Posted on June 29, 2022
PRINCETON, N.J., June 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clearway Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CWEN, CWEN.A) (“Company”) today announced that it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire a portfolio of operating wind projects from Capistrano Wind Partners, LLC (“Capistrano Portfolio”) for, subject to closing adjustments, cash consideration of $255 million, plus the assumption of approximately $160 million of non-recourse debt.
The Capistrano Portfolio consists of five utility-scale wind projects representing 413 MW of capacity located in Texas, Nebraska, and Wyoming that achieved commercial operations between 2008 to 2012. The assets within the portfolio sell power under power purchase agreements with investment-grade counterparties that have a weighted average remaining contract duration of approximately 10 years. The operations, maintenance and asset management of these projects have been and will continue to be provided by subsidiaries of the Company’s sponsor, Clearway Energy Group (“Clearway Group”).
The Capistrano Portfolio will also provide additional growth potential as the Company will have the option to invest in future wind repowering opportunities that will be evaluated in partnership with Clearway Group. Concurrent with the acquisition of the Capistrano Portfolio, the Company has also entered into a Development Agreement with Clearway Group, whereby Clearway Group will pay $10 million to the Company to partially fund the acquisition of the Capistrano Portfolio for an exclusive right to develop, construct, and repower the projects in the Capistrano Portfolio (“Rights Fee”)1.
After factoring in estimated closing adjustments, proceeds from the Rights Fee, and new non-recourse debt, the Company expects its total long-term corporate capital commitment to acquire the Capistrano Portfolio to be approximately $110-130 million2, which the Company expects to fund with cash on hand. Based on current expected terms and conditions of the new non-recourse financing, the acquisition is expected to provide incremental annual levered asset CAFD on a five-year average basis of approximately $12-14 million beginning January 1, 2023. The Company expects the transaction to close in the second half of 2022.
“With this acquisition, Clearway continues its successful track record of executing on third party transactions at attractive economics while further diversifying the Clearway platform on a regional basis. Furthermore, the Development Agreement with Clearway Group further demonstrates the strength of our sponsor by its willingness to invest alongside the Company for potential future growth,” said Christopher Sotos, Clearway Energy, Inc.’s President and Chief Executive Officer. ”The Company has now committed to or has line of sight to the future deployment of over 55% of the $750 million of excess proceeds from the Thermal sale which solidifies Clearway’s ability to achieve the upper range of our 5% to 8% annual dividend growth objective through at least 2026.”
About Clearway Energy, Inc.
Clearway Energy, Inc. is one of the largest renewable energy owners in the US with over 5,000 net MW of installed wind and solar generation projects. The Company’s over 7,500 net MW of assets also include approximately 2,500 net MW of environmentally sound, highly efficient natural gas generation facilities. Through this environmentally-sound diversified and primarily contracted portfolio, Clearway Energy endeavors to provide its investors with stable and growing dividend income. Clearway Energy’s Class C and Class A common stock are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols CWEN and CWEN.A, respectively. Clearway Energy, Inc. is sponsored by its controlling investor, Global Infrastructure Partners.
