RATCH-Australia has just completed the refinancing of its three newest renewable energy assets, with close being achieved on 1 September 2022.
The assets that were financed into the new debt facility are:
- Mount Emerald Wind Farm (180.5MW) in Far North Queensland;
- Collector Wind Farm (226.8MW) in southern New South Wales; and
- Collinsville Solar Farm (42.5MW) in Central Queensland.
The financing attracted extensive interests from major Australian and international lenders, with Bank of China, DBS, Deutsche Bank, E.Sun, ING, MUFG, SMBC and Société Générale joining the lending syndicate. The syndicate also includes the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), an important lender for RATCH-Australia. As sole debt financier in 2019, the CEFC enabled Collector Wind Farm to reach financial close ahead of securing energy offtake contracts. It also provided debt finance for the construction of the Collinsville project.
Our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Polagorn Kheosiplard, of RATCH-Australia, said “this is RATCH-Australia’s first green financing framework debt financing, demonstrating our commitment to the generation of sustainable clean energy.” He added, “together with RATCH-Australia’s other renewables and natural gas firming generators around Australia, this financing positions us even better to provide the energy and grid security that Australia’s decarbonising economy needs.”
Mr Kheosiplard also added “I thank the RATCH-Australia and adviser team for their hard work and dedication, which delivered this outcome.”
RATCH-Australia was assisted by RBC Capital Markets as financial adviser, Squire Patton Boggs as borrower’s counsel, KPMG as tax and stamp duty adviser, JFA Financial Modelling advising on model audit, Aurora advising on market and RINA acting as technical adviser. The lenders were advised by King & Wood Mallesons.
The RATCH-Australia team is now preparing for the refinance of its Townsville and Kemerton power stations and is also working hard on numerous battery and renewable energy development projects.
