Edison Secures Fund for Wind Energy

An Edison International (EIX">EIX) subsidiary, Edison Mission Energy (“EME”) has completed $242 million financing for its three contracted wind energy projects with a generation capacity of 204 MW.

The financing portfolio comprises a $214 million fully amortizing 10-year term loan facility, and a 10-year letter of credit and working capital facilities totaling $28 million. The transaction carries an interest rate of 250 basis points over London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). The proceeds from the term loan facility will be distributed to EME for general corporate purposes, net of transaction costs.

The wind project portfolio includes a 130 MW Taloga project that was built earlier in 2011 and a 19 MW Buffalo Bear project that was built in 2008. These two sites are located in Oklahoma.

The Pinnacle project, in West Virginia, makes up the third site. The 55MW project is expected to complete its construction in the first quarter of 2012. The company indicated that approximately $96 million of the credit facilities related to the third site will be available when the project accomplishes specific completion targets.

The electricity generated form these projects will be sold to utilities and public agency customers under long-term power purchase agreements.

With a strong portfolio of regulated utility assets and well-managed merchant energy operations, Edison International presents a lower-risk profile compared to its utility-only peers. We expect future growth to come from improved performance in unregulated power generation and energy trading, higher price realizations, upcoming wind projects and a strong balance sheet with no significant maturities before fiscal 2013.

However, several factors continue to weigh on Edison International, including a tepid economy, volatile gas prices, and the recovery of capital expansion costs. The company presently retains a short-term Zacks #3 Rank (Hold) that corresponds with our long-term Neutral recommendation on the stock.

California-based Edison International is a utility holding company operating through its principal subsidiaries: Southern California Edison Company, Edison Mission Energy, and Edison Capital. The company mainly competes with The AES Corporation (AES - Analyst Report) and Sempra Energy (SRE">SRE).

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