8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED): January 4, 2013

ENBRIDGE ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

DELAWARE	1-10934	39-1715850
(State or Other Jurisdiction)	(Commission File No.)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

1100 LOUISIANA, SUITE 3300, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

(713) 821-2000

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01. Other Events.

Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P., referred to herein as “the Partnership,” issued a press release on January 4, 2013, announcing further expansion of the Lakehead System between Neche, North Dakota, and Superior, Wisconsin. The expansion will add an additional 230,000 barrels per day of capacity at an estimated cost of approximately $0.2 billion, and involves increased pumping horsepower, with no line pipe construction. This expansion will be jointly funded with Enbridge Inc., or Enbridge, the ultimate parent of the general partner of the Partnership, and the Partnership under a previously disclosed Mainline Expansion Joint Funding Arrangement under which Enbridge will fund 60 percent of the cost and the Partnership will fund 40 percent, with options granted to the Partnership to decrease its economic interest in the expansion project by up to 15 percent and to increase its economic interest by up to 15 percent. Subject to regulatory approvals, the additional expansion is expected to be available for service in 2015.

The foregoing discussion is qualified in its entirety by reference to the press release dated January 4, 2013, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Reference is made to the “Index of Exhibits” following the signature page, which is hereby incorporated into this Item.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

	ENBRIDGE ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. (Registrant)
	By:	Enbridge Energy Management, L.L.C., as delegate of Enbridge Energy Company, Inc., its General Partner
Date: January 7, 2013	By:	/s/ William M. Ramos
		William M. Ramos
		Controller
		(Duly Authorized Officer)

Index of Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release of Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. dated January 4, 2013

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

NEWS RELEASE

Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. to Undertake Additional $0.2 Billion U.S. Mainline Expansion

HOUSTON – January 4, 2013 –Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: EEP) (“the Partnership”) today announced a further expansion of the Lakehead System between Neche, North Dakota, and Superior, Wisconsin. The expansion will add an additional 230,000 barrels per day of capacity at an estimated cost of approximately $0.2 billion, and involves increased pumping horsepower, with no line pipe construction. The expansion will require regulatory approvals.

The Lakehead System is held by Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership (“EELP”), and this expansion will be included in the Mainline Expansion Joint Funding Arrangement under which 60 percent of the capital will be funded by Enbridge Inc. (NYSE, TSX: ENB) and 40 percent by the Partnership, with options granted to the Partnership to decrease its economic interest in the expansion project by up to 15 percent and to increase its economic interest by up to 15 percent. Mainline shippers have approved the undertaking of the expansion by EELP on a full cost-of-service basis. The additional expansion is expected to be available for service in 2015.

About Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P.

Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. (www.enbridgepartners.com) owns and operates a diversified portfolio of crude oil and natural gas transportation systems in the United States. Its principal crude oil system is the largest transporter of growing oil production from western Canada. The system’s deliveries to refining centers and connected carriers in the United States account for approximately 15 percent of total U.S. oil imports; while deliveries to Ontario, Canada satisfy approximately 70 percent of refinery demand in that region. The Partnership’s natural gas gathering, treating, processing and transmission assets, which are principally located onshore in the active U.S. Mid-Continent and Gulf Coast area, deliver approximately 2.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas daily. Enbridge Energy Partners is ranked as one of the 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America.

Enbridge Energy Management, L.L.C. (www.enbridgemanagement.com) manages the business and affairs of the Partnership and its sole asset is an approximate 13 percent interest in the Partnership. Enbridge Energy Company, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Enbridge Inc. of Calgary, Alberta, (NYSE: ENB) (TSX: ENB) (www.enbridge.com) is the general partner and holds an approximate 22 percent interest in the Partnership.

About Enbridge Inc.

Enbridge Inc. is a North American leader in delivering energy and one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations. As a transporter of energy, Enbridge operates, in Canada and the U.S., the world’s longest crude oil and liquids transportation system. The Company also has a significant and growing involvement in natural gas gathering, transmission and midstream businesses, and an increasing involvement in power transmission. As a distributor of energy, Enbridge owns and operates Canada’s largest natural gas distribution company, and provides distribution services in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and New York State. As a generator of energy, Enbridge has interests in close to 1,000 megawatts of renewable and alternative energy generating capacity and is expanding its interests in wind and solar energy, geothermal and hybrid fuel cells. Enbridge employs more than 10,000 people, primarily in Canada and the U.S. and is ranked as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers and one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2013. Enbridge is included on the 2012/2013 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and is also a constituent of the 2012/2013 FTSE4Good Index Series. Enbridge’s common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol ENB. For more information, visit www.enbridge.com.

LEGAL NOTICE

This news release includes forward-looking statements and projections, which are statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements frequently use the following words, variations thereon or comparable terminology: “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “position,” “projection,” “should,” “strategy,” “will” and similar words. Although we believe that such forward looking statements are reasonable based on currently available information, such statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are not guarantees of performance. Future actions, conditions or events and future results of operations may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Many of the factors that will determine these results are beyond Enbridge Partners’ ability to control or predict. Specific factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include: (1) changes in the demand for or the supply of, forecast data for, and price trends related to crude oil, liquid petroleum, natural gas and NGLs, including the rate of development of the Alberta Oil Sands; (2) Enbridge Partners’ ability to successfully complete and finance expansion projects; (3) the effects of competition, in particular, by other pipeline systems; (4) shut-downs or cutbacks at facilities of Enbridge Partners or refineries, petrochemical plants, utilities or other businesses for which Enbridge Partners transports products or to whom Enbridge Partners sells products; (5) hazards and operating risks that may not be covered fully by insurance; (6) changes in or challenges to Enbridge Partners’ tariff rates; and (7) changes in laws or regulations to which Enbridge Partners is subject, including compliance with environmental and operational safety regulations that may increase costs of system integrity testing and maintenance.

Reference should also be made to Enbridge Partners’ filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently completed fiscal year and its subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, for additional factors that may affect results. These filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s web site (www.sec.gov) and at the Partnership’s web site. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Investor Relations Contact:	Media Contact:
Sanjay Lad	Larry Springer
Toll-free: (866) EEP INFO or (866) 337-4636	Toll-free : (877) 496-8142
E-mail: eep@enbridge.com	E-mail: usmedia@enbridge.com
Website: enbridgepartners.com