CHICAGO & WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC) and Pepco Holdings Inc. (NYSE: POM) today announced that they have reached a settlement agreement with The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC) in the proceeding before the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) to review the two companies’ proposed merger, which was announced on April 30, 2014.
The agreement with TASC, which represents the nation’s leading rooftop solar companies, includes provisions to facilitate the introduction of more on-site renewable generation in Maryland and improve cooperation among solar developers and Pepco Holdings’ utilities. The settlement, which is subject to the approval of the PSC, was filed by Exelon, Pepco Holdings and TASC, which is among the stakeholder groups participating in the merger proceedings before the PSC.
“This settlement is an extension of Exelon’s commitment to advancing the development of clean energy in Maryland, including solar and other renewable sources,” said Chris Crane, Exelon president and CEO. “The agreement will add further transparency and ease to the interconnection process for distributed-generation resources in Pepco and Delmarva Power territories. On the commercial side of our business, we operate 33 megawatts of solar in Maryland, including the state’s largest solar facility, and we are in the process of developing 285 to 300 megawatts of additional clean generation statewide, including a mix of wind and solar.”
TASC leads advocacy across the country for the rooftop solar industry. Its members and their customers are responsible for more than 100,000 residential, school, government and commercial solar energy installations across the country.
“This agreement addresses the importance of ensuring consumers have absolute transparency into their utilities’ interconnection process for rooftop solar,” said Chris Ercoli, TASC’s director for the Mid-Atlantic Region. “Maryland will see both economic and environmental benefits as more distributed renewable energy projects come on line.”
Under the settlement agreement, following the merger, Pepco Holdings utilities will make it easier for customers and solar developers to connect on-site renewable generation and energy-storage projects to the distribution grid. Provisions include posting service territory maps on utility websites that help solar developers identify desirable locations for new installations. The companies will also collaborate in studying ways to improve the engineering criteria for connecting renewable systems and energy storage to the grid.
The merger will bring together Exelon’s three electric and gas utilities – BGE, ComEd and PECO – and Pepco Holdings’ three electric and gas utilities – ACE, Delmarva Power and Pepco – to create the leading mid-Atlantic electric and gas utility.
In addition to the Maryland Public Service Commission, the merger requires approvals by the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia and the Delaware Public Service Commission. On Feb. 13, Exelon reached a settlement agreement with staff of the Delaware Public Service Commission and other stakeholders, and the agreement is pending approval by the Commission. Following the expiration of the U.S. Department of Justice’s review period on Dec. 22, 2014, the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act no longer precludes completion of the merger.
The transaction was approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities in February, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in November, the Virginia State Corporation Commission in October and PHI stockholders in September. The companies expect to complete the merger in the second or third quarter of 2015. For more information about the merger or to download the settlement agreement, visit www.phitomorrow.com.
About Exelon Corporation
Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC) is the nation’s leading competitive energy provider, with 2014 revenues of approximately $27.4 billion. Headquartered in Chicago, Exelon does business in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. Exelon is one of the largest competitive U.S. power generators, with approximately 32,500 megawatts of owned capacity comprising one of the nation’s cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets. The company’s Constellation business unit provides energy products and services to more than 2.5 million residential, public sector and business customers, including more than two-thirds of the Fortune 100. Exelon’s utilities deliver electricity and natural gas to more than 7.8 million customers in central Maryland (BGE), northern Illinois (ComEd) and southeastern Pennsylvania (PECO). Follow Exelon on Twitter @Exelon.
About Pepco Holdings Inc.
Pepco Holdings Inc. is one of the largest energy delivery companies in the Mid-Atlantic region, serving about 2 million customers in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland and New Jersey. PHI subsidiaries Pepco, Delmarva Power and Atlantic City Electric provide regulated electricity service; Delmarva Power also provides natural gas service. PHI also provides energy efficiency and renewable energy services through Pepco Energy Services. For more information, visit online: www.pepcoholdings.com.
About The Alliance For Solar Choice
The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC) leads the rooftop solar advocacy across the country. Founded by the largest rooftop companies in the nation, TASC represents the vast majority of the market. Its members include: Demeter Power; Silevo; SolarCity; Solar Universe; Sunrun; Verengo; and ZEP Solar.
Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information
Except for the historical information contained herein, certain of the matters discussed in this communication constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, both as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “predict,” “project,” “future”, “potential,” “intend,” “seek to,” “plan,” “assume,” “believe,” “target,” “forecast,” “goal,” “objective,” “continue” or the negative of such terms or other variations thereof and words and terms of similar substance used in connection with any discussion of future plans, actions, or events identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding benefits of the proposed merger, integration plans and expected synergies, the expected timing of completion of the transaction, anticipated future financial and operating performance and results, including estimates for growth. These statements are based on the current expectations of management of Exelon Corporation (Exelon) and Pepco Holdings, Inc. (PHI), as applicable. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements included in this communication. For example, (1) the companies may be unable to obtain regulatory approvals required for the merger, or required regulatory approvals may delay the merger or cause the companies to abandon the merger; (2) conditions to the closing of the merger may not be satisfied; (3) an unsolicited offer of another company to acquire assets or capital stock of Exelon or PHI could interfere with the merger; (4) problems may arise in successfully integrating the businesses of the companies, which may result in the combined company not operating as effectively and efficiently as expected; (5) the combined company may be unable to achieve cost-cutting synergies or it may take longer than expected to achieve those synergies; (6) the merger may involve unexpected costs, unexpected liabilities or unexpected delays, or the effects of purchase accounting may be different from the companies’ expectations; (7) the credit ratings of the combined company or its subsidiaries may be different from what the companies expect; (8) the businesses of the companies may suffer as a result of uncertainty surrounding the merger; (9) the companies may not realize the values expected to be obtained for properties expected or required to be sold; (10) the industry may be subject to future regulatory or legislative actions that could adversely affect the companies; and (11) the companies may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Other unknown or unpredictable factors could also have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the combined company. Therefore, forward-looking statements are not guarantees or assurances of future performance, and actual results could differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements. Discussions of some of these other important factors and assumptions are contained in Exelon’s and PHI’s respective filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, including: (1) Exelon’s 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K in (a) ITEM 1A. Risk Factors, (b) ITEM 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and (c) ITEM 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data: Note 22; (2) Exelon’s Third Quarter 2014 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q in (a) Part II, Other Information, ITEM 1A. Risk Factors; (b) Part 1, Financial Information, ITEM 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and (c) Part I, Financial Information, ITEM 1. Financial Statements: Note 18; (3) the definitive proxy statement that PHI filed with the SEC on August 12, 2014 and mailed to its stockholders in connection with the proposed merger (as supplemented by PHI’s Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 12, 2014); (4) PHI’s 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K in (a) ITEM 1A. Risk Factors, (b) ITEM 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and (c) ITEM 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data: Note 15; and (5) PHI’s Third Quarter 2014 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q in (a) PART I, ITEM 1. Financial Statements, (b) PART I, ITEM 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and (c) PART II, ITEM 1A. Risk Factors. In light of these risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors, the forward-looking events discussed in this communication may not occur. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this communication. Neither Exelon nor PHI undertakes any obligation to publicly release any revision to its forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this communication. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Exelon or PHI to predict all such factors. Furthermore, it may not be possible to assess the impact of any such factor on Exelon’s or PHI’s respective businesses or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any specific factors that may be provided should not be construed as exhaustive.
