CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Duke Energy Corp. said Thursday it has bought privately held Catamount Energy Corp. for about $240 million to bolster its wind energy generation capability.

The Charlotte-based utility said with the deal it now has more than 5,000 megawatts of wind energy under development in 12 states.

“This acquisition reinforces Duke Energy’s commitment to clean, renewable energy as a major component of electricity generation throughout the U.S.,” said Wouter van Kempen, president of Duke Energy Generation Services.

Catamount, based in Vermont, was formed in 1992. Since 2001, the company has developed wind projects in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Catamount currently operates facilities providing 300 megawatts of renewable energy, including the Sweetwater project in Texas, one of the largest wind-powered facilities in the world, according to the company.

In addition, Catamount has development interests in wind-powered projects with a capacity of 1,750 megawatts.

Duke purchased Catamount, plus assumed debt, from New York-based private equity firm Diamond Castle Holdings LLC.

Thursday’s announcement follows several other business moves from the Duke as it develops renewable energy.

In May 2007, Duke entered the wind space after it bought Austin, Texas-based Tierra Energy, which builds wind power and natural gas-fired power generation facilities for an undisclosed amount.

Last month, the company said it will purchase electricity output from SunEdison LLC, a Maryland company that is one of the nation’s leading providers of solar-produced energy. The company plans to build a photovoltaic solar farm in Davidson County, just north of Charlotte.

Duke also has a $100 million plan to install electricity generating solar panels at up to 850 North Carolina sites.

Duke currently gets less than one percent of its energy in North Carolina from renewable sources, the company said. A North Carolina law passed last year requires Duke and other utilities to get 12.5 percent of their energy from wind, solar and other renewable sources by 2021.

Duke supplies electricity to about 4 million customers and about 35,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity in the Midwest and the Carolinas, and natural gas distribution services in Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke shares fell 51 cents, or 2.9 percent, to $17.23 in trading.