Duke Energy is to exit the wholesale power generation business in the US Midwest due to volatile financial results.
The company currently owns a stake in 11 power plants in Ohio, one in Illinois and one further in Pennsylvania.
Duke said it would take an accounting charge of $1-2 billion on its first-quarter results to account for exiting the business.
The write-down will be categorised as a special item and therefore will not affect Duke’s adjusted earnings per share, the company said.
Only last week, Ohio regulators rejected Duke’s request for a $729 million rate increase.