pre14c
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14C
Information Statement Pursuant to Section 14(c)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Check the appropriate box:
þ |
|
Preliminary Information Statement |
|
o |
|
Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only
(as permitted by Rule 14c-5(d)(2)) |
|
o |
|
Definitive Information Statement. |
|
PPL Electric Utilities Corporation
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
þ |
|
No fee required. |
|
o |
|
Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act
Rules 14c-5(g) and 0-11
|
|
(1) |
|
Title of each class of securities to which
transaction applies:
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Aggregate number of securities to which
transaction applies:
|
|
|
(3) |
|
Per unit price or other underlying value of
transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth
the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
determined):
|
|
|
(4) |
|
Proposed maximum aggregate value of
transaction:
|
|
|
(5) |
|
Total fee paid:
|
o |
|
Fee paid previously with preliminary
materials. |
|
o |
|
Check box if any part of the fee is offset as
provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for
which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing
by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of
its filing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Amount Previously
Paid: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
Form, Schedule or
Registration Statement No.: |
|
|
|
|
|
(3) |
Filing Party: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4) |
Date Filed: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PPL Electric Utilities Corporation
Notice of Annual Meeting
April 26, 2006
and
Information Statement
(including appended
2005 Financial Statements)
Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareowners
The Annual Meeting of Shareowners of PPL Electric Utilities
Corporation (PPL Electric Utilities or the
Company) will be held at the offices of the Company at Two
North Ninth Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday,
April 26, 2006, at 8 a.m. The Annual Meeting will be
held for the purposes stated below and more fully described in
the accompanying Information Statement, and to transact such
other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or
any adjournments thereof:
|
|
|
|
1. |
The election of directors. |
|
|
2. |
The amendment of the Companys Amended and Restated
Articles of Incorporation. |
The Board of Directors is not aware of any other matters to be
presented for action at the Annual Meeting.
Proxies are not being solicited from PPL Electric
Utilities shareowners because a quorum exists for the
Annual Meeting based on the PPL Electric Utilities stock held by
its parent, PPL Corporation (PPL). PPL owns all of
the outstanding common stock and as a result 99% of the voting
shares of PPL Electric Utilities, and intends to vote all of
these shares in favor of the election of the Companys
nominees as directors and for the amendment of the
Companys Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation.
Only shareowners of record at the close of business on Tuesday,
February 28, 2006, will be entitled to vote at the Annual
Meeting or any adjournments thereof. All shareowners are invited
to attend the Annual Meeting in person. If the Annual Meeting is
interrupted or delayed for any reason, the shareowners attending
the adjourned Annual Meeting shall constitute a quorum and may
act upon such business as may properly come before the Annual
Meeting.
|
|
|
|
|
By Order of the Board of Directors,
|
|
|
|
|
|
Elizabeth Stevens Duane
Secretary
|
March , 2006
Information Statement
The Companys principal executive offices are located at
Two North Ninth Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101, telephone
number 610-774-5151. This Information Statement was first
released to shareowners on or about
March , 2006.
PPL Electric Utilities parent, PPL Corporation
(PPL), owns all of the shares of the Companys
outstanding common stock, which represents 99% of PPL Electric
Utilities outstanding voting shares. As a result, a quorum
exists for the Annual Meeting based on PPLs stock
ownership. ACCORDINGLY, WE ARE NOT ASKING THE SHAREOWNERS FOR
A PROXY, AND SHAREOWNERS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO SEND US A
PROXY.
OUTSTANDING STOCK AND VOTING RIGHTS
The Board of Directors has established Tuesday,
February 28, 2006, as the record date for shareowners
entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting (the Record
Date). The transfer books of the Company will not be
closed. PPL Electric Utilities Amended and Restated
Articles of Incorporation (the Articles) divide its
voting stock into four classes:
41/2%
Preferred Stock, Series Preferred Stock, Preference Stock
and Common Stock. There were no shares of Preference Stock
outstanding on the Record Date. Each currently outstanding share
of each class of stock entitles the holder to one vote upon any
business properly presented to the Annual Meeting. A total of
[78,535,052] shares was outstanding on the Record
Date, consisting of [78,029,863] shares of Common
Stock all owned by PPL, [247,524] shares of
41/2%
Preferred Stock and [257,665] shares of
Series Preferred Stock.
As of February 15, 2006, there are no entities known by the
Company to be the beneficial owner of five percent (5%) or more
of any class of the Companys voting stock entitled to vote
at the Annual Meeting. As discussed above, all of the holders of
the preferred stock of the Company have less than one percent
(1%) of the total voting power of the Company.
Although proxies are not being solicited, shareowners may attend
the Annual Meeting and vote in person. If you plan to attend the
Annual Meeting and vote in person, we will give you a ballot
when you arrive. However, if your shares are held in the name of
your broker, bank or other nominee, you must bring an account
statement or letter from the nominee indicating that you were
the beneficial owner of the shares on February 28, 2006,
the record date for voting. PPL intends to vote all of its
shares of the Companys common stock, or 99% of the voting
shares of the Company, in favor of election of each of the
nominees for director (see Election of Directors),
thereby assuring the election of these directors, and for the
amendment of the Companys Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation.
To preserve voter confidentiality, the Company voluntarily
limits access to shareowner voting records to certain designated
employees of PPL Services Corporation. These employees sign a
confidentiality agreement which prohibits them from disclosing
the manner in which a shareowner has voted to any employee of
Company affiliates or to any other person (except to the Judges
of Election or the person in whose name the shares are
registered), unless otherwise required by law.
With respect to the election of directors, shareowners have the
unconditional right of cumulative voting. Shareowners may vote
in this manner by multiplying the number of shares registered in
their respective names on the Record Date by the total number of
directors to be elected at the Annual Meeting and casting all of
such votes for one nominee or distributing them among any two or
more nominees. The nominees receiving the highest number of
votes, up to the number of directors to be elected, will be
elected. Authority to vote for any individual nominee can be
withheld by striking a line through that persons name in
the list of nominees on the ballot. Shares will be voted for the
remaining nominees on a pro rata basis.
PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The nominees this year are John R. Biggar, Dean A. Christiansen,
Robert J. Grey, William F. Hecht, Rick L. Klingensmith, James H.
Miller, and John F. Sipics, who are currently serving as
directors. The Board of Directors has no reason to believe that
any of the nominees will become unavailable for election, but,
if any nominee should become unavailable prior to the meeting,
PPL intends to vote its shares of PPL Electric Utilities
1
common stock for the election of such other person as the Board
of Directors may recommend in place of that nominee.
The Board of Directors
recommends that shareowners vote FOR Proposal 1
NOMINEES FOR DIRECTORS:
JOHN R. BIGGAR, 61, serves as Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of the Companys parent, PPL.
