Pattern Energy acquires interest in Montana’s Stillwater Wind Farm

Pattern Energy Stories

November 26, 2018

Pattern Energy Group announced the acquisition of a 35-MW owned interest in the Stillwater Wind facility from Pattern Energy Group 2 LP (Pattern Development 2.0). Stillwater commenced commercial operations in late October and is located in Stillwater County, Montana.

Stillwater Wind is made up of 31 Siemens Gamesa wind turbines, comprised of five 2.3-MW turbines with 108-m rotors and 26 2.625-MW turbines with 120-m rotors.

Here are key highlights from the transaction:

The cash purchase price for Pattern Energy’s 35-MW owned interest in Stillwater is approximately $23 million, which represents less than a 10x multiple of the five-year average cash available for distribution1 (CAFD)

  • First acquisition of an identified right of first offer (iROFO) project from Pattern Development 2.0
  • Increases Pattern Energy’s operating portfolio to nearly 4 GW of gross capacity, with more than 2.8 GW of owned capacity, across 24 projects, excluding the project it has agreed to sell
  • Pattern Energy acquired 51% of the class B interests in Stillwater for a total cash consideration of approximately $23 million, which represents a CAFD multiple of less than 10x of the five-year average CAFD, and was funded using available liquidity.

The Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP investments) acquired 49% of the class B interests in Stillwater. Pattern Energy will operate the facility.

“This accretive acquisition is another proof point of our ability to execute our growth strategy and increase our CAFD without relying on issuing common equity,” said Mike Garland, CEO of Pattern Energy. “Stillwater is the first of two projects from our iROFO list in Montana, a robust wind-resource region, and the fourth project we have executed under the joint venture arrangements with PSP Investments. It is also the first acquisition we have made directly from Pattern Development 2.0, providing meaningful benefits to the business through our 29% ownership interest in Pattern Development 2.0.”

During each year of operations, the 80-MW facility will generate energy equal to the needs of more than 23,000 Montana homes.