UNITIL CORP
U-1/A, 2000-07-27
ELECTRIC & OTHER SERVICES COMBINED
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             As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
                                  July 27, 2000

                                File No. 70-8050

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                -------------------------------------------------

                        POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO
                             APPLICATION-DECLARATION
                                   ON FORM U-1
                                    UNDER THE
                   PUBLIC UTILITY HOLDING COMPANY ACT OF 1935
                -------------------------------------------------

                               UNITIL CORPORATION
                               6 Liberty Lane West
                        Hampton, New Hampshire 03842-1720
                -------------------------------------------------
                  (Name of companies filing this statement and
                     address of principal executive offices)

                               UNITIL CORPORATION
                -------------------------------------------------
                 (Name of top registered holding company parent)

                                 Mark H. Collin
                                    Treasurer
                               UNITIL CORPORATION
                               6 Liberty Lane West
                        Hampton, New Hampshire 03842-1720
                -------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                  The Commission is requested to mail copies of
                   all orders, notices and communications to:

                              William S. Lamb, Esq.
                     LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P.
                              125 West 55th Street
                            New York, New York 10019

<PAGE>

     Unitil hereby amends and restates this Application-Declaration as follows:

ITEM 1.   DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED TRANSACTIONS

     Unitil Corporation, a New Hampshire corporation ("Unitil") and a registered
holding company under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended
(the  "Act"),  hereby  submits  this  application-declaration  on Form  U-1 (the
"Application-Declaration")  under  the Act  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") for authorization and approval under Sections 6(a)
and 7 of the Act for the  additional  issuance of up to an  aggregate of 200,000
shares of its no par value  common  stock  ("Common  Stock")  under its dividend
reinvestment  and stock purchase plan ("DRIP") and up to an aggregate of 150,000
shares of its Common Stock under its  tax-deferred  savings and investment  plan
("401(k) Plan").

     By prior Commission orders dated November 16, 1992 (File No. 70-8050,  HCAR
No. 35- 25677) and  February  7, 1997  (File No.  70-8969,  HCAR No.  35-26663),
Unitil was authorized to issue and sell 253,654 shares of Common Stock under its
DRIP (the "DRIP Shares")./1/ Of that amount, 15,030 shares remained unsold as of
February 1, 2000.  The orders also  authorized  Unitil to issue and sell 229,636
shares of Common Stock under its 401(k) Plan (the "401(k) Plan  Shares")./2/  Of
that amount, 44,393 shares remained unsold as of February 1, 2000.

     In  addition  to the  previously  authorized  DRIP  Shares and 401(k)  Plan
Shares,  Unitil now proposes to issue and sell an additional  200,000  shares of
its  authorized  Common  Stock  pursuant to its DRIP and an  additional  150,000
shares of Common Stock pursuant to its 401(k) Plan./3/ The shares  available for
such  additional  issuances  under the DRIP and the  401(k)  Plan will come from
authorized  but unissued  shares of Common Stock and shares  purchased by Unitil
through an agent on the open market.  Any such  purchases of Common Stock on the
open market pursuant to either the DRIP or the 401(k) Plan shall be exempt under
Rule 42 of the Act. The newly authorized shares of Common Stock shall be sold to
the participants under each of the DRIP and 401(k) Plan at current market prices
as set forth below or as more fully described in the DRIP and the 401(k) Plan.

     A.   Description of Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan

     Participants  in the  DRIP may (i) have  cash  dividends  on all or part of
their Common Stock automatically reinvested at current market prices and/or (ii)
invest optional cash payments ranging from $25 to $5,000 per calendar quarter at
current market prices, whether or not dividends are being reinvested.  Employees
of Unitil and its  subsidiaries  and  affiliates who are eligible to participate
have the  additional  option of  utilizing  payroll  deductions  in the place of
making  direct  cash  payments.  No  commission  or  service  charge  is paid by
participants in connection with

----------
/1/  Adjusted to reflect a two-for-one stock split that occurred on December 11,
     1992.

/2/  Adjusted to reflect a two-for-one stock split that occurred on December 11,
     1992.

