The financing structure provides CVE with the flexibility to add additional solar PV PMGD projects to the portfolio, subject to meeting pre-defined eligibility criteria
Image: The CVE PMGD Portfolio consists of assets operating under Chile's special regime for distributed generation projects. Photo courtesy of Free-Photos from Pixabay.
CVE Chile and Natixis have successfully closed senior facilities totaling approx. US$87 million for the up-to-110MW portfolio of 20 solar photovoltaic (“PV”) plants in Chile (the “CVE PMGD Portfolio”).
The CVE PMGD Portfolio consists of assets operating under Chile’s special regime for distributed generation projects (the “PMGD” regime). PMGD projects are entitled to be remunerated for their generation at a regulated stabilized price. The seven initial solar PV plants in the CVE PMGD Portfolio are in operation (total 30 MWp). The financing structure provides CVE with the flexibility to add additional solar PV PMGD projects to the portfolio, subject to meeting pre-defined eligibility criteria. CVE has a further five plants that are under construction (total 20 MWp), and the company is in the process of obtaining the final permits for the remaining eight (total 50 MWp), all of which CVE expects to be added to the CVE PMGD Portfolio.
According to CVE, the Portfolio is in line with their vision of the renewable energy market, based on the decentralization of production and a direct energy sales model through private contracts, in response to the needs of businesses and local authorities. This financing consolidates CVE’s long-term presence in Chile and its position as a leader in the PMGD market.
This marks the third PMGD loan portfolio term financing arranged by Natixis; these transactions make Natixis a leader amongst financial institutions in the PMGD space,” said Aitor Alava, Managing Director, Head of Infrastructure Finance, Latin America at Natixis.
“CVE did not retain a financial advisor for this structured financing, which demonstrates CVE’s ability to secure the liquidity required for the group’s development in France and overseas in an increasingly competitive and challenging environment”,” said Cyril Gilot, CVE’s Chief Investment Officer.
The PMGD regime was created in 2005 with the goal of incentivizing greener and more distributed electricity generation. The CVE PMGD Portfolio contributes these goals, and more broadly to the country’s target of 20% of installed electricity generation capacity being from non-conventional renewable sources by 2025.
Natixis acted as Sole Lead Arranger, Hedge Provider, and Administrative Agent and Natixis provided a firm underwriting for 100% of the transaction.
CVE Chile has an increasingly strong presence in the Chilean electricity market. “In the coming years, we plan to keep a steady pace of development of around 45 MWp per year, reaching a renewable generating capacity of 250 MWp by 2023,” announced CVE Chile’s CEO, Pierre Boulestreau.
Source: Company Press Release