EDP finalizes sale of dams to Engie-led consortium
The agreement for the sale of dams along the Douro river involves a €2.2 billion transaction. After the transfer of the assets, EDP will maintain its leading position in Portugal's hydroelectric market.
EDP has finalized this week the sale of six hydroelectric plants to an investment consortium comprising Engie (which holds a 40% stake), Crédit Agricole Assurances (35%) and Mirova - Grupo Natixis (25%). Amounting to 2.2 billion euros, the transaction was finalized exactly one year after the agreement between the two companies, with all the necessary corporate and regulatory approvals.
Located in the Douro hydrographic basin, this portfolio of six dams includes three reservoir power plants (Foz Tua, Baixo Sabor, and Feiticeiro) and three run-of-river plants (Miranda, Bemposta, and Picote) with an overall installed capacity of 1.7 GW.
Even after the transfer of these assets, EDP will maintain its leading position in Portugal, with an installed hydropower generation capacity of 5.1 GW, and retain its status as the second-largest hydroelectric operator in the Iberian Peninsula. The company's plan for the construction and repowering of hydroelectric plants across the country has played a crucial role in attaining this position, boosting EDP's installed capacity by 2.6 GW over the past 12 years.
This operation is a decisive step in the execution of the EDP Strategic Plan set for 2022. The asset rotation program included in this plan aims to optimize the company's portfolio, reducing exposure to hydroelectric volatility and market prices while bolstering the business's low-risk profile and debt level. EDP is thus seeking to recycle capital to reinvest in profitable growth, especially in the renewable energies area, while also creating value.
