Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) has agreed to sell its majority stake in Italian gas utility Società Gasdotti Italia S.p.A (SGI) to Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board. They announced on 24 December that MIRA’s Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund 4 has agreed to sell its 69.4% stake in SGI, the owner of a 1,700km gas transmission

Details have emerged of the financial and legal advisors that worked on the sale of a stake in Blackstone Group’s Onyx Renewable Partners L.P. to SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust (SEEIT). BNP Paribas served as exclusive financial advisor to Blackstone on the sale of a 50% interest in solar commercial and industrial (C&I) developer Onyx, along with

SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust (SEEIT) has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in New York-headquartered Onyx Renewable Partners from funds managed by Blackstone. The London-headquartered, SDCL-managed vehicle has also announced today an agreement to acquire 100% of four solar and energy storage portfolios totalling more than 175 MW from Onyx. Read

Empower Energies, a solar power developer focused on the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector, has hired a former managing director at AES Corp. as its CFO. The new hire, Scott Taylor, joins from Moxie Energy, according to two sources familiar with the move. Read More

Eric Silverman, previously co-chair of the project finance group at Milbank, has recruited a team of former executives at Sithe Energies and Credit Suisse for a new private equity firm, Polpis Capital. Silverman’s firm is targeting middle market transactions across clean energy, sustainable transportation and recycling, primarily in North America, according

Mark Liu has joined iCON Infrastructure out of its New York office. Liu previously worked in the principal and lending group in Deutsche Bank as a vice-president in infrastructure and energy for four years. Read More

Applegreen's directors have accepted an offer from Blackstone Infrastructure Partners and the founders of the Irish motorway services operator, bringing the EUR 1.3bn take-private deal closer to completion. The company’s founders Robert Etchingham and Joseph Barrett, and Blackstone Infrastructure will pay EUR 5.75 per share of the London-listed company,

The Renewables Infrastructure Group (TRIG) has announced an investment in a French renewables holding company owned by IPP Akuo Energy. InfraRed Capital Partners-managed TRIG has invested in Phoenix SAS, a holdco comprising five onshore wind farms in northern France with a combined capacity of 74 MW. Read More

Australian motorways group Transurban today appointed Michelle Jablko as chief financial officer. The former CFO of ANZ Bank will replace the outgoing Adam Watson, who left Transurban to join gas infrastructure provider APA Group. Jablko will begin in her role sometime in 2021, Transurban said in an announcement. Read More

The world’s largest energy-from-waste (EfW) project in Dubai is nearing financial close two years after lenders were first approached to raise construction loans, according to sources familiar with the transaction. A bank club is expected to sign an estimated USD 900m debt facility for the 137 MW project in the coming days, one of the sources said. Read

First Sentier Investors has agreed to acquire Swedish utility business Falbygdens Energi AB (FEAB) through its portfolio company Nordion Energi from Infracapital, the latter said on Monday (21 December). Nordion Energi, which was formed a year ago from the merger of Swedish gas companies Swedegas and Weum Gas, saw off competition form Equitix, Polhem

A Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners-backed fund will make an offer of around EUR 415m to acquire a German broadband provider and is planning further equity investments to upgrade its networks.  Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners said on Monday (21 December) that it will make a public takeover offer for Frankfurt-listed Tele Columbus for EUR

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. and its largest shareholder, Total, have announced a memorandum of understanding to form a 50/50 joint venture to develop carbon-negative renewable natural gas (RNG) production facilities in the US, according to a press release.   Clean Energy will provide USD 30m for the JV and Total will provide USD 50m.   Read More

A professional focused on equity investments in the renewable energy sector across the Americas at Allianz Global Investors in New York has taken a new role outside the industry. Catherine Helleux, a professional focused on equity investments in the renewable energy sector across the Americas at Allianz Global Investors in New York, has joined a venture

Fengate Asset Management has acquired an equity interest in a 250 MW wind farm in Texas. In the deal, Fengate will jointly own the Amadeus wind farm with developer BayWa r.e., which will continue to manage the asset, according to a 21 December press release. Read More

Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) has committed USD 1bn to Invenergy Renewables LLC, according to a press release.  The commitment, in the form of new investment facilities, will further support Invenergy in its expanded development activities.  Read More

