ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR -
Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the United States.
Fortis Inc. ("Fortis" or the "Corporation") (TSX:FTS) announced today that it has filed a preliminary short form base shelf prospectus with securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces of Canada (the "Securities Commissions"). Under the shelf prospectus, Fortis may, from time to time during the 25-month period after the shelf prospectus becomes final, offer by way of a prospectus supplement common shares, first preference shares, second preference shares, subscription receipts and/or unsecured debentures in the aggregate amount of up to $1.3 billion (or the equivalent in US dollars or other currencies). The shelf prospectus will not become final until a receipt is obtained for a final base shelf prospectus to be filed with the Securities Commissions. Securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time that the receipt for the Corporation's final base shelf prospectus has been issued by the Securities Commissions.
The shelf prospectus will provide the Corporation with flexibility to access securities markets in a timely manner. The nature, size and timing of any offering of securities under the Corporation's shelf prospectus will be consistent with the past capital raising practices of the Corporation and continue to be dependant upon the Corporation's assessment of its requirements for funding and general market conditions.
This media release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
Fortis is the largest investor-owned distribution utility in Canada, with total assets of more than $14 billion and fiscal 2011 revenue totalling approximately $3.7 billion. The Corporation serves more than 2,000,000 gas and electricity customers. Its regulated holdings include electric distribution utilities in five Canadian provinces and two Caribbean countries and a natural gas utility in British Columbia, Canada. Fortis owns and operates non-regulated generation assets across Canada and in Belize and Upper New York State. It also owns hotels across Canada and commercial office and retail space primarily in Atlantic Canada. The Corporation's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and trade under the symbol FTS. Additional information can be accessed at www.fortisinc.com or www.sedar.com.
Fortis includes forward-looking information in this material within the meaning of applicable securities laws in Canada ("forward-looking information"). The purpose of the forward-looking information is to provide management's expectations regarding the Corporation's future growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities, and it may not be appropriate for other purposes. All forward-looking information is given pursuant to the safe harbour provisions of applicable Canadian securities legislation. The words "anticipates", "believes", "budgets", "could", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "intends", "may", "might", "plans", "projects", "schedule", "should", "will", "would" and similar expressions are often intended to identify forward-looking information, although not all forward-looking information contains these identifying words. The forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on assumptions developed using information currently available to the Corporation's management. Although Fortis believes that the forward-looking 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. For additional information on risk factors that have the potential to affect the Corporation, reference should be made to the Corporation's continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and to the heading "Business Risk Management" in the Corporation's annual and quarterly Management Discussion and Analysis and the "Risk Factors" section of the Annual Information Form. Except as required by law, the Corporation undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking information as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date hereof.
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