PARIS: TotalEnergies (Paris:TTE) has signed an agreement with EIG Partners for the acquisition of all the shares of West Burton Energy for an enterprise value of £450 million.
EIG is a leading institutional investor in the global energy and infrastructure sectors with $24.7 billion under management as of March 31, 2024.
West Burton Energy owns and operates the West Burton B gas-fired power plant in Nottinghamshire, in England. West Burton B comprises three combined-cycle gas turbines (CCGT) with total output of 1.3 GW. Commissioned in 2013, it is one of the UK’s most advanced power plants and supplies some 1.8 million homes. A 49 MW battery storage system was added in 2018.
This acquisition rounds out TotalEnergies’ renewable power generation capacity in the UK with a flexible asset that mitigates intermittency to enable the supply of firm power to customers.
Given the size of the Company’s renewable portfolio in the country, which currently stands at 1.1 GW of gross installed capacity and 4.5 GW under development, TotalEnergies assesses its need for gas-based power generation capacity at 700 MW; the Company therefore plans to divest 50% of the acquired assets.
The deal will also allow TotalEnergies to strengthen its trading capabilities in the country’s electricity and gas markets, as well as its ability to provide increasingly affordable, available and sustainable energy to its 300,000 UK electricity and gas customer sites. Finally, the Company will supply the plant by leveraging its positions in natural gas production in the country, where it operates 30% of the projects.
This brings TotalEnergies’ worldwide flexible power generation portfolio to around 7 GW of gross capacity, in addition to its 23 GW of gross renewable capacity.
“I am delighted to welcome the West Burton B team to TotalEnergies. This acquisition contributes to our integrated strategy in the UK, which combines renewable and flexible generation capacity. It complements our 1.1 GW Seagreen offshore wind farm and allows us to accelerate development of our Integrated Power activities in power generation, trading and marketing in this market,” said Stéphane Michel, President, Gas, Renewables and Power at TotalEnergies.
“The deal also contributes directly to our 2028 ROACE target of around 12% in this business sector.”
The transaction is subject to authorization from the competent authorities.
TotalEnergies has been present in the UK for more than 60 years, employing more than 1,800 people across the energy value chain.
As one of the country’s leading oil and gas operators, the Company operates around 30% of the UK Continental Shelf’s gas production, with average daily production of 142,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) in 2023.
TotalEnergies’ portfolio in offshore wind in the country amounts to over 5 GW of gross renewable capacity, including Seagreen (1.1 GW, under operation), and large projects under development such as West of Orkney (2 GW) and Outer Dowsing (1.5 GW).
The Company is one of the UK’s largest suppliers of gas and electricity to businesses and the public sector, with over 300,000 customers. TotalEnergies, also offers EV charging solutions, including 2,500 charging points in London and Birmingham. The Company is also active in the distribution of petroleum products: lubricants; aviation fuel; bitumen and specialty fluids.
The Company is also present in the CCS business through its 10% interest in the Northern Endurance Partnership.
