussions and/or result in
full or partial disruption of their ability to generate,
transmit, transport or distribute electricity or natural gas.
Strategic targets, such as energy-related facilities, may be at
greater risk of future terrorist activities than other domestic
targets. Any such environmental repercussions or disruption
could result in a significant decrease in revenues or
significant reconstruction or remediation costs, which could
have a material adverse effect on our financial condition,
results of operations and cash flows.
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Our international investments are subject to additional
risks that our U.S. investments do not have. |
We have investments in power projects in Australia, Germany and
Brazil. International investments are subject to risks and
uncertainties relating to the political, social and economic
structures of the countries in which we invest. Risks
specifically related to our investments in international
projects may include:
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fluctuations in currency valuation; |
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currency inconvertibility; |
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expropriation and confiscatory taxation; |
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restrictions on the repatriation of capital; and |
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approval requirements and governmental policies limiting returns
to foreign investors. |
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Texas Gencos plants are the subject of a number of
lawsuits filed by a large number of individuals who claim injury
due to exposure to asbestos while working at sites along the
Texas Gulf Coast, and NRG is also subject to asbestos-related
claims with respect to certain of its facilities. |
Many of Texas Gencos plants have been subject to personal
injury claims arising out of alleged exposure to asbestos. Most
of the claimants who have brought such claims have been
third-party workers who participated in the construction,
renovation or repair of various industrial plants, including
power plants. While many of the claimants have never worked at
or near Texas Gencos plants, some of the claimants have
worked at locations owned by Texas Genco. While Texas Genco has
been dismissed from many of these lawsuits without having to
make any payment to claimants, Texas Genco has incurred and
expects to continue to incur settlement costs associated with
these claims. NRG is also subject to claims for asbestos
exposure in certain of its facilities, as well as claims for
indemnity from previous owners of those facilities. We defend
against these claims aggressively, and, thus, we have incurred
and expect to continue to incur defense costs as a result of
such claims. For further discussion of such claims, see
BusinessLegal Proceedings.
If asbestos-related claims against us rise significantly, our
liability may be substantial. Moreover, if insurance currently
available for contribution to the payment of asbestos
liabilities becomes unavailable (through insurer insolvencies,
coverage disputes, changes in law or otherwise), asbestos
liabilities could impact our results of operations, financial
condition and cash flows.
S-29
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Our high level of indebtedness could adversely affect our
ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations,
expose us to the risk of increased interest rates, make it more
difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to the
notes offered hereby and limit our ability to react to changes
in the economy or our industry. |
Our substantial debt could have important consequences for you,
including:
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increasing our vulnerability to general economic and industry
conditions; |
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requiring a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations
to be dedicated to the payment of principal and interest on our
indebtedness, therefore reducing our ability to pay dividends to
holders of our preferred or common stock or to use our cash flow
to fund our operations, capital expenditures and future business
opportunities; |
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limiting our ability to enter into long-term power sales or fuel
purchases which require credit support; |
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exposing us to the risk of increased interest rates because
certain of our borrowings, including borrowings under our senior
secured credit facilities, are, and under our new senior secured
credit facility and the 2014 floating rate notes will be, at
variable rates of interest; |
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making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with
respect to these notes; |
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placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our
competitors that have less debt; |
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limiting our ability to obtain additional financing for working
capital including collateral postings, capital expenditures,
debt service requirements, acquisitions and general corporate or
other purposes; and |
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limiting our ability to adjust to changing market conditions and
placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our
competitors who have less debt. |
The indentures for the notes offered hereby contain, and our new
credit facility will contain, financial and other restrictive
covenants that will limit our ability to engage in activities
that may be in our long-term best interests. Our failure to
comply with those covenants could result in an event of default
which, if not cured or waived, could result in the acceleration
of all of our borrowed indebtedness.
In addition, our ability to arrange financing, either at the
corporate level or at a non-recourse project-level subsidiary,
and the costs of such capital are dependent on numerous factors,
including:
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general economic and capital market conditions; |
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credit availability from banks and other financial institutions; |
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investor confidence in us, our partners and the regional
wholesale power markets; |
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our financial performance and the financial performance of our
subsidiaries; |
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our levels of indebtedness and compliance with covenants in debt
agreements; |
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maintenance of acceptable credit ratings; |
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cash flow; and |
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provisions of tax and securities laws that may impact raising
capital. |
We may not be successful in obtaining additional capital for
these or other reasons. The failure to obtain additional capital
from time to time may have a material adverse effect on our
business and operations.
Risks Related to the Acquisition
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We may not be able to realize the anticipated benefits
from the Acquisition. |
The success of the Acquisition will depend largely on NRGs
ability to consolidate and effectively integrate Texas
Gencos assets, operations and employees into NRG. The
integration will require substantial
S-30
time and attention from our management. If the integration takes
longer or is more complex or expensive than anticipated, or if
we cannot operate our combined business as effectively as we
anticipate, our operating performance and profitability could be
materially adversely affected.
Texas Gencos power generation assets operate in the ERCOT
market, a market in which NRG does not currently operate.
Accordingly, we are dependent upon Texas Gencos existing
managers and employees to manage those assets, and the loss of
key Texas Genco managers or employees could adversely affect our
business.
In addition, as a result of the Acquisition, we have assumed all
of Texas Gencos liabilities. After the Acquisition, we may
learn additional information about Texas Gencos business
that adversely affects us, such as unknown or contingent
liabilities, issues relating to internal controls over financial
reporting and issues relating to compliance with applicable laws.
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Because the historical and pro forma financial information
incorporated by reference or included elsewhere in this
prospectus supplement may not be representative of our results
as a combined company or capital structure after the
Acquisition, and NRGs and Texas Gencos historical
financial information are not comparable to their current
financial information, you have limited financial information on
which to evaluate us, NRG, Texas Genco and your investment
decision. |
NRGs financial statements prior to December 5, 2003
are not comparable to its financial statements after that date.
As a result of NRGs emergence from bankruptcy, it is
operating its business with a new capital structure, and is
subject to Fresh Start reporting requirements prescribed by
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.
As required by Fresh Start reporting, assets and liabilities as
of December 6, 2003 were recorded at fair value, with the
enterprise value being determined in connection with the
reorganization.
Texas Genco did not exist prior to July 19, 2004, and Texas
Genco and its subsidiaries had no operations and no material
activities until December 15, 2004 when Texas Genco
acquired its gas and coal-fired assets. Consequently, Texas
Gencos historical financial statements are not comparable
to its current financial statements.
NRG and Texas Genco have been operating as separate companies
prior to the Acquisition. We have had no prior history as a
combined entity and our operations have not previously been
managed on a combined basis. Preparing the pro forma financial
information contained in this prospectus supplement involved
making several assumptions, such as the makeup of our capital
structure after the consummation of the Financing Transactions.
These assumptions may prove inaccurate. Therefore, the
historical financial statements and pro forma financial
statements incorporated by reference or presented in this
prospectus supplement may not reflect what our results of
operations, financial position and cash flows would have been
had we operated on a combined basis and may not be indicative of
what our results of operations, financial position and cash
flows will be in the future.
As a result, the historical and pro forma financial information
incorporated by reference or included elsewhere in this
prospectus supplement is of limited relevance to an investor in
this offering. See Selected Consolidated Financial
Information of NRG and Selected Consolidated
Financial Information of Texas Genco. See also
Risks Related to the OfferingIf NRG is unable
to raise sufficient proceeds through other Financing
Transactions described elsewhere in this prospectus supplement,
NRG may draw down on a bridge loan facility in order to close
the Acquisition which would significantly increase our
indebtedness. If NRG elects not to consummate the financing
under the bridge loan facility, NRG may seek alternative sources
of financing for the Acquisition, the terms of which are unknown
to us and could limit our ability to operate our business.
S-31
Risks Related to the Offering
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The net proceeds from this offering will be deposited in
escrow and we will be required to redeem the notes if we do not
consummate the Acquisition on substantially the terms described
in this prospectus supplement on or before September 30,
2006. |
This offering will be consummated before, and is not conditioned
on, the closing of the Acquisition. The Acquisition cannot close
until the remaining conditions precedent have been satisfied or
waived. See The AcquisitionThe
AcquisitionCertain Terms and Conditions of the Acquisition
Agreement. The net proceeds of this offering (after
payment of underwriting discounts and commissions) will be
deposited in escrow pending consummation of the Acquisition. If
the Acquisition does not occur by September 30, 2006 on
substantially the terms described in this prospectus supplement,
then the indentures will require that we redeem all the notes at
a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus
accrued interest to, but not including, the redemption date.
Although we currently believe that all conditions to the
Acquisition will be satisfied and expect to consummate the
Acquisition before the deadline for the special mandatory
redemption, we cannot assure you that the conditions will be
satisfied or waived, that we will in fact close the Acquisition
on substantially the terms described in this prospectus
supplement, or that we will not otherwise have to redeem the
notes. If for any reason we believe that the Acquisition will
not close before the deadline for special mandatory redemption,
we have the option to redeem the notes earlier on the same terms.
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If the Acquisition is not completed on or prior to
September 30, 2006, NRG may not be able to obtain all the
funds necessary to finance the special mandatory redemption
required by the indentures. |
The net proceeds of this offering (after payment of underwriting
discounts and commissions) will be placed in escrow pending the
consummation of the Acquisition. If the Acquisition is not
consummated on or prior to September 30, 2006, all of the
notes will be subject to a special redemption at a price of 100%
of the aggregate principal amount of the notes outstanding on
such date plus accrued an unpaid interest. See Description
of the NotesEscrow of Proceeds; Special Mandatory
Redemption. If NRG redeems the notes, however, you will
have to rely on it for payment of amounts in excess of the net
proceeds of the offering. In addition, you may not be able to
reinvest the proceeds from a special mandatory redemption in an
investment that results in comparable returns of the notes
offered hereby.
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In a bankruptcy proceeding, the holders of notes might not
be able to apply the escrowed funds to repay the notes without
bankruptcy court approval. |
If we commence a bankruptcy or reorganization case, or one is
commenced against us, while the escrow account remains funded,
bankruptcy law may prevent the trustee under the indentures
governing the notes from using the escrowed funds to pay the
special mandatory redemption. The court adjudicating that case
might find that the escrow account is the property of the
bankruptcy estate. In that event, we believe that the holders of
notes would be treated as secured creditors with a security
interest in the escrowed funds. However, in a bankruptcy,
secured creditors are prohibited from foreclosing upon or
disposing of a debtors property without prior bankruptcy
court approval. As a result, it is possible that holders of
notes would not be able to apply the escrowed funds to repay the
notes without bankruptcy court approval.
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If NRG is unable to raise sufficient proceeds through
other Financing Transactions described elsewhere in this
prospectus supplement, NRG may draw down on a bridge loan
facility in order to close the Acquisition which would
significantly increase our indebtedness. If NRG elects not to
consummate the financing under the bridge loan facility, NRG may
seek alternative sources of financing for the Acquisition, the
terms of which are unknown to us and could limit our ability to
operate our business. |
The offering of the notes forms part of a larger financing plan
for the Acquisition described elsewhere in this prospectus
supplement. See The AcquisitionThe Financing
Transactions. Concurrently with this offering, NRG intends
to conduct offerings of its common stock and mandatory
convertible preferred stock. In addition, NRG intends to enter
into a new senior secured credit facility at or prior to the
closing of the Acquisition that will replace its existing senior
secured credit facility. NRG intends to use initial borrowings
S-32
under its new senior secured credit facility, together with the
net proceeds from this offering and the offerings of common
stock and mandatory convertible preferred stock, to finance the
Acquisition and to repay certain of its and Texas Gencos
outstanding indebtedness. See Use of Proceeds.
NRGs obligations under the Acquisition Agreement are not
conditioned upon the consummation of any or all of the Financing
Transactions. NRG has entered into the commitment letter with
the bridge lenders pursuant to which the bridge lenders have
committed to fund NRGs new senior secured credit facility
and to provide, subject to certain conditions, the additional
financing required for the Acquisition through a
$5.1 billion bridge loan facility in the event that
sufficient proceeds are not raised from this offering, the
common stock offering and/or the mandatory convertible preferred
stock offering. See Description of Certain Other
Indebtedness and Preferred StockBridge
Loan Facility.
In the event that NRG is unable to raise sufficient proceeds
through the consummation of the common stock offering and/or the
mandatory convertible preferred stock offering, NRG may draw
down on the bridge loan facility, in whole or in part, in order
to finance the Acquisition. Any borrowings under the bridge loan
facility will constitute our senior indebtedness and will rank
pari passu with the notes offered hereby. No assurances
can be given that the terms of the bridge loan facility on the
draw down date would not vary from the existing terms of such
facility on the date of this prospectus supplement. See
Description of Certain Other Indebtedness and Preferred
StockBridge Loan Facility. In the event of such
draw down, we would be significantly more highly leveraged,
which means we will have a larger amount of indebtedness in
relation to our stockholders equity (deficit). Our
interest expense would significantly increase and require us to
dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations
to payments in respect of our outstanding indebtedness, thereby
reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund working
capital, including collateral postings, capital expenditures and
other general corporate expenditures. Our substantial
indebtedness could adversely affect our financial condition and
prevent us from fulfilling our obligations under the notes.
In the event that NRG does not consummate the common stock and
mandatory convertible stock offerings as currently contemplated
and elects not to consummate the financing under the bridge loan
facility, it could seek alternative sources of financing for the
Acquisition, which may include, among other alternatives, the
issuance in part of senior secured debt securities or borrowing
in part on a senior secured basis. This could further exacerbate
the risks associated with our substantial leverage. There can be
no assurance as to the terms on which NRG would issue these
senior secured debt securities or borrow funds. We are unable to
predict the interest rate payable on any such debt or give any
assurance that the terms would not restrict our financial
flexibility or limit our ability to operate our business. In
addition, holders of such senior secured debt would have claims
that are prior to your claims as holders of the notes to the
extent of the value of the assets securing that other
indebtedness. In the event of bankruptcy, liquidation,
reorganization or similar proceeding, we cannot assure you that
there will be sufficient assets to pay amounts due on the notes.
As a result, holders of notes may receive less, ratably, than
holders of secured indebtedness.
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Despite current indebtedness levels, we and our
subsidiaries may still be able to incur substantially more debt.
This could further exacerbate the risks associated with our
substantial leverage. |
We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur substantial
additional indebtedness in the future. The terms of the
indentures do not fully prohibit us or our subsidiaries from
doing so. If new debt is added to our and our subsidiaries
current debt levels, the related risks that we and they now face
could increase. See Description of Certain Other
Indebtedness and Preferred StockNew Senior Secured Credit
Facility.
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To service our indebtedness, we will use a significant
amount of cash. Our ability to generate cash depends on many
factors beyond our control. |
Our ability to make payments on and to refinance our
indebtedness, including these notes, and to fund planned capital
expenditures will depend on our ability to generate cash in the
future. This, to a certain extent, is subject to general
economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and
other factors that are beyond our control.
S-33
Based on our current level of operations and anticipated cost
savings and operating improvements, we believe our cash flow
from operations, available cash and available borrowings under
our new credit facility, will be adequate to meet our future
liquidity needs for at least the next 12 months.
We cannot assure you, however, that our business will generate
sufficient cash flow from operations, that currently anticipated
cost savings and operating improvements will be realized on
schedule or that future borrowings will be available to us under
our new credit facility in an amount sufficient to enable us to
pay our indebtedness, including these notes, or to fund our
other liquidity needs. We may need to refinance all or a portion
of our indebtedness, including these notes on or before
maturity. We cannot assure you that we will be able to refinance
any of our indebtedness, including our new credit facility and
these notes, on commercially reasonable terms or at all.
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In the event of a bankruptcy or insolvency, holders of our
secured indebtedness and other secured obligations will have a
prior secured claim to any collateral securing such indebtedness
or other obligations. |
Holders of our secured indebtedness and the secured indebtedness
of the guarantors will have claims that are prior to your claims
as holders of the notes to the extent of the value of the assets
securing that other indebtedness. Notably, we and certain of our
subsidiaries, including the guarantors, will be parties to the
new credit facility, which will be secured by liens on
substantially all of our assets and the assets of the
guarantors. Also, Texas Genco and its subsidiaries have granted
hedging counterparties second liens on the assets of Texas Genco
and certain of its subsidiaries securing hedging obligations of
approximately $2,181 million as of September 30, 2005.
In the event of any distribution or payment of our assets in any
foreclosure, dissolution, winding-up, liquidation,
reorganization, or other bankruptcy proceeding, holders of
secured indebtedness will have prior claim to those of our
assets that constitute their collateral. Holders of the notes
will participate ratably with all holders of our unsecured
indebtedness that is deemed to be of the same class as the
notes, and potentially with all our other general creditors,
based upon the respective amounts owed to each holder or
creditor, in our remaining assets. In any of the foregoing
events, we cannot assure you that there will be sufficient
assets to pay amounts due on the notes. As a result, holders of
notes may receive less, ratably, than holders of secured
indebtedness.
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Your right to receive payments on these notes could be
adversely affected if any of our non-guarantor subsidiaries
declare bankruptcy, liquidate or reorganize. |
Some but not all of our subsidiaries will guarantee the notes.
In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization of
any of our non-guarantor subsidiaries, holders of their
indebtedness and their trade creditors will generally be
entitled to payment of their claims from the assets of those
subsidiaries before any assets are made available for
distribution to us. In addition, the indentures governing the
notes will permit us, subject to certain covenant limitations,
to provide credit support for the obligations of the
non-guarantor subsidiaries and such credit support may be
effectively senior to our obligations under the notes. Further,
the indentures governing the notes will allow us to transfer
assets, including certain specified facilities, to the
non-guarantor subsidiaries.
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We may not have access to the cash flow and other assets
of our subsidiaries that may be needed to make payment on the
notes. |
Much of our business is conducted through our subsidiaries.
Although certain of our subsidiaries will become guarantors of
the notes upon closing of the notes offering, some of our
subsidiaries will not become guarantors and thus will not be
obligated to make funds available to us for payment on the
notes. Our ability to make payments on the notes will be
dependent on the earnings and the distribution of funds from
subsidiaries, some of which are non-guarantors. Our subsidiaries
will be permitted under the terms of the indentures to incur
additional indebtedness that may restrict or prohibit the making
of distributions, the payment of dividends or the making of
loans by such subsidiaries to us. We cannot assure you that the
agreements governing the current and future indebtedness of our
subsidiaries will permit our subsidiaries to provide us with
sufficient dividends, distributions or loans to fund payments on
the notes when due. Furthermore, certain of our subsidiaries and
affiliates are already subject to project financing. Such
entities will not guarantee our
S-34
obligations on the notes. The debt agreements of these
subsidiaries and project affiliates generally restrict their
ability to pay dividends, make distributions or otherwise
transfer funds to us.
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We may not have the ability to raise the funds necessary
to finance the change of control offer required by the
indentures. |
Upon the occurrence of certain specific kinds of change of
control events, we will be required to offer to repurchase all
outstanding notes at 101% of the principal amount thereof plus
accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of repurchase.
However, it is possible that we will not have sufficient funds
at the time of a change of control to make the required
repurchase of notes or that restrictions in our new credit
facility will not allow such repurchases. In addition, certain
important corporate events, such as leveraged recapitalizations
that would increase the level of our indebtedness, would not
constitute a Change of Control under the indentures.
See Description of NotesRepurchase at the Option of
Holders.
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Federal and state statutes allow courts, under specific
circumstances, to void guarantees and require note holders to
return payments received from guarantors. |
Under the federal bankruptcy law and comparable provisions of
state fraudulent transfer laws, a guarantee could be voided, or
claims in respect of a guarantee could be subordinated to all
other debts of that guarantor if, among other things, the
guarantor, at the time it incurred the indebtedness evidenced by
its guarantee:
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received less than reasonably equivalent value or fair
consideration for the incurrence of such guarantee; and |
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was insolvent or rendered insolvent by reason of such
incurrence; or |
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was engaged in a business or transaction for which the
guarantors remaining assets constituted unreasonably small
capital; or |
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intended to incur, or believed that it would incur, debts beyond
its ability to pay such debts as they mature. |
In addition, any payment by that guarantor pursuant to its
guarantee could be voided and required to be returned to the
guarantor, or to a fund for the benefit of the creditors of the
guarantor.
The measures of insolvency for purposes of these fraudulent
transfer laws will vary depending upon the law applied in any
proceeding to determine whether a fraudulent transfer has
occurred. Generally, however, a guarantor would be considered
insolvent if:
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the sum of its debts, including contingent liabilities, was
greater than the fair saleable value of all of its
assets; or |
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if the present fair saleable value of its assets was less than
the amount that would be required to pay its probable liability
on its existing debts, including contingent liabilities, as they
become absolute and mature; or |
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it could not pay its debts as they become due. |
On the basis of historical financial information, recent
operating history and other factors, we believe that each
guarantor, after giving effect to its guarantee of these notes,
will not be insolvent, will not have unreasonably small capital
for the business in which it is engaged and will not have
incurred debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they
mature. We cannot assure you, however, as to what standard a
court would apply in making these determinations or that a court
would agree with our conclusions in this regard.
S-35
THE ACQUISITION
The Acquisition
On September 30, 2005, NRG entered into the Acquisition
Agreement with Texas Genco and the Sellers. Pursuant to the
Acquisition Agreement, NRG agreed to purchase all of the
outstanding equity interests in Texas Genco for a total pro
forma purchase price of approximately $6.121 billion that
includes the assumption of approximately $2.7 billion of
indebtedness. The purchase price is subject to adjustment, and
includes an equity component valued at up to $2.0 billion
based on a price per share of $45.37 of NRGs common stock
issued to the Sellers, and an average price per share of $40.73
for the Other Consideration to the Sellers. As a result of the
Acquisition, Texas Genco will become a wholly-owned subsidiary
of NRG.
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Certain Terms and Conditions of the Acquisition
Agreement |
Of the approximately $6.121 billion payable to the Sellers
upon consummation of the Acquisition, NRG will pay
$4.399 billion in cash, subject to adjustment, and issue a
minimum of 35,406,320 shares of NRGs common stock.
The remaining consideration is to be comprised of an additional
9,038,125 shares of common stock, or at NRGs
election, the equivalent in the form of common stock, additional
cash or shares of a new series of NRGs Cumulative
Redeemable Preferred Stock, or any combination of the foregoing.
If issued, the aggregate liquidation preference of the
Cumulative Preferred Stock will be determined by reference to
the average price of NRGs common stock over a 20 trading
day period prior to the closing of the Acquisition, which on a
pro forma basis is $40.73. NRG has elected to pay this amount in
cash. The purchase price payable by NRG is subject to adjustment
based on the level of Texas Gencos working capital, the
amount of Texas Gencos indebtedness and the amount of
Texas Gencos cash and cash equivalents on hand, all as of
the closing date.
The Acquisition Agreement contains customary terms and
conditions, including representations and warranties of NRG,
Texas Genco and the Sellers and covenants of NRG and Texas Genco
with respect to the conduct of their businesses prior to the
closing of the Acquisition. Pending closing of the Acquisition,
Texas Genco and NRG are obligated to conduct their businesses in
the ordinary course of business, to preserve their business,
assets, properties and relationships, and to refrain from
certain activities without prior written consent of the other
party, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
The obligations of NRG, on the one hand, and Texas Genco and the
Sellers, on the other, to consummate the Acquisition are subject
to the satisfaction or waiver of various conditions, including:
the other party or parties having performed their agreements,
covenants and obligations required by the Acquisition Agreement
in all material respects and having delivered certain
certificates and other documents, the representations and
warranties of the other party or parties being true and correct
on the date of the Acquisition Agreement and the closing date
(except for inaccuracies that would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the
Acquisition Agreement)), no Law or Order (each as defined in the
Acquisition Agreement) being in effect on the closing date that
would prohibit the consummation of the acquisition or related
transactions, no Material Adverse Effect on the other party
having occurred since June 30, 2005, the parties having
received all consents and approvals of, and made all filings
with various governmental authorities necessary to consummate
the acquisition and related transactions, including with respect
to the NRC and FERC, and any applicable terminations or
expirations of waiting periods having occurred, including with
respect to the Hart Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements
Act, or the HSRA. On November 10, 2005, NRG was notified by
the Federal Trade Commissions Premerger Notification
Office that early termination of the applicable waiting period
under the HSRA was granted with respect to the Acquisition. On
December 27, 2005, FERC granted approval for the
Acquisition. The Acquisition Agreement does not contain any
financing condition.
The Acquisition Agreement may be terminated upon the occurrence
of certain events, including at any time before closing by
mutual written agreement of NRG and the Seller Representatives
(as defined in the
S-36
Acquisition Agreement). NRG or the Seller Representatives may
terminate the Acquisition Agreement if the Acquisition has not
been consummated within nine months of the date of the
Acquisition Agreement (subject to certain provisions for
extension), upon an uncured material breach by the other party
or parties of any of the covenants, agreements or
representations or warranties in the Acquisition Agreement if
such breach would cause a failure of any of the conditions to
the obligations of NRG or the Sellers, as the case may be, to
consummate the Acquisition, upon an Order by a Governmental
Authority (each as defined in the Acquisition Agreement)
preventing the consummation of the Acquisition or the related
transactions or the failure by a Governmental Authority to issue
certain required approvals for the Acquisition or related
transactions, which failure becomes final and non-appealable, or
if the other party has incurred a Material Adverse Effect (as
defined in the Acquisition Agreement) on the other party.
The Financing Transactions
The offering of the notes forms part of a larger financing plan
for the Acquisition described elsewhere in this prospectus
supplement. Concurrently with this offering, NRG intends to
offer, by means of separate prospectus supplements,
(i) $1.0 billion of its common stock and
(ii) $500 million of its mandatory convertible
preferred stock. See Description of Certain Other
Indebtedness and Preferred StockMandatory Convertible
Preferred Stock. This offering, the mandatory convertible
preferred stock offering and the common stock offering are
expected to be consummated at or prior to the completion of the
Acquisition. The closing of this offering will not necessarily
be contemporaneous with the closing of the common stock offering
and/or the closings of the mandatory convertible preferred stock
offering. The net proceeds of the offering of these notes (after
payment of underwriting discounts and commissions) will be
placed into an escrow account held by the escrow agent until the
consummation of the Acquisition.
In addition, NRG intends to enter into a new senior secured
credit facility at or prior to the closing of the Acquisition
that will replace its existing senior secured credit facility.
See Description of Certain IndebtednessNew Senior
Secured Credit Facility. Concurrently with this offering,
NRG is conducting a cash tender offer and consent solicitation
with respect to (i) all of its outstanding Second Priority
Notes, and (ii) all of Texas Gencos outstanding
Unsecured Senior Notes. The completion of the Acquisition is not
conditioned on the completion of the tender offer or receipt of
the consents for either the Second Priority Notes or Texas
Gencos Unsecured Senior Notes. The completion of the
tender offer for the Second Priority Notes and Texas
Gencos Unsecured Senior Notes is conditioned on the
completion of the Acquisition. However, NRG can waive this
condition in the case of the tender offer and consent
solicitation for the Second Priority Notes. See
SummaryRecent DevelopmentsTender Offers and
Consent Solicitations.
NRG intends to use initial borrowings under its new senior
secured credit facility, together with the net proceeds from
this offering, the offerings of common stock, the mandatory
convertible preferred stock and cash on hand (i) to finance
the Acquisition, (ii) to repurchase NRGs outstanding
Second Priority Notes, (iii) to repurchase Texas
Gencos outstanding Unsecured Senior Notes, (iv) to
repay amounts outstanding under NRGs existing senior
secured credit facility and Texas Gencos existing senior
secured credit facility, (v) for ongoing credit needs of
the combined company, including replacement of existing letters
of credit and (vi) to pay related premiums, fees and
expenses. In the event that NRG does not consummate the
Acquisition, NRG will use the net proceeds from this offering to
redeem the notes offered hereby. See Description of the
NotesEscrow of Proceeds; Special Mandatory
Redemption and Use of Proceeds.
The closing of this offering is not contingent on the closing of
the mandatory convertible preferred stock offering, the closing
of the common stock offering, the effectiveness of the new
senior secured credit facility, the completion of the tender
offers and receipt of the consents in connection with the
outstanding tender offers for NRGs and Texas Gencos
notes or the consummation of the Acquisition. NRGs
obligations under the Acquisition Agreement are not conditioned
upon the consummation of any or all of the Financing
Transactions.
NRG has entered into the commitment letter with the bridge
lenders pursuant to which the bridge lenders have committed to
fund NRGs new senior secured credit facility and to
provide, subject to certain conditions, the additional financing
required for the Acquisition through a $5.1 billion bridge
loan facility in
S-37
the event that sufficient funds are not raised from this
offering, the common stock offering and/or the mandatory
convertible preferred stock offering. See Description of
Certain Other Indebtedness and Preferred StockBridge
Loan Facility. In the event that NRG is unable to
raise sufficient proceeds through the consummation of this
offering, the common stock offering and/or the mandatory
convertible preferred stock offering, NRG may draw down on the
bridge loan facility, in whole or in part, in order to finance
the Acquisition. In the event that NRG does not consummate the
common stock and mandatory convertible stock offerings as
currently contemplated and elects not to consummate the
financing under the bridge loan facility, it could seek
alternative sources of financing for the Acquisition, which may
include, among other alternatives, the issuance in part of
senior secured debt securities or borrowing in part on a senior
secured basis.
S-38
USE OF PROCEEDS
We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering, after giving
effect to underwriting discounts and commissions, will be
approximately
$ million.
We intend to use the net proceeds from the offering of the notes
and the other Financing Transactions, including the offerings of
common stock and the mandatory convertible preferred stock,
together with initial borrowings under our new senior secured
credit facility and cash on hand, (i) to finance the
Acquisition, (ii) to repurchase NRGs outstanding
Second Priority Notes, (iii) to repurchase Texas
Gencos outstanding Unsecured Senior Notes, (iv) to
repay amounts outstanding under NRGs existing senior
secured credit facility and Texas Gencos existing senior
secured credit facility, (v) for ongoing credit needs of
the combined company, including replacement of existing letters
of credit and (vi) to pay related premiums, fees and
expenses. The net proceeds of this offering will be placed into
an escrow account held by the trustee, as escrow agent, until
the consummation of the Acquisition. In the event that NRG does
not consummate the Acquisition, NRG will use the net proceeds
from this offering to redeem the notes. See Description of
the NotesEscrow of Proceeds; Special Mandatory
Redemption.
NRG has agreed to acquire Texas Genco for a total pro forma
purchase price of approximately $6.121 billion, including
an equity component valued at approximately $2.0 billion.
In addition, NRG will assume approximately $2.7 billion of
Texas Gencos debt. Before giving effect to the Acquisition
and Financing Transactions, as of September 30, 2005, NRG
had (i) $1.08 billion of Second Priority Notes
outstanding, which provide for cash interest at 8.0% per
annum payable semi-annually and (ii) $876.6 million of
outstanding indebtedness under its amended and restated credit
facility, which consisted of (a) $446.6 million in
term loans outstanding, which term loans provide for interest at
a rate of LIBOR (4.02% at September 30, 2005) plus
187.5 basis points payable quarterly and mature on
December 24, 2011, (b) $80.0 million in principal
amount outstanding under the revolving credit facility, which
provides for interest at a rate of LIBOR (3.83% at
September 30, 2005) plus 2.5% and matures on
December 24, 2007 and (c) $350.0 million
outstanding under the funded letter of credit facility, which
provide for a participation fee of 1.875%, a deposit fee of
0.10%, and an issuance fee of 0.25% and matures on
December 24, 2011. In addition, before giving effect to the
Acquisition and Financing Transactions, as of September 30,
2005 (i) Texas Genco had $1.125 billion of Unsecured
Senior Notes outstanding, which provide for cash interest at
6.875% per annum payable semiannually and (ii) Texas
Genco had $1,614 million in term loans outstanding under
its existing senior secured credit facility, which term loans
provide for interest at a rate of 5.94% (as of
September 30, 2005) payable at least quarterly and mature
in December 2011. See The Acquisition and
Description of Certain Other Indebtedness and Preferred
Stock.
Sources and Uses of Funds
The following table sets forth the expected sources and uses of
funds in connection with the Acquisition on a pro forma basis
giving effect to the Transactions as if they had occurred on
September 30, 2005. No assurances can be given that the
information in the following table will not change depending on
the nature of our financings. See Risk FactorsRisks
Related to the AcquisitionBecause the historical and pro
forma financial information incorporated by reference or
included elsewhere in this prospectus supplement may not be
representative of our results as a combined company or capital
structure after the Acquisition, and NRGs and Texas
Gencos historical financial information are not comparable
to their current financial information, you have limited
financial information on which to evaluate us, NRG, Texas Genco
and your investment decision and Risk
FactorsRisks Related to the OfferingIf NRG is unable
to raise sufficient proceeds through other Financing
Transactions described elsewhere in this prospectus supplement,
NRG may draw down on a bridge loan facility in order to close
the Acquisition which would significantly increase our
indebtedness. If NRG elects not to consummate the financing
under the bridge loan facility, NRG may seek alternative sources
of financing for the Acquisition, the terms of which are unknown
to us and could limit our ability to operate our business.
S-39
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Sources(1) |
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Amount | |
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(in millions) | |
Gross proceeds of 2014 floating rate notes offered hereby
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$ |
300 |
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Gross proceeds of 2014 fixed rate notes offered hereby
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1,100 |
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Gross proceeds of 2016 notes offered hereby
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2,200 |
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New senior secured term loan facility
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3,575 |
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Cash released from canceling existing funded letter of credit
facility
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350 |
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Gross proceeds of common stock offering
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|
1,000 |
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Common stock consideration to be issued to Sellers
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1,606 |
(2) |
Gross proceeds of mandatory convertible preferred stock offering
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500 |
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NRGs cash on hand
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383 |
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Total
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|
$ |
11,014 |
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Uses |
|
Amount | |
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| |
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|
(in millions) | |
Purchase price less acquisition
costs(2)
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|
$ |
6,005 |
|
Texas Gencos cash on hand to reduce consideration
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(222 |
) |
Refinancing:
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Repayment of NRGs existing credit facilities
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|
877 |
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|
|
|
|
Repayment of Texas Gencos existing credit facilities
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|
1,614 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Total repayment of existing credit facilities
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|
|
|
|
2,491 |
|
Repurchase of NRGs Second Priority Notes
|
|
|
|
|
1,080 |
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Repurchase of Texas Gencos Unsecured Senior Notes
|
|
|
|
|
1,125 |
|
Accrued interest for NRG and Texas Genco outstanding debt
|
|
|
|
|
52 |
|
Estimated underwriting commissions, tender offer premiums, fees
and expenses
|
|
|
|
|
483 |
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|
|
|
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|
Total
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|
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|
$ |
11,014 |
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(1) |
NRG has entered into the commitment letter with the bridge
lenders pursuant to which the bridge lenders have committed to
fund NRGs new senior secured credit facility and to
provide, subject to certain conditions, the additional financing
required for the Acquisition through a $5.1 billion bridge
loan facility in the event that this offering, the common stock
offering and/or the mandatory convertible preferred stock
offering are not consummated. In the event that NRG is unable to
raise sufficient proceeds through the consummation of this
offering, the common stock offering and/or the mandatory
convertible preferred stock offering, NRG may draw down on the
bridge loan facility, in whole or in part, in order to finance
the Acquisition. In the event that NRG does not consummate the
common stock and mandatory convertible stock offerings as
currently contemplated and elects not to consummate the
financing under the bridge loan facility, it could seek
alternative sources of financing for the Acquisition, which may
include, among other alternatives, the issuance in part of
senior secured debt securities or borrowing in part on a senior
secured basis. |
|
(2) |
The common stock component of the consideration for the
Acquisition is based on a fair value of $45.37 per share of
NRGs common stock and the Other Consideration is valued
based on an average common stock price of $40.73, as prescribed
by the Acquisition Agreement. This is because the foregoing
table is based on a pro forma closing date of the Acquisition of
September 30, 2005. To the extent NRGs common stock
price for purposes of the equity component, and Texas
Gencos cash on hand, is different at closing of the
Acquisition, this amount and the purchase price for the
Acquisition will be adjusted accordingly. |
S-40
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth NRGs consolidated
capitalization as of September 30, 2005 on an actual
historical basis and on a combined pro forma cumulative as
adjusted basis to reflect the (i) sale of Audrain;
(ii) the refinancing of NRGs old debt structure;
(iii) the remaining Financing Transactions and the
subsequent Acquisition; and (iv) the acquisition of the
remaining 50% of WCP Holdings and sale of our 50% ownership
interest in Rocky Road, as if these transactions were
consummated on September 30, 2005. The table below should
be read in conjunction with The Acquisition,
Use of Proceeds and the consolidated financial
statements and the related notes thereto included in or
incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and
the accompanying prospectus. No assurances can be given that the
information in the following table will not change depending on
the nature of our financings. See Risk FactorsRisks
Related to the AcquisitionBecause the historical and pro
forma financial information incorporated by reference or
included elsewhere in this prospectus supplement may not be
representative of our results as a combined company or capital
structure after the Acquisition, and NRGs and Texas
Gencos historical financial information are not comparable
to their current financial information, you have limited
financial information on which to evaluate us, NRG, Texas Genco
and your investment decision and Risk
FactorsRisks Related to the OfferingIf NRG is unable
to raise sufficient proceeds through other Financing
Transactions described elsewhere in this prospectus supplement,
NRG may draw down on a bridge loan facility in order to close
the Acquisition which would significantly increase our
indebtedness. If NRG elects not to consummate the financing
under the bridge loan facility, NRG may seek alternative sources
of financing for the Acquisition, the terms of which are unknown
to us and could limit our ability to operate our business
elsewhere in this prospectus supplement.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of September 30, 2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Cumulative | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
As Adjusted | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cumulative | |
|
for Audrain, | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
As Adjusted | |
|
Refinancing and | |
|
Cumulative | |
|
|
|
|
As Adjusted | |
|
for Audrain and | |
|
Texas Genco | |
|
As Adjusted | |
|
|
Historical | |
|
for Audrain | |
|
Refinancing(9) | |
|
Acquisition | |
|
for the Transactions(1) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$ |
504.3 |
|
|
$ |
519.3 |
|
|
$ |
250.1 |
|
|
$ |
137.3 |
|
|
$ |
153.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restricted cash
|
|
|
91.5 |
|
|
|
91.5 |
|
|
|
91.5 |
|
|
|
91.5 |
|
|
|
91.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term debt (including revolving line of credit):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Old Senior Secured Credit Facility:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Old Term Loan Facility
|
|
|
796.6 |
|
|
|
796.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Old Revolving Credit
Facility(2)
|
|
|
80.0 |
|
|
|
80.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding Second Priority
Notes(3)
|
|
|
1,080.4 |
|
|
|
1,080.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Xcel Energy
Note(4)
|
|
|
9.6 |
|
|
|
9.6 |
|
|
|
9.6 |
|
|
|
9.6 |
|
|
|
9.6 |
|
New Senior Secured Credit Facility
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
446.6 |
|
|
|
3,575 |
|
|
|
3,575 |
|
2016 Notes offered hereby
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,080.4 |
|
|
|
2,200 |
|
|
|
2,200 |
|
2014 Fixed Rate Notes offered hereby
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,100 |
|
|
|
1,100 |
|
2014 Floating Rate Notes offered hereby
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
300 |
|
|
|
300 |
|
Existing non-guarantor debt
(5)
|
|
|
607.2 |
|
|
|
607.2 |
|
|
|
607.2 |
|
|
|
607.2 |
|
|
|
607.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total debt, before capital leases
|
|
|
2,573.8 |
|
|
|
2,573.8 |
|
|
|
2,143.8 |
|
|
|
7,791.8 |
|
|
|
7,791.8 |
|
S-41
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of September 30, 2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Cumulative | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
As Adjusted | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cumulative | |
|
for Audrain, | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
As Adjusted | |
|
Refinancing and | |
|
Cumulative | |
|
|
|
|
As Adjusted | |
|
for Audrain and | |
|
Texas Genco | |
|
As Adjusted | |
|
|
Historical | |
|
for Audrain | |
|
Refinancing(8) | |
|
Acquisition | |
|
for the Transactions(1) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Capital leases
|
|
|
470.4 |
|
|
|
230.5 |
|
|
|
230.5 |
|
|
|
234.4 |
|
|
|
234.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total debt and capital leases
|
|
$ |
3,044.2 |
|
|
$ |
2,804.3 |
|
|
$ |
2,374.3 |
|
|
$ |
8,026.2 |
|
|
$ |
8,026.2 |
|
3.625% Convertible Preferred Stock
|
|
|
246.2 |
|
|
|
246.2 |
|
|
|
246.2 |
|
|
|
246.2 |
|
|
|
246.2 |
|
Mandatory Convertible Preferred
Stock(6)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
486.2 |
|
|
|
486.2 |
|
Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock
|
|
|
406.2 |
|
|
|
406.2 |
|
|
|
406.2 |
|
|
|
406.2 |
|
|
|
406.2 |
|
|
Other stockholders
equity(7)
|
|
|
1,613.0 |
|
|
|
1,628.2 |
|
|
|
1,538.6 |
|
|
|
4,085.7 |
|
|
|
4,060.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total capitalization
|
|
$ |
5,309.6 |
|
|
$ |
5,084.9 |
|
|
$ |
4,565.3 |
|
|
$ |
13,250.5 |
|
|
$ |
13,225.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
NRG has entered into the commitment letter with the bridge
lenders pursuant to which the bridge lenders have committed to
fund NRGs new senior secured credit facility and to
provide, subject to certain conditions, the additional financing
required for the Acquisition through a $5.1 billion bridge
loan facility in the event that this offering, the common stock
offering and/or the mandatory convertible preferred stock
offering are not consummated. In the event that NRG is unable to
raise sufficient proceeds through the consummation of this
offering, the common stock offering and/or the mandatory
convertible preferred stock offering, NRG may draw down on the
bridge loan facility, in whole or in part, in order to finance
the Acquisition. See Description of Certain Other
Indebtedness and Preferred Stock Bridge Loan
Facility. In the event that NRG does not consummate the
common stock and mandatory convertible stock offerings as
currently contemplated and elects not to consummate the
financing under the bridge loan facility, it could seek
alternative sources of financing for the Acquisition, which may
include, among other alternatives, the issuance in part of
senior secured debt securities or borrowing in part on a senior
secured basis. |
|
(2) |
Total borrowing availability under the revolving credit facility
portion of NRGs old senior secured credit facility is
$150.0 million, of which $80.0 million was drawn at
September 30, 2005. |
|
(3) |
The outstanding balance for the Second Priority Notes has been
increased by $14.8 million because the tack-on offering was
sold at a premium. The outstanding note balance excludes a
decrease of $16.7 million as a result of an unfavorable
fair value hedge on an interest rate swap entered into in March
2004. This interest rate swap will remain after the Acquisition
and Financing Transactions. |
|
(4) |
Xcel Energy Note has been reduced by $0.4 million as a
result of marking the debt to a market rate of 9% in connection
with NRGs Fresh Start reporting on December 5, 2003.
The stated interest rate of the note is 3%. |
|
(5) |
As of September 30, 2005, existing non-guarantor debt has
been reduced by $59.0 million as a result of marking the
debt to a market rate in connection with NRGs Fresh Start
reporting on December 5, 2003. For more information on the
various components of NRGs debt, refer to Note 18 to
NRGs audited consolidated financial statements as of and
for the year ended December 31, 2004 as amended on our
Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 20, 2005
incorporated herein by reference. |
|
(6) |
The Mandatory Preferred Convertible Stock will be converted on
March 16, 2009 and is subject to a 6% cumulative annual
dividend. The Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock has a total
liquidation preference of $500 million and a conversion
rate
of shares
of common stock per share of Mandatory Convertible Preferred
Stock and are convertible at the option of the holder at any
time. |
|
(7) |
Pro forma adjustments to Stockholders Equity include the
issuance of $1.0 billion of common stock in the concurrent
common stock offering, and the issuance of common stock and
reissuance of treasury stock to the Sellers valued at
$1,606.4 million. These amounts are impacted by a
$15.3 million gain on the sale of Audrain, a
$25.2 million loss from the sale of Rocky Road and closing
costs net of tax of $115.7 million. |
|
(8) |
Refinancing reflects the changes due to the refinancing of
NRGs old debt structure. |
S-42
SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF NRG
The following table presents selected historical consolidated
financial information of (i) Predecessor Company as of and
for the years ended December 31, 2000, 2001 and 2002 and
for the period from January 1, 2003 to December 5,
2003 and (ii) Reorganized NRG for the period from
December 6, 2003 to December 31, 2003, as of
December 31, 2003, as of and for the year ended
December 31, 2004 and the nine months ended
September 30, 2005 and 2004. Predecessor
Company refers to NRGs operations prior to
December 6, 2003, before emergence from bankruptcy and
Reorganized NRG refers to NRGs operations from
December 6, 2003 onwards, after emergence from bankruptcy.
The selected historical consolidated financial information of
Predecessor Company as of and for the year ended
December 31, 2000, 2001 and 2002 and for the period from
January 1, 2003 to December 5, 2003 is derived from
the historical financial information contained in the audited
consolidated financial statements of Predecessor Company
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.
The selected historical consolidated financial information of
Reorganized NRG for the period December 6, 2003 to
December 31, 2003 and as of and for the year ended
December 31, 2004 is derived from the historical financial
information contained in the audited consolidated financial
statements of Reorganized NRG incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement. The summary unaudited historical
consolidated financial information as of and for the nine months
ended September 30, 2005 and 2004 (i) have been
derived from Reorganized NRGs unaudited consolidated
financial statements which are incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement, (ii) have been prepared on a similar
basis to that used in the preparation of the audited financial
statements of Reorganized NRG and (iii) in the opinion of
NRGs management, include all adjustments necessary for a
fair statement of the results for the unaudited interim period.
The selected historical consolidated financial information set
forth below should be read in conjunction with managements
discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of
operations and the consolidated financial statements of
Predecessor Company and Reorganized NRG and the related notes
thereto incorporated by reference into this prospectus
supplement. The results for a period of less than a full year
are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for
any interim period.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Predecessor Company |
|
Reorganized NRG |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the Year |
|
For the Year |
|
For the Year |
|
Period from |
|
Period from |
|
For the Year |
|
For the Nine |
|
For the Nine |
|
|
Ended |
|
Ended |
|
Ended |
|
January 1- |
|
December 6- |
|
Ended |
|
Months Ended |
|
Months Ended |
|
|
December 31, |
|
December 31, |
|
December 31, |
|
December 5, |
|
December 31, |
|
December |
|
September 30, |
|
September 30, |
|
|
2000 |
|
2001 |
|
2002 |
|
2003 |
|
2003 |
|
31, 2004 |
|
2004 |
|
2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(unaudited) |
|
(unaudited) |
|
|
($ in thousands, except per share data) |
|
|
|
|
Income Statement Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating revenues
|
|
$ |
1,664,980 |
|
|
$ |
2,085,350 |
|
|
$ |
1,938,293 |
|
|
$ |
1,798,387 |
|
|
$ |
138,490 |
|
|
$ |
2,347,882 |
|
|
$ |
1,770,669 |
|
|
$ |
1,942,828 |
|
Legal settlement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
462,631 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fresh start reporting adjustments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4,118,636 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reorganization items
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
197,825 |
|
|
|
2,461 |
|
|
|
(13,390 |
) |
|
|
(1,656 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Restructuring and impairment charges
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,563,060 |
|
|
|
237,575 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
44,661 |
|
|
|
42,183 |
|
|
|
6,223 |
|
Total operating costs and expenses
|
|
|
1,308,589 |
|
|
|
1,703,531 |
|
|
|
4,321,385 |
|
|
|
(1,475,523 |
) |
|
|
122,328 |
|
|
|
1,955,887 |
|
|
|
1,459,756 |
|
|
|
1,861,569 |
|
Minority interest in (earnings)/losses of consolidated
subsidiaries
|
|
|
(840 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(134 |
) |
|
|
(16 |
) |
|
|
(18 |
) |
|
|
(36 |
) |
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates
|
|
|
139,364 |
|
|
|
210,032 |
|
|
|
68,996 |
|
|
|
170,901 |
|
|
|
13,521 |
|
|
|
159,825 |
|
|
|
117,187 |
|
|
|
82,501 |
|
Write downs and losses on sales of equity method investments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(200,472 |
) |
|
|
(147,124 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(16,270 |
) |
|
|
(14,057 |
) |
|
|
15,894 |
|
Income/(loss) from continuing operations
|
|
|
149,729 |
|
|
|
210,502 |
|
|
|
(2,788,452 |
) |
|
|
2,949,078 |
|
|
|
11,405 |
|
|
|
159,144 |
|
|
|
142,154 |
|
|
|
6,991 |
|
Income/(loss) on discontinued operations, net of income taxes
|
|
|
33,206 |
|
|
|
54,702 |
|
|
|
(675,830 |
) |
|
|
(182,633 |
) |
|
|
(380 |
) |
|
|
26,473 |
|
|
|
25,326 |
|
|
|
12,612 |
|
Net
income/(loss)(1)
|
|
|
182,935 |
|
|
|
265,204 |
|
|
|
(3,464,282 |
) |
|
|
2,766,445 |
|
|
|
11,025 |
|
|
|
185,617 |
|
|
|
167,480 |
|
|
|
19,603 |
|
Net income per sharebasic
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
$ |
0.11 |
|
|
$ |
1.86 |
|
|
$ |
1.67 |
|
|
$ |
0.07 |
|
Net income per sharediluted
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
$ |
0.11 |
|
|
$ |
1.85 |
|
|
$ |
1.67 |
|
|
$ |
0.07 |
|
Weighted average shares outstanding-basic (in millions)
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
|
86 |
|
Weighted average shares outstanding-diluted (in millions)
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
|
86 |
|
S-43
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Predecessor Company |
|
Reorganized NRG |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the Year |
|
For the Year |
|
For the Year |
|
Period from |
|
Period from |
|
For the Year |
|
For the Nine |
|
For the Nine |
|
|
Ended |
|
Ended |
|
Ended |
|
January 1- |
|
December 6- |
|
Ended |
|
Months Ended |
|
Months Ended |
|
|
December 31, |
|
December 31, |
|
December 31, |
|
December 5, |
|
December 31, |
|
December |
|
September 30, |
|
September 30, |
|
|
2000 |
|
2001 |
|
2002 |
|
2003 |
|
2003 |
|
31, 2004 |
|
2004 |
|
2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(unaudited) |
|
(unaudited) |
|
|
($ in thousands, except per share data) |
|
|
|
|
Other Financial and Operating Data and Ratios:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital expenditures
|
|
$ |
(223,560 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,322,130 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,439,733 |
) |
|
$ |
(113,502 |
) |
|
$ |
(10,560 |
) |
|
$ |
(114,360 |
) |
|
$ |
(78,293 |
) |
|
$ |
(45,518 |
) |
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
92,673 |
|
|
|
140,975 |
|
|
|
207,027 |
|
|
|
218,843 |
|
|
|
11,808 |
|
|
|
208,036 |
|
|
|
158,603 |
|
|
|
144,317 |
|
Cash flows from operating activities
|
|
|
361,678 |
|
|
|
276,014 |
|
|
|
430,042 |
|
|
|
238,509 |
|
|
|
(588,875 |
) |
|
|
643,993 |
|
|
|
595,421 |
|
|
|
(113,802 |
) |
Ratio of earnings to fixed
charges(2)
|
|
|
1.81 |
x |
|
|
1.26 |
x |
|
|
|
(3) |
|
|
9.82 |
x(4) |
|
|
1.68 |
x |
|
|
1.83 |
x |
|
|
1.80 |
x |
|
|
1.19 |
x |
Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preference
dividends(2)
|
|
|
1.81 |
x |
|
|
1.26 |
x |
|
|
|
(3) |
|
|
9.82 |
x(4) |
|
|
1.68 |
x |
|
|
1.82 |
x |
|
|
1.80 |
x |
|
|
1.04 |
x |
Balance Sheet Data (at period end):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$ |
36,746 |
|
|
$ |
86,738 |
|
|
$ |
360,860 |
|
|
$ |
395,982 |
|
|
$ |
551,223 |
|
|
$ |
1,103,678 |
|
|
$ |
1,098,782 |
|
|
$ |
504,336 |
|
Restricted cash
|
|
|
7,236 |
|
|
|
68,320 |
|
|
|
211,966 |
|
|
|
493,047 |
|
|
|
116,067 |
|
|
|
109,633 |
|
|
|
145,571 |
|
|
|
91,508 |
|
Total Assets
|
|
|
5,986,289 |
|
|
|
12,915,222 |
|
|
|
10,896,851 |
|
|
|
9,167,329 |
|
|
|
9,244,987 |
|
|
|
7,830,283 |
|
|
|
8,185,858 |
|
|
|
7,795,367 |
|
Long-term debt:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recourse corporate level debt
|
|
|
1,512,386 |
|
|
|
3,742,400 |
|
|
|
3,998,280 |
|
|
|
8,651 |
|
|
|
2,458,690 |
|
|
|
2,544,048 |
|
|
|
2,437,088 |
|
|
|
1,964,865 |
|
|
Non-recourse project level debt
|
|
|
1,689,954 |
|
|
|
3,946,811 |
|
|
|
4,814,432 |
|
|
|
3,386,434 |
|
|
|
1,689,340 |
|
|
|
1,179,806 |
|
|
|
1,131,764 |
|
|
|
1,077,533 |
|
|
Total long-term debt including current maturities
|
|
|
3,202,340 |
|
|
|
7,689,211 |
|
|
|
8,812,712 |
|
|
|
3,395,085 |
|
|
|
4,148,030 |
|
|
|
3,723,854 |
|
|
|
3,568,852 |
|
|
|
3,042,398 |
|
Stockholders equity/(deficit)
|
|
|
1,462,088 |
|
|
|
2,237,129 |
|
|
|
(696,199 |
) |
|
|
2,404,000 |
|
|
|
2,437,256 |
|
|
|
2,692,164 |
|
|
|
2,597,151 |
|
|
|
2,019,168 |
|
|
|
(1) |
Our results include the following items that have had a
significant impact on our operations during the periods
indicated below: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Predecessor Company | |
|
Reorganized NRG | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the | |
|
For the | |
|
|
For the Year | |
|
For the Year | |
|
For the Year | |
|
Period from | |
|
Period from | |
|
For the Year | |
|
Nine Months | |
|
Nine Months | |
|
|
Ended | |
|
Ended | |
|
Ended | |
|
January 1 - | |
|
December 6 - | |
|
Ended | |
|
Ended | |
|
Ended | |
|
|
December 31, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
December 5, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
|
2000 | |
|
2001 | |
|
2002 | |
|
2003 | |
|
2003 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
(unaudited) | |
|
(unaudited) | |
|
|
($ in thousands, except per share data) | |
|
|
|
|
Income/(loss) on discontinued operations, net of income taxes
|
|
$ |
33,206 |
|
|
$ |
54,702 |
|
|
$ |
(675,830 |
) |
|
$ |
(182,633 |
) |
|
$ |
(380 |
) |
|
$ |
26,473 |
|
|
$ |
25,326 |
|
|
$ |
12,612 |
|
Legal settlement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
462,631 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fresh start reporting adjustments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4,118,636 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporate relocation charges
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
16,167 |
|
|
|
12,474 |
|
|
|
5,651 |
|
Reorganization items
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
197,825 |
|
|
|
2,461 |
|
|
|
(13,390 |
) |
|
|
(1,656 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Restructuring and impairment charges
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,563,060 |
|
|
|
237,575 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
44,661 |
|
|
|
42,183 |
|
|
|
6,223 |
|
Write downs and gains/(losses) on sales of equity method
investments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(200,472 |
) |
|
|
(147,124 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(16,270 |
) |
|
|
(14,057 |
) |
|
|
15,894 |
|
FERC authorized settlement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(38,357 |
) |
|
|
(38,357 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Write down of Note Receivable
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,572 |
|
|
|
4,572 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
The ratio of earnings to fixed charges is computed by dividing
earnings by fixed charges. The ratio of earnings to fixed
charges and preference dividends is computed by dividing
earnings by fixed charges and preference dividends. For this
purpose, earnings includes pre-tax income (loss)
before adjustments for minority interest in our consolidated
subsidiaries and income or loss from equity investees, plus
fixed charges and distributed income of equity investees, and
amortization of capitalized interest reduced by interest
capitalized. Fixed charges include interest, whether
expensed or capitalized for both continuing and discontinued
operations, amortization of debt expense and the portion of
rental expense that is representative of the interest factor in
these rentals. Preference dividends equals the
amount of pre-tax earnings that is required to pay the dividends
on outstanding preference securities. |
|
(3) |
For the year ended December 31, 2002, the deficiency of
earnings to fixed charges was $3,023 million. |
|
(4) |
For the period January 1, 2003 through December 5,
2003, the earnings include a one time earning of $4,119 million
due to Fresh Start adjustments. |
S-44
SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
OF TEXAS GENCO
The following table sets forth selected historical consolidated
financial information for Texas Genco LLC and its subsidiaries
and for Texas Genco Holdings, Inc., Texas Genco LLCs
predecessor for financial reporting purposes, and its
subsidiaries. Because Texas Genco LLC acquired Texas Genco
Holdings, Inc. as part of a multi-step transaction in which the
Initial Acquisition (as described below) was consummated on
December 15, 2004 and the Nuclear Acquisition (as described
below) was consummated on April 13, 2005, information is
presented for (i) Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. as of and for
the years ended December 31, 2002, 2003 and 2004, and as of
and for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 and for
the period from January 1, 2005 through April 13, 2005
and (ii) Texas Genco LLC as of December 31, 2004, the
period from July 19, 2004, or Inception, through
December 31, 2004 and as of and for the nine months ended
September 30, 2005.