He is also a director of PPL, and is a manager of PPL Energy
Supply, LLC and PPL Transition Bond Company, LLC, each a
subsidiary of PPL. He joined the Company in 1969. Before being
named as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of
PPL in 2001, Mr. Biggar served two years as Senior Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer and 14 years as Vice
President-Finance. Mr. Biggar earned a bachelors
degree in political science from Lycoming College and a Juris
Doctor degree from the College of Law at Syracuse University.
Mr. Biggar serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of
Lycoming College. Mr. Biggar has been a Director since 2000.
DEAN A. CHRISTIANSEN, 46, is Managing Director of Sales
and Marketing for Capital Markets Engineering and Trading, LLC
(CMET), a New York-based investment banking boutique
providing, among other services, structured finance
securitization and financial engineering solutions to the
capital markets. Prior to joining CMET in August 2004,
Mr. Christiansen was the President of Acacia Capital, Inc.,
a New York City-based corporate finance advisory firm founded in
1990. From October 2000 to July 2003, he also served as
President and a Director of Lord Securities Corporation of New
York, a financial services and administration company with
operations world-wide. Mr. Christiansen received a degree
in government from the University of Notre Dame and has
completed additional studies in Aerospace engineering.
Mr. Christiansen is also a member of the board of PPL
Transition Bond Company, LLC. He has been a Director since 2001.
ROBERT J. GREY, 55, serves as Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary of the Companys parent, PPL
and is a manager of PPL Energy Supply, LLC. Mr. Grey earned
his bachelors degree from Columbia University, a law
degree from Emory University, and a Master of Laws degree from
George Washington University. Before being named as Senior Vice
President, General Counsel and Secretary of PPL and the Company
in 1996, Mr. Grey served as Vice President, General Counsel
and Secretary. Before joining the Company in 1995, Mr. Grey
served as General Counsel for Long Island Lighting Company and
was a partner with the law firm of Preston Gates &
Ellis. He has been a Director since 2000.
WILLIAM F. HECHT, 63, is Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of the Companys parent, PPL and is Chairman of the
Company. Mr. Hecht received bachelors and
masters degrees in electrical engineering from Lehigh
University, and joined the Company in 1964. He was elected
President and Chief Operating Officer in 1991 and was named
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company
in 1993, and to his PPL position in February 1995.
Mr. Hecht is a director of DENTSPLY International Inc., the
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, RenaissanceRe Holdings
Ltd. and PPL, is a manager of PPL Energy Supply, LLC and serves
on the board of a number of civic and charitable organizations.
Mr. Hecht has been a Director since 1990.
RICK L. KLINGENSMITH, 45, is president of PPL Global,
LLC, the subsidiary of PPL that owns and operates electricity
distribution businesses in Latin America and the United Kingdom.
Mr. Klingensmith joined PPL Global in February 2000 as
General Manager of Global Assets. In August 2000, he was
promoted to Vice President-Finance, and served in this position
until he was named President of PPL Global in August 2004. Prior
to joining PPL Global, Mr. Klingensmith was Manager of
Energy Systems Assets and Acquisitions for Air Products and
Chemicals, Inc. in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Before joining Air
Products, Mr. Klingensmith was an engineer in the power
systems group of Stone & Webster Engineering
Corporation. Mr. Klingensmith earned a bachelors
degree in engineering science and mechanics from Pennsylvania
State University and a masters degree in business
administration from the Darden School of the University of
Virginia. He has been a Director since 2004.
JAMES H. MILLER, 57, is President and Chief Operating
Officer of the Companys parent, PPL. Prior to his current
appointment in August 2005, Mr. Miller was named Executive
Vice President in January 2004, and Chief Operating Officer in
September 2004, and also served as President of PPL Generation,
LLC, a PPL subsidiary that operates power plants in the United
States. He also serves as a director of PPL and as a manager of
PPL Energy Supply, LLC. Mr. Miller earned a bachelors
degree in electrical engineering from the
2
University of Delaware and served in the U.S. Navy nuclear
program. Before joining PPL Generation, LLC in February 2001,
Mr. Miller served as Executive Vice President and Vice
President, Production of USEC, Inc. from 1995 and prior to that
time as President of ABB Environmental Systems, President of UC
Operating Services, President of ABB Resource Recovery Systems
and in various engineering and management positions at the
former Delmarva Power and Light Co. Mr. Miller has been a
Director since 2001.
JOHN F. SIPICS, 57, is President of the Company. He also
serves as Chief Executive Officer of PPL Gas Utilities
Corporation. Mr. Sipics earned bachelors and
masters degrees in electrical engineering from Lehigh
University. He is also a registered professional engineer in
Pennsylvania. Before being named to his current position in
2003, Mr. Sipics served as Vice President-Asset Management
for two years and Vice President-Delivery Services and Economic
Development, which later became Regulatory Support, for three
years. Mr. Sipics joined the Company as an engineer in 1970
and served in a variety of positions prior to those described
above. Mr. Sipics also serves on the boards and committees
of a variety of industry associations, and is a director of the
Greater Lehigh Valley Chapter of the United Way. Mr. Sipics
has been a director since 2003.
GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS
Director Attendance at Board Meetings
The Board of Directors held one Board meeting and two Executive
Committee meetings during 2005. Each current director attended
at least 75% of the meetings held by the Board and its Executive
Committee during the year. The average attendance of current
directors at the Board and Committee meetings held during 2005
was 100%. Directors are expected to regularly attend all
meetings of the Board, its Executive Committee and shareowners.
Compensation of Directors
The Company pays Lord Securities Corporation an annual fee of
$7,000 for providing the services of its independent director,
Dean A. Christiansen. Directors who are employees of the Company
or its affiliates receive no separate compensation for service
on the Board of Directors or its Executive Committee.
Stock Ownership
As noted above, all of the outstanding common stock of PPL
Electric Utilities is owned by PPL. No directors or executive
officers own any PPL Electric Utilities preferred stock.
Communications with the Board
Shareowners or other parties interested in communicating with
the directors as a group may write to the Board of Directors
c/o Corporate Secretarys Office, PPL Electric
Utilities Corporation, Two North Ninth Street, Allentown,
Pennsylvania 18101. The Secretary of the Company forwards all
correspondence to the respective Board members, with the
exception of commercial solicitations, advertisements or obvious
junk mail. Concerns relating to accounting, internal
controls or auditing matters are to be immediately brought to
the attention of PPLs Office of Business Ethics and
Compliance and are handled in accordance with procedures
established by PPLs Audit Committee with respect to such
matters.
Code of Ethics
The Companys parent maintains its Standards of Conduct
and Integrity,which have been adopted by the Company and are
applicable to all Board members and employees of the Company and
its subsidiaries, including the principal executive officer, the
principal financial officer and the principal accounting officer
of the Company. The full text of the Standards can be
found in the Corporate Governance section of PPLs Web site
(www.pplweb.com/about/corporate+governance.htm).
