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): OCTOBER 11, 2002
----------
CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
TEXAS 1-31447 74-0694415
(State or other jurisdiction (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer
of incorporation) Identification No.)
1111 LOUISIANA
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (713) 207-3000
----------
ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.
On October 11, 2002, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. announced that it had
successfully negotiated new, one-year credit facilities totaling $4.7 billion to
replace similar facilities that expired on October 10, 2002. The new facilities
consist of a $3.85 billion, 364-day bank credit facility at CenterPoint Energy,
Inc. and an $850 million, 364-day bank credit facility at CenterPoint Energy,
Inc.'s electric transmission and distribution subsidiary, CenterPoint Energy
Houston Electric, LLC. For additional information regarding the new facilities,
please refer to CenterPoint Energy, Inc.'s press release attached to this report
as Exhibit 99.1 which is incorporated by reference herein.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the statements in the press release incorporated by reference
herein are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially
from those expressed or implied by these statements. In some cases, you can
identify our forward-looking statements by the words "anticipates," "believes,"
"continue," "could," "estimates," "expects," "forecast," "goal," "intends,"
"may," "objective," "plans," "potential," "predicts," "projection," "should,"
"will," or other similar words.
We have based our forward-looking statements on our management's
beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the
statements are made. We caution you that assumptions, beliefs, expectations,
intentions and projections about future events may and often do vary materially
from actual results. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from those
expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. You should not place
undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement
speaks only as of the date of the particular statement, and we undertake no
obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements.
The following list identifies some of the factors that could cause
actual results to differ from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking
statements:
o state, federal and international legislative and regulatory actions or
developments, including deregulation, re-regulation and restructuring
of the electric utility industry, changes in or application of laws or
regulations applicable to other aspects of our business and actions
with respect to, among other things:
o approval of stranded costs;
o allowed rates of return;
o rate structures;
o recovery of investments; and
o operation and construction of facilities;
o non-payment for our services due to financial distress of our
customers;
o the successful and timely completion of our capital projects;
o industrial, commercial and residential growth in our service territory
and changes in market demand and demographic patterns;
o changes in business strategy or development plans;
o unanticipated changes in interest rates or rates of inflation;
o unanticipated changes in operating expenses and capital expenditures;
o weather variations and other natural phenomena;
o commercial bank and financial market conditions, our access to capital,
receipt of certain approvals under the 1935 Act and the results of our
financing and refinancing efforts, including availability of funds in
the debt capital markets;
o actions by rating agencies;
o legal and administrative proceedings and settlements;
o changes in tax laws;
o significant changes in our relationship with our employees, including
the availability of qualified personnel and the potential adverse
effects if labor disputes or grievances were to occur;
o significant changes in critical accounting policies material to us;
o acts of terrorism or war, including any direct or indirect effect on
our business resulting from terrorist attacks such as occurred on
September 11, 2001 or any similar incidents or responses to those
incidents;
o the availability and price of insurance;
o the outcome of the pending securities lawsuits against Reliant Energy,
Incorporated and Reliant Resources, Inc.;
o the outcome of the SEC investigation relating to the treatment in our
consolidated financial statements of certain activities of Reliant
Resources, Inc.;
o the reliability of the systems, procedures and other infrastructure
necessary to operate the retail electric business in our service
territory, including the systems owned and operated by the independent
system operator in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc.;
o political, legal, regulatory and economic conditions and developments
in the United States; and
o other factors discussed in CenterPoint Energy, Inc.'s and CenterPoint
Energy Houston Electric, LLC's filings with the SEC.
ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
(c) Exhibits.
The following exhibit is filed herewith:
99.1 Press Release issued October 11, 2002 regarding new credit
facilities.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.
Date: October 11, 2002 By: /s/ James S. Brian
--------------------------------
James S. Brian
Senior Vice President and
Chief Accounting Officer
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit No. Description
----------- -----------
99.1 Press Release issued October 11, 2002 regarding new credit
facilities.