Rome-based Enel [1] (NYSE: EN [2]), Italy's largest electric utility, said today it acquired three hydroelectric projects in Mexico with a combined capacity of 52 megawatts.

Enel said it paid $156 million to Conduit Capital Partners, a New York private equity firm, for the three facilities.

Conduit Capital is focused exclusively on the independent electric power and pipeline industries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The plants are located in Michoacan, Jalisco and Guerrero. Enel said they're all built downstream from preexisting irrigation dams and generate electricity with extremely low environmental impact.

The hydro facilities started commercial operations between 2003 and 2007.

Enel said Mexico has a total installed capacity of over 54,000 MW and will soon be interconnected to the Central America electricity market.

The company is already active in Latin America, and said that together with its affiliates, it has over 600 MW of total generation capacity in hydro, geothermal and wind in Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Chile and Brazil.