Board Committees
The Company does not have standing audit, nominating and
compensation committees of the Board of Directors.
Executive Committee. During the periods between
Board meetings, the Executive Committees function is to
act on behalf of the Board on appropriate matters that do not
require full Board approval under the
3
Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law or the Companys
articles of incorporation and bylaws. This Committee met two
times during 2005. The members of the Executive Committee are
Mr. Hecht (chair), and Messrs. Biggar and Sipics.
Nominations. The Board of Directors of the Company
makes the nominations for election of directors for the Company
and does not have a separate standing nominating committee. As
PPL owns all of the shares of the Companys common stock,
which represents 99% of the Companys outstanding voting
shares, PPL has a quorum and voting power for the purpose of
election of directors of the Company, and PPL recommends to the
Board of Directors of the Company all of the nominees for
directors of the Company. Therefore, the Board of Directors of
the Company acts upon these recommendations and actions of PPL.
Most of the directors nominated are officers of PPL and its
subsidiaries, including the Company. In addition, because the
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation require the
Company to have at all times a director who is independent, the
Board of Directors will nominate one independent director for
election to the Board of Directors. The current independent
director, Mr. Christiansen, was chosen by the
Companys board, upon the recommendation of PPL. Because
PPL controls the vote and the nomination of directors of the
Company, the Company has not recently received any director
recommendations from owners of voting preferred stock of the
Company. Shareowners interested in recommending nominees for
directors should submit their recommendations in writing to:
Secretary, PPL Electric Utilities Corporation, Two North Ninth
Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101. In order to be
considered, nominations by shareowners must be received by the
Company 75 days prior to the 2007 Annual Meeting and must
contain the information required by the Bylaws, such as the name
and address of the shareowner making the nomination and of the
proposed nominees and certain other information concerning the
shareowner and the nominee.
In considering the candidates recommended by PPL, the Board of
Directors seeks individuals who possess strong personal and
professional ethics, high standards of integrity and values,
independence of thought and judgment and who have senior
corporate leadership experience, including within PPL. The
Company believes that prior business experience is valuable and
provides a necessary basis for consideration of the many
complicated issues associated with PPL Electric Utilities
business and the impact of related decisions on PPL and other
shareowners, customers, employees and the general public. In
addition, the Board of Directors seeks individuals who have a
broad range of demonstrated abilities and accomplishments beyond
corporate leadership. These abilities include the skill and
expertise sufficient to provide sound and prudent guidance with
respect to all of the Companys operations and interests.
After completing the evaluation process, the Board of Directors
votes on whether to approve the nominees. Each nominee to be
elected who is named in this Information Statement was
recommended by PPL in accordance with the practices described
above.
Retirement Plans for Executive Officers
PPL Electric Utilities officers are eligible for benefits
under the PPL Retirement Plan, a defined benefit plan, and the
PPL Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERP)
upon retirement from an affiliated company. For purposes of
calculating benefits under the PPL Retirement Plan, the
compensation used is base salary, plus certain cash incentive
awards, less amounts deferred under the PPL Officers Deferred
Compensation Plan. Base salary, including any amounts deferred,
is listed in the Summary Compensation Table on page 6. For
purposes of calculating benefits under the SERP, the
compensation used is base salary, cash bonus, and, in some
cases, the value of any restricted stock grant for the year in
which earned (as described below), as well as dividends paid on
restricted stock. To measure compensation for the last year of
employment prior to retirement, the PPL Retirement Plan and the
SERP use a pro-rated amount of an assumed cash incentive award.
Benefits payable under the PPL Retirement Plan are subject to
limits set forth in the Internal Revenue Code (the
Code) and are not subject to any deduction for
Social Security benefits or any other offset. Benefits are
computed on the basis of the life annuity form of pension at
normal retirement age of 65. The SERP is an unfunded,
non-contributory plan. Unlike the PPL Retirement Plan, the SERP
provides for the inclusion of earnings in excess of the limits
contained in the Code, including deferred incentive
compensation, in the calculation of final average earnings, and
for benefits in excess of the limits provided under the Code.
Except as described above, benefits payable under the SERP are
computed on the same basis and are offset by PPL Retirement Plan
benefits and for those officers eligible for benefits under the
old formula described below, the maximum Social Security benefit
payable at age 65. Benefits under both plans are reduced for
4
retirement prior to age 60. Generally, absent a
specifically authorized exception, no benefit is payable under
the SERP if years of credited service are less than
10 years.
The following table shows the estimated gross annual retirement
benefits for the Named Executive Officers listed on page 6
payable under the PPL SERP formula.
Estimated Annual Retirement Benefits
at Normal Retirement Age of 65
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Five-Year | |
|
Years of Service | |
Average | |
|
| |
Annual | |
|
15 | |
|
20 | |
|
25 | |
|
30 | |
Compensation | |
|
Years | |
|
Years | |
|
Years | |
|
Years | |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
$ |
300,000 |
|
|
$ |
90,000 |
|
|
$ |
120,000 |
|
|
$ |
142,500 |
|
|
$ |
165,000 |
|
|
350,000 |
|
|
|
105,000 |
|
|
|
140,000 |
|
|
|
166,250 |
|
|
|
192,500 |
|
|
400,000 |
|
|
|
120,000 |
|
|
|
160,000 |
|
|
|
190,000 |
|
|
|
220,000 |
|
|
450,000 |
|
|
|
135,000 |
|
|
|
180,000 |
|
|
|
213,750 |
|
|
|
247,500 |
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
|
237,500 |
|
|
|
275,000 |
|
|
550,000 |
|
|
|
165,000 |
|
|
|
220,000 |
|
|
|
261,250 |
|
|
|
302,500 |
|
|
600,000 |
|
|
|
180,000 |
|
|
|
240,000 |
|
|
|
285,000 |
|
|
|
330,000 |
|
|
650,000 |
|
|
|
195,000 |
|
|
|
260,000 |
|
|
|
308,750 |
|
|
|
357,500 |
|
|
700,000 |
|
|
|
210,000 |
|
|
|
280,000 |
|
|
|
332,500 |
|
|
|
385,000 |
|
As of January 1, 2006, the years of credited service under
the PPL Retirement Plan for Messrs. Sipics, Farr and Abel
were 34, 1 and 31, respectively. Mr. Farr has a
defined benefit from a subsidiary pension plan, which is
estimated to pay him a fixed amount of $8,352 annually beginning
at age 65 and will be an offset to his SERP benefit. The
years of credited service under the SERP for each of these
officers were as follows: Mr. Sipics27,
Mr. Farr7 and Mr. Abel24. The total SERP
benefit will not increase beyond 30 years for any
participant.
