CONNOR, CLARK & LUNN INFRASTRUCTURE TO EXPAND RENEWABLE ENERGY PORTFOLIO WITH INVESTMENT IN 297 MEGAWATT ALBERTA WIND FARM
TORONTO, Feb. 14, 2024 /CNW/ - Connor, Clark & Lunn Infrastructure (CC&L Infrastructure) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority stake in the Sharp Hills wind farm (Sharp Hills, or the Project) from EDP Renewables Canada Ltd. (EDPR Canada), a subsidiary of EDP Renewables for an estimated Enterprise Value of approximately C$0.6 billion for an 80% stake and inclusive of investment tax credits. With the addition of this investment, CC&L Infrastructure will own more than 600 megawatts (MW) of wind generation assets and the Firm's total portfolio of renewable energy projects will exceed 1.8 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy capacity across Canada, the United States, and Chile.
Located in southeastern Alberta, Sharp Hills is one of the largest onshore wind farms in Canada with approximately 300 MW of capacity, representing clean energy generation equivalent to the amount of power used by more than 160,000 Alberta homes. The newly built project recently entered into operations, with remaining construction expected to be completed by Q2 2024. The construction of this facility marked a significant investment in the province, contributing to the local economy through job creation and funding to the community. Sharp Hills is fully contracted through a 15-year power purchase agreement with a high-quality counterparty.
"The Sharp Hills wind farm is an attractive addition to our increasingly diverse portfolio of infrastructure assets. We look forward to working further with our partner, EDPR, in the safe and successful operation of this facility for years to come," said Matt O'Brien, President of CC&L Infrastructure. "CC&L Infrastructure has a long history and significant expertise as an owner of more than 80 clean energy projects. We are excited to continue expanding our asset base and are actively pursuing further investment opportunities created by the increasing demand for renewable power and the broader energy transition that is underway."
"We're excited to partner again with CC&L Infrastructure, this time in Alberta," added Sandhya Ganapathy, CEO of EDP Renewables North America. "The Sharp Hills project underscores our continuing commitment to invest in Alberta and contribute to its grid resiliency and energy security. We look forward to continued efforts focused on Canada's energy transition."
This is CC&L Infrastructure's second transaction with developer EDPR, having previously acquired a 560 MW portfolio of wind and solar assets in the United States. EDPR will retain a minority equity interest in Sharp Hills and continue to operate and manage the Project. National Bank Financial Inc. advised CC&L Infrastructure as financial advisor and Torys LLP as legal counsel while CIBC Capital Markets served as the financial advisor to EDPR Canada. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions expected to be satisfied in the coming weeks.
CC&L Infrastructure invests in middle-market infrastructure assets with attractive risk-return characteristics, long lives and the potential to generate stable cash flows. To date, CC&L Infrastructure has accumulated over $5 billion in assets under management diversified across a variety of geographies, sectors, and asset types, with over 90 underlying facilities across over 30 individual investments. CC&L Infrastructure is a part of Connor, Clark & Lunn Financial Group Ltd., a multi-boutique asset management firm whose affiliates collectively manage over CAD$118 billion in assets.
For more information, please visit www.cclinfrastructure.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
EDP Renewables (Euronext: EDPR) is a global leader in renewable energy development which has built a significant position in the energy landscape, establishing a presence in four global hubs - Europe, North America, South America, and Asia Pacific. With headquarters in Madrid and leading regional offices in Porto, Houston, São Paulo and Singapore, EDPR has a sound development portfolio of top-level assets and market-leading operating capacity in renewable energies. Its business mainly encompasses onshore wind, distributed and large-scale solar, offshore wind (through a 50/50 joint venture - Ocean Winds) and complementary technologies to renewables, such as hybridization, storage and green hydrogen. EDPR is a division of EDP (Euronext: EDP), a leader in the energy transition with a focus on decarbonization. EDP – EDPR's main shareholder – has been listed on the Dow Jones Index for 16 consecutive years, recently being named the most sustainable electricity company on the Index.
For more information, please visit www.edpr.com/north-america and follow us on LinkedIn.
SOURCE Connor, Clark & Lunn Infrastructure
Kaitlin Blainey, Director, Connor, Clark & Lunn Infrastructure, (416) 216-8047, [email protected]; Tom Weirich, Lead - Marketing & Stakeholder Relations, EDP Renewables North America (EDPR NA), (281) 825-2771, [email protected]
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