Enel closes sale of 80% in 1.8-GW Mexican renewables portfolio

Wind turbines in Mexico. Author: Presidencia de la República Mexicana.

Italian energy major Enel SpA (BIT:ENEl) said on Friday it has closed a deal for the sale of an 80% interest in a 1.8-GW renewable energy portfolio in Mexico.

The enterprise value of 100% of the assets is about USD 2.6 billion (EUR 2.24bn).

Caisse de dépot et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and CKD Infraestructura Mexico SA de CV (CKD IM) acquired stakes of 40.8% and 39.2%, respectively. They paid USD 1.4 billion, including USD 0.2 billion for the majority interest and USD 1.2 billion for related-party loans granted to the eight special purpose vehicles (SPVs) that hold the assets in the portfolio.

Enel Green Power (EGP) will keep a 20% interest in the assets, which include wind and solar plants currently in operation or under construction. More specifically, two projects of 300 MW in total are under construction, while the rest are operational or recently connected. All have long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) in place.

Details on the assets are available in the table below.

Name	Type	Capacity
Villanueva I	Solar	469 MW
Villanueva III		359 MW
Don Jose		260 MW
Amistad	Wind	198 MW
Dominica		200 MW
Palo Alto		129 MW
Salitrillos		103 MW
Vientos del Altiplano		100 MW

For the transactions, EGP established a new company -- Kino Holding, and sold a 67.1% stake in it to CDPQ. It also established eight Mini HoldCos and sold 100% of these to CKD IM.

The 80% stake sale was carried out under the Build, Sell and Operate (BSO) model so EGP will remain the operator of the working plants and it will be in charge of works for the ones still under construction.

The closing of the transaction enables the Enel Group to reduce its consolidated net debt by about USD 2.4 billion, it noted.

(USD 1 = EUR 0.86)

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