Wind farm gets $85-M investment

Manila Bulletin 
By Edu Lopez 
Published: July 17, 2013 The Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure (PINAI), a fund partly financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is investing up to $85 million for a wind farm project in Luzon.
The 81-megawatt project – PINAI’s first investment ever – is a joint venture with AC Energy Holdings Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ayala Corporation, and UPC Renewables Partners (UPC) through UPC Philippines Wind Holdco BV.
 “We are delighted that PINAI has selected a green power project as its first investment. It is aligned with our objective of making the country’s growth more inclusive and sustainable,” said Janette Hall, Senior Investment Specialist at ADB’s Private Sector Operations Department.
PINAI takes 32% of the project, while AC Energy and UPC will own 64% and 4%, respectively. The first phase of the project will generate at least 54 megawatts, to be connected to the grid by June 2014.
PINAI is a $625-million private equity fund focused exclusively on Philippine infrastructure projects. It was launched in July 2012 to capitalize on the various public-private partnership opportunities in the Philippines.
The fund is expected to spur more private equity funds that will catalyze additional long-term capital into the country, and further development of domestic capital markets.
According to the Philippine Development Plan, around 12% of the country’s $120-billion investment requirements need to come from the private sector.
PINAI is managed by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets. It is jointly financed by ADB, Philippines’ state-owned pension fund Government Service Insurance System, Dutch pension fund asset manager APG, and the Macquarie Group. (EHL)   source