JUNO BEACH, Fla., and
HONOLULU, March 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra
Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) and Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawaii
Electric Light Company, Inc. and Maui Electric Company Limited
(collectively referred to as Hawaiian Electric), subsidiaries of
Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HE) (HEI), today announced
that the companies will be hosting a series of 13 open house
informational meetings across Hawaii to introduce residents to NextEra
Energy and the benefits of the companies' pending merger as well as
to provide members of the public with the opportunity to provide
input directly to company officials. The open houses will take
place on Oahu, Hawaii Island,
Maui, Molokai and Lanai from April 7 to
April 16.
"Since we announced our merger late last year, we've been
gratified at the reception we've received as well as the high level
of interest in this important topic for Hawaii," said Eric
Gleason, president of NextEra Energy Hawaii, LLC. "NextEra
Energy shares Hawaiian Electric's vision of increasing renewable
energy, modernizing its grid, reducing Hawaii's dependence on imported oil,
integrating more rooftop solar energy and, importantly, lowering
customer bills. We recognize that addressing Hawaii's energy challenges requires
Hawaii-specific energy solutions,
and that is why we look forward to meeting with and listening to
residents across Hawaii. The
meetings will provide us with the opportunity to receive valuable
feedback while allowing residents to learn more about NextEra
Energy and the significant near- and long-term benefits this merger
will deliver to Hawaiian Electric customers and the state of
Hawaii."
"In selecting NextEra Energy as our partner, we will join a
company that shares our community and environmental values, has a
proven track record of lowering electric bills, is the world's
largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun, and is
committed to rooftop solar in Hawaii," said Alan
Oshima, Hawaiian Electric's president and chief executive
officer. "We can't imagine a better match to help us accelerate the
clean energy transformation we all want for Hawaii. We hope our customers will take the
opportunity to meet members of the NextEra Energy team and learn
firsthand why NextEra Energy is the right partner to help us
achieve a cleaner and more affordable energy future for
Hawaii."
About the Open House Meetings
Each open house meeting will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time. Senior leaders
and other employees from NextEra Energy and Hawaiian Electric will
be available to discuss NextEra Energy's track record of increasing
renewable energy, lowering customer bills, creating innovative
solutions for modernizing the grid, and supporting local
communities, as well as all the expected benefits from the proposed
merger with Hawaiian Electric. The dates and locations for the
meetings are as follows:
Maui County
- April 7 Central Maui: Maui Electric Auditorium
South Maui: Kihei Community
Center
- April 8 West Maui: Lahaina Civic Center
Lanai: Lanai Community Center
- April 9 Molokai: Kaunakakai
Elementary School Cafeteria
Hawaii Island
- April 13 Hilo, Hawaii: Hilo High School Cafeteria
Puna, Hawaii: Pahoa High School
Cafeteria
- April 14 West Hawaii: Kealakehe High School
Cafeteria
Waimea, Hawaii: HPA Village Campus
Dining Hall
Oahu
- April 15 West Oahu: Kapolei High School Cafeteria
Leeward Oahu: Pearl City High
School Cafeteria
- April 16 Honolulu: Ward
Warehouse, Kakaako Conference Room
Windward Oahu: Windward Community College, Hale Akoakoa
Website
To learn more about the benefits of the transaction, please
visit www.forhawaiisfuture.com.
NextEra Energy, Inc.
NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is a leading clean energy
company with consolidated revenues of approximately $17.0 billion, approximately 44,900 megawatts of
generating capacity, which includes megawatts associated with
noncontrolling interests related to NextEra Energy Partners, LP
(NYSE: NEP), and approximately 13,800 employees in 27 states and
Canada as of year-end 2014.
Headquartered in Juno Beach, Fla.,
NextEra Energy's principal subsidiaries are Florida Power & Light Company, which serves
approximately 4.7 million customer accounts in Florida and is one of the largest
rate-regulated electric utilities in the
United States, and NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which,
together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest
generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. Through its
subsidiaries, NextEra Energy generates clean, emissions-free
electricity from eight commercial nuclear power units in
Florida, New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin. NextEra Energy has been recognized
often by third parties for its efforts in sustainability, corporate
responsibility, ethics and compliance, and diversity, and has been
ranked in the top 10 worldwide for innovativeness and community
responsibility as part of Fortune's 2015 list of "World's Most
Admired Companies." For more information about NextEra Energy
companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com,
www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
Hawaiian Electric Company
Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries, Maui Electric and Hawaii
Electric Light, serve the islands of Oahu, Maui,
Lanai, Molokai and Hawaii, home to 95 percent of the population
of Hawaii. Hawaiian Electric's
parent company is Hawaiian Electric Industries (NYSE: HE).
