SW (Finance) I secures £1.2 billion equity package for Southern Water

Published 01/07/2025, 08:44
SW (Finance) I secures £1.2 billion equity package for Southern Water

LONDON - Southern Water has secured an equity support package totaling up to £1.2 billion to fund its 2025-30 investment program, according to a press release issued Tuesday by SW (Finance) I PLC.

The package includes an initial £655 million in binding equity commitments from a consortium led by funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management (MAM), with up to an additional £545 million expected to be committed by December 2025.

The company also announced a refinancing of holding company debt that will reduce debt levels by over 50 percent, from approximately £865 million to £415 million, while extending maturities to at least September 2030.

Southern Water CEO Lawrence Gosden said the equity will support "the largest growth investment programme in the sector relative to its size" and follows £1.65 billion of equity already invested by Macquarie since 2021.

The initial equity commitment is subject to several conditions, including MAM’s acquisition of Southern Water (Greensands) Financing plc and Greensands Junior Finance Limited, maintenance of investment grade ratings, and implementation of certain changes to finance documents.

As part of the refinancing, the borrower will have the option to capitalize rather than cash pay interest on the remaining debt facilities, and potentially extend maturities to December 2031 under certain circumstances.

Southern Water is currently awaiting the Competition and Markets Authority’s review of Ofwat’s Final Determination, with provisional determinations expected in September 2025 and final determinations in December 2025 or January 2026.

The company noted that the initial equity commitment is not conditional on the outcome of the CMA redetermination, which it described as reflecting MAM’s confidence in Southern Water’s case.

Southern Water expects to provide further updates on amendments to its finance documents by July 11, 2025, when it publishes its annual audited financial statements.

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