Ence Energia’s CSP plant acquisition loans get S&P’s top score

The EUR-109.6-million (USD 123.2m) three-tranche loan facility that Spanish biomass energy company Ence Energia SL seeks to secure for the acquisition of the 90% stake in a 50-MW solar thermal plant has received an S&P Global Ratings Green Evaluation of E1/85.

The E1 Green Evaluation score, the high-end of the S&P scale, was a result of the combined scores of 85 for mitigation, 88 for governance and 89 for transparency, which led to the weighted aggregate of 85, the US rating agency said Wednesday.

The 50-MW concentrated solar power (CSP) plant is located in Puertollano in the Spanish region of Castile-La Mancha. Ence Energia is targeting a 90% stake held by Iberdrola SA (BME:IBE), while the remaining 10% will stay in the hands of the Institute for Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE), the Spanish government agency.

With the new financing, Ence Energia, the renewable energy arm of pulp producer Ence Energia y Celulosa SA (BME:ENC), is seeking to expand into new territories within renewables. In 2017 and 2018, the company obtained two facilities totalling EUR 289.4 million, directed at the expansion the biomass business, S&P said.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.12)

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