Al Dur Power & Water Co. raises USD 1.7 billion in refinancing from 17 banks, including 5 from Bahrain

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Al Dur Power & Water Company, the one of the largest power generation and water desalination company in the Kingdom of Bahrain, today announced the successful closure of a USD 1.2 billion refinancing facility provided by a syndicate of 17 local , regional, and international banks.

The refinancing facilities extend up to 11 years and include a USD 643 million conventional facility and a USD 557 Islamic facility involving a wide range of million commercial lenders active in the European and Middle Eastern project finance markets.

The new facilities allow the Company to refinance its existing project-level debt on terms reflecting the status of the project as an asset with no construction risk and a proven operating history.

The lenders and hedge providers, via conventional and Islamic facilities, include Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait, Ahli United Bank, Arab Bank, Bank ABC, ABC Islamic Bank, Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP), Al Salam Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi, Boubyan Bank, Gulf International Bank, Kuwait Finance House (Bahrain), Mashreqbank, National Bank of Kuwait - Bahrain Branch, Société Générale, Standard Chartered Bank and, Warba Bank.

Al Dur Power & Water Company is owned by a consortium comprising of ENGIE, Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC), Kyushu Electric Power Company (Kyuden), and the Social Insurance Organization (SIO).

The Al Dur IWPP is a flagship power project in Bahrain, accounting for a significant portion of the country's power and water production, with a capacity of 1,234MW in respect of power and 48 MIGD in respect of water per day. The Company benefits from a 25-year power and water purchase agreement entered into with EWA. Commercial operations started in early 2012 and the plant was officially inaugurated in April 2012 by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the late Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, may God rest his soul in eternal peace.