MELBOURNE (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) April 26, 2000--Standard&Poor's today assigned its single-'A'-minus long-term and 'A-2' short-term ratings to ETSA Utilities Finance Pty. Ltd.'s euro 1 billion Euro medium-term note program. This program represents the second part of ETSA Utilities Finance Pty. Ltd.'s financing strategy, in which it is accessing domestic and international bond markets for a total of about A$2 billion. ETSA Utilities Finance Pty. Ltd. is the financing arm of the recently privatised South Australian electricity distribution business, ETSA Utilities Partnership (ETSA Utilities), which has undertaken one of the largest refinancings yet seen in the Australian infrastructure sector. On March 22, 2000, Standard&Poor's assigned its single-'A'-minus long-term and 'A-2' short-term ratings to ETSA Utilities Finance
