The shareholders of Neoenergia – Iberdrola (39%), Caixa de Previdência dos Funcionários do Banco do Brasil (Previ) (49.01%) and BB Banco de Investimentos (Banco do Brasil) (11.99%) – have reached an agreement by which the company will take on the activity and businesses of Elektro, the Brazilian affiliate of Iberdrola1.
This will create the biggest electricity utility in Brazil and the first in Latin America in terms of customer numbers, with 13.4 million users and an important role of its regulated businesses.
The Chairman of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, pointed out that “thanks to the agreement with our partners, Previ and Banco do Brasil, the biggest power company in Brazil and Latin America is now being created, further strengthening our commitment to the energy development of Brazil.
“The integration of Elektro into Neoenergia aims to fulfil the goals of our 2016-2020 Strategic Prospects: committing to regulated and stable businesses while consolidating and controlling the management of our activity in Brazil,” he added.
The resulting company – which will combine electricity distribution, transmission, generation and retail assets from Neoenergia and Elektro – will have, approximately, the following stake distribution: 52.45% will be controlled by Iberdrola; 38.21% will be held by Previ and 9.35% by Banco do Brasil.
The shareholder agreement includes Iberdrola’s commitment to list part of the capital whenever Previ and Banco de Brasil deem it appropriate.
Transaction structure
The transaction announced today will be carried out under the formula known as incorporação: Neoenergia will execute a capital increase that will be subscribed wholly by Iberdrola, whose increased stake in the company will be in return for Elektro’s assets.
Also, the three owners of Neoenergia have signed a new shareholder agreement (replacing the previous one from 2005) which includes, amongst others, the following items: the approval of certain reserved matters by bolstered majorities; limits on the transfer of company shares; the right of Iberdrola to appoint a majority of the members of the Board of Neoenergia; and Iberdrola’s obligation to channel all of its investments in Brazil through the company.
The transaction is contingent on approval from the General Shareholders’ Meetings of Neoenergia and Elektro and from the relevant Brazilian authorities CADE and ANEEL, as the usual fare for this type of operations indicates.
The leading electricity company in Brazil
The agreement approved by Neoenergia will give rise to the biggest electricity company in Brazil and Latin America’s largest by customer numbers, at 13.4 million. The company will service a territory with a population of more than 43 million people, compared to 18 million people in Iberdrola’s area of influence in Spain.
Its concession area will cover 836,000 square kilometres, compared to 190,000 square kilometres in Spain, while its distribution network will be 585,000 kilometres long against 268,000 kilometres in Spain.
The company, which is mainly regulated, will also be present in the wind energy and hydroelectric generation business, with a capacity 2,080 megawatts (MW) operational and 1,460 MW under development, as well as in thermoelectric power generation, with 530 MW operational.
The new Neoenergia will have a regulated share base valued at around R$14.1 billion – about €3.65 billion.
If full year 2016 figures for Elektro and Neoenergia were combined, the new company would have generated revenue of some €7.93 billion. Gross operating profit (Ebitda) would have been roughly €934 million.
About Neoenergia
Neoenergia is a leading energy company involved in energy distribution, generation, transmission and retail, with a presence in 11 states. The company provides services under concession in an area of over 37 million people.
At the end of 2016, Neoenergia had 10.8 million supply points in Brazil and its total volume of electricity distributed was over 38,000 gigawatt hours (GWh).
Currently, it is owned by PREVI (49.01%), Iberdrola (39%) and Banco do Brasil (11.99%). It also owns 50% of the joint venture Força Eólica do Brasil (the other 50% owned by Elektro) which develops and operates wind energy projects.
About Elektro
Elektro is an electricity distribution, generation and retail company, 99.99% owned by Iberdrola.
It operates in the states of São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul, in a concession area of over six million people. At the close of 2016, Elektro had 2.6 million supply points in Brazil and distributed around 16,000 GWh of electricity.
It holds a 50% stake (the other 50% owned by Neoenergia) in the joint venture Força Eólica do Brasil which develops and operates wind energy projects.
