Press releases
Legal & General completes first UK offshore wind investment
Legal & General announces that it has provided close to £300m of long-term acquisition debt in support of Danish pension funds, PKA and PFA consortium’s approx £2bn purchase of 50% of Walney Extension from Ørsted (the former Dong Energy).
20 Nov 2017
Walney Extension, which is currently under construction, will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm with a capacity of 660 megawatt (MW), providing enough power for over 590,000 homes.
LGIM Real Assets was an anchor investor, structuring and providing both commercial debt and Export Credit Agency (ECA) wrapped debt on this transaction. The acquisition represents Legal & General’s first debt investment into UK offshore wind sector and its second largest infrastructure debt investment, after the £400m London Gateway Port refinancing in 2016. The deal was financed by LGIM Real Assets on behalf of their clients, including Legal & General Retirement (LGR). LGR was the principal investor for LGIM Real Assets on this transaction, providing £250M of the circa £300M of long-term acquisition debt.
The Walney Extension offshore wind farm will be located in the Irish Sea, around 19 km west of the Walney Island coast in Cumbria. Approximately £1 Million per month was contributed to the local economy during the construction of Walney I and II. It is also estimated that for the Walney Extension Project, Ørsted could support up to 185 full-time jobs annually throughout the estimated 25 year operational lifespan.
Charles-Henry Lecointe, Senior Investment Manager, LGIM Real Assets, said: “This deal represents our first offshore wind investment for LGIM clients. We have a strong appetite for future investments into this sector as well as other renewable sectors, recognising the importance the offshore wind industry can have for providing clean energy and stimulating job growth in the UK. Legal & General continues to be committed to investing in key UK infrastructure assets which will have a major impact on stimulating economic growth while ensuring long-term cash flow for pension funds.”
Kerrigan Procter, Chief Executive Officer, Legal & General Retirement, said: “Offshore wind is a growing industry in the UK, and we are very pleased to have completed our first investment with one of the most experienced and respected names in the industry. It is a great investment fit for us as it enables us to fulfil pension promises to our customers in an efficient way, whilst playing a part in driving job creation and economic growth, which is good for business as well as our customers.”
Further information
Olivia Bayliss
Head of Communications
Capital and LGIM Real Assets
Notes to editors
LGIMRA is a division of Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), one of Europe’s largest
institutional asset managers and a major global investor. LGIM manages £1.29 trillion1 ($1.57tn) in
assets, working with a range of global clients, including pension schemes, sovereign wealth funds, fund distributors and retail investors.
LGIM Real Assets has assets under management of £36 billion2 ($43.8bn) and is one of the largest
private markets investment managers in the UK. Investing in both debt and equity and across the
risk/return spectrum, LGIM Real Assets actively invests in and manages assets across commercial,
operational and residential property sectors, as well as infrastructure, real estate, corporate and
alternative debt.
Taking a long-term view in order to future proof our investments, LGIM Real Assets continues to lead the industry in ESG performance, considering all environmental, social and governance issues at asset level as well as portfolio level.
1LGIM internal data as at 30 June 2022. These figures include assets managed by LGIMA, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Data includes derivative positions.
2Source: LGIM Real Assets. AUM data as at 30 June 2022.
*at 13 Jan 2023
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
For professional clients only. Past performance is not a guide to the future. The value of an investment and any income taken from it is not guaranteed and can go down as well as up, you may not get back the amount you originally invested. Views expressed are of LGIM as at 12 January 2023. The Information in this document (a) is for information purposes only and we are not soliciting any action based on it, and (b) is not a recommendation to buy or sell securities or pursue a particular investment strategy; and (c) is not investment, legal, regulatory or tax advice. Legal & General Investment Management Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 02091894. Registered Office: One Coleman Street, London, EC2R 5AA. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, No. 119272.
Legal & General Retirement Institutional (LGRI) works with trustees and sponsoring companies of defined benefit (DB) pension schemes of all sizes to settle their pension obligations and secure scheme members’ benefits, through a full range of buy-ins, buyouts and other de-risking solutions. Our Client Services’ 12-month rolling Net Promoter Score (NPS) is above +70, which is widely regarded as being at a “world class” level. Legal & General is the UK’s longest-standing active bulk annuity provider.
Our UK Retirement annuity book stands at an estimated £86.1 billion at 31 December 2023. Across the group over £30 billion is invested in direct investments that deliver positive social and environmental impacts, such as clean energy and affordable housing. Legal & General provides income and pension security to more than a million retirement customers around the world.
Established in 1836, Legal & General is one of the UK's leading financial services groups and a major global investor, with £1.2 trillion in total assets under management1 of which 40% is international. We have a unique and highly synergistic business model, which continues to drive strong returns. Legal & General provides powerful asset origination and management capabilities directly to clients, which also underpin our leading retirement and protection solutions. We are a leading international player in Pension Risk Transfer, in UK and US life insurance, and in UK workplace pensions and retirement income. Our purpose is to improve the lives of our customers and create value for our shareholders. Through inclusive capitalism, we are investing in long-term assets, such as real estate and infrastructure, that can help build a better society for the future.
1Data as at 31 December 2023.