For officers hired on or after January 1, 1998, including
Mr. Farr, benefits under the SERP were revised as follows:
(i) restricted stock grants are not included in
compensation for purposes of calculating benefits under the
SERP; (ii) the percentage of pay provided as a retirement
benefit is changed from 2.7% for the first 20 years of
service plus 1.0% for the next 10 years, to 2.0% for the
first 20 years and 1.5% for the next 10 years; and
(iii) credit for years of service will commence as of the
employees date of hire instead of at age 30.
For officers hired prior to January 1, 1998, benefits under
the SERP are calculated under the greater of the old formula or
the new formula, except that compensation for purposes of the
old formula includes restricted stock grants only to the extent
earned through December 31, 2001, and will be frozen as of
December 31, 2001, and compensation for purposes of the new
formula includes restricted stock grants only to the extent
earned through December 31, 1997.
5
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
The following table summarizes all compensation for the
President and the most highly compensated executive officers
(Named Executive Officers) for the last three fiscal
years. Messrs. Farr and Abel are not paid separately as
officers of PPL Electric Utilities, but are employees of PPL
Services Corporation. Prior to becoming Vice President and
Controller in August 2004, Mr. Farr served as Senior Vice
President of PPL Global, LLC during 2004, and prior to that was
a vice president of PPL Global. Restricted stock awards and
stock options are for shares of PPL. All PPL common stock and
stock option amounts and exercise prices of PPL stock options
included in this information statement reflect the
2-for-1 common stock
split that was completed by PPL in August 2005.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Long-Term | |
|
|
|
|
Annual Compensation | |
|
Compensation | |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Restricted | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Annual | |
|
Stock | |
|
|
|
All Other | |
|
|
|
|
Salary(1) | |
|
Bonus(1)(2) | |
|
Compensation(3) | |
|
Award(4) | |
|
Options | |
|
Compensation(5) | |
Name and Principal Position |
|
Year | |
|
($) | |
|
($) | |
|
($) | |
|
($) | |
|
(#) | |
|
($) | |
| |
John F. Sipics
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
323,654 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
6,250 |
|
|
|
557,001 |
|
|
|
54,760 |
|
|
|
9,342 |
|
|
President
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
288,769 |
|
|
|
50,730 |
|
|
|
5,577 |
|
|
|
408,893 |
|
|
|
47,300 |
|
|
|
8,987 |
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
210,954 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
4,808 |
|
|
|
236,691 |
|
|
|
23,980 |
|
|
|
8,226 |
|
|
Paul A. Farr
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
308,248 |
|
|
|
96,150 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
424,766 |
|
|
|
50,980 |
|
|
|
6,562 |
|
|
Senior Vice President-
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
244,700 |
|
|
|
81,750 |
|
|
|
7,458 |
|
|
|
342,035 |
|
|
|
22,280 |
|
|
|
4,283 |
|
|
Financial and Controller
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
197,786 |
|
|
|
5,498 |
|
|
|
2,877 |
|
|
|
120,848 |
|
|
|
23,140 |
|
|
|
103,073 |
|
|
James E. Abel
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
|
249,649 |
|
|
|
88,160 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
167,459 |
|
|
|
30,180 |
|
|
|
7,529 |
|
|
Treasurer
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
242,192 |
|
|
|
112,100 |
|
|
|
4,646 |
|
|
|
133,265 |
|
|
|
26,700 |
|
|
|
7,301 |
|
|
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
233,446 |
|
|
|
53,962 |
|
|
|
1,000 |
|
|
|
132,348 |
|
|
|
27,720 |
|
|
|
6,909 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
Salary and bonus data include deferred cash compensation.
Mr. Farr was elected Vice President and Controller
effective August 23, 2004. Mr. Farr served as Vice
President and Controller from August 2004 through July 2005. On
August 1, 2005, he was elected as Senior Vice
President-Financial and Controller. Effective January 30,
2006, a new controller was elected and Mr. Farr no longer
serves as the controller of the Company. Mr. Farr deferred
$10,400 of salary in 2005, $18,200 of salary in 2004, $15,600 of
salary and $41,140 of bonus in 2003. |
|
2 |
Messrs. Sipics, Farr and Abel elected to implement an
Exchange (as defined below) of $206,900, $96,150 and $22,040
respectively of their cash bonus for 2005 for restricted stock
units under the Premium Exchange Program (as defined below).
Messrs. Sipics and Farr elected to implement an Exchange of
$118,370 and $81,750 respectively, of their cash bonus for 2004
for restricted stock units under the Premium Exchange Program.
Messrs. Sipics, Farr and Abel elected to implement an
Exchange of $113,608, $42,137 and $44,151, respectively of their
cash bonuses for 2003 for restricted stock units under the
Premium Exchange Program. See description of the Premium
Exchange Program under Compensation Report of the Board of
Directors. The value of these restricted stock units are
reflected under the Restricted Stock Award column of
this table. |
|
3 |
Includes compensation for vacation earned, but not taken, for
Mr. Sipics of $6,250 in 2005, $5,577 in 2004 and $4,808 in
2003; for Mr. Farr of $7,458 in 2004 and $2,877 in 2003;
and for Mr. Abel of $3,746 in 2004. Also includes fees
earned by Mr. Abel of $1,000 for 2005, of $900 for 2004,
and $1,000 in 2003 for serving as a director of Safe Harbor
Water Power Corporation, an affiliate of the Company. |
|
4 |
The dollar value of restricted common stock awards was
calculated by multiplying the number of shares or units awarded
by the closing price per share or unit on the date of the grant.
