Form 8-K

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

_____________________

 

FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 15, 2002

_____________________

 

 

Commission
file number

Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter,
State of incorporation, Address and Telephone number

IRS Employer
Identification No.

1-14766

Energy East Corporation
(A New York Corporation)
P. O. Box 12904
Albany, New York 12212-2904
(518) 434-3049

14-1798693

1-3103-2

New York State Electric & Gas Corporation
(A New York Corporation)
P. O. Box 3287
Ithaca, New York 14852-3287
(607) 347-4131

15-0398550

 

 

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

 

 

 

Item 5.  Other Events

(See report on Form 10-Q for Energy East and NYSEG for the quarter ended September 30, 2001, Item 2(a) Liquidity and Capital Resources, NYSEG Electric Rate Agreement and RGS Energy Merger Agreement, Form 8-K dated December 19, 2001, and Form 8-K dated January 10, 2002.)

(a) NYSEG Electric Rate Settlement

On January 15, 2002, Energy East, NYSEG, RGS Energy, Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RGE), the New York Public Service Commission (NYPSC) Staff, the Attorney General of the State of New York, the New York State Consumer Protection Board, Multiple Intervenors and other parties reached settlement on both a new five-year NYSEG electric rate plan, which extends through December 31, 2006, and Energy East's merger with RGS Energy. If approved by the NYPSC, this joint proposal will supersede NYSEG's 1998 electric rate and restructuring agreement and the NYPSC's recently issued Order regarding temporary rates for NYSEG's electric customers. The joint proposal also provides for the discontinuance of several outstanding NYSEG proceedings, including a proceeding regarding the refunding of state income taxes for calendar years 2000 and 2001.

Other significant provisions of the joint proposal include:

The NYPSC is expected to act on this joint proposal at its February 20, 2002 open session. Once the NYPSC issues an order approving the joint proposal, the only remaining regulatory approval for the RGS Energy merger is approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

(b) "Mini Tender" Offer Response

Energy East received notification that TRC Capital Corporation of Toronto, Canada commenced an unsolicited "mini tender" offer on January 9, 2002, to purchase up to 3,750,000 common shares of Energy East, or approximately 3.2% of its total common shares outstanding, at a price of $18.70 per share. Energy East recommends that its shareholders reject this offer and cautions its shareholders that the offer is approximately 3.6% below the closing price of $19.39 per Energy East share on the New York

Stock Exchange on January 8, 2002, the day prior to the commencement of the offer, and is approximately 4.1% below yesterday's closing price of $19.49 per share.

Shareholders are advised that TRC Capital has reserved the right to withdraw its offer at any time, at its sole discretion, to delay payment for Energy East common shares tendered and to amend its offer in any respect. TRC Capital may also decline to purchase Energy East common shares tendered if TRC Capital so chooses for any reason, including in the event that the offer price exceeds the market price of the common shares. In addition, TRC Capital's offer is conditioned upon receipt by TRC Capital, on terms satisfactory to TRC Capital, of the debt financing necessary to complete the offer.

Energy East does not endorse this unsolicited offer. Shareholders are advised to consult with their investment advisors and to exercise caution with this "mini tender" offer. "Mini tender" offers typically seek less than 5% of a company's stock, thereby avoiding many disclosure requirements of the SEC. TRC Capital has made numerous "mini tender" offers for other companies' shares. The SEC has issued an investor alert regarding "mini tender" offers on its website at www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/minitend.htm.

Forward-looking Statements

This Form 8-K contains certain forward-looking statements that are based upon management's current expectations and information that is currently available. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for forward-looking statements in certain circumstances. Whenever used in this report, the words "estimate," "expect," "believe," or similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.

In addition to the assumptions and other factors referred to specifically in connection with such statements, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statements include, among others: the deregulation and continued regulatory unbundling of a vertically integrated industry; the companies' ability to compete in the rapidly changing and increasingly competitive electricity and natural gas utility markets; regulatory uncertainty in a politically-charged environment of rising energy prices; the operation of the New York Independent System Operator and ISO New England, Inc.; the operation of a regional transmission organization; the ability to control non-utility generator and other costs; changes in fuel supply or cost and the success of strategies to satisfy power requirements now that all of Energy East's coal-fired generation assets have been sold; Energy East's ability to expand its products and services, including its energy infrastructure in the Northeast; Energy East's ability to integrate the operations of Connecticut Energy, CMP Group, CTG Resources, Berkshire Energy and RGS Energy with its operations; market risk; the ability to obtain adequate and timely rate relief; nuclear, terrorist, or environmental incidents; legal or administrative proceedings; changes in the cost or availability of capital; growth in the areas in which the companies are doing business; weather variations affecting customer energy usage; and other considerations that may be disclosed from time to time in the companies' publicly disseminated documents and filings. The companies undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

Date:  January 16, 2002

ENERGY EAST CORPORATION
              (Registrant)

 

By   /s/ Kenneth M. Jasinski                 
           Kenneth M. Jasinski
           Executive Vice President,
           General Counsel & Secretary

 

 

 

Date:  January 16, 2002

NEW YORK STATE ELECTRIC & GAS CORPORATION
              (Registrant)

 

By   /s/ Sherwood J. Rafferty                
           Sherwood J. Rafferty
           Senior Vice President and
           Chief Financial Officer