Atlantic Power Selling Path 15

Electric utility Atlantic Poweragreed today to sell its interests in the Path 15 transmission project to Duke-American Transmission, a joint venture between Duke Energy and American Transmission, for $56 million. Counting debt attached to the project, the total value of the transaction comes to $193 million.

Atlantic said in a statement that it will use the cash generated by this sale for "general corporate purposes," as well as for investment in unspecified "future accretive growth opportunities." The transfer of debt attached to the project should also reduce Atlantic's debt load by approximately 6.5%, to just under $2 billion.

Atlantic explained the decision to sell as being partly motivated by the fact that the project is "no longer a part of the strategic core to our business model," and partly a decision to remove "the most highly levered asset in our portfolio" from its balance sheet.

Assuming the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approves the sale, it is scheduled to close in Q2 2013.

The article Atlantic Power Selling Path 15 originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Smith and The Motley Fool have no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.