Utilities Rise After Calpine Merger Talk -- Utilities Roundup

Shares of power-plant operators rose slightly amid deal intrigue.

Merchant power producer Calpine saw shares rise after The Wall Street Journal reported it was exploring a sale. The Houston company, which owns 80 power plants and has a so-called enterprise value of more than $15 billion, is working with investment bankers at Lazard to sound out possible buyers.

The change in the lineup of FERC commissioners, court challenges, state support for nuclear plant development and other factors could soon shake up the U.S. nuclear-power outlook, said analysts at brokerage Morgan Stanley, in a research note. "We see growing federal support for existing, at-risk nuclear plants as the most likely upcoming change."

Rob Curran, rob.curran@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 10, 2017 17:27 ET (21:27 GMT)