Aboitiz Power raising P30 B for projects

By Danessa Rivera (The Philippine Star) Updated March 24, 2017 – 12:00am http://www.philstar.com/business/2017/03/24/1683927/aboitiz-power-raising-p30-b-projects MANILA, Philippines –  Aboitiz Power Corp. is raising up to P30 billion through the issuance of fixed-rate retail bonds within the year to finance ongoing and future projects. AboitizPower said yesterday its board has cleared the issuance of up to P30 billion fixed-rate retail bonds, which will be “issued in one or more tranches depending on market conditions.” “We will start with the process immediately. How long to complete, probably a few months,” AboitizPower president and chief operating officer Antonio Moraza said in a text message when asked on the schedule of the offering. The company said the retail bonds will be registered under the shelf registration program of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It also intends to list the first tranche of the offering with the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. Moraza said the capital-raising activity will bankroll current projects. This year, AboitizPower is looking to complete five projects with a total capacity of 828.3 megawatts. These include the 69-MW Manolo Fortich hydropower plant in Bukidnon and the 8.5-MW Maris Canal hydro project in Isabela through its subsidiary SN AboitizPower. Together with its partners, AboitizPower is also in the process of completing the 340-MW Therma Visayas baseload power plant in Toledo, Cebu and the 400-MW Pagbilao power plant expansion. AboitizPower has likewise partnered with Vivant Corp. for the Toledo power project while the Pagbilao plant expansion is in partnership with TeaM Energy Corp. It is also co-developing the 2×300-MW coal-fired power plant in Subic, Zambales under Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc. (RP Energy), targeted to go online by mid-2020. The company will use the proceeds to finance potential acquisitions, future investments, and other general corporate requirements.