Spriha Srivastava
The Dutch fund has appointed Paul Nash, who previously headed the UK office, as the head of the fund’s PPP/PFI team. In addition, the company has added two new members to its London and Paris teams.
The UK-listed infrastructure investor has acquired an additional 15% equity interest and a 25% loan note interest in the Queen Alexandra Hospital project for £13m.
The Gujarat government has given the green light for GMR to set up a 25-megawatt solar power plant in the state. The deal is GMR’s first ever photovoltaic project.
The World Bank Group, in cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank, is looking to set up a regional initiative to help bridge an infrastructure gap in the Middle East and North Africa. The initiative is expected to raise $1bn.
The UK airports operator will have to sell London-based Stansted airport and one of its airports in Scotland, after the group lost its case against the Competition Commission in the Court of Appeal. A BAA spokesperson said the group was disappointed and is seeking permission to make an appeal in the Supreme Court.
The Indian government has shortlisted nine private investors under a scheme to provide urban amenities in rural areas on a public-private partnership basis. Private investors are expected to bear 46% of the total cost of the projects.
India’s finance minister has said the government estimates a 30% gap in its target to achieve infrastructure investment of $1tn by 2017. He said the government will try to raise this amount through long-term debt. In related news, IIFCL has signed a take-out finance agreement with five commercial banks.
Moser Baer Projects, an Indian business group is planning to raise up to INR7bn to support an investment by its subsidiary, Moser Baer Power & Infrastructure, in a thermal business project. The company is looking to hold talks with various private equity players for this.
DIF Infrastructure II has acquired an 8.52-megawatt-peak solar photovoltaic power project in south-west France from its original owner juwi EnR, a renewable energy specialist. The facility is currently under construction and is expected to become fully operational in the first quarter of 2011.
Indian airport operator GVK Power and Infrastructure is understood to be in talks with several private equity investors to raise up to $600m for its airport and energy businesses. The company is believed to be offering a sale of up to 30% in its airport business to private investors.