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):  July 20, 2004

EDISON MISSION ENERGY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
DELAWARE	000-24890	95-4031807
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(Commission file number)	(I.R.S. employer identification no.)
18101 Von Karman Avenue
Irvine, California  92612
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
949-752-5588
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Items 1 through 4, 6 and 8 through 12 are not included because they are inapplicable.

This current report includes forward-looking statements. Edison Mission Energy has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations and projections about future events based upon knowledge of facts as of the date of this current report and its assumptions about future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that may be outside Edison Mission Energy’s control. Edison Mission Energy has no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This current report should be read in conjunction with Edison Mission Energy’s 2003 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 2004. Capitalized terms used in this current report which are not specifically defined have the meanings set forth in the other reports.

Item 5.  Other Events

On July 20, 2004, Edison Mission Energy (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing that it has entered into an agreement to sell its 51.2 percent holding in Contact Energy Limited. The Company is attaching a copy of the press release as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K. Such information is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

(c)  Exhibits.
Exhibit 99.1	Press Release of Edison Mission Energy, dated July 20, 2004.

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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.

Edison Mission Energy
(Registrant)
Date:	July 20, 2004	/s/ Kevin M. Smith
		KEVIN M. SMITH
		Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

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EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Kevin Kelley, (626) 302-1033

www.edisonnews.com

Edison Mission Energy and Edison International

Announce Sale of EME’s Stake in Contact Energy Ltd.

IRVINE, Calif. (USA), July 20, 2004 – Edison Mission Energy (EME) and its parent Edison International (NYSE: EIX) today announced that EME had entered into an agreement to sell its 51.2 percent holding in Contact Energy Ltd. to Origin Energy Limited for NZ$5.67 per share, or total consideration of NZ$1,674.7 million, which includes the assumption of NZ$535 million of indebtedness.  EME will receive approximately US$750 million at current exchange rates.

EME intends to use the after-tax proceeds from the sale to repay in part the three-year, $800 million secured loan at Mission Energy Holdings International, Inc., a direct subsidiary of EME.

The sale is the result of a previously announced process to sell EME’s portfolio of international energy assets, which are located in Europe, the Asia Pacific region and in Puerto Rico.  Closing of the Contact Energy transaction is subject to a limited number of conditions, including action by the New Zealand Takeovers Panel, and is expected in the third or fourth quarter of 2004.  As previously announced, EME is continuing to evaluate the bids it received for its other international assets.

New Zealand-based Contact Energy is a publicly traded integrated energy company with approximately 522,000 electricity customers and 97,500 natural gas customers in New Zealand.  Contact Energy controls approximately 2,490 MW of generating capacity in the region.

Origin Energy is a major Australian integrated energy company focused on gas and oil exploration and production, energy retailing, power generation and utility network management. Origin Energy is one of Australia’s largest energy retailers.

Lehman Brothers and Credit Suisse First Boston are acting as financial advisors to EME on the sale of its international assets.

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Based in Rosemead, Calif., Edison International (NYSE:EIX) is the parent company of Southern California Edison, Edison Mission Energy, and Edison Capital.