Westervelt Sells Pellet Interests

Drax is acquiring Westervelt’s 20% minority interest in Alabama Pellets, LLC—the joint venture that owns pellet plants in Demopolis and Aliceville, Ala.—for $29.7 million. The acquisition increases Drax’s interest in Alabama Pellets to 90% and provides Drax with economic control over a further 130,000 tonnes of pellet production capacity per year.

Drax gained majority control of the two pellet plants when it purchased Pinnacle Renewable Energy earlier this year. Westervelt, a substantial timberlands owner and operator of two sawmills, had originally built the Aliceville plant and subsequently sold the majority control of it to Pinnacle, while maintaining a 20% arrangement with Pinnacle in both the Aliceville and Demopolis plants, which carried over when Drax purchased Pinnacle.

Drax has been in discussions with Alabama Pellets joint venture partners regarding future working relationships, including their minority interests. The remaining joint venture partner, Two Rivers Lumber Co., LLC, still holds a 10% economic interest.

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