Vol 5, Issue 2 (February 2004)

Need to know

  • CORPORATE FINANCE

    Suez and Veolia continued their return to favour with the markets. The two companies’ share prices are up more than 20% since the beginning of November.

  • DEALS

    Much of the action this month has been in the industrial wastewater sector where both Veolia and Suez have announced major outsourcing contracts. Veolia won a €1 billion contract from French car manufacturer, PSA.

  • DESALINATION DEALS

    Eight bidding parties pre-qualified for an estimated m-m contract to build, own and operate a 22,500m<sup>3</sup>/d seawater RO plant in Nassau, capital of the Bahamas.

  • DISPUTES

    Tampa Bay Water has paid .4 million to Covanta to leave the troubled desalination facility it built for the Florida water authority.

  • EQUIPMENT COMPANY NEWS

    The Scandinavian SWTP consortium awarded a €2.5m contract to Dorr-Oliver Eimco UK to supply all the sedimentation equipment for the Southwest WwTP in St Petersburg, Russia.

  • PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION

    The Israeli government has finally agreed a proposal to restructure its bulk water agency Mekorot to prepare it for private sector participation.

Analysis

  • California dreaming . . .

    Poseidon’s plans for the Golden State make sense, despite the aspirations of the water districts.

General

  • Aquatrine winners coy on finance

    The UK’s Ministry of Defence contracts will need capital investment. UK correspondent Andrew Cavenagh asks where will it come from?

  • Brazil seeks PPP advantage

    Brazil's public private partnership bill has been tailored to attract investors. It looks like becoming law soon.

  • Can equity make a difference?

    Increasing the level of government equity in the project is unlikely to cut any ice with the sponsors. Private equity might have a different effect.

  • Darco warns of China payment delays

    The Singapore-based company has had difficulty with official approvals. As the rush to take a stake in China’s water sector continues, one Singapore-based firm has found that it is sometimes easier to put money into China than to get it out.

  • Delfland shows Europe the way

    The €400 million Delfland deal delivered big savings to the client. Taking control of the financing options seems to have been the key.

  • EBRD boosts its deal count

    The European multilateral’s mission is to take capitalism to the east. Last year it got as far as Tashkent.

  • EBRD deal highlights in 2003

    The bank has been breaking the multilateral mould. The EBRD Municipal and Environmental Infrastructure team sees itself as being at the forefront of innovation in the multilateral lending community. In addition to its equity investment in United Utilities’ central European portfolio reported in last month’s GWI, it broke new ground in a number of other deals.

  • Eurawasser takes stake in Lausitzer Wasser

    Suez’s German subsidiary hasn’t got the operations contract. It still wants to integrate the business.

  • Insight - David Lloyd Owen

    With a slew of deals this month, industrial outsourcing could be the fastest-growing part of the European water sector.

  • Mekorot prepared for private sector participation

    Veolia and Suez are in the frame for a strategic partnership. Israel’s bulk water supply company is to be restructured to enable private sector participation in some of its activities. The finance ministry and Mekorot finally agreed the plan in January, after five years of negotiations.

  • New options for Israel desal

    Israel’s desalination sector made an unexpected change in direction last month as the consortia charged with building four new desalination plants proposed scrapping two and doubling the capacity of the other two, and the prime minister Ariel Sharon voiced his support for further increasing the output of the Ashkelon plant.

  • Poseidon undaunted by desal decisions

    Although the Connecticut-based desal specialist has suffered set-backs at two of its sites, it might actually benefit the company.

  • Rating hitch delays Kielder deal

    Securitising the revenues from the reservoir will keep the regulator happy. But the rating agencies are taking their time.

  • Sabah puts the brakes on Ranhill deal

    Lack of agreement on tariffs is the key factor stalling the planned 40-year concession, observers say.

  • Saudis mull Shoaiba guarantee options

    A ministry of finance guarantee is available . . . for a fee. It is in WEC’s interest to pay it if it wants to keep project costs down.

  • Singapore firms sing China’s praises

    Darco may have had trouble getting money out of China but Dayen hasn’t, and other Singapore and Malaysian firms are queuing up for more of China’s water sector.

  • Thames eyes Shanghai

    RWE’s subsidiary wants a stake in one of the city’s four water companies. But will it take the whole deal on its own balance sheet?

Companies