Acciona exits South Korean wind market

SOUTH KOREA: Global wind developer-operator Acciona has signed an agreement to sell its 61.5MW of online capacity in South Korea for KRW 162 billion (EUR 114 million) in an attempt to offset losses in the company's Spanish home market.

by Michael McGovern 11 November 2013

Acciona has not named the buyer, merely describing it as "a South Korean investment fund". Both parties aim to finalise the sale by December 2013.

When finalised, the Korean fund will take on 100% of the 61.5MW Yeong Yang I wind farm, together with a KRW 28 billion debt (EUR 114 million).

The plant, in operation since 2009 and located in the North Gyeongsang region, comprises 41 1.5MW turbines made in-house by Acciona “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç.

Acciona states the sale marks the first deal in its process of divestment in renewables, announced in March this year, "to counter the economic impact" of the Spanish government's freeze on new renewables projects and its retroactive slashing of feed-in tariffs on existing capacity.

In its March announcement, the company said it aimed to shed up to EUR 1 billion in renewables assets.