- Capital Power to sell New England merchant generation facilities to
Emera Inc. for US$541 million
- Re-focusing boosts immediate and long-term value for shareholders,
reduces merchant risk and lowers costs
EDMONTON, Aug. 28, 2013 /CNW/ - Capital Power Corporation (TSX: CPX) and
Capital Power L.P., the legal entity that indirectly holds
substantially all of Capital Power Corporation's assets (together,
Capital Power or the Company), today announced that Emera Inc. (Emera)
(TSX: EMA) has entered into an agreement to acquire Capital Power's
three New England combined cycle, natural gas-fired power generation
facilities for US$541 million.
The facilities are Bridgeport Energy, a 520-megawatt power station in
Bridgeport, CT, that has been operational since 1999; Tiverton Power, a
265-megawatt power station in Tiverton, RI, that has been operational
since 2000; and Rumford Power, a 265-megawatt power station in Rumford,
ME, that has been operational since 2000. The transaction includes
certain emissions credits.
"The transaction is consistent with our focus on enhancing Capital
Power's returns for shareholders while rebalancing risk in our
portfolio," said Capital Power President & CEO Brian Vaasjo. "The sale
proceeds for the New England assets will be redeployed to reduce our
merchant risk profile and provide more predictable earnings and cash
flow."
Capital Power's merchant power activities will now be focused on
Alberta. The company will continue to pursue growth in contracted power
generation across North America.
"Focusing Capital Power's business is the best way to create immediate
and long-term value for shareholders and balance the Company's merchant
and contracted portfolio," said Capital Power President & CEO Brian
Vaasjo. "While we will continue to pursue contracted power generation
opportunities throughout North America, growth in our merchant power
business and our trading activities will now be focused on North
America's strongest power market, Alberta."
"Our re-focusing reflects the fact that North American power markets
have evolved over the past several years." Mr. Vaasjo continued.
"Capital Power can now pursue higher value investment opportunities in
the fast-growing Alberta market. For example, we expect the Shepard
Energy Centre to deliver improved returns for shareholders, and provide
a combination of contracted and merchant cash flow that reduces Capital
Power's portfolio risk and earnings volatility."
The Company will wind down its commodity and energy trading business
outside Alberta before year end, closing its Toronto office immediately
and its Chicago office in 2014. Energy trading and portfolio management
activities will continue within Alberta. Focused teams in Alberta,
Boston and San Diego will continue to pursue growth, seeking contracted
development and acquisition opportunities across North America, and
both merchant and contracted opportunities within Alberta.
"The Alberta merchant focus has significant implications for the
organization," said Bryan DeNeve, Capital Power's Senior Vice President
Corporate Development & Commercial Services. "Our employee base and
operating complexity is significantly reduced by the divestiture of the
northeast U.S. plants, and resources will no longer be required to
support power or gas trading in U.S. markets or the pursuit of merchant
growth opportunities outside Alberta."
"Beginning in the first quarter of 2014, we expect the overall financial
impact of the business refocusing, excluding the sale of the New
England facilities themselves, to reduce annual expense spending by
approximately $25 million to $30 million, boost annualized earnings per
share by $0.20 to $0.25 and increase cash flow per share by
approximately $0.25 to $0.30, net of the trading margins that would
have been expected to be earned," said Senior Vice President & CFO
Stuart Lee. "Associated with these changes, we also expect to take a
restructuring charge of approximately $10 million in the third
quarter."
"Capital Power is now in a position to fully fund the remaining
investment required for our 50% interest in the Shepard Energy Centre
from proceeds from the New England sale, existing resources and future
operating cash flows," said Mr. Lee. "We expect to fund Capital Power's
existing growth opportunities without further equity issuances, save
for the continuing operation of our dividend reinvestment program."
The Shepard investment adds new stable cash flows for Capital Power
through a 20-year tolling agreement on 50% of the owned capacity, and
contracting and hedging agreements for the 2013 - 2017 period.
"Capital Power's business will be simpler and more focused after these
actions, and the right size to be competitive for the future," Mr.