As of December 31, 2005, the officers listed in this table
held the following number of shares of restricted common stock
and restricted stock units, with the following values:
Mr. Sipics28,960 ($851,424),
Mr. Farr46,140 ($1,356,516), and
Mr. Abel14,540 ($427,476). These year-end data do not
include awards made in January 2006 for 2005 performance, or
awards which had originally been restricted and for which the
restriction periods have lapsed or been lifted. Dividends or
dividend equivalents are paid currently on restricted stock
awards. All outstanding restricted stock awards to these
individuals have a restriction period of three years, except for
24,600 shares of restricted common stock for Mr. Farr
that are restricted until April 27, 2027, under the
retention agreement discussed below. |
|
5 |
Includes Company contributions to the Officers Deferred Savings
Plan and ESOP accounts. Also includes relocation expenses of
$101,069 paid to Mr. Farr in 2003. |
6
OPTION GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
The following table provides information on stock options for
shares of PPL granted to the Named Executive Officers during
2005.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grant Date | |
|
|
Individual Grants(1) | |
|
Value | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
Number of | |
|
% of Total | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Securities | |
|
Options | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Underlying | |
|
Granted to | |
|
|
|
Grant Date | |
|
|
Options | |
|
Employees | |
|
Exercise or | |
|
Expiration | |
|
Present | |
Name |
|
Granted | |
|
in 2005 | |
|
Base Price | |
|
Date | |
|
Value(2) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
J. F. Sipics
|
|
|
54,760 |
|
|
|
3.4 |
% |
|
$ |
26.66 |
|
|
|
1/26/2015 |
|
|
$ |
463,817 |
|
P. A. Farr
|
|
|
50,980 |
|
|
|
3.2 |
|
|
|
26.66 |
|
|
|
1/26/2015 |
|
|
|
431,801 |
|
J. E. Abel
|
|
|
30,180 |
|
|
|
1.9 |
|
|
|
26.66 |
|
|
|
1/26/2015 |
|
|
|
255,625 |
|
|
|
1 |
Exercisable in three equal annual installments beginning
January 27, 2006. |
|
2 |
Values indicated are an estimate based on a discounted
Black-Scholes option pricing model. The actual value realized,
if any, will be determined by the excess of the stock price over
the exercise price on the date the option is exercised. There is
no certainty that the actual value realized will be at or near
the value estimated by the discounted Black-Scholes option
pricing model. |
Assumptions used for the discounted Black-Scholes option pricing
model are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Risk-free interest rate
|
|
|
4.45% |
|
Volatility
|
|
|
18.09% |
|
Dividend yield
|
|
|
3.88% |
|
Time of exercise
|
|
|
10 years |
|
Risk of forfeiture
|
|
|
94.12% |
|
AGGREGATED OPTION EXERCISES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR AND FISCAL
YEAR-END OPTION VALUES
The following table summarizes information for the Named
Executive Officers concerning exercises of stock options for
shares of PPL during 2005 and the number and values of all
unexercised stock options as of December 31, 2005.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Securities | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Underlying Unexercised | |
|
Value of Unexercised | |
|
|
Shares | |
|
|
|
Options at | |
|
In-the-Money Options at | |
|
|
Acquired | |
|
|
|
December 31, 2005 | |
|
December 31, 2005 | |
|
|
on | |
|
Value | |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
Exercise | |
|
Realized | |
|
Exercisable | |
|
Unexercisable | |
|
Exercisable | |
|
Unexercisable | |
Name |
|
# | |
|
$ | |
|
# | |
|
# | |
|
$ | |
|
$ | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
J. F. Sipics
|
|
|
23,960 |
|
|
$ |
252,923 |
|
|
|
59,854 |
|
|
|
39,526 |
|
|
|
504,456 |
|
|
|
302,924 |
|
P. A. Farr
|
|
|
33,154 |
|
|
|
242,942 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
22,566 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
187,028 |
|
J. E. Abel
|
|
|
38,086 |
|
|
|
284,121 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
27,040 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
224,093 |
|
Value of unexercised options at fiscal year-end represents the
difference between the exercise price of any outstanding
in-the-money option
grant and $29.35, the average of the high and low price of PPL
common stock on December 30, 2005, which was the last
trading day of 2005 on which the New York Stock Exchange was
open for business.
CHANGE-IN-CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS
PPL entered into agreements with each of the Named Executive
Officers, which provide benefits to the officers upon certain
terminations of employment following a change in control of PPL
(as such term is defined in the agreements). The benefits
provided under these agreements replace any other severance
benefits provided to these officers by PPL, or any prior
severance agreement.
Each of the agreements continues in effect until
December 31, 2007, and the agreements generally are
automatically extended for additional one-year periods. Upon the
occurrence of a change in control, the agreements will expire no
earlier than 36 months after the month in which the change
in control occurs. Each
7
agreement provides that the officer will be entitled to the
severance benefits described below if PPL terminates the
officers employment following a change in control for any
reason other than death, disability, retirement or
cause, or if the officer terminates employment for
good reason (as such terms are defined in the
agreements).
The benefits consist of a lump sum payment equal to three times
the sum of (a) the officers base salary in effect
immediately prior to date of termination, or if higher,
immediately prior to the first occurrence of an event or
circumstance constituting good reason and (b) the highest
annual bonus in respect of the last three fiscal years ending
immediately prior to the fiscal year in which the change in
control occurs, or if higher, the fiscal year immediately prior
to the fiscal year in which first occurs an event or
circumstance constituting good reason. In addition, under the
terms of each agreement, PPL would provide the officer and
dependents with continuation of welfare benefits for the
36-month period
following separation (reduced to the extent the officer receives
comparable benefits from another employer), and would pay the
officer unpaid incentive compensation that has been allocated or
awarded for a previous performance period, the maximum prorated
awards for the current performance period, a lump sum payment
having an actuarial present value equal to the additional
pension benefits the officer would have received had the officer
continued to be employed by the Company or PPL for an additional
36 months, outplacement services for up to three years and,
for Messrs. Sipics and Farr, a
gross-up payment for
any excise tax imposed under the Internal Revenue Code. In
addition, under the agreements, PPL would provide
post-retirement health care and life insurance benefits to
officers who would have become eligible for such benefits within
the 36-month period
following the change in control.
In addition, in the event of a change in control, the
restriction period applicable to any outstanding PPL restricted
stock or restricted stock unit awards lapses under PPLs
Incentive Compensation Plan, and all restrictions on the
exercise of any outstanding stock options lapse under PPLs
Incentive Compensation Plan. PPL has irrevocable trust
agreements in place with respect to the funding of benefits
under the SERP, the Officers Deferred Compensation Plan and the
DDCP. Currently, the trusts are not funded. The trusts provide
that immediately prior to a change in control (as
defined in the trust agreements), the Chief Executive Officer of
PPL should authorize an irrevocable cash contribution sufficient
to pay all benefits under these plans as of the date of the
change in control. Furthermore, within 60 days of the end
of each plan year after the change in control occurs, PPL is
required to irrevocably deposit additional cash or property into
the trusts in an amount sufficient to pay participants or
beneficiaries the benefits that are payable under terms of the
plan as of the close of each plan year. If funded, the assets of
the trusts would be owned by PPL, any income on the trust assets
would be taxed to PPL and not to the beneficiaries of the
trusts, and such assets would be subject to the claims of
general creditors in the event of PPLs insolvency.
RETENTION AGREEMENTS
PPL has executed an agreement with Mr. Farr granting him
40,000 shares of restricted PPL common stock. The
restriction period will lapse on April 27, 2027. In the
event of death or disability, the restriction period on a
prorated portion of these shares will lapse immediately. In the
event of a change in control of PPL, the restriction
period on all of these shares will lapse immediately if there is
an involuntary termination of employment that is not for
cause (as such terms are defined in the agreements). In
the event Mr. Farr is terminated for cause, or
he terminates his employment with all PPL affiliated companies
prior to April 27, 2027, all shares of this restricted
stock will be forfeited.
COMPENSATION REPORT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
GENERALLY
PPL Corporation (together with its subsidiaries,
PPL) is the parent holding company for numerous
subsidiaries. PPLs principal operating subsidiaries are
PPL Electric Utilities, PPL EnergyPlus, LLC, PPL Generation, LLC
and PPL Global, LLC.
