Houston-based Enron Corp., which may be shoring up a long-range plan to sell some of its assets not related to its massive trading arm, may consider selling off its growing wind power subsidiary as soon as this year, according to Enron Wind’s managing director, Andreas Reuter.

Reuter, speaking at the Wind Energy Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, said he thought an investor could take over the company and launch an initial public offering within two years.

In 2000, Enron held a 6% share of the world market for installed wind turbines, compared to the world’s largest turbine maker, Vestas Wind Systems of Denmark, which holds an 18% share. Enron Wind currently has production capacity in several U.S. states, including Texas, California, Minnesota and Iowa. Worldwide, it has production capacity in Germany, Spain, Greece, Mexico, Korea and China, and is considering expanding into the Netherlands, Ireland, France and Great Britain.

Enron Wind has developed and/or sold more than 4,500 wind turbines worldwide, comprising more than 1,600 MW. In February, Enron Wind and Enron Power Marketing, Inc. (EPMI), affiliates of Enron Corp., announced that Enron Wind would build a 135 MW wind power facility near Iraan, TX, in Pecos County. EPMI will purchase the project’s electricity under a long-term agreement for resale into the Texas wholesale electricity market.

The agreement marks the first time that a major wind facility will allow wholesale customers to purchase portions of the wind power production. In the past, customers interested in purchasing “green power” were often forced to commit to 100% of a project’s output over the 20-year life of the equipment. The project, which consists of 90 Enron Wind 1.5 MW wind turbines, is expected to be completed in late 2001.

The project will supply approximately 520,000 MWh/year, enough to supply the annual residential needs of approximately 50,000 average American homes. Its Enron Wind 1.5 is the largest wind turbine manufactured in North America.

According to the American Wind Energy Association, last year the international wind power industry installed more than 3,500 MW of new wind energy generating capacity, bringing total installed capacity to nearly 17,000 MW.

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