Businesses

Making its third purchase of some of Enron Corp.’s European metals trading businesses, Sempra Energy’s Stamford, CT-based trading arm Tuesday shelled out another $24 million in cash to acquire Liverpool (UK)-based Henry Bath Ltd and subsidiaries, a provider of warehousing services for non-ferrous metals in Europe and Asia.

In an effort to further align its businesses, portfolio and resources to focus on wholesale markets, Duke Energy has sold its DukeSolutions business to Framingham, MA-based Ameresco Inc., a privately held energy services company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

In an effort to further align its businesses, portfolio and resources to focus on wholesale markets, Duke Energy has sold its DukeSolutions business to Framingham, MA-based Ameresco Inc., a privately held energy services company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

NorthWestern Corp. has renamed its Montana Power unit NorthWestern Energy. Northwestern completed its purchase of Montana Power earlier this year and will combine all of its utility businesses in Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska under the new company.

Pursuing a strategy to expand non-utility energy infrastructure businesses alongside its core utility operations in the Pacific Northwest, Bellevue, WA-based Puget Energy announced that it has bought Skibeck Pipeline Co., which it described as a “leading East Coast provider of natural gas transmission pipeline construction.” Skibeck will retain its name and 200 employees, operating regionally out of its headquarters in Randolph, NY, under Puget’s non-utility division, InfrastruX.

Unregulated natural gas and power marketing businesses, including power generation, reported record earnings of $9.3 billion in 2000, up more than 80% from the $5.1 billion posted in 1999, far out-distancing earnings growth in the regulated natural gas and electric distribution segment, according to Energy Performance Review (EPR).

Unregulated natural gas and power marketing businesses, including power generation, reported record earnings of $9.3 billion in 2000, up more than 80% from the $5.1 billion posted in 1999, far out-distancing earnings growth in the regulated natural gas and electric distribution segment, according to Energy Performance Review (EPR).

Continuing along its chosen path of focusing on its wholesale and energy risk management businesses, Kansas City, MO-based Aquila Inc. said on Monday that it has sold the retail energy manager services business of UtiliCorp Energy Solutions to Energy Management Resources Inc., a nationwide provider of energy supply management services to commercial and industrial customers throughout the United States.

Announcing that it wanted to enhance its utility operations “while maximizing the potential of its diversified businesses,” Peoples Energy Corp. said last Thursday it would reorganize its personnel management, as well as consolidate its support services into a new business services unit. Among the many changes, Tom Patrick, president and COO and a company director, added the title of vice chairman of the operating subsidiaries.