The Compensation and Corporate Governance Committee of
PPLs Board of Directors (the Committee)
establishes compensation and benefit practices for the members
of PPLs Corporate Leadership Council (which sets corporate
policy for PPL), the presidents of PPLs principal
operating subsidiaries, including Mr. Sipics, and the
senior vice presidents of PPL, including Mr. Farr
(collectively, the executive officers).
Mr. Sipics has no position with PPL but is a PPL
executive officer by virtue of his position as
President of the Company. This Committee is comprised entirely
of independent outside directors.
8
Messrs. Farr and Abel were officers of the Company and
certain other affiliated companies during 2005. Accordingly,
their compensation discussed herein includes compensation earned
for services to the Company and its affiliates.
COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY
The compensation practices for Named Executive Officers
discussed below are intended to provide a balance of base
salary, short-term incentive opportunities tied to achievement
of specific corporate performance goals, and long-term awards
intended to promote sustained performance over the medium and
longer-term. During 2005, the annual cash incentive program
continued to be based on objective, measurable goals. Effective
for 2005 performance, the long-term incentive program,
consisting of restricted stock units and stock options, was
designed to balance sustained medium-term (three-year)
performance goals, strategic objectives and longer-term growth
in shareowner value.
While a meaningful ownership of PPL common stock by executives
has always been an important part of the Companys
compensation philosophy, during 2003 the Committee adopted
specific ownership requirements under the Executive Equity
Ownership Program (Equity Guidelines). The Equity
Guidelines provide that executive officers should maintain
levels of ownership of PPL Common Stock ranging in value from
two times to five times base salary. Executive officers are
generally expected to achieve their minimum Equity Guidelines
level by December 31, 2005. Executive officers with less
than five years of service at a particular guideline level must
attain their minimum Equity Guidelines level by the end of their
five-year anniversary at that level. Until the minimum ownership
amount is achieved, executive officers are expected to retain in
PPL Common Stock (or PPL Common Stock units) 100% of the gain
realized from the vesting of restricted stock and stock units
and the exercise of options (net of taxes and, in the case of
options, the cost of the exercise). To assist executive officers
in achieving or surpassing their minimum ownership amount, in
2003 the Committee adopted the Cash Incentive Premium Exchange
Program (Premium Exchange Program). Under this
program, executives may elect to defer all or a portion of the
annual cash incentive award for PPL restricted stock units equal
to 140% of the amount so deferred (an Exchange). The
PPL restricted stock units are subject to a three-year vesting
period, with only the 40% premium portion subject to forfeiture
during the restriction period. These two programs encourage
increased stock ownership on the part of the executive officers,
which further aligns the interests of management and
shareowners. As of December 31, 2005, all Named Executive
Officers were in compliance with the Equity Guidelines.
Other compensation components, including retirement, retention,
when appropriate, and
change-in-control
benefits, are also maintained to enhance the Companys
ability to attract and retain highly qualified executive talent.
These compensation components are discussed under specific
headings below.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The Committee reviews the current levels of compensation,
appropriate market reference points and actual performance
against approved goals for the performance period over the
course of two Committee meetings. The Committees
independent, nationally recognized compensation consultant
provides assistance during this evaluation. Additionally, in
making individual pay decisions, the Committee uses evaluations
of the Named Executive Officers conducted by the Chief Executive
Officer.
BASE SALARIES
In general, the Committees objective is to provide salary
levels that are sufficiently competitive with comparable
companies to enable the Company to attract and retain
high-quality executive talent. To meet this objective, the
Committee regularly reviews salary information for similar
companies provided by its independent compensation consultant.
In addition, the Committee annually reviews the performance of
each executive officer to determine the appropriate level of
base salary for that executive officer.
For Mr. Sipics, the Committee reviewed salary ranges by
comparing salary levels with those at companies of comparable
size to the Company in the energy industry. For
Messrs. Farr and Abel, PPLs Corporate Leadership
Council reviewed salary ranges by comparing their salary levels
with those at companies of comparable size to PPL in the energy
industry and in general industry.
After reviewing salary data for executive positions at
comparable companies, the actual salary and the performance of
Mr. Sipics, the Committee made an appropriate salary
adjustment for him, effective as of
9
January 1, 2005. The base salaries for Messrs. Farr
and Abel were approved by PPL Corporations Corporate
Leadership Council after a review of performance and competitive
market data, effective as of February 14, 2005. Since
Mr. Farr did not become Senior Vice President-Financial and
Controller of PPL and the Company until August 1, 2005, the
Committee adjusted his base salary at that time, after a review
of market data, and consideration of experience, time in the
position and other factors.
INCENTIVE AWARDS
Short-term IncentiveAnnual Cash Awards
Cash incentive awards are made to the Named Executive Officers
for the achievement of specific, independent goals established
for each calendar year. For 2005, the following award targets as
a percentage of base salary were established for each Named
Executive Officer: Messrs. Sipics and Farr50%, and
Mr. Abel40%.
Annual awards are determined by applying these target
percentages to the percentage of goal attainment. The
performance goals for the year are established by the Committee,
and the Committee reviews actual results at year-end to
determine the appropriate goal attainment percentage to apply to
the salary targets.
For Messrs. Sipics and Farr, the goal categories for 2005
included specific financial and operational measures for PPL and
its subsidiaries. The weightings for each of these categories
for Mr. Sipics are allocated 40% to PPLs earnings per
share and enhanced shareowner value, 40% to the financial and
operational performance of the Company, and 20% to certain
operating subsidiaries of PPL. In the case of Mr. Farr, the
weightings for each of these categories are allocated 60% to
PPLs earnings per share and enhanced shareowner value, and
40% to the financial and operational performance of PPLs
principal operating subsidiaries. In the case of Mr. Abel,
the goal categories for 2005 included specific financial and
operational measures for PPL and key subsidiaries, and also
consideration of individual performance. The weightings for each
of these categories are allocated 40% to PPLs earnings per
share and enhanced shareowner value, 40% to the financial and
operational performance of certain operating subsidiaries and
20% to individual performance. Included in the operating goals
for all Named Executive Officers were specific requirements tied
to compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
The level of goal attainment was measured at the end of the year
and the category weightings were multiplied by the annual award
target for each position to determine each executive
officers cash award for 2005 performance.
Long-term IncentiveRestricted Stock Unit and Stock
Option Awards
Effective for 2005 performance, the long-term incentive program
was restructured to reduce the weight of stock options and
increase the use of restricted stock, and to adjust the basis on
which restricted stock incentive awards are made.
Restricted Stock Awards
Restricted stock incentive awards are based on the achievement
of two components: (i) sustained financial and operational
results and (ii) specific strategic objectives designed to
enable PPL to continue to provide value to its shareowners.
