July 24 (Reuters) - NextEra Energy missed profit

estimates for the second quarter, hurt by higher interest rates

and expenses in its renewables segment.

Higher interest rates, which the U.S. Federal Reserve

started raising last year to curb inflation, have weighed on the

utilities sector, as they make dividend-paying stocks such as

REITs and utilities - also known as bond proxies - less

attractive and drive up borrowing costs.

The world's largest renewables company reported $802 million

in interest expenses in the second quarter, compared with $135

million it paid a year earlier.

Its quarterly revenue fell about 17% to $6.07 billion from a

year earlier, below LSEG estimates of around $7.36 billion.

The company reported a profit of 96 cents per share on an

adjusted basis, compared with estimates of 98 cents, according

to LSEG data.

The Juno Beach, Florida-based company maintained its 2024

adjusted earnings per share forecast between $3.23 and $3.43 per

share.

(Reporting by Seher Dareen in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini

Ganguli)