Alcoa to Sell Tapoco Hydroelectric Project to Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners

NEW YORK--()--Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced today that it has reached an agreement to sell its 351-megawatt Tapoco Hydroelectric Project to Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners.

Tapoco is a four-station hydroelectric project located on the Little Tennessee and Cheoah Rivers in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina, and is operated by Alcoa Power Generating Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Alcoa. The transaction will include the four generating stations and dams, 86 miles of transmission line, and about 14,500 acres of land associated with and surrounding Tapoco.

Alcoa anticipates receiving proceeds of $600 million from the sale upon closing, which is subject to customary federal and state regulatory approvals. The transaction, which involves non-core assets, is expected to close by year-end.

Tapoco is licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Tapoco was originally developed by Alcoa to provide power for its aluminum smelting and rolling mill operations in Alcoa, Tenn. The four dams – Calderwood, Santeetlah, Chilhowee and Cheoah – came into service between 1919 and 1957.

J.P. Morgan advised Alcoa on the transaction.

About Alcoa
Alcoa is the world’s leading producer of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina. In addition to inventing the modern-day aluminum industry, Alcoa innovation has been behind major milestones in the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation, consumer electronics and industrial markets over the past 120 years. Among the solutions Alcoa markets are flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, as well as Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems in addition to its expertise in other light metals such as titanium and nickel-based super alloys. Sustainability is an integral part of Alcoa’s operating practices and the product design and engineering it provides to customers. Alcoa has been a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for ten consecutive years and approximately 75 percent of all of the aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in active use today. Alcoa employs approximately 61,000 people in 31 countries across the world. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com.

About Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners
Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners operates one of the largest publicly-traded, pure-play renewable power platforms globally. Its portfolio is primarily hydroelectric and totals approximately 5,000 megawatts of installed capacity. Diversified across 67 river systems and 10 power markets in Canada, the United States and Brazil, the portfolio generates enough electricity from renewable resources to power two million homes on average each year.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains statements that relate to future events and expectations and as such constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include those containing such words as “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “should,” “will,” or other words of similar meaning. All statements that reflect Alcoa’s expectations, assumptions or projections about the future other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, forecasts concerning growth opportunities for aluminum and Alcoa’s core businesses, other trend projections, targeted financial results or operating performance, and statements about Alcoa’s strategies, objectives, goals, targets, outlook, and business and financial prospects. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors and are not guarantees of future performance. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include: (a) material adverse changes in aluminum industry conditions, including global supply and demand conditions and fluctuations in London Metal Exchange-based prices for primary aluminum, alumina, and other products; (b) deterioration in global economic and financial market conditions generally; (c) unfavorable changes in the markets served by Alcoa; (d) the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates on costs and results; (e) increases in energy costs or the unavailability or interruption of energy supplies; (f) Alcoa’s inability to achieve the level of revenue growth, cash generation, cost savings, improvement in profitability and margins, fiscal discipline, or strengthening of competitiveness and operations anticipated from its restructuring programs, productivity improvement, cash sustainability, and other initiatives; (g) Alcoa’s inability to complete or to realize expected benefits from its growth projects or its acquisition or divestiture of assets or businesses, including the sale of the Tapoco hydroelectric project, as planned and by targeted completion dates, whether due to an inability to obtain regulatory approvals, unforeseen events, or other reasons; and (h) the other risk factors summarized in Alcoa’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Alcoa disclaims any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether in response to new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Contacts

Alcoa
Investor Contact
Kelly Pasterick, 212-836-2674
or
Media Contact
Libby Archell, 212-836-2719

Contacts

Alcoa
Investor Contact
Kelly Pasterick, 212-836-2674
or
Media Contact
Libby Archell, 212-836-2719