Sustained financial and operational achievement was determined
by averaging the most recent three years of annual performance
measures used for the annual cash awards. Strategic objectives
were related to increasing shareowner value through
implementation of certain long-term corporate initiatives,
including actions to influence the evolution of government
policies toward more competitive markets, develop an internal
corporate structure to optimize PPLs wholesale hedging
strategy, develop and retain management skills, and establish
the financial profile necessary to optimize growth opportunities
when the wholesale electricity markets strengthen.
Awards are made in the form of restricted stock units equivalent
to the dollar value of the percentage applied to base pay in
effect at the end of the year. Because of the three-year
restriction period, this type of equity award encourages
executive officers to continue their service at the Company or
its affiliates. This program also encourages increased stock
ownership on the part of the executives and aligns the interests
of management and shareowners.
10
Stock Option Awards
The Committee may grant the executive officers options to
purchase shares of PPLs common stock in the future.
Because the exercise price for these options is based on the
market price of the stock at the time of the grant, the ultimate
value received by the option holders is directly tied to
increases in the stock price. Therefore, stock options serve to
closely link the interests of management and shareowners and
motivate executives to make decisions that will serve to
increase the long-term shareowner value. Additionally, the
option grants include vesting and termination provisions that
are designed to encourage the option holders to remain employees
of the Company or its affiliates.
The following long-term incentive award targets as a percentage
of base salary were established for each executive officer:
Long-term Incentive Program
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restricted Stock Units | |
|
Stock Options |
|
|
|
|
|
(Targets as % of Salary) |
|
|
|
|
|
Sustained |
|
|
|
|
Financial and |
|
|
|
|
Operational |
|
Strategic |
|
Stock Price |
Name and Position |
|
Results |
|
Objective Results |
|
Performance |
|
President
|
|
|
40 |
% |
|
|
40 |
% |
|
|
80 |
% |
|
Senior Vice President-Financial and
Controller
|
|
|
40 |
% |
|
|
40 |
% |
|
|
80 |
% |
|
Treasurer
|
|
|
26.25 |
% |
|
|
26.25 |
% |
|
|
52.5 |
% |
|
* * * * * *
Based on its review of the incentive goals achieved for 2005,
the Committee in January 2006 made the following incentive
awards to Messrs. Sipics and Farr, and in February 2006,
PPLs Corporate Leadership Council made the following
incentive award to Mr. Abel:
2005 Short-term Incentive Cash Awards
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Incentive Awards |
|
|
|
|
|
Performance |
|
|
Name and Position |
|
Attained |
|
Cash Bonus |
|
John F. Sipics
|
|
|
118.2 |
% |
|
$ |
206,900 |
|
|
President(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paul A. Farr
|
|
|
109.9 |
% |
|
$ |
192,300 |
|
|
Senior Vice President-Financial
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
Controller(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James E. Abel
|
|
|
109.9 |
% |
|
$ |
110,200 |
|
|
Treasurer(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Messrs. Sipics, Farr and Abel elected to implement an
Exchange of $206,900, $96,150 and $22,040, respectively, for
9,600, 4,470 and 1,020 restricted stock units, respectively,
under the terms of the Premium Exchange Program described above. |
11
2005 Long-term Incentive Restricted Stock Unit and Stock
Option Awards
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restricted Stock Unit Incentive Awards |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sustained Financial & |
|
Strategic Objective |
|
|
|
|
Operational Results |
|
Results |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock |
|
|
Performance |
|
Award |
|
Performance |
|
Award |
|
Option |
Name and Position |
|
Attained |
|
Value |
|
Attained |
|
Value |
|
Awards |
|
John F. Sipics
President
|
|
|
110.2 |
% |
|
$ |
143,260 |
|
|
|
100 |
% |
|
$ |
130,000 |
|
|
|
54,760 |
|
|
Paul A. Farr
Senior Vice President-Financial and Controller
|
|
|
110.2 |
% |
|
$ |
154,280 |
|
|
|
100 |
% |
|
$ |
140,000 |
|
|
|
50,980 |
|
|
James E. Abel
Treasurer
|
|
|
110.2 |
% |
|
$ |
72,542 |
|
|
|
100 |
% |
|
$ |
65,828 |
|
|
|
30,180 |
|
|
COMPENSATION OF THE PRESIDENT
In establishing 2005 salary for Mr. Sipics, the Committee
reviewed the salaries of presidents of comparable companies. As
a result of this review, the Committee set his salary at
$325,000, effective January 1, 2005.
Based on the Companys performance on the specific
corporate financial and operational goals and strategic
objectives discussed above, Mr. Sipics received the cash
and restricted stock unit awards outlined in the tables above.
His cash award was equal to approximately 63.7% of his salary,
and his restricted stock unit awards were equal to approximately
84.1% of his salary comprised of 44.1% for sustained financial
and operational results and 40% for strategic objective results.
In addition, Mr. Sipics was granted stock options in 2005,
as described above.
|
|
|
The Board of Directors |
|
|
William F. Hecht, Chairman |
|
John R. Biggar |
|
Dean A. Christiansen |
|
Robert J. Grey |
|
Rick L. Klingensmith |
|
James H. Miller |
|
John F. Sipics |
PROPOSAL 2: PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDED AND
RESTATED
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENT
At the Annual Meeting, shareowners will vote upon a proposed
amendment to Article V of the Companys Amended and
Restated Articles of Incorporation (Proposed
Amendment). The Proposed Amendment would have the effect
of increasing the authorized amount of Preference Stock from
5,000,000 to 10,000,000 shares, without
nominal or par value. The amended Article V would read as
follows:
ARTICLE V.
|
|
|
|
The aggregate number of shares which the Corporation shall have
authority to issue is 190,629,936 shares, divided into
629,936 shares of
41/2%
Preferred Stock, par value $100 per share;
10,000,000 shares of Series Preferred Stock, par value
$100 per share; 10,000,000 shares of Preference Stock,
without nominal or par value; and 170,000,000 shares of
Common Stock, without nominal or par value. |
|
12
REASON FOR THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT
The Board of Directors believes that this increase in the number
of authorized shares is in the best interest of the Company in
that it will provide the Company with additional available
Preference Stock for flexibility in the Companys financing
plans. The Board of Directors is authorized, without further
shareowner action, to issue shares of Preference Stock from time
to time in one or more series and to determine the designations,
preferences, limitations and special rights of any series
including, but not limited to, the following: (a) the rate
of dividend, if any; (b) the rights, if any, of the holders
of stock of the series upon voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company
(Liquidation); (c) the terms and conditions
upon which stock may be converted into stock of other series or
other capital stock, if issued with the privilege of conversion;
(d) the price at and the terms and conditions upon which
stock may be redeemed; and (e) the voting rights, if any.
The Preference Stock is subordinate to the Companys
41/2%
Preferred Stock and Series Preferred Stock, but senior to
the Common Stock, with respect to the payment of dividends and
distribution of assets upon Liquidation. No shares of Preference
Stock are currently outstanding.
