Energy for Industry General Manager Mike Suggate says the sale took effect on January 31.
The energy centre, comprising a state of the art 10MW wood waste-fuelled heat plant and 1.4MW steam turbine generator, was built in 2000 by Energy for Industry, a business of Meridian Energy Limited, under a long term BOOT (build, own, operate, transfer) agreement with Ernslaw One and BML.
The heat plant, designed to supply steam for timber drying and to generate electricity to supply the mill and the grid, was sized at the time to facilitate the mill's then expansion plans.
However Mr Suggate says in response to more recent trading conditions, Ernslaw One and BML have restructured the sawmilling business, consolidating and downsizing production at the mill.
"As a means of recapitalising the operation Ernslaw One has purchased the energy centre from Energy for Industry. "
The companies are currently discussing options for Energy for Industry to provide BML with ongoing technical support for the energy centre, Mr Suggate says.