Duke Energy puts Houston-based international business up for sale
Thursday February 4, 2016
Duke Energy will consider selling its Houston-based international business segment, the company said Thursday.
North Carolina-based Duke, which is the nation's top power generator, currently runs its Central and South American power plants from Houston.
Duke is in the preliminary stages of putting its international business up for sale, but hasn't yet considered any specific offers. Duke isn't saying much, but the company said it may provide more details during its scheduled earnings call on Feb. 18.
Duke Energy International facilities include 4,400 megawatts of electricity capacity in power plants in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala and Peru. Two-thirds of the power plant portfolio is hydro power and half are located in Brazil.
As of a year ago, Duke was the fourth-largest private generator of electricity in South and Central America based on net capacity.
Duke is not planning to sell its 25-percent stake in Saudi Arabia-based National Methanol Company, which produces methanol and methyl tertiary butyl ether, called MTBE, which is a gasoline additive.