The selected historical consolidated financial information for
Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. as of and for the years ended
December 31, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 were derived
from Texas Genco Holdings, Inc.s audited financial
statements incorporated by reference into this prospectus
supplement. The selected historical consolidated financial
information for Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. as of and for the
nine months ended September 30, 2004 and for the period
from January 1, 2005 through April 13, 2005
(i) were derived from Texas Genco Holdings, Inc.s
unaudited financial statements, (ii) have been prepared on
a similar basis to that used in the preparation of Texas Genco
Holdings, Inc.s audited financial statements, and
(iii) in the opinion of Texas Gencos management,
include all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the
results for the unaudited interim period. The financial
information for Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. reflects ownership of
the Non-Nuclear Assets for periods prior to December 15,
2004 and of an undivided 44.0% interest in STP for all periods
presented, and is therefore not comparable to the historical
financial information for Texas Genco LLC, which reflects
ownership of the Non-Nuclear Assets only for periods subsequent
to December 15, 2004, the Nuclear Acquisition only for
periods subsequent to April 13, 2005 and the ROFR (as
described below) only for periods subsequent to May 19,
2005.
The selected historical consolidated financial information for
Texas Genco LLC as of December 31, 2004 and for the period
from July 19, 2004 (Inception) through December 31,
2004 were derived from the audited consolidated financial
statements of Texas Genco LLC incorporated by reference into
this prospectus supplement. The selected historical consolidated
financial information for Texas Genco LLC as of and for the nine
months ended September 30, 2005 (i) were derived from
unaudited financial statements of Texas Genco LLC incorporated
by reference into this prospectus supplement, (ii) have
been prepared on a similar basis to that used in the preparation
of the audited financial statements of Texas Genco LLC, and
(iii) in the opinion of Texas Gencos management,
include all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the
results for the unaudited interim period. The results for a
periods for less than a full year are not necessarily indicative
of the results to be expected for any interim period. Texas
Genco LLC did not exist prior to Inception; therefore, no
consolidated financial and other information has been presented
in the following table for Texas Genco LLC for any other period.
The selected consolidated historical financial information of
Texas Genco LLC and Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. set forth below
should be read in conjunction with managements discussion
and analysis of financial condition and results of operations
and the consolidated financial statements of Texas Genco LLC and
Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. and the related notes thereto
incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.
S-45
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Texas Genco Holdings, Inc.Predecessor | |
|
Texas Genco LLC(1) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Period from | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the | |
|
January 1, | |
|
Period from | |
|
For the | |
|
|
|
|
Nine Months | |
|
2005 | |
|
July 19, 2004 | |
|
Nine Months | |
|
|
|
|
Ended | |
|
through | |
|
through | |
|
Ended | |
|
|
For the Years Ended December | |
|
September 30, | |
|
April 13, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
2000(2) | |
|
2001(2) | |
|
2002 | |
|
2003 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(unaudited) | |
|
|
|
|
|
(unaudited) | |
|
|
($ in millions, except per unit data) | |
Statement of Operations Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues(3)
|
|
$ |
3,334 |
|
|
$ |
3,411 |
|
|
$ |
1,541 |
|
|
$ |
2,002 |
|
|
$ |
2,054 |
|
|
$ |
1,630 |
|
|
$ |
61 |
|
|
$ |
96 |
|
|
$ |
2,000 |
|
Operating expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fuel and purchased power
expense(4)
|
|
|
2,397 |
|
|
|
2,527 |
|
|
|
1,083 |
|
|
|
1,171 |
|
|
|
1,021 |
|
|
|
810 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
|
45 |
|
|
|
913 |
|
Operation and
maintenance(5)
|
|
|
393 |
|
|
|
402 |
|
|
|
391 |
|
|
|
411 |
|
|
|
415 |
|
|
|
319 |
|
|
|
35 |
|
|
|
24 |
|
|
|
329 |
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
151 |
|
|
|
154 |
|
|
|
157 |
|
|
|
159 |
|
|
|
89 |
|
|
|
85 |
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
|
253 |
|
|
Write-down of
assets(6)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
763 |
|
|
|
649 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gain on sale of assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(28 |
) |
Taxes other than income taxes
|
|
|
63 |
|
|
|
63 |
|
|
|
43 |
|
|
|
39 |
|
|
|
41 |
|
|
|
33 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
35 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
3,004 |
|
|
|
3,146 |
|
|
|
1,674 |
|
|
|
1,780 |
|
|
|
2,329 |
|
|
|
1,896 |
|
|
|
49 |
|
|
|
82 |
|
|
|
1,502 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating income (loss)
|
|
|
330 |
|
|
|
265 |
|
|
|
(133 |
) |
|
|
222 |
|
|
|
(275 |
) |
|
|
(267 |
) |
|
|
12 |
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
|
498 |
|
Other income
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
Interest income (expense), net
(7)
|
|
|
(59 |
) |
|
|
(65 |
) |
|
|
(26 |
) |
|
|
(2 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(34 |
) |
|
|
(134 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) before income taxes
|
|
|
272 |
|
|
|
202 |
|
|
|
(156 |
) |
|
|
222 |
|
|
|
(270 |
) |
|
|
(264 |
) |
|
|
13 |
|
|
|
(20 |
) |
|
|
367 |
|
Income tax expense
(benefit)(8)
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
|
74 |
|
|
|
(63 |
) |
|
|
71 |
|
|
|
(171 |
) |
|
|
(94 |
) |
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) before cumulative effective of accounting change
|
|
|
172 |
|
|
|
128 |
|
|
|
(93 |
) |
|
|
151 |
|
|
|
(99 |
) |
|
|
(170 |
) |
|
|
9 |
|
|
|
(20 |
) |
|
|
346 |
|
Cumulative effect of accounting change, net of
tax(9)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
99 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income (loss)
|
|
$ |
172 |
|
|
$ |
128 |
|
|
$ |
(93 |
) |
|
$ |
250 |
|
|
$ |
(99 |
) |
|
$ |
(170 |
) |
|
$ |
9 |
|
|
$ |
(20 |
) |
|
$ |
346 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings Per Share Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss) per sharebasic
|
|
$ |
2.15 |
|
|
$ |
1.60 |
|
|
$ |
(1.16 |
) |
|
$ |
3.13 |
|
|
$ |
(1.25 |
) |
|
$ |
(2.13 |
) |
|
$ |
0.14 |
|
|
$ |
(0.13 |
) |
|
$ |
2.05 |
|
Net income (loss) per sharediluted
|
|
|
2.15 |
|
|
|
1.60 |
|
|
|
(1.16 |
) |
|
|
3.13 |
|
|
|
(1.25 |
) |
|
|
(2.13 |
) |
|
|
0.14 |
|
|
|
(0.13 |
) |
|
|
1.98 |
|
Weighted average shares outstandingbasic (in millions)
(10)
|
|
|
80.0 |
|
|
|
80.0 |
|
|
|
80.0 |
|
|
|
80.0 |
|
|
|
79.4 |
|
|
|
80.0 |
|
|
|
64.8 |
|
|
|
156.5 |
|
|
|
168.6 |
|
Weighted average shares outstandingdiluted (in millions)
(10)
|
|
|
80.0 |
|
|
|
80.0 |
|
|
|
80.0 |
|
|
|
80.0 |
|
|
|
79.4 |
|
|
|
80.0 |
|
|
|
64.8 |
|
|
|
156.5 |
|
|
|
175.1 |
|
Other Financial Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital expenditures
|
|
$ |
252 |
|
|
$ |
409 |
|
|
$ |
258 |
|
|
$ |
157 |
|
|
$ |
73 |
|
|
$ |
46.0 |
|
|
$ |
9 |
|
|
$ |
6 |
|
|
$ |
74 |
|
Balance Sheet Data (at period end):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property, plant and equipment,
net(11)
|
|
$ |
3,667 |
|
|
$ |
3,905 |
|
|
$ |
4,096 |
|
|
$ |
4,126 |
|
|
$ |
474 |
|
|
$ |
478 |
|
|
$ |
474 |
|
|
$ |
2,446 |
|
|
$ |
3,542 |
|
Total
assets(12)
|
|
|
4,032 |
|
|
|
4,323 |
|
|
|
4,508 |
|
|
|
4,640 |
|
|
|
1,395 |
|
|
|
4,272 |
|
|
|
996 |
|
|
|
4,588 |
|
|
|
6,099 |
|
Total debt
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
75 |
|
|
|
2,280 |
|
|
|
2,743 |
|
Net capitalization
|
|
|
2,323 |
|
|
|
2,624 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,824 |
|
|
|
3,033 |
|
|
|
454 |
|
|
|
2,680 |
|
|
|
466 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Members
equity(12)(13)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
772 |
|
|
|
773 |
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Texas Genco LLC was formed on July 19, 2004 to facilitate
the acquisition of Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. in a multi-step
transaction from CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and other minority
public stockholders. On December 13, 2004, Texas Genco
Holdings, Inc. divided its nuclear and non-nuclear generating
assets and liabilities between two of its wholly-owned
subsidiaries. Its non-nuclear generating assets and liabilities
were allocated to Texas Genco II, LP and its nuclear assets
and liabilities and its cash were |
S-46
|
|
|
|
|
allocated to Texas Genco, LP. The
non-nuclear generating assets and liabilities, together with
assets and liabilities unrelated to the wholesale generation
business held by Texas Genco Services, LP, another wholly-owned
subsidiary of Texas Genco Holdings, Inc., are referred to as the
Non-Nuclear Assets. On December 14, 2004, Texas
Genco Holdings, Inc. merged with a wholly-owned subsidiary of
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. As a result of this merger, CenterPoint
Energy, Inc. acquired 100% of the issued and outstanding common
stock of Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. On December 15, 2004,
two wholly-owned subsidiaries of Texas Genco LLC merged with and
into Texas Genco II, LP and Texas Genco Services, LP,
respectively. As a result of these mergers, referred to as the
Initial Acquisition, Texas Genco II, LP and
Texas Genco Services, LP became wholly-owned subsidiaries of
Texas Genco LLC and Texas Genco LLC thereby acquired the
Non-Nuclear Assets. On April 13, 2005, a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Texas Genco LLC merged with and into Texas Genco
Holdings, Inc. As a result of this merger, which is referred to
as the Nuclear Acquisition, Texas Genco Holdings,
Inc. became a wholly- owned subsidiary of Texas Genco LLC and
Texas Genco LLC thereby indirectly acquired Texas Genco
Holdings, Inc.s assets and liabilities, including its
indirect 30.8% undivided interest in STP. On May 19, 2005,
pursuant to the exercise of a right of first refusal by Texas
Genco, LP subsequent to a third party offer to American Electric
Power, or AEP, in early 2004, Texas Genco LLC acquired from AEP
an additional indirect 13.2% undivided interest, equivalent to
330 MW, in STP for approximately $174.2 million, less
adjustments for working capital and other purchase price
adjustments. This acquisition is referred to as the
ROFR. As a result, Texas Genco LLC, through Texas
Genco, LP, owns a 44.0% undivided interest, equivalent to
1,101 MW, in STP. The transactions described above are
referred to, collectively, as the The Texas Genco
Formation Transactions.
|
|
|
(2) |
Prior to January 1, 2002,
Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. sold power as part of an integrated
utility at regulated rates; thereafter, power was sold at
market-based rates. Therefore, the historical information
included in the Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. financial statements
for periods prior to January 1, 2002 does not reflect what
the financial position and results of operations of Texas Genco
Holdings, Inc. would have been had Texas Genco Holdings, Inc.
been operated as a separate, stand-alone wholesale electric
power generation company in a deregulated market during the
periods presented.
|
|
|
(3) |
Revenues for Texas Genco LLC
include amortization of the liability related to below-market
power sales contracts recorded in connection with the Initial
Acquisition and the effect of other non-trading derivatives,
which increased revenues by $12.3 million and decreased
revenues by $3.6 million, respectively, for the period from
Inception through December 31, 2004. For the nine months
ended September 30, 2005, amortization of the liability
related to below-market power sales contracts increased revenues
for Texas Genco LLC by $186.3 million and the effect of
other non-trading derivatives decreased revenues for Texas Genco
LLC by $28.9 million.
|
|
|
(4) |
Fuel and purchased power expense
for Texas Genco LLC includes fuel-related depreciation and
amortizationamortization of nuclear fueland the
amortization of the liability related to above-market coal
purchase contracts (which contracts expire in 2010) recorded in
connection with the Initial Acquisition. Fuel-related
depreciation and amortization had no effect on fuel expense for
the period of Inception through December 31, 2004 and
increased fuel expense by $10.3 million for the nine months
ended September 30, 2005. The amortization of the liability
related to above-market coal purchase contracts decreased fuel
and purchased power expense for Texas Genco LLC by
$1.5 million for the period from Inception through
December 31, 2004 and $37.0 million for the nine
months ended September 30, 2005.
|
|
|
(5) |
Operation and maintenance for Texas
Genco Holdings, Inc. includes allocations of overhead costs from
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. Operations and maintenance for Texas
Genco LLC includes payments to CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and
Reliant Energy, Inc. for transition services. Operations and
maintenance for Texas Genco LLC for the nine months ended
September 30, 2005 includes a charge of $35.3 million
related to our workforce optimization plan and a payment of
$7.5 million of monitoring fees paid to affiliates of The
Blackstone Group, Hellman & Friedman LLC, Kohlberg
Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. and Texas Pacific Group.
|
|
|
(6) |
For the year ended
December 31, 2004, Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. recorded an
asset impairment of $763.0 million ($426.0 million net
of tax) to reflect the net realizable value for the assets to be
sold in the Initial Acquisition. Texas Genco Holdings, Inc.
ceased depreciation on its coal, lignite and natural gas-fired
generation plants at the time these assets were considered
held for sale. This resulted in a decrease in
depreciation expense of $69.0 million for the year ended
December 31, 2004 as compared to the same period in 2003.
|
|
|
(7) |
Interest income (expense), net for
Texas Genco LLC includes amortization of deferred financing fees
of $(1.0) million for the period from Inception through
December 31, 2004 and $10.5 million for the nine
months ended September 30, 2005.
|
|
|
(8) |
Texas Genco LLC is a limited
liability company that is treated as a partnership for
U.S. federal income tax purposes and is, therefore, not
itself subject to federal income taxation. Profits or losses are
subject to taxation at the member interest level. Texas Genco
Holdings, Inc., holds an indirect 44.0% undivided interest in
STP and is a corporation that is subject to U.S. federal
income taxation on its income.
|
|
|
(9) |
Cumulative effect of an accounting
change resulting from the allocation of Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 143, Accounting for Asset
Retirement Obligations.
|
S-47
|
|
(10) |
Texas Genco Holdings, Inc.s Board of Directors declared an
80,000-for-one stock split that was effected on
December 18, 2002. On January 6, 2003, CenterPoint
Energy distributed approximately 19% of the 80 million
outstanding shares of Texas Gencos common stock to
CenterPoint Energys shareholders. Earnings per share has
been presented as if the 80,000,000 shares were outstanding for
all historical periods in accordance with Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 128, Earnings Per
Share. |
|
(11) |
In accordance with ERCOT rules, Texas Genco has placed four
units into mothball status for more than 180 days, retired
one unit, sold one unit and intends to sell eight units,
together representing approximately 3,378 MW of available
capacity. Texas Genco placed one additional unit representing
approximately 461 MW of net capacity, which was operated
pursuant to a reliability must run contract with the
ERCOT, into mothball status for more than 180 days when the
contract terminated on October 29, 2005. On
November 14, 2005, Texas Genco completed the sale of its
natural gas-fired generation plant at Deepwater, representing
174 MW of available capacity. |
|
(12) |
Total assets and members equity as of September 30,
2005 reflects distributions to members of an aggregate of
$85.8 million from July 1, 2005 through
September 30, 2005, representing preliminary distributions
of net proceeds relating to certain asset sales. |
|
(13) |
Members equity includes capital contributions from Texas
Gencos existing equityholders of $899.5 million, of
which $892.2 million was contributed by the investment
funds affiliated with The Blackstone Group, Hellman &
Friedman LLC, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. and
Texas Pacific Group and $7.3 million was contributed by
certain members of Texas Gencos management team. |
S-48
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES DISCUSSION
Our unaudited pro forma combined financial information
incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement does
not purport to represent what our financial condition would
actually have been had the Acquisition and the Financing
Transactions in fact occurred on the dates specified below or to
project our results of operations for any future period. See
Risk FactorsRisks Related to the
AcquisitionBecause the historical and pro forma financial
information incorporated by reference or included elsewhere in
this prospectus supplement may not be representative of our
results as a combined company or capital structure after the
Acquisition, and NRGs and Texas Gencos historical
financial information are not comparable to their current
financial information, you have limited financial information on
which to evaluate us, NRG, Texas Genco and your investment
decision.
The adjustments reflected in our unaudited pro forma
financial information are based on available information and
assumptions we believe are reasonable, including our assumptions
regarding the financing for the Acquisition that may prove to be
inaccurate. See Risk FactorsRisks Related to the
OfferingIf NRG is unable to raise sufficient proceeds
through other Financing Transactions described elsewhere in this
prospectus supplement, NRG may draw down on a bridge loan
facility in order to close the Acquisition which would
significantly increase our indebtedness. If NRG elects not to
consummate the financing under the bridge loan facility, NRG may
seek alternative sources of financing for the Acquisition, the
terms of which are unknown to us and could limit our ability to
operate our business elsewhere in this prospectus
supplement.
Basis of Presentation
On September 30, 2005, NRG entered into the Acquisition
Agreement with Texas Genco and the Sellers. Under the
Acquisition Agreement, NRG agreed to purchase from the Sellers
100% of the outstanding equity interests of Texas Genco. After
the completion of the Acquisition, Texas Genco will become a
100% wholly-owned subsidiary of NRG. The Acquisition is
currently expected to close in the first quarter of 2006. For a
discussion of the Acquisition, see The Acquisition.
The Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations, or MD&A, for each of
NRG and Texas Genco incorporated by reference into this
prospectus supplement were based upon each of their respective
historical financial statements, and should each be read
together with their respective historical consolidated financial
statements, the notes to those financial statements and the
other financial information incorporated by reference or
appearing elsewhere in this prospectus supplement. Because
neither NRGs nor Texas Gencos historical financial
statements reflect the Acquisition and the Financing
Transactions, a discussion of NRGs and Texas Gencos
historical results of operations do not provide a sufficient
understanding of the financial condition and results of
operations of our business after giving effect to the
consummation of the Acquisition and the Financing Transactions.
NRGs historical financial statements for the 2003 fiscal
year are not comparable to its current financial statements. As
a result of NRGs emergence from bankruptcy, it is
operating its business with a new capital structure, and is
subject to Fresh Start reporting requirements prescribed by
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.
As required by Fresh Start reporting, assets and liabilities as
of December 6, 2003 were recorded at fair value, with the
enterprise value being determined in connection with the
reorganization. Texas Gencos historical financial
statements are not comparable to its current financial
statements. Texas Genco did not exist prior to July 19,
2004 and, accordingly no comparative financial information for
prior periods is available.
The pro forma results also include adjustments for the following
transactions that either occurred after the announcement of the
Acquisition or pursuant to applicable rules are reflected in our
pro forma results:
|
|
|
|
(i) |
On December 8, 2005, NRG entered into an Asset Purchase and
Sale Agreement to sell all the assets of NRG Audrain Generating
LLC, or Audrain, to AmerenUE, a subsidiary of Ameren
Corporation. For purposes of these pro forma statements we have
reflected the sale of assets of Audrain as a discontinued
operation. The purchase price is $115 million, subject to
customary purchase price adjustments. The transaction is
expected to close during the first half of 2006. The |
S-49
|
|
|
|
|
sale is subject to customary approvals, including FERC, Missouri
Public Utilities Commission, Illinois Commerce Commission, and
Hart-Scott-Rodino review. We expect to record a gain of
approximately $15 million at closing. |
|
|
|
|
(ii) |
On May 19, 2005, pursuant to the exercise of a right of
first refusal, or the ROFR, by Texas Genco, subsequent to a
third party offer to American Electric Power, or AEP, in early
2004, Texas Genco acquired from AEP an additional 13.2%
undivided interest in South Texas Project, or STP. As a result,
Texas Genco now owns a 44.0% undivided interest in STP. For pro
forma purposes, NRG has accounted for the ROFR as a business
acquisition and included the ROFR in our pro forma adjustments
to the statements of operation. |
|
|
|
|
(iii) |
On December 27, 2005, NRG entered into two purchase and
sale agreements for projects co-owned with Dynegy, Inc. Under
the agreements, NRG will acquire Dynegys 50 percent
ownership interest in WCP Holdings, and become the sole owner of
WCPs 1,808 MW of generation in Southern California.
In addition, NRG is selling to Dynegy its 50 percent
ownership interest in Rocky Road Power LLC, or Rocky Road, a
330 MW gas-fueled, simple cycle peaking plant located in
Dundee, Illinois. These transactions are conditioned upon each
other and NRG will pay Dynegy a net purchase price of
$160 million at closing. NRG will effectively fund the net
purchase price with cash held by WCP. NRG anticipates closing
both transactions during the first quarter 2006. For purposes of
these pro forma financial statements, we have assumed that the
fair value of our equity investment in Rocky Road is equal to
the negotiated price of $45 million. The current cost of
our investment in Rocky Road is $70.2 million as of
September 30, 2005 and we will record an impairment in our
investment due to an other-than-temporary loss in our Rocky Road
investment in the amount of $25.2 million. |
For these reasons, our discussion below focuses on a discussion
of our pro forma combined financial position as of
September 30, 2005, which is included in a Current Report
on a Form 8-K
filed on December 21, 2005, as amended by our current
report on
Form 8-K/ A as
filed on January 5, 2006 and our current report on
Form 8-K/A as
filed on January 23, 2006, and incorporated by reference
into this prospectus supplement.
This pro forma financial information may not reflect what our
financial position would have been had we operated on a combined
basis and may not be indicative of what our financial position
will be in the future.
The discussion below contains certain statements of a
forward-looking nature that involve risks and uncertainties. As
a result of many factors, including those set forth under the
sections entitled Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements and Risk Factors and those
appearing elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, actual
results may differ materially from those anticipated by such
forward-looking statements.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
We plan to enter into a new senior secured credit facility for
up to an aggregate amount of $5.575 billion to replace our
existing senior credit facility. The senior secured credit
facility is expected to consist of a $3.575 billion senior
first priority secured term loan facility, a $1.0 billion
senior first priority secured revolving credit facility and a
$1.0 billion senior first priority secured synthetic letter
of credit facility. We may increase the term facility and/or the
revolving credit facility by an amount not to exceed
$375 million at any time prior to the maturity date of the
relevant facility, upon satisfying certain conditions set forth
in the senior secured credit facility as discussed below. Morgan
Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., an affiliate of one of the
underwriters for this offering, will be the administrative agent
and collateral agent pursuant to the new senior secured credit
facility. Citigroup Global Markets Inc., one of the underwriters
for this offering, will be the syndication agent. Morgan Stanley
Senior Funding, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. will be
the joint lead book runners, joint lead arrangers and
co-documentation agents thereunder. Morgan Stanley Senior
Funding, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Lehman Commercial
Paper Inc., Bank of America, N.A., Deutsche Bank AG Cayman
Islands Branch, Merrill Lynch Capital Corporation and Goldman
Sachs Credit Partners L.P., each an
S-50
underwriter or an affiliate of one of the underwriters for this
offering, will be lenders under the new senior secured credit
facility.
We expect to draw down approximately $3.575 billion from
the term loan facility to be used together with the net proceeds
(after giving effect to underwriting discounts and commissions)
of $ billion from this
unsecured note offering, the offerings of common stock of
$1.0 billion, $0.5 billion in mandatory convertible
preferred stock and additional cash on hand, to finance the
Acquisition, to repay $2 billion of our indebtedness and
$2.7 billion of Texas Gencos outstanding indebtedness
and to pay related fees and expenses. Also see Use of
ProceedsSources and Uses of Funds.
The new senior secured credit facility will be guaranteed by
substantially all of our subsidiaries, with certain customary or
agreed-upon exceptions for immaterial subsidiaries and
subsidiaries defined as unrestricted foreign
subsidiaries and certain project subsidiaries. In addition, it
will be secured by liens on substantially all of our and the
assets of our subsidiaries, with certain customary or
agreed-upon exceptions for foreign subsidiaries and certain
project subsidiaries, and by a pledge of certain of our
subsidiaries capital stock.
The term loan, the revolving credit and the synthetic letter of
credit facilities will mature in seven, five and
seven years, respectively, from the closing date of the new
senior secured credit facility. Borrowings under the new senior
secured credit facility bear interest at an alternate base rate
(calculated on the basis of prime rate) plus an applicable
margin, or at an adjusted Eurodollar rate (calculated on the
basis of the LIBO rate) plus an applicable margin, in each case
as described in Description of Certain Other Indebtedness
and Preferred Stock New Senior Secured Credit
Facility.
There are certain affirmative and negative covenants (including
financial covenants) placed on us under the new senior secured
credit facility, including, but not limited to, restrictions on
equity issuances, payment of dividends on or capital stock, the
issuance of additional debt, incurrence of liens and capital
expenditures, as further described in Description of
Certain Other Indebtedness and Preferred Stock New
Senior Secured Credit Facility.
As of September 30, 2005, on a pro forma basis after giving
effect to the Acquisition and the Financing Transactions, our
new senior first priority secured term loan facility would be
drawn in its entirety, $1 billion of borrowings would be
available under our new senior first priority secured revolving
credit facility and $1 billion of undrawn letters of credit
capacity would have been available under our new senior first
priority secured synthetic letter of credit facility. As of
September 30, 2005, on a pro forma basis after giving
effect to (i) the sale of Audrain; (ii) the inclusion
of the results pursuant to the ROFR; (iii) the refinancing
of NRGs old debt structure; (iv) the remaining
Financing Transactions and subsequent Acquisition; and
(v) the acquisition of the remaining 50% ownership interest
in WCP Holdings and the sale of our 50% ownership interest in
Rocky Road, we would have had approximately $8.3 billion of
indebtedness, which includes the notes and amounts outstanding
under our new senior secured credit facility. Of this total,
approximately $3.575 billion would have been our secured
indebtedness and the secured indebtedness of our subsidiaries.
Interest payments on the notes and on borrowings under the new
senior secured credit facility will significantly increase our
liquidity requirements. See Capitalization.
Certain of our subsidiaries and affiliates are subject to
project financing. Such entities will not guarantee our
obligations on the notes. The debt agreements of these
subsidiaries and project affiliates generally restrict their
ability to pay dividends, make distributions or otherwise
transfer funds to us. On a pro forma basis, giving effect to
(a) the sale of Audrain; (b) the inclusion of the
results pursuant to the ROFR; (c) the refinancing of
NRGs old debt structure; (d) the remaining Financing
Transactions and subsequent Acquisition; and (e) the
acquisition of the remaining 50% ownership interest in WCP
Holdings and the sale of our 50% ownership interest in Rocky
Road, our guarantor subsidiaries would have represented
approximately 90% of our revenues from wholly owned subsidiaries
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004, and the nine
months ended September 30, 2005. On a pro forma basis, our
guarantor subsidiaries would have held approximately 90% of our
consolidated assets as of September 30, 2005, and our
non-guarantor subsidiaries would have had approximately
$781 million in aggregate principal amount of funded
indebtedness as of September 30, 2005. Our outstanding
consolidated trade payables would have been $339 million as
of September 30, 2005, on a
S-51
pro forma basis. On a pro forma basis, approximately 77% of
these trade payables would have constituted obligations of NRG
Energy, Inc. and our guarantor subsidiaries.
We expect that our 2006 total capital expenditures will be
approximately $275.5 million and will relate to the
operation and maintenance of our existing generating facilities.
Also, see further discussions in the respective
managements discussion and analysis of financial condition
and results of operations of NRG and Texas Genco incorporated
herein by reference.
Texas Genco entered into a power purchase agreement with J. Aron
& Company, the commodities trading subsidiary of Goldman
Sachs & Co, which we refer to as J. Aron and the related
agreement as the J. Aron PPA. Under the J. Aron PPA, Texas Genco
sold forward, on a fixed basis, a substantial portion of its
expected ERCOT generation capacity beginning January 1, 2005
through December 31, 2010. As a result of the J. Aron PPA and
certain power sales and gas swap transactions, approximately 26%
of Texas Gencos net baseload generation capacity in Texas,
and approximately 16% of the combined companys total net
baseload capacity, as measured in MWh through 2010 has been sold
on a fixed price basis to J. Aron, making J. Aron one of the
combined companys largest customers on a going forward
basis.
As collateral for Texas Gencos obligations under the J.
Aron PPA and certain power sales and gas swap transactions,
Texas Genco agreed to post letters of credit and grant a second
lien on Texas Gencos assets in favor of J. Aron. For a
detailed description of these credit support arrangements, see
Description of Certain Other Indebtedness and Preferred
Stock. The obligations of J. Aron under the J. Aron PPA
and a subsequent natural gas swap are supported by an unlimited
guarantee from J. Arons parent, The Goldman Sachs Group,
Inc.
Six other trading counterparties have similar arrangements with
Texas Genco related to hedging agreements through
December 31, 2010 collateralized by letters of credit and a
retained second lien on the Texas Gencos assets. These
additional six counterparties comprise approximately 22% of
Texas Gencos net baseload capacity in Texas, and
approximately 13% of the combined companys total net
baseload capacity, as measured in MWh through December 31,
2010. NRG expects that, at the closing of the Acquisition and
the Financing Transactions, the collateral arrangements
described above, including with respect to certain
counterparties holding second liens on the ERCOT assets, will
remain in place or will be replaced with substitute collateral
arrangements comprising an interest in a second lien position on
substantially all of NRGs assets. On a going forward
basis, NRG intends to secure some or all of its commodity
hedging activities with interests in a second lien position on
substantially all of NRGs assets. There can be no
assurance that this second lien position will provide enough
capacity to cover all commodity hedges that are necessary or
desirable for adequately hedging NRGs commodity risk. See
Risk FactorsRisks Related to the Operation of our
BusinessWe may not have sufficient liquidity to hedge
market risks effectively.
As discussed in the Business section in respect to
Texas Gencos forward power sales, our revenues and cash
flows from operations from forward power sales will decrease
from $1.6 billion to $1.4 billion due to a reduction
in the average contracted rates, from $44 per MWh to $39 per
MWh. Total MWhs sold remains substantially the same. This
reduction in the contracted price will reduce the revenues and
cash flows from operations of the combined company by
approximately $209 million during 2007 in comparison to
2006. However, based upon our current level of operations, we
believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents balances and
our cash from operating activities, together with available
borrowings under our new senior secured credit facility will be
adequate to meet our anticipated requirements for working
capital, capital expenditures, commitments, contingent purchase
prices, program and other discretionary investments, and
interest and principal payments for at least the next
twenty-four months.
In the event that NRG is unable to raise sufficient proceeds
through the consummation of the common stock offering and/or the
mandatory convertible preferred stock offering described
elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, NRG may draw down, in
whole or in part, on a $5.1 billion bridge loan facility
made available to it by the bridge lenders in order to finance
the Acquisition. See Description of Certain Other
Indebtedness and Preferred StockBridge Loan
Facility. In the event of such draw down, we would be
significantly more highly leveraged, which means we will have a
larger amount of indebtedness in relation to our
stockholders equity. Our interest expense would
significantly increase and require us to dedicate a
S-52
substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments
in respect of our outstanding indebtedness. Our substantial
indebtedness could adversely affect our financial condition and
prevent us from fulfilling our obligations under our debt
instruments. In the event that NRG does not consummate the
common stock and mandatory convertible stock offerings as
currently contemplated and elects not to consummate the
financing under the bridge loan facility, it could seek
alternative sources of financing for the Acquisition, which may
include, among other alternatives, the issuance in part of
senior secured debt securities or borrowing in part on a senior
secured basis. There can be no assurance as to the terms on
which NRG would issue these senior secured debt securities or
borrow funds. We are unable to predict the interest rate payable
on any such debt or give any assurance that the terms would not
restrict our financial flexibility or limit our ability to
operate our business. See Risk FactorsRisks Related
to the OfferingIf NRG is unable to raise sufficient
proceeds through other Financing Transactions described
elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, NRG may draw down on a
bridge loan facility in order to close the Acquisition which
would significantly increase our indebtedness. If NRG elects not
to consummate the financing under the bridge loan facility, NRG
could seek alternative sources of financing for the Acquisition,
the terms of which are unknown to us and could limit our ability
to operate our business.
S-53
BUSINESS
In this section, NRG refers to NRG Energy, Inc.
together with its consolidated subsidiaries, and Texas
Genco refers to Texas Genco LLC, together with its
consolidated subsidiaries. On September 30, 2005, NRG
entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Texas Genco.
We, our, us, the
combined company and the Company refer
to NRG and Texas Genco on a combined basis, together with their
consolidated subsidiaries, after giving pro forma effect to the
completion of the Acquisition and the Financing Transactions.
The terms MW and MWh refer to megawatts
and megawatt-hours. The megawatt figures provided represent
nominal summer net megawatt capacity of power generated as
adjusted for the combined companys ownership position
excluding capacity from inactive/mothballed units as of
September 30, 2005. NRG has previously shown gross MWs when
presenting its operations. Capacity is tested following standard
industry practices. The combined companys numbers denote
saleable MWs net of internal/parasitic load. The term
expected annual baseload generation refers to the
net baseload capacity limited by economic factors (relationship
between cost of generation and market price) and reliability
factors (scheduled and unplanned outages). The MW and MWh
figures and other operational figures related to the combined
company only give pro forma effect to the Acquisition and the
Financing Transactions.
We are a leading wholesale power generation company with a
significant presence in many of the major competitive power
markets in the United States. We are primarily engaged in the
ownership and operation of power generation facilities,
purchasing fuel and transportation services to support our power
plant operations, and the marketing of energy, capacity and
related products in the competitive markets in which we operate.
As of September 30, 2005, the combined company would have
had a total global portfolio of 235 operating generation units
at 62 power generation plants, with an aggregate generation
capacity of approximately 25,041 MW. Within the United
States, the combined company will have one of the largest and
most diversified power generation portfolios with approximately
23,124 MW of generation capacity in 213 generating units at
54 plants as of September 30, 2005. These power generation
facilities are primarily located in our core regions in the
Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, market
(approximately 11,119 MW), and in the Northeast
(approximately 7,099 MW), South Central (approximately
2,395 MW) and Western (approximately 1,044 MW) regions
of the United States. Our facilities consist primarily of
baseload, intermediate and peaking power generation facilities,
which we refer to as the merit order, and also include thermal
energy production and energy resource recovery plants. The sale
of capacity and power from baseload generation facilities
accounts for the majority of our revenues and provides a stable
source of cash flow. In addition, our diverse generation
portfolio provides us with opportunities to capture additional
revenues by selling power into our core regions during periods
of peak demand, offering capacity or similar products to retail
electric providers and others, and providing ancillary services
to support system reliability.
Our Strategy
Our strategy is to increase the value of, and extract maximum
value from, our generation assets while using that asset base as
a platform for enhanced financial performance which can be
sustained and expanded upon the in years to come. We plan to
maintain and enhance our position as a leading wholesale power
generation company in the United States in a cost effective and
risk mitigating manner in order to serve the bulk power
requirements of our customer base and other entities who offer
load, or otherwise consume wholesale electricity products and
services in bulk. Our strategy includes the following elements:
Increase value from our existing assets. Following
the Acquisition, we believe that we will have a highly
diversified portfolio of power generation assets in terms of
region, fuel type and dispatch levels. We will continue to focus
on extracting value from our portfolio by improving plant
performance, reducing costs and harnessing our advantages of
scale in the procurement of fuels: a strategy that we have
branded FORNRG, or Focus on ROIC@NRG.
Pursue intrinsic growth opportunities at existing sites in
our core regions. We believe that we are favorably
positioned to pursue growth opportunities through expansion of
our existing generating capacity. We intend to invest in our
existing assets through plant improvements, repowering and
brownfield development to meet anticipated regional requirements
for new capacity. We expect that these efforts will provide more
S-54
efficient energy, lower our delivered cost, expand our
electricity production capability and improve our ability to
dispatch economically across the merit order.
Maintain financial strength and flexibility. We
remain focused on increasing cash flow and maintaining liquidity
and balance sheet strength in order to ensure continued access
to capital for growth; enhancing risk-adjusted returns; and
providing flexibility in executing our business strategy. We
intend to continue our focus on maintaining operational and
financial controls designed to ensure that our financial
position remains strong.
Reduce the volatility of our cash flows through
asset-based commodity hedging activities. We will
continue to execute asset-based risk management, hedging,
marketing and trading strategies within well-defined risk and
liquidity guidelines in order to manage the value of our
physical and contractual assets. Our marketing and hedging
philosophy is centered on generating stable returns from our
portfolio of power generation assets while preserving the
ability to capitalize on strong spot market conditions and to
capture the extrinsic value of our portfolio. We believe that we
can successfully execute this strategy by leveraging our
expertise in marketing power and ancillary services, our
knowledge of markets, our flexible financial structure and our
diverse portfolio of power generation assets.
Participate in continued industry consolidation.
We will continue to pursue selective acquisitions, joint
ventures and divestitures to enhance our asset mix and
competitive position in our core regions to meet the fuel and
dispatch requirements in these regions. We intend to concentrate
on acquisition and joint venture opportunities that present
attractive risk-adjusted returns. We will also opportunistically
pursue other strategic transactions, including mergers,
acquisitions or divestitures during the consolidation of the
power generation industry in the United States.
Our Competitive Strengths
Scale and diversity of assets. The combined
company will have one of the largest and most diversified power
generation portfolios in the United States with approximately
23,124 MW of generation capacity in 213 generating units at
54 plants as of September 30, 2005. Our power generation
assets will be diversified by fuel type, dispatch level and
region, which will help mitigate the risks associated with fuel
price volatility and market demand cycles. The combined
companys U.S. baseload facilities, which will consist
of approximately 8,558 MW of generation capacity measured
as of September 30, 2005, will provide the combined company
with a significant source of stable cash flow, while the
combined companys intermediate and peaking facilities,
with approximately 14,566 MW of generation capacity as of
September 30, 2005, will provide the combined company with
opportunities to capture the significant upside potential that
can arise from time to time during periods of high demand. In
addition, approximately 10% of the combined companys
domestic generation facilities will have dual or multiple fuel
capability, which will allow most of these plants to dispatch
with the lowest cost fuel option.
S-55
The following chart demonstrates the diversification of the
combined companys generation assets:
|
|
|
|
|
Approximate U.S. Portfolio Net |
|
Approximate U.S. Portfolio Net |
|
Approximate U.S. Portfolio Net |
Capacity By Fuel Type(1) |
|
Capacity By Dispatch Level |
|
Capacity By Region |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Reflects only domestic generation capacity; 19 MW of
wood-fired generation capacity not shown. Also includes
461 MW of generation capacity from facilities that were
mothballed after September 30, 2005. |
Reliability of future cash flows. We have sold
forward a significant amount of our expected baseload generation
capacity for 2006 and 2007. As of September 30, 2005 the
combined company would have sold forward 68% of its baseload
generation in the Texas (ERCOT) market for 2006 through
2009. As of the same date, the combined company would have sold
approximately 83% of its expected annual baseload generation in
the Southeastern Electric Reliability Council/ Entergy, or
SERC Entergy, market for 2006 through 2009, and
approximately 70% of its expected annual baseload generation in
the Northeast region for 2006. In addition, as of
September 30, 2005, the combined company would have
purchased forward under fixed price contracts (with
contractually-specified price escalators) to provide fuel for
approximately 81% of its expected baseload coal generation
output from 2006 to 2009.
Favorable market dynamics for baseload power
plants. As of September 30, 2005, approximately 38%
of the combined companys domestic generation capacity
would have been fueled by coal or nuclear fuel. In many of the
competitive markets where we operate, the price of power
typically is set by the marginal costs of natural gas-fired and
oil-fired power plants that currently have substantially higher
variable costs than our solid fuel baseload power plants. For
example, in the ERCOT market, a 2004 report by Henwood found
that natural gas-fired power plants set the market price of
power more than 90% of the time. As a result of our lower
marginal cost for baseload coal and nuclear generation assets,
we expect such assets to generate power nearly 100% of the time
they are available.
Locational advantages. Many of our generation
assets are located within densely populated areas that are
characterized by significant constraints on the transmission of
power from generators outside the region. Consequently, these
assets are able to benefit from the higher prices that prevail
for energy in these markets during periods of transmission
constraints. The combined company will have generation assets
located within New York City, southwestern Connecticut, Houston
and the Los Angeles and San Diego load basins, all areas
with constraints on the transmission of electricity. This allows
us to capture additional revenues through
S-56
offering capacity to retail electric providers and others,
selling power at prevailing market prices during periods of peak
demand and providing ancillary services in support of system
reliability.
Generation Asset Overview
We have a significant power generation presence in many of the
major competitive power markets of the United States as set out
below:
Texas (ERCOT)
As of September 30, 2005, Texas Gencos generation
assets in the ERCOT market consisted of approximately
5,178 MW of baseload generation assets and approximately
5,941 MW of intermediate, cyclic and peaking natural
gas-fired assets. We expect that the combined company will
realize a substantial majority of its revenue and cash flow from
the sale of power from its three baseload power plants located
in the ERCOT market that use solid fuel: W. A. Parish (coal),
Limestone (lignite) and an undivided 44% interest in two
nuclear generation units at STP (nuclear fuel). Because plants
are generally dispatched in order of lowest operating cost, and,
as of September 30, 2005, approximately 73% of the net
generation capacity in the ERCOT market was natural gas-fired,
we expect these three baseload plants to operate nearly 100% of
the time (subject to planned and forced outages) due to their
low marginal costs relative to natural gas-fired plants.
The following table summarizes, as of September 30, 2005,
the ERCOT baseload forward power sales and natural gas swap
agreements that extend beyond December 31, 2005 and were
transacted through September 30, 2005.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual Average for | |
|
Annual Average for | |
|
|
2006 | |
|
2007 | |
|
2008 | |
|
2009 | |
|
2010 | |
|
2006-2007 | |
|
2006-2010 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Net Baseload Capacity
(MW)(1)
|
|
|
5,294 |
|
|
|
5,340 |
|
|
|
5,340 |
|
|
|
5,340 |
|
|
|
5,340 |
|
|
|
5,317 |
|
|
|
5,331 |
|
Total Baseload Sales
(MW)(2)
|
|
|
4,274 |
|
|
|
4,271 |
|
|
|
4,152 |
|
|
|
3,428 |
|
|
|
1,372 |
|
|
|
4,273 |
|
|
|
3,499 |
|
Total Available Baseload Capacity Sold Forward
|
|
|
81 |
% |
|
|
80 |
% |
|
|
78 |
% |
|
|
64 |
% |
|
|
26 |
% |
|
|
80 |
% |
|
|
66 |
% |
Weighted Average Forward Price ($ per
MWh)(3)
|
|
$ |
44 |
|
|
$ |
39 |
|
|
$ |
41 |
|
|
$ |
48 |
|
|
$ |
52 |
|
|
$ |
42 |
|
|
$ |
45 |
|
Total Revenues Sold Forward ($ in millions)
|
|
$ |
1,654 |
|
|
$ |
1,445 |
|
|
$ |
1,505 |
|
|
$ |
1,434 |
|
|
$ |
621 |
|
|
$ |
1,553 |
|
|
$ |
1,333 |
|
S-57
|
|
(1) |
Net Baseload Capacity represents nominal summer net megawatt
capacity of power generation adjusted for ownership, known
upgrades and excluding capacity from mothballed units as of
September 30, 2005. Capacity verification is based upon
independent system operator, or ISO, required annual or
semi-annual testing requirements. |
|
(2) |
Includes amounts under fixed price firm and non-firm power sales
contracts and amounts financially hedged under natural gas swap
contracts. The forward natural gas swap quantities are reflected
in equivalent MW and are derived by first dividing the quantity
of MMBtu of natural gas hedged by the forward market heat rate
(in MMBtu/ MWh, mid-point of the bid and offer as quoted by
brokers in the market of the relevant Electric Reliability
Council of Texas zones as of September 19, 2005) to arrive
at the equivalent MWh hedged which is then divided by 8,760 to
arrive at MW hedged. |
|
(3) |
Includes amounts under fixed price power sales contracts and
amounts financially hedged under natural gas swap contracts. |
Northeast
As of September 30, 2005, approximately 7,099 MW of
NRGs generation capacity consisted of power plants in the
Northeast region of the United States, including power plants
within the control areas of the New York Independent System
Operator, or NYISO, the ISO-New England, Inc., or ISO-NE, and
the PJM Interconnection L.L.C., or PJM. Certain of these assets
are located in transmission constrained areas, including
approximately 1,394 MW of in-city New York City generation
capacity and approximately 538 MW of southwest Connecticut
generation capacity. As of September 30, 2005, NRGs
generation assets in the Northeast region consisted of
approximately 1,876 MW of baseload generation assets and
approximately 5,223 MW of intermediate and peaking assets.
South Central
As of September 30, 2005, NRG owned approximately
2,395 MW of generation capacity in the South Central region
of the United States, making NRG the third largest generator in
the Southeastern Electric Reliability Council/ Entergy, or
SERC-Entergy, region. As of September 30, 2005, NRGs
generation assets in the South Central region consisted of
approximately 1,489 MW of baseload generation assets and
906 MW of intermediate and peaking assets. As of
September 30, 2005, approximately 2,140 MW of
NRGs generation capacity in the region was sold forward
pursuant to long-term contracts. NRGs primary asset is the
Big Cajun II coal-fired plant near Baton Rouge, where NRG
has approximately 1,489 MW of generation capacity as of
September 30, 2005.
Western
As of September 30, 2005, NRGs assets in the Western
Electricity Coordinating Council, or WECC, the power market for
the West Coast of the United States, included approximately
1,044 MW of generation capacity, most of it in NRGs
50% interest in WCP Holdings. As of September 30, 2005,
NRGs generation assets in the Western region consisted of
approximately 1,044 MW of intermediate and peaking assets.
As part of NRGs strategy of optimizing NRGs asset
base, NRG retired approximately 265 MW of additional gross
generation capacity at the Long Beach generating facility on
January 1, 2005. On December 27, 2005, NRG entered
into a purchase and sale agreement to acquire Dynegys 50%
ownership interest in WCP Holdings to become the sole owner of
power plants totaling approximately 1,800 MW of generation
capacity in the Western region. The transaction, which is
subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close in the
first quarter of 2006.
We plan to continue the operations of the existing plants and
also to redevelop our sites with new facilities when economic,
market and regulatory conditions are favorable. However, in the
alternative, we also believe we could recover our investment by
selling or redeveloping the properties for other uses.
Other
As of September 30, 2005, NRG had net ownership in
approximately 1,467 MW of additional generating capacity in
the United States. In addition to these traditional power
generation facilities, NRG also owns thermal and chilled water
businesses that generate approximately 1,225 MW thermal
equivalents, as well as resource recovery facilities, as
described below. NRG also owned, as of September 30, 2005,
interests in power
S-58
plants having a generation capacity of approximately
1,916 MW in Australia, Germany and Brazil, and interests in
coal mines in Australia and Germany.
Power Marketing and Commercial Operations
We seek to maximize profitability and manage cash flow
volatility through the marketing, trading and sale of energy,
capacity and ancillary services into spot, intermediate and
long-term markets and through the active management and trading
of emissions credits, fuel supplies and transportation-related
services. The combined company will perform its own power
marketing, which is focused on maximizing value and managing
volatility through asset-based power and fuel marketing and
trading activities in the spot, intermediate and long-term
markets. Our principal objectives are the realization of the
full market value of our asset base, including the capture of
our extrinsic value, the management and mitigation of commodity
market risk and the reduction of cash flow volatility over time.
We enter into power sales and hedging arrangements via a wide
range of products and contracts, including power purchase
agreements, fuel supply contracts, capacity auctions, natural
gas swap agreements and other financial instruments. The power
purchase agreements we enter into require us to deliver MWh of
power to our counterparties. Natural gas swap agreements and
other financial instruments hedge the price we will receive for
power to be delivered in the future.
As of September 30, 2005, the combined company, after
giving effect to the Acquisition and Financing Transactions, had
collateral (including cash, letters of credit and junior liens)
posted to support commercial operations totaling
$3.66 billion. The following table summarizes, as of
September 30, 2005, the combined company collateral posted
by credit rating.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Credit Rating |
|
Letters of Credit(2) | |
|
Cash(2) | |
|
Junior Liens | |
|
Collateral Posted | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
A- and above
|
|
$ |
633,034,400 |
|
|
$ |
570,323,548 |
|
|
$ |
2,179,220,554 |
|
|
$ |
3,382,578,502 |
|
BBB- through BBB+
|
|
$ |
167,349,108 |
|
|
$ |
54,210,141 |
|
|
$ |
1,739,911 |
|
|
$ |
223,299,160 |
|
Below BBB-
|
|
$ |
7,771,000 |
|
|
$ |
3,895,000 |
|
|
$ |
0 |
|
|
$ |
11,666,000 |
|
Not
Rated(1)
|
|
$ |
38,201,000 |
|
|
$ |
2,968,992 |
|
|
$ |
0 |
|
|
$ |
41,196,992 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$ |
846,355,508 |
|
|
$ |
631,397,681 |
|
|
$ |
2,180,960,464 |
|
|
$ |
3,658,713,654 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Not Rated indicates that no rating has been issued, or that an
external rating agency (for example, Standard &
Poors or Moodys) does not rate a particular
obligation as a matter of policy. The Not Rated row above
consists of collateral posted to 17 counterparties, mainly gas
producers. |
|
(2) |
As of September 30, 2005, WCP had collateral posted
totaling $24.6 million, which is excluded from the table
above. Of this amount, letters of credit totaled
$10.7 million and cash totaled $13.9 million. |
Fuel Supply and Transportation
Our fuel requirements consist primarily of nuclear fuel and
various forms of fossil fuel including oil, natural gas and coal
(including lignite). We obtain our oil, natural gas and coal
from multiple sources. Although fossil fuels are generally
available for purchase, localized shortages, transportation
availability and supplier financial stability issues can and do
occur. The prices of oil, natural gas and coal are subject to
macro- and micro-economic forces that can change dramatically in
both the short-term and the long-term. We are largely hedged for
our domestic coal consumption over the next few years. Coal
hedging is dynamic based on forecasted generation and market
volatility.
We arrange for the purchase, transportation and delivery of coal
for our baseload coal plants via a range of coal purchase
agreements, rail transportation agreements and rail car lease
arrangements. Coal consumption in 2006 for the combined company
is expected to be approximately 36 million tons, which
would rank it as one of the top five coal purchasers in the
United States. In addition, as of September 30, 2005,
approximately 92% of the combined companys coal-fired
generation would have benefited from multiple sourcing and
transportation alternatives. As of September 30, 2005, on a
pro forma basis, the combined company would have had
approximately 6,000 privately leased or owned rail cars in its
transportation fleet. In addition, we intend to
S-59
enter into contracts for delivery of an additional 2,695 rail
cars within the next two years of which approximately 1,410 will
replace a portion of our existing rail car fleet. The combined
company has entered into rail transportation agreements that
provide for substantially all of its rail transportation
requirements through 2009.
STP satisfies its fuel supply requirements by acquiring uranium
concentrates and contracting for conversion of the uranium
concentrates into uranium hexafluoride, for enrichment of
uranium hexafluoride and for fabrication of nuclear fuel
assemblies. Texas Genco is party to a number of contracts
covering a portion of the fuel requirements of STP for uranium,
conversion and enrichment services and fuel fabrication. The
table below summarizes the nuclear fuel situation at STP through
the major processes:
|
|
|
|
|
Process |
|
Supplier(s) |
|
Procurement Status |
|
|
|
|
|
Yellow cake U
3
O
8
(30-40% of total fuel cost).
Conversion to uranium hexafluoride (UF
6
) (3-5% of total fuel cost). |
|
Contracts with Cameco (Canada) and
Cogema/ Arriba (France) combine these steps. |
|
100% covered under favorable contracts through mid-2011 and then
25% covered through 2021. |
Enrichment of U235 content (35-45%). |
|
Urenco (Germany), Cogema/ Arriba (France), Louisiana Enrichment
Services, or LES
(1)
(joint venture between Westinghouse & Urenco). |
|
Urenco and Cogema contracts cover through mid-2008. Balance of
current license period under contract with Urenco/LES. |
Fabrication of fuel rods
(15-20%). |
|
Westinghouse. |
|
Contract covers life of operating license. |
|
|
(1) |
Enrichment by LES assumes successful completion of LES licensing
and construction of facility in New Mexico. |
Credit Support and Collateral Arrangements
In order to secure performance under our power purchase
agreements, fuel supply contracts and hedging agreements, we are
required to provide credit support to our counterparties from
time to time. This credit support consists of a combination of
letters of credit, cash, guarantees and junior liens on our
assets. For a detailed description of our collateral
arrangements, see Description of Certain Other
Indebtedness and Preferred Stock and Liquidity and
Capital Resources Discussion.
Significant Customers
For the nine months ended September 30, 2005, the combined
company derived approximately 52% of its total revenues from
majority-owned operations from four customers: NYISO accounted
for 19%, a subsidiary of Reliant Energy, Inc. accounted for 17%,
BP Energy Company accounted for 9% and ISO-NE accounted for 7%.
The combined company accounts for the revenues attributable to
these customers as part of its North America power generation
segment.
ISO-NE and NYISO are ISOs or RTOs and are FERC-regulated
entities that administer day-ahead and real-time energy markets,
capacity and ancillary service markets and manage transmission
assets collectively under their respective control to provide
non-discriminatory access to the transmission grid. We
anticipate that NYISO and ISO-NE will continue to be significant
customers given the scale of our asset base in these areas.
Plant Operations
We provide overall support services to our generation facilities
to ensure that high-level performance goals are developed, best
practices are shared and resources are appropriately balanced
and allocated to get the best results for us. Performance goals
are set for equivalent forced outage rates, or EFOR,
availability, procurement costs, operating costs and safety.
The functional areas included in this organization include
safety and security, engineering, project management,
construction services, and purchasing. These services also
include overall facilities management,
S-60
operations strategic planning and the development and
dissemination of consistent policies and practices relating to
plant operations.
Between 2002 and 2007, NRG has made, and will continue to make,
investments that we believe will total approximately
$125 million in its coal-fired plants in the Northeast
region of the United States so that they can burn low sulfur
coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana. These
improvements have not only led to significant reductions in
sulfur dioxide emissions, but also improved the operational
flexibility and financial performance of these plants. During
the same time period, NRG will invest approximately
$32 million in its coal plants in the South Central region
for
NOx
burners and over fired air, which have led to reductions in
NOx.
A significant portion of this investment may be recovered from
NRGs cooperative customers. Texas Genco has spent over
$700 million on
NOx
reduction initiatives since 1999 to ensure both regulatory
compliance and continued performance.
The following table summarizes the key existing and planned
environmental controls on our coal-fired units:
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SO2 | |
|
NOx | |
|
Hg | |
|
Particulate | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
Control | |
|
Install | |
|
Control | |
|
Install | |
|
Control | |
|
Install | |
|
Control | |
|
Install | |
Units |
|
Equipment | |
|
Date | |
|
Equipment | |
|
Date | |
|
Equipment | |
|
Date | |
|
Equipment | |
|
Date | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Huntley 67
|
|
|
Wet FGD(1) |
|
|
|
2013 |
|
|
|
SNCR |
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
|
FF-ACI(2) |
|
|
|
2011 |
|
|
|
ESP |
|
|
|
1973 |
|
Huntley 68
|
|
|
Wet FGD(1) |
|
|
|
2013 |
|
|
|
SNCR |
|
|
|
2011 |
|
|
|
FF-ACI(2) |
|
|
|
2009 |
|
|
|
ESP |
|
|
|
1973 |
|
Dunkirk 1
|
|
|
None |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SNCR |
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
|
FF-ACI(2) |
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
|
ESP |
|
|
|
1974 |
|
Dunkirk 2
|
|
|
None |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SNCR |
|
|
|
2011 |
|
|
|
FF-ACI(2) |
|
|
|
2011 |
|
|
|
ESP |
|
|
|
1974 |
|
Dunkirk 3
|
|
|
None |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SNCR |
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
|
FF-ACI(2) |
|
|
|
2011 |
|
|
|
ESP |
|
|
|
1975 |
|
Dunkirk 4
|
|
|
None |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SNCR |
|
|
|
2011 |
|
|
|
FF-ACI(2) |
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
|
ESP |
|
|
|
1976 |
|
Indian River 1
|
|
|
In-Duct Scrubber |
|
|
|
2012 |
|
|
|
SNCR & LNB(3) |
|
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
Co-Benefit of Scrubbers |
|
|
|
2012 |
|
|
|
ESP (IR1-3) |
|
|
|
1976 |
|
Indian River 2
|
|
|
In-Duct Scrubber |
|
|
|
2013 |
|
|
|
SNCR & LNB(3) |
|
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
Co-Benefit of Scrubbers |
|
|
|
2013 |
|
|
|
ESP (IR1-3) |
|
|
|
1976 |
|
Indian River 3
|
|
|
In-Duct Scrubber |
|
|
|
2012 |
|
|
|
LNB(3) & SNCR upgrade |
|
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
Co-Benefit of Scrubbers |
|
|
|
2012 |
|
|
|
ESP (IR1-3) |
|
|
|
1980 |
|
Indian River 4
|
|
|
Dry Scrubber |
|
|
|
2011 |
|
|
|
LNB(3) & SNCR upgrade |
|
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
Co-Benefit of Scrubbers |
|
|
|
2011 |
|
|
|
ESP (IR1-3) |
|
|
|
1980 |
|
Big Cajun 2 U1
|
|
|
Dry Scrubber |
|
|
|
2011 |
|
|
|
None |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ACI(2) |
|
|
|
2012 |
|
|
|
ESP |
|
|
|
1981 |
|
Big Cajun 2 U2
|
|
|
Dry Scrubber |
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
|
SCR(4) |
|
|
|
2010 |
|
|
|
ACI(2) |
|
|
|
2011 |
|
|
|
ESP |
|
|
|
1981 |
|
Big Cajun 2 U3
|
|
|
Dry Scrubber |
|
|
|
2013 |
|
|
|
SCR(4) |
|
|
|
2013 |
|
|
|
ACI(2) |
|
|
|
2014 |
|
|
|
ESP |
|
|
|
1983 |
|
Limestone
|
|
|
FGD |
|
|
|
1986-87 |
|
|
|
LNB/OFA(3) |
|
|
|
2000-01 |
|
|
|
Co-Benefit of Scrubbers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ESP |
|
|
|
1986-87 |
|
WA Parish U 5 -7
|
|
|
None |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
SCR & LNB/OFA (3) |
|
|
|
2000-04 |
|
|
|
None |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FF |
|
|
|
1988 |
|
WA Parish U 8
|
|
|
FGD |
|
|
|
1982 |
|
|
|
SCR & LNB/OFA (3) |
|
|
|
2000-04 |
|
|
|
Co-Benefit of Scrubber |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FF |
|
|
|
1988 |
|
|
|
(1) |
FGD stands for Flue Gas Desulfurization |
|
(2) |
FF-ACI stands for Fabric Filter with Activated Carbon Injection |
|
(3) |
LNB/ OFA stands for Low
NOx
Burner with Over Fire Air |
|
(4) |
SCR stands for Selective Catalytic Reduction |
Performance Improvement and Cost and Process Control
Initiatives
In 2005, NRG introduced a comprehensive, company-wide cost and
revenue enhancement program with the goal of increasing its
return on invested capital, or ROIC. This effort has been
branded as FORNRG, or Focus on ROIC@NRG.
