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Nature of the business
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Nature of the business [Abstract]  
Nature of the business
Note 1. - Nature of the business
 
Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure plc (“Atlantica” or the “Company”) is a sustainable total return infrastructure company that owns, manages and acquires renewable energy, efficient natural gas, electric transmission lines and water assets focused on North America (the United States, Mexico and Canada), South America (Peru, Chile and Uruguay) and EMEA (Spain, Algeria and South Africa).

Atlantica’s shares began trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “ABY” on June 13, 2014. The symbol changed to “AY” on November 11, 2017.

Algonquin Power & Utilities (“Algonquin”) is the largest shareholder of the Company and currently owns a 44.2% stake in Atlantica. Algonquin’s shareholding in Atlantica may be increased up to a 48.5% without any change in corporate governance. Algonquin’s voting rights and rights to appoint directors are limited to 41.5% and the difference between Algonquin´s ownership and 41.5% will vote replicating non-Algonquin’s shareholders vote. Algonquin does not consolidate the Company in its consolidated financial statements.

During the year 2019, the Company completed the following acquisitions:


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On May 24, 2019, Atlantica and Algonquin formed Atlantica Yield Solutions Canada Inc. (“AYES Canada”), a vehicle to channel co-investment opportunities in which Atlantica holds the majority of voting rights. AYES Canada’s first investment was in Amherst Island, a 75 MW wind plant in Canada owned by the project company Windlectric, Inc. (“Windlectric”). Atlantica invested $4.9 million and Algonquin invested $92.3 million, both through AYES Canada, which in turn invested those funds in Amherst Island Partnership (“AIP), the holding company of Windlectric.


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On August 2, 2019, the Company closed the acquisition of ASI Operations LLC (“ASI Ops”), the company that performs the operation and maintenance services to Solana and Mojave plants. The consideration paid was $6 million.


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On August 2, 2019, the Company closed the acquisition of a 30% stake in Monterrey, a 142 MW gas-fired engine facility (“Monterrey”) and paid $42 million for the total investment.


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On October 22, 2019, the Company closed the acquisition of ATN Expansion 2 from Enel Green Power Perú, for a total equity investment of approximately $20 million, controlling the asset from this date. Transfer of the concession agreement is pending authorization from the Ministry of Energy in Peru. If this authorization were not to be obtained before December 2020, the transaction would be reversed with no penalties to Atlantica. Enel Green Power Perú issued a bank guarantee to face this potential repayment obligation to Atlantica.

During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020, the Company completed the following acquisitions:


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On April 3, 2020, the Company made an initial investment in the creation of a renewable energy platform in Chile, together with financial partners, where it owns approximately a 35% stake and has a strategic investor role. The first investment was the acquisition of a 55 MW solar PV plant in an area with excellent solar resource (“Chile PV I”). This asset has been in operation since 2016 demonstrating a good operating track record while selling its production in the Chilean power market. The platform intends to make further investments in renewable energy in Chile and to sign PPAs with credit worthy off-takers. The Company’s initial contribution was approximately $4 million.


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In January 2019, the Company entered into an agreement with Abengoa S.A. (“Abengoa”) under the Abengoa ROFO Agreement for the acquisition of Befesa Agua Tenes, a holding company which owns a 51% stake in Ténès Lilmiyah SpA (“Tenes”), a water desalination plant in Algeria. The Company paid in January 2019 an advance payment of $19.9 million. Closing of the acquisition was subject to conditions precedent which were not fulfilled. In accordance with the terms of the share purchase agreement, the advance payment was converted into a secured loan to be reimbursed by Befesa Agua Tenes, together with 12% per annum interest, through a full cash-sweep of all the dividends to be received from the asset. In October 2019, the Company received a first payment of $7.8 million through the cash sweep mechanism. On May 31, 2020, the Company entered into a new $4.5 million secured loan agreement with Befesa Agua Tenes, in addition to the initial one granted in 2019. The aggregate amount owed at that date, including interest accrued, was $14.0 million. This new loan agreement is expected to be reimbursed by Befesa Agua Tenes, together with 12% per annum interest, through a full cash-sweep of all the dividends to be received from the Tenes asset. The new agreement signed with Abengoa provides Atlantica with a majority at the board of directors of Befesa Agua Tenes together with a series of decision rights at the Tenes level, and a call option over the shares of Befesa Agua Tenes at a call price of $1, among others.


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On August 17, 2020, the Company closed the acquisition of Liberty’s equity interest in Solana. Liberty was the tax equity investor in the Solana project. Total equity investment is expected to be approximately $290 million of which $272 million has already been paid. Total price includes a deferred payment and a performance earn-out based on the average annual net production of the asset in the four calendar years with the highest annual net production during the five calendar years of 2020 through 2024.

