SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
FORM U-57
NOTIFICATION OF FOREIGN UTILITY COMPANY STATUS
Filed under section 33(a) of the
Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended
Lattice Group plc
(Name of foreign utility company)
National Grid Group plc
(Name of filing company, if filed on behalf of a foreign utility company)
Pursuant to Section 33(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of
1935, as amended (the "Act") and Rule 57, National Grid Group plc files this
form to notify the Securities and Exchange Commission that Lattice Group plc is,
and claims status as, a foreign utility company ("FUCO") within the meaning of
Section 33 of the Act.
Item 1. State the name of the entity claiming foreign utility company status,
its business address, and a description of the facilities used for the
generation, transmission and distribution of electric energy for sale or for the
distribution at retail of natural or manufactured gas. To the extent known,
identify each person that holds five percent (5%) or more of any class of voting
securities of the foreign utility company and describe the amount and nature of
the interest.
The name and business address of the entity claiming FUCO status within the
meaning of section 33 of the Act is Lattice Group plc ("Lattice"), located at
130 Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 4UR, United Kingdom. Lattice is a public limited
company formed under the laws of England and Wales. Lattice indirectly owns,
operates and develops the substantial majority of Great Britain's gas
transportation and distribution system.
For administrative and regulatory purposes Lattice is subdivided into two
subsidiary holding groups: Transco Holdings plc and Lattice Group Holdings Ltd.
Transco plc ("Transco"), Transco Holdings plc's principal subsidiary, is the
owner, operator and developer of the substantial majority of Great Britain's
natural gas transportation and distribution system.
Transco receives gas from several coastal reception terminals around Great
Britain, and transports it to the meters of more than 20 million industrial,
commercial and domestic customers. Its network is made up of approximately 4,100
miles of high-pressure pipeline and approximately 170,300 miles of lower
pressure pipeline comprising regional transmission and distribution systems. An
interconnector to Belgium links Transco's own gas transportation system to
continental Europe's high-pressure gas grid. A second interconnector supplies
gas to Eire and Northern Ireland. Both of these interconnectors are owned by
third parties. Transco provides gas transportation and distribution services,
but does not sell the commodity gas to the end-use customer. Transco transports
gas for approximately 45 gas shippers.
In addition, Lattice owns, through its ownership in Lattice Group Holdings
Ltd., an interest in other companies engaged in energy and water services,
telecommunications, management solutions, network services, real estate and
leasing. Such interests represent a small part of Lattice's overall business and
are broadly related to its principal business of gas transportation and
distribution.
As of July 31, 2002, Vidacos Nominees Ltd. held, as nominee, 5.46% of the
issued and outstanding shares of Lattice.
Item 2. State the name of any domestic associate public-utility company and, if
applicable, its holding company, and a description of the relationship between
the foreign utility company and such company, and the purchase price paid by any
such domestic associate public-utility company for its interest in the foreign
utility company.
Lattice currently has no domestic associate public-utility companies. Upon
the consummation of the merger of Lattice and National Grid Group plc, the
following companies will be domestic associate companies of Lattice
(collectively the "Domestic Utility Associates"):
Niagara Mohawk Power Company
New England Power Company
Narragansett Electric Company
Granite State Electric Company
Massachusetts Electric Company
Nantucket Electric Company
New England Electric Transmission Corporation
New England Hydro-Transmission Corporation
New England Hydro-Transmission Electric Company, Inc.
The Domestic Utility Associates are directly or indirectly owned by
National Grid USA, a registered holding company, which is in turn owned by a
series of intermediate registered holding companies, National Grid Holdings
Inc., National Grid General Partnership, National Grid (US) Partner 2 Limited,
National Grid (US) Partner 1 Limited, National Grid (US) Investments 4 and
National Grid (US) Holdings Limited. National Grid Group plc is at the top of
this chain of companies.
Lattice will be related to the Domestic Utility Associates only in that
they will be members of the same holding company system under National Grid
Group plc. Lattice and its subsidiaries may provide services to and receive
services from the Domestic Utility Associates subject to applicable provisions
of the Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder.
2
The Domestic Utility Associates will not have an interest in Lattice and
will not provide any consideration for the acquisition of Lattice.
EXHIBIT A.
Not applicable.
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SIGNATURE
The undersigned company has duly caused this statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
National Grid Group plc
By: /s/ Kirk L. Ramsauer
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Kirk L. Ramsauer
Deputy General Counsel
National Grid USA
Date: September 24, 2002
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