The Board of Directors
recommends that shareowners vote FOR Proposal 2
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
CHANGE IN CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT
Effective March 1, 2006, following the solicitation process
described below, PPL dismissed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
(PwC) as the independent registered public
accounting firm (independent auditor) for PPL and
its subsidiaries, including the Company. PPL had previously
announced that PPLs Audit Committee had determined on
November 10, 2005 that PwC would be dismissed as the
Companys independent auditor effective upon the completion
of its procedures regarding the Companys financial
statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2005
and the Companys 2005 Annual Report on
Form 10-K (in
which such financial statements are included). PwC completed its
procedures on March 1, 2006, coincident with the filing of
the Companys 2005 Annual Report on
Form 10-K.
PwCs reports on the Companys financial statements
for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2004 and 2005 did
not contain any adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, nor
were such reports qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit
scope or accounting principle. During the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2004 and 2005, and through March 1, 2006,
(i) there were no disagreements with PwC on any matter of
accounting principles or practices, financial statement
disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which, if not
resolved to the satisfaction of PwC, would have caused PwC to
make reference thereto in its reports on the Companys
financial statements for such years, and (ii) there have
been no reportable events as defined in
Item 304(a)(1)(v) of
Regulation S-K.
Also as previously announced, on November 10, 2005,
PPLs Audit Committee, which consists entirely of
independent directors who are not employees of the Company or
its affiliates, appointed Ernst & Young LLP
(E&Y) to serve as the Companys independent
registered public accounting firm (independent
auditor) as of and for the year ending December 31,
2006, for PPL and its subsidiaries, including the Company. This
appointment followed a solicitation and review process conducted
by PPL pursuant to the Audit Committees previously
announced policy to solicit competitive proposals for audit
services from independent accounting firms at least once every
seven years. During the fiscal years ended December 31,
2004 and 2005, and prior to its engagement, (i) E&Y had
not been engaged as the Companys principal accountant to
audit its financial statements or as an independent accountant
to audit a significant subsidiary of the Company, and
(ii) the Company had not consulted with E&Y regarding
(a) the application of accounting principles to any
completed or proposed transaction, (b) the type of audit
opinion that might be rendered on the Companys financial
statements for such periods, or (c) any other accounting,
auditing or financial reporting matter described in
Items 304(a)(2)(i) and (ii) of
Regulation S-K.
If the shareowners of PPL do not ratify the appointment of
E&Y, the selection of the independent auditor will be
reconsidered by PPLs Audit Committee.
Services provided to the Company by PwC in 2005 are described
under FEES TO INDEPENDENT AUDITOR FOR 2005 AND 2004
below.
13
FEES TO INDEPENDENT AUDITOR FOR 2005 AND 2004
The following table presents an allocation of fees billed by PwC
to PPL for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2005 and
December 31, 2004 for professional services rendered for
the audit of the Companys annual financial statements and
for fees billed for other services rendered by PwC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Audit
fees(a)
|
|
$ |
515 |
|
|
$ |
343 |
|
Audit-related
fees(b)
|
|
|
27 |
|
|
|
84 |
|
Tax
fees(c)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All other
fees(d)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(a) |
|
Includes audit of annual financial statements and review of
financial statements included in the Companys Quarterly
Reports on
Form 10-Q and for
services in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or
engagements, including comfort letters and consents for
financings and filings made with the SEC. |
|
(b) |
|
Fees for audits of employee benefit plans and consultation to
ensure appropriate accounting and reporting in connection with
various business and financing transactions. |
|
(c) |
|
The independent auditor does not provide tax consulting and
advisory services to the Company or any of its affiliates. |
|
(d) |
|
The independent auditor did not render any professional services
for any other matters for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2005 and December 31, 2004, other than
Audit Fees and Audit-Related Fees included above. |
Approval of Fees. PPLs Audit Committee has
procedures for pre-approving audit and non-audit services to be
provided by the independent auditor. The procedures are designed
to ensure the continued independence of the independent auditor.
More specifically, the use of the Companys independent
auditor to perform either audit or non-audit services is
prohibited unless specifically approved in advance by the Audit
Committee of PPL. As a result of this approval process,
PPLs Audit Committee has established specific categories
of services and authorization levels. All services outside of
the specified categories and all amounts exceeding the
authorization levels are reviewed by the Chair of PPLs
Audit Committee, who serves as the Committee designee to review
and approve audit and non-audit related services during the
year. A listing of the approved audit and non-audit services is
reviewed with PPLs full Audit Committee no later than its
next meeting.
PPLs Audit Committee approved 100% of the 2005 and 2004
audit and non-audit related fees.
Representatives of PwC and E&Y are not expected to be
present at the Annual Meeting.
MISCELLANEOUS
The Board of Directors is not aware of any other matters to be
presented for action at the Annual Meeting.
PROPOSALS FOR 2007 ANNUAL MEETING
To be included in the Information Statement for the 2007 Annual
Meeting, any proposal intended to be presented at that meeting
by a shareowner must be received by the Secretary of the Company
no later than November 10, 2006. To be properly brought
before the Annual Meeting, any proposal must be received not
later than 75 days in advance of the date of the 2007
Annual Meeting.
ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Companys annual financial statements and related
management discussion are appended to this document.
|
|
|
By Order of the Board of Directors. |
|
Elizabeth Stevens Duane |
|
Secretary |
March , 2006
14
Schedule A
PPL ELECTRIC UTILITIES CORPORATION
2005 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
[TO BE FILED WITH THE COMPANYS
DEFINITIVE INFORMATION STATEMENT]
PPL Investor Services: For questions about PPL Electric
Utilities, or information concerning:
Lost Dividend Checks
Bond Interest Checks
Direct Deposit of Dividends
Bondholder Information
Please contact:
ManagerPPL Investor Services
Two North Ninth Street (GENTW8)
Allentown, PA 18101
Toll Free: 1-800-345-3085
FAX: 610-774-5106
Via e-mail:
invserv@pplweb.com
Wells Fargo Shareowner Services: For information
concerning:
PPLs Dividend Reinvestment Plan
Stock Transfers
Lost Stock Certificates
Certificate Safekeeping
Please contact:
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Shareowner Services
161 North Concord Exchange
South St. Paul, MN 55075-1139
Toll Free: 1-866-280-0245
Outside U.S.: 651-453-2129
PPL Electric Utilities Corporation, PPL and PPL Energy Supply,
LLC file a joint
Form 10-K Report
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
Form 10-K Report
for 2005 is available without charge by writing to the Investor
Services Department at the address printed above, by calling
1-800-345-3085, or by
accessing it through the Investor Center page of PPLs
Internet Web site identified below.
For the latest information on PPL Electric Utilities Corporation
and PPL Corporation,
visit our location on the Internet at
http://www.pplweb.com