Bluefield Solar has secured an amended credit facility agreement and has made six acquisitions (three of which were announced in December). The six additional solar photovoltaic plants have an energy capacity totalling 104.5 MWp. The total consideration is £149m, including transaction costs, debt costs and working capital and they are using their new credit facility to fund this. The new credit facility increased the funds available from £50m to £200m. It is being provided by RBS and Investec Bank plc.
Four operational solar PV assets totalling 94.5MWp has been bought from Primrose Solar Management Limited. The projects in the Primrose Portfolio are located in Hampshire (48 MWp), Kent (17 MWp and 18 MWp) and Sussex (11.5 MWp) and have been constructed by two different contractors: Solarcentury and ib vogt. All have been accredited for 1.4 Renewable Obligation Certificates. The Primrose Portfolio, which makes up approximately 25% of the Company’s portfolio, benefits from attractively priced power purchase agreements with fixed offtake prices until early 2018.
A further two new build sub-5 MWp assets have been contracted comprising a 4.99 MWp plant in Norfolk and a 4.98 MWp plant in Gloucestershire. Both plants are expected to become operational before 31 March 2016 and to qualify under the 1.3 ROC regime. These projects, contracted with Solarcentury, follow the 15MWp of new build projects also contracted with Solarcentury in December 2015 and comprise part of a wider pipeline of projects under negotiation. Solarcentury will act as the EPC contractor for the plants, warranting their performance for an initial period. Solarcentury will also undertake the ongoing operation and maintenance of the plants under separate agreements.
Each of the six acquisitions is part of the prospective pipeline of 258 MWp referred to in their prospectus published on 26 October 2015. Completion of the purchases brings the number of acquisitions made by the Company to 68 with an energy capacity in excess of 383 MWp. The acquisitions have been fully funded through utilisation of the Credit Facility, which is now drawn for a total of approximately £139m, with total group borrowing of£153.3m.
Bluefield Solar has confirmed that it intends to meet or exceed its target dividend of 7.07 pence per ordinary share in respect of the current financial year, which ends on 30 June 2016, with the intention of this rising annually with RPI thereafter. The total dividends in the previous financial year were 7.25 pence per share. On 26 October 2015, the Company declared its first interim dividend for the current financial period of 3.25 pence per ordinary share, which was paid on 15 December 2015.
BSIF : Bluefield Solar makes six acquisitions with new credit facility