The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that Algonquin Power is surrounded by uncertainty, but one thing is clear: As a stand-alone utility, it looks like a compelling investment. The Globe's David Berman writes that for now, the company is a flailing combo. The utilities side of the business distributes electricity, water and natural gas to 1.2 million customers, mostly located in four U.S. states. For years, Algonquin delighted investors with a green stock and a big dividend, until sputtering profits and rising borrowing costs hammered the share price last year and the company slashed its dividend by 40 per cent in January. This week, Algonquin announced that it will pursue a sale of its renewables assets, siding with a number of activist investors who had argued that the utilities division would operate better on its own and attract investors back to the stock. If investors were looking for clarity from the announcement, though, they did not get it. There is no buyer for the renewables yet and there is no indication of whether the assets will be sold whole or piecemeal. Mr. Berman argues that the downside risk seems limited, and for success, the utility merely needs to start trading like a utility.