JACKSONVILLE, Florida, Oct. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- APR Energy (LSE: APR.L) is pleased to announce a strategic alliance with GE (NYSE: GE), extending the reach of both companies in the growing fast-track turnkey power solutions space.
Under terms of the deal, GE contributes its turbine rental business to APR Energy in return for cash and approximately 16.5 percent of APR Energy, making GE a key strategic investor in the company. Additionally, GE and APR Energy have entered into a supply and services agreement that will continue to provide support to current and future clients of APR Energy.
"This is a transformational transaction for APR Energy, allowing us to move forward rapidly towards delivering our stated medium-term business objectives," said John Campion, Chief Executive Officer of APR Energy. "By creating the world's leading fast-track mobile turbine power business and a long-term relationship with GE, we are well placed to deliver against an underserved and rapidly growing opportunity with the preeminent technology. The transaction diversifies our revenue base, gives us exposure to new geographies and sectors, and enhances our natural gas footprint. We are excited to be working closely with GE, whose partnership and equity commitment is an endorsement of our prospects and our ambition to be the leader in the large-scale, fast-track power industry."
The transaction makes APR Energy the world's leading fast-track mobile gas turbine power provider, expanding reach into new regions and increasing its mobile turbine power capacity to 1.2 gigawatts – enough to power the equivalent of 1.2 million US homes. The deal includes approximately 520MW of capacity and rental contracts that GE currently has in place in Canada, Iraq, Australia, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Bangladesh.
Demand for fast-track power is driven by factors that include increasing energy consumption, aging infrastructure, geopolitical and natural events, and climatic impacts. Mobile turbine usage within this space has grown rapidly as customers look towards larger-scale, semi-permanent solutions that integrate into their existing plants or operations and offer greater reliability, fuel flexibility and lower emissions.
Lorraine Bolsinger, CEO of GE Power & Water's Distributed Power business, said, "Our investment in APR Energy reinforces our strong belief in the distributed power segment, as well as APR's strong capabilities and prospects for success. We continue to see growing demand from customers urgently needing our leading technology for bridging solutions while more permanent solutions can be put in place. With this alliance, customers can get fast power with our technology from a premiere fast-track power provider, APR Energy, or they can buy the equipment from us. For both kinds of customers, we are determined to offer the most efficient products and have them available for rapid deployment."
About APR Energy
APR Energy specializes in the sale of reliable and efficient electricity through the rapid global deployment and installation of scalable turnkey power solutions. APR Energy's solutions, coupled with comprehensive operation and maintenance services and flexible commercial terms, have established it as a leader in its industry. Serving both utility and industrial segments, APR Energy provides power generation solutions to customers and communities around the world, with an emphasis on Africa, the Americas, the Middle East, and Asia. For more information, visit the company's website at www.aprenergy.com.
Contact: For inquiries of GE, contact Al Comeaux, al.comeaux@ge.com or +1 (513) 275.1819; Toni Woods, APR Energy, Communications Manager, Direct Phone: +1 (904) 223-2277, publicrelations@aprenergy.com