SOUTHERN UNION ANNOUNCES SALE
OF $850 MILLION
FLORIDA GAS TRANSMISSION SENIOR NOTES
HOUSTON, July 19, 2010– Southern Union Company (NYSE: SUG)
today announced that Florida Gas Transmission Company, LLC (FGT), an affiliate
of Southern Union Company and El Paso Corporation (NYSE:EP), has issued $500
million of 5.45% senior notes due July 15, 2020, at an offering price of $99.826
(per $100.00 principal) to yield 5.47% and $350 million of 4.00% senior notes
due July 15, 2015, at an offering price of $99.982 (per $100.00 principal) to
yield 4.00%. The offerings were structured as Rule 144A and Regulation S
offerings.
FGT will use the net proceeds of approximately $843.9 million from the sale of
the senior notes to partially fund its $2.4 billion Phase VIII expansion project
and for general corporate purposes, which may include repayment of any of FGT’s
outstanding debt. Today, FGT issued a notice of its election to redeem on August
19, 2010, its $325 million of 7.625% notes due December 1, 2010. FGT operates a
5,000-mile natural gas pipeline system extending from south Texas to south
Florida with current mainline capacity of approximately 2.3 billion cubic feet
per day. The Phase VIII expansion project includes the construction of
approximately 500 miles of large diameter pipeline and the installation of over
200,000 horsepower of additional compression that will provide up to an
additional 820 million cubic feet per day of natural gas transportation
capacity.
The notes have been rated Baa2 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and BBB by
Standard & Poor’s Rating Services. The notes will be senior, unsecured general
obligations of FGT, ranking pari passu with all of its other senior, unsecured
and unsubordinated indebtedness.
The notes were offered to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A
under the Securities Act of 1933 (the Securities Act) and to non-U.S. persons
outside the United States in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities
Act. The notes will not be and have not been registered under the Securities Act
and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an
applicable exemption from such registration requirements.
About Southern Union Company
Southern Union Company, headquartered in Houston, is one of the nation’s leading
diversified natural gas companies, engaged primarily in the transportation,
storage, gathering, processing and distribution of natural gas. The company owns
and operates one of the nation’s largest natural gas pipeline systems with more
than 20,000 miles of gathering and transportation pipelines and one of North
America’s largest liquefied natural gas import terminals, along with serving
more than half a million natural gas end-user customers in Missouri and
Massachusetts. For further information, visit
www.sug.com.
Cautionary Statements
This news release includes forward-looking statements and projections. The
company has made every reasonable effort to ensure that the information and
assumptions on which these statements and projections are based are current,
reasonable, and complete. However, a variety of factors could cause actual
results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other
expectations expressed in this release. Important factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or
other expectations herein are enumerated in Southern Union’s Securities and
Exchange Commission filings. While the company makes these statements and
projections in good faith, neither the company nor its management can guarantee
that anticipated future results will be achieved. Reference must be made to
those filings for additional important factors that may affect actual results.
The company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements
made by the company, whether as a result of new information, future events, or
otherwise.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the notes in any state in which such
offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or
qualification under the securities laws of any such states.
For further information:
John P. Barnett, Director of External Affairs
713-989-7556
John F. Walsh, Vice President of Investor Relations
212-659-3208