AltaLink Completes IPO

AltaLink, L.P., completed an initial public offering of senior secured bonds on June 5, 2003, for total gross proceeds in the principal amount of $300 million. The limited partnership owns and operates approximately 53 per cent of the high voltage transmission lines in Alberta. The offering consisted of two series of senior secured bonds, the net proceeds of which were used to repay a portion of AltaLink’s short-term indebtedness incurred in connection with the acquisition of TransAlta’s transmission assets formerly owned and operated by TransAlta Utilities Corporation in April 2002. The syndicate of underwriters was led by Scotia Capital Inc. and TD Securities Inc., and included BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., RBC Dominion Securities Inc., National Bank Financial Inc. and Casgrain & Company Limited.

AltaLink’s legal team included Leigh Clarke, senior counsel, and Allan Nielsen, Q.C. (commercial and banking), Scott Wilson, George Kelly and Steven Pearson (corporate finance and securities), Ross Freeman (tax), Hugh Williamson, Q.C. (regulatory) and Julio Arboleda (commercial and banking) of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP.

The underwriters were represented by Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, with a team that included John Macfarlane, Jean Fraser and Andrea Whyte (corporate finance and securities), George Valentini (commercial and banking), Monica Biringer and Manjit Singh (tax) and Gord Nettleton (regulatory).