Drax secures financing for biomass-fuelled electricity generator

Coal-fired power plant operator Drax has secured committed financing to support the group's transformation into a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator.

As of June 30th this year, the group held net cash of £233m. In addition, as Drax has previously announced, it has additional components of its funding programme comprising a £100m amortising term loan facility agreed with the Prudential/M&G UK Companies Financing Fund in July 2012 and £190m gross proceeds from an equity placing in October 2012.

The statement issued by the company today said it had now completed additional components of the financing comprising up to £100m amortising term loan facility agreed with the UK Green Investment Bank and £400m revolving credit facility maturing in April 2016 which will replace the existing £310 million revolving credit facility.

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Drax's company statement added that it has also executed a new commodity trading facility, allowing Drax to transact prescribed volumes of commodity trades without the requirement to post collateral.

Commenting on the refinancing, Tony Quinlan, Finance Director of Drax said: "We are very pleased to have successfully secured this financing. We believe it is a clear demonstration of support from the investment community for our biomass strategy. We particularly welcome the involvement of the UK Green Investment Bank.

"We are making very good progress with our project to transform the largest coal plant in the UK into an electricity generator fuelled predominantly by sustainable biomass. The benefits are multiple, from securing jobs at Drax and across the UK in the supply chain to providing low carbon, cost effective and reliable renewable power for the consumer," he added.

Drax Group's share price down 0.62% to 563.50p art 14:34 on Thursday afternoon.

MF