/3/  Holders of shares of Common Stock issued  pursuant to Unitil's  401(k) Plan
     are eligible to participate in the DRIP.
----------

                                        2
<PAGE>

purchases  under the DRIP.  Current market prices for original issue shares will
be the  average  of the high  and low  prices  reported  by the  American  Stock
Exchange  during  each of the last five  trading  days  prior to the date of the
dividend payment.  Current market prices for shares purchased on the open market
will be the  weighted  average of the actual  prices  paid for all of the shares
purchased  for the related  quarter.  In no event  shall the price for  original
issue shares or for shares purchased on the open market be below book value.

     A more complete  description of the provisions of the DRIP is  incorporated
by  reference  as Exhibit C-2 hereto.  The  additional  issuance of Common Stock
through the DRIP is made  pursuant to a  registration  statement  on Form S-3, a
copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit C- 2.

     B.   Description of Tax-Deferred Savings and Investment Plan

     Unitil maintains a 401(k) Plan that has been qualified under Section 401(k)
of the  Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986.  The 401(k)  Plan is  available  to all
employees of Unitil, its subsidiaries and certain or its affiliates. The amounts
contributed  to the  funds  generated  thereby  are held in trust  and  invested
according to the  participant's  directions among nine investment  funds, one of
which holds Unitil Common Stock.

     A more  complete  description  of the  provisions  of the  401(k)  Plan  is
incorporated  by reference  as Exhibit C-4 hereto.  The  additional  issuance of
Common  Stock  through  the  401(k)  Plan is  made  pursuant  to a  registration
statement on Form S-8, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit C-4.

     C.   Involvement of Unitil and its Affiliates with Exempt
          Wholesale Generators and Foreign Utility Companies

     The proposed  transactions may be subject to Rules 53 and 54 under the Act.
Neither Unitil nor any subsidiary  thereof presently has, or as a consequence of
the  proposed  transactions  will have,  an  interest  in any  exempt  wholesale
generator  ("EWG") or  foreign  utility  company  ("FUCO"),  as those  terms are
defined in Sections  32 and 33 of the Act,  respectively.  None of the  proceeds
from the proposed transactions will be used to acquire any securities of, or any
interest  in,  an  EWG  or  FUCO.  Moreover,  neither  Unitil  nor  any  of  its
subsidiaries is, or as a consequence of the proposed transactions will become, a
party  to,  and such  entities  do not and will not  have any  rights  under,  a
service, sales or construction contract with any affiliated EWGs or FUCOs except
in accordance with the rules and regulations  promulgated by the Commission with
respect  thereto.  Consequently,  all applicable  requirements of Rule 53(a)-(c)
under the Act are satisfied as required by Rule 54 under the Act.

ITEM 2.   FEES, COMMISSIONS AND EXPENSES

     The fees,  commissions  and  expenses of Unitil are  expected to be paid or
incurred,  directly or indirectly, in connection with the transactions described
above are estimated as follows:

                                        3
<PAGE>

     Filing fee under the Securities Act of
     1933                                    .................... $2,466

     American Stock Exchange
     Listing Fee                             .................... $7,000

     Legal fees and expenses                 .................... $55,000

     Miscellaneous                           .................... $13,000

                                      Total  .................... $77,466

ITEM 3.   APPLICABLE STATUTORY PROVISIONS

     Sections   6  and  7  of  the  Act   are   directly   applicable   to  this
Application-Declaration.  The proposed issuance and sale of additional shares of
Common Stock through the DRIP and 401(k) Plan are subject to Sections 6 and 7 of
the Act. Unitil requests that this  Application-Declaration be allowed to become
effective under Section 7 of the Act with respect to the additional issuances of
Common  Stock  described  in Item 1 above to be issued  pursuant  to each of the
plans.

ITEM 4.   REGULATORY APPROVALS

     No state or federal  commission  other than the Commission has jurisdiction
with   respect  to  any  of  the   proposed   transactions   described  in  this
Post-Effective Amendment.

ITEM 5.   PROCEDURE

     On April 7, 2000, the Commission  issued and published the requisite notice
under  Rule  23  with  respect  to  this  Application-Declaration;  such  notice
specifying May 2, 2000 as the date by which comments may be entered and the date
on which an order granting and permitting the  Application-Declaration to become
effective may be entered by the Commission.

