Notes to the consolidated financial statements - analysis of items in the primary statements

7. Discontinued operations

For the years ended 31 March 2009 and 2008, discontinued operations comprised the Ravenswood generation station in New York City and the engineering and communications operations in the US acquired as part of the KeySpan acquisition. The Ravenswood generation station was sold on 26 August 2008, KeySpan Communications was sold on 25 July 2008 and one of our KeySpan engineering companies was sold on 11 July 2008. Subsequent to the year ended 31 March 2009, the remaining two engineering companies were sold.

For the year ended 31 March 2008, discontinued operations also included our former wireless infrastructure operations in the UK and US, and the Basslink electricity interconnector in Australia. The wireless infrastructure operations in the UK and US were sold on 3 April 2007 and 15 August 2007 respectively, while the Basslink electricity interconnector business was sold on 31 August 2007.

Results of discontinued operations

  2010
£m
  2009
£m
  2008
£m
Revenue   97   201
Operating costs   (84)   (166)
Total operating profit from discontinued operations   13   35
Remeasurement finance income (i)     8
Profit before tax from discontinued operations   13   43
Taxation   (4)   (7)
Profit after tax from discontinued operations   9   36
Gain on disposal of Ravenswood   27  
Gain on disposal of UK and US wireless operations     1,506
Gain on disposal of Basslink     80
Gain on disposal of discontinued operations before tax   27   1,586
Taxation (ii)   (11)   (4)
Gain on disposal of discontinued operations   16   1,582
           
Total profit for the year from discontinued operations          
Before exceptional items, remeasurements and stranded cost recoveries   9   28
Exceptional items, remeasurements and stranded cost recoveries   16   1,590
    25   1,618
(i)
Remeasurement finance income comprised £8m of mark-to-market gains on financial instruments.
(ii)
The tax charge for the year ended 31 March 2009 included a current tax charge of £564m offset by a deferred tax credit of £564m.

Back to top