Home »Fuel and Energy » World » Sempra seals deal to buy Oncor, topping Buffett offer

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  • Aug 22nd, 2017
  • Comments Off on Sempra seals deal to buy Oncor, topping Buffett offer
Sempra Energy announced Monday that it reached a deal to acquire Oncor, a Texas energy distributor, topping a bid by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. San Diego-based Sempra Energy will pay $9.45 billion in cash, the company said in a news release. It will also assume $9 billion in debt. That overtakes the $18 billion in cash and assumed debt under a Berkshire deal announced July 7. Oncor holds the Texas energy transmission assets of bankrupt giant Energy Futures Holdings (EFH).

The Berkshire agreement had been opposed by Energy Futures investor Elliott Management, which is led by billionaire Paul Singer. Berkshire had signaled it did not plan to lift its bid. Oncor services about 10 million customers in Texas and employs about 3,700 people. Sempra has about 32 million customers in the US and Mexico and employs about 16,000. "With its strong management team and long, distinguished history as Texas' leading electric provider, Oncor is an excellent strategic fit for our portfolio of utility and energy infrastructure businesses," said Sempra chief executive Debra Reed.



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