Projects are focused on improving plant performance, reducing
purchasing and other costs and streamlining processes. A large
number of initiatives are currently underway in plants, and
regional and headquarters operations including forced outage
reductions and heat rate improvements at NRGs major base
load facilities.
There have been a number of parallel improvement programs
underway at Texas Genco, which have focused on streamlining
processes, right sizing the organization and running efficient
operations. Discussions are already underway to compare best
practices and results between NRG and Texas Genco, to manage
suppliers with our combined volumes and to incorporate existing
and future Texas Genco processes under the FORNRG program.
S-61
Regional Business Descriptions
The combined company will be organized into business units as
described below, with each of our core regions operating as a
separate unit.
The combined companys largest business unit will be
located in the Texas (ERCOT) region of the United States
and will be comprised of investments in generation facilities
located in the physical control areas of the ERCOT-ISO.
Texas Gencos business in the ERCOT region is comprised of
two fundamental sets of assets: a regionally diverse set of
three large solid-fuel baseload plants, and a set of generally
older gas-fired plants located in and around Houston. Our
operating strategy to maximize value and opportunity across
these two sets of assets will be four pronged: (1) to
ensure the availability of the baseload plants to fulfill their
commercial obligations given the long-term forward sales already
in place, (2) to manage the gas assets for profitability
while ensuring the reliability and flexibility of power supply
to the Houston market, (3) to take advantage of our skill
sets and market/regulatory knowledge to grow the business
through incremental capacity uprates and brownfield development
of solid-fuel baseload units and (4) to play a leading role
in the development of the ERCOT market by active membership and
participation in market and regulatory issues.
Given our strategy of selling forward up to 80% of Texas
Gencos solid-fuel baseload capacity under long-term
contracts, our primary focus will be to keep Texas Gencos
solid-fuel baseload units running. The performances at STP, W.
A. Parish and Limestone have been above broader industry
averages for the recent five-year period as shown below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Benchmark | |
|
|
Average 5-Year | |
|
Average | |
|
|
Availability | |
|
Availability | |
|
|
Factor | |
|
Factor | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Limestone
|
|
|
89.4 |
|
|
|
85.4 |
|
W. A. Parish
|
|
|
87.8 |
|
|
|
83.6 |
|
South Texas Project
|
|
|
87.8 |
|
|
|
88.9 |
|
The operations and maintenance teams will continue to focus on
maintaining and improving these levels.
On the gas-fired asset side, we will continue a dual path of
contracting forward a significant portion of gas-fired capacity
one to two years out while holding a portion for
back-up in case there
is an operational issue with one of the baseload units. For the
gas-fired capacity sold forward, Texas Genco offers a range of
products including virtual units where the customer
has the right to dispatch Texas Gencos capacity as the
customer needs in order to meet their physical load
requirements. For the gas-fired capacity that we will continue
to sell commercially into the market, we will focus on making
this capacity available to the market whenever it is economic to
run.
Texas Gencos growth efforts to date have been focused on
adding incremental capacity to existing unitssuch as the
99 MW uprate at Limestone 2 in the spring of 2006. We
will continue this effort with exploration of some additional
potential opportunities at W. A. Parish as well as some
scheduled uprates at STP. We have also launched a broader
brownfield development initiative where we will evaluate
opportunities to take advantage of our current power plant sites
and other land we own as well as our deep market, regulatory,
and environmental knowledge to consider the development of new
solid fuel baseload units.
Lastly, we believe that we can have a positive impact on the
evolution of the regulatory environment and market structure in
Texas. We take our responsibility to the market and the state
seriously and will be focused on working broadly with the full
suite of stakeholders including other market participants, the
PUCT,
S-62
ERCOT, and the legislature to make Texas attractive for energy
infrastructure investment in a way that ensures reliability and
increases stability.
The following table describes Texas Gencos electric power
generation plants and generation capacity as of
September 30, 2005:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Generation | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capacity | |
|
|
Generation Sites |
|
Location |
|
% Owned | |
|
(MW)(1) | |
|
Primary Fuel Type(2) |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
Solid Fuel Baseload Units:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
W. A.
Parish(3)
|
|
Thompsons, TX |
|
|
100% |
|
|
|
2,463 |
|
|
Low Sulfur Coal |
Limestone
|
|
Jewett, TX |
|
|
100% |
|
|
|
1,614 |
|
|
Lignite/Low Sulfur Coal |
South Texas
Project(4)
|
|
Bay City, TX |
|
|
44% |
|
|
|
1,101 |
|
|
Nuclear |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Solid Fuel Baseload
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,178 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating Natural Gas- Fired Units:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cedar Bayou
|
|
Chambers County, TX |
|
|
100% |
|
|
|
1,498 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
T. H. Wharton
|
|
Houston, TX |
|
|
100% |
|
|
|
1,025 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
W. A. Parish (Natural
gas)(3)
|
|
Thompsons, TX |
|
|
100% |
|
|
|
1,191 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
S. R. Bertron
|
|
Deer Park, TX |
|
|
100% |
|
|
|
844 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
Greens Bayou
|
|
Houston, TX |
|
|
100% |
|
|
|
760 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
P.H.
Robinson(5)
|
|
Bacliff, TX |
|
|
100% |
|
|
|
461 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
San Jacinto
|
|
LaPorte, TX |
|
|
100% |
|
|
|
162 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
Total Operating Natural
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gas-Fired
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,941 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Texas (ERCOT) Region
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,119 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Actual capacity can vary depending on factors including weather
conditions, operational conditions and other factors. ERCOT
requires periodic demonstration of capability, and the capacity
may vary individually and in the aggregate from time to time.
Excludes 3,378 MW of inactive capacity available for
redevelopment of which 174 MW of available capacity was
sold on November 14, 2005. An additional 461 MW was
moved to inactive status after September 30, 2005. |
|
(2) |
Low sulfur coal is coal mined from the Powder River Basin, a
coal-producing area in northeastern Wyoming and southeastern
Montana, which coal has low sulfur content relative to most coal
from the eastern United States. |
|
(3) |
W. A. Parish has nine units, four of which are baseload
coal-fired units and five of which are natural gas-fired units. |
|
(4) |
Generation capacity figure consists of our 44.0% undivided
interest in the two units of STP. |
|
(5) |
P.H. Robinson Unit 2 was placed into inactive status on
October 29, 2005. |
W.A. Parish. Texas Gencos W. A. Parish plant is one
of the largest fossil-fired plants in the United States based on
total MWs of generation capacity. The plant is located in the
Houston ERCOT zone and was recognized by Platts Power
Magazine as one of the top power plants in the United States for
2004. This plants power generation units include four
coal-fired steam generation units with an aggregate generation
capacity of 2,463 MW as of September 30, 2005. Two of
these units are 649 MW steam units that were placed in
commercial service in December 1977 and December 1978,
respectively. The other two units are 555 MW and
610 MW steam units that were placed in commercial service
in June 1980 and December 1982, respectively. All four
units are serviced by two competing railroads that diversify
Texas Gencos coal transportation options at competitive
prices. Texas Genco has invested approximately
$430.0 million in nitrogen oxide, or
NOx,
control systems from 1999 to 2004. Each of the four coal-fired
units has
low-NOx
S-63
burners and selective catalytic reduction, or SCR, installed to
reduce
NOx
emissions. In addition, W. A. Parish Unit 8 has a scrubber
installed to reduce sulfur dioxide, or
SO2,
emissions. Plant uprate projects to be completed by year end
2007 are expected to uprate the net generation capacity of W.A.
Parish by 31 MW.
Limestone. Texas Gencos Limestone plant is a
lignite and coal-fired plant located approximately
140 miles northwest of Houston. This plant includes two
steam generation units with an aggregate generation capacity of
1,614 MW as of September 30, 2005. The first unit is
an 836 MW steam unit that was placed in commercial service
in December 1985. The second unit is a 778 MW steam unit
that was placed in commercial service in December 1986.
Limestone primarily burns lignite from an
on-site mine, but also
burns low sulfur coal and petroleum coke. This serves to lower
average fuel costs by eliminating fuel transportation costs,
which can represent up to two-thirds of delivered fuel costs for
plants of this type. Texas Genco owns the mining equipment and
facilities and a portion of the lignite reserves located at the
mine. Mining operations are conducted by Texas Westmoreland Coal
Co., a single purpose, wholly-owned subsidiary of Westmoreland
Coal Company and the owner of a substantial portion of the
remaining lignite reserves. Both units have installed
low-NOx
burners to reduce
NOx
emissions and scrubbers to reduce
SO2
emissions. We plan to upgrade Limestone Unit 2 in the second
quarter of 2006 by replacing the high pressure and intermediate
pressure turbines, rewinding the generator and replacing the
main generator step-up
transformer. These upgrades are expected to cost approximately
$33.0 million and are expected to increase the generation
capacity by 99 MW.
South Texas Project Electric Generating Station. STP is
one of the newest and largest nuclear-powered generation plants
in the United States based on total megawatts of generation
capacity. This plant is located approximately 90 miles
south of downtown Houston, near Bay City, Texas and consists of
two generation units each representing approximately
1,250 MW of generation capacity. Plant upgrade projects to
be completed by 2007 are expected to uprate the net generation
capacity of STP by 73 MW (32 MW net to Texas Genco). STPs
two generation units commenced operations in August 1988 and
June 1989, respectively. For the year ended December 31,
2004, STP had a forced outage rate of 0.4% and a 97% capacity
factor.
STP is currently owned as a tenancy in common among Texas Genco
and two other co-owners. Texas Genco owns a 44.0%
(1,101 MW) interest in STP, the City of San Antonio
owns a 40% interest and the City of Austin owns the remaining
16% interest. Each co-owner retains its undivided ownership
interest in the two nuclear-fueled generation units and the
electrical output from those units. Except for certain plant
shutdown and decommissioning costs and NRC licensing
liabilities, Texas Genco is severally liable, but not jointly
liable, for the expenses and liabilities of STP. CenterPoint
Energy, Inc., the prior owner of Texas Gencos assets, and
the other three original co-owners organized South Texas Project
Nuclear Operating Company, or STPNOC, to operate and maintain
STP. STPNOC is managed by a board of directors composed of one
director appointed by each of the three co-owners, along with
the chief executive officer of STPNOC. STPNOC is the
NRC-licensed operator of STP. No single owner controls STPNOC
and all decisions must be approved by two or more owners who
collectively control more than 60% of the interests. Due to the
fact that Texas Genco owns 44% of STP, Texas Genco effectively
holds a veto right.
In connection with the acquisition by Texas Genco of 13.2% of
STP from AEP, Texas Genco, LP agreed with AEP that, for a period
of ten years from May 19, 2005, Texas Genco, LP would
maintain a minimum partners equity, determined in
accordance with GAAP, of $300 million. This obligation will
remain in effect after the closing of the Acquisition.
The two STP generation units operate under licenses granted by
the NRC that expire in 2027 and 2028, respectively. These
licenses may be extended for additional
20-year terms if the
project satisfies NRC requirements. Adequate provisions exist
for long-term on-site
storage of spent nuclear fuel throughout the remaining life of
the existing STP plant licenses.
The ERCOT market is one of the nations largest and fastest
growing power markets. It represents approximately 85% of the
demand for power in Texas and covers the whole state, with the
exception of the far west (El Paso), a large part of the
Texas Panhandle and two small areas in the eastern part of the
state. From
S-64
1994 through 2004, peak hourly demand in the ERCOT market grew
at a compound annual rate of 3.0%, compared to a compound annual
rate of growth of 2.1% in the United States for the same period.
For 2004, hourly demand ranged from a low of 20,276 MW to a
high of 58,506 MW. ERCOT has limited
interconnectionscurrently limited to 856 MW of
generation capacityto other markets in the United States,
and wholesale transactions within ERCOT are not subject to
regulation by FERC. Any wholesale producer of power that
qualifies as a power generation company under the Texas electric
restructuring law and that can access the ERCOT electric power
grid is allowed to sell power in the ERCOT market at unregulated
rates.
The ERCOT market has experienced significant construction of new
generation plants in recent years, with over 20,000 MW of
mostly natural gas-fired combined cycle generation capacity
added to the market since 2000. As of September 30, 2005,
aggregate net generation capacity of approximately
81,000 MW existed in the ERCOT market, of which 73% was
natural gas-fired. Approximately 20,000 MW, or 25%, was
lower marginal cost generation capacity such as coal, lignite
and nuclear plants. Texas Gencos coal and nuclear fuel
baseload plants represented approximately 5,178 MW, or 26%,
of the total solid fuel baseload net generation capacity in the
ERCOT market in 2004. ERCOT has established a target equilibrium
reserve margin level of approximately 12.5%. Reserve margins
will decrease to the extent demand growth exceeds new supply.
Overcapacity from new construction could cause some less
efficient natural gas-fired units to be retired or mothballed.
Overcapacity has little impact on the dispatch of Texas
Gencos solid fuel baseload plants given their lower
marginal cost relative to natural gas-fired assets.
In the ERCOT market, buyers and sellers enter into bilateral
wholesale capacity, power and ancillary services contracts or
may participate in the centralized ancillary services market,
including balancing energy, which ERCOT administers. In the
ERCOT market, a 2004 report by Henwood found that natural
gas-fired plants have set the market price of wholesale power
more than 90% of the time. As a result, Texas Gencos lower
marginal cost solid-fuel baseload plants are expected to
generate power nearly 100% of the time they are available.
The ERCOT market is divided into five regions or congestion
zones (Northeast, North, Houston, South and West), which reflect
transmission constraints that limit the amount of power that can
flow across zones. Texas Gencos W. A. Parish plant and all
its natural gas-fired plants are located in the Houston zone,
Texas Gencos Limestone plant is located in the North zone
and STP is located in the South zone.
The ERCOT market operates under the reliability standards set by
the North American Electric Reliability Council, or NERC. The
PUCT has primary jurisdiction over the ERCOT market to ensure
the adequacy and reliability of power supply across Texas
main interconnected power transmission grid. ERCOT is
responsible for facilitating reliable operations of the bulk
electric power supply system in the ERCOT market. Its
responsibilities include ensuring that power production and
delivery are accurately accounted for among the generation
resources and wholesale buyers and sellers. Unlike power pools
with independent operators in other regions of the country, the
ERCOT market is not a centrally dispatched power pool and ERCOT
does not procure power on behalf of its members other than to
maintain the reliable operations of the transmission system. The
ERCOT-ISO also serves as agent for procuring ancillary services
for those who elect not to provide their own ancillary services.
Power sales or purchases from one location to another may be
constrained by the power transfer capability between locations.
Under current ERCOT protocol, the commercially significant
constraints and the transfer capabilities along these paths are
reassessed every year and congestion costs are directly assigned
to those parties causing the congestion. This has the potential
to increase power generators exposure to the congestion
costs associated with transferring power between zones.
The PUCT has adopted a rule directing the ERCOT-ISO to develop
and implement a wholesale market design that, among other
things, includes a day ahead energy market and replaces the
existing zonal wholesale market design with a nodal market
design that is based on locational marginal prices for power.
See Regulatory DevelopmentsRegional
BusinessesMarket DevelopmentsTexas
(ERCOT) Region. One of the stated purposes of the
proposed market restructuring is to reduce local (intra-zonal)
transmission congestion costs. The market redesign project is
expected to take effect in 2009. We expect that implementa-
S-65
tion of any new market design will require modifications to our
procedures and systems. Although we do not expect the combined
companys competitive position in the ERCOT market will be
materially adversely affected by the proposed market
restructuring, we do not know for certain how the planned market
restructuring will affect our revenues, and some of the combined
companys plants in ERCOT may experience adverse pricing
effects due to their location on the transmission grid.
PUCT Mandated Auctions
Because Texas Gencos generation assets were formerly owned
indirectly by a vertically integrated utility, PUCT regulation
required firm entitlements to 15% of Texas Gencos
operating installed generation capacity to be sold at auction
through December 31, 2006, at opening bid prices well below
Texas Gencos cost for 2006. On December 7, 2005,
Texas Genco filed an application with the PUCT requesting the
PUCT to determine that Texas Genco was no longer required to
conduct mandated auctions because 40% or more of the electric
power consumed by the residential and small commercial customers
within the CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, LLC certificated
service area before the onset of customer choice is now provided
by nonaffiliated retail electric providers. A decision on this
matter is expected by February 2006. In the event the PUCT does
not grant Texas Gencos request, Texas Gencos
obligation to sell capacity at auction based on this below-cost
pricing will continue through December 31, 2006.
J. Aron Power Purchase
Agreement
Texas Genco entered into the J. Aron PPA with J. Aron.
Under the J. Aron PPA, Texas Genco sold forward, on a fixed
price basis, a substantial portion of its expected ERCOT
generation capacity beginning January 1, 2005 through
December 31, 2010. As a result of the J. Aron PPA and
certain power sales and gas swap transactions, approximately 26%
of Texas Gencos net baseload generation capacity in Texas,
and approximately 16% of the combined companys total net
baseload capacity, as measured in MWh through 2010, has been
sold on a fixed price basis to J. Aron, making J. Aron
one of the combined companys largest customers on a going
forward basis.
The J. Aron PPA is a firm, liquidated damages contract.
Texas Genco has the flexibility of meeting its obligations to
deliver power to specified delivery points under the J. Aron PPA
either through sales of power from its plants, or through
purchases of power from the market. In addition, if either
Limestone in the North zone, or STP in the South zone, has an
outage or is derated, Texas Genco is permitted to deliver the
power that it is otherwise obligated to deliver in these zones
into the Houston zone in satisfaction of its obligations. All
Texas Gencos natural gas-fired plants are located in the
Houston zone. Additionally, under the J. Aron PPA, Texas Genco
does not assume any pricing risk associated with the ERCOT
market switching to a nodal pricing market design.
As collateral for Texas Gencos obligations under the J.
Aron PPA and certain power sales and gas swap transactions,
Texas Genco agreed to post letters of credit and grant a second
lien on Texas Gencos assets in favor of J. Aron. For a
detailed description of these credit support arrangements, see
Description of Certain Other Indebtedness and Preferred
Stock. The obligations of J. Aron under the J. Aron PPA
and a subsequent natural gas swap are supported by an unlimited
guarantee from J. Arons parent, the Goldman Sachs Group,
Inc.
In the event power prices decline in the future and J. Aron
fails to perform under the J. Aron PPA, Texas Genco would have
the right to terminate the J. Aron PPA and collect from J. Aron
an amount equal to the difference between the contract price and
the lower market price; however, Texas Gencos ability to
collect would be dependent on the amount of collateral then
posted and the creditworthiness of J. Aron and Goldman at the
time. Conversely, in the event power prices rise and Texas Genco
fails to perform, J. Aron would have the right to terminate and
collect an amount equal to the difference between the contract
price and the higher market price. In the event J. Aron
terminates, it would have the right to draw on certain letters
of credit Texas Genco has posted as collateral. To the extent
such letters of credit do not cover the amount of the
termination payment, J. Aron retains a second lien on Texas
Gencos assets as collateral. J. Arons right to
enforce its lien is limited to higher priority debt having taken
such action.
S-66
Six other trading counterparties have similar arrangements with
Texas Genco related to hedging agreements through
December 31, 2010 collateralized by letters of credit and a
retained second lien on the Texas Gencos assets. These
additional six counterparties comprise approximately 22% of
Texas Gencos net baseload capacity in Texas, and
approximately 13% of the combined companys total net
baseload capacity, as measured in MWh through December 31,
2010. NRG expects that, at the closing of the Acquisition and
the Financing Transactions, the collateral arrangements
described above, including with respect to certain
counterparties holding junior liens on the ERCOT assets, will
remain in place or will be replaced with substitute collateral
arrangements comprising an interest in a second lien position on
substantially all of NRGs assets. On a going forward
basis, NRG intends to secure some or all of its commodity
hedging activities with interests in a second lien position on
substantially all of NRGs assets. There can be no
assurance that this second lien position will provide enough
capacity to cover all commodity hedges that are necessary or
desirable for adequately hedging NRGs commodity risk. See
Risk FactorsRisks Related to the Operation of our
BusinessWe may not have sufficient liquidity to hedge
market risks effectively.
Joint Operating Agreement with
the City of San Antonio
Texas Genco has a joint operating agreement with the City Public
Service Board of San Antonio, or CPS, to jointly dispatch
Texas Gencos portfolio of generation units with CPSs
portfolio of over 5,300 MW of generation capacity as a
joint operating system. This agreement with CPS expires in 2009
and can be terminated at any time by either party with
90 days notice. Texas Genco has delivered a notice of
termination to CPS that would have terminated the agreement
effective December 31, 2005. However, the parties have
since agreed to a short term extension not expected to extend
beyond January 2006.
The combined companys second largest asset base will be
located in the Northeast region of the United States and will be
comprised of investments in generation facilities primarily
located in the physical control areas of NYISO, the ISO-NE and
PJM.
Operating Strategy
The Northeast region strategy is focused on optimizing the value
of our broad and varied generation portfolio in three
interconnected and actively traded competitive markets: the
NYISO, the ISO-NE and
the PJM. In our Northeast markets, load serving entities
generally lack their own generation capacity, much of the
generation base is aging, and the current ownership of the
generation is highly disaggregated. In the Northeast, commodity
prices are more volatile on an as-delivered basis than in other
regions due to the distances and occasional physical constraints
impacting delivery of fuels into the region. In this
environment, we seek both to enhance our ability to be the low
cost wholesale generator capable of delivering wholesale power
to load centers within the region from multiple locations using
multiple fuel sources, and to be properly compensated for
delivering such wholesale power and related services.
We continue to pursue enhancement of coal assets through
continued low sulfur coal conversions, improvements in coal
handling and logistics process, and securing adequate coal
supplies and transportation commitments. Longer term, we are
also focused on working with regulators to gain support and
required permits for low sulfur coal conversions.
We continuously work to hedge our baseload portfolio and trade
our oil and gas peaking facilities to maximize their value and
minimize the risk of being fundamentally long on generation.
Several of our Connecticut assets are located in
transmission-constrained load pockets and have been designated
as required to be available to ISO-NE to ensure reliability.
These assets are subject to reliability must-run, or RMR,
agreements, which are contracts under which we agree to maintain
our facilities to be available to run when needed, and are paid
for providing these capability services based on our costs. As
discussed further below (see Regulatory
DevelopmentsNortheast RegionRMR Agreements),
the RMR agreements are subject to approval by the FERC. In
addition to the Connecticut RMR agreements, we are focused on
capturing the locational value of our plants that are located in
or near load centers and inside
S-67
chronic transmission constraints, in order to improve the
economic rationale for repowering of those sites. We do this
principally through the advocacy of capacity market reforms,
e.g., locational installed capacity markets that generate
adequate returns for wholesale power generators.
We continue to evaluate opportunities to redevelop our existing
sites as well as opportunities for greenfield development and
acquisitions in the Northeast region. The redevelopment
opportunities for our existing sites include expanding sites
with high efficiency, intermediate and peaking units, converting
coal or oil sites to cleaner technologies, as well as
reconfiguring the existing sites to burn renewable fuel sources.
Redevelopment opportunities have been identified for each site
in the Northeast and we have established priorities based on
expected financial returns and probability of success. To
facilitate redevelopment opportunities, we are pursuing
contractual arrangements to support significant redevelopment
capital expenditures via direct negotiations with relevant
agencies and potential power purchasers as well as through
request for proposal processes. In addition to redeveloping
existing sites, we also have greenfield sites in the Northeast
that continue to be evaluated for power plant development
opportunities. We also continue to pursue contractual
arrangements to support the construction costs of potential new
facilities and acquisition opportunities through public auction
processes as well as by initiating discussions with various
parties on potential opportunities.
Facilities
As of September 30, 2005, NRGs facilities in the
Northeast region consisted of approximately 7,099 MW of
generation capacity, including assets located in transmission
constrained areas, such as in-city New York City (1,394 MW)
and southwest Connecticut (538 MW). The Northeast region
power generation assets as of September 30, 2005 are
summarized in the table below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Generation | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capacity | |
|
|
Plant |
|
Location | |
|
% Owned | |
|
(MW)* | |
|
Primary Fuel Type | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Oswego
|
|
|
Oswego, NY |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
1,634 |
|
|
|
Oil |
|
Arthur Kill
|
|
|
Staten Island, NY |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
841 |
|
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
Middletown
|
|
|
Middletown, CT |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
770 |
|
|
|
Oil |
|
Indian River
|
|
|
Millsboro, DE |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
737 |
|
|
|
Coal |
|
Astoria Gas Turbines
|
|
|
Queens, NY |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
553 |
|
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
Dunkirk
|
|
|
Dunkirk, NY |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
522 |
|
|
|
Coal |
|
Huntley
|
|
|
Tonawanda, NY |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
552 |
|
|
|
Coal |
|
Montville
|
|
|
Uncasville, CT |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
497 |
|
|
|
Oil |
|
Norwalk Harbor
|
|
|
So. Norwalk, CT |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
342 |
|
|
|
Oil |
|
Devon
|
|
|
Milford, CT |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
124 |
|
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
Vienna
|
|
|
Vienna, MD |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
170 |
|
|
|
Oil |
|
Somerset Power
|
|
|
Somerset, MA |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
127 |
|
|
|
Coal |
|
Connecticut Remote Turbines
|
|
|
Various locations in CT |
|
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
104 |
|
|
|
Oil |
|
Conemaugh
|
|
|
New Florence, PA |
|
|
|
3.7% |
|
|
|
64 |
|
|
|
Coal |
|
Keystone
|
|
|
Shelocta, PA |
|
|
|
3.7% |
|
|
|
63 |
|
|
|
Coal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Northeast Region
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7,099 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
Excludes 382 MW of inactive capacity. |
The following are descriptions of our most significant revenue
generating plants in the Northeast region:
Arthur Kill. NRGs Arthur Kill plant is a natural
gas-fired power plant consisting of three units and is located
on the west side of Staten Island, New York. The plant produces
an aggregate generation capacity of 841 MW from two
intermediate load units (Units 20 and 30) and one peak load
unit (Unit GT-1). Unit 20 produces an aggregate generation
capacity of 335 MW and was installed in 1959. Unit 30
produces an aggregate generation capacity of 491 MW and was
installed in 1969. Both Units 20 and 30 were converted
S-68
from steam engines in the early 1990s. Unit GT-1 produces an
aggregate generation capacity of 15 MW and is activated
when ConEd issues a max generation alarm on hot days
and during thunderstorms. We may need to upgrade the plant in
the future to comply with environmental regulations. If upgrades
are needed it could cost several million dollars.
Astoria Gas Turbines. Adjacent to LaGuardia airport in
Queens, New York, NRGs Astoria Gas Turbine facility has an
aggregate generation capacity of 553 MW from 19 operational
combustion turbine engines. The turbine engines are peak
gas-fired and/or oil-fired installed in the early 1970s. The
engines are classified into three classes, which are then
grouped into ten Astoria Gas Turbine units. These units consist
of Buildings 2, 3 and 4, which have a net generation
capacity of 144 MW each; Units 5, 7 and 8, which
are Class 2 turbine engines that have a net generation
capacity of approximately 14 MW each; and Units 10,
11, 12 and 13, which are Class 3 turbine engines that
have a net generation capacity of 20 MW each. The ten units
are further classified into six main substation feeds that
provide power to the local New York City load pockets. The
Class 1 and Class 2 turbines were installed in 1970
and the Class 3 turbines in 1971. The facility contains
retired units, including Units 6 and 9 in Class 2. Units 5
through 8 and units 10 through 13 are expected to retire in
2015, while Units 2 through 4 are expected to be retired in
2022.
Dunkirk. NRGs Dunkirk plant is a coal-fired plant
located on Lake Erie in Dunkirk, New York. This plant produces
an aggregate generation capacity of 522 MW from four
baseload units. Units 1 and 2 produce up to 77 MW each and
were put in service in 1950. Units 3 and 4 produce approximately
180 MW each and were put in service in 1959 and 1960,
respectively. The plant is currently implementing changes to
switch from eastern bituminous coal to low sulfur PRB coal in
order to comply with various federal and state emissions
standards, as well as the NYSDEC settlement referred to in the
following paragraph.
Huntley. NRGs Huntley plant is a coal-fired plant
consisting of six units and is located in Tonawanda, New York,
approximately three miles north of Buffalo. The plant has a
generation capacity of 552 MW from two intermediate load
units (Units 65 and 66) and two baseload units (Units 67 and
68). Units 67 and 68 generate a net capacity of approximately
190 MW each and were put in service in 1957 and 1958,
respectively. Units 65 and 66 generate a net capacity of
85 MW each and were put in service between 1942 and 1954.
Units 63 and 64 are inactive and were effectively retired at the
end of 2004, and NRG plans to give notice to the New York Public
Service Commission of its intent to retire Units 65 and 66 in
early 2006 reducing the capacity at this site to approximately
380 MW. As part of a settlement reached with the New York
Department of Environmental Conservation, or NYSDEC, in January
2005, NRG will reduce
NOx
and
SOx
emissions from its Huntley and Dunkirk plants through 2013 in
the aggregate by over 8,090 pounds and 8,690 pounds,
respectively. A large portion of these reductions will be
achieved by switching to low sulfur western coal and related
projects for which NRG has already expended or committed
significant capital.
Market Framework
Although each of the three northeast ISOs and their respective
energy markets are functionally, administratively and
operationally independent, they all follow, to a certain extent,
similar market designs. The ISO dispatches power plants to meet
system energy and reliability needs, and settles physical power
deliveries at locational marginal prices, or LMPs, which reflect
the value of energy at a specific location at the specific time
it is delivered. This value is determined by an ISO-administered
auction process, which evaluates and selects the least costly
supplier offers or bids to create a reliable and least-cost
dispatch. The ISO-sponsored LMP energy markets consists of two
separate and characteristically distinct settlement time frames.
The first is a security-constrained, financially firm, day-ahead
unit commitment market. The second is a security-constrained,
financially settled, real-time dispatch and balancing market.
Prices paid in these LMP energy markets, however, are affected
by, among other things, market mitigation measures which can
result in lower prices associated with certain generating units
that are mitigated because they are deemed to have locational
market power, and by $1000/ MWh energy market price caps that
are in place in all three northeast ISOs.
In addition to energy delivery, the ISOs manage secondary
markets for installed capacity, ancillary services and financial
transmission rights. All of the three northeastern ISOs have
realized, however, that they are not capable of supporting
needed investment in new generation without well designed
capacity and
S-69
ancillary service markets. NYISOs capacity market was the
first to receive approval of its proposed demand curve and
locational capacity reforms (which are intended to better
reflect locational values of capacity resources). ISO-NE and PJM
are following with their respective versions of reformed
capacity markets, namely, a locational installed capacity
market, or LICAP in ISO-NE, and a reliability pricing model, or
RPM proposal in PJM. These proposals are currently pending
before FERC.
As of September 30, 2005, NRG owned approximately
2,395 MW of generating capacity in the South Central region
of the United States, and had obligations to provide up to
approximately 2,140 MW of capacity under long-term
contracts with 11 rural cooperatives that have terms extending
in some cases through 2025. The region lacks a regional
transmission organization, or RTO/ ISO and, therefore, remains a
bilateral market, making it less efficient than a region with an
RTO/ ISO-administered energy market using large scale economic
dispatch (such as the Northeast markets discussed above). Our
plants in the South Central region operate as their own control
area, the South Central control area. As a result, the South
Central control area is capable of providing control area
services, in addition to wholesale power, that allow us to
provide full requirement services to load serving utilities,
thus making the South Central control area a competitive
alternative to the integrated utilities operating in the region.
Operating Strategy
Our South Central region seeks to capitalize on two factors: our
position as a significant coal-fired generator in a market which
is highly dependent on natural gas for power generation
purposes; and our long-term contractual and historical service
relationship with 11 rural cooperatives around Louisiana.
As part of our strategy, we are examining all of our sites in
the South Central region for possible brownfield development. In
particular, we continue the development of the new 675 MW
Big Cajun II Unit 4 super critical coal-fired generating
unit. On August 22, 2005, NRG received the Title V Air
Permit from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
On October 14, 2005, Washington Group International was
selected as the owners engineer. We continue to
aggressively pursue equity partners and off-takers for the
output of the unit. We are also evaluating repowering
opportunities for the Big Cajun I power stations and are working
with our cooperative customers to improve contract
administration, to expand their and our customer base on terms
advantageous to all parties and, in some cases, to modify the
terms of our contracts with respect to our current or new
customers. We continue to look for opportunities to acquire
assets that will enhance our portfolio and long-term strategic
goals.
Facilities
NRGs generating assets in the South Central region consist
primarily of its net ownership of power generation facilities in
New Roads, Louisiana, which we refer to as Big Cajun II,
and also includes the
S-70
Sterlington, Bayou Cove and Big Cajun peaking facilities.
NRGs power generation assets in the South Central region
as of September 30, 2005 are summarized in the table below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Generating | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capacity | |
|
|
Plant |
|
Location |
|
% Owned | |
|
(MW) | |
|
Primary Fuel Type | |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Big
Cajun II(1)
|
|
New Roads, LA |
|
|
86.0% |
|
|
|
1,489 |
|
|
|
Coal |
|
Bayou Cove
|
|
Jennings, LA |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
300 |
|
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
Big Cajun I(Peakers) Units 3 & 4
|
|
New Roads, LA |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
210 |
|
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
Big Cajun IUnits 1 & 2
|
|
New Roads, LA |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
220 |
|
|
|
Natural Gas/Oil |
|
Sterlington
|
|
Sterlington, LA |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
176 |
|
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total South Central
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,395 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
NRG owns 100% of Units 1 & 2; 58% of Unit 3 |
Our most significant revenue generating plant in the South
Central region is the Big Cajun II facility. Big
Cajun II plant is a coal-fired, sub-critical heat baseload
plant located along the banks of the Mississippi River, upstream
from Baton Rouge. This plant includes three coal-fired
generation units (Units 1, 2 and 3) with an aggregate
generation capacity of 1,730 MW as of September 30,
2005, and generation capacity per unit of 580 MW,
575 MW and 575 MW, respectively. The plant uses coal
supplied by the Powder River Basin and was commissioned between
1981 and 1983. NRG owns 100% of Units 1 and 2 and 58% of Unit 3
for an aggregate owned capacity of 1,489 MW (86.0%) of the
plant. All three units have been upgraded with low
NOx
burners and overfire air. The Unit 1 generator has recently been
rewound and was optimized with a modern turbine/exciter control
system. Units 2 and 3 are planned for generator rewinds,
turbine/exciter control replacements and additional neural net
systems in future years. These efficiency improvements are
expected to cost approximately $30 million.
Market Framework
NRGs assets in the South Central region are located within
the franchise territories of vertically integrated utilities,
primarily Entergy Corporation, or Entergy. Entergy performs the
scheduling, reserve and reliability functions that are
administered by the ISOs in certain other regions of the United
States and Canada. Although the reliability functions performed
are essentially the same, the primary differences between these
markets lie in the physical delivery and price discovery
mechanisms. In the South Central region, all power sales and
purchases are consummated bilaterally between individual
counterparties. Transacting counterparties are required to
reserve and purchase transmission services from the relevant
transmission owners at their FERC-approved tariff rates.
Included with these transmission services are the reserve and
ancillary costs.
As of September 30, 2005, NRG had long-term
all-requirements contracts with 11 Louisiana distribution
cooperatives. The agreements are standardized into three types,
Forms A, B and C and have the terms, contract loads and
customers as shown in the table below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Term |
|
Contract Load | |
|
Customers | |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Form A
|
|
25 yrs. |
|
|
42% |
|
|
|
6 |
|
Form B
|
|
25 yrs. |
|
|
3% |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Form C
|
|
9-14 yrs. |
|
|
42% |
|
|
|
4 |
|
NRG also has long-term contracts with the Municipal Agency of
Mississippi, South Mississippi Electric Power Association, and
Southwestern Electric Power Company, which collectively comprise
an additional 13% of contract load.
S-71
At peak demand periods, NRGs Big Cajun II assets are
insufficient to serve the requirements of the customers under
these contracts, and at such times, NRG typically purchases
power from other power producers in the region, frequently at
higher prices than can be recovered under our contracts. As the
loads of our customers grow, we can expect this imbalance to
worsen, unless we are successful in renegotiating the terms of
our long-term contracts.
In August and September 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita roiled
the South Central regions power markets. Although NRG
recognized an impairment loss of approximately $1.3 million
for hurricane-damaged assets, four of the South Central
regions 11 cooperative customers suffered extensive losses
to their distribution systems, and the region suffered a drop in
contract sales during the ensuing power outages. The load loss
and the transmission constraints had offsetting impacts on the
South Central regions margins resulting in gross margins
that were $4 million below expectations. In addition, NRG
created a reserve for a receivable from Entergy New Orleans of
$1.9 million because of its hurricane-related bankruptcy.
As of September 30, 2005, NRG owned approximately
1,044 MW of generating capacity in the Western region of
the United States (California), of which approximately
904 MW is through a 50% interest in WCP Holdings. On
December 27, 2005, NRG entered into a purchase and sale
agreement to acquire Dynegys 50% ownership interest in
West Coast Power to become the sole owner of power plants
totaling approximately 1,800 MW of generation capacity in
the Western region. The transaction, which is subject to
regulatory approval, is expected to close in the first quarter
of 2006.
Operating Strategy
Our Western region strategy is focused on maximizing the cash
flow and value associated with our generating plants while
protecting and eventually realizing the valuable real estate on
which they are located. There are four principal components to
this strategy. First, we are focused on influencing market
reforms in California to provide an energy market environment
where our capacity can be offered into centrally administered
competitive auctions, such as we see in the Northeast, and also
provide for the negotiation of bilateral transactions for both
energy and capacity. Second, we are preparing our sites for the
construction of new capacity to meet increasing local area
requirements. At El Segundo, NRG has a California Energy
Commission, or CEC, permit to construct a new combined cycle
plant to replace the retired units at the site. At the Long
Beach site, NRG has land available to construct new peaking
capacity. NRG is developing plans for site remediation and
preparation in anticipation of a new request for new capacity
from load serving entities. Third, we are taking active steps to
assess the value of our property for non-power generation
purposes. Two of West Coast Powers plants are situated at
choice locations on the Pacific coast. Fourth, we are engaged in
the identification of collaborative value enhancing projects
with communities and businesses located near our plants. West
Coast Powers plants are, for example, considered excellent
candidates for the co-location of desalination plants.
NRGs assets in the Western region include three additional
power plants, Red Bluff and Chowchilla (94 MW total),
located in northern California that have some locational value
and one plant in Henderson, Nevada (Saguaro), that is contracted
to Nevada Power and two steam hosts. NRG has entered into a
resource adequacy agreement with PG&E Corporation, or
PG&E, for the capacity of the Red Bluff and Chowchilla units
that expires December 31, 2007. The Saguaro plant in Nevada
is contracted to Nevada Power through 2022, one steam host
(Pioneer) whose contract expires in 2007 (with a negotiated
renewal) and a steam off taker (Ocean Spray), whose contract
runs through 2015. The Saguaro plant had a long-term gas supply
agreement that expired in July 2005 and the plant is now exposed
to the monthly spot gas market. At present, Saguaro cannot pass
higher natural gas costs through to its customers, and the plant
is currently experiencing negative cash flows. NRGs
strategy is to negotiate with Nevada Power and the steam host to
restructure their agreements to provide suitable economic
benefits. Alternatively, we expect that we will negotiate a sale
of our share of that plant.
S-72
Facilities
In May 1999, Dynegy and NRG formed WCP Holdings to serve as the
holding company for a portfolio of operating companies that own
generation assets in the Southern California market operated by
the California ISO, or Cal ISO. This portfolio currently
consists of the El Segundo Generating Station, the retired Long
Beach Plant Site, the Encina Generating Station and 13
combustion turbines distributed throughout the San Diego
area. WCP is directed by an executive committee comprised of two
voting members from each of NRG and Dynegy. Under the direction
of this executive committee, Dynegy provides power marketing,
fuel procurement and accounting services to WCP and NRG provides
operations and management services. On December 27, 2005,
NRG entered into a purchase and sale agreement to acquire
Dynegys 50% ownership interest in WCP Holdings to become
the sole owner of power plants totaling approximately
1,800 MW of generation capacity in the Western region. The
transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, is
expected to close in the first quarter of 2006.
NRGs power generation assets in the Western region as of
September 30, 2005 are summarized in the table below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Generation | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capacity | |
|
Primary |
Plant |
|
Location |
|
% Owned | |
|
(MW) | |
|
Fuel Type |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
WCP(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Encina
|
|
Carlsbad, CA |
|
|
50.0% |
|
|
|
483 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
El Segundo
|
|
El Segundo, CA |
|
|
50.0% |
|
|
|
335 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
Cabrillo II
|
|
San Diego, CA |
|
|
50.0% |
|
|
|
86 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total WCP
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
904 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Western Region Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Saguaro
|
|
Henderson, NV |
|
|
50.0% |
|
|
|
46 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
Chowchilla
|
|
Northern CA |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
49 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
Red Bluff
|
|
Northern CA |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
45 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
140 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Western Region
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,044 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
On December 27, 2005, NRG entered into a purchase and sale
agreement to acquire Dynegys 50% ownership interest in WCP
Holdings to become the sole owner of power plants totaling
approximately 1,800 MW of generation capacity in the
Western region. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory
approval, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2006. |
The following are descriptions of our most significant revenue
generating plants in the Western region:
El Segundo. The El Segundo plant, of which NRG currently
owns 50%, is located in El Segundo, California and produces
aggregate generation capacity of 670 MW from two gas-fired
intermediate load units (Units 3 and 4). These units, which have
a generation capacity of 335 MW each, were installed in
1964 and 1965, respectively. The plant also contains two retired
gas-fired intermediate load units that were installed in 1955
and 1956 (Units 1 and 2). These units, retired in 2002, were
capable of producing 175 MW each. WCP is currently in the
process of developing a 630 MW combined cycle plant on the
property where the retired Units 1 and 2 reside. See
Regulatory DevelopmentsRegional
BusinessesMarket DevelopmentsWestern Region.
Encina. The Encina Station, of which NRG currently owns
50%, is located in Carlsbad, California and has a combined
generating capacity of 965 MW from five fossil-fuel
steam-electric generating units and one combustion turbine. The
five fossil-fuel steam-electric units, which all primarily use
natural gas (and oil for emergency backup only under a gas
supply force majeure condition), provide intermediate load
services. The combustion turbine only provides peaking services
of 14 MW. Units 1, 2 and 3 each have a generation
capacity of approximately 107 MW and were installed in
1954, 1956 and 1958, respectively. Units 4 and 5 have a
generation capacity of approximately 300 MW and 330 MW
respectively, and were installed in 1973 and 1978.
S-73
The combustion turbine was installed in 1966. Units 1, 2
and 3 are projected to be retired after 2010. Low
NOx
burner modifications and selective catalytic reduction equipment
has been installed on Units 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
NRGs assets in the Western region consist primarily of
older, higher heat rate, gas-fired plants in southern
California. These plants, while older and less efficient than
newer combined cycle plants, possess locational advantages
during peak hours when the newer, remotely located plants are
unable to get through transmission congestion in southern
California. As a result, the Cal ISO designated NRGs El
Segundo, Encina and Cabrillo II plants as RMR qualifying
units in 2005, and therefore those plants are entitled to
certain fixed-cost payments from the Cal ISO for the right to
dispatch those units during periods of locational constraints.
Initially, transmission upgrades by Southern California Edison
and San Diego Gas and Electric in 2005 caused the Cal ISO
to drop the RMR designation for both El Segundo and the Encina
Unit 4 for 2006. However, Cal ISO designated Encina Unit 4 as an
RMR unit in a letter to Cabrillo Power I dated December 22,
2005, and a filing requesting FERC approval of the requisite
changes to Cabrillo Power Is RMR agreement for 2006 was
made on December 29, 2005. This change, if approved, will
assure that Encina Units 4 and 5 will receive partial cost
recovery under RMR and both units will be available in the
market for 2006. The potential improvement in earnings for 2006
is expected to be approximately $6 million over the
projected budget, depending upon market conditions. In addition,
El Segundo Units 3 and 4 have been contracted by a
load serving entity for May 1, 2006 through April 30,
2008 for a capacity payment and tolling the purchasers
natural gas. The Cal ISO has indicated that load growth needs by
2007 may require the re-designation of Encina Unit 4 in 2007.
Market Framework
The majority of NRGs assets in the Western region are
located within the control area of the Cal ISO. The Cal ISO
operates a financially settled real time balancing market. There
are currently no organized day ahead markets in the Western
region and such forward markets in California currently operate
similarly to those in the ERCOT market with all power sales and
purchases consummated bilaterally between individual
counterparties and scheduled for physical delivery with the Cal
ISO. All plants are subject to the FERC must offer
order, an order instituted during the energy crisis of 2000-2001
requiring any generator capable of operating and not subject to
a bilateral agreement to make its capacity available to Cal ISO.
The compensation paid by the Cal ISO for such service generally
covers only variable costs. Additionally, California generators
remain subject to a $250 per MWh price cap, another legacy
of the energy crisis mentioned above. On December 16, 2005,
the Cal ISO approved a plan to increase the bid cap from a
$250 per MWh soft cap to a $400 per MWh
hard cap, meaning bidders would not be allowed to
bid above that set cap level. The Cal ISO has filed the new cap
for approval by FERC, and has asked that it be retroactive to
January 1, 2006, and it is expected that FERC will approve
the increase. NRG is working with various industry groups and
governmental authorities to put market reforms in place in
California that will encourage new investment and enable
generators to earn acceptable returns on new and existing
investments. See Regulatory DevelopmentsRegional
BusinessesMarket DevelopmentsWestern Region.
S-74
|
|
|
Other North American Assets |
As of September 30, 2005, NRG owned approximately
1,470 MW of generating capacity in other regions of the
United States. NRGs other North American power generation
assets are summarized in the table below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Generating | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capacity | |
|
Primary Fuel |
Plant |
|
Location |
|
% Owned | |
|
MW | |
|
Type |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
Other Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Audrain*
|
|
Vandalia, MO |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
577 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
Rockford I (Peaker)
|
|
Rockford, IL |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
310 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
Rocky Road Partnership*
|
|
East Dundee, IL |
|
|
50.0% |
|
|
|
165 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
Rockford II (Peaker)
|
|
Rockford, IL |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
160 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
Dover
|
|
Dover, DE |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
104 |
|
|
Natural Gas/Coal |
|
Power Smith Cogeneration
|
|
Oklahoma City, OK |
|
|
6.25% |
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
Ilion Cogeneration*
|
|
New York |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
58 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
James River
|
|
Virginia |
|
|
50.0% |
|
|
|
55 |
|
|
Coal |
|
Cadillac*
|
|
Cadillac, MI |
|
|
50.0% |
|
|
|
19 |
|
|
Wood |
|
Paxton Creek
|
|
Harrisburg, PA |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
12 |
|
|
Natural Gas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other North American Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,467 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
Certain of the above projects are in a state of transition. The
Audrain project is under contract for sale. Closing is expected
in 2006. NRG is in advanced discussions regarding the transfer
of the Cadillac project. NRG is currently performing under an
agreement whereby the Ilion project will be disconnected and
terminated. On December 27, 2005, NRG entered into a
purchase and sale agreement with Dynegy through which NRG will
sell to Dynegy its 50% ownership interest in the jointly held
entity that owns the Rocky Road power plant. The transaction is
conditioned upon NRGs acquisition of Dynegys 50%
interest in WCP Holdings and subject to regulatory approval, and
is expected to close in the first quarter of 2006. See
Summary Recent Developments. |
|
|
|
Australia and All Other Generation and Non-Generation
Assets |
As of September 30, 2005, NRG, through certain foreign
subsidiaries, had investments in power generation projects
located in Australia, Germany and Brazil with approximately
1,916 MW of total generating capacity. In addition, NRG
owns interests in coal mines located in Australia and Germany.
NRGs international power generation assets as of
September 30, 2005 are summarized in the table below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Generating | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capacity | |
|
Primary | |
Plant |
|
Location |
|
% Owned | |
|
MW | |
|
Fuel Type | |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Operating Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Flinders
|
|
Australia |
|
|
100.0% |
|
|
|
700 |
|
|
|
Coal |
|
Gladstone
|
|
Australia |
|
|
37.5% |
|
|
|
605 |
|
|
|
Coal |
|
Schkopau
|
|
Germany |
|
|
41.9% |
|
|
|
400 |
|
|
|
Coal |
|
MIBRAG(1)
|
|
Germany |
|
|
50.0% |
|
|
|
55 |
|
|
|
Coal |
|
Itiquira
|
|
Brazil |
|
|
98.7% |
|
|
|
156 |
|
|
|
Hydro |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total International Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,916 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Primarily a coal mining facility. Approximately 90% of
MIBRAGs revenues represent coal sales and 8% represent
electricity sales. MIBRAG owns 110 MW of net exportable
generation. Approximately two-thirds of that amount is sold to
third parties and one-third is used to power mining and other
MIBRAG operations. NRG equity in net exportable electricity is
55 MW. |
S-75
Australia
Asset Management Strategy
Our strategy for maximizing our return on investment in our
assets concentrates on effective contract management, operating
the plant to ensure safe, efficient and sustainable operations
and management of the equity investment, including cash flow and
finances. NRG is currently considering strategic alternatives
with respect to Australia either to reposition its assets more
effectively within the National Electricity Market or to
monetize its investment. NRG will seek to determine the best
option, which may include a joint venture, equity spin-off,
asset swap for U.S. generation assets or trade sale over
the next few months.
NRG Flinders Assets. NRG Flinders is a merchant
generation business that derives revenue from bidding its
generation output into the South Australian region of the
National Electricity Market, or NEM, by trading the plant as a
portfolio, selling derivative hedges that are not plant specific
and supplying minor retail sales via contract. The bidding of
the plant as a portfolio supports strategies for maximizing
revenue of the entire portfolio both in terms of pool and
derivative revenues and the most economic fuel use. A hedge book
is maintained such that the short to medium term revenue is
secured via hedge levels up to and in the order of
75 - 80% of the plant output. The current book is
underpinned by a medium term hedge with a major South Australian
retailer.
The Gladstone Assets. The Gladstone assets are owned in
partnership with other investors and NRG does not have
unilateral control over management of the assets. Gladstone
Power Station is fully contracted via a power purchase agreement
and a capacity purchase agreement with Boyne Smelter Limited and
Enertrade through 2029. Enertrade is a state owned company that
trades the excess power in the NEM.
Germany
Asset Management Strategy
Our German assets are owned in partnership with other investors
and NRG does not have direct control over operations. Our
strategy for maximization of return on investment therefore
concentrates on the following: contract management, monitoring
of our facility operators to ensure safe, profitable and
sustainable operations; management of cash flow and finances;
and growth of our businesses through investments in projects
related to our current businesses.
|
|
|
Thermal and Chilled Water Businesses |
NRG Thermals thermal and chilled water businesses have a
steam and chilled water capacity of approximately 1,225 megawatt
thermal equivalents, or MWt.
As of September 30, 2005, NRG Thermal owned heating and
cooling systems that provide steam heating to approximately 555
customers and chilled water to 95 customers in five different
cities in the United States. In addition, as of that date, NRG
Thermal owned and operated three projects that serve
industrial/government customers with high-pressure steam and hot
water, an 88 MW combustion turbine peaking generation
facility and an 16 MW coal-fired cogeneration facility in
Dover, Delaware and a 12 MW gas-fired project in
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Approximately 34% of Thermals
revenues are derived from its district heating and chilled water
business in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
|
|
|
Resource Recovery Facilities |
NRGs Resource Recovery business owns and operates fuel
processing projects. The alternative fuel currently processed is
municipal solid waste, approximately 85% of which is processed
into refuse derived fuel, or RDF. NRGs Resource Recovery
business has municipal solid waste processing capacity of 3,000
tons per day. NRGs Resource Recovery business owns and
operates NRG Processing Solutions, which includes 13 composting
and processing sites in Minnesota, of which three sites are
permitted to operate as municipal solid waste transfer stations.
S-76
Competition
Wholesale power generation is a capital-intensive,
commodity-driven business with numerous industry participants.
We compete on the basis of the location of our plants and owning
multiple plants in our regions, which increases the stability
and reliability of our energy supply. Wholesale power generation
is fundamentally a local business which, at present, is highly
fragmented (relative to other commodity industries) and diverse
in terms of industry structure. As such, there is a wide
variation in terms of the capabilities, resources, nature and
identity of the companies we compete against from market to
market.
Employees
As of September 30, 2005, the combined company would have
had 3,740 employees, approximately 1,751 of whom were covered by
U.S. bargaining agreements. During 2005, neither NRG nor
Texas Genco experienced any significant labor stoppages or labor
disputes at their facilities.
Energy Regulatory Matters
As operators of power plants and participants in wholesale
energy markets, we are subject to regulation by various federal
and state government agencies. These include the FERC, the NRC,
PUCT and certain other state public utility commissions in which
our generating assets are located. In addition, we are also
subject to the market rules, procedures and protocols of the
various ISO and RTO markets in which we participate.
The plant operations of, and wholesale electric sales from,
Texas Genco are not currently subject to regulation by FERC, as
they are deemed to operate solely within the ERCOT and not in
interstate commerce. As discussed below, Texas Gencos
operations are subject to regulations by PUCT as well as to
regulation by the NRC with respect to its ownership interest in
the STP.
|
|
|
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission |
FERC, among other things, regulates the transmission and
wholesale sale of electricity in interstate commerce under the
authority of the Federal Power Act, or FPA. In addition, under
existing regulations, FERC determines whether a generation
facility qualifies for Exempt Wholesale Generator, or EWG,
status under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, or
PUHCA of 1935. FERC also determines whether a generation
facility meets the ownership and technical criteria of a
Qualifying Facility, or QF, under Public Utility Regulatory
Policies Act of 1978, or PURPA. Each of NRGs
U.S. generating facilities has either been determined by
FERC to qualify as a QF, or the subsidiary owning the facility
has been determined to be an EWG. This permits NRG to own and
operate these electric generating facilities without becoming
subject to regulation as a holding company under PUHCA of 1935,
and in the case of NRGs QFs, to make wholesale sales of
electricity to electric utilities at the utilitys avoided
cost that are not subject to regulation by FERC. FERCs
regulation of NRG under each of these statutes will be changed
by the recent passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, or EPAct
2005.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005. EPAct 2005 was enacted
into law on August 8, 2005. Among other things, EPAct 2005
repealed PUHCA of 1935, amended PURPA to remove statutory
restrictions on utility ownership of a QF and to remove a
utilitys obligation to buy from a QF, provided certain
market and transmission access conditions exist, and enacted the
Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005, or PUHCA of 2005.
EPAct 2005s PUHCA changes take effect February 8,
2006. EPAct 2005s amendments to PURPA were effective as of
August 8, 2005. Though generally supported by the industry
and viewed as a positive development, EPAct 2005 remains subject
to FERC interpretation, and FERC has issued several rulemakings
and rules to implement EPAct, some of which are still ongoing.
NRG is currently assessing the effect of EPAct 2005 and these
rulemakings issued by FERC to implement it on the combined
companys regulatory environment and business.
Federal Power Act. The FPA gives FERC exclusive
rate-making jurisdiction over wholesale sales of electricity and
transmission of electricity in interstate commerce. Under the
FPA, FERC, with certain exceptions, regulates the owners of
facilities used for the wholesale sale of electricity or
transmission in
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interstate commerce as public utilities. The FPA also gives FERC
jurisdiction to review certain transactions and numerous other
activities of public utilities. With exceptions for certain
small power production facilities (non-geothermal facilities
greater than 30 MWs), QFs are currently exempt from the
FERCs FPA rate regulation to the extent that sales made
from them are made pursuant to the exemptions established under
PURPA and are not made under a market-based or cost-based rate
authorization from FERC. Currently, all of NRGs QF power
sales are made pursuant to the PURPA established exemption or
pursuant to FERC market-based rate authorization.
Public utilities under the FPA are required to obtain
FERCs acceptance, pursuant to Section 205 of the FPA,
of their rate schedules for wholesale sales of electricity. All
of NRGs non-QF generating companies, small power
production QFs greater than 30 MWs and power marketing
affiliates in the United States make sales of electricity in
interstate commerce and are public utilities for purposes of the
FPA. FERC has granted each of these companies the authority to
sell electricity at market-based rates. The FERCs orders
that grant NRGs generating and power marketing companies
market-based rate authority reserve the right to revoke or
revise that authority if FERC subsequently determines that NRG
can exercise market power in transmission or generation, create
barriers to entry or engage in abusive affiliate transactions.
In addition, our market-based sales are subject to certain
market behavior rules and, if any of our generating and power
marketing companies were deemed to have violated one of those
rules, they would be subject to potential disgorgement of
profits associated with the violation and/or suspension or
revocation of their market-based rate authority. As a condition
to the orders granting us market-based rate authority, every
three years NRG is required to file a market update to show that
it continues to meet FERCs standards with respect to
generation market power and other criteria used to evaluate
whether entities qualify for market-based rates. NRG is also
required to report to FERC any material changes in status that
would reflect a departure from the characteristics that FERC
relied upon when granting NRGs various generating and
power marketing companies market-based rates. On
October 28, 2005, NRG filed such a notice of change in
status regarding the Texas Genco acquisition. No party has filed
any comments in response to this change in status filing.
