MARKETSPAN CORP
8-K, 1999-02-04
NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION
Previous: MERKERT AMERICAN CORP, 8-K, 1999-02-04
Next: ACTUATE SOFTWARE CORP, SC 13D, 1999-02-04



                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, DC  20549


                                   FORM 8-K


                            CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
                         TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



Date of report (Date of earliest event repFebruary 4, 1999                    


                              MARKETSPAN CORPORATION                          
            (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


                                   New York                                   
                (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)


            1-14161                            11-3431358                     
(Commission File Number)                     (IRS Employer Identification No.)

  175 East Old Country Road, Hicksville, New York                     11801
  One MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, New York                            11201   
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                          (Zip Code)

                          (516) 755-6650 (Hicksville)
                           (718) 403-1000 (Brooklyn)                          
             (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)


                                     N/A
         (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

                                      1

<PAGE>



Item 5.     Other Events.

            On January 28, 1999,  MarketSpan  Corporation  d/b/a KeySpan  Energy
("the Company")  entered into a definitive  agreement with  Consolidated  Edison
Company of New York,  Inc. to  purchase  for  approximately  $597  million,  the
2,168-megawatt  Ravenswood electric generating facilities located in Long Island
City, Queens,  New York.  Consummation of this transaction is subject to various
regulatory approvals, the timing of which cannot be determined.

            For additional information concerning this transaction, please refer
to the  Company's  press  release,  attached  hereto  as  Exhibit  99,  which is
incorporated herein by reference.


Item 7.     Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

      (c)   Exhibits

            (1) Press Release of the Company dated January 28, 1999.



                                   2

<PAGE>



                               SIGNATURES


            Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                             MARKETSPAN CORPORATION

Dated: February 4, 1999             By:   /s/ Craig G. Matthews
                                          --- ----- -- --------
                                     Name:   Craig G. Matthews
                                     Title:  President and Chief 
                                             Operating Officer


                                   3

<PAGE>



                            INDEX TO EXHIBITS


Exhibit No.    Exhibit                                           Page
- -----------    -------                                           ----

  99           Press Release, dated January 28, 1999             5

   



                                4





                                                              Exhibit 99


KEYSPAN PRESS RELEASE


KeySpan Energy Acquires Con Edison Generating Plant

Brooklyn and Hicksville,  NY, January 28, 1999 -- KeySpan Energy (NYSE: KSE) has
reached  an  agreement  to  purchase  the  2,168-megawatt   Ravenswood  electric
generating  facility from The  Consolidated  Edison Company (NYSE:  ED) for $597
million.  The  assets  to be  acquired  include  the  1,753-megawatt  Ravenswood
Generating Station and the 415-megawatt
Ravenswood Gas Turbines.

Located in Long Island  City,  Queens,  and powered  primarily  by natural  gas,
Ravenswood is vital to the region's power supply.

"This is a major  achievement  toward our goal of becoming  the  premier  energy
company in the Northeast.  With this acquisition,  KeySpan Energy is building on
its expertise in electric  generation  and natural gas to further  implement our
strategy to provide  reliable and  competitive  energy in the  Northeast,"  said
Robert B. Catell,  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of KeySpan Energy. "This
is an important  step in creating  shareholder  value,  since the purchase  will
contribute to earnings in the first year as well as provide long-term growth."

KeySpan Energy's two principal operating subsidiaries, each doing business under
the name Brooklyn Union,  distribute natural gas to nearly 1.6 million customers
in the New York City boroughs of Staten Island,  Brooklyn,  and Queens,  and the
Long Island counties of Nassau and Suffolk.  Other KeySpan  subsidiaries provide
gas-marketing and energy services, including system installation and management,
primarily  in the  greater  New York  metropolitan  area;  generate  electricity
primarily  in  Nassau  and  Suffolk  Counties  at  five  plants  and 42  smaller
facilities with an aggregate-rated  generating capacity of 3,978 megawatts;  and
provide   electric   transmission-and-distribution    operating   services   and
customer-billing services to the Long Island Power Authority for its one-million
electric customers.  Through  investments by subsidiaries,  KeySpan also owns 64
percent  of  the   gas-exploration-and-production   operations  of  The  Houston
Exploration   Company   (NYSE:THX)   as  well  as   interests  in  domestic  and
international pipeline operations and international gas-distribution operations.




                                   5



© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission