By Beth Jinks and Jeffrey McCracken
Energy Future Holdings Corp., the Texas power generator taken private in the biggest leveraged buyout ever, is close to obtaining a loan of more than $3 billion ahead of a bankruptcy filing that may come this month, said four people with knowledge of the matter.
Citigroup Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp. and Morgan Stanley are the key lenders vying to provide parts of the debtor-in-possession financing, and first-lien creditors to Energy Future’s Texas Competitive subsidiary have been invited to participate, said the people, who asked not to be named because the process is private. The final terms and lenders may be decided next week, according to two of the people.
The size of the loan for the former TXU Corp., which has fluctuated over the past few weeks, is now likely to be about $3.5 billion, said two of the people. Debtor-in-possession financing is funding arranged by a company going through the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process, which typically has priority over existing debt, equity and other claims. Such a large DIP may help reassure vendors, customers and regulators the company can meet its obligations….