If NRGs generating and power marketing companies were to
lose their market-based rate authority, such companies would be
required to obtain FERCs acceptance of a
cost-of-service rate
schedule and would become subject to the accounting,
record-keeping and reporting requirements that are imposed on
utilities with cost-based rate schedules.
In addition, Section 204 of the FPA gives FERC jurisdiction
over a public utilitys issuance of securities or
assumption of liabilities. However, FERC typically grants
blanket approval for future securities issuances or assumptions
of liabilities to entities with market-based rate authority. In
the event that one of NRGs public utility generating
companies were to lose its market-based rate authority, such
companys future securities issuances or assumptions of
liabilities could require prior approval of the FERC.
Section 203 of the FPA also requires FERCs prior
approval for the transfer of control over assets subject to
FERCs jurisdiction. EPAct 2005 amended this prior approval
authority in a number of ways. In particular, as proposed to be
implemented by FERC, certain companies proposing to acquire
foreign utilities or foreign operating companies would be
required to obtain prior FERC approval. This proposed
implementation, if unchanged, could impede NRGs future
acquisition of foreign assets. Also, depending on how the new
law is interpreted, certain mergers or acquisitions involving
holding companies owning generation assets only in Texas, which
were formally exempt from FERC review under Section 203 of
the FPA, may now be subject to such review under the EPAct 2005
amendments to the law. The provisions of EPAct 2005 relating to
prior approval of asset acquisitions under the FPA become
effective February 8, 2006.
PUHCA. As discussed above, EPAct 2005 repeals PUHCA of
1935, effective February 8, 2006, and replaces it with
PUHCA of 2005.
PUHCA of 1935, among other things, provides for extensive
regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, of
non-exempt public utility holding companies, limits their
utility operations to a single, integrated utility system and
requires divestiture of operations not functionally related to
the operation of the utility system. PUHCA of 1935 applies to
foreign utility operations unless such operations qualify as a
Foreign Utility Company, or FUCO or EWG, as defined under the
act.
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PUHCA of 2005 retains certain definitions from PUHCA of 1935
(such as the definitions of EWG and FUCO) and provides FERC with
certain authority over and access to books and records of public
utility holding companies not otherwise exempt by virtue of
their ownership of EWGs, QFs or FUCOs. Because all of Texas
Gencos and NRGs generating facilities have QF status
or are owned through EWGs or FUCOs, neither company currently
qualifies as a holding company under PUHCA of 1935
or PUHCA of 2005.
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act. PURPA was
initially passed in 1978 in large part to promote increased
energy efficiency and development of independent power
producers. PURPA created QFs to further both goals, and FERC is
primarily charged with administering PURPA as it applies to QFs.
As discussed above, under current law, some categories of QFs
may be exempt from regulation under the FPA as public utilities.
PURPA incentives also initially included a requirement that
utilities must buy and sell power to QFs.
As noted above, EPAct 2005 has amended several provisions of
PURPA. Among other things, EPAct of 2005 provides for the
termination of the obligation to purchase power from QFs at an
avoided cost rate under certain conditions. However, the
purchase obligation is only terminated if FERC first finds that
a QF has non-discriminatory access to wholesale energy markets
having certain characteristics (including nondiscriminatory
transmission and interconnection services provided by a regional
transmission entity in certain circumstances). Certain of
NRGs QFs currently interconnect into markets that may meet
the qualifications for elimination of the PURPA purchase
requirement. If the obligation of the local utility to purchase
from some or all of NRGs QFs is terminated, NRG will need
to find alternative purchasers for the output of these QFs once
their current contracts expire. Such alternative purchases will
be at prevailing market rates, which may not be as favorable as
the terms of our PURPA sales arrangements under existing
contracts. In addition, under proposed FERC rules implementing
EPAct of 2005, QFs not making sales pursuant to state-approved
avoided cost rates will become subject to FERCs ratemaking
authority under the FPA and be required to obtain market rate
authority in order to be allowed to sell power at market-based
rates.
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Nuclear Regulatory Commission |
The NRC is authorized under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended, or the AEA, among other things, to grant licenses for,
and regulate the operation of, commercial nuclear power
reactors. As a holder of an ownership interest in STP, Texas
Genco, LP is an NRC licensee and is subject to NRC regulation.
Texas Genco, LPs NRC license gives it the right only to
possess an interest in STP but not to operate it. Operating
authority under the NRC operating license for STP is held by
STPNOC. Texas Genco, LP owns a related interest in STPNOC. NRC
regulation involves licensing, inspection, enforcement, testing,
evaluation and modification of all aspects of plant design and
operation (including the right to order a plant shutdown),
technical and financial qualifications, and decommissioning
funding assurance in light of NRC safety and environmental
requirements. In addition, NRC written approval is required
prior to a licensee transferring an interest in its license,
either directly or indirectly. As a possession-only licensee
(i.e., non-operating co-owner), the NRCs regulation of
Texas Genco, LP primarily focuses on its ability to meet its
financial and decommissioning funding assurance obligations. In
connection with the acquisition by Texas Genco of a 30.8%
interest in STP from CenterPoint Energy, the NRC required Texas
Genco to enter into a support agreement with Texas Genco, LP to
provide up to $120 million to Texas Genco, LP if necessary
to support operations at STP. Texas Genco entered into that
support agreement on April 13, 2005. The support agreement
will remain in effect after closing of the Acquisition.
Decommissioning Trusts. Upon expiration of the operating
terms of the operation licenses for the two generating units at
STP (currently scheduled for 2027 and 2028), the co-owners of
STP are required under federal law to decontaminate and
decommission STP. In May 2004, an outside consultant estimated a
44.0% share of the STP decommissioning costs to be approximately
$650 million in 2004 dollars.
Under NRC regulations, a power reactor licensee generally must
pre-fund the full amount of its estimated NRC decommissioning
obligations unless it is a rate regulated utility (or a state or
municipal entity that sets its own rates) or has the benefit of
a state-mandated non-bypassable charge available to periodically
fund the decommissioning trust such that periodic payments to
the trust, plus allowable earnings, will equal the estimated
decommissioning obligations needed by the time decommissioning
is expected to begin.
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Currently, Texas Genco, LPs funding against its
decommissioning obligation is contained within two separate
trusts. PUCT regulations provide for the periodic funding of
Texas Gencos decommissioning obligations through
non-bypassable charges collected by CenterPoint Energy Houston
Electric, LLC and AEP Texas Central Company, or CenterPoint
Houston and AEP TCC, from their customers.
In the event that the funds from the trusts are ultimately
determined to be inadequate to decommission the STP facilities,
the original owners of Texas Gencos STP interests,
CenterPoint Houston and AEP TCC, each will be required to
collect, through their PUCT-authorized non-bypassable charges to
customers, additional amounts required to fund the
decommissioning obligations relating to Texas Gencos 44.0%
share, provided that Texas Genco has complied with the
PUCTs rules and regulations regarding decommissioning
trusts. Following the completion of the decommissioning, if
surplus funds remain in the decommissioning trusts, any excess
will be refunded to the respective rate payers of CenterPoint
Houston or AEP TCC (or their successors).
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Public Utility Commission of Texas |
Texas Gencos subsidiaries are registered as power
generation companies with PUCT. PUCT also has jurisdiction over
power generation companies with regard to the administration of
nuclear decommissioning trusts, PUCT state-mandated capacity
auctions and the implementation of measures to mitigate undue
market power that a power generation company may have and to
remedy market power abuses in the ERCOT market and, indirectly,
through oversight of ERCOT.
In New England, New York, the Mid-Atlantic region, the Midwest
and California, FERC has approved independent system operators,
or regional transmission organizations, or ISOs or RTOs. Most of
these ISOs or RTOs administer a wholesale centralized bid-based
spot market in their regions pursuant to tariffs approved by
FERC and associated ISO/ RTO market rules. These tariffs/market
rules dictate how the day ahead and real-time markets operate,
how market participants may make bilateral sales to one another,
and how entities with market-based rates shall be compensated
within those markets. The ISOs or RTOs in these regions also
control access to and the operation of the transmission grid
within their regions. In Texas, pursuant to a 1999 restructuring
statute, the PUCT has granted similar responsibilities to ERCOT.
Except for sales within ERCOT and by certain of NRGs QFs
under PURPA, all of NRGs sales, whether made into an ISO-
or RTO-administered market or bilaterally negotiated, are made
pursuant to market-based rate authorizations granted by FERC to
our FPA public utility subsidiaries. Access to, pricing for and
operation of the transmission grid in regions not controlled by
such ISOs or RTOs is controlled by the local transmission owning
utility according to its Open Access Transmission Tariff
approved by FERC.
Both Texas Genco and NRG are affected by rule/tariff changes
that occur in the existing ISOs and RTOs. The ISOs and RTOs that
oversee most of the wholesale power markets have in the past
imposed, and may in the future continue to impose, price
limitations and other mechanisms (in particular, market power
mitigation rules) to address some of the volatility in these
markets. These types of price limitations and other regulatory
mechanisms may adversely affect the profitability of our
generation facilities that sell energy into the wholesale power
markets. In addition, the regulatory and legislative changes
that have recently been enacted in a number of states in an
effort to promote competition are novel and untested in many
respects. These new approaches to the sale of electric power
have very short operating histories, and it is not yet clear how
they will operate in times of market stress or pressure given
the extreme volatility and lack of meaningful long-term price
history in many of these markets and the imposition of price
limitations by independent system operators.
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Regional BusinessesMarket Developments |
At the direction of the PUCT, the ERCOT stakeholder process has
developed the Texas Nodal Protocols that sets forth
a complete and detailed revised wholesale market design based on
locational marginal pricing (in place of the current ERCOT zonal
market today). The stakeholder process took two years to
complete and incorporates a variety of unique characteristics
for a nodal market as the result of accommodations reached by
parties in the stakeholder process. Major elements include
bilateral energy and ancillary schedules, day-ahead energy
market, resource specific energy and ancillary service bid
curves, direct assignment of all congestion rents, nodal energy
prices for generators, aggregation of nodal to zonal energy
prices for loads, congestion revenue rights (including
pre-assignment for public power entities), and pricing
safeguards. The PUCT will consider approval of the Texas Nodal
Protocols by early 2006 and has indicated January 1, 2009,
as the date for full implementation of the new market design.
Under the expedited schedule, the evidentiary hearing concluded
December 13, 2005, and briefing by parties will conclude
January 27, 2006.
During 2005, NRGs Devon, Middleton and Montville stations
operated under RMR agreements with ISO-NE. With these RMR
agreements set to expire at the end of 2005, on November 1,
2005, NRG filed new RMR agreements with FERC in order provide
for the continued provision of reliability services from these
resources. Following the filing of interventions and protests
challenging the proposed rates and provisions of the filed RMR
agreements, NRG entered into a settlement agreement with the
Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control, the
Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel, and ISO-NE. This
settlement agreement was filed as an Offer of Settlement, or
Settlement, with FERC on December 20, 2005, in Docket
No. ER06-118-000. NRG is not aware of any opposition to the
Settlement and has requested FERC approve the settlement by
January 31, 2006.
Under the settlement, NRG is entitled to annual fixed revenue
requirement of $98 million, allocated among the stations,
subject to NRG meeting the availability requirements specified
therein. In addition, NRG is also entitled to retain 35% of its
market revenues from the subject stations, while crediting 65%
of such revenues against the monthly availability payments under
the RMR agreements. The settlement will allow NRG to maintain
uninterrupted RMR service from its stations, without the
regulatory litigation that Connecticut entities are pursuing
against other RMR applicants. The settlement specifies a
January 1, 2006 effective date and the parties have
requested expedited approval of the settlement RMR agreements
without modification. Pending FERCs determination on the
settlement, the ISO-NE has agreed to implement the settlement
RMR agreements effective January 1, 2006. As part of the
settlement, NRG and ISO-NE agreed on appropriate revisions to
some of the operating characteristics, bid costs and operating
characteristics, and with those changes, all of ISO-NEs
concerns with the November 1, 2005 filing have been
resolved.
The new RMR agreements will be in effect until LICAP is fully
implemented or as FERC may otherwise determine if it approves a
transition program for LICAP. In addition, the settlement RMR
agreements contain some new termination provisions. For example,
the Devon RMR agreement will terminate ninety days after the
commencement of Locational Forward Reserve Market, but no
earlier than January 1, 2007. In certain circumstances,
after January 1, 2007, the Connecticut entities will be
allowed to seek termination by filing a Section 206
complaint at FERC.
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LICAP Market Developments |
On August 31, 2004, ISO-NE filed its proposal for LICAP
with the FERC, which is deciding the issue in a litigated
proceeding before an administrative law judge. Under the
proposal, separate capacity markets would be created for
distinct areas of New England, including southwest Connecticut,
where several of NRGs
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Connecticut plants are located, and the rest of the state of
Connecticut. While NRG views this proposal as a positive
development, as it is currently proposed it would not permit NRG
to recover all of its fixed costs. In response, NRG has
submitted testimony that includes an alternative proposal. On
June 15, 2005, the FERC administrative law judge issued her
recommended decision, which recommended FERC approve
ISO-NEs proposed LICAP design with few exceptions. On
July 15, 2005, NRG and the other parties to the case filed
briefs on exceptions to the decision with FERC. On
August 10, 2005, FERC issued an order delaying the
implementation of a LICAP market from January 1, 2006 until
October 1, 2006, at the earliest, and conducted oral
argument on September 20, 2005. On October 7, 2005,
participants in NEPOOL filed a joint motion with the FERC for
the expedited appointment of a settlement judge and the
commencement of settlement negotiations regarding the
establishment of a LICAP market. On October 12, 2005, in
response to a motion filed by ISO-NE for clarification of the
FERCs order of August 10, 2005 delaying
implementation of the LICAP market, the FERC delayed the
implementation of a separate energy zone for southwest
Connecticut.
On September 12, 2005, Richard Blumenthal, Attorney General
for the state of Connecticut, the Connecticut Office of Consumer
Counsel, the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative
and the Connecticut Industrial Energy Consumers filed a
complaint against ISO-NE pursuant to sections 206 and 212 of the
Federal Power Act, seeking to amend the ISO-NEs Market
Rule 1 to require all electric generation facilities not
currently operating under an RMR agreement in Connecticut to be
placed under
cost-of-service rates.
On October 20, 2005, NRG, among others, filed an answer
requesting that the Commission dismiss the complaint. NRGs
Jet Power and Norwalk facilities are not currently operating
under an RMR agreement.
NRGs New York City generation is presently subject to
price mitigation in the installed capacity market. When the
capacity market is tight, the price NRG receives is capped by
the mitigation price. However when the New York City capacity
market is not tight, such as during the winter season, the
proposed demand curve price levels should increase revenues from
capacity sales over revenues obtained in previous capacity
markets. On January 7, 2005, NYISO filed proposed installed
capacity, or ICAP, demand curves for the following capacity
years: 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08. Under the NYISO proposal,
the ICAP price for New York City generation would be
$126 per KW-year for the capacity year 2006-07. On
April 21, 2005, FERC accepted the NYISOs proposed
demand curves, with certain minor revisions. The existing
in-city mitigation measures, however, will continue to apply to
us when the capacity market is tight, preventing us from
obtaining these higher prices.
On October 6, 2005, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, or
NiMo, filed a complaint against NYISO and the New York State
Reliability Council, or NYSRC, requesting that the FERC direct
the NYSRC to modify its methodology for calculating the
statewide installed reserve margin. NiMos complaint also
alleges that the NYISO incorrectly calculates the installed
capacity requirement.
On January 25, 2005, FERC issued an order approving the PJM
Interconnection, L.L.C., or PJM, proposal to increase the
compensation for generators that are located in load pockets and
are mitigated at least 80% of their running time. Specifically,
when a generator would be subject to mitigation, the generator
would have the option of recovering its variable cost plus $40
or a negotiated rate with PJM based on the facilitys going
forward costs. If the generator declines both options, it could
file for an alternative rate with FERC. FERC also substantially
revised the exemption of facilities built after 1996 from the
energy price capping mitigation rule. Several of NRGs
facilities are presently mitigated 80% of the time and,
therefore, are impacted by the change and may benefit from the
increased compensation provided for such generators.
On August 31, 2005, PJM filed a proposed reliability
pricing model, or RPM, that, if accepted by FERC, would modify
the capacity obligations imposed on load, and related market
mechanisms within PJM. The primary features of the RPM proposal
are the establishment of locational capacity markets using a
downward-sloping demand curve similar to the demand curve model
adopted in New York; a four-year-forward
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commitment of capacity resources; establishing separate
obligations and auction procurement mechanisms for quick start
and load following resources; allowing certain planned
resources, transmission upgrades and demand resources to compete
with existing generation resources to satisfy capacity
requirements; and market power mitigation rules (which are
primarily applied to existing generation resources, such as
NRGs). On October 19, 2005, NRG filed an intervention
and protest in response to the PJM RPM proposal. On
December 8, 2005, FERC issued a notice establishing a
technical conference on the issues raised by PJMs RPM
filing. The outcome of this proceeding is not possible to
predict with certainty, nor is the timing of any implementation
of PJMs proposed RPM model.
On January 3, 2005, Entergy submitted a petition for
declaratory order requesting guidance on issues associated with
its proposal to establish an independent coordinator of
transmission, or ICT. Entergy requested FERCs guidance on
whether the functions to be performed by the ICT will cause it
to become a public utility under the Federal Power Act or the
transmission provider under Entergys Open Access
Transmission Tariff, or OATT, and whether Entergys
transmission pricing proposal satisfies FERCs transmission
pricing policy. On May 23, 2005, FERC issued an order
granting rehearing for further consideration but has not yet
acted on rehearing.
On March 22, 2005, FERC granted Entergys Petition for
declaratory order, stating that the implementation of the ICT
proposal on an experimental basis will permit a transmission
decision-making process that is independent of control by any
market participant or class of participants. On May 27,
2005, Entergy submitted a Section 205 filing detailing the
enhanced functions that the ICT will perform. Numerous
interventions and protests were filed in response, a technical
conference has been held and the proceeding is ongoing.
NRG has negotiated RMR agreements with the Cal ISO for one-year
terms for all of the WCP capacity. NRG has filed these RMR
agreements with FERC, with an effective date of January 1,
2006, for each of our Encina and Cabrillo II plants. Cal
ISO did not designate the El Segundo plant as an RMR for 2006. A
tolling agreement for the total capacity of the El Segundo plant
has been executed with a major load serving entity for the
period May 2006 through April 2008.
WCP will continue to pursue repowering opportunities at the El
Segundo, Encina and Long Beach plants where grid stability and
in-load resource adequacy is needed. On December 23, 2004,
the CEC approved NRGs application for a permit to repower
the existing El Segundo site and replace retired units 1 and 2
with 630 MW of new combined cycle generation. On
January 19, 2005, the CEC voted unanimously to reconsider
its December 23, 2004 decision to certify the repowering
project. The reconsideration hearing took place on
February 2, 2005 and the permit was approved by unanimous
vote of the CEC. The reconsideration extended the
30-day period in which
parties may petition for rehearing or seek judicial review to
March 4, 2005. A petition seeking review of the CEC final
order was filed with the California Supreme Court on
March 14, 2005. On August 31, 2005, the California
Supreme Court refused to hear the case, making that date the
effective date of the permit. The El Segundo permit has as a
condition the payment of $5 million by the project to the
Santa Monica Bay Restoration Fund with the first
$1.0 million being due in equally quarterly installments
beginning 30 days following the disposition of all appeals.
The initial payment has not been made to date as WCP has
requested the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Fund to establish a
trust in which to place the funds. Documentation is being
exchanged between the parties to establish that trust. The CEC
could subject WCP to fines and/or termination of the permit for
failure to make the initial or subsequent payments. The project
filed an application with the CEC to suspend the payments until
a suitable long-term off take agreement was secured that would
support financing. On November 5, 2005, by a 5-0 vote, the CEC
denied the application to suspend requiring the project to remit
the first $250,000 payment 30 days following that vote. Should
we elect to repower the Long Beach site, we will do it outside
of the CEC permitting process. We do not believe the CEC can
legally assert jurisdiction over a Long Beach repowering project
as the total anticipated megawatts added will be less than the
number of megawatts retired. The California Court of Appeals, in
a case involving the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power,
held that the CEC jurisdiction
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is only required where the total megawatts added exceed the
existing megawatts of capacity by over 50 megawatts.
In California, the Cal ISO continues with its plan to move
toward markets similar to PJM, NYISO and ISO-NE with its Market
Redesign & Technology Upgrade, or MRTUformerly
MD02. These changes, once implemented, will re-establish a
day-ahead time market and allow for multiple settlements. We
view this as a vast improvement to the existing structure. In
general, the Cal ISO is continuing along a path of small
incremental changes rather than significant market
restructuring. Although numerous stakeholder meetings have been
held, the final market design remains unknown at this time. The
effect of the new MRTU changes on us cannot be determined at
this time. In addition to that activity, the California Public
Utility Commission, or CPUC, recently issued their Resource
Adequacy Order, which we believe will ultimately create greater
opportunities for merchant generators in California. However,
the final order did delay the implementation of local capacity
requirements and allowed a liberalized phase out of firm
liquidated damages contracts, which may act as a disincentive
for load serving entities to contract for our capacity over the
next two years. Assembly Bill 1576 which will promote and codify
the recovery of costs from repowered facilitiesthus making
contracting from these sites more attractive to the
in-state-utilities, was passed by the Senate on
September 8, 2005, and signed by the Governor on
September 29, 2005. This provides opportunities for the
Western region, as WCP currently holds a permit for repowering
up to 630 MW at the El Segundo facility and options for
redevelopment at the Long Beach facility. Both facilities are
positioned for possible long-term contracts as the market rules
and structure fall into place in the near future.
The CEC recently issued their 2005 Energy ReportRange of
Need and Policy Recommendations To the California Public
Utilities Commission, or CPUC. That study confirmed that the SCE
franchise territory will require over 8,000 MW of new
generation capacity by 2009; a dire prediction for a state with
limited new resources coming on line and retirement of older
facilities accelerating. There is some indication that the
various regulatory agencies are responding to these warnings by
moving to design a market that will provide the incentives to
invest in new generation. The CPUC now requires that
load-serving entities meet a 15-17% reserve margin by June 2006.
This has prompted RFOs from load-serving entities, with the
stated goal of engaging in bilateral contract negotiations with
the merchant generators to secure their long-term capacity
needs. Load-serving entities must demonstrate, by
January 27, 2006 and by September 30 for each year
thereafter that they have secured at least 90% of their capacity
needs for the following year. The CPUC order requiring a
demonstration of adequate capacity should present opportunities
to enter into new bilateral agreements pursuant to competitive
RFO processes. The Red Bluff and Chowchilla facilities have
received capacity contracts for the period April 1, 2006
through December 31, 2007 from a major load serving entity.
The capacity for El Segundo Units 3 and 4 has been secured under
a tolling agreement with a major load serving entity for the
period May 2006 through April 2008.
In September 2004, Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed AB2006,
commonly referred to as the re-regulation
initiative. A proposition (Proposition 80) that would amend
legislation forever prohibiting customer choice in
California was defeated in a November 2005 special election.
Environmental Matters
NRG and Texas Genco are subject to a broad range of
environmental and safety laws and regulations (across a broad
number of jurisdictions) in the development, ownership,
construction and operation of domestic and international
projects. These laws and regulations generally require that
governmental permits and approvals be obtained before
construction or during operation of power plants. Environmental
laws have become increasingly stringent over time, particularly
the regulation of air emissions from power generators. Such laws
generally require regular capital expenditures for power plant
upgrades, modifications and the installation of certain
pollution control equipment. It is not possible at this time to
determine when or to what extent additional facilities, or
modifications to existing or planned NRG or Texas Genco
facilities, will be required due to potential changes to
environmental and safety laws and regulations, regulatory
interpretations or enforcement policies. In general, future laws
and regulations are expected to require the addition of
emissions control or other environmental quality equipment or
the imposition of certain restrictions on the operations of the
combined company. We expect that future liability under, or
compliance with, environmental requirements could have a
material effect on our operations or competitive position.
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U.S. Federal Environmental Initiatives |
On May 18, 2005, the US Environmental Protection Authority,
or USEPA, published the Clean Air Mercury Rule, or CAMR, to
permanently cap and reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired
power plants. CAMR imposes limits on mercury emissions from new
and existing coal-fired plants and creates a market-based
cap-and-trade program that will reduce nationwide utility
emissions of mercury in two phases (2010 and 2018). Consistent
with the significant debate on whether the USEPA has authority
to regulate mercury emissions through a cap-and-trade mechanism
(as opposed to a command-and-control requirement to install
maximum achievable control technology, or MACT, on a
unit basis), 14 states, together with five environmental
organizations, have filed petitions for reconsideration of CAMR.
The states (including California, Connecticut, Delaware,
Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and
Wisconsin) allege that the rule violates the Clean Air Act, or
CAA, because it fails to treat mercury as a hazardous air
pollutant. On August 4, 2005, the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied the
environmental petitioners request for a stay of CAMR. On
October 28, 2005, the USEPA published notices of
reconsideration of seven specific aspects of CAMR (including
state allocations). Each of our coal-fired electric power plants
will be subject to mercury regulation. However, since the rule
has yet to be implemented by individual states and given the
USEPAs pending reconsideration of the rule, it is
difficult to assess with certainty how CAMR will affect our
operations. Nevertheless, we continue to actively review
emerging mercury monitoring and mitigation strategies and
technologies to identify the most cost-effective options for NRG
in implementing required mercury emission controls on the
stipulated schedule.
On May 12, 2005, the USEPA published the Clean Air
Interstate Rule, or CAIR. This rule applies to 28 Eastern States
and the District of Columbia and caps
SO2
and
NOx
emissions from power plants in two phases (2010 and 2015 for
SO2
and 2009 and 2015 for
NOx).
CAIR will apply to certain of the combined companys power
plants in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware,
Louisiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Texas. States
must achieve the required emission reductions through:
(a) requiring power plants to participate in a
USEPA-administered interstate cap-and-trade system; or
(b) measures to be selected by individual states. On
August 24, 2005, the USEPA published a proposed Federal
Implementation Plan, or FIP, to ensure that generators affected
by CAIR reduce emissions on schedule. In addition, on
December 20, 2005, the USEPA signed proposed revisions to
the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
for fine particulates (PM2.5) and inhalable coarse particulates
(PM10-PM2.5), that would require affected states to implement
further rules to address
SO2
and
NOx
emissions (as precursors of fine particulates in the
atmosphere). Further, on November 22, 2005, the USEPA
granted requests to reconsider four specific aspects of CAIR
(including the inclusion of certain states) with final action on
reconsideration expected by March 15, 2006. While our
current business plans include initiatives to address emissions
(for example, the conversion of Huntley and Dunkirk to burn low
sulfur coal), until the final CAIR rule and NAAQS for PM2.5,
PM10-2.5 and ozone are actually implemented by specific state
legislation, it is not possible to identify with greater
specificity the effect of CAIR on us. As noted below, certain
states in which we operate have already announced plans to
implement emissions reductions that go beyond the CAIR
requirements. It is possible that investments in additional
backend control technologies will be required and we continue to
evaluate these issues.
Although we recognize the uncertainties regarding how CAMR and
CAIR will be implemented, we expect to incur a substantial
increase in our environmental capital expenditures between 2009
and 2012 in order to ensure compliance with CAMR and CAIR. We
have currently estimated expenditures of around
$540 million for CAMR and CAIR compliance during this
period for the NRG facilities most of which would be incurred at
our various coal-fired plants in the Northeast region and South
Central region. We have currently estimated our total capital
expenditures for compliance with air pollution control
regulations from 2006 to 2014 at the NRG facilities at
approximately $675 million.
Since 1999, Texas Genco has invested approximately
$700 million for
NOx
emissions controls at its plants. These emissions controls were
installed to comply with regulations adopted by the Texas
Commission
S-85
on Environmental Quality to attain the one-hour national ambient
air quality standard for ozone, as well as provisions of the
Texas electric restructuring law. As a result, emissions from
its plants in the Houston-Galveston area have been reduced by
approximately 88% from 1998 levels and its fleet overall
operates at one of the lowest
NOx
emissions rates in the country. In aggregate, the Texas Genco
plants are in compliance with current
NOx
emission limits and are not expected to incur material
environmental capital expenditures to ensure
NOx
emissions compliance in the next several years. The Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality has, however, initiated a
rulemaking process for establishing lower
NOx
emissions limits to assure compliance with the USEPA
8-hour ozone standard
in the Houston-Galveston and Dallas-Fort Worth areas. It is
possible that any new regulations implemented may require
additional
NOx
emission controls on Texas Genco plants in 2009 or beyond. We
have currently estimated approximately $70 million in
additional capital expenditures with respect to compliance with
air pollution control requirements (primarily replacement of
catalyst for
NOx
emission controls) between 2006 and 2014.
The USEPA had also proposed MACT standards for nickel from
oil-fired units that would essentially require the installation
of electrostatic precipitators on certain oil-fired units. These
proposed requirements were originally included in drafts of
CAMR. However, reflecting further dialogue with generation
industry participants and additional scientific review, the
nickel MACT provisions were omitted from CAMR. In fact, the
USEPA issued a delisting rule on March 29, 2005 effectively
removing the MACT standards for nickel (i.e., specific control
technologies to be installed at each affected plant) at
oil-fired power plants. A number of environmental groups lodged
legal challenges to the USEPAs delisting rule and the
agency has agreed to reconsider this delisting, although it has
not specified which issues will be reconsidered. As the
delisting challenge relates to both nickel from oil-fired power
plants and mercury from coal-fired plants, it is not possible to
predict the outcome of the pending legal action.
NRGs facilities in the eastern United States are subject
to a cap-and-trade program governing
NOx
emissions during the ozone season (May 1
through September 30). These rules essentially require that
one
NOx
allowance be held for each ton of
NOx
emitted from fossil fuel-fired stationary boilers, combustion
turbines, or combined cycle systems. Each of NRGs
facilities that is subject to these rules has been allocated
NOx
emissions allowances. NRG currently estimates that the portfolio
total is currently sufficient to generally cover operations at
these facilities through 2009. However, if at any point
allowances are insufficient for the anticipated operation of
each of these facilities, NRG must purchase
NOx
allowances. Any obligation to purchase a substantial number of
additional
NOx
allowances could have a material adverse effect on NRGs
operations.
The Clean Air Visibility Rule (or so-called BART rule) was
published by the USEPA on July 6, 2005. This rule is
designed to improve air quality in national parks and wilderness
areas. The rule requires regional haze controls (by targeting
SO2
and
NOx
emissions from sources including power plants of a certain
vintage) through the installation of Best Available Retrofit
Technology, or BART, in certain cases. States must develop
implementation plans by December 2007 which may be satisfied
through an emissions trading program for BART sources. Although
the BART rule will apply to many of the Companys
facilities, sources that are also subject to CAIR (which include
most of our facilities) will likely be able to satisfy their
obligations under the BART rule through compliance with the more
stringent CAIR. Accordingly, no material additional expenditures
are anticipated for compliance with the Clean Air Visibility
Rule, beyond those required by CAIR.
In addition to federal regulation, national legislation has been
proposed that would impose annual caps on U.S. power plant
emissions of
NOx,
SO2,
mercury, and, in some instances,
CO2.
While the Administrations proposed Clear Skies Act (which
would regulate the aforementioned pollutants except for
CO2)
stalled in Senate Committee on March 9, 2005, the Bush
Administration continues to support this legislation. Clear
Skies overlaps significantly with CAIR and CAMR, and would
likely modify or supersede those rules if enacted as federal
legislation as proposed.
Twelve states and various environmental groups filed suit
against the USEPA seeking confirmation that the USEPA has an
existing obligation to regulate greenhouse gases, or GHGs, under
the CAA. On July 15, 2005, the US Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia Circuit (in Commonwealth of
Massachusetts v.
S-86
EPA) supported the USEPAs refusal to regulate GHG
emissions from motor vehicles, although avoiding the broader
issue of whether USEPA has authority, or an obligation, to
regulate GHGs under the CAA. On September 1, 2005, five
states requested reconsideration of this dismissal. While the
specific issue under consideration is the USEPAs
obligation to require GHG cuts from mobile sources, any decision
implying that the USEPA has an obligation to regulate GHGs
nationally has wider implications for the power generation
sector. In 2004, eight states and the City of New York filed
suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District
of New York against American Electric Power Company, Southern
Company, Tennessee Valley Authority, Xcel Energy, Inc. and
Cinergy Corporation, alleged to be the nations five
largest emitters of GHGs and all of which are owners of electric
generation (Connecticut v. AEP). An injunction was
sought against each defendant to force it to abate its
contribution to the global warming nuisance by
requiring
CO2
emissions caps and annual reductions in those caps for at least
a decade. On September 15, 2005, the public nuisance case
was dismissed on the basis that the claims made raised
political questions reserved to the legislative and
executive branches of the federal government. On
September 20, 2005, plaintiffs filed an appeal of this
decision with the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
The initiation of GHG-related litigation and proposed
legislation is becoming more frequent, although the outcomes of
such suits or proposed litigation cannot be predicted. Although
NRG has not been named as a defendant in any related suits, the
outcome of such suits could affect the overall regulation of
GHGs under the CAA. Our compliance costs with any mandated GHG
reductions in the future could be material. See also
Regional U.S. Environmental Regulatory Initiatives,
below.
In the 1990s, the USEPA commenced an industry-wide investigation
of coal-fired electric generators to determine compliance with
environmental requirements under the CAA associated with
repairs, maintenance, modifications and operational changes made
to facilities over the years. As a result, the USEPA and several
states filed suits against a number of coal-fired power plants
in mid-western and southern states alleging violations of the
CAA NSR/ Prevention of Significant Deterioration, or PSD,
requirements. In one of the more prominent suits of this type,
involving Ohio Edison, a subsidiary of First Energy, the USEPA
reached settlement on March 18, 2005 for NSR issues with
respect to all coal-fired plant located in Ohio, obligating
First Energy to spend $1.1 billion to install pollution
control equipment through 2010. In another similar suit, on
June 15, 2005 the USEPA appeal in the Duke Energy case was
heard with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
holding in favor of Dukes position as to what type of
modification triggers NSR and PSD provisions. Rehearing
petitions filed in this matter by the Department of Justice and
some environmental groups were denied on August 30, 2005.
On December 28, 2005, further petitions were filed by
environmental groups requesting Supreme Court review of this
decision. On June 3, 2005, the U.S. District Court for
the Northern District of Alabama reached conclusions favorable
to Alabama Power through the courts interpretation of NSR
rules relating to routine maintenance, repair and
replacement, or RMRR, and the correct test for determining
a significant net emissions increase. However, divergent rulings
exist on NSR issues across the country, with courts in Ohio and
Indiana providing interpretations of the NSR provisions
different from those in the Duke and Alabama cases. For example,
on August 29, 2005, U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of Indiana ruled in U.S. v. Cinergy
in favor of the USEPA and specifically rejected the
conclusion in the Duke case.
In an effort to revise the legal requirements as to what amounts
to a major modification and what emissions tests apply, USEPA
issued its NSR Reform Rule on December 31, 2002, although
its implementation was stayed by court order on
December 24, 2003. There have been a number of legal
challenges to different aspects of the proposed rule. On
October 13, 2005 USEPA proposed changes to its NSR
permitting program to stipulate an emissions test standard based
on hourly emission rates, rather than aggregate annual
emissions. The proposed change is subject to public comment
through February 17, 2006.
Given the divergent cases and rules in this area (at both the
federal and state levels), it is difficult to predict with
certainty the parameters of the final NSR/ PSD regime. However,
in October 2005, the USEPA announced that due to the
promulgation of programs such as CAIR and the Clean Air
Visibility Rule, it is placing a lower priority on continued
enforcement of suspected NSR/ PSD violations. In the meantime,
we continue to analyze all proposed projects at our facilities
to ensure ongoing compliance with the applicable legal
requirements.
S-87
In July 2004, USEPA published rules governing cooling water
intake structures at existing power facilities (the
Phase II 316(b) Rules). The Phase II 316(b) Rules
specify certain location, design, construction and capacity
standards for cooling water intake structures at existing power
plants using the largest amounts of cooling water. These rules
will require implementation of the Best Technology Available, or
BTA, for minimizing adverse environmental impacts unless a
facility shows that such standards would result in very high
costs or little environmental benefit. The Phase II 316(b)
Rules require our facilities that withdraw water in amounts
greater than 50 million gallons per day (and utilize at
least 25% for cooling purposes) to submit certain surveys, plans
and operational and restoration measures (with wastewater permit
applications or renewal applications) that would minimize
certain adverse environmental impacts of impingement or
entrainment. The Phase II 316(b) Rules affect a number of
NRGs and Texas Gencos plants, specifically those
with once-through cooling systems. Compliance options include
the addition of control technology, modified operations,
restoration or a combination of these, and are subject to a
comparative cost and cost/benefit justification. While NRG and
Texas Genco have conducted a number of the requisite studies,
until all the needed studies throughout our fleet have been
completed and consultations on the results have occurred with
USEPA (or its delegated state or regional agencies), it is not
possible to estimate with certainty the capital costs that will
be required for compliance with the Phase II 316(b) Rules,
although current estimates for the combined companys
facilities involve capital expenditures and related costs of
around $80 million between 2006 and 2012. In addition, the
Phase II Rules have been challenged by industrial and
environmental groups and the outcome of this litigation could
affect our obligations pursuant to these rules. Further,
Phase III rules, which were proposed in November 2004, may
be applicable to some of our smaller power plants when finalized.
Under the U.S. Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, the
federal government must remove and ultimately dispose of spent
nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste from nuclear
plants such as STP. Consistent with the Act, owners of nuclear
plants, including Texas Genco and the other owners of STP,
entered into contracts setting out the obligations of the owners
and the U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE, including the
fees being paid by the owners for DOEs services. Since
1998, the DOE has been in default on its obligations to begin
removing spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste
from reactors. On January 28, 2004, Texas Genco LP and the
other owners of STP filed a breach of contract suit against the
DOE in order to protect against the running of a statute of
limitations.
Under the federal Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of
1980, as amended, the state of Texas is required to provide,
either on its own or jointly with other states in a compact, for
the disposal of all low-level radioactive waste generated within
the state. The state of Texas has agreed to a compact with the
states of Maine and Vermont for a disposal facility that would
be located in Texas. That compact was ratified by Congress and
signed by President Clinton in 1998. In 2003, the state of Texas
enacted legislation allowing a private entity to be licensed to
accept low-level radioactive waste for disposal. We intend to
continue to ship low-level waste material from STP off-site for
as long as an alternative disposal site is available. Should
existing off-site disposal become unavailable, the low-level
waste material will then be stored
on-site. STPs
on-site storage
capacity is expected to be adequate for STPs needs until
other off-site facilities become available.
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Regional U.S. Environmental Regulatory
Initiatives |
Texas (ERCOT) Region. The USEPAs Region VI
(which includes Texas, Louisiana, and three other states)
indicated in September 2004 that it intends to evaluate 75%-80%
of the coal-fired power plants in its region over the next
several years for potential violations of the NSR program or
PSD. During air emissions inspections of Texas Gencos
Limestone plant in November 2004, a USEPA inspector informally
advised Texas Genco that the USEPA has drafted, but not yet
sent, an information request letter pursuant to Section 114
of the CAA concerning potential NSR or PSD issues at the
Limestone plant. As of January 3,
S-88
2006, Texas Genco has not received this letter and has not had
any further communications on this issue with the USEPA.
Northeast Region. Massachusetts air regulations prescribe
schedules under which six existing coal-fired power plants
in-state are required to meet stringent emission limits for
NOx,
SO2,
mercury, and
CO2.
The state has reserved the issue of control of carbon monoxide
and particulate matter emissions for future consideration.
NRGs Somerset plant is subject to these regulations. NRG
has installed natural gas reburn technology to meet the
NOx
and
SO2
limits. On June 4, 2004, the Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Protection, or MADEP, issued its regulation on the
control of mercury emissions. The effect of this regulation is
that starting October 1, 2006, Somerset will be capped at
13.1 lbs/year of mercury and as of January 1, 2008,
Somerset must achieve a reduction in its mercury
inlet-to-outlet
concentration of 85%. We plan to meet the requirements through
the management of our fuels and the use of early and off-site
reduction credits. Additionally, NRG has entered into an
agreement with MADEP to retire or repower the Somerset station
by the end of 2009.
The Massachusetts carbon regulation 310 CMR 7.29 Emissions
Standards for Power Plants requires coal-fired generation
located within the state to comply with
CO2
emission restrictions. A carbon emissions cap applies beginning
January 1, 2006, while a rate requirement will apply in
2008. This regulation means that if
CO2
emissions at NRGs Somerset facility exceed the annual cap
from 2006, then the excess must be offset with approved
CO2
credits. However, since there are currently no approved
CO2
credits for use in Massachusetts, MADEP has proposed that
generators annually report overages, starting in 2006, and at
the time that there is a an established
CO2
market operating in the state, NRG would be required to purchase
or generate sufficient
CO2
credits to offset the balance. On December 20, 2005,
Massachusetts issued proposed revisions to the
CO2
regulations, including a proposed implementing regime that could
allow the use of on-site and off-site generated
CO2
credits, with a price backstop of $10/ton. Comments are due by
the end of January 2006 and MADEP expects to finalize these
revisions in spring 2006. Massachusetts was involved in the
initial negotiations regarding the Regional Greenhouse Gas
Initiative, or RGGI, which is discussed below, but did not enter
into the Memorandum of Understanding with other northeastern
states. Given the regulatory uncertainty surrounding
implementation of Massachusettss carbon market and the
corresponding costs of
CO2
allowances when that market exists, Somerset could be materially
affected if it does not retire by the end of 2009.
Pursuant to New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation, or NYSDEC, rules (the Acid Deposition Reduction
Program, ADRP) fossil-fuel-fired combustion units in New York
must reduce
SO2
emissions to 25% below the levels allowed in the federal Acid
Rain Program starting January 2005 and to 50% below those levels
starting in January 2008. In addition, under ADRP generators now
also have to meet the ozone season NOx emissions limit
year-round. Our strategy for complying with the ADRP is to
generate early reductions of
SO2
and
NOx
emissions associated with fuel switching and use such reductions
to extend the timeframe for implementing technological controls,
which could ultimately include the addition of flue gas
desulfurization, or FGD, and selective catalytic reduction, or
SCR, equipment. On January 11, 2005, NRG reached an
agreement with the State of New York and the NYSDEC in
connection with voluntary emissions reductions at the Huntley
and Dunkirk facilities, as discussed below in Legal Proceedings.
The Consent Decree was entered by the U.S. District Court
for the Western District of New York on June 3, 2005. NRG
does not anticipate that any additional material capital
expenditures, beyond those already spent, will be required for
our Huntley and Dunkirk plants to meet the current compliance
standards under the Consent Decree through 2010, although, this
does not reflect any additional capital expenditures that may be
required to satisfy other federal and state laws.
Huntley Power LLC, Dunkirk Power LLC and Oswego Power LLC
entered into a Consent Order with NYSDEC, effective
March 31, 2004, regarding certain alleged opacity
exceedances. The Consent Order required the respondents to pay a
civil penalty of $1.0 million which was paid in April 2004.
The Order also stipulates penalties (payable quarterly) for
future violations of opacity requirements and a compliance
schedule. NRG recently resolved a dispute with NYSDEC over the
method of calculation for stipulated penalties. NRG paid NYSDEC
$1.3 million at the end of 2005 to cover the stipulated
penalty payments that had been withheld pending resolution of
the dispute.
S-89
While no rules affecting NRGs existing facilities have
been formally proposed, Delaware has recently issued a
Start Action Notice to impose emissions standards
for
SO2,
NOx
and mercury. Delaware is pursuing such rule-making based on
recent determinations that portions of the state are in
non-attainment for NAAQS for fine particulates, and all of the
state is in non-attainment for the NAAQS for 8-Hour Ozone. We
are evaluating emissions reduction opportunities which may
include blending low sulfur western coals. NRG will actively
participate in the Delaware rule-making as a stakeholder and
will continue to be involved in environmental policy-making
efforts in Delaware through the Governors Energy Task
Force and interactions with legislators, the PSC and the
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental
Control, or DNREC.
The Ozone Transport Commission, or OTC, was established by
Congress and governs ozone and the NOx budget program in certain
eastern states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York
and Delaware. In January 2005, the OTC redoubled its efforts to
develop a multi-pollutant regime
(SO2,
NOx,
mercury and
CO2)
that is expected to be completed by mid-2006 (with individual
state implementation to follow). On June 8, 2005, the OTC
members unanimously resolved to implement CAIR-Plus
emissions regulations, based on concerns that the USEPAs
CAIR fails to achieve attainment of
8-hour ozone and fine
particulate matter. As a result, the OTC proposes to implement a
regional plan containing emissions reduction targets for power
plants that exceed those under CAIR. The OTC targets and
timelines are as follows: (a) through September 2006: write
model rule, with participating states signing a Memorandum of
Understanding; (b) by December 2006 states file their
implementation plans or reduction regulations; (c) 2008
Phase I reductions of
NOx
(to 1.87 million tons) and
SO2
(to 3.0 million tons) apply; (d) 2012 Phase II
reductions of
NOx
(to 1.28 million tons) and
SO2
(to 2.0 million tons) apply; and (e) 2015 90% mercury
removal required. OTCs proposed CAIR-Plus involves
emissions reductions which are both sooner and more aggressive
than CAIR (e.g., aggregate
NOx
reductions would be 25% greater than CAIR, while
SO2
reductions would be 33% greater than CAIR). NRG continues to be
engaged in the OTC stakeholder process. While it is not possible
to predict the outcome of this regional legislative effort, to
the extent that the OTC is successful in implementing emissions
requirements that are more stringent than existing regimes
(including the recently reached New York settlement), NRG could
be materially impacted.
On December 20, 2005, seven northeastern states entered
into a Memorandum of Understanding to create a regional
initiative to establish a cap-and-trade GHG program for electric
generators, referred to as the Regional Greenhouse Gas
Initiative, or RGGI. The model RGGI rule is scheduled to be
announced within the next few months, with an estimate of two to
three years for participating states to finalize implementing
regulations. The current proposal is for the program to start in
2009, with a review in 2015 and an assessment of further
reductions after 2020. The proposal involves an overall RGGI cap
(with state sub-caps) based on
CO2
emissions for the period 2000 to 2004. That cap, referred to as
stabilization, will remain the same through 2015,
with a 10% reduction between 2015 and 2020. Decisions on
allowance allocations will be made by each state, although at
least 25% of the state allocations will be set aside for public
purposes, suggesting that from implementation, generators in the
RGGI region may receive an allocation of allowances that is
materially less than required to cover existing emissions,
potentially having a significant effect on the cost of
operations. While the details of the model rule are still under
development, when RGGI is implemented, our plants in New York,
Delaware and Connecticut may be materially affected. If
Massachusetts, which was originally involved in the development
of RGGI, decides to participate, NRGs plant in that state
may also be affected.
South Central Region. The Louisiana Department of
Environmental Quality, or LADEQ, has promulgated State
Implementation Plan revisions to bring the Baton Rouge ozone
non-attainment area into compliance with applicable NAAQS. NRG
participated in development of the revisions, which require the
reduction of
NOx
emissions at the gas-fired Big Cajun I Power Station and
coal-fired Big Cajun II Power Station to 0.1 lbs/ MMBtu and
0.21 lbs/ MMBtu
NOx,
respectively (both based on heat input). This revision of the
Louisiana air rules would constitute a
change-in-law covered
by agreement between Louisiana Generating, LLC and the electric
cooperatives (power offtakers), allowing the costs of added
combustion controls to be passed through to the cooperatives.
The combustion controls required at the Big Cajun II
Generating Station to meet the states
NOx
regulations have been installed.
S-90
On January 27, 2004, Louisiana Generating, LLC and Big
Cajun II received a request for information under
Section 114 of the CAA from USEPA seeking information
primarily related to physical changes made at Big Cajun II
and subsequently received a notice of violation, or NOV, based
on alleged NSR violations. See Legal
Proceedings for a discussion of this matter. NRG is
up-to-date with all
USEPA information requests it has received in connection with
this matter and has not been contacted by USEPA pursuant to the
NOV since May 2005.
Western Region. The El Segundo Generating Station is
regulated by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, or
SCAQMD. Before its retirement as of January 1, 2005, the
Long Beach Generating Station was also regulated by SCAQMD.
SCAQMD approved amendments to its Regional Clean Air Incentives
Market, or RECLAIM,
NOx
regulations on January 7, 2005. RECLAIM is a regional
emission-trading program targeting
NOx
reductions to achieve state and federal ambient air quality
standards for ozone. Among other changes, the amendments reduce
the
NOx
RECLAIM Trading Credit, or RTC, holdings of El Segundo Power,
LLC and Long Beach Generation LLC facilities by certain amounts.
Notwithstanding these amendments, retained RTCs are expected to
be sufficient to operate El Segundo Units 3 and 4 as high as
100% capacity factor for the life of those units.
On October 6, 2005, the California Public Utilities
Commission, or CPUC, adopted a policy statement on GHG
Performance Standards as part of a focus on emissions from
conventional fossil-fuel resources. The adopted policy statement
directs the CPUC to investigate a GHG emissions performance
standard for energy procurement by the states
Investor-Owned Utilities, or IOUs, that is no higher than the
GHG emissions levels of a combined-cycle natural gas turbine for
all energy procurement contracts longer than three years in
length and for all new IOU owned generation. While this policy
statement does not impose new requirements at this time, instead
requiring CPUC staff to investigate possible new requirements
that would apply to all IOU procured energy and capacity,
including in and
out-of-state
generation, it gives some basis for expecting the development of
carbon constrained standards within the California wholesale
power market.
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Domestic Site Remediation Matters |
Under certain federal, state and local environmental laws and
regulations, a current or previous owner or operator of any
facility, including an electric generating facility, may be
required to investigate and remediate releases or threatened
releases of hazardous or toxic substances or petroleum products
at the facility. We may also be held liable to a governmental
entity or to third parties for property damage, personal injury
and investigation and remediation costs incurred by a party in
connection with hazardous material releases or threatened
releases. These laws, including the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, or CERCLA, as
amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of
1986, or SARA, impose liability without regard to whether the
owner knew of or caused the presence of the hazardous
substances, and courts have interpreted liability under such
laws to be strict (without fault) and joint and several. The
cost of investigation, remediation or removal of any hazardous
or toxic substances or petroleum products could be substantial.
Cleanup obligations can often be triggered during the closure or
decommissioning of a facility, in addition to spills or other
occurrences during our operations. Although both NRG and Texas
Genco have been involved in
on-site contamination
matters, to date, neither has been named as a potentially
responsible party with respect to any off-site waste disposal
matter.
Texas (ERCOT) Region. The lignite used to fuel the
Limestone facility is obtained from a surface mine adjacent to
the facility under an amended long-term contract with Texas
Westmoreland Coal Co., or TWCC, entered into in August 1999.
TWCC is responsible for performing ongoing reclamation
activities at the mine until all lignite reserves have been
produced. When production is completed at the mine, Texas Genco
is responsible for final mine reclamation obligations. The
Railroad Commission of Texas has imposed a bond obligation of
approximately $70 million on TWCC for the reclamation of
this lignite mine. Final reclamation activity is expected to
commence in 2015. Pursuant to the contract with TWCC, an
affiliate of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. has guaranteed
$50 million of this obligation until 2010. The remaining
sum of approximately $20 million has been bonded by the
mine operator, TWCC. Under the terms of Texas Gencos
agreement, Texas Genco is required to post a corporate guarantee
in the amount of $50 million of TWCCs
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reclamation bond when CenterPoints obligation lapses. As
of December 31, 2005, Texas Genco had accrued
$10 million related to the mine reclamation obligation.
Northeast Region. Significant amounts of ash are
contained in landfills at on and off-site locations. At Dunkirk,
Huntley, Somerset and Indian River, ash is disposed of at
landfills owned and operated by NRG. NRG maintains financial
assurance to cover costs associated with landfill closure,
post-closure care and monitoring activities. NRG has funded a
trust in the amount of approximately $6.0 million to
provide such financial assurance in New York and
$6.9 million in Delaware. NRG must also maintain financial
assurance for closing interim status RCRA (Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act) facilities at the Devon,
Middletown, Montville and Norwalk Harbor Generating Stations and
has funded a trust in the amount of $1.5 million
accordingly.
NRG inherited historical
clean-up liabilities
when it acquired the Somerset, Devon, Middletown, Montville,
Norwalk Harbor, Arthur Kill and Astoria Generating Stations.
During installation of a sound wall at Somerset Station in 2003,
oil contaminated soil was encountered. NRG has delineated the
general extent of contamination, determined it to be minimal,
and has placed an activity use limitation on that section of the
property. Site contamination liabilities arising under the
Connecticut Transfer Act at the Devon, Middletown, Montville and
Norwalk Harbor Stations have been identified. NRG has proposed a
remedial action plan to be implemented over the next two to
eight years (depending on the station) to address historical ash
contamination at the facilities. The total estimated cost is not
expected to exceed $1.5 million. Remedial obligations at
the Arthur Kill generating station have been established in
discussions between NRG and the NYSDEC and are estimated to be
approximately $1.1 million. Remedial investigations
continue at the Astoria generating station with long-term
clean-up liability
expected to be approximately $2.9 million. While installing
groundwater-monitoring wells at Astoria to track our remediation
of an historical fuel oil spill, the drilling contractor
encountered deposits of coal tar in two borings. NRG reported
the coal tar discovery to the NYSDEC in 2003 and delineated the
extent of this contamination. NRG may also be required to
remediate the coal tar contamination and/or record a deed
restriction on the property if significant contamination is to
remain in place.
In September 2001, we experienced an underground fuel line leak
at our Vienna Generating Station, resulting in a small release
of oil free product, which was contained. NRG promptly reported
the event to the relevant state agencies and continues to work
with the Maryland Department of the Environment, or DEP, to
develop any remediation requirements. Ongoing monitoring has
indicated that the product is stable. NRG submitted a site
assessment report and proposed remediation plan to Maryland DEP
but the agency has not formally responded to those documents.
Based upon work completed by a remediation contractor retained
by NRG, long-term clean up liability in connection with this
matter is not expected to exceed $0.5 million.
South Central Region. Liabilities associated with
closure, post-closure care and monitoring of the ash ponds owned
and operated on site at the Big Cajun II Generating Station
are addressed through the use of a trust fund maintained by NRG
in the amount of approximately $5.0 million. Annual
payments are made to the fund in the amount of
$0.12 million.
Western Region. The Asset Purchase Agreements for the
Long Beach, El Segundo, Encina, and San Diego gas turbine
generating facilities provide that SCE and San Diego
Gas & Electric or SDG&E, as sellers retain
liability, and indemnify NRG, for existing soil and groundwater
contamination that exceeds remedial thresholds in place at the
time of closing. NRG and its business partner identified
existing contamination and provided the results to the sellers.
SCE and SDG&E agreed to address this identified
contamination and are undertaking corrective action at the
Encina and San Diego gas turbine generating sites. NRG
could incur related costs if SCE and SDG&E did not complete
their corrective action responsibilities. Spills and releases of
various substances have occurred at these sites since NRG
established the historical baseline, all of which have been, or
will be, completely remediated. An oil leak in 2002 from
underground piping at the El Segundo Generating Station
contaminated soils adjacent to and underneath the Unit 1 and 2
powerhouse. NRG excavated and disposed of contaminated soils to
the greatest extent permitted by existing laws. Following
NRGs formal request, the Los Angeles Regional Water
Quality Control Board agreed to
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allow the remaining contaminated soils to stay underneath the
building foundation until the building is demolished.
A diesel fuel spill to
on-site surface
containment occurred at the Cabrillo Power II LLC Kearny
Combustion Turbine facility (San Diego) in February 2003.
Emergency response and subsequent remediation activities were
completed. Confirmation sampling for the site was completed in
2004 and submitted to the San Diego County Department of
Environmental Health. Three San Diego Combustion Turbine
facilities, formerly operating pursuant to land leases with the
U.S. Navy, are currently being decommissioned with
equipment being removed from the sites and remediation
activities occurring where necessary. All remedial activities
are being completed pursuant to the requirements of the
U.S. Navy and the San Diego County Department of
Environmental Health. Remediation activities were completed in
2004 at the Naval Training Center and North Island facilities.
At the 32nd Street Naval Station facility, additional
contamination delineation is necessary and additional
unquantified remediation in inaccessible areas may be required
in the future. Given the current uncertainties at this facility,
it is difficult to accurately estimate the resultant clean up
liability.
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International Environmental Matters |
Most of the foreign countries in which NRG owns or may acquire
or develop independent power projects have environmental and
safety laws or regulations relating to the ownership or
operation of electric power generation facilities. These laws
and regulations, like those in the U.S., are constantly evolving
and have a significant impact on international wholesale power
producers. In particular, NRGs international power
generation facilities will likely be affected by emissions
limitations and operational requirements imposed by the Kyoto
Protocol, which is an international treaty related to greenhouse
gas emissions which entered into force on February 16,
2005, and country-based restrictions pertaining to global
climate change concerns.
We retain appropriate advisors in foreign countries and seek to
design our international asset management strategy to comply
with each countrys environmental and safety laws and
regulations. There can be no assurance that changes in such laws
or regulations will not adversely effect our international
operations.
Australia. With respect to Australia, climate change is
considered a long-term issue (e.g. 2010 and beyond) and the
Australian governments response to date has included a
number of initiatives, all of which have had no or minimal
impact on our operations. The Australian government has stated
that Australia will achieve its Kyoto Protocol target of 8%
below 1990 greenhouse gas emission levels for the 2008 to 2012
reporting period, but that Australia will not ratify the Kyoto
Protocol. Each Australian state government is considering
implementing a number of climate change initiatives that will
vary considerably state to state, with the possible exception of
an interjurisdictional state-led carbon trading proposal (which
is not supported by the federal government).
NRG Flinders disposes of ash to slurry ponds at Port Augusta in
South Australia. At the end of life of the power station, NRG
Flinders will have an obligation to remediate these ponds in
accordance with a plan accepted by the South Australian
Environment Protection Agency and confirmed in the Environment
Compliance Agreement between the South Australian Minister for
Environment and Heritage and NRG Flinders dated
September 20, 2000, or the EC Agreement. The estimated cost
of remediation including contingencies according to the plan is
AUD 2.0 million. There is no timeline associated with the
obligation, but the EC Agreement extends to 2025. Under these
arrangements, required remediation relates to surface
remediation and does not entail any groundwater remediation.