The following table provides an overview of the main assets the Company owned or had an interest in as of September 30, 2020:

Assets
Type
Ownership
Location
Currency(9)
Capacity
(Gross)
Counterparty
Credit Ratings(10)
COD*
Contract
Years
Left(14)
         
Solana
Renewable
(Solar)
100%
Arizona
(USA)
USD
280 MW
A-/A2/A-
2013
24
         
Mojave
Renewable
(Solar)
100%
California
(USA)
USD
280 MW
BB-/WR/BB
2014
20
         
Chile PV I
Renewable
(Solar)
35%(8)
Chile
USD
55 MW
N/A
2016
N/A
         
Solaben 2 & 3
Renewable
(Solar)
70%(1)
Spain
Euro
2x50 MW
A/Baa1/A-
2012
18/17
         
Solacor 1 & 2
Renewable
(Solar)
87%(2)
Spain
Euro
2x50 MW
A/Baa1/A-
2012
17/17
         
PS10/PS20
Renewable
(Solar)
100%
Spain
Euro
31 MW
A/Baa1/A-
2007&
2009
12/14

Helioenergy 1 & 2
Renewable
(Solar)
100%
Spain
Euro
2x50 MW
A/Baa1/A-
2011
17/17
         
Helios 1 & 2
Renewable
(Solar)
100%
Spain
Euro
2x50 MW
A/Baa1/A-
2012
18/18
         
Solnova 1, 3 & 4
Renewable
(Solar)
100%
Spain
Euro
3x50 MW
A/Baa1/A-
2010
15/15/16
         
Solaben 1 & 6
Renewable
(Solar)
100%
Spain
Euro
2x50 MW
A/Baa1/A-
2013
19/19
         
Seville PV
Renewable
(Solar)
80%(6)
Spain
Euro
1 MW
A/Baa1/A-
2006
16
         
Kaxu
Renewable
(Solar)
51%(3)
South
Africa
Rand
100 MW
BB-/Ba1/
BB(11)
2015
15
         
Palmatir
Renewable
(Wind)
100%
Uruguay
USD
50 MW
BBB/Baa2/BBB-(12)
2014
14
         
Cadonal
Renewable
(Wind)
100%
Uruguay
USD
50 MW
BBB/Baa2/BBB-(12)
2014
15
         
Melowind
Renewable
(Wind)
100%
Uruguay
USD
50 MW
BBB/Baa2/BBB-
2015
16
         
Mini-Hydro
Renewable
(Hydraulic)
100%
Peru
USD
4 MW
BBB+/A3/BBB+
2012
13
         
ACT
Efficient
natural gas
100%
Mexico
USD
300 MW
BBB/ Ba2/
BB-
2013
13
         
Monterrey
Efficient
natural gas
30%
Mexico
USD
142 MW
Not rated
2018
19
         
ATN (13)
Transmission
line
100%
Peru
USD
379 miles
BBB+/A3/BBB+
2011
21
         
ATS
Transmission
line
100%
Peru
USD
569 miles
BBB+/A3/BBB+
2014
24
         
ATN 2
Transmission
line
100%
Peru
USD
81 miles
Not rated
2015
13
         
Quadra 1/2
Transmission
line
100%
Chile
USD
49 miles/
32 miles
Not rated
2014
15/15
         
Palmucho
Transmission
line
100%
Chile
USD
6 miles
BBB+/Baa1/
A-
2007
18
         
Chile TL3
Transmission
line
100%
Chile
USD
50 miles
A+/A1/A
1993
Regulated
         
Skikda
Water
34.2%(4)
Algeria
USD
3.5 M
ft3/day
Not rated
2009
14
         
Honaine
Water
25.5%(5)
Algeria
USD
7 M ft3/
day
Not rated
2012
18
         
Tenes
Water
51%(7)
Algeria
USD
7 M ft3/
day
Not rated
2015
20

(1)          Itochu Corporation, a Japanese trading company, holds 30% of the shares in each of Solaben 2 and Solaben 3.

(2)          JGC, a Japanese engineering company, holds 13% of the shares in each of Solacor 1 and Solacor 2.

(3)          Kaxu is owned by the Company (51%), Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (29%) and Kaxu Community Trust (20%).

(4)          Algerian Energy Company, SPA owns 49% of Skikda and Sacyr Agua, S.L. owns the remaining 16.83%.

(5)          Algerian Energy Company, SPA owns 49% of Honaine and Sacyr Agua, S.L. owns the remaining 25.5%.

