NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) Feb. 7, 2000--Standard&Poor's today affirmed the ratings of UtiliCorp United Inc. in the wake of the company's agreement to purchase the Alberta, Canada electric distribution and retail assets of TransAlta Corp. for about C$645 million (US$450 million). The outlook is stable. The addition of more regulated operations to UtiliCorp's mix of businesses should increase the stability of the company's earnings and cash flows, helping to offset the weakening of its business risk profile, engendered by the growth in the company's unregulated activities. TransAlta's Calgary-area system will complement UtiliCorp's existing regulated utility operations in British Columbia and the company's Canadian-based energy marketing and trading activities. The acquisition is expected to be financed with
