Indigenous communities along the transmission line can obtain up to a 40% equity interest
Calgary-based Canadian Utilities Ltd. announced on Monday that it’s selling its Alberta PowerLine, along with its partner Quanta Services Inc., for about $300 million and the assumption of $1.4 billion in debt.
It said the purchaser is a consortium including Greystone Managed Investments (TD Greystone Asset Management), as manager for and on behalf of the Greystone Infrastructure Fund (Global Master) LP, and IST3 Investment Foundation acting in respect and on behalf of its investment group IST3 Infrastruktur Global.
APL, a partnership between Canadian Utilities Limited (80 per cent) and Quanta Services Inc. (20 per cent), was selected in 2014 by the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) to design, build, own and operate the Fort McMurray West 500-kV Transmission Project, it said.
As part of these agreements, Canadian Utilities said it is offering an opportunity for Indigenous communities along the transmission line route to obtain up to a 40 per cent equity interest in APL. This model will provide a long-term stable investment and further enable economic development in the local communities. The final ownership mix will be determined upon close of the purchase option for Indigenous communities.
“Following early energization of the Fort McMurray West Transmission Line, we are now pleased to announce the sale of this award-winning critical transmission infrastructure, which provides essential electricity to Albertans,” said Siegfried Kiefer, President & Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Utilities, in a news release. “Going forward, we are proud to offer the opportunity for Indigenous communities along the route to become owners and direct participants in Alberta’s energy sector through equity ownership in APL.”
The 508-km transmission line, running from Wabamun, just west of Edmonton, to Fort McMurray was energized in March 2019, ahead of schedule, on budget and with an impeccable safety record. It is also the longest 500-kV AC transmission line in Canada and was ranked among the top 50 infrastructure projects in the country. CU will remain as the operator of APL over its 35-year contract with the AESO, said the company.
Canadian Utilities is an ATCO company with about 5,000 employees and assets of $22 billion.
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