Chris Josselyn
The launch of the Infrastructure Planning Commission in the UK has been heralded as the key to unblocking planning barriers and encouraging private investment in the UK’s infrastructure. The question is: Can it deliver?
GDF Suez, Iberdrola and Scottish and Southern Energy have acquired a 190-hectare site north of the existing Sellafield nuclear facility on which they are proposing to build a new nuclear power station. If the proposal is approved, the consortium would become the third nuclear power operator in the UK.
The US asset manager has bought a 50% stake in three UK wind farms owned by Centrica, the parent company of British Gas. As well as an £84m cash payment from TCW, a consortium of banks is providing £340m of project finance facilities.
The bank is to provide the €5bn financing to go towards high-speed rail projects in the country. Spain had previously benefitted from two loans from the EIB backing its high-speed rail network, totalling €20bn.
The Singapore-listed Macquarie International Infrastructure Fund is to sell 71.6% of its holding in the unlisted Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund to a group of undisclosed investors for S$132m. The proceeds will partly go toward paying off the firm's debt.
The Inter-American Development Bank is to provide a $1bn credit line to the South American country to help develop its road infrastructure. The first loan from the package will see $350m financing a new bridge and the maintenance of 810km of roads.
The airport investor has completed its breakaway from the Macquarie group, which will see it pay its former parent A$345m funded through a share issue. As part of its dash for independence MAp has rebranded and adopted a new constitution.
The Central and Eastern European-focused private equity house is teaming up with Czech investment company J&T Group to back a spin-off holding company focusing on energy investments. PPF Partners and J&T Group will each acquire 40% stakes in the company.
The Spanish banking group has said it will not be launching its Santander Infrastructure Fund II, confirming previous speculation that the fundraising was cancelled. It follows a number of other infrastructure funds to pull out of fundraising in what has proved a difficult fundraising environment.
The firm has become the first energy-focused private equity investor to sign up to the ESG principles.