MIBRAG / Schkopau, Germany. While
CO2
emissions trading began in Germany in 2005, pursuant to European
Union obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, we do not currently
expect the
CO2
trading program to be a material constraint on our business in
Germany. Changes to the German Emission Control Directive will
result in lower
NOx
emission limits for plants firing conventional fuels
(Section 13 of the Directive) and co-firing waste products
(Section 17 of the Directive). The new regulations will
require the Mumsdorf and Deuben Power stations to install
additional controls to reduce
NOx emissions
in 2006. These plant modifications are proceeding on schedule.
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The European Unions Groundwater Directive and Mine
Wastewater Management Directive are in the rule-making stage
with the final outcome still under debate. Given the uncertainty
regarding the possible outcome of the debate on these
directives, we cannot quantify at this time the effect such
requirements would have on our future coal mining operations in
Germany.
A new law specifically dealing with the relocation of the
residents of Heuersdorf from the path of the mining plan was
enacted by the legislature of Saxony in 2004. On
November 25, 2005, the Saxony Constitutional Court upheld
the constitutionality of the Heuersdorf act. This ruling cannot
be appealed. Nuisance suits remain a possibility, but the
courts ruling brings the matter closer to final resolution.
The supply contracts under which MIBRAG mines lignite from the
Profen mine expire on December 31, 2021. The contracts
under which MIBRAG mines lignite from the Schleenhain mine
expire in 2041. At the end of each mines productive
lifetime, MIBRAG will be required to reclaim certain areas.
MIBRAG accrues for these eventual expenses and estimates the
cost of the final reclamation to approach approximately
176 million
in the instance of the Schleenhain mine and
132 million
for Profen.
Insurance
Both NRG and Texas Genco carry insurance coverage consistent
with companies engaged in similar commercial operations with
similar properties, including business interruption insurance
for the coal and lignite plants. However, both NRGs and
Texas Gencos insurance policies are subject to certain
limits and deductibles as well as policy exclusions. Adequate
insurance coverage in the future may be more expensive or may
not be available on commercially reasonable terms. Also, the
insurance proceeds received for any loss of or any damage to any
of our generation plants may not be sufficient to restore the
loss or damage without negative impact on our financial
condition, results of operations or cash flows.
We expect to receive a report from Moore-McNeil LLC, an
internationally recognized independent insurance consulting
firm, which concludes that the insurance program that is
presently in effect for NRG and Texas Genco is consistent with
prudent industry practice.
Texas Genco and the other owners of STP maintain nuclear
property and nuclear liability insurance coverage as required by
law and periodically review available limits and coverage for
additional protection. The owners of STP currently maintain
$2.75 billion in property damage insurance coverage, which
is above the legally required minimum. STPNOC currently carries
accidental outage coverage with a 17 week deductible and a
six week indemnity at a rate of $3,500,000 per week. This
coverage may not be available on commercially renewable terms or
may be more expensive in the future and any proceeds from such
insurance may not be sufficient to indemnify the owners of STP
for their losses. By the date of closing of the Acquisition,
Texas Genco would have also purchased additional accidental
outage coverage for its ownership percentage in STP. This
coverage will provide maximum weekly indemnity of $1,980,000 for
52 weeks and $1,584,000 per week for the next
104 weeks after the 17-week waiting period and six-week
indemnity period have been met. These figures are per unit and
if more than one unit experiences an outage from the same
accident, the weekly indemnity is limited to 80% of the single
unit recovery when both units are out of service.
The Price-Anderson Act, as amended by the Energy Policy Act of
2005, requires owners of nuclear power plants in the
U.S. to be collectively responsible for retrospective
secondary insurance premiums for liability to the public arising
from nuclear incidents resulting in claims in excess of the
required primary insurance coverage amount of $300 million
per reactor. For such claims in excess of $300 million per
reactor, Texas Genco and the other owners of STP are liable for
any single incident, whether it occurs at STP or at another
nuclear power plant not owned by it, up to a cap of
$95.8 million per reactor in retrospective premiums for
such incident but not to exceed $15 million per year in
each case as adjusted for future inflation. These amounts are
assessed per each licensed reactor. STP is a two reactor
facility and our liability is capped at 44.0% of these amounts
due to our 44.0% interest in STP. The Price-Anderson Act only
covers nuclear
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liability associated with any accident in the course of
operation of the nuclear reactor, transportation of nuclear fuel
to the reactor site, in the storage of nuclear fuel and waste at
the reactor site and the transportation of the spent nuclear
fuel and nuclear waste from the nuclear reactor. All other
non-nuclear liabilities are not covered. Any substantial
retrospective premiums imposed under the Price-Anderson Act or
losses not covered by insurance could have a material adverse
effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash
flows.
Legal Proceedings
We are, from time to time, a party to litigation or legal
proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business, most
of which involves contract disputes or claims for personal
injury, including exposure to asbestos and property damage
incurred in connection with our operations. We believe that we
have valid defenses to the legal proceedings and investigations
described below and we intend to defend them vigorously.
However, litigation is inherently subject to many uncertainties.
There can be no assurance that additional litigation will not be
filed against us or our subsidiaries in the future, asserting
similar or different legal theories and seeking similar or
different types of damages and relief. Unless specified below,
we are unable to predict the outcome of these legal proceedings.
An unfavorable outcome in one or more of these proceedings could
have a material impact on our consolidated financial position,
results of operations or cash flows. We also have indemnity
rights for some of these proceedings to reimburse us for certain
legal expenses and to offset certain amounts deemed to be owed
in the event of an unfavorable litigation outcome.
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Texas Commercial Energy Litigation |
In July 2003, Texas Commercial Energy filed in federal court in
Corpus Christi, Texas a lawsuit against, as the lawsuit was
subsequently amended, Texas Genco, LP, CenterPoint Energy, Inc.,
Reliant Energy, Inc., Reliant Electric Solutions, LLC, several
other CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Reliant Energy, Inc.
subsidiaries and a number of other participants in the ERCOT
market. The plaintiff, a retail electricity provider in the
Texas market served by ERCOT, alleged that the defendants
conspired to illegally fix and artificially increase the price
of electricity in violation of state and federal antitrust laws
and committed fraud and negligent misrepresentation. The lawsuit
sought damages in excess of $500 million, exemplary
damages, treble damages, interest, costs of suit and
attorneys fees. In June 2004, the federal court dismissed
plaintiffs claims on jurisdictional grounds and, in July
2004, the plaintiff filed an appeal that Texas Genco, LP
contested. The court of appeals affirmed the lower courts
decision in June 2005. The plaintiff moved for a rehearing en
banc which was subsequently denied. In October 2005, the
plaintiff petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case.
On February 20, 2004, Texas Genco, LP filed an injunction
and declaratory judgment lawsuit in a Freestone County, Texas
state district court seeking to enjoin Valence Operating
Company, or Valence, from drilling or engaging in work to
prepare for drilling a natural gas well (Well 8) in Texas
Genco, L.P.s Class II Industrial Solid Waste
Facility, which we refer to as the Landfill, adjacent to Texas
Gencos Limestone Plant. The Landfill is used to dispose of
ash byproducts from the combustion of coal and lignite at the
Limestone Plant. Following a hearing in March 2004, the court
granted Texas Genco, LPs request and enjoined Valence from
drilling the well in the Landfill. In connection with that
injunction, the court ordered, and Texas Genco, LP posted, a
bond in the amount of $1.0 million to secure payment of any
damages suffered by Valence should it be found to have been
wrongfully enjoined. Valence filed a counter-claim against Texas
Genco, LP for wrongful injunction and sought to recover the full
amount of the bond. Trial on the merits in this case was held in
November 22, 2004. The jury found, among other things, that
Texas Genco, LP had an existing use that would be precluded or
substantially impaired if Valence drilled Well 8. The jury also
found damages in the amount of $400,000 as compensation to
Valence for the issuance of the temporary restraining order and
temporary injunction. Both Texas Genco, LP and Valence moved to
disregard certain of the jurys findings and for judgment
in their respective favors. On October 24, 2004, the court
accepted the jurys findings and entered judgment that
Texas Genco, LP take nothing on its claim for permanent
injunction, and that Valence recover $400,000 in damages,
together with pre- and post-judgment interest and costs. Texas
Genco, LP has
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appealed the final judgment. The trial court has reinstated the
temporary injunction pending the resolution of Texas Genco,
LPs appeal. The trial court also ordered, and Texas Genco,
LP posted, a bond in the amount of approximately $860,000 (to be
increased on a monthly basis after February 2006) in connection
with the temporary injunction pending appeal.
In addition, a separate lawsuit was filed by Texas Genco, LP in
the same court, to enjoin Valence from drilling another well
(Well 9) in the Landfill. On October 26, 2004, Texas
Genco, LP also obtained a temporary restraining order against
drilling this other well. The court ordered, and Texas Genco, LP
posted, a bond in the amount of approximately $2.0 million
to secure payment of any damages suffered by Valence should it
be found to have been wrongfully enjoined in this second
lawsuit. The court recently increased the bond amount to
$2.8 million, and has rescheduled this case to
February 6, 2006 for trial on the merits.
Valence currently has two active applications with the Railroad
Commission of Texas for drilling permits for two additional
wells that would be drilled in the Landfill, one of which would
be drilled through the closed cells in Texas Genco, LPs
Landfill. Texas Genco, LP has filed a protest with the Railroad
Commission of Texas over these applications, and a hearing was
held at the Railroad Commission in April 2005. The hearing
examiners recommended denying the permit for one well and
granting the other. A ruling by the Railroad Commission is
expected in the next few weeks. Texas Genco, LP is vigorously
contesting these attempts to drill into the Landfill because
such drilling activity impairs Texas Genco, LPs use of its
property for the Landfill.
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Texas Genco Asbestos Litigation |
The Texas Genco plants are the subject of a number of lawsuits
filed against numerous defendants in addition to Texas Genco
Holdings, Inc., by a large number of individuals who claim
personal injury due to alleged exposure to asbestos while
working at plant sites in Texas. Most of these claimants have
been third party contractor or sub-contractor employees who
participated in the construction, renovation or repair of
various industrial plants, including power plants. While many of
the claimants have never worked at or near Texas Gencos
plants, some of the claimants have worked at locations owned by
Texas Genco. We anticipate that additional claims like those
that have been asserted to date may be asserted in the future.
Texas Genco defends these claims aggressively, and, thus, has
incurred and expects to continue to incur defense costs as a
result of such claims. In addition, while Texas Genco has been
dismissed from many of these lawsuits without having to make any
payment to claimants, it has incurred and expects to continue to
incur some costs associated with the settlement of certain
claims. Texas Genco intends to continue its practice of
vigorously contesting claims that it does not consider to have
merit. To date, costs of settlement and defense have not
materially affected Texas Genco, and a portion of the payments
in respect of these claims have been offset by insurance
recoveries.
The Texas legislature recently adopted amendments to state law
that will make it more difficult for persons claiming personal
injuries due to alleged exposure to asbestos to continue to
pursue their claims when there is no medical evidence of an
actual physical impairment caused by exposure to asbestos. This
new legislation, which was signed into law by the Governor of
Texas on May 19, 2005, precludes persons whose claims have
not been adjudicated by September 1, 2005 from pursuing or
advancing their claims until they have produced a report by a
board-certified physician that confirms that the claimant has
met the standards for an actual physical impairment caused by
exposure to asbestos, as specified in the legislation. This
amendment to state law resulted in some increased claim activity
prior to September 1, 2005, but after that date is expected
to result in fewer new claims and overall lower costs of
defending and settling claims not adjudicated by that date. As
of September 30, 2005, there were 3,864 claims pending
against Texas Genco Holdings, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Texas Genco LLC. For the nine months ended September 30,
2005, there were 211 claims filed against Texas Genco Holdings,
Inc., 116 claims settled, 1,173 claims dismissed or otherwise
resolved with no payment and the average settlement amount for
each claim was approximately $3,300. Under the terms of the
separation agreement between Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. and
CenterPoint Energy, ultimate financial responsibility for
uninsured losses relating to such claims has been assumed by
Texas Genco Holdings, Inc., and under the terms of CenterPoint
Energys agreement to sell Texas Genco Holdings, Inc. to
Texas Genco LLC, CenterPoint Energy has agreed to continue to
defend such claims
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to the extent they are covered by insurance maintained by
CenterPoint Energy, subject to reimbursement of the costs of
such defense from Texas Genco LLC.
In addition, Congress is currently considering the proposed
Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2005, which, if it
becomes law, would require asbestos defendants and insurers to
make payments into a privately-funded national asbestos
compensation fund. Under the bill as currently drafted, payments
made by us would not be offset by any insurance recoveries. The
proposed legislation remains subject to negotiation and
modification.
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California Wholesale Electricity Litigation and Related
Investigations |
NRG, WCP, WCPs four operating subsidiaries, Dynegy, Inc.
and numerous other unrelated parties are the subject of numerous
lawsuits arising based on events occurring in the California
power market. The complaints primarily allege that the
defendants engaged in unfair business practices, price fixing,
antitrust violations, and other market gaming
activities. Certain of these lawsuits originally commenced in
2000 and 2001, which seek unspecified treble damages and
injunctive relief, were consolidated and made a part of a
Multi-District Litigation proceeding before the
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of
California. In December 2002, the district court found that
federal jurisdiction was absent and remanded the cases back to
state court. On December 8, 2004, the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court in
most respects. On March 3, 2005, the Ninth Circuit denied a
motion for rehearing. On May 5, 2005, the case was remanded
to California state court and, under a scheduling order,
defendants filed their objections to the pleadings. On
July 22, 2005, based upon the filed rate doctrine and
federal preemption, the court dismissed NRG Energy, Inc. without
prejudice, leaving only subsidiaries of WCP remaining in the
case. On October 3, 2005, the court sustained
defendants demurrer dismissing the case against all
remaining defendants. On December 2, 2005, the plaintiffs
filed their notice of appeal from the dismissal.
In 2002, a number of cases similar to those described above were
filed against defendants, including WCP or one or more of its
operating subsidiaries and/or Dynegy, Inc., which we refer to as
the Northern California cases. On February 25, 2005, the
Ninth Circuit affirmed the district courts decision to
dismiss all of the defendants Northern California cases.
No appeal was taken from this decision.
In addition to the cases discussed above, other cases, including
putative class actions, have been filed in state and federal
court on behalf of business and residential electricity
consumers that name NRG and/or WCP and/or certain subsidiaries
of WCP, in addition to numerous other defendants. The complaints
allege the defendants attempted to manipulate gas indexes by
reporting false and fraudulent trades, and violated
Californias antitrust law and unfair business practices
law. The complaints seek restitution and disgorgement, civil
fines, compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys fees
and declaratory and injunctive relief. Motion practice is
proceeding in these cases and dispositive motions have been
filed in several of these proceedings. In the above referenced
cases relating to natural gas, Dynegy is defending WCP and/or
its subsidiaries pursuant to an indemnification agreement and
will be the responsible party for any loss. In cases relating to
electricity, Dynegys counsel is representing it and WCP
and/or its subsidiaries with each party responsible for half of
the costs and each party shall be responsible for half of any
loss. Where NRG is named as a party in an electricity case, it
is defending the case and bears its own costs of defense.
There are proceedings in which WCP and WCP subsidiaries are
parties, which either are pending before FERC or on appeal from
FERC to various U.S. Courts of Appeal. These cases involve,
among other things, allegations of physical withholding, a
FERC-established price mitigation plan determining maximum rates
for wholesale power transactions in certain spot markets, and
the enforceability of, and obligations under, various contracts
with, among others, the Cal ISO, the California Department of
Water Resources, or CDWR, and the State of California. The CDWR
claim involves a February 2002 complaint filed by the State
of California demanding that FERC abrogate the CDWR contract
between the State and subsidiaries of WCP and seeking refunds
associated with revenues collected from CDWR. In 2003, FERC
rejected this demand and denied
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rehearing. The case was appealed to the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Ninth Circuit where oral argument was held
December 8, 2004.
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California Attorney General |
The California Attorney General has undertaken an investigation
entitled In the Matter of the Investigation of Possibly
Unlawful, Unfair, or Anti-Competitive Behavior Affecting
Electricity Prices in California. Dynegy, NRG and
subsidiaries of WCP have responded to interrogatories, document
requests and to requests for interviews.
On June 30, 2005, three individuals filed a lawsuit with
the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against more than 20 power
generating entities in the U.S. and Canada, including the
Keystone and Conemaugh facility ownership groups. Two of
NRGs subsidiaries own less than four percent of each of
these Pennsylvania coal-fired plants. The plaintiffs, on behalf
of a purported class of Ontario residents, have alleged air
pollution and associated health effects and asserted damages in
excess of CA$50 billion (US $43.1 billion, based
on conversion rates as of September 30, 2005). The claim
was not served on any defendant by December 30, 2005.
Accordingly, the claim is inactive and may be revived only if
plaintiffs file a motion to extend the time for service and the
court grants the motion. Alternatively, plaintiffs could seek to
file a new claim.
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New York Operating Reserve Markets |
Consolidated Edison and others petitioned the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for review of
FERCs refusal to order a re-determination of prices in the
New York Independent System Operator, or NYISO, operating
reserve markets for a two month period in 2000. On
November 7, 2003, the court found that NYISOs method
of pricing spinning reserves violated the NYISO tariff. On
March 4, 2005, FERC issued an order favorable to NRG
stating that no refunds would be required for the tariff
violation associated with the pricing of spinning reserves. In
the order, FERC also stated that the exclusion of the
Blenheim-Gilboa facility and western reserves from the
non-spinning market was not a market flaw and NYISO was correct
not to use its authority to revise the prices in this market. A
motion for rehearing of the order was filed before the
April 3, 2005 deadline and on November 17, 2005 FERC
denied rehearing.
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Connecticut Congestion Charges |
On November 28, 2001, Connecticut Light & Power,
or CL&P, sought recovery in the U.S. District Court for
Connecticut for amounts it claimed were owed for congestion
charges under the October 29, 1999 Standard Offer Services
Contract. CL&P withheld approximately $30 million from
amounts owed to PMI under contract and PMI counterclaimed.
CL&Ps motion for summary judgment, which PMI opposed,
remains pending. We cannot estimate at this time the overall
exposure for congestion charges for the term of the contract
prior to the implementation of standard market design, which
occurred on March 1, 2003; however, such amount has been
fully reserved as a reduction to outstanding accounts receivable.
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New York Environmental Settlement |
In January 2002, the New York Department of Environmental
Conservation, or NYSDEC, sued Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation,
or NiMo, and NRG in federal court in New York, asserting that
projects undertaken at NRGs Huntley and Dunkirk plants by
NiMo, the former owner of the facilities, violated federal and
state laws. On January 11, 2005, NRG reached an agreement
to settle this matter whereby NRG will reduce levels of sulfur
dioxide by over 86 percent and nitrogen oxide by over
80 percent in aggregate at the Huntley and Dunkirk plants.
NRG is not subject to any penalty as a result of the settlement.
Through the end of the decade, NRG expects that its ongoing
compliance with the emissions limits set out in the settlement
will be achieved through capital expenditures already planned.
This includes NRGs conversion to low sulfur western coal
at the Huntley and Dunkirk plants, which will be completed by
spring 2006. On April 7, 2005, NYSDEC filed a motion with
the court to enter the Consent Decree, and on April 19,
2005, NRG filed a
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supporting motion. On June 3, 2005, the U.S. District
Court for the Western District of New York entered the Consent
Decree permitting the settlement and ending the case.
On October 24, 2005, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Second Circuit issued its opinion in New York Public Interest
Research Group (NYPIRG) v. Stephen L. Johnson,
Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In
2000, the NYSDEC issued a NOV to the prior owner of the Huntley
and Dunkirk stations. After an unsuccessful challenge to the
stations Title V air quality permits by NYPIRG, it
appealed. The Second Circuit held that, during the Title V
permitting process for the two stations, the 2000 NOV should
have been sufficient for the NYSDEC to have made a finding that
the stations were out of compliance. Accordingly, the court
stated that the EPA should have objected to the Title V
permits on that basis and the permits should have included
compliance schedules. As discussed above, on June 3, 2005,
the consent decree among NYSDEC, NiMo, and NRG was entered,
settling the substantive issues discussed by the Second Circuit
in its decision. NYSDEC is in the process of incorporating the
consent decree obligations into the Huntley and Dunkirk
Title V permits so as to make them permit conditions, an
action we believe is supported by the decision. The period to
request an en banc rehearing by the Second Circuit has been
extended.
On October 2, 2000, NiMo commenced an action against NRG in
New York state court seeking damages related to NRGs
alleged failure to pay retail tariff amounts for utility
services at the Dunkirk Plant between June 1999 and September
2000. The parties agreed to consolidate this action with two
other actions against the Huntley and Oswego Plants. On
October 8, 2002, by stipulation and order, this action was
stayed pending submission to FERC of some or all of the disputes
in the action. The contingent loss from this case is
approximately $24.9 million, and at this time we believe we
are adequately reserved. In a companion action at FERC, NiMo
asserted the same claims and legal theories, and on
November 19, 2004, FERC denied NiMos petition and
ruled that the NRG facilities could net their service
obligations over each 30 calendar day period from the day NRG
acquired the facilities. In addition, FERC ruled that neither
NiMo nor the New York Public Service Commission could impose a
retail delivery charge on the NRG facilities because they are
interconnected to transmission and not to distribution. On
April 22, 2005, FERC denied NiMos motion for
rehearing. NiMo appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for
the D.C. Circuit which, on May 12, 2005, consolidated the
appeal with several pending station service disputes involving
NiMo. NiMo and FERC filed their briefs and the remaining briefs
are due on January 17, 2006.
On December 14, 1999, NRG acquired certain generating
facilities from CL&P. A dispute arose over station service
power and delivery services provided to the facilities. On
December 20, 2002, as a result of a petition filed at FERC
by Northeast Utilities Services Company on behalf of itself and
CL&P, FERC issued an order finding that, at times when NRG
is not able to self-supply its station power needs, there is a
sale of station power from a third-party and retail charges
apply. In August 2003, the parties agreed to submit the dispute
to binding arbitration, however, the parties have yet to agree
on a description of the dispute and on the appointment of a
neutral arbitrator. The contingent loss from this case could
exceed $4.8 million, and at this time we believe we are
adequately reserved.
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
On January 27, 2004, our subsidiaries, Louisiana
Generating, LLC and Big Cajun II, received an initial and,
thereafter, subsequent requests under Section 114 of the
federal Clean Air Act from EPA Region 6 seeking information
primarily relating to physical changes made at Big
Cajun II. Louisiana Generating, LLC and Big Cajun II
submitted several responses to the USEPA. On February 15,
2005, Louisiana Generating, LLC received a NOV alleging
violations of the NSR provisions of the Clean Air Act at Big
Cajun II Units 1 and 2 from 1998 through the NOV date. On
April 7, 2005, a meeting was held with USEPA and the
Department of Justice and additional information was provided to
the agency.
S-99
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Itiquira Energetica, S.A. |
NRGs Brazilian project company, Itiquira Energetica S.A.,
or Itiquira, the owner of a 156 MW hydro project in Brazil,
is in arbitration with the former EPC contractor for the
project, Inepar Industria e Construcoes, or Inepar. The dispute
was commenced in arbitration by Itiquira in September of 2002
and pertains to certain matters arising under the engineering
procurement and construction contract between the parties.
Itiquira sought Real 140 million and asserted that Inepar
breached the contract. Inepar sought Real 39 million and
alleged that Itiquira breached the contract. On
September 2, 2005, the arbitration panel ruled in favor of
Itiquira, awarding it Real 139 million
(US $62.3 million, based on conversion rates as of
September 30, 2005) and Inepar Real 4.7 million
(US $2.1 million, based on conversion rates as of
September 30, 2005). Due to interest accrued from the
commencement of the arbitration to the award date,
Itiquiras award is increased to approximately Real
227 million (U.S. $100 million, based on
conversion rates as of September 30, 2005). Itiquira has
commenced the lengthy process in Brazil to execute on the
arbitral award. We are unable to predict the outcome of this
execution process. On October 14, 2005, Inepar filed with
the arbitration panel a request for clarifications of the
ruling. Itiquira responded to Inepars request by filing
objections. Due to the uncertainty of the collection process,
NRG is accounting for receipt of any amounts as a gain
contingency.
On July 1, 2004, the Commodities Futures Trading
Commission, or CFTC, filed a civil complaint against NRG in
Minnesota federal district court, alleging false reporting of
natural gas trades from August 2001 to May 2002, and
seeking an injunction against future violations of the Commodity
Exchange Act. On November 17, 2004, a bankruptcy court
hearing was held on the CFTCs motion to reinstate its
expunged bankruptcy claim, and on NRGs motion to enforce
the provisions of the NRG plan of reorganization, thereby
precluding the CFTC from continuing its federal court action.
The bankruptcy court has yet to schedule a hearing or rule on
the CFTCs pending motion to reinstate its expunged claim.
On December 6, 2004, a federal magistrate judge issued a
report and recommendation that NRGs motion to dismiss be
granted. That motion to dismiss was granted by the federal
district court in Minnesota on March 16, 2005. On
May 13, 2005 the CFTC filed a notice of appeal with the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. The CFTC
filed its brief on August 9, 2005, and on
September 29, 2005, NRG filed its brief.
As part of the NRG plan of reorganization confirmed on
November 24, 2003, NRG has funded a disputed claims reserve
for the satisfaction of certain general unsecured claims that
were disputed claims as of the effective date of the plan. Under
the terms of the plan, to the extent such claims are resolved
now that NRG has emerged from bankruptcy, the claimants will be
paid from the reserve on the same basis as if they had been paid
out in the bankruptcy. That means that their allowed claims will
be reduced to the same recovery percentage as other creditors
would have received and will be paid in pro rata distributions
of cash and common stock. We believe we have funded the disputed
claims reserve at a sufficient level to settle the remaining
unresolved proofs of claim we received during the bankruptcy
proceedings. However, to the extent the aggregate amount of
these payouts of disputed claims ultimately exceeds the amount
of the funded claims reserve, we are obligated to provide
additional cash, notes and common stock to the claimants. We
will continue to monitor our obligation as the disputed claims
are settled. If excess funds remain in the disputed claims
reserve after payment of all obligations, such amounts will be
reallocated to the creditor pool. NRG has contributed common
stock and cash to an escrow agent to complete the distribution
and settlement process. Since NRG has surrendered control over
the common stock and cash provided to the disputed claims
reserve, NRG recognized the issuance of the common stock as of
December 6, 2003 and removed the cash amounts from its
balance sheet. Similarly, NRG removed the obligations relevant
to the claims from its balance sheet when the common stock was
issued and cash contributed.
S-100
Properties
For a description of our interests in independent power
production and cogeneration facilities, see Regional
Business DescriptionsTexas (ERCOT)Facilities,
Regional Business DescriptionsNortheast
RegionFacilities, Regional Business
DescriptionsSouth Central RegionFacilities,
Regional Business DescriptionsWestern
RegionFacilities, Regional Business
DescriptionsOtherOther North American Assets
and Regional Business
DescriptionsOtherAustralia and All Other Generation
and Non-Generation Assets.
Listed below are descriptions of our interests in thermal and
chilled water facilities as of September 30, 2005:
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% | |
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Thermal Energy |
Name and Location of |
|
Date of | |
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Ownership | |
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Purchaser/MSW |
Facility |
|
Acquisition | |
|
Generating Capacity(1) |
|
Interest | |
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Supplier |
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| |
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| |
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|
NRG Energy Center Minneapolis, MN
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1993 |
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Steam: 1,203 mmBtu/hr. (353 MWt) Chilled Water: 41,630 tons
(146 MWt) |
|
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100% |
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Approx. 100 steam customers and 47 chilled water customers |
NRG Energy Center San Francisco, CA
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|
1999 |
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Steam: 482 mmBtu/Hr. (141 MWt) |
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100% |
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Approx. 165 steam customers |
NRG Energy Center Harrisburg, PA
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2000 |
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Steam: 440 mmBtu/hr. (129 MWt) Chilled water: 2,400 tons
(8 MWt) |
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100% |
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Approx. 265 steam customers and 3 chilled water customers |
NRG Energy Center Pittsburgh, PA
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1999 |
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Steam: 266 mmBtu/hr. (78 MWt) Chilled water: 12,580 tons
(44 MWt) |
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100% |
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Approx. 25 steam and 25 chilled water customers |
NRG Energy Center San Diego, CA
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1997 |
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Chilled water: 7,425 tons (26 MWt) |
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100% |
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Approx. 20 chilled water customers |
NRG Energy Center St. Paul, MN
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1992 |
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Steam: 430 mmBtu/hr. (126 MWt) |
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100% |
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Rock-Tenn Company |
Camas Power Boiler, Washington
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1997 |
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Steam: 200 mm Btu/hr. (59 MWt) |
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100% |
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Georgia-Pacific Corp. |
NRG Energy Center Dover, DE
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2000 |
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Steam: 190 mmBtu/hr. (56 MWt) |
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100% |
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Kraft Foods Inc. |
NRG Energy Center Oak Park Heights, MN
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1992 |
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Steam: 200 mmBtu/Hr. (59 MWt) |
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100% |
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Andersen Corp., MN
Correctional Facility |
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(1) |
Thermal production and transmission capacity is based on 1,000
Btus per pound of steam production or transmission capacity. The
unit mmBtu is equal to one million Btus. |
S-101
Listed below are descriptions of our significant resource
recovery assets as of September 30, 2005:
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% | |
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Name and Location |
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Date of | |
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Ownership | |
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of Facility |
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Acquisition | |
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Processing Capacity(1) | |
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Interest | |
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MSW Supplier |
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Newport,
MN(1)
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1993 |
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MSW: 1,500 tons/day |
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100% |
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Ramsey and Washington Counties |
Elk River,
MN(2)
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2001 |
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MSW: 1,500 tons/day |
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85% |
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Anoka, Hennepin and Sherburne Counties; Tri-County Solid Waste
Management Commissioner |
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(1) |
The Newport facilities are strictly related to garbage-sorting
facilities. |
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(2) |
For the Elk River facility, NRGs 85% interest is related
strictly to garbage-sorting facilities. |
In addition, we own various real property and facilities
relating to our generation assets, other vacant real property
unrelated to our generation assets, interests in other
construction projects in various states of completion and
properties not used for operational purposes. We believe we have
satisfactory title to our plants and facilities in accordance
with standards generally accepted in the electric power
industry, subject to exceptions that, in our opinion, would not
have a material adverse effect on the use or value of our
portfolio.
We lease our corporate offices at 211 Carnegie Center,
Princeton, New Jersey 08540 and various other office spaces,
including a 66 month lease of approximately
50,000 square feet in Houston, Texas, which serves as our
regional headquarters for the ERCOT market.
S-102
MANAGEMENT
Directors and Certain Officers of NRG
The following table sets out the names and ages of each of our
directors and certain of our officers, after giving effect to
the Acquisition, followed by a description of their business
experience:
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Name |
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Age | |
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Position |
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Directors
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Howard E. Cosgrove
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62 |
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Director, Chairman of the Board |
John F. Chlebowski
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60 |
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Director and Chair, Audit Committee |
Lawrence S. Coben
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47 |
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Director and Chair, Compensation Committee |
David Crane
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46 |
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President, Chief Executive Officer and Director |
Stephen L. Cropper
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55 |
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Director and Chair, Commercial Operations Oversight Committee |
Maureen Miskovic
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47 |
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Director |
Anne C. Schaumburg
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56 |
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Director |
Herbert H. Tate
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52 |
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Director |
Thomas H. Weidemeyer
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58 |
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Director |
Walter R. Young
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61 |
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Director and Chair, Governance and Nominating Committee |
Officers
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David Crane
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46 |
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President, Chief Executive Officer and Director |
Robert C. Flexon
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47 |
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Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
Caroline Angoorly
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41 |
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Vice President, Environmental and New Business |
John P. Brewster
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52 |
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Executive Vice President, International Operations and
President, South Central Region |
Scott J. Davido
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44 |
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Executive Vice President and President, Northeast Region |
Kevin T. Howell
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48 |
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Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations |
James J. Ingoldsby
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48 |
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Vice President and Controller |
Christine A. Jacobs
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53 |
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Vice President, Plant Operations |
Timothy W.J. OBrien
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46 |
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Vice President and General Counsel |
George P. Schaefer
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55 |
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Vice President and Treasurer |
Steve Winn
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40 |
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Executive Vice President and President, Texas Region |
Board of Directors
The Board is divided into three classes serving staggered
three-year terms. Directors for each class are elected at our
annual meeting of stockholders held in the year in which the
term for their class expires. There are no family relationships
among our officers and directors.
Class I Directors (Terms expire in 2007)
David Crane
Member of Commercial Operations Oversight Committee
Mr. Crane has served as the President, Chief Executive
Officer and a director of NRG since December 2003. Prior to
joining NRG, Mr. Crane served as Chief Executive Officer of
International Power PLC, a UK-domiciled wholesale power
generation company, from January 2003 to November 2003, and as
Chief Operating Officer from March 2000 to December 2002.
Mr. Crane was Senior Vice PresidentGlobal Power New
York at Lehman Brothers Inc., an investment banking firm, from
January 1999 to February 2000, and was Senior Vice
PresidentGlobal Power Group, Asia (Hong Kong) at Lehman
Brothers from June 1996 to January 1999.
S-103
Stephen L. Cropper
Chair of Commercial Operations Oversight Committee
Mr. Cropper has been a director of NRG since December 2003,
pursuant to the NRG plan of reorganization. Mr. Cropper
spent 25 years with The Williams Companies, an energy
company, before retiring in 1998 as President and Chief
Executive Officer of Williams Energy Services. Mr. Cropper
is a director of Berry Petroleum Company, Sunoco Logistics
Partners L.P. and Rental Car Finance Corporation, a subsidiary
of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group.
Maureen Miskovic
Member of Commercial Operations Oversight Committee
Ms. Miskovic has been a Director of NRG since September
2005. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of the
Eurasia Group, a research and consulting firm focusing on
political-risk analysis and industry research for global
markets, where she oversees the firms continued expansion
and serves as chief advisor for the companys political
risk services. She also acts as the principal liaison for
Eurasia Groups joint venture with Deutsche Bank, which
includes the DESIX, the first global political risk index on
Wall Street. Miskovic joined Eurasia Group in September 2002
after six years with Lehman Brothers, where she was Managing
Director and Chief Global Risk Officer. Prior to joining Lehman
Brothers, Miskovic was Treasurer at Morgan Stanley in London and
before that she held various positions with SG Warburg, also in
London.
Thomas H. Weidemeyer
Member of Compensation Committee
Mr. Weidemeyer has been a director of NRG since December
2003, pursuant to the NRG plan of reorganization. Until his
retirement in December 2003, Mr. Weidemeyer served as
Director, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of
United Parcel Service, Inc., the worlds largest
transportation company and President of UPS Airlines.
Mr. Weidemeyer became Manager of the Americas International
Operation in 1989, and in that capacity directed the development
of the UPS delivery network throughout Central and South
America. In 1990, Mr. Weidemeyer became Vice President and
Airline Manager of UPS Airlines and in 1994 was elected its
President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Weidemeyer
became Senior Vice President and a member of the Management
Committee of United Parcel Service, Inc. that same year, and he
became Chief Operating Officer of United Parcel Service, Inc. in
2001. Mr. Weidemeyer also serves as a director of Goodyear
Tire & Rubber Co. and Waste Management, Inc.
Class II Directors (Terms expire in 2008)
Lawrence S. Coben
Chair of Compensation Committee
Mr. Coben has been a director of NRG since December 2003,
pursuant to the NRG plan of reorganization. He is Chairman and
CEO of Tremisis Energy Acquisition Corporation. From January
2001 to January 2004, he was a Senior Principal of Sunrise
Capital Partners, a private equity firm. From 1997 to 2001,
Mr. Coben was an independent consultant. From 1994 to 1996,
Mr. Coben was Chief Executive Officer of Bolivian Power
Company. Mr. Coben is also a director of Prisma Energy.
Herbert H. Tate
Member of Governance and Nominating Committee
Mr. Tate has been a director of NRG since December 2003,
pursuant to the NRG plan of reorganization. Mr. Tate joined
NiSource, Inc. as Corporate Vice President, Regulatory Strategy
in July 2004. He was Of Counsel of Wolf & Samson P.C.,
a law firm, since September 2002 to July 2004. Mr. Tate was
Research Professor of Energy Policy Studies at the New Jersey
Institute of Technology from April 2001 to September 2002 and
President of New Jersey Board of Public Utilities from 1994 to
March 2001. Mr. Tate is also a director of IDT Capital and
IDT Spectrum. Previously, Mr. Tate was a member of the
Board of Directors for Central Vermont Public Service from April
2001 to June 2004, where he was a member of the Audit Committee.
S-104
Walter R. Young
Chair of Governance and Nominating Committee
Mr. Young has been a director of NRG since December 2003,
pursuant to the NRG plan of reorganization. Mr. Young was
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Champion
Enterprises, Inc., an assembler and manufacturer of manufactured
homes, from May 1990 to June 2003. Mr. Young has held
senior management positions with The Henley Group, The Budd
Company and BFGoodrich.
Class III Directors (Terms expire in 2006)
John F. Chlebowski
Chair of Audit Committee
Member of Governance and Nominating Committee
Mr. Chlebowski has been a director of NRG since December
2003, pursuant to the NRG plan of reorganization.
Mr. Chlebowski served as the President and Chief Executive
Officer of Lakeshore Operating Partners, LLC, a bulk liquid
distribution firm, from March 2000 until his retirement in
December 2004. From July 1999 until March 2000,
Mr. Chlebowski was a senior executive and cofounder of
Lakeshore Liquids Operating Partners, LLC, a private venture
firm in the bulk liquid distribution and logistics business, and
from January 1998 until July 1999, he was a private investor and
consultant in bulk liquid distribution. Prior to that, he was
employed by GATX Terminals Corporation, a subsidiary of GATX
Corporation, as President and Chief Executive Officer from 1994
until 1997. Mr. Chlebowski is a director of Laidlaw
International Inc.
Howard E. Cosgrove
Chairman of the Board
Member of Audit Committee
Mr. Cosgrove has been a director of NRG since December
2003, pursuant to the NRG plan of reorganization, and Chairman
of the Board since December 2003. He was Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Conectiv and its predecessor Delmarva Power
and Light from December 1992 to August 2002. Prior to December
1992, Mr. Cosgrove held various positions with Delmarva
Power and Light including Chief Operating Officer and Chief
Financial Officer. Mr. Cosgrove serves as Chairman of the
Board of Trustees at the University of Delaware.
Anne C. Schaumburg
Member of Audit Committee
Ms. Schaumburg has been a director of NRG since April 2005.
From 1984 until her retirement in 2002, she was at Credit Suisse
First Boston in the Global Energy Group, where she last served
as Managing Director. From 1979 to 1984, she was in the
Utilities Group at Dean Witter Financial Services Group, where
she last served as Managing Director. From 1971 to 1978, she was
at The First Boston Corporation in the Public Utilities Group.
Certain Officers
Our officers are elected by our board of directors annually to
hold office until their successors are elected and qualified.
David Crane
President and Chief Executive Officer
For biographical information for David Crane, see
Board of Directors.
Robert C. Flexon
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Flexon has been Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer of NRG since March 2004. In this capacity, he
manages NRGs corporate finance, accounting, tax, risk
management, information technol-
S-105
ogy, and overall internal control program. Prior to joining NRG,
Mr. Flexon was Vice President, Corporate
Development & Work Process and Vice President, Business
Analysis and Controller of Hercules, Inc. for four years.
Mr. Flexon also held various financial management
positions, including General Auditor, Franchise Manager and
Controller, during his 13 years with Atlantic Richfield
Company. Mr. Flexon began his career with the former
Coopers & Lybrand public accounting firm.
Caroline Angoorly
Vice President, Environmental and New Business
Ms. Angoorly has served as Vice President,
Environmental & New Business for NRG since May 2004.
She is responsible for our strategy and initiatives in the
environmental and green business arenas. Prior to joining NRG,
Ms. Angoorly served as Vice President and General Counsel
at Enel North America, Inc., a Director and the Chief Financial
Officer at Line56Media, and a partner in the Global Project
Finance Group at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy.
Ms. Angoorly holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology
and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Monash University in
Melbourne, Australia. She also holds a Master of Business
Administration degree, with an emphasis on international finance
and economics, from Melbourne and Columbia Business Schools.
John P. Brewster
Executive Vice President, International Operations and
President, South Central Region
Mr. Brewster has been Executive Vice President,
International Operations and President, South Central Region of
NRG since March 2004. He is responsible for managing the asset
portfolio for NRGs South Central Region and international
operations. Previously, he served as Vice President, Worldwide
Operations of NRG, Vice President, North American Operations and
Vice President of Production for NRG Louisiana Generating, Inc.
Prior to joining NRG, Mr. Brewster spent 22 years with
Cajun Electric Power Cooperative where he served as Vice
President of Production, Manager of Power System Operations and
Assistant Plan Manager.
Scott J. Davido
Executive Vice President and President, Northeast Region
Mr. Davido has been Executive Vice President and President,
Northeast Region of NRG since March 2004 and served as Senior
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary from October 2002
to March 2004. Mr. Davido also served as Chairman of the
Board from May 2003 to December 2003, the period in which NRG
was reorganizing under chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code.
He served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer,
Treasurer and Secretary of the Elder-Beerman Stores Corp., a
department store retailer, from March 1999 to May 2002 and
Senior Vice President, General Counsel from January 1998 to
March 1999. Mr. Davido was a Partner, Business Practice
Group with Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue, a law firm, in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from January 1997 to December 1997 and
an Associate, Business Practice Group from September 1987 to
December 1996.
Kevin T. Howell
Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations
Mr. Howell has been Executive Vice President, Commercial
Operations since August 2005 and is responsible for the
commercial management of the North America asset portfolio.
Prior to joining NRG, he served as President of Dominion Energy
Clearinghouse since 2001. From 1995 to 2001, Mr. Howell held
various positions within Duke Energy companies including Senior
Vice President of Duke Energy Trading and Marketing, Senior Vice
President of Duke Energy International, and most recently,
Executive Vice President of Duke Energy Merchants where he
managed a global trading group dealing in refined products, LNG
and coal. Prior to his five years at Duke, Mr. Howell worked in
a variety of trading, marketing and operations functions at MG
Natural Gas Corp., Associated Natural Gas and Panhandle Eastern
Pipeline.
S-106
James J. Ingoldsby
Vice President and Controller
Mr. Ingoldsby has been Vice President and Controller of NRG
since May 2004. He is responsible for directing NRGs
financial accounting and reporting activities, as well as
ensuring our compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley legislation.
Mr. Ingoldsby, who led the Sarbanes-Oxley implementation at
chemical company Hercules, Inc., previously held various
executive positions at GE Betz, formerly BetzDearborn from May
1993 to April 2003, including serving as Controller and Director
of Business Analysis and Director of Financial Reporting. He
also held various staff and managerial accounting and auditing
positions at Mack Trucks, Inc from February 1982 to May 1993.
Mr. Ingoldsby began his career with Deloitte and Touche
where he became a Certified Public Accountant.
Christine A. Jacobs
Vice President, Plant Operations
Ms. Jacobs has been Vice President, Plant Operations of NRG
since September 2004. She is responsible for domestic plant
operations, including safety, physical security, engineering and
procurement, and application of best operating practices.
Ms. Jacobs has more than 30 years of diverse operating
and commercial management experience. Prior to joining NRG, she
served as Executive Vice President, Facility Services/
Healthcare Management for Aramark Corporation from 2003 to 2004.
Additionally, Ms. Jacobs served as Senior Vice President,
Exelon Generation, and President, Exelon Power from 2000 to 2002.
Timothy W.J. OBrien
Vice President and General Counsel
Mr. OBrien has been Vice President and General
Counsel of NRG since April 2004. He is responsible for legal
affairs at the Company. He served as Secretary from April 2004
to July 2005, as Deputy General Counsel of NRG from 2000 to 2004
and Assistant General Counsel from 1996 to 2000. Prior to
joining NRG, Mr. OBrien was an associate at Sheppard,
Mullin, Richter & Hampton in Los Angeles and
San Diego, California.
George P. Schaefer
Vice President and Treasurer
Mr. Schaefer has been Vice President and Treasurer since
December 2002. He is responsible for all treasury functions,
including bank relations and corporate and project finance
activities. Prior to joining NRG, Mr. Schaefer served as
Senior Vice President, Finance and Treasurer for PSEG Global,
Inc., an operator of power plants and utilities, for one year,
Vice President of Enron North America in its independent energy
unit from June 2000 to April 2001 and Vice President and
Treasurer of Reliant Energy International, an operator of power
plants and utilities, from June 1995 to June 2000. Prior to
1995, he was the Vice President, Business Development for
Entergy Power Group and held the Senior Vice President,
Structured Finance Group position with General Electric Capital
Corporation.
Steve Winn
Executive Vice President and President, Texas Region
Mr. Winn was named Executive Vice President of NRG and, upon the
closing of the Acquisition, President, Texas Region. He served
as Vice President, Mergers and Acquisitions from April 2005 to
December 2005 and as Director, Mergers and Acquisitions from
November 2004, when he joined NRG, to April 2005. Prior to
joining NRG, Mr. Winn worked in Power and Energy Investment
Banking at Lehman Brothers and Salomon Brothers. He has a
Masters of Business Administration from Cornell
Universitys Johnson School of Management, and a Bachelor
of Arts in Economics from the University of California at
Berkeley.
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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Acquisition Agreement
Pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement, the direct and indirect
owners of equity units of Texas Genco, or the Sellers, will
receive approximately $6.121 billion comprised of
$4.399 billion in cash, subject to adjustment, a minimum of
35,406,320 shares of NRG common stock and, at NRGs
election, either an additional 9,038,125 shares of NRG
common stock, additional cash, shares of NRG preferred stock or
a combination of the foregoing. We have elected to pay this
amount in cash. The Sellers will be prohibited from transferring
the shares of common stock and preferred stock that they receive
in connection with the Acquisition for 180 days following
the closing date of the Acquisition.
Investor Rights Agreement
NRG and the Sellers will enter into an Investor Rights
Agreement, dated the closing date of the Acquisition, pursuant
to which NRG will file an evergreen shelf
registration statement, registering for resale upon expiration
of the 180-day
lock-up period by the
Sellers the shares of common stock and preferred stock that they
will receive pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement on or before
the date 120 days from the closing date of the Acquisition.
Any Seller or group of Sellers holding in excess of 3% of the
aggregate number of shares of NRG common stock issued and
outstanding, or 20% of the aggregate number of shares of
preferred stock originally issued pursuant to the Acquisition
Agreement, may request that a resale under the shelf
registration statement involve an underwritten offering, and NRG
will use its commercially reasonable efforts to make its
executive officers available to participate in road
shows or other selling efforts reasonably requested by the
Sellers, not to exceed one road show per
180-day period. The
Sellers will also be entitled to include shares of NRG common
stock and preferred stock they receive pursuant to the
Acquisition Agreement on any registration statement filed by NRG
that would permit registration of such shares of common stock
and preferred stock for sale to the public.
In addition, until the second anniversary of the closing date of
the Acquisition, the Sellers will agree not to acquire any
additional voting securities of NRG (subject to certain
exceptions), make any public announcement with respect to, or
submit any proposal for, any merger, dissolution or
restructuring involving NRG or any of its subsidiaries, solicit
proxies to vote any voting security of NRG or seek to influence
the vote of any voting securities of NRG, join, form or
participate in any group with respect to voting securities of
NRG, seek to call a meeting or execute a written consent of the
stockholders of NRG, seek representation on NRGs board of
directors or seek removal of a director from the board. Certain
Sellers will have the right to consult with and advise
management of NRG on matters relating to its operation. NRG will
agree to consider in good faith the reasonable recommendations
of such Sellers, but ultimate discretion with respect to all
matters will remain with NRG.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES
You can find the definitions of certain terms used in this
description under the subheading Certain
Definitions. In this description, NRG refers
only to NRG Energy, Inc. and not to any of its subsidiaries, and
the 2014 fixed rate notes, the 2014 floating rate notes and the
2016 notes are each referred to as a series of notes.
NRG will issue the 2014 floating rate notes under the 2014
floating rate indenture, the 2014 fixed rate notes under the
2014 fixed rate indenture and the 2016 notes under the 2016
indenture, all of which we collectively refer to as the
indentures. The terms of the notes include those
stated in the applicable indenture and those made part of such
indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended. The escrow and security agreement referred to below
under the caption Escrow of Proceeds; Special
Mandatory Redemption defines the terms of the escrow of
the net proceeds from this offering and other funds pending
consummation of the Acquisition.
The following description is a summary of the material
provisions of the notes, the indentures and the escrow and
security agreement. It does not restate those agreements in
their entirety. We urge you to read those agreements because
they, and not this description, define your rights as holders of
the notes. We have filed a copy of the indentures and the escrow
and security agreement as exhibits incorporated by reference in
the registration statement relating to this prospectus
supplement. Certain defined terms used in this description but
not defined below under Certain Definitions
have the meanings assigned to them in the indenture.
The registered holder of a note is treated as the owner of it
for all purposes. Only registered holders have rights under the
applicable indenture.
Brief Description of the Notes
The notes:
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after consummation of the Acquisition, will be general unsecured
obligations of NRG; |
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will be secured by a security interest in the escrow account
until the earlier of September 30, 2006 and the date on
which NRG consummates the Acquisition; |
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will be pari passu in right of payment with all existing
and future unsecured senior Indebtedness of NRG; |
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will be senior in right of payment to any future subordinated
Indebtedness of NRG; and |
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will be unconditionally guaranteed on a joint and several basis
by the Guarantors. |
However, the notes will be effectively subordinated to all
borrowings under the Credit Agreement, which will be secured by
substantially all of the assets of NRG and the Guarantors (other
than the escrow account), and any other secured Indebtedness
(including any Hedging Obligations secured by junior liens on
assets of NRG or its Subsidiaries) we have. See Risk
FactorsRisks Related to the OfferingIn the event of
a bankruptcy or insolvency, holders of our secured indebtedness
and other secured obligations will have a prior secured claim to
any collateral securing such indebtedness or other
obligations.
The Subsidiary Guarantees
The notes will be guaranteed by the Guarantors. Each guarantee
of the notes:
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will be a general unsecured obligation of the Guarantor; |
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will be pari passu in right of payment with all unsecured
senior Indebtedness of that Guarantor; and |
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will be senior in right of payment to any future subordinated
Indebtedness of that Guarantor. |
The operations of NRG are largely conducted through its
subsidiaries and, therefore, NRG depends on the cash flow of its
subsidiaries to meet its obligations, including its obligations
under the notes. Not all of
S-109
NRGs subsidiaries will guarantee the notes. The notes will
be effectively subordinated in right of payment to all
Indebtedness and other liabilities and commitments (including
trade payables and lease obligations) of these non-guarantor
subsidiaries. Any right of NRG to receive assets of any of its
subsidiaries upon the subsidiarys liquidation or
reorganization (and the consequent right of the holders of the
notes to participate in those assets) will be effectively
subordinated to the claims of that subsidiarys creditors,
except to the extent that NRG is itself recognized as a creditor
of the subsidiary, in which case its claims would still be
subordinate in right of payment to any security in the assets of
the subsidiary and any indebtedness of the subsidiary senior to
that held by NRG. After giving effect to this offering of notes,
the pending acquisition of Texas Genco LLC, the Related
Financing Transactions and the remaining Transactions, the
guarantor subsidiaries would have accounted for approximately
90% of NRGs revenues from wholly-owned operations for the
nine-month period ended September 30, 2005. On such basis,
such guarantor subsidiaries held approximately 90% of NRGs
consolidated assets as of September 30, 2005. As of
September 30, 2005, on a pro forma basis, NRGs
non-guarantor subsidiaries had approximately $781 million
in aggregate principal amount of external funded indebtedness
and the outstanding trade payables of NRG and its subsidiaries
was $339 million. Approximately 77% of these trade payables
would have constituted obligations of NRG and the Guarantors.
See Risk FactorsRisks Relating to the
OfferingYour right to receive payments on these notes
could be adversely affected if any of our non-guarantor
subsidiaries declare bankruptcy, liquidate, or reorganize.
See note 33 to the consolidated financial statements of NRG
incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement for
more detail about the historical division of NRG Energy,
Inc.s consolidated revenues and assets between the
Guarantor and non-Guarantor Subsidiaries.
Under the circumstances described below under the caption
Certain CovenantsDesignation of Restricted,
Unrestricted and Excluded Project Subsidiaries, NRG will
be permitted to designate certain of its subsidiaries as
Unrestricted Subsidiaries or Excluded Project
Subsidiaries. NRGs Unrestricted Subsidiaries will
not be subject to many of the restrictive covenants in the
indentures. NRGs Unrestricted Subsidiaries and Excluded
Subsidiaries will not guarantee the notes.
Principal, Maturity and Interest
NRG will issue $ million in
aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Senior Notes due
2014, $ million in aggregate
principal amount of % Senior Notes
due 2014, and
$ million
in aggregate principal amount of %
Senior Notes due 2016 in this offering. NRG may issue additional
notes under any of the indentures from time to time after this
offering. Any issuance of additional notes is subject to all of
the covenants in each applicable indenture, including the
covenant described below under the caption Certain
CovenantsIncurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of
Preferred Stock. The notes and any additional notes
subsequently issued under any of the indentures will be treated
as a single class for all purposes under that indenture,
including, without limitation, waivers, amendments, redemptions
and offers to purchase. NRG will issue notes in denominations of
$5,000 and integral multiples of $5,000. The 2014 notes will
mature on February 1, 2014 and the 2016 notes will mature on
February 1, 2016.
Interest on the 2014 fixed rate notes will accrue at the rate
of % per annum and will be
payable semi-annually in arrears on February 1 and August 1
of each year, commencing on August 1, 2006. NRG will make
each interest payment to the holders of record on the
immediately preceding January 15 and July 15.
Interest on the notes will accrue from the date of original
issuance or, if interest has already been paid, from the date it
was most recently paid. Interest will be computed on the basis
of a 360-day year
comprised of twelve
30-day months.
Interest on the 2016 notes will accrue at the rate
of % per annum and will be
payable semi-annually in arrears on February 1 and August 1
of each year, commencing on August 1, 2006. NRG will make
each interest payment to the holders of record on the
immediately preceding January 15 and July 15.
S-110
Interest on the notes will accrue from the date of original
issuance or, if interest has already been paid, from the date it
was most recently paid. Interest will be computed on the basis
of a 360-day year
comprised of twelve
30-day months.
Interest on the 2014 floating rate notes will accrue at a rate
per annum, reset quarterly, equal to LIBOR
plus %, as determined by the
calculation agent (the Calculation Agent),
which will initially be the trustee. NRG will pay interest on
the 2014 floating rate notes quarterly, in arrears, on every
February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1,
commencing on May 1, 2006. NRG will make each interest
payment to the holders of record of the 2014 floating rate notes
on the January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15
immediately preceding the applicable interest payment date.
Interest on the 2014 floating rate notes will accrue from the
date of original issuance or, if interest has already been paid,
from the date it was most recently paid.
The amount of interest for each day that the 2014 floating rate
notes are outstanding (the Daily Interest
Amount) will be calculated by dividing the interest
rate in effect for such day by 360 and multiplying the result by
the principal amount of the 2014 floating rate notes then
outstanding. The amount of interest to be paid on the 2014
floating rate notes for each Interest Period will be calculated
by adding the Daily Interest Amounts for each day in the
Interest Period. All percentages resulting from any of the above
calculations will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one
hundred thousandth of a percentage point, with five
one-millionths of a percentage point being rounded upwards, and
all dollar amounts used in or resulting from such calculations
will be rounded to the nearest cent (with one-half cent being
rounded upwards).
The Calculation Agent will, upon the request of any holder of
floating rate notes, provide the interest rate then in effect
with respect to the floating rate notes. All calculations made
by the Calculation Agent in the absence of manifest error will
be conclusive for all purposes and binding on NRG, the
Guarantors and the holders of the floating rate notes.
Escrow of Proceeds; Special Mandatory Redemption
On the closing date for this offering, NRG will enter into the
escrow and security agreement with the trustee in its capacity
as escrow agent. At the same time, the initial purchasers will
deposit the net proceeds of this offering, approximately
$ million,
into the escrow account created under the escrow and security
agreement. All funds deposited into the escrow account will be
held by the escrow agent for the benefit of the holders of the
notes. If the closing of the Acquisition and the Related
Financing Transactions do not occur on or before
September 30, 2006 on substantially the terms described in
this prospectus supplement, the indentures will require that we
redeem all and not less than all of the notes then outstanding,
upon not less than 10 days notice, at a redemption
price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the
notes plus accrued interest to, but not including, the
redemption date. If NRG redeems the notes as described herein,
holders of notes will have to rely on NRG for payments of
amounts in excess of the net proceeds of the offering. For more
information, see Risk FactorsRisks Relating to the
OfferingIf the Acquisition is not completed on or prior to
September 30, 2006, NRG may not be able to obtain all the
funds necessary to finance the special mandatory redemption
required by the indentures. If the closing of the
Acquisition and the Related Financing Transactions occur on or
before September 30, 2006 on substantially the terms
described in this prospectus supplement, then, subject to the
conditions set forth below, all amounts in the escrow account
will be released to NRG on the date that the Acquisition closes.
Upon the closing of the Acquisition, the foregoing provisions
regarding the special mandatory redemption will cease to apply.
Pending release of the funds in the escrow account (a) to
NRG upon consummation of the Acquisition and the Related
Financing Transactions, if any, occurring concurrently with the
Acquisition, or (b) to the trustee in the event of a
special mandatory redemption, such funds will be invested in
Government Securities.
