TotalEnergies acquires a gas-fired power plant in the UK
In line with its development as an integrated electricity player, TotalEnergies has signed an agreement with EIG, an institutional investor in the global energy sector, for the acquisition of all the shares of West Burton Energy for an enterprise value of £450 million.
West Burton Energy owns and operates the West Burton B gas-fired power plant in Nottinghamshire, 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.
Stéphane Michel, President, Gas, Renewables and Power at TotalEnergies said: “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. The deal also contributes directly to our 2028 ROACE target of around 12% in this business sector.”
The transaction is subject to authorisation from the competent authorities.