Villeta Project Update

Summary by AI BETAClose X

ATOME PLC has announced that negotiations with its Equity Consortium for the US$650 million Villeta Project, a 260,000 tonnes-per-year low-carbon fertiliser plant in Paraguay, are in the final stages, with definitive documentation being finalised. The longstop date for these negotiations has been extended to 17 April 2026, coinciding with the IMF and World Bank Group Spring Meetings where project equity and debt participants are expected to be present. A further announcement will be made following these meetings.

Disclaimer*

ATOME PLC
10 April 2026
 

 

For immediate release

10 April 2026

 

 

ATOME PLC

("ATOME" or the "Company")

 

 

Villeta Project Update

 

ATOME (AIM: ATOM), the world-leading low-carbon fertiliser developer and the UK's only dedicated international industrial scale low-carbon fertiliser company, provides an update on the funding of its US$650 million landmark, 260,000 tonnes-per-year, low-carbon fertiliser plant at Villeta, Paraguay ("Villeta" or "the Project").

 

Villeta Project Funding

 

The negotiations with the Equity Consortium are now in the very final stages with definitive documentation being finalised by each party's legal counsel.

 

The longstop date referred to in the announcement of 13 March 2026 has been extended by a week to 17 April 2026.

 

This date coincides with the International Monetary Fund ("IMF") and World Bank Group 2026 Spring Meetings, held in Washington D.C. It is presently projected that representatives of all Project equity and debt participants will be together at that time.

 

A further announcement will be made at or on conclusion of the Spring Meetings.

 

 

 

For further information on ATOME, please visit the Company's Curation Connect showcase at: https://app.curationconnect.com/company/Atome-71605

 

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

 

ATOME PLC
Nikita Levine, Investor Relations

 

+44 (0) 113 337 2210
info@atomeplc.com

Beaumont Cornish (Nominated Adviser)
Roland Cornish, Michael Cornish

 

+44 (0) 20 7628 3396

Stifel (Joint Broker)

Jason Grossman, Ashton Clanfield

+44 (0) 20 7710 7600

SP Angel (Joint Broker)
Richard Hail, Jen Clarke

+44 (0) 20 3490 0470

FTI Consulting (Communications Adviser)

Ben Brewerton

+44 (0) 20 3727 1000
atome@fticonsulting.com

MAR

 

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.

 

About ATOME

 

ATOME PLC is an AIM-listed company targeting green fertiliser production with 445-megawatt of projects in Paraguay and a further pipeline of potential projects in Central America. ATOME has now created its ATOME POWER division which is in the early stages of developing a significant green power generation and infrastructure business. ATOME's projects are situated at the heart of one of the world's largest food export hubs - the Mercosur region in the Southern Cone of South America with the Argentinian and Brazilian markets next door. ATOME's production will disrupt the region's heavy dependence on imported fossil fuel generated fertilizer, contributing to regional food security goals.

 

ATOME's first project in Villeta, Paraguay, benefits from a 145MW renewable power purchase agreement and a 30-hectare site in a tax-free zone, with an option already secured to purchase an additional 13 hectares of adjacent land. Front End Engineering Design studies have been completed and a 10-year Definitive Offtake Agreement signed with Yara International, the leading international fertiliser company, for offtake of all of Villeta's green fertiliser production. In early 2025, ATOME announced Hy24, the leading clean hydrogen asset manager, as anchor and lead equity investor in the project, and confirmed the signing of the US$465 million fixed-price EPC contract with leading ammonia and fertilizer engineering specialist Casale S.A. The Company is now negotiating the project finance with a view to commencing work in 2026. There is a further up to 300MW of renewable power reserved for ATOME in Paraguay.

 

In Costa Rica, The National Ammonia Corporation S.A. was formed in 2022 with local partner Cavendish S.A. based in Costa Rica to develop green fertiliser projects for the region. As well as straddling the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, Costa Rica is a democratic Central American country. In agriculture, Costa Rica is the second largest supplier of pineapples in the world and is in the top ten banana growers.

 

All power for ATOME is from 100% renewable sources and all chosen sites are located close to the power and water sources and export facilities to serve significant domestic and then international demand. Roughly a third of human-caused GHG emissions is linked to food production according to UN data, and fertiliser use and production is the source of more emissions than the shipping and aviation industries combined. ATOME's green Calcium Ammonium Nitrate product will contribute to decarbonising the food sector from the bottom up, getting to the root of the food value chain's emissions. ATOME's renewably-generated fertiliser is both clean and promotes high crop yields, unlike conventional nitrogen fertiliser which has a heavy carbon footprint.

 

The Company has a green-focused Board which is supported by major shareholders including Peter Levine, Schroders, a leading fund manager, and Baker Hughes, a global technology company operating in the energy and industry sectors.

 

Other information

 

Beaumont Cornish Limited ("Beaumont Cornish") is the Company's Nominated Adviser and is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish's responsibilities as the Company's Nominated Adviser, including a responsibility to advise and guide the Company on its responsibilities under the AIM Rules for Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed solely to the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for and will not be responsible to any other persons for providing protections afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for advising them in relation to the proposed arrangements described in this announcement or any matter referred to in it.

 

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