Southern Energy Inc. buying New York generation
Southern Energy Inc., a unit of Southern Company, will buy 1,776 megawatts of gas, oil, coal and hydropower generation from Orange and Rockland Utilities Inc. and Consolidated Edison Inc. in New York State for approximately $480 million.

Southern Energy also plans to spend $390 million to upgrade the plants and build up to 710 megawatts of new natural gas-fired generation. Southern Energy affiliate Southern Company Energy Marketing will market output from the plants.

“With the close proximity of the generation to New York City, this acquisition is a big step forward in the expansion of our asset base in the Northeast United States,” said Southern Energy President Tom Boren. “We believe that ready access to generation in the Northeast and other regions of the United States is key to our success as an energy trader and marketer.”

In May, Southern Energy announced it would buy 1,260 megawatts of generation from COM/Electric and Eastern Utilities Associates in New England. In July, Southern Company Energy Marketing announced it had reached a 15-month agreement to market the output of 275 megawatts of Sithe Energies generation, also in New York.

Orange and Rockland and Consolidated Edison Inc., which plan to merge, are divesting their non-nuclear generation in anticipation of a deregulated market. Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc. owns two-thirds of the Bowline power plant, part of the assets Southern Energy is buying.

The Orange and Rockland plants being bought by Southern Energy are:

Facility

Location

Size

Fuel

Bowline Units 1, 2

West Haverstraw, NY

610 MW

605 MW

Gas/Oil

Gas/Oil

Grahamsville Hydro

Grahamsville, NY

16.8 MW

Water

Hillburn Combustion Turbine

Ramapo, NY

37.9 MW

Gas/Jet fuel

Lovett Units 3, 4, 5

Tomkins Cove, NY

69.3 MW

176.8 MW

197.3 MW

Gas/Oil

Coal/Gas

Coal/Gas

Mongaup Hydro Units 1, 2, 3, 4

Mongaup River

1 MW

1 MW

1 MW

1 MW

Water

Water

Water

Water

Rio Hydro

Units 1&2

Mongaup River

5.1 MW

5.1 MW

Water

Water

Shoemaker Combustion Turbine

Middletown, NY

36.3 MW

Gas/Jet fuel

Swinging Bridge Hydro

Units 1 & 2

Mongaup River

4.7 MW

7.8 MW

Water

Water

The acquisition is subject to various regulatory approvals.

Southern Energy Inc. develops, builds, owns and operates power production and delivery facilities and provides a broad range of services to utilities and industrial companies around the world. Southern Energy supplies energy in 10 countries on four continents. Its Southern Company Energy Marketing unit provides energy trading, marketing and financial services and other energy-related commodities, products and services to customers in North America.

Southern Company Energy Marketing, based in Atlanta, is jointly owned by Southern Energy and Vastar Resources Inc. Southern Company Energy Marketing provides energy trading, marketing and financial services and other energy-related commodities, products and services to customers in North America.

Southern Company (NYSE: SO), the largest producer of electricity in the United States, is also the parent firm of Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, Mississippi Power and Savannah Electric.