Entergy agrees to sell Rhode Island natural gas-fired power plant

Vermont Business Magazine Entergy Corp. (NYSE:ETR) today announced that its wholesale generation division, Entergy Wholesale Commodities, has entered into an agreement to sell its 583-megawatt Rhode Island State Energy Center (RISEC), located in Johnston, RI, to Carlyle Power Partners. The facility is a natural gas-fired, combined-cycle generating plant that entered commercial service in 2002.

The base sales price is approximately $490 million, subject to closing adjustments. Entergy Wholesale Commodities purchased the plant for $346 million in December 2011. Entergy expects to record a net gain of approximately $0.50 per share assuming closing of the sale occurs in the fourth quarter 2015, subject to working capital and other adjustments. The gain on sale will be classified as a special item, and as such, excluded from operational earnings.

“Our strategy for EWC is focused on being disciplined about reducing risk and freeing up financial resources for other opportunities,” said Entergy Chairman and CEO Leo Denault. “RISEC has been a very good investment for us, and its sale is consistent with that strategy.”

Entergy shut down the 605 MW Vermont Yankee nuclear plant in Vernon in December 2014.

Source: Entergy 10.8.2015