Calpine Takes Legal Action Against Trustees for First Priority Secured Note Holders
September 27 2005 - 9:02AM
PR Newswire (US)
SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Calpine
Corporation (NYSE:CPN) has filed an action in the Delaware Court of
Chancery against The Bank of New York, as collateral trustee
(Collateral Trustee) for Calpine's Senior Secured Note Holders, and
Wilmington Trust Company, as indenture trustee for Calpine's First
Priority Senior Secured Notes (First Lien Notes). Calpine filed the
action in response to the Collateral Trustee's recent withholding
of Calpine withdrawals from the account in which the company had
deposited proceeds from its July 2005 domestic gas asset sale. The
lawsuit seeks a declaration that Calpine's past and proposed
purchases of natural gas assets are permitted by the indenture for
the First Lien Notes and related documents, and seeks an injunction
compelling the Collateral Trustee to release the funds requested to
be withdrawn for this purpose. Last week, the Collateral Trustee
informed Calpine that certain unidentified holders of Calpine's
First Lien Notes have raised disagreements (which the holders had
not previously communicated to Calpine) regarding the company's
reinvestment of the gas sale proceeds. Acting through their
counsel, these unidentified note holders objected to Calpine's
proposed withdrawals and demanded that the company's previously
withdrawn funds be returned to the gas sale proceeds account. Under
Calpine's existing bond indentures, the gas sale proceeds were
first offered to holders of the company's First Lien Notes. Of the
$785 million First Lien Notes outstanding, approximately $139
million of notes were tendered to the company in response to
Calpine's offer. The holders of the remaining First Lien Notes were
given the opportunity to be bought out at par in the tender offer,
and declined the opportunity. Accordingly, the indenture for the
First Lien Notes affirmatively states that the company may use the
remaining gas sale proceeds for "any purpose not otherwise
prohibited by this indenture," including reinvestment in natural
gas assets. Calpine has reinvested approximately $360 million of
the gas sale proceeds to acquire natural gas assets. Following
these acquisitions, approximately $400 million remains in the gas
sale proceeds account with the Collateral Trustee. Calpine
Corporation A major power company, Calpine Corporation supplies
customers and communities with electricity from clean, efficient,
natural gas-fired and geothermal power plants. Calpine owns, leases
and operates integrated systems of plants in 21 U.S. states and in
three Canadian provinces. Calpine was founded in 1984. It is
included in the S&P 500 Index and is publicly traded on the New
York Stock Exchange under the symbol CPN. For more information,
visit http://www.calpine.com/ . This news release discusses certain
matters that may be considered "forward-looking" statements within
the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, including statements regarding the intent, belief or
current expectations of Calpine Corporation ("the Company") and its
management. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance
and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could
materially affect actual results including the risks identified
from time-to-time in the Company's reports and registration
statements filed with the SEC, including the risk factors
identified in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2004, and in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
three months ended June 30, 2005, which can also be found on the
Company's website at http://www.calpine.com/. All information set
forth in this news release is as of today's date, and the Company
undertakes no duty to update this information. DATASOURCE: Calpine
Corporation CONTACT: media, Katherine Potter, +1-408-995-5115, Ext.
1168, or investors, Karen Bunton, +1-408-995-5115, Ext. 1121, both
of Calpine Corporation Web site: http://www.calpine.com/
Copyright
Calpine (NYSE:CPN)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2024 to Jul 2024
Calpine (NYSE:CPN)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2023 to Jul 2024