S&P to review utilities in NY, Maine for downgrade

Posted at: 10/16/2012 6:47 AM
By: Associated Press | WHEC.com

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services is warning three U.S. utilities that economic problems in their parent company's home country could endanger their credit ratings.
    
The rating agency will review Iberdrola's rating for a downgrade because the company gets almost half its revenue from Spain, which is in recession. Worsening conditions there could hurt Iberdrola's profitability.
    
Iberdrola owns New York utilities Rochester Gas & Electric and New York State Electric and Gas as well as Central Maine Power.
    
Standard & Poor's currently rates Iberdrola BBB+, three notches above "junk" status. The ratings for its U.S. companies are capped at that level.
    
Iberdrola is to announce a strategic plan on Oct. 24 and Standard & Poor's said it will revisit the ratings then.

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