S-111
The escrow and security agreement will provide that the escrow
agent will release the funds from the escrow account as directed
by the trustee:
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to NRG upon the satisfaction of the following conditions (and
delivery to the trustee of a certificate from an officer of NRG
confirming that these conditions have been satisfied): |
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(1) all conditions to the closing
of the Acquisition have been satisfied or waived; |
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(2) the Acquisition will be
consummated concurrently with the release of funds and on
substantially the terms described in this prospectus supplement; |
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(3) the Related Financing
Transactions have been consummated or will be consummated prior
to or concurrently with the consummation of the Acquisition; |
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(4) the escrowed funds will be
applied in the manner described under the caption Use of
Proceeds; and |
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(5) no Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing or result therefrom; or |
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to the trustee in connection with a special mandatory redemption. |
NRG will also grant to the trustee for the benefit of the
holders of the notes a security interest in the escrow account,
and the escrow and security agreement will require that such
security interest be perfected prior to the closing of this
offering. See Risk FactorsRisks Related to the
OfferingIn a bankruptcy proceeding, the holders of notes
might not be able to apply the escrowed funds to repay the notes
without bankruptcy court approval.
If at any time the escrow account contains cash and/or
Government Securities having an aggregate value in excess of the
special mandatory redemption price on September 30, 2006
(the latest date on which the special mandatory redemption can
occur), such excess funds may be released to NRG at NRGs
option. Upon the acceleration of the maturity of the notes or
the failure to pay principal at maturity or upon certain
redemptions and repurchases of the notes, the escrow and
security agreement will provide for the foreclosure by the
trustee upon the funds and Government Securities held in the
escrow account. In the event of such a foreclosure, the proceeds
of the escrow account will be applied, first, to amounts owing
to the trustee in respect of fees and expenses of the trustee,
second, to the holders of notes to the full extent of all
Obligations under the indentures and the notes and, third, any
remainder to NRG or its estate, as the case may be.
Methods of Receiving Payments on the Notes
If a holder of notes has given wire transfer instructions to
NRG, NRG will pay or cause to be paid all principal, interest
and premium on that holders notes in accordance with those
instructions. All other payments on notes will be made at the
office or agency of the paying agent and registrar within the
City and State of New York unless NRG elects to make interest
payments by check mailed to the noteholders at their address set
forth in the register of holders.
Paying Agent and Registrar for the Notes
The trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar.
NRG may change the paying agent or registrar without prior
notice to the holders of the notes, and NRG or any of its
Subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.
Transfer and Exchange
A holder may transfer or exchange notes in accordance with the
provisions of the applicable indenture pursuant to which such
notes were issued. The registrar and the trustee may require a
holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements
and transfer documents in connection with a transfer of notes.
Holders will be required to pay all taxes due on transfer. NRG
is not required to transfer or exchange any note selected for
redemption. Also, NRG is not required to transfer or exchange
any note for a period of 15 days before a selection of
notes to be redeemed.
S-112
Subsidiary Guarantees
NRGs payment obligations under the notes will be
guaranteed on an unconditional basis by each of NRGs
current and future Restricted Subsidiaries, other than the
Excluded Subsidiaries for so long as they constitute Excluded
Subsidiaries. These Subsidiary Guarantees will be joint and
several obligations of the Guarantors. The obligations of each
Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee will be limited as
necessary to prevent that Subsidiary Guarantee from constituting
a fraudulent conveyance under applicable law. See Risk
FactorsRisks Related to the OfferingFederal and
state statutes allow courts, under specific circumstances, to
void guarantees and require note holders to return payments
received from guarantors.
A Guarantor may not sell or otherwise dispose of all or
substantially all of its assets to, or consolidate with or merge
with or into (whether or not such Guarantor is the surviving
Person), another Person, other than NRG or another Guarantor,
unless:
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(1) immediately after giving effect
to that transaction, no Default or Event of Default
exists; and |
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(2) either: |
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(a) the Person acquiring the
property in any such sale or disposition or the Person formed by
or surviving any such consolidation or merger assumes all the
obligations of that Guarantor under each applicable indenture
and its Subsidiary Guarantee pursuant to supplemental agreements
reasonably satisfactory to the trustee under such indenture; |
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(b) the Net Proceeds of such sale
or other disposition are applied in accordance with the
applicable provisions of each applicable indenture; or |
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(c) immediately after giving effect
to that transaction, such Person qualifies as an Excluded
Subsidiary. |
The Subsidiary Guarantee of a Guarantor of any series of notes
will be released automatically:
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(1) in connection with any sale or
other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of
that Guarantor (including by way of merger or consolidation) to
a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to
such transaction) NRG or a Restricted Subsidiary of NRG, if the
sale or other disposition does not violate the Asset
Sale provisions of the applicable indenture governing such
series of notes; |
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(2) in connection with any sale or
other disposition of Capital Stock of that Guarantor to a Person
that is not (either before or after giving effect to such
transaction) NRG or a Restricted Subsidiary of NRG, if
(a) the sale or other disposition does not violate the
Asset Sale provisions of the applicable indenture
governing such series of notes and (b) following such sale
or other disposition, that Guarantor is not a direct or indirect
Subsidiary of NRG; |
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(3) if NRG designates any
Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor to be an Unrestricted
Subsidiary in accordance with the applicable provisions of the
applicable indenture governing such series of notes; |
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(4) the date that any Subsidiary
that is not an Excluded Subsidiary becomes an Excluded
Subsidiary; |
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(5) upon defeasance or satisfaction
and discharge of such notes as provided below under the captions
Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance and
Satisfaction and Discharge; |
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(6) upon a dissolution of a
Guarantor that is permitted under the applicable indenture
governing such series of notes; |
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(7) as to any Subsidiary Guarantee
issued on the date of the applicable supplemental indenture that
is subject to Section 69 of the New York Public Service
Law, on the 364th day after such issuance, unless on or
before such 364th day such Guarantee is permitted under the
New York Public Service Law, pursuant to an order issued by the
New York Public Service Commission, to be outstanding after such
364th day; or |
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(8) otherwise with respect to the
Guarantee of any Guarantor, upon: |
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(a) the prior consent of holders of
at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of such notes
then outstanding; |
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(b) the consent of requisite
lenders under the Credit Agreement (as amended, restated,
modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to
time) to the release of such Guarantors Guarantee of all
Obligations under the Credit Agreement; or |
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(c) the contemporaneous release of
such Guarantors Guarantee of all Obligations under the
Credit Agreement (as amended, restated, modified, renewed,
refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time). |
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See Repurchase at the Option of HoldersAsset
Sales. |
Optional Redemption
At any time prior to February 1, 2009, NRG may on any one
or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal
amount of 2014 fixed rate notes issued under the 2014 fixed rate
indenture, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days
notice, at a redemption price of %
of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the
redemption date, with the proceeds of one or more Equity
Offerings; provided that:
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(1) at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of 2014
fixed rate notes issued in this offering (excluding 2014 fixed
rate notes held by NRG and its Subsidiaries) remains outstanding
immediately after the occurrence of such redemption; and |
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(2) the redemption occurs within 90 days of the date
of the closing of such Equity Offering. |
In addition, the 2014 fixed rate indenture and the escrow and
security agreement will allow NRG to redeem the 2014 fixed rate
notes, at its option, in whole but not in part, at any time
prior to September 30, 2006 at a redemption price equal to
100% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2014 fixed rate
notes plus accrued interest to, but not including, the
redemption date if, in its judgment, any of the conditions to
the release of funds from the escrow account to NRG to fund the
Acquisition will not be satisfied on or prior to
September 30, 2006. If we exercise this option, NRG will
redeem the 2014 fixed rate notes, in part, with the amounts held
in the escrow account upon 10 days prior notice. See
Escrow of Proceeds; Special Mandatory
Redemption.
At any time prior to February 1, 2010, NRG may on any one
or more occasions redeem all or a part of the 2014 fixed rate
notes, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days
prior notice, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the
principal amount of 2014 fixed rate notes redeemed plus the
Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest if
any, to the redemption date, subject to the rights of holders of
2014 fixed rate notes on the relevant record date to receive
interest due on the relevant interest payment date.
Except pursuant to the preceding three paragraphs, the 2014
fixed rate notes will not be redeemable at NRGs option
prior to February 1, 2010. NRG is not prohibited, however,
from acquiring the 2014 fixed rate notes in market transactions
by means other than a redemption, whether pursuant to a tender
offer or otherwise, assuming such action does not otherwise
violate the 2014 fixed rate indenture.
On or after February 1, 2010, NRG may on any one or more
occasions redeem all or a part of the 2014 fixed rate notes upon
not less than 30 nor more than 60 days notice, at the
redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount)
set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest on the 2014
fixed rate notes redeemed, to the applicable redemption date, if
redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on
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February 1 of the years indicated below, subject to the rights
of noteholders on the relevant record date to receive interest
on the relevant interest payment date:
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2010
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2011
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2012
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2013 and thereafter
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At any time prior to February 1, 2009, NRG may on any one
or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal
amount of 2016 notes issued under the 2016 indenture, upon not
less than 30 nor more than 60 days notice, at a redemption
price of % of the principal
amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date,
with the proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings; provided
that:
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(1) at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of 2016
notes issued in this offering (excluding 2016 notes held by NRG
and its Subsidiaries) remains outstanding immediately after the
occurrence of such redemption; and |
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(2) the redemption occurs within 90 days of the date
of the closing of such Equity Offering. |
In addition, the 2016 indenture and the escrow and security
agreement will allow NRG to redeem the 2016 notes, at its
option, in whole but not in part, at any time prior to
September 30, 2006 at a redemption price equal to 100% of
the aggregate principal amount of the 2016 notes plus accrued
interest to, but not including, the redemption date if, in its
judgment, any of the conditions to the release of funds from the
escrow account to NRG to fund the Acquisition will not be
satisfied on or prior to September 30, 2006. If we exercise
this option, NRG will redeem the 2016 notes, in part, with the
amounts held in the escrow account upon 10 days prior
notice. See Escrow of Proceeds; Special Mandatory
Redemption.
At any time prior to February 1, 2011, NRG may on any one
or more occasions redeem all or a part of the 2016 notes, upon
not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior notice,
at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of
2016 notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of, and
accrued and unpaid interest if any, to the redemption date,
subject to the rights of holders of 2016 notes on the relevant
record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest
payment date.
Except pursuant to the preceding three paragraphs, the 2016
notes will not be redeemable at NRGs option prior to
February 1, 2011. NRG is not prohibited, however, from
acquiring the 2016 notes in market transactions by means other
than a redemption, whether pursuant to a tender offer or
otherwise, assuming such action does not otherwise violate the
2016 indenture.
On or after February 1, 2011, NRG may on any one or more
occasions redeem all or a part of the 2016 notes upon not less
than 30 nor more than 60 days notice, at the
redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount)
set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest on the 2016
notes redeemed, to the applicable redemption date, if redeemed
during the twelve-month period beginning on February 1 of the
years indicated below, subject to the rights of noteholders on
the relevant record date to receive interest on the relevant
interest payment date:
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Percentage | |
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2011
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2012
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% |
2013
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2014
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% |
2015 and thereafter
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100.000 |
% |
S-115
At any time prior to February 1, 2008, NRG may on any one
or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal
amount of 2014 floating rate notes issued under the 2014
floating rate indenture, upon not less than 30 nor more than
60 days notice, at a redemption price of 100%, plus LIBOR
as of the most recent Determination Date
plus %, of the principal amount,
plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date, with
the proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings; provided
that:
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(1) at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of 2014
floating rate notes issued in this offering (excluding 2014
floating rate notes held by NRG and its Subsidiaries) remains
outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such
redemption; and |
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(2) the redemption occurs within 90 days of the date
of the closing of such Equity Offering. |
In addition, the 2014 floating rate indenture and the escrow and
security agreement will allow NRG to redeem the 2014 floating
rate notes, at its option, in whole but not in part, at any time
prior to September 30, 2006 at a redemption price equal to
100% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2014 floating rate
notes plus accrued interest to, but not including, the
redemption date if, in its judgment, any of the conditions to
the release of funds from the escrow account to NRG to fund the
Acquisition will not be satisfied on or prior to
September 30, 2006. If we exercise this option, NRG will
redeem the 2014 floating rate notes, in part, with the amounts
held in the escrow account upon 10 days prior notice. See
Escrow of Proceeds; Special Mandatory
Redemption.
Except pursuant to the preceding two paragraphs, the 2014
floating rate notes will not be redeemable at NRGs option
prior to February 1, 2008. NRG is not prohibited, however,
from acquiring the 2014 floating rate notes in market
transactions by means other than a redemption, whether pursuant
to a tender offer or otherwise, assuming such action does not
otherwise violate the 2014 floating rate indenture.
On or after February 1, 2008, NRG may on any one or more
occasions redeem all or a part of the 2014 floating rate notes
upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days notice,
at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal
amount) set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest on the
2014 floating rate notes redeemed, to the applicable redemption
date, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on
February 1 of the years indicated below, subject to the rights
of noteholders on the relevant record date to receive interest
on the relevant interest payment date:
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Year |
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Percentage | |
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2008
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% |
2009
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% |
2010
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% |
2011 and thereafter
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100.000 |
% |
Mandatory Redemption
Except as set forth under the caption Escrow of
Proceeds; Special Mandatory Redemption, NRG is not
required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments
with respect to the notes.
Repurchase at the Option of Holders
If a Change of Control occurs, each holder of notes will have
the right to require NRG to repurchase all or any part (equal to
$5,000 or an integral multiple of $5,000) of that holders
notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer on the terms set
forth in the applicable indenture governing such notes. In the
Change of Control Offer, NRG will offer a Change of Control
Payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount
of notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest on the
notes repurchased, to the date of purchase, subject to the
rights of noteholders on the relevant record date to receive
interest due on the relevant interest payment date. Within
30 days following any Change of Control, NRG will mail a
notice to each
S-116
holder describing the transaction or transactions that
constitute the Change of Control and offering to repurchase
notes on the Change of Control Payment Date specified in the
notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no
later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed,
pursuant to the procedures required by the applicable indenture
and described in such notice. NRG will comply with the
requirements of
Rule 14e-1 under
the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations
thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are
applicable in connection with the repurchase of the notes as a
result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions
of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change
of Control provisions of the applicable indenture, NRG will
comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and
will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the
Change of Control provisions of the applicable indenture by
virtue of such compliance.
On the Change of Control Payment Date, NRG will, to the extent
lawful:
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(1) accept for payment all notes or
portions of notes properly tendered pursuant to the Change of
Control Offer; |
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(2) deposit with the applicable
paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in
respect of all notes or portions of notes properly
tendered; and |
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(3) deliver or cause to be
delivered to the applicable trustee the notes properly accepted
together with an officers certificate stating the
aggregate principal amount of notes or portions of notes being
purchased by NRG. |
The applicable paying agent will promptly mail to each holder of
notes properly tendered the Change of Control Payment for such
notes, and the applicable trustee will promptly authenticate and
mail (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each holder a
new note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of
the notes surrendered, if any; provided that each new
note will be in a principal amount of $5,000 or an integral
multiple of $5,000. NRG will publicly announce the results of
the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after
the Change of Control Payment Date.
The provisions described above that require NRG to make a Change
of Control Offer following a Change of Control will be
applicable whether or not any other provisions of the applicable
indenture are applicable.
Except as described above with respect to a Change of Control,
the indentures do not contain provisions that permit the holders
of the notes to require that NRG repurchase or redeem the notes
in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or similar
transaction.
NRG will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon
a Change of Control if (1) a third party makes the Change
of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in
compliance with the requirements set forth in the applicable
indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by NRG
and purchases all notes properly tendered and not withdrawn
under the Change of Control Offer, or (2) notice of
redemption has been given pursuant to the applicable indenture
as described above under the caption Optional
Redemption, unless and until there is a default in payment
of the applicable redemption price. A Change in Control Offer
may be made in advance of a Change of Control, with the
obligation to pay and the timing of payment conditioned upon the
consummation of the Change of Control, if a definitive agreement
to effect a Change of Control is in place at the time of the
Offer.
The definition of Change of Control includes a phrase relating
to the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or
other disposition of all or substantially all of the
properties or assets of NRG and its Subsidiaries taken as a
whole. There is a limited body of case law interpreting the
phrase substantially all, and there is no precise
established definition of the phrase under applicable law.
Accordingly, the ability of a holder of notes to require NRG to
repurchase its notes as a result of a sale, lease, transfer,
conveyance or other disposition of less than all of the assets
of NRG and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to another Person
or group may be uncertain.
S-117
NRG will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale unless:
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(1) NRG (or the Restricted
Subsidiary, as the case may be) receives consideration at the
time of the Asset Sale at least equal to the fair market value
of the assets or Equity Interests issued or sold or otherwise
disposed of or, in the case of Specified Joint Venture Sales,
receives consideration at least equal to the value prescribed by
the agreements relating to such specified joint
ventures; and |
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(2) at least 75% of the
consideration received in the Asset Sale by NRG or such
Restricted Subsidiary is in the form of cash. For purposes of
this provision, each of the following will be deemed to be cash: |
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(a) any liabilities, as shown on
NRGs most recent consolidated balance sheet, of NRG or any
Restricted Subsidiary (other than contingent liabilities and
liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the notes or
any Subsidiary Guarantee) that are assumed by the transferee of
any such assets pursuant to a customary novation agreement that
releases NRG or such Restricted Subsidiary from further
liability; |
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(b) any securities, notes or other
obligations received by NRG or any such Restricted Subsidiary
from such transferee that are converted by NRG or such
Restricted Subsidiary into cash within 180 days of the
receipt of such securities, notes or other obligations, to the
extent of the cash received in that conversion; |
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(c) any stock or assets of the kind
referred to in clauses (4) or (6) of the next
paragraph of this covenant; and |
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(d) any Designated Noncash
Consideration received by NRG or any Restricted Subsidiary in
such Asset Sale having an aggregate fair market value, taken
together with all other Designated Noncash Consideration
received pursuant to this clause (d) that is at the time
outstanding, not to exceed the greater of
(x) $500.0 million or (y) 2.5% of Total Assets at
the time of the receipt of such Designated Noncash
Consideration, with the fair market value of each item of
Designated Noncash Consideration being measured at the time
received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in
value. |
Within 365 days after the receipt of any Net Proceeds from
an Asset Sale, other than Excluded Proceeds, NRG (or the
applicable Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be) may apply
those Net Proceeds or, at its option, enter into a binding
commitment to apply such Net Proceeds within the
365-day period
following the date of such commitment (an Acceptable
Commitment):
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(1) to repay Indebtedness and other
Obligations under a Credit Facility and, if such Indebtedness is
revolving credit Indebtedness, to correspondingly reduce
commitments with respect thereto; |
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(2) in the case of a sale of assets
pledged to secure Indebtedness (including Capital Lease
Obligations), to repay the Indebtedness secured by those assets; |
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(3) in the case of an Asset Sale by
a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, to repay
Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor
(other than Indebtedness owed to NRG or another Restricted
Subsidiary of NRG); |
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(4) to acquire all or substantially
all of the assets of, or any Capital Stock of, another Person
engaged primarily in a Permitted Business, if, after giving
effect to any such acquisition of Capital Stock, such Person is
or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of NRG and a Guarantor; |
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(5) to make a capital expenditure; |
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(6) to acquire other assets that
are not classified as current assets under GAAP and that are
used or useful in a Permitted Business; or |
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(7) any combination of the
foregoing. |
S-118
Pending the final application of any such Net Proceeds and
notwithstanding clause (1) above, NRG may temporarily
reduce revolving credit borrowings or otherwise use the Net
Proceeds in any manner that is not prohibited by the indentures.
Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, in the event that
regulatory approval is necessary for an asset or investment, or
construction, repair or restoration on any asset or investment
has commenced, then NRG or any Restricted Subsidiary shall have
an additional 365 days to apply the Net Proceeds from such
Asset Sale in accordance with the preceding paragraph.
Any Acceptable Commitment that is later canceled or terminated
for any reason before such Net Proceeds are so applied shall be
treated as a permitted application of the Net Proceeds if NRG or
such Restricted Subsidiary enters into another Acceptable
Commitment within the later of (a) nine months of such
cancellation or termination or (b) the end of the initial
365-day period.
Any Net Proceeds from Asset Sales (other than Excluded Proceeds)
that are not applied or invested as provided above will
constitute Excess Proceeds. When the aggregate
amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $100.0 million, or at
such earlier date as may be selected by NRG, NRG will make an
Asset Sale Offer to all holders of notes and all holders of
other Indebtedness that is pari passu with the notes
containing provisions similar to those set forth in the
applicable indenture with respect to offers to purchase or
redeem with the proceeds of sales of assets to purchase the
maximum principal amount of notes and such other pari passu
Indebtedness that may be purchased out of the Excess
Proceeds. The offer price in any Asset Sale Offer will be equal
to 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest
to the date of purchase and will be payable in cash. If any
Excess Proceeds remain after consummation of an Asset Sale
Offer, NRG may use those Excess Proceeds for any purpose not
otherwise prohibited by the applicable indenture. If the
aggregate principal amount of notes and other pari passu
Indebtedness tendered into such Asset Sale Offer exceeds the
amount of Excess Proceeds, the trustee will select the notes and
such other pari passu Indebtedness to be purchased on a
pro rata basis. Upon completion of each Asset Sale Offer, the
amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset at zero.
NRG will comply with the requirements of
Rule 14e-1 under
the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations
thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are
applicable in connection with each repurchase of notes pursuant
to an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any
securities laws or regulations conflict with the Asset Sale
provisions of the indentures, NRG will comply with the
applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be
deemed to have breached its obligations under the Asset Sale
provisions of the indentures by virtue of such compliance.
The agreements governing NRGs other Indebtedness,
including the Credit Agreement, contain, and future agreements
may contain, prohibitions of certain events, including events
that would constitute a Change of Control or an Asset Sale and
including repurchases of or other prepayments in respect of the
notes. The exercise by the holders of notes of their right to
require NRG to repurchase the notes upon a Change of Control or
an Asset Sale could cause a default under these other
agreements, even if the Change of Control or Asset Sale itself
does not, due to the financial effect of such repurchases on
NRG. In the event a Change of Control or Asset Sale occurs at a
time when NRG is prohibited from purchasing notes, NRG could
seek the consent of its senior lenders to the purchase of notes
or could attempt to refinance the borrowings that contain such
prohibition. If NRG does not obtain a consent or repay those
borrowings, NRG will remain prohibited from purchasing notes. In
that case, NRGs failure to purchase tendered notes would
constitute an Event of Default under the indentures which could,
in turn, constitute a default under the other indebtedness.
Finally, NRGs ability to pay cash to the holders of notes
upon a repurchase may be limited by NRGs then existing
financial resources. See Risk FactorsRisks Related
to the OfferingWe may not have the ability to raise the
funds necessary to finance the change of control offer required
by the indentures.
Selection and Notice
If less than all of any series of notes are to be redeemed at
any time, the trustee for such notes will select notes for
redemption on a pro rata basis unless otherwise required by law
or applicable stock exchange requirements.
S-119
No notes of $5,000 or less can be redeemed in part. Notices of
redemption will be mailed by first class mail at least 30 but
not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each
holder of notes to be redeemed at its registered address, except
that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days
prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection
with a defeasance of the notes or a satisfaction and discharge
of the indentures. Notices of redemption may not be conditional.
If any note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of
redemption that relates to that note will state the portion of
the principal amount of that note that is to be redeemed. A new
note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the
original note will be issued in the name of the holder of notes
upon cancellation of the original note. Notes called for
redemption become due on the date fixed for redemption. On and
after the redemption date, interest ceases to accrue on notes or
portions of them called for redemption.
Certain Covenants
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Changes in Covenants When Notes Rated Investment
Grade |
If on any date following the date of the supplemental indenture
for any series of notes:
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(1) the rating assigned to such
notes by each of S&P and Moodys is an Investment Grade
Rating; and |
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(2) no Default or Event of Default
shall have occurred and be continuing, then, beginning on that
day and subject to the provisions of the following two
paragraphs, the covenants in such supplemental indenture
specifically listed under the following captions will be
suspended as to such notes: |
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(a) Repurchase at the
Option of HoldersAsset Sales; |
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(b) Certain
Covenants Restricted Payments; |
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(c) Certain
Covenants Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of
Preferred Stock; |
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(d) Certain
Covenants Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions
Affecting Subsidiaries; |
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(e) Certain
Covenants Designation of Restricted, Unrestricted and
Excluded Project Subsidiaries; |
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(f) Transactions with
Affiliates; and |
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(g) clause (4) of the covenant
described below under the caption Merger,
Consolidation or Sale of Assets. |
Clauses (a) through (g) above are collectively
referred to as the Suspended Covenants.
During any period that the foregoing covenants have been
suspended, NRGs Board of Directors may not designate any
of its Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries or Excluded
Project Subsidiaries pursuant to the covenant described below
under the caption Designation of Restricted,
Unrestricted and Excluded Project Subsidiaries, the second
paragraph of the definition of Unrestricted
Subsidiary, or the definition of Excluded Project
Subsidiary, unless it could do so if the foregoing
covenants were in effect.
If at any time such notes are downgraded from an Investment
Grade Rating by either S&P or Moodys, the Suspended
Covenants will thereafter be reinstated as if such covenants had
never been suspended and be applicable pursuant to the terms of
the applicable supplemental indenture (including in connection
with performing any calculation or assessment to determine
compliance with the terms of the applicable supplemental
indenture), unless and until such notes subsequently attain an
Investment Grade Rating from each of S&P and Moodys
(in which event the Suspended Covenants will again be suspended
for such time that the notes maintain an Investment Grade Rating
from each of S&P and Moodys); provided,
however, that no Default, Event of Default or breach of any
kind will be deemed to exist under the applicable supplemental
indenture, such notes or the related Subsidiary Guarantees with
respect to the Suspended Covenants based on, and none of NRG or
any of its Subsidiaries will bear any liability for, any actions
taken or events occurring
S-120
after such notes attain an Investment Grade Rating from each of
S&P and Moodys and before any reinstatement of the
Suspended Covenants as provided above, or any actions taken at
any time pursuant to any contractual obligation arising prior to
the reinstatement, regardless of whether those actions or events
would have been permitted if the applicable Suspended Covenant
had remained in effect during such period.
NRG will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:
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(1) declare or pay any dividend or
make any other payment or distribution on account of NRGs
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Equity Interests
(including, without limitation, any payment in connection with
any merger or consolidation involving NRG or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries) or to the direct or indirect holders of
NRGs or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Equity
Interests in their capacity as such (other than dividends or
distributions payable in Equity Interests (other than
Disqualified Stock) of NRG or to NRG or a Restricted Subsidiary
of NRG); |
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(2) purchase, redeem or otherwise
acquire or retire for value (including, without limitation, in
connection with any merger or consolidation involving NRG) any
Equity Interests of NRG or any direct or indirect parent of NRG
(other than any such Equity Interests owned by NRG or any
Restricted Subsidiary of NRG); |
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(3) make any payment on or with
respect to, or purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or
retire for value any Indebtedness of NRG or any Guarantor that
is contractually subordinated to the notes or any Subsidiary
Guarantee of the notes (excluding any intercompany Indebtedness
between or among NRG and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries),
except (a) a payment of interest or principal at the Stated
Maturity thereof or (b) a payment, purchase, redemption,
defeasance, acquisition or retirement of any subordinated
Indebtedness in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund
obligation, principal installment or payment at final maturity,
in each case due within one year of the date of payment,
purchase, redemption, defeasance, acquisition or
retirement; or |
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(4) make any Restricted Investment |
(all such payments and other actions set forth in these
clauses (1) through (4) above being collectively
referred to as Restricted Payments), unless,
at the time of and after giving effect to such Restricted
Payment:
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(1) no Default or Event of Default
has occurred and is continuing or would occur as a consequence
of such Restricted Payment; and |
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(2) NRG would, at the time of such
Restricted Payment and after giving pro forma effect thereto as
if such Restricted Payment had been made at the beginning of the
applicable four-quarter period, have been permitted to incur at
least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of
the covenant described below under the caption
Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred
Stock; and |
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(3) such Restricted Payment,
together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted
Payments made by NRG and its Restricted Subsidiaries since the
date of the supplemental indentures (excluding Restricted
Payments permitted by clauses (2), (3), (4), (6), (7), (8),
(9), (10), (11), (12) and (13) of the next succeeding
paragraph), is less than the sum, without duplication, of: |
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(a) 50% of the Consolidated Net
Income of NRG for the period (taken as one accounting period)
from the beginning of the first fiscal quarter commencing before
the date of the supplemental indentures to the end of NRGs
most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial
statements are publicly available at the time of such Restricted
Payment (or, if such Consolidated Net Income for such period is
a deficit, less 100% of such deficit), plus |
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(b) 100% of the aggregate proceeds
received by NRG after the date of the Acquisition as a
contribution to its equity capital (unless such contribution
would constitute Disqualified Stock) or |
S-121
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from the issue or sale of Equity Interests of NRG (other than
Disqualified Stock) or from the issue or sale of convertible or
exchangeable Disqualified Stock or convertible or exchangeable
debt securities of NRG that have been converted into or
exchanged for such Equity Interests (other than Equity Interests
(or Disqualified Stock or debt securities) sold to a Subsidiary
of NRG), plus |
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(c) 100% of the aggregate proceeds
received upon the sale or other disposition of any Investment
(other than a Permitted Investment) made since the date of the
supplemental indentures; plus the net reduction in
Investments (other than Permitted Investments) in any Person
resulting from dividends, repayments of loans or advances or
other transfers of assets subsequent to the date of the
supplemental indentures, in each case to NRG or any Restricted
Subsidiary from such Person; plus to the extent that the
ability to make Restricted Payments was reduced as the result of
the designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary or Excluded
Project Subsidiary, the portion (proportionate to NRGs
equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the fair market value of
the net assets of such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Excluded
Project Subsidiary at the time such Unrestricted Subsidiary or
Excluded Project Subsidiary is redesignated, or liquidated or
merged into, a Restricted Subsidiary that is not an Excluded
Subsidiary; provided, in each case, that the foregoing
may not exceed, in the aggregate, the amount of all Investments
which previously reduced the ability to make Restricted
Payments; and provided further, that Concurrent Cash
Distributions shall be excluded from this clause (c). |
The preceding provisions will not prohibit:
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(1) the payment of any dividend
within 90 days after the date of declaration of the
dividend, if at the date of declaration the dividend payment
would have complied with the provisions of the applicable
indenture; |
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(2) so long as no Default has
occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, the
making of any Restricted Payment in exchange for, or out of the
aggregate proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other
than to a Subsidiary of NRG) of, Equity Interests of NRG (other
than Disqualified Stock) or from the contribution of equity
capital (unless such contribution would constitute Disqualified
Stock) to NRG; provided that the amount of any such
proceeds that are utilized for any such Restricted Payment will
be excluded from clause (3)(b) of the preceding paragraph; |
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(3) so long as no Default has
occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, the
defeasance, redemption, repurchase or other acquisition of
Indebtedness of NRG or any Guarantor that is contractually
subordinated to the notes or to any Subsidiary Guarantee with
the proceeds from a substantially concurrent incurrence of
Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness; |
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(4) the payment of any dividend
(or, in the case of any partnership or limited liability
company, any similar distribution) by a Restricted Subsidiary of
NRG to the holders of its Equity Interests on a pro rata basis; |
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(5) so long as no Default has
occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby,
(a) the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or
retirement for value of any Equity Interests of NRG or any
Restricted Subsidiary of NRG held by any current or former
officer, director or employee of NRG or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries pursuant to any equity subscription agreement,
stock option agreement, severance agreement, shareholders
agreement or similar agreement or employee benefit plan or
(b) the cancellation of Indebtedness owing to NRG or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries from any current or former officer,
director or employee of NRG or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries in connection with a repurchase of Equity Interests
of NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided
that the aggregate price paid for the actions in
clause (a) may not exceed $10.0 million in any
twelve-month period (with unused amounts in any period being
carried over to succeeding periods) and may not exceed
$50.0 million in the aggregate since the date of the
supplemental indentures; provided, further that
(i) such amount in any calendar year may be increased by
the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies
received by NRG and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the date
of the supplemental indentures less any amount previously
applied to the making of Restricted Payments pursuant to this
clause (5) and |
S-122
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(ii) cancellation of the Indebtedness owing to NRG from
employees, officers, directors and consultants of NRG or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with a repurchase of
Equity Interests of NRG from such Persons shall be permitted
under this clause (5) as if it were a repurchase,
redemption, acquisition or retirement for value subject hereto; |
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(6) the repurchase of Equity
Interests in connection with the exercise of stock options to
the extent such Equity Interests represent a portion of the
exercise price of those stock options and the repurchases of
Equity Interests in connection with the withholding of a portion
of the Equity Interests granted or awarded to an employee to pay
for the taxes payable by such employee upon such grant or award; |
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(7) so long as no Default has
occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, the
declaration and payment of regularly scheduled or accrued
dividends to holders of any class or series of
(a) preferred stock issued pursuant to the Acquisition
Agreement described in this prospectus supplement,
(b) preferred stock outstanding on the date of the
supplemental indentures, (c) Disqualified Stock of NRG or
any Restricted Subsidiary of NRG issued on or after the date of
the supplemental indentures in accordance with the terms of each
applicable indenture or (d) preferred stock issued on or
after the date of the supplemental indentures in accordance with
the terms of each applicable indenture; |
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(8) payments to holders of
NRGs Capital Stock in lieu of the issuance of fractional
shares of its Capital Stock; |
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(9) the purchase, redemption,
acquisition, cancellation or other retirement for a nominal
value per right of any rights granted to all the holders of
Capital Stock of NRG pursuant to any shareholders rights
plan adopted for the purpose of protecting shareholders from
unfair takeover tactics; provided that any such purchase,
redemption, acquisition, cancellation or other retirement of
such rights is not for the purpose of evading the limitations of
this covenant (all as determined in good faith by a senior
financial officer of NRG); |
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(10) so long as no Default has
occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, upon the
occurrence of a Change of Control or Asset Sale and after the
completion of the offer to repurchase the notes as described
above under the caption Repurchase at the Option of
HoldersChange of Control or Repurchase
at the Option of HoldersAsset Sales, as applicable
(including the purchase of all notes tendered), any purchase,
defeasance, retirement, redemption or other acquisition of
Indebtedness that is contractually subordinated to the notes or
any subsidiary guarantee required under the terms of such
Indebtedness, with, in the case of an Asset Sale, Net Proceeds,
as a result of such Change of Control or Asset Sale; |
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(11) so long as no Default has
occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, the
purchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for
value of the Sponsor Preferred Stock with the Net Proceeds of an
Asset Sale; provided that, in connection with such Asset
Sale, an Asset Sale Offer has been completed as described above
under the caption Repurchase at the Option of
HoldersAsset Sales (including the purchase of all
notes tendered in such Asset Sale Offer); |
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(12) the Acquisition; |
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(13) the purchase, redemption,
acquisition, cancellation or other retirement of preferred stock
of Itiquira to effectuate the Itiquira Refinancing; and |
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(14) so long as no Default has
occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, other
Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed
$250.0 million since the date of the supplemental
indentures. |
The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) will be
the fair market value on the date of the Restricted Payment of
the asset(s) or securities proposed to be transferred or issued
by NRG or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be,
pursuant to the Restricted Payment. The fair market value of any
assets or securities that are required to be valued by this
covenant will be determined by a senior financial officer of NRG
whose certification with respect thereto will be delivered to
the applicable trustee.
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Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred
Stock |
NRG will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, issue,
assume, guarantee or otherwise become directly or indirectly
liable, contingently or otherwise, with respect to
(collectively, incur) any Indebtedness
(including Acquired Debt), and NRG will not issue any
Disqualified Stock and will not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to issue any shares of preferred stock;
provided, however, that NRG may incur Indebtedness
(including Acquired Debt) or issue Disqualified Stock, and the
Guarantors may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) or
issue preferred stock, if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for
NRGs most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for
which financial statements are publicly available immediately
preceding the date on which such additional Indebtedness is
incurred or such Disqualified Stock or preferred stock is issued
would have been at least 2.0 to 1, determined on a pro
forma basis (including a pro forma application of the net
proceeds therefrom), as if the additional Indebtedness
(including Acquired Debt) had been incurred or Disqualified
Stock or the preferred stock had been issued, as the case may
be, at the beginning of such four-quarter period.
The first paragraph of this covenant will not prohibit the
incurrence of any of the following items of Indebtedness
(collectively, Permitted Debt):
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(1) the incurrence by NRG and PMI
(and the guarantee thereof by the Guarantors) of additional
Indebtedness and letters of credit under Credit Facilities in an
aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding under
this clause (1) (with letters of credit being deemed to
have a principal amount equal to the maximum potential liability
of NRG and its Restricted Subsidiaries thereunder) not to exceed
$6.0 billion less the aggregate amount of all repayments,
optional or mandatory, of the principal of any term Indebtedness
under a Credit Facility that have been made by NRG or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries since the date of the supplemental
indentures with the Net Proceeds of Asset Sales (other than
Excluded Proceeds) and less, without duplication, the aggregate
amount of all repayments or commitment reductions with respect
to any revolving credit borrowings under a Credit Facility that
have been made by NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
since the date of the supplemental indentures as a result of the
application of the Net Proceeds of Asset Sales (other than
Excluded Proceeds) in accordance with the covenant described
above under the caption Repurchase at the Option of
HoldersAsset Sales (excluding temporary reductions
in revolving credit borrowings as contemplated by that covenant); |
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(2) the incurrence by NRG and its
Restricted Subsidiaries of (i) the Existing Indebtedness
and (ii) Acquired Debt (other than Non-Recourse Debt and
the Existing Genco Credit Facility and Notes Indebtedness)
incurred pursuant to the Acquisition; |
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(3) the incurrence by NRG and the
Guarantors of Indebtedness represented by the notes and the
related Subsidiary Guarantees to be issued on the date of the
supplemental indentures; |
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(4) the incurrence by NRG or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness represented by
Capital Lease Obligations, mortgage financings or purchase money
obligations, in each case, incurred for the purpose of financing
all or any part of the purchase price or cost of design,
construction, installation or improvement or lease of property
(real or personal), plant or equipment used or useful in the
business of NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or
incurred within 180 days thereafter, in an aggregate
principal amount, including all Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness incurred to refund, refinance, replace, defease or
discharge any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this
clause (4), not to exceed at any time outstanding 5.0% of
Total Assets; |
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(5) the incurrence by NRG or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries of Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are
used to refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge
Indebtedness (other than intercompany Indebtedness) that was
permitted by the applicable supplemental indenture to be
incurred under the first paragraph of this covenant or
clauses (2), (3), (4), (5), (11), (16), (17) (18), (19),
(20) and (21) of this paragraph; |
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(6) the incurrence by NRG or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries of intercompany Indebtedness between
or among NRG and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
provided, however, that: (a) if NRG or any Guarantor
is the obligor on such Indebtedness and the payee is not NRG or
a Guarantor, such |
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Indebtedness must be expressly subordinated to the prior payment
in full in cash of all Obligations then due with respect to the
notes, in the case of NRG, or the Subsidiary Guarantee, in the
case of a Guarantor; and (b) (i) any subsequent
issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any
such Indebtedness being held by a Person other than NRG or a
Restricted Subsidiary of NRG and (ii) any sale or other
transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person that is not either
NRG or a Restricted Subsidiary of NRG will be deemed, in each
case, to constitute an incurrence of such Indebtedness by NRG or
such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, that was not
permitted by this clause (6); |
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(7) the issuance by any of
NRGs Restricted Subsidiaries to NRG or to any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries of shares of preferred stock;
provided, however, that: |
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(a) any subsequent issuance or
transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such preferred
stock being held by a Person other than NRG or a Restricted
Subsidiary of NRG; and |
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(b) any sale or other transfer of
any such preferred stock to a Person that is not either NRG or a
Restricted Subsidiary of NRG; |
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will be deemed, in each case, to constitute an issuance of such
preferred stock by such Restricted Subsidiary that was not
permitted by this clause (7); |
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(8) the incurrence by NRG or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries of Hedging Obligations; |
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(9) the guarantee by (i) NRG
or any of the Guarantors of Indebtedness of NRG or a Guarantor
that was permitted to be incurred by another provision of this
covenant; (ii) any of the Excluded Project Subsidiaries of
Indebtedness of any other Excluded Project Subsidiary; and
(iii) any of the Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries of
Indebtedness of any other Excluded Foreign Subsidiary;
provided that if the Indebtedness being guaranteed is
subordinated to or pari passu with the notes, then the
guarantee shall be subordinated to the same extent as the
Indebtedness guaranteed; |
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(10) the incurrence by NRG or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness arising from the
honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check,
draft or similar instrument (except in the case of daylight
overdrafts) inadvertently drawn against insufficient funds in
the ordinary course of business, so long as such Indebtedness is
covered within five business days; |
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(11) the Xcel Note; |
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(12) the incurrence by NRG or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness in respect of
(i) workers compensation claims, self-insurance
obligations, bankers acceptance and (ii) performance
and surety bonds provided by NRG or a Restricted Subsidiary in
the ordinary course of business; |
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(13) (i) the incurrence of
Non-Recourse Debt by any Excluded Project Subsidiary,
(ii) the incurrence of Indebtedness and guarantees pursuant
to the Itiquira Refinancing, and (iii) the incurrence of
the Existing Genco Credit Facility and Notes Indebtedness;
provided that such Existing Genco Credit Facility and
Notes Indebtedness is paid in full on the first Business Day
after the Acquisition is consummated; |
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(14) the incurrence of Indebtedness
that may be deemed to arise as a result of agreements of NRG or
any Restricted Subsidiary of NRG providing for indemnification,
adjustment of purchase price or any similar obligations, in each
case, incurred in connection with the disposition of any
business, assets or Equity Interests of any Subsidiary;
provided that the aggregate maximum liability associated
with such provisions may not exceed the gross proceeds
(including non-cash proceeds) of such disposition; |
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(15) the incurrence by NRG or any
Restricted Subsidiary of NRG of Indebtedness represented by
letters of credit, guarantees or other similar instruments
supporting Hedging Obligations of NRG or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Subsidiaries) permitted to be
incurred by the applicable indenture; |
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(16) Indebtedness, Disqualified
Stock or preferred stock of Persons or assets that are acquired
by NRG or any Restricted Subsidiary of NRG or merged into NRG or
a Restricted Subsidiary of NRG in accordance with the terms of
the applicable indenture; provided that such
Indebtedness, Disqualified |
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Stock or preferred stock is not incurred in contemplation of
such acquisition or merger; and provided further that
after giving effect to such acquisition or merger, either: |
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(a) NRG would be permitted to incur
at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first sentence of
this covenant; or |
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(b) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio
would be greater than immediately prior to such acquisition or
merger; |
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(17) Environmental CapEx Debt;
provided, that prior to the incurrence of any
Environmental CapEx Debt, NRG shall deliver to the applicable
trustee an officers certificate designating such
Indebtedness as Environmental CapEx Debt; |
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(18) Indebtedness incurred to
finance Necessary Capital Expenditures; provided, that
prior to the incurrence of any Indebtedness to finance Necessary
Capital Expenditures, NRG shall deliver to the applicable
trustee an officers certificate designating such
Indebtedness as Necessary CapEx Debt; |
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(19) Indebtedness of NRG or any
Restricted Subsidiary consisting of (i) the financing of
insurance premiums or (ii) take-or-pay obligations
contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary
course of business; |
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(20) the incurrence by NRG and the
Guarantors of Indebtedness represented by the Related Financing
Transactions on or before the date the Acquisition is
consummated; and |
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(21) the incurrence by NRG and/or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of additional Indebtedness in
an aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, as applicable)
at any time outstanding, including all Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness incurred to refund, refinance, replace, defease or
discharge any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this
clause (21), not to exceed $500.0 million. |
For purposes of determining compliance with this
Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred
Stock covenant, in the event that an item of proposed
Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the
categories of Permitted Debt described in clauses (1)
through (21) above, or is entitled to be incurred pursuant
to the first paragraph of this covenant, NRG will be permitted
to classify such item of Indebtedness on the date of its
incurrence, or later reclassify all or a portion of such item of
Indebtedness, in any manner that complies with this covenant.
Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement outstanding on the date
of the Acquisition will initially be deemed to have been
incurred on such date in reliance on the exception provided by
clause (1) of the definition of Permitted Debt. The accrual
of interest, the accretion or amortization of original issue
discount, the payment of interest on any Indebtedness in the
form of additional Indebtedness with the same terms, and the
payment of dividends on Disqualified Stock in the form of
additional shares of the same class of Disqualified Stock will
not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness or an issuance
of Disqualified Stock for purposes of this covenant;
provided, in each such case, that the amount thereof is
included in Fixed Charges of NRG as accrued.
For purposes of determining compliance with any
U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the incurrence of
Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount
of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency will be
calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in
effect on the date such Indebtedness was incurred; provided
that if such Indebtedness is incurred to refinance other
Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such
refinancing would cause the applicable
U.S. dollar-dominated restriction to be exceeded if
calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on
the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar-dominated
restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as
the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not
exceed the principal amount of the Indebtedness being refinanced.
The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date will
be:
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(1) the accreted value of the
Indebtedness, in the case of any Indebtedness issued with
original issue discount; |
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(2) the principal amount of the
Indebtedness, in the case of any other Indebtedness; and |
S-126
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(3) in respect of Indebtedness of
another Person secured by a Lien on the assets of the specified
Person, the lesser of: |
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(a) the fair market value of such
asset at the date of determination, and |
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(b) the amount of the Indebtedness
of the other Person; |
provided that any changes in any of the above shall not
give rise to a default under this covenant.
NRG will not incur, and will not permit any Guarantor to incur,
any Indebtedness (including Permitted Debt) that is
contractually subordinated in right of payment to any other
Indebtedness of NRG or such Guarantor unless such Indebtedness
is also contractually subordinated in right of payment to the
notes and the applicable Guarantee on substantially identical
terms; provided, however, that no Indebtedness will be
deemed to be contractually subordinated in right of payment to
any other Indebtedness of NRG solely by virtue of being
unsecured or by virtue of being secured on a first or junior
Lien basis.
Prior to the payment of the Existing Genco Credit Facility and
Notes Indebtedness, NRG will not, and will not permit any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or otherwise
cause or suffer to exist or become effective any Lien of any
kind securing Indebtedness or Attributable Debt upon the escrow
account related to the escrow and security agreement or any
property contained in or credited to the escrow account related
to the escrow and security agreement.
On and after the payment of the Existing Genco Credit Facility
and Notes Indebtedness, NRG will not and will not permit any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or
otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any Lien
of any kind (other than Permitted Liens) securing Indebtedness
or Attributable Debt upon any of their property or assets, now
owned or hereafter acquired, unless all payments due under the
indentures and the notes are secured on an equal and ratable
basis with the obligations so secured until such time as such
obligations are no longer secured by a Lien.
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Sale and Leaseback Transactions |
NRG will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, enter into any sale and leaseback transaction;
provided that NRG or any Guarantor may enter into a sale
and leaseback transaction if:
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(1) NRG or that Guarantor, as
applicable, could have (a) incurred Indebtedness in an
amount equal to the Attributable Debt relating to such sale and
leaseback transaction under the covenant described above under
the caption Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance
of Preferred Stock and (b) incurred a Lien to secure
such Indebtedness pursuant to the covenant described above under
the caption Liens; |
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(2) the gross proceeds of that sale
and leaseback transaction are at least equal to the fair market
value of the property that is subject of that sale and leaseback
transaction, as determined in good faith by a senior financial
officer of NRG; and |
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(3) if such sale and leaseback
transaction constitutes an Asset Sale, the transfer of assets in
that sale and leaseback transaction is permitted by, and NRG
applies the proceeds of such transaction in compliance with, the
covenant described above under the caption
Repurchase at the Option of HoldersAsset
Sales. |
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Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting
Subsidiaries |
NRG will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Subsidiaries) to, directly or
indirectly, create or permit to exist or become effective any
consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any
Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Subsidiaries) to:
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(1) pay dividends or make any other
distributions on its Capital Stock to NRG or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Subsidiaries), or
with respect to any other interest or |
S-127
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participation in, or measured by, its profits, or pay any
indebtedness owed to NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
(other than Excluded Subsidiaries); |
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(2) make loans or advances to NRG
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Excluded
Subsidiaries); or |
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(3) transfer any of its properties
or assets to NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other
than Excluded Subsidiaries). |
However, the preceding restrictions will not apply to
encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
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(1) agreements governing Existing
Indebtedness, on the date of the supplemental indentures, and
the Credit Agreement, on the date of the Acquisition; |
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(2) the indentures, the notes, the
security documents and the Subsidiary Guarantees (including the
exchange notes and related Subsidiary Guarantees); |
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(3) applicable law, rule,
regulation or order; |
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(4) customary non-assignment
provisions in contracts, agreements, leases, permits and
licenses; |
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(5) purchase money obligations for
property acquired and Capital Lease Obligations that impose
restrictions on the property purchased or leased of the nature
described in clause (3) of the preceding paragraph; |
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(6) any agreement for the sale or
other disposition of the stock or assets of a Restricted
Subsidiary that restricts distributions by that Restricted
Subsidiary pending the sale or other disposition; |
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(7) Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness; provided that the restrictions contained in
the agreements governing such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness
are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than
those contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness
being refinanced; |
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(8) Liens permitted to be incurred
under the provisions of the covenant described above under the
caption Liens and associated agreements that
limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets subject
to such Liens; |
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(9) provisions limiting the
disposition or distribution of assets or property in joint
venture, partnership, membership, stockholder and limited
liability company agreements, asset sale agreements,
sale-leaseback agreements, stock sale agreements and other
similar agreements, including owners, participation or
similar agreements governing projects owned through an undivided
interest, which limitation is applicable only to the assets that
are the subject of such agreements; |
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(10) restrictions on cash or other
deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts
entered into in connection with a Permitted Business; |
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(11) restrictions or conditions
contained in any trading, netting, operating, construction,
service, supply, purchase, sale or similar agreement to which
NRG or any Restricted Subsidiary of NRG is a party entered into
in connection with a Permitted Business; provided that
such agreement prohibits the encumbrance of solely the property
or assets of NRG or such Restricted Subsidiary that are the
subject of that agreement, the payment rights arising thereunder
and/or the proceeds thereof and not to any other asset or
property of NRG or such Restricted Subsidiary or the assets or
property of any other Restricted Subsidiary; |
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(12) any instrument governing
Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person acquired by NRG or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries as in effect at the time of such
acquisition (except to the extent such Indebtedness or Capital
Stock was incurred in connection with or in contemplation of
such acquisition), which encumbrance or restriction is not
applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any
Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets of the
Person, so acquired; provided that, in the case of
Indebtedness, such Indebtedness was permitted by the terms of
the applicable indenture to be incurred; |
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(13) Indebtedness of a Restricted
Subsidiary of NRG existing at the time it became a Restricted
Subsidiary if such restriction was not created in connection
with or in anticipation of the transaction or series of
transactions pursuant to which such Restricted Subsidiary became
a Restricted Subsidiary or was acquired by NRG; |
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(14) with respect to
clause (3) of the first paragraph of this covenant only,
restrictions encumbering property at the time such property was
acquired by NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, so long
as such restriction relates solely to the property so acquired
and was not created in connection with or in anticipation of
such acquisition; |
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(15) provisions limiting the
disposition or distribution of assets or property in agreements
governing Non-Recourse Debt, which limitation is applicable only
to the assets that are the subject of such agreements; and |
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(16) any encumbrance or
restrictions of the type referred to in clauses (1),
(2) and (3) of the first paragraph of this covenant
imposed by any amendments, modifications, restatements,
renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or
refinancings of the contracts, instruments or obligations
referred to in clauses (1) through (15) above;
provided that such amendments, modifications,
restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings,
replacements or refinancings are, in the good faith judgment of
a senior financial officer of NRG, no more restrictive with
respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than
those contained in the dividend or other payment restrictions
prior to such amendment, modification, restatement, renewals,
increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing. |
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Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets |
NRG may not, directly or indirectly: (1) consolidate or
merge with or into another Person (whether or not NRG is the
surviving corporation); or (2) sell, assign, transfer,
convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the
properties or assets of NRG and its Restricted Subsidiaries
taken as a whole, in one or more related transactions, to
another Person; unless:
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(1) either: (a) NRG is the
surviving corporation; or (b) the Person formed by or
surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than NRG)
or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other
disposition has been made is a corporation, partnership or
limited liability company organized or existing under the laws
of the United States, any state of the United States or the
District of Columbia; provided that if the Person is a
partnership or limited liability company, then a corporation
wholly-owned by such Person organized or existing under the laws
of the United States, any state of the United States or the
District of Columbia that does not and will not have any
material assets or operations shall become a co-issuer of each
series of notes pursuant to supplemental indentures duly
executed by the applicable trustee; |
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(2) the Person formed by or
surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than NRG)
or the Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer,
conveyance or other disposition has been made assumes all the
obligations of NRG under the notes and the indentures pursuant
to supplemental indentures or other documents and agreements
reasonably satisfactory to the trustee; |
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(3) immediately after such
transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists; and |
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(4) (i) NRG or the Person
formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if
other than NRG), or to which such sale, assignment, transfer,
conveyance or other disposition has been made will, on the date
of such transaction after giving pro forma effect thereto and
any related financing transactions as if the same had occurred
at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, be
permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness
pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in
the first paragraph of the covenant described above under the
caption Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of
Preferred Stock or (ii) NRGs Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio is greater after giving pro forma effect to such
consolidation or merger and any related financing transactions
as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable
four-quarter period than NRGs actual Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio for the period. |
In addition, NRG may not, directly or indirectly, lease all or
substantially all of its properties or assets, in one or more
related transactions, to any other Person.
S-129
This Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets
covenant will not apply to:
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(1) a merger of NRG with an
Affiliate solely for the purpose of reincorporating NRG in
another jurisdiction or forming a direct holding company of
NRG; and |
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(2) any sale, transfer, assignment,
conveyance, lease or other disposition of assets between or
among NRG and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including by way of
merger or consolidation. |
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Transactions with Affiliates |
NRG will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, make any payment to, or sell, lease, transfer
or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets to, or
purchase any property or assets from, or enter into or make or
amend any transaction, contract, agreement, understanding, loan,
advance or guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate
of NRG (each, an Affiliate Transaction)
involving aggregate payments in excess of $10.0 million,
unless:
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(1) the Affiliate Transaction is on
terms that are no less favorable to NRG (as reasonably
determined by NRG) or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than
those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction
by NRG or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated
Person; and |
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(2) NRG delivers to the trustee: |
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(a) with respect to any Affiliate
Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions
involving aggregate consideration in excess of
$50.0 million, a resolution of the Board of Directors set
forth in an officers certificate certifying that such
Affiliate Transaction complies with this covenant and that such
Affiliate Transaction has been approved by a majority of the
disinterested members of the Board of Directors; and |
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(b) with respect to any Affiliate
Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions
involving aggregate consideration in excess of
$100.0 million, an opinion as to the fairness to NRG or
such Restricted Subsidiary of such Affiliate Transaction from a
financial point of view issued by an accounting, appraisal or
investment banking firm of national standing. |
The following items will not be deemed to be Affiliate
Transactions and, therefore, will not be subject to the
provisions of the prior paragraph:
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(1) any employment agreement or
directors engagement agreement, employee benefit plan,
officer and director indemnification agreement or any similar
arrangement entered into by NRG or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries or approved by the Board of Directors of NRG in
good faith; |
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(2) transactions between or among
NRG and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries; |
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(3) transactions with a Person
(other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary of NRG) that is an
Affiliate of NRG solely because NRG owns, directly or through a
Restricted Subsidiary, an Equity Interest in, or controls, such
Person; |
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(4) payment of directors fees; |
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(5) any issuance of Equity
Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of NRG or its
Restricted Subsidiaries; |
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(6) Restricted Payments that do not
violate the provisions of the applicable indenture described
above under the caption Restricted Payments; |
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(7) any agreement in effect as of
the date of the supplemental indentures or any amendment thereto
or replacement thereof and any transaction contemplated thereby
or permitted thereunder, so long as any such amendment or
replacement agreement taken as a whole is not more
disadvantageous to the Holders than the original agreement as in
effect on the date of the supplemental indentures; |
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(8) payments or advances to
employees or consultants that are incurred in the ordinary
course of business or that are approved by the Board of
Directors of NRG in good faith; |
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(9) the existence of, or the
performance by NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of its
obligations under the terms of, any stockholders agreement
(including any registration rights agreement or purchase
agreement related thereto) to which it is a party as of the date
of the supplemental indentures and any similar agreements which
it may enter into thereafter; provided, however, that the
existence of, or the performance by NRG or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries of obligations under, any future amendment to any
such existing agreement or under any similar agreement entered
into after the date of the supplemental indentures shall only be
permitted by this clause (9) to the extent that the terms
of any such amendment or new agreement are not otherwise more
disadvantageous to the holders of the notes in any material
respect; |
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(10) transactions permitted by, and
complying with, the provisions of the covenant described under
Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets; |
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(11) transactions with customers,
clients, suppliers, joint venture partners or purchasers or
sellers of goods or services (including pursuant to joint
venture agreements) otherwise in compliance with the terms of
the applicable indenture that are fair to NRG and its Restricted
Subsidiaries, in the reasonable determination of a senior
financial officer of NRG, or are on terms not materially less
favorable taken as a whole as might reasonably have been
obtained at such time from an unaffiliated party; |
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(12) any repurchase, redemption or
other retirement of Capital Stock of NRG held by employees of
NRG or any of its Subsidiaries; |
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(13) loans or advances to employees
or consultants; |
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(14) the transactions contemplated
by the Acquisition Agreement and the payment of all fees and
expenses related thereto; |
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(15) any Permitted Investment in
another Person involved in a Permitted Business; |
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(16) transactions in which NRG or
any Restricted Subsidiary of NRG, as the case may be, delivers
to the trustee a letter from an Independent Financial Advisor
stating that such transaction is fair to NRG or such Restricted
Subsidiary from a financial point of view or meets the
requirements of clause (1) of the preceding paragraph; |
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(17) the guarantee of Permitted
Itiquira Indebtedness; and |
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(18) any agreement to do any of the
foregoing. |
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Additional Subsidiary Guarantees |
If,
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NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries acquires or creates
another Domestic Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary
or a Domestic Subsidiary that does not Guarantee any other
Indebtedness of NRG) after the date of the supplemental
indentures, |
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any Excluded Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary ceases to
be an Excluded Subsidiary after the date of the supplemental
indentures, or |
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any Domestic Subsidiary that does not Guarantee any other
Indebtedness of NRG subsequently Guarantees other Indebtedness
of NRG, |
then such newly acquired or created Subsidiary, former Excluded
Subsidiary, or Domestic Subsidiary, as the case may be, will
become a Guarantor and execute a supplemental indenture and
deliver an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the trustee within
30 business days of the date on which it was acquired or created
or ceased to be an Excluded Subsidiary or Guaranteed other
Indebtedness of NRG, as the case may be.
