HOUSTON, TEXAS and CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - June 18, 2014) - Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE:EEP) (the "Partnership") and Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB)(NYSE:ENB) ("Enbridge") announced today an agreement to undertake a restructuring of the Partnership's equity under which its general partner will permanently waive its existing incentive distribution rights in exchange for Class D units and new incentive distribution units. This restructuring will decrease the general partner's share of incremental cash distributions from 48 percent of all distributions in excess of $0.495 per unit per quarter down to 23 percent of all distributions in excess of the Partnership's current quarterly distribution of $0.5435 per unit per quarter. As a result, the share of incremental cash available for distribution to holders of Class A common units will increase correspondingly. The restructuring will be effective July 1, 2014 and will apply to all distributions declared subsequent to that date.
"The Partnership's Liquids Pipelines capital expansion program currently underway is expected to generate significant low risk cash flow growth over the coming years. This Equity Restructuring will enhance the economics of the Partnership's investment projects and increase cash flow available for distribution to holders of Class A common units from the existing capital projects as well as from future growth projects," said Mark Maki, President for the Partnership.
Commenting on the restructuring transaction, Al Monaco, Enbridge's President and Chief Executive Officer noted: "Enbridge and the Partnership are in the midst of executing the most significant organic capital growth program in our history. At the same time, one of Enbridge's strategic priorities is to re-establish the Partnership as a strong sponsored vehicle and an effective source of funding for its own growth and for future drop downs; much the same as the role Enbridge Income Fund plays with the Enbridge group today. This restructuring of the incentive distribution rights builds upon other initiatives undertaken including our preferred unit investment in EEP and the formation of Midcoast Energy Partners, L.P. in 2013. The Equity Restructuring is expected to benefit Enbridge shareholders by improving the Partnership's cost of capital and growth outlook, thus increasing the incentive distributions to the general partner of the Partnership over time."
To implement the Equity Restructuring, EEP's general partner, a wholly owned subsidiary of Enbridge, will irrevocably waive its current incentive distributions rights ("IDRs") in excess of its 2 percent general partner interest in exchange for 66.1 million Class D units and 1,000 Incentive Distribution Units (the "IDUs") ("Equity Restructuring"). The Class D units will carry a distribution equal to the quarterly distribution on the Class A common units. The third quarter 2014 distribution on the Class D units will be adjusted to provide Enbridge with an aggregate distribution in 2014 equal to the current distribution on its IDRs as if the Equity Restructuring had not occurred. The IDUs will be entitled to no distribution initially, but will be entitled in the future to 23 percent of any amount in excess of EEP's current quarterly Class A common unit distribution of $0.5435 per unit. In the event of any decrease in the Class A common unit distribution below $0.5435 per unit in any quarter during the next five years, the distribution on the Class D units will be reduced to the amount which would have been received by Enbridge under the existing IDRs as if the Equity Restructuring had not occurred.
The Class D Units will have a notional value per unit equivalent to the closing market price of the Class A Common units on June 17, 2014 (the "Notional Value") and have the same voting rights as the Class A units. The Class D units are convertible on a one-for-one basis into Class A common units at any time on or after the fifth anniversary of the closing date, at the holder's option. In the event of a liquidation event (or any merger or other extraordinary transaction), the Class D Unit holders will have a preference in liquidation equal to 20 percent of the Notional Value, with such preference being increased by an additional 20 percent on each anniversary of the closing date, resulting in a liquidation preference equal to 100 percent of the Notional Value on the fourth anniversary of the closing date. The Class D units will be redeemable in 30 years in whole or in part at EEP's option for either a cash amount equal to the Notional Value per unit or newly issued Class A common units with an aggregate market value at redemption equal to 105 percent of the aggregate Notional Value of the Class D units being redeemed.
Also, as part of the Equity Restructuring, certain related amendments were made to the partnership agreement to increase the Partnership's flexibility to maintain and increase interim distributions to unitholders until current and future growth investments by the Partnership begin to generate cash, and to enhance the Partnership's ability to execute its long-term growth plans in a capital efficient and accretive manner.
The Equity Restructuring and all related amendments to the partnership agreement were reviewed and recommended to the board of directors of the General Partner by a special committee of independent directors. The special committee was assisted by its own independent legal counsel and financial advisor.
About Enbridge Inc.
Enbridge Inc., a Canadian Company, is a North American leader in delivering energy and has been included on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World ranking for the past six years. As a transporter of energy, Enbridge operates, in Canada and the U.S., the world's longest crude oil and liquids transportation system. The Company also has a significant and growing involvement in natural gas gathering, transmission and midstream businesses, and an increasing involvement in power transmission. As a distributor of energy, Enbridge owns and operates Canada's largest natural gas distribution company, and provides distribution services in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and New York State. As a generator of energy, Enbridge has interests in 1,800 megawatts of renewable and alternative energy generating capacity and is expanding its interests in wind and solar energy and geothermal. Enbridge employs more than 10,000 people, primarily in Canada and the U.S. and is ranked as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2014. Enbridge's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol ENB. For more information, visit www.enbridge.com. None of the information contained in, or connected to, Enbridge's website is incorporated in or otherwise part of this news release.
About Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P.
Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. owns and operates a diversified portfolio of crude oil transportation systems in the United States. Its principal crude oil system is the largest pipeline transporter of growing oil production from western Canada and the North Dakota Bakken formation. The system's deliveries to refining centers and connected carriers in the United States account for approximately 17 per cent of total U.S. oil imports. Enbridge Partners' natural gas gathering, treating, processing and transmission assets, which are principally located onshore in the active U.S. Mid-Continent and Gulf Coast areas, deliver approximately 2.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas daily. Enbridge Partners is recognized by Forbes as one of the 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain information provided in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate", "expect", "project", "estimate", "forecast" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Enbridge and EEP believe that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties pertaining to operating performance, regulatory parameters, weather, economic conditions and commodity prices. You can find a discussion of those risks and uncertainties in our Canadian securities filings and American SEC filings. While Enbridge and EEP make these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Enbridge and EEP assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or otherwise, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.