In a changing world, the Hawaiian Electric Companies are taking
the lead in adding renewable energy and developing energy solutions
for their customers to achieve a clean energy future for
Hawaii. For more information,
visit www.hawaiianelectric.com.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This document contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or
phrases such as "may," "will," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect,"
"project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "predict," and "target" and
other words and terms of similar meaning. Forward-looking
statements involve estimates, expectations, projections, goals,
forecasts, assumptions, risks and uncertainties. NEE and HEI
caution readers that any forward-looking statement is not a
guarantee of future performance and that actual results could
differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking
statement. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not
limited to, statements about the anticipated benefits of the
proposed merger involving NEE and HEI, including future financial
or operating results of NEE or HEI, NEE's or HEI's plans,
objectives, expectations or intentions, the expected timing of
completion of the transaction, the value, as of the completion of
the merger or spin-off of HEI's bank subsidiary or as of any other
date in the future, of any consideration to be received in the
merger or the spin-off in the form of stock or any other security,
and other statements that are not historical facts. Important
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those indicated by any such forward-looking statements include
risks and uncertainties relating to: the risk that HEI may be
unable to obtain shareholder approval for the merger or that NEE or
HEI may be unable to obtain governmental and regulatory approvals
required for the merger or the spin-off, or required governmental
and regulatory approvals may delay the merger or the spin-off or
result in the imposition of conditions that could cause the parties
to abandon the transaction; the risk that a condition to closing of
the merger or the completion of the spin-off may not be satisfied;
the timing to consummate the proposed merger and the expected
timing of the completion of the spin-off; the risk that the
businesses will not be integrated successfully; the risk that the
cost savings and any other synergies from the transaction,
including the value of a potential tax basis step up to HEI
shareholders, may not be fully realized or may take longer to
realize than expected; disruption from the transaction making it
more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees
or suppliers; the diversion of management time and attention on
merger and spin-off-related issues; general worldwide economic
conditions and related uncertainties; the effect and timing of
changes in laws or in governmental regulations (including
environmental); fluctuations in trading prices of securities and in
the financial results of NEE, HEI or any of their subsidiaries; the
timing and extent of changes in interest rates, commodity prices
and demand and market prices for electricity; and other factors
discussed or referred to in the "Risk Factors" section of HEI's or
NEE's most recent Annual Reports on Form 10-K filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks, as well as other
risks associated with the merger, are more fully discussed in the
preliminary proxy statement/prospectus that is included in the
Registration Statement on Form S-4 that has been filed with the SEC
in connection with the merger. Additional risks and uncertainties
are identified and discussed in NEE's and HEI's reports filed with
the SEC and available at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Each
forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the
particular statement and neither NEE nor HEI undertakes any
obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
Additional Information And Where To Find It
This document does not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of
any vote or approval nor shall there be any sale of securities in
any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the
securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The proposed business
combination transaction between NEE and HEI will be submitted to
the shareholders of HEI for their consideration. In connection with
the proposed transaction between NEE and HEI, on January 8, 2015, NEE filed with the SEC a
registration statement on Form S-4 that includes a preliminary
proxy statement of HEI that also constitutes a prospectus of NEE.
HEI will provide the proxy statement/prospectus to its
shareholders. These materials are not yet final and will be
amended. NEE and HEI also plan to file other documents with the SEC
regarding the proposed transaction. This document is not a
substitute for any prospectus, proxy statement or any other
document which NEE or HEI may file with the SEC in connection with
the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF HEI ARE
URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT
DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR
ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL
CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. You
may obtain copies of all documents filed with the SEC regarding
this transaction, free of charge, at the SEC's website
(www.sec.gov). You may also obtain these documents, free of charge,
from NEE's website (www.investor.nexteraenergy.com) under the
heading "Investor Relations" and then under the heading "SEC
Filings." You may also obtain these documents, free of charge, from
HEI's website (www.hei.com) under the tab "Investor Relations" and
then under the heading "SEC Filings." Additional information about
the proposed transaction is available at a joint website launched
by the companies at www.forhawaiisfuture.com.
Participants In The Merger Solicitation
NEE, HEI, and certain of their respective directors, executive
officers and other members of management and employees may be
deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from HEI
shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction.
Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the
SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of HEI shareholders
in connection with the proposed transaction is set forth in the
preliminary proxy statement/prospectus that has been filed with the
SEC. You can find information about NEE's executive officers and
directors in its proxy statement for the 2015 annual meeting. You
can find information about HEI's executive officers and directors
in its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on
February 26, 2015. Additional
information about NEE's executive officers and directors and HEI's
executive officers and directors can be found in the
above-referenced Registration Statement on Form S-4. You can obtain
free copies of these documents from NEE and HEI as described
above.
NextEra Energy Contact
Robert L. Gould
Vice President, Chief Communications Officer
561-694-4442
Debra Larsson
Manager, Financial and Sustainability Communication
561-694-4442
Hawaiian Electric Industries Contact
A.J. Halagao
Manager, Corporate & Community Advancement
808-543-5889
ajhalagao@hei.com
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SOURCE NextEra Energy, Inc.; Hawaiian Electric Company