     Unitil respectfully requests that appropriate and timely action be taken by
the Commission in this matter.  No recommended  decision by a hearing officer or
other  responsible  officer of the  Commission  is necessary or required in this
matter.  The Division of Investment  Management of the  Commission may assist in
the preparation of the Commission's  decision in this matter. There should be no
thirty-day  waiting  period between the issuance and effective date of any order
issued by the Commission in this matter,  and it is respectfully  requested that
any such order be made effective immediately upon the entry thereof.

                                        4
<PAGE>

ITEM 6.   EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

     a)   Exhibits

          Exhibit No.                 Description of Exhibit
          -----------                 ----------------------

             A-1    Articles  of   Incorporation   of  Unitil  (Filed  with  the
                    Commission   as  Exhibit  3.1  to  Form  S-14   Registration
                    Statement No. 2-93769, as amended in Exhibit 3.2 to Unitil's
                    1992 Form 10-K, and incorporated by reference herein).

             C-1    Withdrawn.

             C-2    Form S-3  Registration Statement  No. 333-42264  relating to
                    Unitil's  DRIP and its issuance of  additional  shares under
                    its DRIP  (Filed with the  Commission  and  incorporated  by
                    reference herein).

             C-3    Withdrawn.

             C-4    Form S-8  Registration Statement  No. 333-42266  relating to
                    Unitil's  401(k) Plan and its issuance of additional  shares
                    under  its  401(k)  Plan  (Filed  with  the  Commission  and
                    incorporated by reference herein).

             F-1    Opinion of Counsel.

             F-2    "Past Tense" Opinion of Counsel (To Be Filed By Amendment).

             G-1    Financial Data Schedule (Previously Filed).

             H-1    Proposed Form of Notice (Previously Filed).

                                        5
<PAGE>

     b)   Financial Statements

             No.                Description of Financial Statements
             ---                -----------------------------------

             FS-1   Unitil  Corporation  Unaudited  Consolidated  Actual Balance
                    Sheets,  as of September 30, 1999, and Statement of Earnings
                    and Cash Flows for the nine month period ended September 30,
                    1999 (Filed with the  Commission  with Unitil's 10-Q for the
                    period  ended   September  30,  1999  and   incorporated  by
                    reference herein).

             FS-2   Unitil  Corporation  Unaudited  Consolidated  Actual and Pro
                    Forma Balance Sheets,  as of September 30, 1999  (Previously
                    Filed).

             FS-3   Unitil  Corporation  Unaudited  Consolidated  Actual and Pro
                    Forma  Statement  of  Earnings  for the  nine  months  ended
                    September 30, 1999 (Previously Filed).

             FS-4   Unitil Corporation Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Pro Forma
                    Statements (Previously Filed).

             FS-5   Unitil  Corporation  (Company Only) Unaudited Actual and Pro
                    Forma Balance Sheets,  as of September 30, 1999  (Previously
                    Filed).

             FS-6   Unitil  Corporation  (Company Only) Unaudited Actual and Pro
                    Forma  Statement  of  Earnings  for the  nine  months  ended
                    September 30, 1999 (Previously Filed).

             FS-7   Unitil  Corporation  (Company  Only) Notes to Unaudited  Pro
                    Forma Statements (Previously Filed).

ITEM 7.   INFORMATION AS TO ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

     None of the matters  that are the  subject of this  Application-Declaration
involve a "major federal action" nor do they  "significantly  affect the quality
of the human  environment"  as those terms are used in Section  102(2)(C) of the
National  Environmental  Policy Act. None of the proposed  transactions that are
the  subject  of this  Application-Declaration  will  result in  changes  in the
operation of the  Applicants  that will have an impact on the  environment.  The
Applicants are

                                        6
<PAGE>

not  aware  of  any  federal  agency  which  has  prepared  or is  preparing  an
environmental impact statement with respect to the transactions proposed herein.

                                    SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of
1935, the undersigned company has duly caused this Application-Declaration to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Dated:  July 27, 2000

                                              UNITIL CORPORATION


                                              By:/s/ Mark H. Collin
                                                 -----------------------
                                              Name:  Mark H. Collin
                                              Title: Treasurer

                                        7



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