COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 26,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- American Electric Power
(Nasdaq: AEP) has entered into an agreement to sell its 50%
interest in New Mexico Renewable Development, LLC (NMRD) to Exus
North America Holdings, LLC (Exus). AEP and PNM Resources, which
also owns 50% of NMRD, plan to sell the portfolio of 15 solar
projects totaling 625 megawatts (MW) to Exus for approximately
$230 million subject to true-up
adjustments at close. AEP's share of the sale is approximately
$115 million, and AEP expects to
receive about $104 million in cash
after tax, transaction fees and other customary adjustments. The
sale is expected to close in February
2024 and will not have a material impact on financial
results.
"This sale is another step forward on our path to simplify our
business and focus on investing in our core regulated operations,
and we continue to execute on our strategy to de-risk the company.
Earlier this year, we completed the $1.5
billion sale of other parts of our
contracted renewables business. The proceeds from these sales
are strengthening our balance sheet and supporting our continued
efforts to create an energy system that benefits customers by
providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity," said
Julie Sloat, AEP chair, president
and chief executive officer.
AEP launched the sale process for NMRD in June. The NMRD
portfolio includes nine operating solar developments totaling 185
MW and six projects under development with an estimated output of
440 MW. The sale is subject to regulatory approval by the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, New
Mexico regulatory approvals associated with one of NMRD's
projects and clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act of 1976.
KeyBanc Capital Markets is serving as financial advisor and
Foley & Lardner LLP is serving as legal counsel to AEP and PNM
Resources.
At American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, we understand that our
customers and communities depend on safe, reliable and affordable
power. Our nearly 17,000 employees operate and maintain more than
40,000 miles of transmission lines, the nation's largest electric
transmission system, and more than 225,000 miles of distribution
lines to deliver power to 5.6 million customers in 11 states. AEP
also is one of the nation's largest electricity producers with
nearly 29,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including
approximately 6,100 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP is investing
$43 billion over the next five years
to make the electric grid cleaner and more reliable. We are on
track to reach an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from
2005 levels by 2030 and have a goal to achieve net zero by 2045.
AEP is recognized consistently for its focus on sustainability,
community engagement and inclusion. AEP's family of companies
includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in
Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in
Tennessee), Indiana Michigan
Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power
Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas
Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, which provides
innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more
information, visit aep.com.
This report made by American Electric Power and its Registrant
Subsidiaries contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Although AEP
and each of its Registrant Subsidiaries believe that their
expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, any such
statements may be influenced by factors that could cause actual
outcomes and results to be materially different from those
projected. Among the factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are:
changes in economic conditions, electric market demand and
demographic patterns in AEP service territories; the impact of
pandemics and any associated disruption of AEP's business
operations due to impacts on economic or market conditions, costs
of compliance with potential government regulations, electricity
usage, supply chain issues, customers, service providers, vendors
and suppliers; the economic impact of increased global trade
tensions including the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and the adoption or expansion of
economic sanctions or trade restrictions; inflationary or
deflationary interest rate trends; volatility and disruptions in
the financial markets precipitated by any cause, including failure
to make progress on federal budget or debt ceiling matters,
particularly developments affecting the availability or cost of
capital to finance new capital projects and refinance existing
debt; the availability and cost of funds to finance working capital
and capital needs, particularly if expected sources of capital,
such as proceeds from the sale of assets or subsidiaries, do not
materialize, and during periods when the time lag between incurring
costs and recovery is long and the costs are material; decreased
demand for electricity; weather conditions, including storms and
drought conditions, and AEP's ability to recover significant storm
restoration costs; limitations or restrictions on the amounts and
types of insurance available to cover losses that might arise in
connection with natural disasters or operations; the cost of fuel
and its transportation, the creditworthiness and performance of
fuel suppliers and transporters and the cost of storing and
disposing of used fuel, including coal ash and spent nuclear fuel;
the availability of fuel and necessary generation capacity and the
performance of generation plants; AEP's ability to recover fuel and
other energy costs through regulated or competitive electric rates;
the ability to transition from fossil generation and the ability to
build or acquire renewable generation, transmission lines and
facilities (including the ability to obtain any necessary
regulatory approvals and permits) when needed at acceptable prices
and terms, including favorable tax treatment, and to recover those
costs; new legislation, litigation and government regulation,
including changes to tax laws and regulations, oversight of nuclear
generation, energy commodity trading and new or heightened
requirements for reduced emissions of sulfur, nitrogen, mercury,
carbon, soot or particulate matter and other substances that could
impact the continued operation, cost recovery, and/or profitability
of generation plants and related assets; the impact of federal tax
legislation on results of operations, financial condition, cash
flows or credit ratings; the risks associated with fuels used
before, during and after the generation of electricity and the
byproducts and wastes of such fuels, including coal ash and spent
nuclear fuel; timing and resolution of pending and future rate
cases, negotiations and other regulatory decisions, including rate
or other recovery of new investments in generation, distribution
and transmission service and environmental compliance; resolution
of litigation or regulatory proceedings or investigations; AEP's
ability to constrain operation and maintenance costs; prices and
demand for power generated and sold at wholesale; changes in
technology, particularly with respect to energy storage and new,
developing, alternative or distributed sources of generation; AEP's
ability to recover through rates any remaining unrecovered
investment in generation units that may be retired before the end
of their previously projected useful lives; volatility and changes
in markets for coal and other energy-related commodities,
particularly changes in the price of natural gas; the impact of
changing expectations and demands of customers, regulators,
investors and stakeholders, including heightened emphasis on
environmental, social and governance concerns; changes in utility
regulation and the allocation of costs within regional transmission
organizations, including ERCOT, PJM and SPP; changes in the
creditworthiness of the counterparties with contractual
arrangements, including participants in the energy trading market;
actions of rating agencies, including changes in the ratings of
debt; the impact of volatility in the capital markets on the value
of the investments held by AEP's pension, other postretirement
benefit plans, captive insurance entity and nuclear decommissioning
trust and the impact of such volatility on future funding
requirements; accounting standards periodically issued by
accounting standard-setting bodies; other risks and unforeseen
events, including wars and military conflicts, the effects of
terrorism (including increased security costs), embargoes,
wildfires, cyber security threats and other catastrophic events;
and the ability to attract and retain the requisite work force and
key personnel.
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SOURCE American Electric Power