Houston-based Reliant Energy, which amended its S-3 shelf registration last Monday, plans to price its scheduled $750 million stranded-cost securitization before year-end, according to a company source. Timing for the offering, to be led by Merrill Lynch, is seen in the "next couple of months," said Reliant treasurer Mark Kilbride.
Since the pricing of just over $7 billion of stranded-cost supply earlier in the year, issuance in the sector has dried up in recent months. More than $2 billion of supply had been delayed by court hearings, disputing both the size and constitutionality of stranded-cost securitizations.
Before year-end the market should see deals from units of AEP, Conectiv CMS Energy, GPU Inc. and TXU Corp., in addition to the Reliant offering, which should push year-to-date supply over $10 billion.