(6)          Instituto para la Diversificación y Ahorro de la Energía (“Idae”), a Spanish state owned company, holds 20% of the shares in Seville PV.

(7)          Algerian Energy Company, SPA owns 49% of Tenes.

(8)           65% of the shares in Chile PV I is held by a renewable energy platform in Chile.

(9)          Certain contracts denominated in U.S. dollars are payable in local currency.

(10)        Reflects the counterparty’s credit ratings issued by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, or S&P, Moody’s Investors Service Inc., or Moody’s, and Fitch Ratings Ltd, or Fitch.

(11)        Refers to the credit rating of the Republic of South Africa. The offtaker is Eskom, which is a state-owned utility company in South Africa.

(12)        Refers to the credit rating of Uruguay, as UTE (Administración Nacional de Usinas y Transmisoras Eléctricas) is unrated.

(13)        Including the acquisition of ATN Expansion 1 & 2.

(14)        As of December 31, 2019.

(*)          Commercial Operation Date.

The project financing arrangement of Kaxu contains cross-default provisions related to Abengoa such that debt defaults by Abengoa, subject to certain threshold amounts and/or a restructuring process, could trigger a default under the Kaxu project financing arrangement. In March 2017, Atlantica obtained a waiver with respect to its Kaxu project financing arrangement which waived any potential cross-defaults with Abengoa up to that date, but the waiver did not cover potential future cross-default events. The restructuring process and the pre-insolvency filing by the individual company Abengoa S.A. in August 2020 represent a theoretical event of default under the Kaxu project finance agreement. Although the Company does not expect the acceleration of debt to be declared by the credit entities, Kaxu did not have contractually as of September 30, 2020 what International Accounting Standards define as an unconditional right to defer the settlement of the debt for at least twelve months after that date, as the cross-default provisions make that right not unconditional. Thus, the total debt of Kaxu, which amounts to $324 million as of September 30, 2020, has been presented as current in these consolidated financial statements in accordance with International Accounting Standards 1 (“IAS 1”), “Presentation of Financial Statements”. The Company is currently negotiating with the creditors a waiver and/or contract modifications in this regard.

Outbreak of COVID-19

The outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease (“COVID-19”) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020 and continues to spread in key markets of the Company. The COVID-19 virus continues to evolve rapidly, and its ultimate impact is uncertain and subject to change. Governmental authorities have imposed or recommended measures or responsive actions, including quarantines of certain geographic areas and travel restrictions.

Main risks and uncertainties identified by the Company, which may result in a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, are:


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COVID-19 may affect the operation and maintenance employees of the Company as well as suppliers of operation and maintenance. Furthermore, COVID-19 has caused travel restrictions and significant disruptions to global supply chains. A prolonged disruption could limit the availability of certain parts required to operate the facilities of the Company and adversely impact the ability of its operation and maintenance suppliers. If the Company were to experience a shortage of or inability to acquire critical spare parts, it could incur significant delays in returning facilities to full operation.


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Slowdown of broad sectors of the economy, a general reduction in demand, including demand for commodities and a negative impact on prices of commodities, including electricity, oil and gas. The global outbreak also caused significant disruption and volatility in the global financial markets, especially from the end of February until the end on May 2020, including the market price of the shares of the Company. Debt and equity markets have also been affected and there have been weeks with a very low number of new debt and equity issuance transactions. Interest rates for new issuances and spreads with respect to treasury yields increased significantly. Although the revenue of the Company are generally contracted or regulated, clients may be affected by a reduced demand, lower commodity prices and the turmoil in the credit markets. A reduced demand and low prices persisting over time could cause delays in collections, a deterioration in the financial situation of the clients of the Company or their bankruptcy.

Measures taken by the Company so far have focused on reinforcing safety measures in all its assets while it continues to provide a reliable service to its clients. For example, the Company has implemented the use of additional protection equipment, reinforced access control to its plants, reduced contact between employees, changed shifts, tested employees, identified and isolated potential cases together with their close contacts and taken additional measures to increase safety measures for its employees and operation and maintenance suppliers’ employees working at its assets. Furthermore, the Company has adopted additional precautionary measures intended to mitigate potential risks to its employees, including temporarily requiring all employees to work remotely when their work can be done from home, and suspending all non-essential travel. The Company has also reinforced its physical and cyber-security measures. In May 2020, the Company started to re-open certain offices at partial capacity and under strict safety measures and since then has decided to close certain offices again, based on health indicators in each region. In addition, the Company has increased the purchase of spare parts and equipment required for operations, to manage potential disruptions in the supply chain. The Company continues to monitor the situation closely in all assets and offices to take additional action if required.

COVID-19 did not have any material impact on these condensed interim financial statements.