TransAlta reports $27M first-quarter profit compared with a loss a year ago

The Calgary-based power generator TransAlta Corp. earned a profit of $27 million in its latest quarter compared with a loss a year ago, helped by strong earnings from its U.S. coal operations and its wind and solar business.

TransAlta says it has modified its operating procedures and restricted non-essential access to its facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they all remain fully operational.

Founded in Alberta a century ago, TransAlta is in the process of retro-fitting some of its coal-fired power plants in the province to run on natural gas. It also operates hydro sites in Alberta, Ontario and B.C. And it bills itself asCanada's largest producer of wind energy with sites in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.

It also owns electrical power generation assets inthe United States and Australia.

TransAlta's profit amounted to 10 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended March 31 compared with a loss of $65 million or 23 cents per diluted share a year ago.

Revenue totalled $606 million for the quarter compared with $648 million in the first three months of 2019.

The company says it started construction on its Windrise wind farm in April and expects the project to be fully commissioned for second half of 2021 due to a delay in the manufacturing of turbines from one of its suppliers due to COVID-19 pandemic.