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Designation of Restricted, Unrestricted and Excluded
Project Subsidiaries |
The Board of Directors may designate any Restricted Subsidiary
to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary if that designation would not
cause a Default. If a Restricted Subsidiary is designated as an
Unrestricted Subsidiary, the aggregate fair market value of all
outstanding Investments owned by NRG and its Restricted
Subsidiaries in the Subsidiary designated as Unrestricted will
be deemed to be an Investment made as of the time of the
designation and will reduce the amount available for Restricted
Payments under the covenant described above under the caption
Restricted Payments or under one or more
clauses of the definition of Permitted Investments, as
determined by NRG. That designation will only be permitted if
the Investment would be permitted at that time and if the
Restricted Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an
Unrestricted Subsidiary. The Board of Directors may redesignate
any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary if
that redesignation would not cause a Default.
The Board of Directors may designate any Restricted Subsidiary
to be an Excluded Project Subsidiary if that designation would
not cause a Default. If a Restricted Subsidiary that is not an
Excluded Project Subsidiary is designated as an Excluded Project
Subsidiary, the aggregate fair market value of all outstanding
Investments owned by NRG and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the
Subsidiary designated as an Excluded Project Subsidiary will be
deemed to be an Investment made as of the time of the
designation and will reduce the amount available for Restricted
Payments under the covenant described above under the caption
Restricted Payments or under one or more
clauses of the definition of Permitted Investments, as
determined by NRG. That designation will only be permitted if
the Investment would be permitted at that time and if the
Restricted Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an
Excluded Project Subsidiary. The Board of Directors may
redesignate any Excluded Project Subsidiary to be a Restricted
Subsidiary that is not an Excluded Project Subsidiary if that
redesignation would not cause a Default.
NRG will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid
any consideration to or for the benefit of any holder of any
series of notes for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver
or amendment of any of the terms or provisions of the indenture
governing such notes or such notes unless such consideration is
offered to be paid and is paid to all holders of such notes that
consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in
the solicitation documents relating to such consent, waiver or
agreement.
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New York Public Service Law |
NRG will use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain an order,
on or before the date that is 364 days after the date of
the supplemental indentures, from the New York Public Service
Commission permitting each Subsidiary Guarantee issued on the
date of the supplemental indentures that is subject
Section 69 of the New York Public Service Law to remain
outstanding after such 364th day.
Reports
Whether or not required by the Commissions rules and
regulations, so long as any notes are outstanding, NRG will
furnish to the holders of notes or cause the trustee to furnish
to the holders of notes, within the time periods (including any
extensions thereof) specified in the Commissions rules and
regulations:
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(1) all quarterly and annual
reports that would be required to be filed with the Commission
on Forms 10-Q
and 10-K if NRG
were required to file such reports; and |
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(2) all current reports that would
be required to be filed with the Commission on
Form 8-K if NRG
were required to file such reports. |
All such reports will be prepared in all material respects in
accordance with all of the rules and regulations applicable to
such reports. Each annual report on
Form 10-K will
include a report on NRGs consolidated financial statements
by NRGs independent registered public accounting firm. In
addition, NRG will file a copy of each of the reports referred
to in clauses (1) and (2) above with the Commission
for public
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availability within the time periods specified in the rules and
regulations applicable to such reports (unless the Commission
will not accept such a filing). To the extent such filings are
made, the reports will be deemed to be furnished to the trustee
and holders of notes.
If NRG is no longer subject to the periodic reporting
requirements of the Exchange Act for any reason, NRG will
nevertheless continue filing the reports specified in the
preceding paragraph with the Commission within the time periods
specified above unless the Commission will not accept such a
filing. NRG agrees that it will not take any action for the
purpose of causing the Commission not to accept any such
filings. If, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Commission will
not accept NRGs filings for any reason, NRG will post the
reports referred to in the preceding paragraph on its website
within the time periods that would apply if NRG were required to
file those reports with the Commission.
In addition, NRG and the Guarantors agree that, for so long as
any notes remain outstanding, at any time they are not required
to file the reports required by the preceding paragraphs with
the Commission, they will furnish to the holders and to
securities analysts and prospective investors, upon their
request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to
Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
Events of Default and Remedies
Each of the following is an Event of Default with respect to
each series of notes:
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(1) default for 30 days in the
payment when due of interest on such notes; |
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(2) default in payment when due of
the principal of, or premium, if any, on such notes; |
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(3) failure by NRG or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries for 30 days after written notice
given by the trustees or holders, to comply with any of the
other agreements in the indenture governing such notes; |
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(4) default under any mortgage,
indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by
which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for
money borrowed by NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or
the payment of which is guaranteed by NRG or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries) whether such Indebtedness or guarantee
now exists, or is created after the date of the supplemental
indentures, if that default: |
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(a) is caused by a failure to pay
principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on such
Indebtedness prior to the expiration of the grace period
provided in such Indebtedness on the date of such default (a
Payment Default); or |
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(b) results in the acceleration of
such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity, |
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and, in each case, the principal amount of any such
Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other
such Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default
or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates
$100.0 million or more; provided that this
clause (4) shall not apply to (i) secured Indebtedness
that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer
of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness to a Person
that is not an Affiliate of NRG; (ii) Non-Recourse Debt of
NRG Peaker Finance Company LLC; and (iii) Non-Recourse Debt
of NRG or any of its Subsidiaries (except to the extent that NRG
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that are not parties to
such Non-Recourse Debt becomes directly or indirectly liable,
including pursuant to any contingent obligation, for any
Indebtedness thereunder and such liability, individually or in
the aggregate, exceeds $100.0 million); |
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(5) one or more judgments for the
payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of
$100.0 million (excluding therefrom any amount reasonably
expected to be covered by insurance) shall be rendered against
NRG any Restricted Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the
same shall not have been paid, discharged or stayed for a period
of 60 days after such judgment became final and
non-appealable; |
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(6) failure by NRG to comply with
any material term of the escrow and security agreement that is
not cured within 10 days; |
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(7) the escrow and security
agreement or any other security document or any Lien purported
to be granted thereby on the escrow account or the cash or
Government Securities therein is held in any judicial proceeding
to be unenforceable or invalid, in whole or in part, or ceases
for any reason (other than pursuant to a release that is
delivered or becomes effective as set forth in the indenture
governing such notes) to be fully enforceable and perfected; |
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(8) except as permitted by the
indenture governing such notes, any Subsidiary Guarantee shall
be held in any final and non-appealable judicial proceeding to
be unenforceable or invalid or shall cease for any reason to be
in full force and effect or any Guarantor (or any group of
Guarantors) that constitutes a Significant Subsidiary, or any
Person acting on behalf of any Guarantor (or any group of
Guarantors) that constitutes a Significant Subsidiary, shall
deny or disaffirm its or their obligations under its or their
Subsidiary Guarantee(s); and |
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(9) certain events of bankruptcy or
insolvency described in the indenture governing such notes with
respect to NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than
the Exempt Subsidiaries) that is a Significant Subsidiary or any
group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would
constitute a Significant Subsidiary. |
In the case of an Event of Default with respect to any series of
notes arising from certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency,
with respect to NRG, any Restricted Subsidiary (other than the
Exempt Subsidiaries) that is a Significant Subsidiary or any
group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would
constitute a Significant Subsidiary, all of such notes that are
outstanding will become due and payable immediately without
further action or notice. If any other Event of Default occurs
and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in
principal amount of such notes that are outstanding may declare
all such notes to be due and payable immediately.
Subject to certain limitations, holders of a majority in
principal amount of the notes of any series that are then
outstanding may direct the trustee for such notes in its
exercise of any trust or power. The trustee for any series of
notes may withhold from holders of such notes notice of any
continuing Default or Event of Default if it determines that
withholding notice is in their interest, except a Default or
Event of Default relating to the payment of principal or
interest.
Subject to the provisions of the indenture for any series of
notes relating to the duties of the applicable trustee, in case
an Event of Default occurs and is continuing under such
indenture, the applicable trustee for such notes will be under
no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under such
indenture at the request or direction of any holders of such
notes unless such holders have offered to such trustee
reasonable indemnity or security against any loss, liability or
expense. Except to enforce the right to receive payment of
principal, premium (if any) or interest when due, no holder of a
note of any series may pursue any remedy with respect to the
indenture governing such series of notes or such notes unless:
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(1) such holder has previously
given the trustee for such series notice that an Event of
Default is continuing; |
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(2) holders of at least 25% in
aggregate principal amount of the notes of such series that are
then outstanding have requested the trustee to pursue the remedy; |
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(3) such holders have offered such
trustee reasonable security or indemnity against any loss,
liability or expense; |
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(4) such trustee has not complied
with such request within 60 days after the receipt thereof
and the offer of security or indemnity; and |
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(5) holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of such notes that are then
outstanding have not given such trustee a direction inconsistent
with such request within such
60-day period. |
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
notes of any series then outstanding by notice to the trustee
for such series of notes may, on behalf of the holders of all of
such notes, rescind an acceleration or waive any existing
Default or Event of Default and its consequences under such
indenture for
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such series except a continuing Default or Event of Default in
the payment of interest on, or the principal of, such notes.
NRG is required to deliver to the trustee annually a statement
regarding compliance with the indentures. Upon becoming aware of
any Default or Event of Default, NRG is required to deliver to
the trustee for each series of notes a statement specifying such
Default or Event of Default.
No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and
Stockholders
No director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of
NRG or any Guarantor, as such, will have any liability for any
obligations of NRG or the Guarantors under the notes, the
indentures, the Subsidiary Guarantees, or the escrow and
security agreement, or for any claim based on, in respect of, or
by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each holder of
notes by accepting a note waives and releases all such
liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration
for issuance of the notes. The waiver may not be effective to
waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.
Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance
NRG may, at its option and at any time, elect to have all of its
obligations discharged with respect to notes of any series that
are outstanding and all obligations of the Guarantors of such
notes discharged with respect to their Subsidiary Guarantees
(Legal Defeasance) except for:
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(1) the rights of holders of such
notes that are then outstanding to receive payments in respect
of the principal of, or interest or premium on such notes when
such payments are due from the trust referred to below; |
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(2) NRGs obligations with
respect to such notes concerning issuing temporary notes,
registration of notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen
notes and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and
money for security payments held in trust; |
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(3) the rights, powers, trusts,
duties and immunities of the trustee for such notes, and
NRGs and the Guarantors obligations in connection
therewith; and |
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(4) the Legal Defeasance provisions
of the indenture for such notes. |
In addition, NRG may, at its option and at any time, elect to
have the obligations of NRG and the Guarantors released with
respect to certain covenants (including its obligation to make
Change of Control Offers and Asset Sale Offers) that are
described in the indenture governing a series of notes
(Covenant Defeasance) and thereafter any
omission to comply with those covenants will not constitute a
Default or Event of Default with respect to such notes. In the
event Covenant Defeasance occurs, certain events (not including
non-payment, bankruptcy, receivership, rehabilitation and
insolvency events) described under Events of Default
and Remedies will no longer constitute an Event of Default
with respect to such notes.
In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant
Defeasance:
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(1) NRG must irrevocably deposit
with the trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the holders of
the notes subject to Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance,
cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities,
or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable
Government Securities, in amounts as will be sufficient, in the
opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal
firm or firm of independent public accountants to pay the
principal of, or interest and premium on such notes that are
then outstanding on the Stated Maturity or on the applicable
redemption date, as the case may be, and NRG must specify
whether such notes are being defeased to maturity or to a
particular redemption date; |
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(2) in the case of Legal
Defeasance, NRG has delivered to the trustee an opinion of
counsel reasonably acceptable to the trustee for the applicable
series of notes confirming that (a) NRG has received from,
or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a
ruling or (b) since the date of the supplemental
indentures, there has been a change in the applicable federal
income tax law, in |
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either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion
of counsel will confirm that, the holders of such notes that are
then outstanding will not recognize income, gain or loss for
federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance
and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts,
in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the
case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred; |
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(3) in the case of Covenant
Defeasance, NRG has delivered to the trustee for the applicable
series of notes an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to
the trustee confirming that the holders of such notes that are
then outstanding will not recognize income, gain or loss for
federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant
Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same
amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have
been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred; |
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(4) no Default or Event of Default
with respect to such series of notes has occurred and is
continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or
Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be
applied to such deposit); |
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(5) such Legal Defeasance or
Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of,
or constitute a default under any material agreement or
instrument (other than the indenture governing such notes) to
which NRG or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which NRG
or any of its Subsidiaries is bound; |
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(6) NRG must deliver to the trustee
for the applicable series of notes an officers certificate
stating that the deposit was not made by NRG with the intent of
preferring the holders of notes over the other creditors of NRG
with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding
creditors of NRG or others; and |
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(7) NRG must deliver to the trustee
for the applicable series of notes an officers certificate
and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions
precedent relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant
Defeasance have been complied with. |
Amendment, Supplement and Waiver
Except as provided in the next two succeeding paragraphs, the
indenture governing any series of notes or the notes outstanding
thereunder may be amended or supplemented with the consent of
the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of such
notes then outstanding under that indenture (including, without
limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of,
or tender offer or exchange offer for, such notes), and any
existing default or compliance with any provision of such
indenture or the notes outstanding thereunder may be waived with
the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of
the notes that are then outstanding under that indenture
(including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection
with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, such
notes).
Without the consent of each holder of a series of notes
affected, an amendment or waiver may not (with respect to any
such notes held by a non-consenting holder):
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(1) reduce the principal amount of
such notes whose holders must consent to an amendment,
supplement or waiver; |
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(2) reduce the principal of or
change the fixed maturity of any such note or alter the
provisions with respect to the redemption of such notes (other
than provisions relating to the covenants described above under
the caption Repurchase at the Option of
Holders); |
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(3) reduce the rate of or change
the time for payment of interest on any such note; |
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(4) waive a Default or Event of
Default in the payment of principal of, or interest or premium
on such notes (except a rescission of acceleration of such notes
by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal
amount of such notes and a waiver of the payment default that
resulted from such acceleration); |
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(5) make any such note payable in
currency other than that stated in such notes; |
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(6) make any change in the
provisions of the indenture governing such notes relating to
waivers of past Defaults or the rights of holders of such notes
to receive payments of principal of, or interest or premium on
such notes; |
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(7) waive a redemption payment with
respect to any such note (other than a payment required by one
of the covenants described above under the caption
Repurchase at the Option of Holders); |
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(8) amend or waive any term of the
escrow and security agreements; or |
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(9) make any change in the
preceding amendment and waiver provisions. |
Notwithstanding the preceding, without the consent of any holder
of notes, NRG, the Guarantors and the trustee may amend or
supplement any indenture or the notes:
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(1) to cure any ambiguity, defect
or inconsistency; |
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(2) to provide for uncertificated
notes in addition to or in place of certificated notes; |
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(3) to provide for the assumption
of NRGs obligations to holders of notes in the case of a
merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of
NRGs assets; |
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(4) to make any change that would
provide any additional rights or benefits to the holders of
notes or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under
any indenture of any such holder; |
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(5) to comply with requirements of
the Commission in order to effect or maintain the qualification
of any indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; |
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(6) to conform the text of any
indenture or the notes to any provision of this Description of
Notes to the extent that such provision in this Description of
Notes was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of
that indenture or the notes outstanding thereunder; |
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(7) to evidence and provide for the
acceptance and appointment under any indenture of a successor
trustee pursuant to the requirements thereof; |
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(8) to provide for the issuance of
additional notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in
the indentures as of the date hereof; or |
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(9) to allow any Guarantor to
execute a supplemental indenture and/or a Subsidiary Guarantee
with respect to the notes. |
Satisfaction and Discharge
The indenture for any series of notes will be discharged and
will cease to be of further effect as to all notes issued
thereunder, when:
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(a) all such notes that have been
authenticated, except lost, stolen or destroyed notes that have
been replaced or paid and notes for whose payment money has been
deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to NRG, have been
delivered to the trustee for such notes for cancellation; or |
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(b) all such notes that have not
been delivered to the trustee for such notes for cancellation
have become due and payable by reason of the mailing of a notice
of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable within
one year and NRG or any Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or
caused to be deposited with the trustee for such notes as trust
funds in trust solely for the benefit of the holders of such
notes, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government
Securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and
non-callable Government Securities, in amounts as will be
sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of
interest, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such
notes not delivered to the trustee for cancellation for
principal, premium and accrued interest to the date of maturity
or redemption; |
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(2) no Default or Event of Default
under such indenture has occurred and is continuing on the date
of the deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default
resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such
deposit) and the deposit will not result in a breach or
violation of, or constitute a default under, any other
instrument to which NRG or any Guarantor is a party or by which
NRG or any Guarantor is bound; |
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(3) NRG or any Guarantor has paid
or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under such
indenture; and |
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(4) NRG has delivered irrevocable
instructions to the trustee under such indenture to apply the
deposited money toward the payment of such notes at maturity or
the redemption date, as the case may be. |
In addition, NRG must deliver an officers certificate and
an opinion of counsel to the trustee stating that all conditions
precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.
Concerning the Trustee
If the trustee becomes a creditor of NRG or any Guarantor, the
indentures limit its right to obtain payment of claims in
certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in
respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The trustee
will be permitted to engage in other transactions;
however, if it acquires any conflicting interest it must
eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the
Commission for permission to continue (if such indenture has
been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act) or resign.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the notes of
each series that are outstanding will have the right to direct
the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for
exercising any remedy available to the trustee for such series,
subject to certain exceptions. The indentures provide that in
case an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the trustee
will be required, in the exercise of its power, to use the
degree of care of a prudent man in the conduct of his own
affairs. Subject to such provisions, the trustee will be under
no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the
indentures at the request of any holder of notes, unless such
holder has offered to the trustee security and indemnity
satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.
Certain Definitions
Set forth below are certain defined terms used in the
indentures. Reference is made to the indentures for a full
disclosure of all such terms, as well as any other capitalized
terms used herein for which no definition is provided.
Acquired Debt means, with respect to any
specified Person:
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(1) Indebtedness of any other
Person or asset existing at the time such other Person or asset
is merged with or into, is acquired by, or became a Subsidiary
of such specified Person, as the case may be, whether or not
such Indebtedness is incurred in connection with, or in
contemplation of, such other Person merging with or into, or
becoming a Restricted Subsidiary of, such specified
Person; and |
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(2) Indebtedness secured by a Lien
encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person. |
Acquisition means the acquisition of all of
the outstanding Equity Interests of Texas Genco LLC by NRG
pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement, among Texas Genco LLC,
NRG, and the direct and indirect owners of Texas Genco LLC party
thereto, dated as of September 30, 2005.
Affiliate of any specified Person means any
other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by
or under direct or indirect common control with such specified
Person. For purposes of this definition, control, as
used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly
or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of
the management or policies of such Person, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise;
provided that beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the
Voting
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Stock of a Person will be deemed to be control. For purposes of
this definition, the terms controlling,
controlled by and under common control
with have correlative meanings.
Applicable Law shall mean, as to any Person,
any ordinance, law, treaty, rule or regulation or determination
by an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority,
including ERCOT, in each case, applicable to or binding on such
Person or any of its property or assets or to which such Person
or any of its property is subject.
Applicable Premium means, (a) with
respect to any 2014 fixed rate note on any redemption date, the
greater of:
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(1) 1.0% of the principal amount of
such note; or |
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(2) the excess of: |
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(A) the present value at such
redemption date of (i) the redemption price of such note at
February 1, 2010, (such redemption price being set forth in the
table appearing above under the caption Optional
Redemption) plus (ii) all required interest payments
due on the note through February 1, 2010 (excluding accrued but
unpaid interest to the redemption date), computed using a
discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption
date plus 50 basis points; over |
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(B) the principal amount of the
note, if greater; and |
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(b) with respect to any 2016 note on any redemption date,
the greater of: |
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(1) 1.0% of the principal amount of such note; or |
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(2) the excess of: |
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(A) the present value at such redemption date of
(i) the redemption price of such note at February 1,
2011, (such redemption price being set forth in the table
appearing above under the caption Optional
Redemption) plus (ii) all required interest payments
due on the note through February 1, 2011 (excluding accrued
but unpaid interest to the redemption date), computed using a
discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption
date plus 50 basis points; over |
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(B) the principal amount of the note, if greater. |
Asset Sale means:
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(1) the sale, lease, conveyance or
other disposition of any assets or rights; provided that
the sale, conveyance or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of NRG and its Restricted
Subsidiaries taken as a whole will be governed by the provisions
of the indentures described above under the caption
Repurchase at the Option of HoldersChange of
Control and/or the provisions described above under the
caption Certain CovenantsMerger, Consolidation
or Sale of Assets and not by the provisions of the Asset
Sale covenant; and |
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(2) the issuance of Equity
Interests in any of NRGs Restricted Subsidiaries or the
sale of Equity Interests in any of its Subsidiaries. |
Notwithstanding the preceding, none of the following items will
be deemed to be an Asset Sale:
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(1) any single transaction or
series of related transactions for which NRG or its Restricted
Subsidiaries receive aggregate consideration of less than
$50.0 million; |
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(2) a transfer of assets or Equity
Interests between or among NRG and its Restricted Subsidiaries; |
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(3) an issuance of Equity Interests
by a Restricted Subsidiary of NRG to NRG or to a Restricted
Subsidiary of NRG; |
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(4) the sale or lease of products
or services and any sale or other disposition of damaged,
worn-out or obsolete assets; |
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(5) the sale or discount, in each
case without recourse, of accounts receivable, but only in
connection with the compromise or collection thereof; |
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(6) the licensing of intellectual
property; |
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(7) the sale, lease, conveyance or
other disposition for value of energy, fuel or emission credits
or contracts for any of the foregoing; |
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(8) the sale or other disposition
of cash or Cash Equivalents; |
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(9) a Restricted Payment that does
not violate the covenant described above under the caption
Certain CovenantsRestricted Payments or
a Permitted Investment; |
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(10) to the extent allowable under
Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, any
exchange of like property (excluding any boot
thereon) for use in a Permitted Business; and |
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(11) a disposition of assets in
connection with a foreclosure, transfer or deed in lieu of
foreclosure or other exercise of remedial action. |
Asset Sale Offer has the meaning assigned to
that term in the indentures governing the notes.
Attributable Debt in respect of a sale and
leaseback transaction means, at the time of determination, the
present value of the obligation of the lessee for net rental
payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such
sale and leaseback transaction including any period for which
such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the
lessor, be extended. Such present value shall be calculated
using a discount rate equal to the rate of interest implicit in
such transaction, determined in accordance with GAAP;
provided, however, that if such sale and leaseback
transaction results in a Capital Lease Obligation, the amount of
Indebtedness represented thereby will be determined in
accordance with the definition of Capital Lease
Obligation.
Beneficial Owner has the meaning assigned to
such term in
Rule 13d-3 and
Rule 13d-5 under
the Exchange Act. The terms Beneficially Owns and
Beneficially Owned have a corresponding meaning.
Board of Directors means:
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(1) with respect to a corporation,
the board of directors of the corporation or any committee
thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board; |
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(2) with respect to a partnership,
the Board of Directors of the general partner of the partnership; |
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(3) with respect to a limited
liability company, the managing member or members or any
controlling committee of managing members thereof; and |
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(4) with respect to any other
Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar
function. |
Capital Lease Obligation means, at the time
any determination is to be made, the amount of the liability in
respect of a capital lease that would at that time be required
to be capitalized on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP,
and the Stated Maturity thereof shall be the date of the last
payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease prior
to the first date upon which such lease may be prepaid by the
lessee without payment of a penalty.
Capital Stock means:
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(1) in the case of a corporation,
corporate stock; |
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(2) in the case of an association
or business entity, any and all shares, interests,
participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated)
of corporate stock; |
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(3) in the case of a partnership or
limited liability company, partnership interests (whether
general or limited) or membership interests; and |
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(4) any other interest or
participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a
share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets
of, the issuing Person, but excluding from all of the |
S-140
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foregoing any debt securities convertible into Capital Stock,
whether or not such debt securities include any right of
participation with Capital Stock. |
Cash Equivalents means:
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(1) United States dollars, Euros
or, in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, any local currencies
held by it from time to time; |
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(2) securities issued or directly
and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government
or any agency or instrumentality of the United States government
(provided that the full faith and credit of the United
States is pledged in support of those securities) having
maturities of not more than twelve months from the date of
acquisition; |
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(3) certificates of deposit and
eurodollar time deposits with maturities of twelve months or
less from the date of acquisition, bankers acceptances
with maturities not exceeding 12 months and overnight bank
deposits, in each case, with any domestic commercial bank having
capital and surplus in excess of $500.0 million and a
Thomson Bank Watch Rating of B or better; |
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(4) repurchase obligations with a
term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of
the types described in clauses (2) and (3) above entered
into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications
specified in clause (3) above; |
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(5) commercial paper having one of
the two highest ratings obtainable from Moodys Investors
Service, Inc. or Standard & Poors Rating Services
and in each case maturing within 12 months after the date
of acquisition; |
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(6) readily marketable direct
obligations issued by any state of the United States or any
political subdivision thereof, in either case having one of the
two highest rating categories obtainable from either
Moodys or S&P; and |
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(7) money market funds that invest
primarily in securities described in clauses (1) through
(6) of this definition. |
Change of Control means the occurrence of any
of the following:
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(1) the direct or indirect sale,
transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of
merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related
transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or
assets of NRG and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any
person (as that term is used in Section 13(d)
of the Exchange Act, but excluding any employee benefit plan of
NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, and any person or
entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other
fiduciary or administrator of such plan); |
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(2) the adoption of a plan relating
to the liquidation or dissolution of NRG; |
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(3) the consummation of any
transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or
consolidation) the result of which is that any
person (as defined above) becomes the Beneficial
Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting
Stock of NRG, measured by voting power rather than number of
shares; or |
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(4) the first day on which a
majority of the members of the Board of Directors of NRG are not
Continuing Directors. |
Change of Control Offer has the meaning
assigned to it in the indentures governing the notes.
Concurrent Cash Distributions has the meaning
assigned to it in the definition of Investments.
Consolidated Cash Flow means, with respect to
any specified Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income
of such Person for such period plus, without duplication:
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(1) an amount equal to any
extraordinary loss (including any loss on the extinguishment or
conversion of Indebtedness) plus any net loss realized by such
Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries |
S-141
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in connection with an Asset Sale (without giving effect of the
threshold provided in the definition thereof), to the extent
such losses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net
Income; plus |
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(2) provision for taxes based on
income or profits of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries
for such period, to the extent that such provision for taxes was
deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus |
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(3) the Fixed Charges of such
Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, to the
extent that such Fixed Charges were deducted in computing such
Consolidated Net Income; plus |
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(4) any expenses or charges related
to any equity offering, Permitted Investment, acquisition,
disposition, recapitalization or Indebtedness permitted to be
incurred by the indenture including a refinancing thereof
(whether or not successful), including such fees, expenses or
charges related to the offering of the notes and the Credit
Agreement, and deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income;
plus |
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(5) any professional and
underwriting fees related to any equity offering, Permitted
Investment, acquisition, recapitalization or Indebtedness
permitted to be incurred under the indenture and, in each case,
deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income;
plus |
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(6) the amount of any minority
interest expense deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income
(less the amount of any cash dividends paid to the holders of
such minority interests); plus |
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(7) any non cash gain or loss
attributable to Mark to Market Adjustments in connection with
Hedging Obligations; plus |
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(8) without duplication, any
writeoffs, writedowns or other non-cash charges reducing
Consolidated Net Income for such period, excluding any such
charge that represents an accrual or reserve for a cash
expenditure for a future period, plus |
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(9) all items classified as
extraordinary, unusual or nonrecurring non-cash losses or
charges (including, without limitation, severance, relocation
and other restructuring costs), and related tax effects
according to GAAP to the extent such non-cash charges or losses
were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income;
plus |
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(10) depreciation, depletion,
amortization (including amortization of intangibles but
excluding amortization of prepaid cash expenses that were paid
in a prior period) and other non-cash charges and expenses
(excluding any such non-cash expense to the extent that it
represents an accrual of or reserve for cash expenses in any
future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was
paid in a prior period) of such Person and its Restricted
Subsidiaries for such period to the extent that such
depreciation, depletion, amortization and other non-cash
expenses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net
Income; minus |
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(11) non-cash items increasing such
Consolidated Net Income for such period, other than the accrual
of revenue in the ordinary course of business; in each case, on
a consolidated basis and determined in accordance with GAAP
(including, without limitation, any increase in amortization or
depreciation or other non-cash charges resulting from the
application of purchase accounting in relation to the
Acquisition or any acquisition that is consummated after the
date of the supplemental indenture); minus |
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(12) interest income for such
period; |
provided, however, that Consolidated Cash Flow of NRG
will exclude the Consolidated Cash Flow attributable to Excluded
Subsidiaries to the extent that the declaration or payment of
dividends or similar distributions by the Excluded Subsidiary of
that Consolidated Cash Flow is not, as a result of an Excluded
Subsidiary Debt Default, then permitted by operation of the
terms of the relevant Excluded Subsidiary Debt Agreement;
provided that the Consolidated Cash Flow of the Excluded
Subsidiary will only be so excluded for that portion of the
period during which the condition described in the preceding
proviso has occurred and is continuing.
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Consolidated Net Income means, with respect
to any specified Person for any period, the aggregate of the Net
Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such
period, on a consolidated basis, determined in accordance with
GAAP; provided that:
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(1) the Net Income of any Person
that is not a Restricted Subsidiary or that is accounted for by
the equity method of accounting will be included only to the
extent of the amount of dividends or similar distributions
(including pursuant to other intercompany payments but excluding
Concurrent Cash Distributions) paid in cash to the specified
Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Person; |
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(2) for purposes of the covenant
described above under the caption Restricted
Payments only, the Net Income of any Restricted Subsidiary
will be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment
of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted
Subsidiary of that Net Income is not at the date of
determination permitted without any prior governmental approval
(that has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by
operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement,
instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or
governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary
or its stockholders; |
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(3) the cumulative effect of a
change in accounting principles will be excluded; |
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(4) any net after-tax non-recurring
or unusual gains, losses (less all fees and expenses relating
thereto) or other charges or revenue or expenses (including,
without limitation, relating to severance, relocation, one-time
compensation charges and the Acquisition) shall be excluded; |
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(5) any non-cash compensation
expense recorded from grants of stock appreciation or similar
rights, stock options, restricted stock or other rights to
officers, directors or employees shall be excluded, whether
under FASB 123R or otherwise; |
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(6) any net after-tax income (loss)
from disposed or discontinued operations and any net after-tax
gains or losses on disposal of disposed or discontinued
operations shall be excluded; |
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(7) any gains or losses (less all
fees and expenses relating thereto) attributable to asset
dispositions shall be excluded; |
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(8) any impairment charge or asset
write-off pursuant to Financial Accounting Statement
No. 142 and No. 144 or any successor pronouncement
shall be excluded; and |
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(9) any accruals or reserves or
other charges related to the Acquisition and the Related
Financing Transactions incurred on or before January 1,
2007, shall be excluded. |
Continuing Director means, as of any date of
determination, any member of the Board of Directors of NRG who:
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(1) was a member of such Board of
Directors on the date of the supplemental indentures; or |
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(2) was nominated for election or
elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a
majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such
Board at the time of such nomination or election. |
Credit Agreement means the Credit and
Guaranty Agreement, described in this prospectus supplement
under the heading Description of Other Indebtedness and
Preferred StockNew Senior Secured Credit Facility,
to be dated the date of the Acquisition, among NRG, the lenders
from time to time party hereto, Morgan Stanley Senior Funding,
Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as joint lead book
runners, joint lead arrangers and as co-documentation agents,
Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., as administrative agent and
as collateral agent, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as
syndication agent, providing for up to $5,300,000,000 of credit
facilities.
Credit Facilities means (i) one or more
debt facilities (including, without limitation, the Credit
Agreement) or commercial paper facilities, in each case with
banks or other institutional lenders providing for revolving
credit loans, term loans, credit-linked deposits (or similar
deposits) receivables financing (including through the sale of
receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities
formed to borrow from such
S-143
lenders against such receivables) or letters of credit and
(ii) debt securities sold to institutional investors, in
each case, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded,
replaced or refinanced (including by means of sales of debt
securities to institutional investors) in whole or in part from
time to time.
Designated Noncash Consideration means the
fair market value of non-cash consideration received by NRG or a
Guarantor in connection with an Asset Sale that is so designated
as Designated Noncash Consideration pursuant to an
officers certificate, setting forth the basis of such
valuation, executed by a senior financial officer of NRG, less
the amount of cash or Cash Equivalents received in connection
with a subsequent sale of such Designated Noncash Consideration.
Default means any event that is, or with the
passage of time or the giving of notice or both would be, an
Event of Default.
Determination Date means, with respect to an
Interest Period, the second London Banking Day preceding the
first day of such Interest Period.
Disqualified Stock means any Capital Stock
that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which
it is convertible, or for which it is exchangeable, in each case
at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock), or upon the
happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable,
pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or
redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock, in
whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days
after the date on which the notes mature. Notwithstanding the
preceding sentence, any Capital Stock that would constitute
Disqualified Stock solely because the holders of the Capital
Stock have the right to require NRG to repurchase such Capital
Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control or an asset
sale will not constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms of such
Capital Stock provide that NRG may not repurchase or redeem any
such Capital Stock pursuant to such provisions unless such
repurchase or redemption complies with the covenant described
above under the caption Certain
CovenantsRestricted Payments. The amount of
Disqualified Stock deemed to be outstanding at any time for
purposes of the indentures will be the maximum amount that NRG
and its Restricted Subsidiaries may become obligated to pay upon
the maturity of, or pursuant to any mandatory redemption
provisions of, such Disqualified Stock, exclusive of accrued
dividends.
Domestic Subsidiary means any Restricted
Subsidiary of NRG that was formed under the laws of the United
States or any state of the United States or the District of
Columbia or that guarantees or otherwise provides direct credit
support for any Indebtedness of NRG.
Environmental CapEx Debt shall mean
Indebtedness of NRG or its Restricted Subsidiaries incurred for
the purpose of financing Environmental Capital Expenditures.
Environmental Capital Expenditures shall mean
capital expenditures deemed necessary by NRG or its Restricted
Subsidiaries to comply with Environmental Laws.
Environmental Law shall mean any applicable
Federal, state, foreign or local statute, law, rule, regulation,
ordinance, code and rule of common law now or hereafter in
effect and in each case as amended, and any binding judicial or
administrative interpretation thereof, including any binding
judicial or administrative order, consent decree or judgment,
relating to the environment, human health or safety or Hazardous
Materials.
Equity Interests means Capital Stock and all
warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but
excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or
exchangeable for, Capital Stock).
Equity Offering means a sale of Capital Stock
(other than Disqualified Stock) of NRG pursuant to (1) a
public offering or (2) a private placement to Persons who
are not Affiliates of NRG.
ERCOT means the Electric Reliability Council
of Texas.
Excluded Foreign Subsidiary means, at any
time, any Foreign Subsidiary that is (or is treated as) for
United States federal income tax purposes either (1) a
corporation or (2) a pass-through entity owned directly or
indirectly by another Foreign Subsidiary that is (or is treated
as) a corporation; provided that notwithstanding the
foregoing, the following entities will be deemed to be
Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries:
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Sterling Luxembourg (No. 4) S.a.r.l., Tosli Acquisition BV,
NRGenerating Luxembourg (No. 6) S.a.r.l., NRG Pacific
Corporate Services Pty Ltd., NRGenerating III (Gibraltar),
NRGenerating IV (Gibraltar), NRGenerating Holdings
(No. 21) B.V., Tosli Acquisition B.V., Flinders Power
Finance Pty Ltd. and any subsidiary of Tosli Acquisition BV
incorporated or formed in connection with the Itiquira
Refinancing.
Excluded Proceeds means any Net Proceeds of
an Asset Sale involving the sale of up to $300,000,000 in the
aggregate received from one or more Asset Sales of Equity
Interests in, or property or assets of, any Foreign Subsidiaries
or any Foreign Subsidiary Holding Company.
Excluded Project Subsidiary shall mean, at
any time,
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(a) each Subsidiary of NRG that is
an obligor or otherwise bound with respect to Non-Recourse Debt
on the date of the supplemental indenture, |
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(b) any Person that becomes a
Subsidiary of NRG after the date of the supplemental indenture
that is an obligor or otherwise bound solely with respect to
Non-Recourse Debt, and |
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(c) any Subsidiary of NRG that is
designated by NRGs Board of Directors as an Excluded
Project Subsidiary pursuant to a Board Resolution, |
in each case, in accordance with the other provisions of the
indenture and if and for so long as the provision of a full and
unconditional guarantee by such subsidiary of the notes will
constitute or result in a breach, termination or default under
the agreement or instrument governing the applicable
Non-Recourse Debt of such subsidiary; provided that such
subsidiary shall be an Excluded Project Subsidiary only to the
extent that and for so long as the requirements and consequences
above shall exist.
Excluded Subsidiaries means the Excluded
Project Subsidiaries, the Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries and the
Immaterial Subsidiaries.
Excluded Subsidiary Debt Agreement means the
agreement or documents governing the relevant Indebtedness
referred to in the definition of Excluded Subsidiary Debt
Default.
Excluded Subsidiary Debt Default means, with
respect to any Excluded Subsidiary, the failure of such Excluded
Subsidiary to pay any principal or interest or other amounts due
in respect of any Indebtedness, when and as the same shall
become due and payable, or the occurrence of any other event or
condition that results in any Indebtedness of such Excluded
Subsidiary becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that
enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, lapse
of time or both) the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or
any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause such
Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment,
repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its
scheduled maturity.
Exempt Subsidiaries means, collectively, NRG
Ilion LP LLC, NRG Ilion Limited Partnership, Meriden Gas Turbine
LLC, LSP-Pike Energy LLC, LSP-Nelson Energy LLC, NRG Nelson
Turbines LLC, NRG Jackson Valley Energy I, Inc., NRG
McClain LLC, NRG Audrain Holding LLC, NRG Audrain Generating
LLC, NRG Peaker Finance Company LLC, Bayou Cove Peaking Power,
LLC, Big Cajun I Peaking Power LLC, NRG Rockford LLC,
NRG Rockford II LLC, NRG Rockford Equipment II LLC,
NRG Sterlington Power LLC and NRG Rockford Acquisition LLC.
Existing Genco Credit Facility and Notes
Indebtedness means Acquired Debt incurred pursuant to
the Acquisition to the extent such Acquired Debt is governed by
Texas Genco LLCs senior secured credit facility dated
December 14, 2004, as amended, or the indenture for Texas
Genco LLCs 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014, as amended.
Existing Indebtedness means Indebtedness of
NRG and its Subsidiaries (other than the Existing Genco Credit
Facility and Notes Indebtedness and Indebtedness under the
Credit Agreement) in existence on the date of the supplemental
indenture, until such amounts are repaid.
Facility means a power or energy related
facility.
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Facility Instruments has the meaning set
forth in the (i) Affirmation Agreement, dated as of
August 9, 1993, by and among Northern States Power Company,
NRG and Ramsey and Washington Counties and (ii) the
Agreement and Consent for Transfer to NRG, dated as of
August 20, 2001, between Northern States Power Company,
NRG, Anoka County, Hennepin County, Sherburne County and
Tri-County Solid Waste Management Commission, as in effect on
the date of the supplemental indentures.
fair market value means the value that would
be paid by a willing buyer to an unaffiliated willing seller in
a transaction not involving distress or necessity of either
party, determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of NRG
(unless otherwise provided in the applicable indenture).
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio means with
respect to any specified Person for any period, the ratio of the
Consolidated Cash Flow of such Person for such period to the
Fixed Charges of such Person for such period. In the event that
the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
incurs, assumes, Guarantees, repays, repurchases, redeems,
defeases or otherwise discharges any Indebtedness (other than
ordinary working capital borrowings) or issues, repurchases or
redeems preferred stock subsequent to the commencement of the
period for which the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is being
calculated and on or prior to the date on which the event for
which the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is made
(the Calculation Date), then the Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio will be calculated giving pro forma effect to
such incurrence, assumption, Guarantee, repayment, repurchase,
redemption, defeasance or other discharge of Indebtedness, or
such issuance, repurchase or redemption of preferred stock, and
the use of the proceeds therefrom, as if the same had occurred
at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter reference period.
In addition, for purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio:
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(1) Investments and acquisitions
that have been made by the specified Person or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries, including through mergers or
consolidations, or any Person or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries acquired by the specified Person or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries, and including any related financing
transactions and including increases in ownership of Restricted
Subsidiaries, during the four-quarter reference period or
subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to the
Calculation Date will be given pro forma effect (in accordance
with
Regulation S-X
under the Securities Act, but including all Pro Forma Cost
Savings) as if they had occurred on the first day of the
four-quarter reference period and Consolidated Cash Flow for
such reference period will be calculated on the same pro forma
basis; |
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(2) the Consolidated Cash Flow
attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in
accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses (and
ownership interests therein) disposed of prior to the
Calculation Date, will be excluded; |
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(3) the Fixed Charges attributable
to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with
GAAP, and operations or businesses (and ownership interests
therein) disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, will be
excluded, but only to the extent that the obligations giving
rise to such Fixed Charges will not be obligations of the
specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries following
the Calculation Date; |
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(4) any Person that is a Restricted
Subsidiary on the Calculation Date will be deemed to have been a
Restricted Subsidiary at all times during such four-quarter
period; |
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(5) any Person that is not a
Restricted Subsidiary on the Calculation Date will be deemed not
to have been a Restricted Subsidiary at any time during such
four-quarter period; and |
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(6) if any Indebtedness that is
being incurred on the Calculation Date bears a floating rate of
interest, the interest expense on such Indebtedness will be
calculated as if the rate in effect on the Calculation Date had
been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into
account any Hedging Obligation applicable to such Indebtedness. |
If since the beginning of such period any Person (that
subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with
or into NRG or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of
such period) shall have made any Investment, acquisition,
disposition, merger, consolidation or disposed operation that
would have required adjustment pursuant to this definition, then
the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro
forma effect thereto (including any Pro Forma Cost Savings) for
such period as if such Investment,
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acquisition or disposition, or classification of such operation
as discontinued had occurred at the beginning of the applicable
four-quarter period.
Fixed Charges means, with respect to any
specified Person for any period, the sum, without duplication,
of:
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(1) the consolidated interest
expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries (other
than interest expense of any Excluded Subsidiary the
Consolidated Cash Flow of which is excluded from the
Consolidated Cash Flow of such Person pursuant to the definition
of Consolidated Cash Flow) for such period, whether
paid or accrued, including, without limitation, amortization of
debt issuance costs and original issue discount, non-cash
interest payments, the interest component of any deferred
payment obligations, the interest component of all payments
associated with Capital Lease Obligations, imputed interest with
respect to Attributable Debt, and net of the effect of all
payments made or received pursuant to Hedging Obligations in
respect of interest rates; plus |
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(2) the consolidated interest of
such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized
during such period; plus |
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(3) any interest accruing on
Indebtedness of another Person that is Guaranteed by such Person
or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries or secured by a Lien on
assets of such Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries,
whether or not such Guarantee or Lien is called upon; plus |
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(4) the product of (a) all
dividends, whether paid or accrued and whether or not in cash,
on any series of preferred stock of such Person or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries, other than dividends on Equity
Interests payable in Equity Interests of NRG (other than
Disqualified Stock) or to NRG or a Restricted Subsidiary of NRG,
times (b) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the
denominator of which is one minus the then current combined
federal, state and local statutory tax rate of such Person,
expressed as a decimal, in each case, on a consolidated basis
and in accordance with GAAP; minus |
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(5) interest income for such period. |
Foreign Subsidiary means any Restricted
Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.
Foreign Subsidiary Holding Company means any
Domestic Subsidiary that is a direct parent of one or more
Foreign Subsidiaries and holds, directly or indirectly, no other
assets other than Equity Interests of Foreign Subsidiaries and
other de minimis assets related thereto.
GAAP means generally accepted accounting
principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the
Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements
of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other
statements by such other entity as have been approved by a
significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in
effect from time to time.
Guarantee means a guarantee other than by
endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the
ordinary course of business, direct or indirect, in any manner
including, without limitation, by way of a pledge of assets or
through letters of credit or reimbursement agreements in respect
thereof, of all or any part of any Indebtedness (whether arising
by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreements to
keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to
take or pay or to maintain financial statement conditions or
otherwise).
Guarantors means each of:
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(1) NRGs Restricted
Subsidiaries other than the Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries, the
Excluded Project Subsidiaries, and the Immaterial
Subsidiaries; and |
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(2) any other Restricted Subsidiary
that executes a Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with the
provisions of the indentures; |
and their respective successors and assigns.
S-147
Goldman Sachs Hedge Agreement means the
Master Power Purchase and Sale Agreement dated as of
July 21, 2004, between an affiliate of Goldman,
Sachs & Co. and Texas Genco, LP, as amended to the date
of the supplemental indentures, and any agreements related
thereto.
Governmental Authority shall mean any nation
or government, any state, province, territory or other political
subdivision thereof, and any entity exercising executive,
legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of
or pertaining to government, or any non-governmental authority
regulating the generation and/or transmission of energy.
Government Securities means direct
obligations of, or obligations guaranteed by, the United States
of America (including any agency or instrumentality thereof) for
the payment of which obligations or guarantees the full faith
and credit of the United States of America is pledged and which
are not callable or redeemable at the issuers option.
Hazardous Materials shall mean (a) any
petroleum or petroleum products, radioactive materials, friable
asbestos, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, transformers or
other equipment that contain dielectric fluid containing
regulated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and radon gas;
(b) any chemicals, materials or substances defined as or
included in the definition of hazardous substances,
hazardous waste, hazardous materials,
extremely hazardous waste, restricted
hazardous waste, toxic substances, toxic
pollutants, contaminants, or
pollutants or words of similar import, under any
applicable Environmental Law; and (c) any other chemical,
material or substance, which is prohibited, limited or regulated
by any Environmental Law.
Hedging Obligations means, with respect to
any specified Person, the obligations of such Person under:
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(1) currency exchange, interest
rate or commodity swap agreements, currency exchange, interest
rate or commodity cap agreements and currency exchange, interest
rate or commodity collar agreements, and |
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(2) (i) agreements or
arrangements designed to protect such Person against
fluctuations in currency exchange, interest rates, commodity
prices or commodity transportation or transmission pricing or
availability, including but not limited to the Goldman Sachs
Hedge Agreement; (ii) any netting arrangements, power
purchase and sale agreements, fuel purchase and sale agreements,
swaps, options and other agreements, in each case, that
fluctuate in value with fluctuations in energy, power or gas
prices; and (iii) agreements or arrangements for commercial
or trading activities with respect to the purchase,
transmission, distribution, sale, lease or hedge of any energy
related commodity or service. |
Immaterial Subsidiary shall mean, at any
time, any Restricted Subsidiary of NRG that is designated by NRG
as an Immaterial Subsidiary if and for so long as
such Restricted Subsidiary, together with all other Immaterial
Subsidiaries, has (i) total assets at such time not
exceeding 5% of NRGs consolidated assets as of the most
recent fiscal quarter for which balance sheet information is
available and (ii) total revenues and operating income for
the most recent
12-month period for
which income statement information is available not exceeding 5%
of NRGs consolidated revenues and operating income,
respectively; provided that such Restricted Subsidiary
shall be an Immaterial Subsidiary only to the extent that and
for so long as all of the above requirements are satisfied.
Indebtedness means, with respect to any
specified Person, any indebtedness of such Person (excluding
accrued expenses and trade payables, except as provided in
clause (5) below), whether or not contingent:
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(1) in respect of borrowed money; |
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(2) evidenced by bonds, notes,
debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit (or
reimbursement agreements in respect thereof); |
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(3) in respect of bankers
acceptances; |
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(4) representing Capital Lease Obligations or Attributable
Debt in respect of sale and leaseback transactions; |
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(5) representing the balance
deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property
(including trade payables) or services due more than six months
after such property is acquired or such services are
completed; or |
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(6) representing the net amount
owing under any Hedging Obligations, |
S-148
if and to the extent any of the preceding items (other than
letters of credit, Attributable Debt and Hedging Obligations)
would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of the
specified Person prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition,
the term Indebtedness includes all Indebtedness of
others secured by a Lien on any asset of the specified Person
(whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by the specified
Person) and, to the extent not otherwise included, the Guarantee
by the specified Person of any Indebtedness of any other Person;
provided, that the amount of such Indebtedness shall be
deemed not to exceed the lesser of the amount secured by such
Lien and the value of the Persons property securing such
Lien.
Independent Financial Advisor means an
accounting, appraisal, investment banking firm or consultant to
Persons engaged in a Permitted Business of nationally recognized
standing that is, in the good faith judgment of NRG, qualified
to perform the task for which it has been engaged.
Interest Period means, for purposes of the
2014 floating rate notes, the period commencing on and including
an interest payment date and ending on and including the day
immediately preceding the next succeeding interest payment date,
with the exception that the first Interest Period shall commence
on and include the date of the 2014 floating rate indenture and
end on and include April 30, 2006.
Investment Grade Rating means a rating equal
to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P and equal
to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moodys.
Investments means, with respect to any
Person, all direct or indirect investments by such Person in
other Persons (including Affiliates) in the forms of loans
(including Guarantees or other obligations), advances or capital
contributions (excluding commission, travel and similar advances
to officers and employees), purchases or other acquisitions for
consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other
securities, together with all items that are or would be
classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in
accordance with GAAP. If NRG or any Subsidiary of NRG sells or
otherwise disposes of any Equity Interests of any direct or
indirect Subsidiary of NRG such that, after giving effect to any
such sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a Subsidiary
of NRG, NRG will be deemed to have made an Investment on the
date of any such sale or disposition equal to the fair market
value of NRGs Investments in such Subsidiary that were not
sold or disposed of in an amount determined as provided in the
final paragraph of the covenant described above under the
caption Certain CovenantsRestricted
Payments. The acquisition by NRG or any Subsidiary of NRG
of a Person that holds an Investment in a third Person will be
deemed to be an Investment by NRG or such Subsidiary in such
third Person in an amount equal to the fair market value of the
Investments held by the acquired Person in such third Person in
an amount determined as provided in the final paragraph of the
covenant described above under the caption Certain
CovenantsRestricted Payments. Except as otherwise
provided in the indentures, the amount of an Investment will be
determined at the time the Investment is made and without giving
effect to subsequent changes in value.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, in the case of
any Investment made by NRG or a Restricted Subsidiary of NRG in
a Person substantially concurrently with a cash distribution by
such Person to NRG or a Guarantor (a Concurrent Cash
Distribution), then:
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(a) the Concurrent Cash
Distribution shall be deemed to be Net Proceeds received in
connection with an Asset Sale and applied as set forth above
under the caption Asset Sales; and |
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(b) the amount of such Investment
shall be deemed to be the fair market value of the Investment,
less the amount of the Concurrent Cash Distribution. |
Itiquira shall mean Itiquira Energetica S.A.
Itiquira Acquisition Sub shall have the
meaning assigned to such term in the definition of Itiquira
Refinancing.
Itiquira Refinancing means the transaction or
series of related transactions pursuant to which (a) any or
all of the outstanding preferred stock of Itiquira directly or
indirectly held by Eletrobrás is acquired by Itiquira or a
subsidiary of Tosli Acquisition BV (Itiquira
Acquisition Sub) for an aggregate consideration not to
exceed to $70,000,000, and, following such acquisition, such
preferred stock is redeemed, repaid or otherwise retired or held
as treasury stock or otherwise treated in accordance with the
requirements of
S-149
Brazilian law, and (b) pursuant to which Itiquira or the
Itiquira Acquisition Sub may incur up to $70,000,000 in
aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness secured by Liens on
the assets of Itiquira and the Itiquira Acquisition Sub
(Permitted Itiquira Indebtedness), in each
case on terms and conditions (which may include terms and
conditions other than those set forth in this definition)
reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent under the
Credit Agreement.
Lenders means, at any time, the parties to
the Credit Agreement then holding (or committed to provide)
loans, letters of credit, Credit-Linked Deposits or other
extensions of credit that constitute (or when provided will
constitute) Indebtedness outstanding under the Credit Agreement.
LIBOR means, with respect to an Interest
Period, the rate (expressed as a percentage per annum)
for deposits in U.S. dollars for a three month period
beginning on the second London Banking Day after the
Determination Date that appears on Telerate Page 3750 as of
11:00 a.m., London time, on the Determination Date. If
Telerate Page 3750 does not include such a rate or is
unavailable on a Determination Date, the Calculation Agent will
request the principal London office of each of four major banks
in the London interbank market, as selected by the Calculation
Agent, to provide such banks offered quotation (expressed
as a percentage per annum), as of approximately
11:00 a.m., London time, on such Determination Date, to
prime banks in the London interbank market for deposits in a
Representative Amount in U.S. dollars for a three month
period beginning on the second London Banking Day after the
Determination Date. If at least two such offered quotations are
so provided, the rate for the Interest Period will be the
arithmetic mean of such quotations. If fewer than two such
quotations are so provided, the Calculation Agent will request
each of three major banks in New York City, as selected by the
Calculation Agent, to provide such banks rate (expressed
as a percentage per annum), as of approximately
11:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Determination Date,
for loans in a Representative Amount in U.S. dollars to
leading European banks for a three month period beginning on the
second London Banking Day after the Determination Date. If at
least two such rates are so provided, the rate for the Interest
Period will be the arithmetic mean of such rates. If fewer than
two such rates are so provided, then the rate for the Interest
Period will be the rate in effect with respect to the
immediately preceding Interest Period. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, LIBOR for the first Interest Period will
be %.
Lien means, with respect to any asset:
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(1) any mortgage, deed of trust,
deed to secure debt, lien (statutory or otherwise), pledge,
hypothecation, encumbrance, restriction, collateral assignment,
charge or security interest in, on or of such asset; |
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(2) the interest of a vendor or a
lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or
title retention agreement (or any financing lease having
substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing)
relating to such asset; and |
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(3) in the case of Equity Interests
or debt securities, any purchase option, call or similar right
of a third party with respect to such Equity Interests or debt
securities. |
London Banking Day means any business day in
which dealings in U.S. dollar deposits are transacted in
the London interbank market.
Mark-to-Market
Adjustments means:
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(1) any non-cash loss attributable
to the mark-to-market
movement in the valuation of Hedging Obligations (to the extent
the cash impact resulting from such loss has not been realized)
or other derivative instruments pursuant to Financial Accounting
Standards Board Statement No. 133, Accounting for
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities; plus |
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(a) any loss relating to amounts
paid in cash prior to the stated settlement date of any Hedging
Obligation that has been reflected in Consolidated Net Income in
the current period; plus |
S-150
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(b) any gain relating to Hedging
Obligations associated with transactions recorded in the current
period that has been reflected in Consolidated Net Income in
prior periods and excluded from Consolidated Cash Flow pursuant
to clauses (2)(a) and (2)(b) below; less, |
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(2) any non-cash gain attributable
to the mark-to-market
movement in the valuation of Hedging Obligations (to the extent
the cash impact resulting from such gain has not been realized)
or other derivative instruments pursuant to Financial Accounting
Standards Board Statement No. 133, Accounting for
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities; less |
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(a) any gain relating to amounts
received in cash prior to the stated settlement date of any
Hedging Obligation that has been reflected in Consolidated Net
Income in the current period; less |
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(b) any loss relating to Hedging
Obligations associated with transactions recorded in the current
period that has been reflected in Consolidated Net Income in
prior periods and excluded from Consolidated Cash Flow pursuant
to clauses (1)(a) and (1)(b) above. |
Material Adverse Effect shall mean a material
adverse change in or material adverse effect on the condition
(financial or otherwise), results of operations, assets,
liabilities or prospects of NRG and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole.
Moodys means Moodys Investors
Service, Inc. or any successor entity.
Necessary CapEx Debt shall mean Indebtedness
of NRG or its Restricted Subsidiaries incurred for the purpose
of financing Necessary Capital Expenditures.
Necessary Capital Expenditures shall mean
capital expenditures that are required by Applicable Law (other
than Environmental Laws) or undertaken for health and safety
reasons. The term Necessary Capital Expenditures
does not include any capital expenditure undertaken primarily to
increase the efficiency of, expand or re-power any power
generation facility.
Net Income means, with respect to any
specified Person, the net income (loss) of such Person,
determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in
respect of preferred stock dividends or accretion, excluding,
however:
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(1) any gain or loss, together with
any related provision for taxes on such gain or loss, realized
in connection with: (a) any Asset Sale (without giving
effect to the threshold provided for in the definition thereof);
or (b) the disposition of any securities by such Person or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or the extinguishment of any
Indebtedness of such Person or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries; and |
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(2) any extraordinary gain or loss,
together with any related provision for taxes on such
extraordinary gain or loss. |
Net Proceeds means the aggregate cash
proceeds received by NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
in respect of any Asset Sale (including, without limitation, any
cash received upon the sale or other disposition of any non-cash
consideration received in any Asset Sale), net of the direct
costs relating to such Asset Sale, including, without
limitation, legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and
sales commissions, and any relocation expenses incurred as a
result of the Asset Sale, taxes paid or payable as a result of
the Asset Sale, in each case, after taking into account any
available tax deductions and any tax sharing arrangements, and
amounts required to be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness,
other than Indebtedness under a Credit Facility, secured by a
Lien on the asset or assets that were the subject of such Asset
Sale and any reserve for adjustment in respect of the sale price
of such asset or assets established in accordance with GAAP.
