Razon-led Prime Infrastructure Holdings Inc. (Prime Infra) is beefing up its solar portfolio with additional P2 billion worth of capital injection for shareholdings acquisitions in Solar Philippines’ installations in Batangas and Cavite.
In a statement to the media, Prime Infra indicated that it will be buying 50-percent stake in the corporate vehicle of the 50-megawatt Tanauan solar farm of Solar Philippines in Batangas and on its140MW Maragondon-3 solar farm project in Cavite province.
“The transaction, which involves an investment of P2 billion and management control of Prime Infra, marks the company’s second investments in projects with Solar Philippines,” the Razon-led company stated.
For all the three assets it acquired, Prime Infra emphasized that total investments funneled to Solar Philippines already reached P3.5 billion and these have been serving as the Razon group’s take-off point in the power generation business of the restructured Philippine electricity sector.
With these new asset purchases, the Razon infrastructure firm will already be shoring up its solar business platform to 340MW including its first acquisition in the 100MW Solar Philippines venture in Concepcion, Tarlac which has been blueprinted for 50MW expansion.
In line with these facility acquisitions, Prime Infra reiterated that the new deal with the Leviste-founded solar company will bestow management control for the Razon group when it comes to the operations of facilities under Solar Philippines Tanauan Corporation, the project development company for the two solar farm installations in Batangas and Cavite.
“The three projects will create over 2,000 jobs during construction and over 100 jobs during operations. When completed, these will be able to power over 200,000 homes,” Prime Infra said.
The Razon-controlled firm added that the solar installations would be able to “displace over 240,000 tons of coal per year or six million tons of coal for its 25-year economic life.”
The Tarlac and Tanuan solar plants have power supply agreements (PSAs) with Manila Electric Company (Meralco), hence, there will be guaranteed revenue stream for the generated electricity from the two plants.
The Razon group is not exactly new in the power sector – as its previous company Monte Grid Resources Corporation used to be majority shareholder in the country’s sole power transmission company – the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) until its sale to the Sy group in 2010.
Apart from electricity generation, the Razon group also has interests in power distribution via its MORE Electric and Power Corporation, which is now the electricity service provider in Iloilo City.