Argentina's Pampa Energia 1st-qtr net profit rises

BUENOS AIRES, May 12 (Reuters) - Pampa Energia (PAM.BA), Argentina's biggest integrated energy company, said on Tuesday its first-quarter net profit was 58.1 million pesos ($15.3 million), compared with the 49.2 million pesos reported a year earlier.

Pampa Energia, which used to be called Pampa Holding, is the fifth most heavily weighted stock on Argentina's benchmark MerVal index .MERV. It controls electricity company Edenor (EDN.BA) and power transmission firm Transener (TRA.BA).

($1 = 3.7925 pesos on March 31) (Reporting by Lucas Bergman and Hilary Burke; editing by Carol Bishopric)