Non-Recourse Debt means Indebtedness:
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(1) as to which neither NRG nor any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than an Excluded Project
Subsidiary) (a) provides credit support of any kind
(including any undertaking, agreement or instrument that would
constitute Indebtedness) other than pursuant to a Non-Recourse
Guarantee or any arrangement to provide or guarantee to provide
goods and services on an arms length basis, (b) is |
S-151
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directly or indirectly liable as a guarantor or otherwise, other
than pursuant to a Non-Recourse Guarantee, or
(c) constitutes the lender; |
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(2) no default with respect to
which (including any rights that the holders of the Indebtedness
may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted
Subsidiary) would permit upon notice, lapse of time or both any
holder of any other Indebtedness of NRG (other than the notes
and the Credit Agreement) or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
to declare a default on such other Indebtedness or cause the
payment of such other Indebtedness to be accelerated or payable
prior to its Stated Maturity; and |
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(3) in the case of Non-Recourse
Debt incurred after the date of the supplemental indentures, as
to which the lenders have been notified in writing that they
will not have any recourse to the stock or assets of NRG or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries except as otherwise permitted by
clauses (1) or (2) above; |
provided, however, that the following shall be deemed to be
Non-Recourse Debt: (i) Guarantees with respect to debt
service reserves established with respect to a Subsidiary to the
extent that such Guarantee shall result in the immediate payment
of funds, pursuant to dividends or otherwise, in the amount of
such Guarantee; (ii) contingent obligations of NRG or any
other Subsidiary to make capital contributions to a Subsidiary;
(iii) any credit support or liability consisting of
reimbursement obligations in respect of Letters of Credit issued
under and subject to the terms of, the Credit Agreement to
support obligations of a Subsidiary; and (iv) any
Investments in a Subsidiary, to the extent in the case of
(i) through (iv) otherwise permitted by the indentures.
Non-Recourse Guarantee means any Guarantee by
NRG or a Guarantor of Non-Recourse Debt incurred by an Excluded
Project Subsidiary as to which the lenders of such Non-Recourse
Debt have acknowledged that they will not have any recourse to
the stock or assets of NRG or any Guarantor, except to the
limited extent set forth in such guarantee.
Obligations means any principal, interest,
penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and
other liabilities payable under the documentation governing any
Indebtedness.
Permitted Business means the business of
acquiring, constructing, managing, developing, improving,
maintaining, leasing, owning and operating Facilities, together
with any related assets or facilities, as well as any other
activities reasonably related to, ancillary to, or incidental
to, any of the foregoing activities (including acquiring and
holding reserves), including investing in Facilities.
Permitted Investments means:
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(1) any Investment in NRG or in a
Restricted Subsidiary of NRG that is a Guarantor; |
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(2) any Investment in an Immaterial
Subsidiary; |
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(3) any Investment in an Excluded
Foreign Subsidiary for so long as the Excluded Foreign
Subsidiaries do not collectively own more than 20% of the
consolidated assets of NRG as of the most recent fiscal quarter
end for which financial statements are publicly available; |
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(4) any issuance of letters of
credit in an aggregate amount not to exceed $250.0 million
solely for working capital requirements and general corporate
purposes of any of the Excluded Subsidiaries; |
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(5) any Investment in Cash
Equivalents (and, in the case of Excluded Subsidiaries only,
Cash Equivalents or other liquid investments permitted under any
Credit Facility to which it is a party); |
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(6) any Investment by NRG or any
Restricted Subsidiary of NRG in a Person, if as a result of such
Investment: |
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(a) such Person becomes a
Restricted Subsidiary of NRG and a Guarantor or an Immaterial
Subsidiary; or |
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(b) such Person is merged,
consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or
conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated
into, NRG or a Restricted Subsidiary of NRG that is a Guarantor; |
S-152
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(7) any Investment made as a result
of the receipt of non-cash consideration from an Asset Sale that
was made pursuant to and in compliance with the covenant
described above under the caption Repurchase at the
Option of HoldersAsset Sales; |
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(8) Investments made as a result of
the sale of Equity Interests of any Person that is a Subsidiary
of NRG such that, after giving effect to any such sale, such
Person is no longer a Subsidiary of NRG, if the sale of such
Equity Interests constitutes an Asset Sale and the Net Proceeds
received from such Asset Sale are applied as set forth above
under the caption Repurchase at the Option of
HoldersAsset Sales; |
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(9) Investments to the extent made
in exchange for the issuance of Equity Interests (other than
Disqualified Stock) of NRG; |
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(10) any Investments received in
compromise or resolution of (a) obligations of trade
creditors or customers of NRG or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries, including pursuant to any plan of reorganization
or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of any
trade creditor or customer; or (b) litigation, arbitration
or other disputes with Persons who are not Affiliates; |
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(11) Investments represented by
Hedging Obligations; |
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(12) loans or advances to employees; |
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(13) repurchases of the notes or
pari passu Indebtedness; |
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(14) any Investment in securities
of trade creditors, trade counter-parties or customers received
in compromise of obligations of those Persons, including
pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement
upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of such trade creditors or
customers; |
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(15) negotiable instruments held
for deposit or collection; |
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(16) receivables owing to NRG or
any Restricted Subsidiary of NRG and payable or dischargeable in
accordance with customary trade terms; provided, however,
that such trade terms may include such concessionary trade terms
as NRG of any such Restricted Subsidiary of NRG deems reasonable
under the circumstances; |
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(17) payroll, travel and similar
advances to cover matters that are expected at the time of such
advances ultimately to be treated as expenses for accounting
purposes; |
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(18) Investments resulting from the
acquisition of a Person that at the time of such acquisition
held instruments constituting Investments that were not acquired
in contemplation of the acquisition of such Person; |
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(19) any Investment in any Person
engaged primarily in one or more Permitted Businesses
(including, without limitation, Excluded Subsidiaries,
Unrestricted Subsidiaries, and Persons that are not Subsidiaries
of NRG) made for cash since the date of the supplemental
indentures; |
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(20) the contribution of any one or
more of the Specified Facilities to a Restricted Subsidiary that
is not a Guarantor; |
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(21) Investments made pursuant to a
commitment that, when entered into, would have complied with the
provisions of the applicable indenture; and |
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(22) other Investments made since
the date of the supplemental indentures in any Person having an
aggregate fair market value (measured on the date each such
Investment was made and without giving effect to subsequent
changes in value), when taken together with all other
Investments made pursuant to this clause (22) that are
at the time outstanding not to exceed the greater of
(a) $500.0 million and (b) 2.5% of Total Assets;
provided, however, that if any Investment pursuant to
this clause (22) is made in any Person that is not a
Restricted Subsidiary of NRG and a Guarantor at the date of the
making of the Investment and such Person becomes a Restricted
Subsidiary and a Guarantor after such date, such |
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Investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant
to clause (1) above, and shall cease to have been made
pursuant to this clause (22). |
Permitted Itiquira Indebtedness shall have
the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of Itiquira
Refinancing.
Permitted Liens means:
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(1) Liens on assets of NRG or any
Guarantor securing Indebtedness and other Obligations under
Credit Facilities, in an aggregate principal amount not
exceeding, on the date of the creation of such Liens, the
greater of (a) 30.0% of Total Assets or
(b) $6.0 billion less the aggregate amount of all
repayments, optional or mandatory, of the principal of any term
Indebtedness under a Credit Facility that have been made by NRG
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries since the date of the
supplemental indentures with the Net Proceeds of Asset Sales
(other than Excluded Proceeds) and less, without duplication,
the aggregate amount of all repayments or commitment reductions
with respect to any revolving credit borrowings under a Credit
Facility that have been made by NRG or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries since the date of the supplemental indentures as a
result of the application of the Net Proceeds of Asset Sales
(other than Excluded Proceeds) in accordance with the covenant
described above under the caption Repurchase at the
Option of HoldersAsset Sales (excluding temporary
reductions in revolving credit borrowings as contemplated by
that covenant); |
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(2) Liens to secure obligations
with respect to (i) contracts (other than for Indebtedness)
for commercial and trading activities for the purchase,
transmission, distribution, sale, lease or hedge of any energy
related commodity or service, and (ii) Hedging Obligations; |
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(3) Liens on assets of Excluded
Subsidiaries securing Indebtedness of Excluded Subsidiaries that
was permitted by the terms of the indentures to be incurred; |
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(4) Liens (a) in favor of NRG
or any of the Guarantors; (b) incurred by Excluded Project
Subsidiaries in favor of any other Excluded Project Subsidiary;
or (c) incurred by Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries in favor
of any other Excluded Foreign Subsidiary; |
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(5) Liens to secure the performance
of statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds, performance
bonds or other obligations of a like nature; |
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(6) Liens to secure Indebtedness
(including Capital Lease Obligations) permitted by
clause (4), (13) and (20) of the second paragraph
of the covenant entitled Certain
CovenantsIncurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of
Preferred Stock covering only the assets acquired with or
financed by such Indebtedness; |
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(7) Liens existing on the date of
the supplemental indentures; |
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(8) Liens for taxes, assessments or
governmental charges or claims that are not yet delinquent or
that are being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings promptly instituted and diligently concluded;
provided that any reserve or other appropriate provision
as is required in conformity with GAAP has been made therefor; |
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(9) Liens imposed by law, such as
carriers, warehousemens, landlords and
mechanics Liens; |
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(10) survey exceptions, easements
or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses,
rights-of-way, sewers,
electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines, oil, gas and
other mineral interests and leases, and other similar purposes,
or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real property
that were not incurred in connection with Indebtedness and that
do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of
said properties or materially impair their use in the operation
of the business of such Person; |
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(11) Liens created for the benefit
of (or to secure) the notes (or the Subsidiary Guarantees); |
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(12) Liens to secure any Permitted
Refinancing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the
applicable indenture; provided, however, that: |
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(a) the new Lien shall be limited
to all or part of the same property and assets that secured or,
under the written agreements pursuant to which the original Lien
arose, could secure the original Lien (plus improvements and
accessions to, such property or proceeds or distributions
thereof); and |
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(b) the Indebtedness secured by the
new Lien is not increased to any amount greater than the sum of
(x) the outstanding principal amount or, if greater,
committed amount, of the Permitted Referencing Indebtedness and
(y) an amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses,
including premiums, related to such refinancings, refunding,
extension, renewal or replacement; |
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(13) Liens incurred or deposits
made in connection with workers compensation, unemployment
insurance and other types of social security; |
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(14) Liens encumbering deposits
made to secure obligations arising from statutory, regulatory,
contractual or warranty requirements of NRG or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries, including rights of offset and set-off; |
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(15) leases or subleases granted to
others that do not materially interfere with the business of NRG
and its Restricted Subsidiaries; |
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(16) statutory Liens arising under
ERISA; |
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(17) Liens on property (including
Capital Stock) existing at the time of acquisition of the
property by NRG or any Subsidiary of NRG; provided that
such Liens were in existence prior to, such acquisition, and not
incurred in contemplation of, such acquisition; |
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(18) Liens arising from Uniform
Commercial Code financing statements filed on a precautionary
basis in respect of operating leases intended by the parties to
be true leases (other than any such leases entered into in
violation of the applicable indenture); |
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(19) Liens on assets and Equity
Interests of a Subsidiary that is an Excluded Subsidiary; |
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(20) Liens granted in favor of Xcel
Energy, Inc. pursuant to the Xcel Indemnification Agreements as
in effect on the date of the supplemental indentures on
NRGs interest in all revenues received by NRG pursuant to
the Facility Instruments; |
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(21) Liens to secure Indebtedness
incurred to finance Necessary Capital Expenditures that encumber
only the assets purchased, installed or otherwise acquired with
the proceeds of such Indebtedness; |
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(22) Liens to secure Environmental
CapEx Debt that encumber only the assets purchased, installed or
otherwise acquired with the proceeds of such Environmental CapEx
Debt; |
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(23) Liens relating to the escrow
and security agreement in effect on the date of the supplemental
indentures and future escrow arrangements securing Indebtedness
incurred in accordance with the indentures; |
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(24) Liens on assets or securities
deemed to arise in connection with the execution, delivery or
performance of contracts to sell such assets or stock otherwise
permitted under the indentures; |
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(25) Liens on assets of Itiquira
incurred pursuant to the Itiquira Refinancing; and |
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(26) any restrictions on any Equity
Interest or undivided interests, as the case may be, of a Person
providing for a breach, termination or default under any joint
venture, stockholder, membership, limited liability company,
partnership, owners, participation or other similar
agreement between such Person and one or more other holders of
Equity Interests or undivided interests of such Person, as the
case may be, if a security interest or Lien is created on such
Equity Interest or undivided interest, as the case may be, as a
result thereof; |
S-155
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(27) any customary provisions
limiting the disposition or distribution of assets or property
(including without limitation Equity Interests) or any related
restrictions thereon in joint venture, partnership, membership,
stockholder and limited liability company agreements, asset sale
agreements, sale-leaseback agreements, stock sale agreements and
other similar agreements, including owners, participation
or similar agreements governing projects owned through an
undivided interest; provided, however, that any such limitation
is applicable only to the assets that are the subjects of such
agreements; |
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(28) those Liens or other
exceptions to title, in either case on or in respect of any
facility of NRG or any Subsidiary, arising as a result of any
shared facility agreement entered into after the closing date
with respect to such facility, except to the extent that any
such Liens or exceptions, individually or in the aggregate,
materially adversely affect the value of the relevant property
or materially impair the use of the relevant property in the
operation of the business of NRG or such Subsidiary; |
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(29) Liens on cash deposits and
other funds maintained with a depositary institution, in each
case arising in the ordinary course of business by virtue of any
statutory or common law provision relating to bankers
liens, including
Section 4-210 of
the Uniform Commercial Code; |
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(30) any Liens on property and
assets (other than certain properties or assets defined as
core collateral) designated as Excluded Assets from
time to time by NRG under clause (xiii) of the related
definition under the Credit Agreement, which shall not have,
when taken together with all other non-core property
and assets that constitute Excluded Assets pursuant to such
clause at the relevant time of determination, a fair market
value in excess of $250 million in the aggregate (and, to the
extent that such fair market value of such asset exceeds $250
million in the aggregate, such property or assets shall cease to
be an Excluded Asset only to the extent of such excess fair
market value); and |
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(31) Liens incurred by NRG or any
Subsidiary of NRG with respect to obligations that do not exceed
$100.0 million at any one time outstanding. |
Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness means any
Indebtedness of NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued
in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to
refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge other
Indebtedness of NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other
than intercompany Indebtedness); provided that:
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(1) the principal amount (or
accreted value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted
value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness extended, refinanced,
renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded (plus all accrued
interest on the Indebtedness and the amount of all expenses and
premiums incurred in connection therewith); |
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(2) such Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or
greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the
Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced,
defeased or refunded; |
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(3) if the Indebtedness being
extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded is
subordinated in right of payment to the notes, such Permitted
Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to,
the notes on terms at least as favorable to the holders of notes
as those contained in the documentation governing the
Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced,
defeased or refunded; |
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(4) such Indebtedness is incurred
either by NRG (and may be guaranteed by any Guarantor) or by the
Restricted Subsidiary who is the obligor on the Indebtedness
being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or
refunded; and |
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(5) (a) if the Stated Maturity
of the Indebtedness being refinanced is earlier than the Stated
Maturity of the notes, the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness
has a Stated Maturity no earlier than the Stated Maturity of the
Indebtedness being refinanced or (b) if the Stated Maturity
of the Indebtedness being refinanced is later than the Stated
Maturity of the notes, the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness
has a Stated Maturity at least 91 days later than the
Stated Maturity of the notes. |
Person means any individual, corporation,
partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company,
trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company or
government or other entity.
PMI means NRG Power Marketing Inc., a
Delaware corporation.
S-156
Pro Forma Cost Savings means, without
duplication, with respect to any period, reductions in costs and
related adjustments that have been actually realized or are
projected by NRGs Chief Financial Officer in good faith to
result from reasonably identifiable and factually supportable
actions or events, but only if such reductions in costs and
related adjustments are so projected by NRG to be realized
during the consecutive four-quarter period commencing after the
transaction giving rise to such calculation.
Related Financing Transactions means the
incurrence of Indebtedness and issuance of Capital Stock of NRG
described in this prospectus supplement under the heading
The AcquisitionThe Financing Transactions.
Representative Amount means a principal
amount of not less than $1,000,000 for a single transaction in
the relevant market at the relevant time.
Restricted Investment means an Investment
other than a Permitted Investment.
Restricted Payments has the meaning assigned
to such term under the caption Certain
CovenantsRestricted Payments. For purposes of
determining compliance with the covenant described above under
the caption Certain CovenantsRestricted
Payments, no Hedging Obligation shall be deemed to be
contractually subordinated to the notes or any Subsidiary
Guarantee.
Restricted Subsidiary of a Person means any
Subsidiary of the referent Person that is not an Unrestricted
Subsidiary.
Revolving Loans means the revolving loans and
commitments made by the Lenders under the Credit Agreement.
S&P means Standard & Poors
Ratings Group or any successor entity.
Significant Subsidiary means any Subsidiary
that would be a significant subsidiary as defined in
Article 1, Rule 1-02 of
Regulation S-X,
promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Regulation
is in effect on the date of the supplemental indentures.
Specified Facility means each of the
following Facilities: (a) the Facilities held on the date
of the indentures by Vienna Power LLC, Meriden Gas Turbine LLC,
Norwalk Power LLC, Connecticut Jet Power LLC (excluding the Cos
Cob assets), Devon Power LLC, Montville Power LLC (including the
Capital Stock of the entities owning such Facilities provided
that such entities do not hold material assets other than the
Facilities held on the date of the supplemental indentures);
(b) the following Facilities: P.H. Robinson,
H.O. Clarke, Webster, Unit 3 at Cedar Bayou,
Unit 2 at T.H. Wharton; and (c) the Capital Stock
of the following Subsidiaries of NRG if such Subsidiary holds no
assets other than the Capital Stock of a Foreign Subsidiary of
NRG: NRG Latin America, Inc., NRG International LLC, NRG
Insurance Ltd. (Cayman Islands), NRG Asia Pacific, Ltd., NRG
International II Inc. and NRG International III Inc.
Specified Joint Venture Sale means the sale
after the date of the supplemental indentures by NRG or a
Subsidiary of NRG of its Equity Interest in those joint ventures
specified in the Credit Agreement to one or more holders of the
remaining Equity Interest therein pursuant to the terms of the
joint venture agreements relating thereto.
Sponsor Preferred Stock means the shares of
NRGs preferred stock issued pursuant to the terms of the
Acquisition Agreement, among Texas Genco LLC, NRG, and the
direct and indirect owners of Texas Genco LLC party thereto,
dated as of September 30, 2005.
Stated Maturity means, with respect to any
installment of interest or principal on any series of
Indebtedness, the date on which the payment of interest or
principal was scheduled to be paid in the documentation
governing such Indebtedness as of the date of the supplemental
indentures, and will not include any contingent obligations to
repay, redeem or repurchase any such interest or principal prior
to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.
S-157
Subsidiary means, with respect to any
specified Person:
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(1) any corporation, association or
other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting
power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the
occurrence of any contingency and after giving effect to any
voting agreement or stockholders agreement that
effectively transfers voting power) to vote in the election of
directors, managers or trustees of the corporation, association
or other business entity is at the time owned or controlled,
directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the
other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination
thereof); and |
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(2) any partnership (a) the
sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is
such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only
general partners of which are that Person or one or more
Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof). |
Subsidiary Guarantee means the Guarantee by
each Guarantor of NRGs obligations under the indentures
and on the notes, executed pursuant to the provisions of the
indentures.
Telerate Page 3750 means the display
designated at Page 3750 on the Moneyline
Telerate service (or such other page as may replace
Page 3750 on that service).
Total Assets means the total consolidated
assets of NRG and its Restricted Subsidiaries, determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, as shown on the most
recent balance sheet of NRG.
Treasury Rate means, as of any redemption
date, the yield to maturity as of such redemption date of United
States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled
and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical
Release H.15 (519) that has become publicly available at
least two business days prior to the redemption date (or, if
such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly
available source of similar market data)) most nearly equal to
the period from the redemption date to February 1, 2010,
with respect to the 2014 fixed rate notes, and February 1,
2011, with respect to the 2016 notes; provided, however,
that if the period from the redemption date to February 1,
2010, with respect to the 2014 fixed rate notes, and
February 1, 2011, with respect to the 2016 notes, is less
than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded
United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant
maturity of one year will be used.
UCC means the Uniform Commercial Code as in
effect in the State of New York or any other applicable
jurisdiction.
Unrestricted Subsidiary means any Subsidiary
of NRG that is designated by the Board of Directors as an
Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to a Board Resolution, but only
to the extent that such Subsidiary:
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(1) has no Indebtedness other than
Non-Recourse Debt; |
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(2) except as permitted by the
covenant described above under the caption Certain
CovenantsAffiliate Transactions, is not party to any
agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with NRG or
any Restricted Subsidiary of NRG unless the terms of any such
agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding are no less
favorable to NRG or such Restricted Subsidiary than those that
might be obtained at the time from Persons who are not
Affiliates of NRG; |
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(3) is a Person with respect to
which neither NRG nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any
direct or indirect obligation (a) to subscribe for
additional Equity Interests or (b) to maintain or preserve
such Persons financial condition or to cause such Person
to achieve any specified levels of operating results except as
otherwise permitted by the Credit Agreement as in effect on the
date of the supplemental indentures; and |
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(4) has not guaranteed or otherwise
directly or indirectly provided credit support for any
Indebtedness of NRG or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries except
as otherwise permitted by the Credit Agreement as in effect on
the date of the supplemental indentures. |
Any designation of a Subsidiary of NRG as an Unrestricted
Subsidiary will be evidenced to the trustee by filing with the
trustee a certified copy of the Board Resolution giving effect
to such designation and an officers certificate certifying
that such designation complied with the conditions described
above under the caption
S-158
Certain CovenantsDesignation of Restricted,
Unrestricted and Excluded Project Subsidiaries and was
permitted by the covenant described above under the caption
Certain CovenantsRestricted Payments.
If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary fails to meet the
requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it will thereafter
cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of the
indentures and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary will be
deemed to be incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary of NRG as of
such date and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be
incurred as of such date under the covenant described under the
caption Certain CovenantsIncurrence of
Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock, NRG will be
in default of such covenant. The Board of Directors of NRG may
at any time designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a
Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such designation
will be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness by a
Restricted Subsidiary of NRG of any outstanding Indebtedness of
such Unrestricted Subsidiary and such designation will only be
permitted if (1) such Indebtedness is permitted under the
covenant described under the caption Certain
CovenantsIncurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of
Preferred Stock, calculated on a pro forma basis as if
such designation had occurred at the beginning of the
four-quarter reference period; and (2) no Default or Event
of Default would be in existence following such designation.
Voting Stock of any Person as of any date
means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time
entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of
such Person.
Weighted Average Life to Maturity means, when
applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years
obtained by dividing:
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(1) the sum of the products
obtained by multiplying (a) the amount of each then
remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other
required payments of principal, including payment at final
maturity, in respect of the Indebtedness, by (b) the number
of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will
elapse between such date and the making of such payment; by |
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(2) the then outstanding principal
amount of such Indebtedness. |
Xcel means Xcel Energy Inc., a Minnesota
corporation.
Xcel Indemnification Agreements means:
(i) the Indemnification Agreement, dated as of
December 5, 2003, between Xcel Energy Inc., Northern States
Power Company and NRG; and (ii) the Indemnification
Agreement, dated as of December 5, 2003, between Xcel
Energy Inc., Northern States Power Company and NRG.
Xcel Note means that certain promissory note
made by NRG in favor of Xcel in an initial principal amount of
$10.0 million and issued pursuant to the terms and
conditions of the Joint Plan of Reorganization approved by the
United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New
York on November 24, 2003.
S-159
DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN OTHER INDEBTEDNESS AND PREFERRED
STOCK
New Senior Secured Credit Facility
We plan to enter into a new senior secured credit facility for
up to an aggregate amount of $5.575 billion to replace
NRGs existing senior secured credit facility. The new
senior secured credit facility is expected to consist of a
$3.575 billion senior first priority secured term loan
facility, a $1.0 billion senior first priority secured
revolving credit facility and a $1.0 billion senior first
priority secured synthetic letter of credit facility. We may
increase the term facility and/or the revolving credit facility
by an amount not to exceed $375 million at any time prior
to the maturity date of the relevant facility, upon satisfying
certain conditions set forth in the senior secured credit
facility as discussed below.
We plan to use initial borrowings under our new senior secured
credit facility, together with the net proceeds from this
offering, the offerings of common stock and mandatory
convertible preferred stock and cash on hand, to finance the
Acquisition, to repay certain of our and Texas Gencos
outstanding indebtedness and to pay related premiums, fees and
expenses. See Use of Proceeds.
The following is a summary description of the principal terms
and conditions of the new senior secured credit facility. This
description is not intended to be exhaustive and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to the provisions that will be
contained in the definitive credit agreement. As the final terms
of the senior secured credit facility have not been agreed upon,
the final terms may differ from those set forth herein and such
differences may be significant.
The senior secured credit facilitys $3.575 billion
term facility will mature on the seventh anniversary of its
closing date, and will amortize in 27 consecutive equal
quarterly installments in an aggregate annual amount equal to
1.0% of the original principal amount of the term facility
during the first
63/4
years thereof with the balance payable on the seventh
anniversary thereof. The $1.0 billion synthetic letter of
credit facility will mature on the seventh anniversary of the
closing date of the senior secured credit facility. The
$1.0 billion revolving facility will mature on the fifth
anniversary of the closing date of the senior secured credit
facility, and no amortization will be required in respect
thereof. We may increase the term facility and/or the revolving
credit facility by an amount not to exceed $375 million at
any time prior to the maturity date of the relevant facility,
upon satisfying certain conditions set forth in the senior
secured credit facility, including pro forma compliance with
financial covenants. Up to $50 million of the revolving credit
facility will be available as a swing-line facility; the full
amount of the revolving facility is available for the issuance
of letters of credit.
The revolving credit facility is expected to be undrawn at the
time of closing.
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Guarantees and Collateral |
The senior secured credit facility will be guaranteed by
substantially all of our existing and future direct and indirect
subsidiaries, with certain customary or agreed-upon exceptions
for unrestricted foreign subsidiaries, project subsidiaries and
certain other subsidiaries. In addition, it will be secured by
liens on substantially all of the assets of NRG and the assets
of its subsidiaries, with certain customary or agreed-upon
exceptions for unrestricted foreign subsidiaries, project
subsidiaries and certain other subsidiaries. The capital stock
of substantially all of our subsidiaries, with certain
exceptions for unrestricted subsidiaries, foreign subsidiaries
and project subsidiaries, will be pledged for the benefit of the
senior secured credit facility lenders.
In addition to the foregoing, the senior secured credit facility
will be secured by a first-priority perfected security interest
in all of the property and assets owned at-any time or acquired
by NRG and its subsidiaries, other than (a) the assets of
certain unrestricted subsidiaries excluded project subsidiaries,
foreign subsidiaries and certain other subsidiaries, and
(b) (i) any lease, license, contract, property right
or agreement of NRG or any subsidiary guarantor, if and only for
so long as the grant of a security interest under the security
documents would result in a breach, termination or default under
that lease, license, contract, property right or agreement;
(ii) certain interests in real property owned or leased by
NRG and certain subsidiary guarantors; (iii) equity
interests in certain of NRGs project affiliates that have
non-recourse debt financing; (iv) any voting equity
S-160
interests in excess of 66% of the total outstanding voting
equity interest of certain of our foreign subsidiaries; and
(v) certain other limited exceptions.
At NRGs option, loans under the senior secured credit
facility will be available as Alternate Base Rate
loans or Eurodollar loans, as follows:
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Alternate Base Rate loans. Interest is expected to be at
a spread (the Applicable Margin) over the Alternate
Base Rate for term loans and for revolving loans and swing-line
loans, calculated on a
365-day or
366-day basis, as the
case may be, when the Alternate Base Rate is determined by
reference to the prime rate, and on a
360-day basis at all
other times. The Alternate Base Rate shall mean, for
any day, a rate per annum equal to the greater of (a) the
prime rate publicly announced from time to time by
The Wall Street Journal as the base rate on corporate
loans posted by at least 75% of the nations
30 largest banks and (b) the federal funds effective
rate in effect on such day plus
1/2
of 1%. |
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Eurodollar loans. Interest will be determined for periods
to be selected by NRG, or interest periods, of one,
two, three or six months and, to the extent available to all of
the lenders, nine or twelve months, and is expected be at a
spread (the Applicable Margin) over the Adjusted
LIBO Rate for term loans and for revolving loans and swing-line
loans, calculated on a
360-day basis. The
Adjusted LIBO Rate shall mean, with respect to any
Eurodollar loan for any interest period and as determined from
time to time, an interest rate per annum equal to the product of
(a) the rate per annum determined by the Administrative
Agent at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on the date
that is two business days prior to the commencement of the
relevant interest period by reference to the British
Bankers Association Interest Settlement Rates for deposits
in dollars (as set forth by the Bloomberg Information Service or
any successor thereto or any other service selected by the
Administrative Agent which has been nominated by the British
Bankers Association as an authorized information vendor
for the purpose of displaying such rates) for a period equal to
the relevant interest period and (b) certain statutory
reserves as agreed upon in the senior secured credit facility. |
The Applicable Margin shall mean, for any day, for
each type of loan, the rate per annum set forth under the
relevant column heading below based upon the consolidated senior
leverage ratio of NRG as of the relevant date of determination:
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ABR Revolving | |
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Eurodollar | |
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ABR Term | |
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Eurodollar | |
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Loans and | |
Consolidated Senior Leverage Ratio |
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Term Loans | |
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Loans | |
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Revolving Loans | |
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Swingline Loans | |
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Category 1
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Greater than 3.50 to 1.00
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2.0% |
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1.0 |
% |
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2.00 |
% |
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1.00 |
% |
Category 2
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Greater than 3.00 to 1.00 but less than or equal to 3.50 to 1.00
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1.75% |
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0.75 |
% |
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1.75 |
% |
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0.75 |
% |
Category 3
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Less than or equal to 3.00 to 1.00
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1.75% |
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0.75 |
% |
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1.50 |
% |
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0.50 |
% |
Interest on the loans will be payable (a) with respect to
any Alternate Base Rate Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), on
the last business day of each March, June, September and
December (beginning with March 31, 2006), (b) with
respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the interest
period applicable to such loan is a part and, in the case of a
Eurodollar Loan with an interest period of more than three
months duration, each day that would have been an interest
payment date had successive interest periods of three
months duration been applicable to such loan, and
(c) with respect to any swingline loan, the day that such
loan is required to be repaid. Until NRG delivers certain
financial statements and certificates for the period ended on
the first fiscal quarter after the closing date of the senior
secured credit agreement, category 1 will apply for purposes of
determining the Applicable Margin.
S-161
The synthetic letters of credit will be issued by an issuing
bank. The synthetic letter of credit issuing bank will invest
amounts in a synthetic L/ C account in certain
agreed upon permitted investments. On the last business day of
March, June, September and December of each year (beginning with
March 31, 2006): (i) the synthetic letter of credit
issuing bank will distribute to each lender under the synthetic
letter of credit facility its pro rata share of any interest
accrued on funds held in the synthetic L/ C Account and
(ii) NRG will pay to the synthetic letter of credit issuing
bank for pro rata remittance to each lender under the synthetic
letter of credit facility a fee based on such lenders
total commitment (without regard to actual amount of letters of
credit outstanding) times the interest rate applicable to the
loans under the term facility (assuming one-month LIBOR) as
specified in above (net of the amounts received by such lender
pursuant to clause (i) above). In addition, NRG will pay
the synthetic letter of credit issuing bank a fronting fee in an
amount to be agreed and customary issuance and administrative
fees.
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Default Interest and Fees |
If NRG defaults on the payment of the principal of or interest
on any loan or any other amount becoming due and payable
hereunder or under any other loan document related to the senior
secured credit facility, then NRG shall on demand from time to
time pay interest, to the extent permitted by law, on such
defaulted amount (a) in the case of overdue principal, at
the rate otherwise applicable to such loan plus 2.00% per
annum and (b) in all other cases, at a rate per annum equal
to the rate that would be applicable to an Alternate Base Rate
term loan plus 2.00%.
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Commitment and Letter of Credit Fees |
Commitment fees equal to 0.5% per annum times the daily
average undrawn portion of the revolving facility will accrue
from the closing date and shall be payable quarterly in arrears.
A fee equal to (i) the Applicable Margin then in effect for
loans bearing interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate made under the
revolving facility, times (ii) the average daily maximum
aggregate amount available to be drawn under all letters of
credit, will be payable quarterly in arrears to the lenders
under the revolving facility. In addition, a fronting fee, to be
agreed upon between the issuer of each letter of credit and NRG,
will be payable to such issuer, as well as certain customary
fees.
The senior secured credit facility will contain affirmative and
negative covenants customary for a transaction of this type
which, among other things, require us to meet certain financial
tests, including a minimum interest coverage ratio and a maximum
leverage ratio, each at the NRG level and on a consolidated
basis. The senior secured credit facility will also contain
covenants which, among other things, limit:
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indebtedness (including guarantees and other contingent
obligations); |
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liens; |
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sale and lease-back transactions; |
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investments, loans and advances; |
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mergers, acquisitions, consolidations and asset sales; |
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dividends and other restricted payments; |
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transactions with affiliates; |
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business activities and hedging agreements; |
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capital expenditures; |
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limitations on debt payments; |
S-162
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changes to the terms of any material indebtedness that
materially increase the obligations of the obligor or confer
additional material rights to the holder of such
indebtedness; and |
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other matters customarily restricted in such agreements. |
Events of Default
Events of default under the senior secured credit facility
include, but are not limited to:
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breaches of representations and warranties; |
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payment defaults; |
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noncompliance with covenants; |
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bankruptcy; |
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judgments in excess of a specified amount; |
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any confirmation order that is reversed, amended or modified in
any material respects, vacated or stayed; |
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any event that could result in our liability under the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 in excess of a specified
amount; |
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failure of any guarantee or pledge agreement supporting the
senior secured credit facility to be in full force and effect; |
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failure of any lien created in favor of the loan parties to be a
valid, perfected and first priority lien on any material
collateral securing the senior secured credit facility; and |
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a change of control, as such term is defined in the senior
secured credit facility. |
Bridge Loan Facility
NRG has entered into the commitment letter with the bridge
lenders pursuant to which the bridge lenders have committed to
provide NRG with up to $5.1 billion in bridge financing to
fund all necessary amounts not provided for under the new senior
secured credit facility. NRG does not intend to draw down on the
bridge loan facility unless this offering, the common stock
offering and/or the mandatory convertible preferred stock
offering are not consummated at the time of the closing of the
Acquisition.
The bridge loans will mature one year from the date they are
issued. Upon the maturity date, if any bridge loan has not been
repaid in full, and provided no payment or bankruptcy default
has occurred under the bridge loans or the new senior secured
credit facility, the bridge loan will automatically be converted
into a term loan due on the
10-year anniversary of
the closing date of the Acquisition. Subject to certain
exceptions, the net proceeds from (i) any public offering
or private placement of securities of NRG or its subsidiaries,
(ii) any future bank borrowings under the new senior
secured credit facility or (iii) any future asset sale will
be used to repay the bridge loans at a price equal to 100% of
the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest. The
bridge loans may be prepaid at any time at the option of NRG at
a price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and
unpaid interest. Subject to customary exceptions, the bridge
loans will be guaranteed on a senior first priority basis by
each of NRGs current and future domestic subsidiaries,
excluding certain foreign, project and immaterial subsidiaries.
The bridge loans will initially bear interest at a per annum
rate equal to (a) at NRGs option (i) the reserve
adjusted Eurodollar rate or (ii) the base rate, as in
effect from time to time, in each case, calculated on the basis
of the actual number of days elapsed in a year of 360 days
(365/366 day year with respect to loans bearing interest
with reference to the base rate), plus (b) a spread of
500 basis points in the case NRG elects the Eurodollar
option and 400 basis points in the case NRG elects the base
rate option. If the bridge loans are not repaid in whole within
six months following the closing date of the Acquisition, the
spread will increase by 100 basis points at the end of such
six-month period and will increase by an additional
50 basis points at the end of each three-month period
thereafter.
S-163
The bridge loans will contain customary events of default and
covenants by NRG. Certain terms of the bridge loan facility may
vary after the date of this prospectus supplement to facilitate
the syndication of the facility. The commitment letter is
subject to customary conditions to consummation, including the
absence of any event or circumstance that would have a material
adverse effect on the business, assets, properties, liabilities,
condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations,
taken as a whole, of Texas Genco, or Texas Genco and NRG
combined, since June 30, 2005.
Xcel Note
On December 5, 2003, we entered into a $10.0 million
promissory note with Xcel Energy. The note accrues interest at a
rate of 3% per year, payable quarterly in arrears. All
principal is due at maturity on June 5, 2006.
4% Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock
On December 27, 2004, NRG completed the sale of
420,000 shares of Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock
with a dividend coupon rate of 4%. The 4% Preferred Stock has a
liquidation preference of $1,000 per share. Holders of 4%
Preferred Stock are entitled to receive, when declared by
NRGs board of directors, cash dividends at the rate of
4% per annum, payable quarterly in arrears on
March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15 of
each year, commencing on March 15, 2005. The 4% Preferred
Stock is convertible, at the option of the holder, at any time
into shares of NRG common stock. On or after December 20,
2009, NRG may redeem, subject to certain limitations, some or
all of the 4% Preferred Stock with cash at a redemption price
equal to 100% of the liquidation preference, plus accumulated
but unpaid dividends, including liquidated damages, if any, to
the redemption date.
If NRG is subject to a fundamental change, as defined in the
Certificate of Designation of the 4% Preferred Stock, each
holder of shares of 4% Preferred Stock has the right, subject to
certain limitations, to require NRG to purchase any or all of
its shares of 4% Preferred Stock at a purchase price equal to
100% of the liquidation preference, plus accumulated and unpaid
dividends, including liquidated damages, if any, to the date of
purchase. Final determination of a fundamental change must be
approved by NRGs board of directors or the board of
directors must decide to take a neutral position with respect to
such fundamental change.
Each holder of 4% Preferred Stock has one vote for each share of
4% Preferred Stock held by the holder on all matters voted upon
by the holders of NRGs common stock, as well as voting
rights specifically provided for in NRGs amended and
restated certificate of incorporation or as otherwise from time
to time required by law. In addition, whenever
(1) dividends on the 4% Preferred Stock or any other class
or series of stock ranking on a parity with the 4% Preferred
Stock with respect to the payment of dividends are in arrears
for dividend periods, whether or not consecutive, containing in
the aggregate a number of days equivalent to six calendar
quarters, or (2) NRG fails to pay the redemption price on
the date shares of 4% Preferred Stock are called for redemption
or the purchase price on the purchase date for shares of 4%
Preferred Stock following a fundamental change, then, in each
case, the holders of 4% Preferred Stock (voting separately as a
class with all other series of preferred stock upon which like
voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable) are
entitled to vote for the election of two of the authorized
number of NRGs directors at the next annual meeting of
stockholders and at each subsequent meeting until all dividends
accumulated or the redemption price on the 4% Preferred Stock
have been fully paid or set apart for payment. The term of
office of all directors elected by holders of the 4% Preferred
Stock will terminate immediately upon the termination of the
rights of the holders of the 4% Preferred Stock to vote for
directors. Upon election of any additional directors, the number
of directors that comprise NRGs board of directors will be
increased by the number of such additional directors.
The 4% Preferred Stock is senior to all classes of common stock,
on a parity with the 3.625% Preferred Stock and upon issuance,
the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock and junior to all of
NRGs existing and future debt obligations and all of
NRGs subsidiaries existing and future liabilities
and capital stock held by persons other than NRG or its
subsidiaries. The proceeds of $406.4 million, net of
issuance costs of
S-164
approximately $13.6 million, were used to redeem
$375.0 million of Second Priority Notes on February 4,
2005.
3.625% Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock
On August 11, 2005, NRG issued 250,000 shares of its
3.625% Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock, or 3.625%
Preferred Stock, to Credit Suisse First Boston Capital LLC, or
CSFB, in a private placement. The 3.625% Preferred Stock has a
liquidation preference of $1,000 per share. Holders of the
3.625% Preferred Stock are entitled to receive, out of funds
legally available, cash dividends at the rate of 3.625% per
annum, payable in cash quarterly in arrears commencing on
December 15, 2005. Each share of 3.625% Preferred Stock is
convertible during the
90-day period beginning
August 11, 2015 at the option of NRG or the holder. Holders
tendering the 3.625% Preferred Stock for conversion shall be
entitled to receive cash and common stock. NRG may elect to make
cash payment in lieu of delivering shares of common stock in
connection with such conversion, and NRG may elect to receive
cash in lieu of shares of common stock, if any, from the holder
in connection with such conversion.
If NRG is subject to a fundamental change, as defined in the
Certificate of Designation of the 3.625% Preferred Stock, each
holder of shares of 3.625% Preferred Stock has the right,
subject to certain limitations, to require NRG to purchase any
or all of its shares of 3.625% Preferred Stock at a purchase
price equal to 100% of the liquidation preference, plus
accumulated and unpaid dividends, including liquidated damages,
if any, to the date of purchase.
The 3.625% Preferred Stock is senior to all classes of common
stock, on a parity with the 4% Preferred Stock and upon
issuance, the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock and junior
to all of NRGs existing and future debt obligations and
all of NRGs subsidiaries existing and future
liabilities and capital stock held by persons other than NRG or
its subsidiaries. Title to the 3.625% Preferred Stock, may not
be transferred to an entity that is not an affiliate of CSFB
without the consent of NRG, such consent not to be unreasonably
withheld. The proceeds were used to redeem $228.8 million
of Second Priority Notes on September 12, 2005.
Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock
Concurrently with this offering, NRG is offering
$500 million of
its %
Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, or Mandatory Convertible
Preferred Stock, subject to the underwriters overallotment
option. The Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock is expected to
have a liquidation preference of $250 per share. Dividends
will accrue and cumulate on the Mandatory Convertible Preferred
Stock from the date of issuance and, to the extent that we are
legally permitted to pay dividends and our board of directors,
or an authorized committee of our board of directors, declares a
dividend payable, we will pay dividends in cash on
March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15 of
each year prior to March 15, 2009 or the following business
day if the 15th is not a business day. Each share of
Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock is expected to
automatically convert on March 15, 2009 into shares of
common stock determined based on the price of our common stock
at such time, and holders are expected to be entitled to receive
an amount of cash equal to all accrued, cumulated and unpaid
dividends. It is expected that, upon the occurrence of certain
market conditions, NRG will be able to cause the conversion of
all, but not less than all, shares of Mandatory Convertible
Preferred Stock into shares of NRG common stock plus an amount
of cash equal to all accrued, cumulated and unpaid dividends and
the present value of all remaining future dividend payments on
the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock through March 15,
2009. In addition, holders of the Mandatory Convertible
Preferred Stock are expected to have the right to convert, at
any time, the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock into shares
of NRG common stock at the minimum conversion rate
of shares
of NRG common stock per share of Mandatory Convertible Preferred
Stock plus an amount of cash equal to all accrued, cumulated and
unpaid dividends. Holders are also expected to have the right to
convert the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock upon certain
merger events.
Whenever dividends on the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock
or any other class or series of stock ranking on a parity with
the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock with respect to the
payment of dividends are in arrears for dividend periods,
whether or not consecutive, containing in the aggregate a number
of days
S-165
equivalent to six calendar quarters, then the holders of
Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock (voting separately as a
class with all other series of preferred stock upon which like
voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable) are
entitled to vote for the election of two of the authorized
number of NRGs directors at the next annual meeting of
stockholders and at each subsequent meeting until all dividends
accumulated on the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock have
been fully paid or set apart for payment. The term of office of
all directors elected by holders of the Mandatory Convertible
Preferred Stock will terminate immediately upon the termination
of the rights of the holders of the Mandatory Convertible
Preferred Stock to vote for directors. Upon election of any
additional directors, the number of directors that comprise
NRGs board of directors will be increased by the number of
such additional directors.
The Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock will be senior to all
classes of common stock, on parity with the 4% Preferred Stock
and the 3.625% Preferred Stock and junior to all of NRGs
existing and future debt obligations and all of NRGs
subsidiaries existing and future liabilities and capital
stock held by persons other than NRG or its subsidiaries.
Credit Support and Collateral Arrangement
In connection with our power generation business, we manage the
commodity price risk associated with our supply activities and
our electric generation facilities. This includes forward power
sales, fuel and energy purchases and emission credits. In order
to manage these risks, we enter into financial instruments to
hedge the variability in future cash flows form forecasted sales
of electricity and purchases of fuel and energy. We utilize a
variety of instruments including forward contracts, futures
contracts, swaps and options. Certain of these contracts allow
counterparties to require the combined company to provide credit
support. This credit support consists of letters of credit,
cash, guarantees and junior liens on the ERCOT assets. As of
September, 30, 2005, the combined company balances of the
credit support provided in support of these contracts were
$846 million for letters of credit, $631.4 million for
cash margin, $152.4 million for parental guarantees and
$2,181 million for junior liens on the assets in the ERCOT
market.
The following table shows the breakdown of the combined company
after giving effect to the Acquisition and Financing
Transactions, balances of the credit support provided in support
of the hedging contracts described above:
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September 30, 2005 | |
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December 31, 2005 | |
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($ in millions) | |
|
($ in millions) | |
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| |
Letters of
Credit(1)
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$ |
846 |
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$ |
831 |
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Cash
Margin(1)
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631.4 |
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432.5 |
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Parental
Guarantees(2)
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142.1 |
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167.1 |
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Junior Liens on ERCOT Assets
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2,181 |
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2,221 |
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(1) |
At December 31, 2005 and September 30, 2005, West
Coast Powers collateral posted totaled $48.4 million
and $24.6 million, respectively and is not included in the
table above. Of these amounts, letters of credit totaled $0 and
$10.7 million, respectively and cash totaled
$48.4 million and $13.9 million, respectively. |
|
(2) |
Parental guarantees were provided by either NRG Energy, Inc. or
Texas Genco LLC on behalf of their subsidiaries. |
NRG expects that, at the closing of the Acquisition and the
Financing Transactions, the collateral arrangements described
above, including with respect to certain counterparties holding
junior liens on the ERCOT assets, will remain in place or will
be replaced with substitute collateral arrangements comprising
an interest in a second lien position on substantially all of
NRGs assets. On a going forward basis, NRG intends to
secure some or all of its commodity hedging activities with
interests in a second lien position on substantially all of
NRGs assets. There can be no assurance that this second
lien position will provide enough capacity to cover all
commodity hedges that are necessary or desirable for adequately
hedging NRGs commodity risk. See Risk
FactorsRisks Related to the Operation of our
BusinessWe may not have sufficient liquidity to hedge
market risks effectively.
S-166
CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following discussion is a general summary of certain
material United States federal income tax consequences of the
purchase, ownership and disposition of the notes. This
discussion applies only to a
non-U.S. holder
(as defined below) of a note that acquires the note pursuant to
this offering at the initial offering price. This discussion is
based upon laws, regulations, rulings and decisions currently in
effect, all of which are subject to change, possibly with
retroactive effect. This discussion is limited to investors that
hold the notes as capital assets (generally for investment
purposes) for United States federal income tax purposes.
Furthermore, this discussion does not address all aspects of
United States federal income taxation that may be applicable to
investors in light of their particular circumstances, or to
investors subject to special treatment under United States
federal income tax law, such as financial institutions,
insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, partnerships,
dealers in securities or currencies, persons deemed to sell the
notes under the constructive sale provisions of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and persons that hold the
notes as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion transaction or
other integrated investment. Furthermore, except to the extent
set forth below, this discussion does not address any United
States federal gift tax laws or any state, local or foreign tax
laws. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax
advisors regarding the United States federal, state, local and
foreign income and other tax consequences of the purchase,
ownership and disposition of the notes.
To ensure compliance with Treasury Department Circular 230,
prospective investors in the notes are hereby notified that
(A) any discussion of United States Federal tax issues in
this prospectus supplement is not intended or written to be
used, and cannot be used, by holders of the notes for the
purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed on such
holders under the Internal Revenue Code, (B) any discussion
of United States Federal tax issues in this prospectus
supplement written to support the promotion or marketing of the
transactions or matters addressed herein, and
(C) prospective investors in, and holders of, the notes
should seek advice based on their particular circumstances from
an independent tax advisor. This notice is given solely for
purposes of ensuring compliance with Treasury Department
Circular 230. This notice is not intended to imply, and does not
imply, that any particular person, in fact, supported the
promotion or marketing of any transaction or matter, and it does
not itself constitute evidence that any particular person did so.
For purposes of this discussion, the term
non-U.S. holder
means a beneficial owner of a note that is not, for United
States federal income tax purposes, (i) an individual who
is a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a
corporation or other entity taxable as a corporation that is
created or organized under the laws of the United States or any
political subdivision thereof, (iii) an estate the income
of which is subject to United States federal income taxation
regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust (A) if a
court within the United States is able to exercise primary
supervision over its administration and one or more United
States persons have the authority to control all of its
substantial decisions or (B) that has made a valid election
to be treated as a United States person for United States
federal income tax purposes.
If a partnership (including any entity or arrangement treated as
a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes)
owns notes, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership
will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of
the partnership. Partners in a partnership that owns the notes
should consult their tax advisors as to the particular United
States federal income tax consequences applicable to them.
Non-U.S. Holders
A non-U.S. holder
will generally not be subject to United States federal income or
withholding tax on payments of interest on the notes provided
that (i) such interest is not effectively connected with
the conduct of a trade or business within the United States by
the
non-U.S. holder
and (ii) the
non-U.S. holder
(A) does not actually or constructively own 10% or more of
the total combined voting power of all classes of our voting
stock, (B) is not a controlled foreign corporation related
to us directly or constructively through stock ownership, and
(C) satisfies certain certification requirements under
penalty of perjury (generally through the provision of a
properly executed Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN).
S-167
If interest on the notes is not effectively connected with the
conduct of a trade or business in the United States by a
non-U.S. holder,
but such
non-U.S. holder
cannot satisfy the other requirements outlined in the preceding
sentence, interest on the notes will generally be subject to
United States withholding tax at a 30% rate unless a treaty
applies to reduce or eliminate such withholding tax and the
non-U.S. holder
properly certifies as to its entitlement to the treaty benefits
under penalty of perjury (generally through the provision of a
properly executed Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN). If
interest on the notes is effectively connected with the conduct
of a trade or business within the United States by the
non-U.S. holder,
and, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a
permanent establishment or fixed base within the United States,
then the
non-U.S. holder
will generally be subject to United States federal income tax on
such interest in the same manner as if such holder were a United
States person and, in the case of a
non-U.S. holder
that is a foreign corporation, may also be subject to the branch
profits tax at a rate of 30% (or a lower applicable treaty
rate), provided that such
non-U.S. holder
provides a properly executed Internal Revenue Service
Form W-8ECI.
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Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Notes |
A non-U.S. holder
will generally not be subject to United States federal
withholding tax with respect to gain recognized on the sale,
exchange or other disposition of notes. A
non-U.S. holder
will also generally not be subject to United States federal
income tax with respect to such gain unless (i) the gain is
effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business
within the United States by the
non-U.S. holder
and, if certain tax treaties apply, is attributable to a
permanent establishment or fixed base within the United States,
or (ii) in the case of a
non-U.S. holder
that is a nonresident alien individual, such holder is present
in the United States for 183 or more days in the taxable year
and certain other conditions are satisfied. In the case
described above in (i), gain or loss recognized on the
disposition of such notes will generally be subject to United
States federal income taxation in the same manner as if such
gain or loss were recognized by a United States person, and, in
the case of a
non-U.S. holder
that is a foreign corporation, may also be subject to the branch
profits tax at a rate of 30% (or a lower applicable treaty
rate). In the case described above in (ii), the
non-U.S. holder
will be subject to 30% tax on any capital gain recognized on the
disposition of notes, which may be offset by certain United
States source capital losses.
A note that is held (or treated as held) by an individual who,
at the time of death, is not a citizen or resident of the United
States (as defined for United States federal estate tax
purposes) will not be subject to United States federal estate
tax provided that at the time of death, (i) such individual
is not a shareholder owning actually or constructively 10% or
more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock
entitled to vote and (ii) payments of interest with respect
to such notes would not have been effectively connected with the
conduct by such individual of a trade or business in the United
States.
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Information Reporting and Backup Withholding |
A non-U.S. holder
will generally be required to comply with certain certification
procedures in order to establish that such holder is not a
United States person in order to avoid backup withholding tax
(currently at a rate of 28%) with respect to payments of
principal and interest on or the proceeds of a disposition of
the notes. Such certification procedures will generally be
satisfied through the provision of a properly executed Internal
Revenue Service Form W-8BEN (or other appropriate form). In
addition, we must report annually to the Internal Revenue
Service and to each
non-U.S. holder
the amount of any interest paid to such
non-U.S. holder,
regardless of whether any tax was actually withheld. Copies of
the information returns reporting such interest payments and the
amount of any tax withheld may also be made available to the tax
authorities in the country in which a
non-U.S. holder
resides under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts
withheld under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a
refund or credit against a
non-U.S. holders
United States federal income tax liability provided the required
information is provided to the Internal Revenue Service.
S-168
UNDERWRITING
We intend to offer each series of the notes through the
underwriters. Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. are acting as representatives of
the underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and
conditions contained in an underwriting agreement between us and
the underwriters, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters,
and the underwriters severally have agreed to purchase from us,
the principal amount of each series of the notes listed opposite
their names below.
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Principal Amount of | |
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Floating Rate Senior Notes | |
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Principal Amount of % | |
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Principal Amount of % | |
Underwriter |
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due 2014 | |
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Senior Notes due 2014 | |
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Senior Notes due 2016 | |
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Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
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Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
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Lehman Brothers Inc.
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Banc of America Securities LLC
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Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
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Goldman, Sachs & Co.
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Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
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Total
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$ |
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$ |
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$ |
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The underwriters have agreed to purchase all of the notes sold
pursuant to the underwriting agreement if any of these notes are
purchased. If an underwriter defaults, the underwriting
agreement provides that the purchase commitments of the non
defaulting underwriters may be increased or the underwriting
agreement may be terminated.
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, or to contribute to payments the underwriters
may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.
The underwriters are offering each series of the notes, subject
to prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them,
subject to approval of legal matters by their counsel, including
the validity of each series of the notes, and other conditions
contained in the underwriting agreement, such as the receipt by
the underwriters of officers certificates and legal
opinions. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel
or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or
in part.
Commissions and Discounts
The underwriters have advised us that they propose initially to
offer each series of the notes to the public at the public
offering price specified on the cover page of this prospectus
supplement, and to dealers at that price less a concession not
in excess
of %
of the principal amount of the 2014 floating rate
notes, %
of the principal amount of the 2014 fixed rate notes
and %
of the 2016 notes. The underwriters may allow, and the dealers
may reallow, a discount not in excess
of %
of the principal amount of the 2014 floating rate
notes, %
of the principal amount of the 2014 fixed rate notes
and %
of the 2016 notes to other dealers. After the initial public
offering, the public offering price, concession and discount may
be changed.
The expenses of the offering, not including the underwriting
discount, are estimated to be
$ and
are payable by us.
New Issue of Notes
The notes of each series are a new issue of securities with no
established trading market. We do not intend to apply for
listing of any series of the notes on any national securities
exchange or for quotation of any
S-169
series of the notes on any automated dealer quotation system. We
have been advised by the underwriters that they presently intend
to make a market in the notes of each series after completion of
the offering. However, they are under no obligation to do so and
may discontinue any market-making activities at any time without
notice. We cannot assure that an active public market for any
series of the notes will develop or that any trading market that
does develop for any series of the notes will be liquid. If an
active public trading market for any series of the notes does
not develop, the market price and liquidity of each series of
the notes may be adversely affected.
Price Stabilization and Short Positions
In connection with the offering, the underwriters are permitted
to engage in transactions that stabilize the market price of the
notes. Such transactions consist of bids or purchases to peg,
fix or maintain the price of the notes. If the underwriters
create a short position in connection with the offering, i.e.,
if they sell more notes than are specified on the cover page of
this prospectus supplement, the underwriters may reduce that
short position by purchasing notes in the open market. Purchases
of a security to stabilize the price or to reduce a short
position could cause the price of the security to be higher than
it might be in the absence of such purchases.
Neither we nor any of the underwriters makes any representation
or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect
that the transactions described above may have on the price of
the notes. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters
makes any representation that the underwriters will engage in
these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced,
will not be discontinued without notice.
Other Relationships
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, Citigroup Global
Markets Inc., Lehman Brothers Inc., Banc of America Securities
LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Goldman
Sachs & Co. and certain of their affiliates are lenders
under, and receive customary fees and expenses in connection
with, certain of our credit facilities, including the new senior
secured credit facility and the bridge loan facility. See
Description of Certain Other Indebtedness and Preferred
Stock. We have also entered into the J. Aron PPA and
other agreements with J. Aron, an affiliate of Goldman,
Sachs & Co., as well as hedging agreements with Deutsche
Bank Securities Inc. and/or its affiliates and certain other
lenders under our new senior secured credit facility. See
BusinessRegional Business DescriptionsTexas
(ERCOT)J. Aron Power Purchase Agreement.
Some of the underwriters and their affiliates have engaged in,
and may in the future engage in, investment banking and other
commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us.
They have received customary fees and commissions for these
transactions.
S-170
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the notes offered hereby will be passed upon for
NRG by Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Chicago, Illinois and
certain other matters will be passed upon for NRG by Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, New York, New York.
The underwriters have been represented in connection with this
offering by Latham & Watkins LLP, New York, New York.
S-171
$3,600,000,000
NRG Energy, Inc.
$ FLOATING
RATE SENIOR NOTES DUE 2014
$ %
SENIOR NOTES DUE 2014
$ % SENIOR
NOTES DUE 2016
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
LEHMAN BROTHERS
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BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC |