Capital Power Corporation (“Capital Power” or “the Company”) (TSX:
CPX) announced today that it has executed an agreement to acquire a
50.15% ownership interest in the Frederickson 1 Generating Station
(“Frederickson 1” or “the Facility”) from Atlantic Power &
Utilities (“AP&U”) for US$100 million (CAD$137 million). The
other 49.85% is owned by Puget Sound Energy (“PSE”). Capital Power
will finance the transaction using cash on hand and its credit
facilities. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth
quarter of 2023, subject to customary regulatory approvals and
other closing adjustments and conditions.
Frederickson 1 is a 265 MW natural gas-fired combined-cycle
generating facility in Pierce County, Washington. The facility is
well-positioned as a flexible and dispatchable resource that
provides reliable power in support of the continuing energy
transition to renewables in the region. Capital Power will operate
and maintain the facility and bring to bear its deep knowledge and
experience in plant operations and optimization and will receive an
annual management fee under the operating arrangement with PSE.
“We are pleased to acquire this high-quality facility in the
Pacific Northwest,” said Avik Dey, President and CEO of Capital
Power. “Consistent with our mid-life natural gas strategy, this
acquisition expands our portfolio of dispatchable assets in key
markets that support the energy transition by providing reliable,
affordable and flexible power while renewables grow and
decarbonization solutions develop.”
“Frederickson 1 is a strategically located mid-life natural gas
asset in the growing load centre of the Puget Sound Region and will
provide accretive near-term cash flows,” said Bryan DeNeve, SVP,
Chief Commercial Officer of Capital Power. “The facility is
supported by long-term contracts out to October 2030 with
credit-worthy counterparties and is well-positioned for
re-contracting as a key dispatchable, baseload asset in the region.
Additionally, the Facility and adjacent lands provide ample room
and infrastructure for future non-emitting, flexible generation
developments co-located with the Facility.”
Acquisition highlights:
- Financial projections (Capital Power’s
portion): expected average contracted EBITDA of US$15
million (CAD$21 million) per year during the 5-year period of
2024-2029.
- Accretive transaction: expected to deliver
accretive near-term cash flows.
- Long-term contracts with credit-worthy
counterparties:
- Morgan Stanley Capital Group Inc. guaranteed by Morgan Stanley
(rated P-1/A-2/F1) – tolling agreement for 100% capacity to
September 2025.
- Puget Sound Energy (rated BBB/Negative/A-2) – tolling agreement
for 100% capacity from October 2025 to October 2030.
- Development opportunities: Located southeast
of Tacoma in the Puget Sound Region load centre, the Facility sits
on approximately 7 acres of land and is adjacent to additional
lands owned by Capital Power. Current layout and additional space
allow for future development such as battery installation or a
hybrid opportunity.
Overview of Frederickson 1:
- Nameplate capacity: 265 MW
- Location: Pierce County, Washington
- Commercial operation date: 2002
- Equipment: Utilizes a 1X1 combined-cycle
configuration with a GE 7FA combustion turbine, a Nooter Eriksen
three-pressure heat recovery steam generator and a GE A-11
condensing steam turbine and steam turbine generator
- Availability: 98% PPA availability over the
last five years, excluding scheduled planned outages
- Natural gas source: Northwest Pipeline via
Scott Lateral (part owned by AP&U, PSE and Capital Power)
- Interconnection: Interconnected through the
Bonneville Power Administration in the Western Electricity
Coordinating Council (WECC) region, which is expected to see
significant legacy coal retirements and accelerating renewable
deployment
Non-GAAP Financial Measures and RatiosThe
Company uses (i) earnings before net finance expense, income tax
expense, depreciation and amortization, impairments, foreign
exchange gains or losses, finance expense and depreciation expense
from its joint venture interests, gains or losses on disposals and
unrealized changes in fair value of commodity derivatives and
emission credits (adjusted EBITDA) and (ii) AFFO as financial
performance measures.
The Company also uses AFFO per share as a performance measure.
This measure is a non-GAAP ratio determined by applying AFFO to the
weighted average number of common shares used in the calculation of
basic and diluted earnings per share.
These terms are not defined financial measures according to GAAP
and do not have standardized meanings prescribed by GAAP and,
therefore, are unlikely to be comparable to similar measures used
by other enterprises. These measures should not be considered
alternatives to net income, net cash flows from operating
activities or other measures of financial performance calculated in
accordance with GAAP. Rather, these measures are provided to
complement GAAP measures in the analysis of the Company’s results
of operations from management’s perspective.
See Non-GAAP measures and ratios in the Company’s second quarter
2023, and Company’s 2022 Integrated Annual Report for further
discussion of these metrics and reconciliations of adjusted EBITDA
and AFFO to net income and net cash flows from operating
activities, respectively.
Forward-looking InformationCertain information
in this news release is forward-looking within the meaning of
Canadian securities law as it relates to anticipated financial and
operating performance, events or strategies. The forward-looking
information or statements are provided to inform the Company’s
shareholders and potential investors about management’s assessment
of Capital Power’s future plans and operations. This information
may not be appropriate for other purposes. The forward-looking
information in this press release is generally identified by words
such as will, anticipate, believe, plan, intend, target, and expect
or similar words that suggest future outcomes.
Material forward-looking information in this press release
around the acquisition of the Facility includes expectations
regarding: (i) financing plans, (ii) transaction close timing,
(iii) financial impacts including expected near term cash flows and
adjusted EBITDA contributions, (iv) re-contracting of the Facility
following contract expiration in 2025 and 2030, (v) the potential
of the Facility to support the energy transition and growth of
renewable capacity in the region, (vi) receipt of required
regulatory approvals, and (vii) future site development
opportunities.
These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses
made by the Company in light of its experience and perception of
historical trends, current conditions, expected future
developments, and other factors it believes are appropriate,
including its review of the Facility and re-contracting
opportunities. The material factors and assumptions used to develop
these forward-looking statements relate to: (i) electricity and
other energy prices, (ii) anticipated performance of the Facility,
(iii) re-contracting opportunities, (iv) status of and impact of
policy, legislation and regulations, and (v) effective tax
rates.
Whether actual results, performance or achievements will conform
to the Company’s expectations and predictions is subject to a
number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could
cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the
Company’s expectations. Such material risks and uncertainties are:
(i) changes in electricity prices in the region, (ii) changes in
energy commodity market prices and use of derivatives, (iii)
regulatory and political environments including changes to
environmental, financial reporting, market structure and tax
legislation as well as the receipt and timing thereof of required
regulatory approvals, (iv) generation facility availability and
performance including maintenance of equipment, (v) ability to fund
current and future capital and working capital needs, (vi) changes
in market prices and availability of fuel, (vii) ability to realize
the anticipated benefits of the Facility, (viii) limitations
inherent in the Company’s review of the Facility, and (ix) changes
in general economic and competitive conditions. See Risks and Risk
Management in the Company’s 2022 Integrated Annual Report for
further discussion of these and other risks.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the specified
approval date. The Company does not undertake or accept any
obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or
revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change
in the Company’s expectations or any change in events, conditions
or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as
required by law.
Territorial AcknowledgementIn the spirit of
reconciliation, Capital Power respectfully acknowledges that we
operate within the ancestral homelands, traditional and treaty
territories of the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island, or North
America. Capital Power’s head office is located within the
traditional and contemporary home of many Indigenous Peoples of the
Treaty 6 Territory and Métis Nation of Alberta Region 4. We
acknowledge the diverse Indigenous communities that are located in
these areas and whose presence continues to enrich the
community.
About Capital PowerCapital Power is a
growth-oriented North American wholesale power producer with a
strategic focus on sustainable energy. Our balanced approach to net
zero by 2045 includes natural gas with emerging technologies to
achieve decarbonization alongside the growth of renewables to
deliver affordable, clean power generation that communities can
rely on.
Capital Power owns approximately 7,500 MW of power generation
capacity at 29 facilities across North America. Projects in
advanced development and construction include 224 MW of renewable
generation in Alberta and North Carolina, 512 MW of incremental
natural gas combined cycle capacity from the repowering of Genesee
1 and 2 in Alberta, and approximately 350 MW of natural gas and
battery energy storage systems in Ontario.
For more information, please
contact:
Investor and Media
Relations: Katherine
Perron(780)
392-5335 kperron@capitalpower.com
&investor@capitalpower.com
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