Power & infrastructure

Most emerging market governments have identified the power sector as the single biggest driver of competitiveness and economic growth. However, this sector faces many challenges including volatile fuel prices and exchange rates, social and environmental concerns and implementing new technologies.

Sustained economic growth in emerging markets across Africa and globally is driving increased demand for infrastructure development, from commercial infrastructure such as ports, airports, roads and railways to social and public infrastructure including hospitals, prisons and schools.

Standard Bank's global power & infrastructure finance team based in Johannesburg, London, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, Moscow, Singapore, and Beijing is uniquely positioned to assist and advise clients in securing financing and refinancing in any power & infrastructure transaction.

Why talk to us?

• Our sector specialists have in-depth knowledge of the power industry, and customise innovative financing solutions to meet our clients’ individual requirements.
• Standard Bank’s expertise in both the energy and infrastructure sectors enables us to assist our clients in optimising their financing requirements along the entire power value chain, from fuel supply and transportation to electricity generation and distribution.
• We have participated in numerous regionally important infrastructure projects on the African continent. In many instances we remain involved in projects from inception through to closure of the financing.
• Dedicated client relationship managers manage and coordinate access to product specialists throughout the Standard Bank Group.
• We provide holistic and innovative financing solutions customised to each client’s specific requirements.
• By hiring locally in the countries we operate in, we gain local knowledge and an on-the-ground understanding of issues affecting our clients’ operations globally.
• We are experienced in proactively identifying potential projects and originating deals across Africa.
• We have established a track record in advising on all major power utilities particularly in Africa, and we are playing a key role as lead arranger for power stations in Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Nigeria, Guinea, Zambia and South Africa. These range from hydro-powered, natural gas-fired, coal-fired, nuclear and combined heat and power stations to the processing of renewable power such as solar and wind energy, as well as waste-to-energy projects.
• Our experience in public-private partnerships is garnered from our involvement in numerous projects between governments and state agencies.
• We have extensive experience in arranging export credit for projects involving cross-border investments, specialising in customised political risk structuring involving single or multi-sourced export finance, political risk insurance and development finance products.

Products and services

We offer innovative and holistic financing solutions for the power & infrastructure sector. Our comprehensive range of products and services includes:

• Customised vendor financing solutions for construction companies
• Local currency funding
• Project finance
• Asset finance
• Structured trade and commodity finance
• Export credit funding
• Working capital facilities
• Bridging finance facilities
• Price risk management and hedging products
• Foreign exchange and interest rate hedging
• Acquisition finance facilities

Contact us

Africa
Client relations
Paul Eardley-Taylor
+27 11 636 3229
paul.eardley-taylor@standardbank.co.za

Project Finance - Infrastructure
Ziyaad Sarang
+27 11 636 9878
ziyaad.sarang@standardbank.co.za

Project Finance - Power
Alastair Campbell
+27 11 636 6416
alastair.campbell@standardbank.co.za

Global
Client relations
Alan Buxton
+44 20 3145 8085
alan.buxton@standardbank.com

Project Finance
George Kotsovos
+44 20 3145 8089
+44 78 2708 3084
George.Kotsovos@standardbank.com

Recent deals

Gautrain High Speed Rail, US$3 billion, Public Private Partnership (PPP)

Standard Bank was Joint Mandated Lead Arranger to the Bombela Consortium, for the development of the approximately US$3 billion Gautrain high-speed rail PPP project linking Johannesburg to Pretoria, Sandton and OR Tambo Airport in Gauteng, South Africa. This is the largest greenfield rail concession currently under construction globally. The consortium consists of Bouygues TP, Bombardier, Murray & Roberts, SPG and French Metro operator RATP. The project closed in February 2007.

Lafarge Cement WAPCO, Medium Term Loan Facility

Standard Bank was appointed the Joint Mandated Lead Arranger for the €225 million (US$303 million) Medium Term Loan Facility to finance Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria's Lakatabu Expansion Project. The Project will enable Lafarge WAPCO to double its cement production capacity. The deal, which was closed in the middle of the liquidity crunch, was hugely oversubscribed.