Vaasjo concluded. "Our investment thesis is now clearer and easier to
evaluate: Capital Power will provide investors with a stable and
growing contracted cash flow base, with upside exposure to the Alberta
power market, while operating a leaner core business. And we expect to
provide our employees with an efficient and clearly organized company
where they can grow their careers, and the opportunity to operate
facilities that are industry leaders in performance and safety."
The New England transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter
of 2013, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing
conditions. The gross proceeds approximate the expected carrying value
of the assets projected at close. As part of the transaction, Capital
Power expects to take a valuation allowance against the Company's U.S.
deferred tax assets (net operating loss carry forwards that the Company
will continue to retain) which will negatively impact net income,
partially offset by a foreign exchange gain. After closing costs, tax
expense and foreign exchange gains, the Company expects to record a
small loss related to the transaction. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC served
as sole financial advisor to Capital Power on the transaction.
Analyst Call
Management will host a conference call with analysts on August 29, 2013
at 10:00 AM (ET). The conference call dial-in numbers are:
(604) 681-8564 (Vancouver)
(403) 532-5601 (Calgary)
(416) 623-0333 (Toronto)
(514) 687-4017 (Montreal)
(855) 353-9183 (toll-free from Canada and USA)
Participant access code for the call: 21543#
A replay of the conference call will be available following the call at:
(855) 201-2300 (toll-free) and entering conference reference number
1051010# followed by participant code 21543#. The replay will be
available until midnight on October 29, 2013. Interested parties may
also access the live webcast on the Company's website at www.capitalpower.com with an archive of the webcast available following the conference call.
About Capital Power
Capital Power (TSX: CPX) is a growth-oriented North American power
producer headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta. The company develops,
acquires, operates and optimizes power generation from a variety of
energy sources. Following the close of the New England transaction,
Capital Power will own more than 2,500 megawatts of power generation
capacity at 13 facilities, and an additional 371 megawatts of capacity
through PPAs. An additional 595 megawatts of owned generation capacity
is under construction or in advanced development in Alberta and
Ontario.
Forward Looking Information
Forward-looking information or statements included in this press release
are provided to inform the Company's shareholders and potential
investors about management's assessment of Capital Power's future plans
and operations. This information may not be appropriate for other
purposes. The forward-looking information in this press release is
generally identified by words such as will, anticipate, believe, plan,
intend, target, and expect or similar words that suggest future
outcomes.
Material forward-looking information in this press release includes
information with respect to: (i) expectations regarding future merchant
and contracted business activities and investments, (ii) expectations
regarding the returns and risk profile of the Company's planned
investments, (iii) expectations regarding future annual expenses,
earnings per share, cash flow per share and restructuring expenses,
(iv) expectations and assumptions concerning satisfaction of all
conditions of closing of the transaction and the timing, effect and
fact of a successful closing of the New England transaction; and (v)
expectations regarding the Company's use of the funds received as sale
proceeds.
These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by
the Company in light of its experience and perception of historical
trends, current conditions and expected future developments, and other
factors it believes are appropriate. The material factors and
assumptions used to develop these forward-looking statements relate to:
(i) electricity and other energy prices, (ii) performance, (iii)
business prospects and opportunities including expected growth and
capital projects, (iv) status and impact of policy, legislation and
regulation, and (v) effective tax rates.
Whether actual results, performance or achievements will conform to the
Company's expectations and predictions is subject to a number of known
and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results
and experience to differ materially from the Company's expectations.
Such material risks and uncertainties are: (i) changes in electricity
prices in markets in which the Company operates, (ii) changes in
commodity prices in markets in which the Company operates and use of
derivatives, (iii) regulatory and political environments including
changes to environmental, financial reporting and tax legislation, (iv)
power plant availability and performance including maintenance
expenditures, (v) ability to fund current and future capital and
working capital needs, (vi) acquisitions and developments including
timing and costs of regulatory approvals and construction, (vii)
changes in market prices and availability of fuel, and (vii) changes in
general economic and competitive conditions.
See Risks and Risk Management in the Company's December 31, 2012 annual
Management's Discussion and Analysis for further discussion of these
and other risks.
SOURCE: Capital Power Corporation