Ironclad Energy Partners has closed a USD 100m non-recourse credit facility refinancing its RED Rochester business in New York. East West Bank and National Bank of Canada were coordinating lead arrangers on the transaction, which was joined by NY Green Bank as participant, said two sources familiar with the situation. Read More

Sempra Energy has hired Goldman Sachs to sell up to a 49% stake in its newly formed Sempra Infrastructure Partners entity, said four sources familiar with the situation. The investment bank is in active talks with infrastructure funds on the opportunity, added those same sources. Read More

First Sentier Investors has been selected as preferred bidder to acquire Wheelabrator Technologies’ UK energy-from-waste (EfW) assets, sources familiar with the transaction told SparkSpread. First Sentier will buy the estimated GBP 1.7bn - GBP 2bn portfolio, following binding bids for the EfW portfolio earlier this week. Read More

Spanish utility Naturgy, China Southern Grid and Allianz Global Investors have formed a consortium that is preparing to take part in PPL Corp.’s upcoming sale of UK electricity distribution network operator Western Power Distribution (WPD), a source close to the situation told SparkSpread.  The three parties are being advised by Morgan Stanley, CaixaBank

Wheelabrator Technologies Inc. has announced its agreement to sell all of its UK energy-from-waste (EfW) assets to First Sentier Investors, as first reported by SparkSpread earlier today. The US waste operator, which is owned by Macquarie Infrastructure & Real Assets, will sell its UK business to First Sentier’s European Diversified Infrastructure Fund

Transurban sold a 50% stake in its Greater Washington Area (GWA) express lane assets in the US for USD 2.1bn, the company said on 16 December. Long time partners AustralianSuper, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and UniSuper agreed to take a combined 50% stake in its portfolio. Read More

UK high-speed rail concessionaire HS1 Limited is set to hold a virtual meeting with its lenders as it manages a decline in retail and non-government guaranteed customer revenues linked to COVID-19. The company, owned by Equitix and InfraRed Capital Partners, has also seen a drop in its debt service cover ratio, which could bring it close to not being

A fund managed by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) has agreed to acquire a US geothermal power company, its third transaction in the sector in recent months. The fund, Macquarie Infrastructure Partners V, is acquiring Cyrq Energy, a geothermal company previously known as Raser Technologies, according to two sources familiar with the transaction. Read

I Squared Capital has announced an agreement to sell European renewables platform Grupo T-Solar to Cubico Sustainable Investments for a total enterprise value of EUR 1.5bn. Cubico, which is owned by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and PSP Investments, was one of several bidders to submit an offer for the platform last week. Read More

Ardian Infrastructure has added a managing director in New York to focus on direct control investments in North American core infrastructure, hiring Michael Obhof from Goldman Sachs, according to an Ardian spokesperson. Obhof joins Ardian after seven years at the bank, where he was a vice president in the Infrastructure Investment Group. He will report

Infrastructure investors are preparing to participate in the sale early next year of Fortum’s 50% stake in Swedish district heating business Stockholm Exergi.  Local player EQT Infrastructure and Dutch pension fund APG Asset Management are looking to participate in the sale, sources familiar with the situation said, with one adding that Swiss Life

Intermediate Capital Group (ICG)’s infrastructure arm will invest EUR 150m to buy a majority stake in German broadband provider TNG and fund its further roll-out. The FTSE 100-listed investor said on Monday (14 December) it agreed to buy the stake from the founders of TNG, which owns fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks near the city of Kiel in northern

Brookfield Infrastructure Debt Fund II (BID II) has reached a final close with total commitments of USD 2.7bn, surpassing its USD 1.75bn target and USD 2.5bn hard cap, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on 10 December. A total of 41 LP investors, including New Mexico State Investment Council, invested in the fund. Read More

  Star Peak Energy Transition Corp. a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) or blank-check company, has agreed to acquire clean energy storage outfit Stem, Inc. The agreement will result in Stem becoming a public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, according to a 4 December press release. Read More

A consortium of infrastructure investors has made an offer for UK smart metering business Calisen in a take-private deal valuing the KKR Infrastructure-backed company at GBP 1.43bn.  Infrastructure funds under the management of BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, and the Abu Dhabi state-owned Mubadala Investment Company offered to acquire Calisen for 261 pence

Blackstone Infrastructure Partners is teaming up with Applegreen’s founders to take private the Irish petrol forecourt operator in an EUR 1.3bn deal. Applegreen said on 10 December that a consortium of its founders Robert Etchingham and Joseph Barrett and Blackstone Infrastructure is in advanced discussions over a cash offer for the London-listed company

Brookfield’s advisory arm, Brookfield Financial (BFIN), has been disbanded in Australia due to a global restructure of the division, a spokesperson confirmed. The move has seen about six staff members leave Brookfield in recent weeks, two sources familiar said. Other Asia-Pacific regional BFIN offices have also been closed, with the regional business

HIG Capital is pre-marketing a new USD 2bn mid-market infrastructure fund targeting North America and Europe, said two sources familiar with the situation. The Florida-headquartered alternatives investor is marketing HIG Infrastructure Partners to prospective investors with a USD 2bn fundraising target ahead of a formal launch of the fund in the first

Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has established a new platform in the UK that will invest in renewable energy and battery storage projects across Europe. Renewable Power Capital will be majority-owned by CPPIB but operate as an independent portfolio company, the Canadian investor announced today. Read More

Energy Infrastructure Partners-advised funds are to acquire a 49% stake in global renewables developer BayWa r.e. for an equity consideration of EUR 530m.   Energy Infrastructure Partners, formerly Credit Suisse Energy Infrastructure Partners, has agreed to purchase the shareholding through the funds as part of a capital increase launched by BayWa AG

First Sentier Investors has hired Celine Kabashima from AMP Capital as director of investor relations for infrastructure.  Sydney-based Kabashima joined First Sentier, previously called First State, after spending eight years at AMP Capital, according to her LinkedIn profile. She worked as a senior investment specialist for infrastructure debt in the

Australia’s biggest super fund, AustralianSuper, today said it has made a NZD 7.43 per share offer for Trans-Tasman listed Infratil. The proposal values Infratil, the listed fund manager for Morrison & Co, at more than NZD 5.37bn (USD 3.78bn). Read More

KKR Infrastructure is selling non-core operations of its UK waste company Viridor, with its landfill gas assets attracting the interest of 3i Infrastructure. Sources familiar with the situation said KKR is looking to sell Viridor’s waste collection and recycling business, which is mainly attracting industrial waste management groups, and its landfill

France-based Vinci’s EUR 5.2bn bid for Spanish ACS’ industrial services unit is the culmination of a quiet but steady push into energy. But why would ACS sell one of its divisions with the highest prospects for growth? Stefano Berra reports Vinci has made headlines in recent years with its fast expansion into airports. A global acquisition spree

Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) is gearing up to sell its stake in Italian gas pipeline business Società Gasdotti Italia (SGI), while it is bidding to buy a major Italian gas storage business.  MIRA is mulling the sale after receiving an unsolicited offer from at least one unknown bidder in recent months, according to sources familiar

Mizuho Bank’s Christopher Patt has joined Tribe Infrastructure Group as a director focused on financial advisory mandates for the global energy & infrastructure investor, according to a source familiar with the move. Patt joined Mizuho as director of power & advisory at the Japanese bank’s London office in January 2019. Read More

HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions has engaged MUFG to sell its 50% stake in Presidio Parkway, said two sources familiar with the situation.  HOCHTIEF and Meridiam Infrastructure North America II each have a 50% stake in the project.  Read More

HSBC Global Asset Management (HSBC AM) has hired two senior portfolio managers for its infrastructure debt platform, which launched its inaugural funds earlier this year. The asset manager has hired Dimitrios Papatheodorou in London from Sequoia Investment Management to lead deal origination and execution for its high yield infrastructure debt strategy, it

Carlyle Group announced that former CDQP infrastructure executive Macky Tall will join the firm as co-chair of its Infrastructure Group, the firm said on 7 December. This includes efforts across transportation, renewables, energy, water & wastewater, and digital infrastructure. In this role, Tall, together with Co-Chair Brooke Coburn, will lead Carlyle’s

Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners has appointed former Macquarie telco and media banker Darren Keogh to head its new Australian office, a source familiar confirmed. The global fund manager, which was founded by two former Macquarie bankers, has been working on setting up an Australian office for several months. The new office is set to open early in

Strategic players are circling Western Power Distribution (WPD) ahead of first bids for the large UK electricity grid operator next month.   First bids for Western Power Distribution, which owns four of the UK’s 14 regional distribution network operators (DNO) and could fetch in excess of GBP 12bn, are due on 18 January, sources familiar with the

Japan’s Orix will acquire a majority stake in the UK-headquartered asset manager Gravis Capital Management in its latest global infrastructure push. The Tokyo-based company said on its website today that it has agreed to buy a 70% stake in Gravis during the first quarter of 2021 pending regulatory approvals. Orix did not disclose what it paid for the

Australian fund manager AMP Capital today said it has hired superannuation industry veteran David Atkin as interim deputy chief executive. Atkin joins the group from CBus, the construction industry super fund, where he served as chief executive for 12 years. His appointment is effective from 7 December. Read More

Sempra Energy plans to combine its Sempra LNG and Mexican energy business IEnova into a new entity, Sempra Infrastructure Partners, and sell a non-controlling interest in the platform. The move is intended to simplify Sempra’s energy infrastructure investments under one platform “creating scale, unlocking portfolio synergies and better positioning

From next year, Australia’s superannuation funds will be subject to a new performance regime, where their returns are compared to various benchmarks. Will super funds abandon low-risk strategies, including infrastructure investing, to boost their returns? Kate Burgess investigates It’s been a tough year for Australia’s AUD 2.8trn superannuation

BlackRock has promoted Jeetu Balachandani, a managing director in New York, to global head of its infrastructure debt business. The firm’s infrastructure debt business has some USD 15bn in assets under management and employs approximately 25 investment professionals globally, according to sources familiar with the move. Read More

HSBC has made several senior appointments to it global power & energy groups, following the departure this autumn of global power & utilities banking head Rob Todd.  Last month, the London-headquartered bank appointed Hong Kong-based Helen Li as global head of power & utilities and renewable energy and London-based Eklavya Sareen, as head of the business

Asset manager Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) has hired Tufan Erginbilgic, a former BP executive, as partner. At GIP, Erginbilgic will work with the investment and operating teams to create investment opportunities by developing new strategic partnerships, according to a 1 December press release. Read More

More bidders have dropped out of the race to acquire Wheelabrator Technologies’ UK energy-from-waste (EfW) assets ahead of a deadline for binding offers this month, according to sources familiar with the transaction. Macquarie Infrastructure & Real Assets (MIRA) is expected to take binding bids for the GBP 1.7bn- GBP 2bn portfolio on 14 December. Read

Infrastructure funds are lining up to bid for Macquarie’s UK industrial and commercial smart meters business ahead of first offers early next year. Macquarie Energy Resources and Sustainability, part of the Australian bank’s specialised and asset finance arm, has sent out info memos (IMs) for the sale, with first bids due early next year, sources

For almost a decade, Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have been among the most acquisitive in global infrastructure and energy. As they mature under the umbrella of their government’s trillion-dollar Belt and Road programme, they are becoming more active on the sell-side too, reports Celine Ge When, in January, China Merchants Port (CMP) announced

Arjun Infrastructure Partners has hired another veteran of JP Morgan’s infrastructure investment arm as it looks to source more deals in continental Europe.  Romain Py, who was most recently chief investment officer for Africa at African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), joined the London-headquartered manager as a managing director earlier

John Laing has announced a radical shift in its infrastructure investment model that will include targeting core-plus deals, managing third party capital, and relying less on European PPPs. The London-listed and PPP-focused company said on 25 November that it will start to invest in mid-market core-plus economic infrastructure deals in sectors including

Tokyo Gas has joined a joint venture between Canada’s Northland Power and Japanese renewable energy developer Shizen Energy to build offshore wind projects in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo. The three partners will be co-owners of Chiba Offshore Wind, a development company established last year, the companies said in a joint statement today.  Read