Izzo: PSEG is Well Positioned in Uncertain Times
22 April 2009 - 4:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Points to focus on operational excellence, financial strength and
disciplined investment NEWARK, N.J., April 21
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ralph Izzo, president, CEO and chairman
of PSEG today told shareholders gathered for the annual meeting
that the company is well positioned to address three major
challenges that provide opportunity for growth: climate change, the
need to replace aging infrastructure and the need for additional
energy supply. "Our focus on operational excellence, financial
strength and disciplined investment is the right foundation in
these uncertain times," Izzo said. "Our assets are well positioned
in a business climate that will continue to be influenced by
environmental, aging infrastructure and energy capacity needs, as
well as difficult market conditions." Izzo also said that cost
containment will continue to be a major focus of the company, and
cited uncertainty about commodity prices -- oil, gas, coal and
electricity -- as potentially problematic for energy producers.
Izzo talked about the company's focus on operational excellence and
pointed to the fact that PSEG Power, the company's wholesale energy
supply business, produced more electricity in the last year than it
has in any prior year. The company's nuclear facilities have been
improving: Hope Creek was the highest performing nuclear unit in
the nation, and Salem 2 had the second fastest steam-generator
replacement in the history of the industry. The company's fossil
units have also been performing at superior levels. PSEG's combined
cycle fleet achieved record output last year. PSEG grew operating
earnings by 70 percent over the last two years, Izzo said,
eliminating risk by selling international assets at attractive
prices and reducing financial risk by eliminating debt. PSE&G
recently gained regulatory approval for $694 million in accelerated
electric and gas infrastructure projects that will stimulate New
Jersey's economy and create 900 utility and contractor positions
over the next two years. Izzo emphasized the role that utilities
like PSE&G can play in providing access to energy efficiency
and renewable energy. "We have been vocal on the importance of
regulatory reform to provide greater certainty and timely
consideration of utility investments," he said. "Such reform is
vital to building a new green energy economy." PSEG is one of only
a handful of companies in the nation to have offered a dividend
each and every year for more than a century, and has increased its
dividend the last six years in a row. Click here for complete text
of remarks or visit http://www.pseg.com/. Public Service Enterprise
Group (PSEG) is a publicly traded diversified energy company with
annual revenues of more than $13 billion, and three principal
subsidiaries: PSEG Power, PSEG Energy Holdings, and Public Service
Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G). PSEG Power, one of the
largest independent power producers in the U.S. has three main
subsidiaries: PSEG Fossil, PSEG Nuclear, and PSEG Energy Resources
& Trade. PSEG Energy Holdings has two main unregulated
energy-related businesses: PSEG Global and PSEG Resources.
PSE&G, New Jersey's oldest and largest regulated gas and
electric delivery utility, serves nearly three-quarters of New
Jersey's population. Forward-Looking Statement Readers are
cautioned that statements contained in this press release about our
and our subsidiaries' future performance, including future
revenues, earnings, strategies, prospects and all other statements
that are not purely historical, are forward-looking statements for
purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although we believe that our
expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, we can give no
assurance they will be achieved. The results or events predicted in
these statements may differ materially from actual results or
events. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from
current expectations include, but are not limited to: -- Adverse
Changes in energy industry, policies and regulation, including
market rules that may adversely affect our operating results. --
Any inability of our energy transmission and distribution
businesses to obtain adequate and timely rate relief and/or
regulatory approvals from federal and/or state regulators. --
Changes in federal and/or state environmental regulations that
could increase our costs or limit operations of our generating
units. -- Changes in nuclear regulation and/or developments in the
nuclear power industry generally, that could limit operations of
our nuclear generating units. -- Actions or activities at one of
our nuclear units that might adversely affect our ability to
continue to operate that unit or other units at the same site. --
Any inability to balance our energy obligations, available supply
and trading risks. -- Any deterioration in our credit quality. --
Any inability to realize anticipated tax benefits or retain tax
credits. -- Increases in the cost of or interruption in the supply
of fuel and other commodities necessary to the operation of our
generating units. -- Delays or cost escalations in our construction
and development activities. -- Adverse investment performance of
our decommissioning and defined benefit plan trust funds and
changes in discount rates and funding requirements. -- Changes in
technology and/or increased customer conservation. For further
information, please refer to our Annual Report on Form 10-K,
including item 1A. Risk Factors, and subsequent reports on Form
10-Q and Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. These documents address in further detail our business,
industry issues and other factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those indicated in this release. In
addition, any forward-looking statements included herein represent
our estimates only as of today and should not be relied upon as
representing our estimates as of any subsequent date. While we may
elect to update forward-looking statements from time to time, we
specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, even if our
estimates change, unless otherwise required by applicable
securities laws. DATASOURCE: Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG)
CONTACT: Jenn Kramer, +1-973-430-6027 Web Site:
http://www.pseg.com/
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