Financial Adviser appointed for Villeta Project

RNS Number : 2117A

ATOME Energy PLC

22 September 2022

 

For immediate release

22 September 2022

ATOME ENERGY PLC

("ATOME", "the Company" or "the Group")

ATOME Energy appoints Natixis CIB as Financial Adviser for the Villeta Project

ATOME Energy (AIM: ATOM), the only pure international green hydrogen and ammonia production company on the London Stock Exchange with current large scale projects in Europe and South America and mobility projects, announces the appointment of Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking ("Natixis CIB"), following a competitive bidding process, as its Financial Adviser to structure and secure financing for the Company's Villeta project in Paraguay. 

ATOME will work with Natixis CIB to determine the optimal sources of funding at the project and group level for the successful completion of construction of the project, as well as to identify the best partners at the project level. ATOME is in a favourable market leader position due to its scale, cost base and expeditious timeframe to production with significant interest already having been shown by international multi-lateral bodies as well as other institutions.

ATOME's Villeta Project consists of a fast-track build-up of industrial scale production of green hydrogen and ammonia in Paraguay. The Project will utilise sustainable hydro-electric power supply as baseload 24/7 available renewable electricity. ATOME has entered into a long-term 60MW Power Purchase Agreement and secured 75 acres of land for the facility site, adjacent to a navigable waterway facilitating shipment of the Company's production. The Final Investment Decision for the Project is expected in Q1 2023. ATOME and Natixis CIB are confident that the Company can achieve funding to support the Project, targeting commencement of construction by mid-2023 and production start for the beginning of 2025.

Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking part of the Global Financial Services Division of Group  BPCE, the second largest banking group in France, is one of the world leaders in hydrogen and energy infrastructure funding, ranked as #2 Global Infrastructure Finance MLA and #3 Latin America Renewables MLA in 2021, according to IJ Global League Tables. It is a member of the Hydrogen Council and the EU's European Clean Hydrogen Alliance to promote H2 adoption, and led the three major hydrogen European IPOs in 2021/2022.

Olivier Mussat, Chief Executive Officer at ATOME Energy , commented: "Today's announcement highlights and marks another step in the fast track progress the Company is making towards achieving final investment decision for its Villeta project in Q1 2023, in line with expectations for commencement of facility construction by mid next year and the starting of fullscale operations in early 2025."

Frank Pluta, Global Head of Energy Transition & Natural Resources at Natixis CIB commented: "We are very excited to join ATOME's effort to deliver concrete and fast-track energy transition solutions, and have every confidence in their ability to succesfully roll out the multi-phase Villeta green hydrogen and ammonia project, with access to green energy supply and a significant end market.  Natixis CIB shares ATOME's vision in accelerating the green hydrogen and green ammonia sector, and is committed to supporting leading players like ATOME in securing innovative funding at a global scale."

For more information, please visit https://www.atomeplc.com or contact:

ATOME Energy PLC Nikita Levine, Investor Relations	[phone] [e-mail]
Beaumont Cornish (Nominated Adviser) Roland Cornish, Michael Cornish	[phone]
Liberum (Joint Broker) Cameron Duncan, Kate Bannatyne, Kane Collings	[phone]
SP Angel (Joint Broker) Richard Hail, Caroline Rowe	[phone]
finnCap (Joint Broker) Christopher Raggett, Tim Harper Natixis CIB Press Relations Vanessa Stephan	[phone] [phone] [e-mail]
Tavistock (Financial PR and IR) Simon Hudson, Rebecca Hislaire, Charles Baister	[phone] [e-mail]

The information communicated within this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No 596/2014 which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. Upon publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. The person who arranged for the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company was Peter Levine, Chairman.

Notes to Editors

ATOME

ATOME Energy PLC is an AIM listed company targeting green hydrogen and ammonia production with over 400-megawatt of projects in Paraguay and Iceland, through its subsidiaries ATOME Paraguay, which is wholly owned, and Green Fuel ehf, in which ATOME Energy holds a 75 per cent interest, respectively.

Since its admission to AIM in December 2021 ATOME has signed its first electrolyser purchase order for its hydrogen transport Mobility Division due to start generating revenue in 2023 and signed a large scale 60MW power purchase agreement with ANDE, the state energy company in Paraguay for production of green hydrogen and ammonia targeted to start operations at or around end 2024.

ATOME is in the process of operational planning, sourcing and negotiations with green electricity suppliers, equipment providers and offtake partners, including signed memoranda of understanding and cooperation agreements in place with key parties, to use electricity generated from existing geothermal sources in Iceland and hydroelectric power in Paraguay. All chosen sites are located close to the power and water sources and export facilities to serve significant domestic and then international demand.

The Company has a green-focused Board which is supported by major shareholders including   Peter Levine, Trafigura, one of the world's leading commodity and logistics company, and Schroders, a leading fund manager.

Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking

Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking is a leading global financial institution that provides advisory, investment banking, financing, corporate banking and capital markets services to corporations, financial institutions, financial sponsors and sovereign and supranational organizations worldwide.

Its  teams of experts in 30 countries advise clients on their strategic development, helping them to grow and transform their businesses, and maximize their positive impact. We are committed to supporting the environmental transition by aligning our financing balance sheet with a +1.5°C trajectory by 2050.

As part of the Global Financial Services division of Groupe BPCE, the second largest banking group in France through the Banque Populaire and Caisse d'Epargne retail networks, Natixis CIB benefits from the Group's financial strength and solid financial ratings (Standard & Poor's: A, Moody's: A1, Fitch: A+, R&I: A+).

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