Chile moves from coal to CSP
Chile this month announced an ambitious programme of coal retirements. Deal watchers expect non-conventional renewables to fill the void and are ready to finance them. By Nic Stone.
Navios struggles with bond deal
Corporación Navios Sociedad Anonima (CNSA) decided to pull its US$483m, 18.2-year amortising bond issue after investors pushed back on pricing.
Enel signs massive renewables PPA
Italy’s Enel has signed the largest renewable energy contract in Chile with Chilean copper producer Compania Minera Dona Ines de Collahuasi SCM to supply 100% of the power or 1TWh per year to the Collahuasi mine.
Japanese reveal QB2 loan amounts
Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM) and Sumitomo Corp (SC) signed loans for US$560m and US$180m, respectively, as part of the project finance deal backing the Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 (QB2) copper mine, according to a statement from Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), which has said it will lend up to US$900m for the scheme.
Statkraft commits to hydro works
Norway’s Statkraft will begin construction of the US$204m, 52MW Los Lagos hydro scheme on the Pilmaiquen River close to the city of Osorno in August, according to a statement. Completion is scheduled for the second half of 2022.
Porto Alegre sanitation PPP progresses
A final financial structure for a public-private partnership (PPP) to deliver sanitation to Porto Alegre is nearing, with eight of the nine municipalities in the area signing on to the project. The works could require some R$2.9bn (US$754m).
Sigma lands lithium approvals
Canada-based Sigma Lithium Resources Corporation has landed environmental approvals for construction and installation of its lithium commercial production plant in Minas Gerais.
Roraima auction results in
The northern state of Roraima has completed a power auction held at the Câmara de Comercialização de Energia Elétrica (CCEE), buying power from 263.5MW of projects for a total R$1.62bn (US$420m) in required investment.
Consortium appoints SBM on Mero 2
The Libra consortium has reached a final investment decision for the second phase of the Mero project at the Libra block in the pre-salt area of the Santos Basin.
Infra tenders to be sped up
The Chilean government is looking to speed up execution on US$1.4bn in infrastructure projects by bringing forward tenders and injecting capital, especially in the highway sector. The investments were planned for 2019 and 2020.
Private sector tapped for sanitation
The Brazilian Federal Senate has approved new legislation that aims to attract more private sector investment to the sanitation sector.
Omega closes wind purchase
Local company Omega Geração has closed the R$1.9bn (US$489m) purchase of the 303MW Centrais Eolicas Assurua (CEA) portfolio of wind projects from Fundo de Investimentos em Participacoes (FIP IEER), the investment fund of Companhia de Energias Renovaveis (CER).
Six new shale concessions due
A series of six new exploration concessions at the Vaca Muerta shale play in Neuquen are set to be opened up by the end of the year, according to reports.
Supreme Court favours Bolsonaro privatisations
Brazil’s supreme court has ruled that state-run firms can sell subsidiaries, bypassing the need for congressional approval – a big win for the privatisation ambitions of president Jair Bolsonaro.
Los Andes advances copper mine after PEA
Canada-based Los Andes Copper will advance its 100%-owned Vizcachitas copper project in central Chile on the back of a positive preliminary economic assessment (PEA) prepared by Tetra Tech Chile.
Ambev inks renewables deal
Anheuser Busch InBev affiliate Ambev has signed contracts with four partners to build solar projects that will power its operations across Brazil by the end of March 2020.
Aneel rejects wind sale
Power sector regulator Aneel has rejected the proposed transfer of the 438MW Alto Sertao III wind farm from Renova Energia to AES Tietê Energia.
Goldwind in market with wind deal
China’s Goldwind is in the market looking to land a US$475m, three-year loan backing construction of a portfolio of wind farms in Chubut.
