Report for the three months ended 31 March 2024
Orrön Energy reported record-high Q1 power generation of 274 GWh. The company sold its 50% stake in Leikanger hydropower plant for MEUR 53 in April 2024, enhancing liquidity.
Orrön acquired a portfolio of wind and battery projects in Finland and progressed solar and battery projects in Germany and the UK. Q1 financials showed MEUR 3.0 cash flow from operations and MEUR 5.1 EBITDA with significant liquidity headroom of MEUR 190.
Despite a lower revenue of MEUR 12.3, Orrön aims for long-term growth through strategic divestments and new project developments.
- Record high Q1 power generation of 274 GWh.
- Sale of 50% interest in Leikanger hydropower plant for MEUR 53.
- Acquisition of a greenfield wind and battery project portfolio in Finland.
- Significant progress in solar and battery projects in Germany and the UK.
- Q1 cash flows from operating activities amounted to MEUR 3.0.
- Proportionate EBITDA of MEUR 5.1 achieved in Q1.
- Increased liquidity headroom by MEUR 30.
- Revenue decreased to MEUR 12.3 compared to MEUR 14.0 in the previous year.
- Operating profit (EBIT) showed a loss of MEUR 1.0.
- Net result for Q1 was a loss of MEUR 2.6.
- EPS was negative at EUR -0.01.
- Estimated annual power generation reduced from 1,100 GWh to 1,000 GWh due to the Leikanger sale.
Highlights
- Power generation in the first quarter amounted to 274 GWh, which is a record high quarterly production for the Company.
- Sale of the 50 percent interest in the non-core Leikanger hydropower plant in April 2024 for MEUR 53, demonstrating the value of the Company’s underlying asset base and enabling recycling of capital into higher return opportunities.
- Acquired a greenfield portfolio in January 2024 of up to 180 MW of wind and battery projects in Finland, with land secured for all wind turbine locations and initiation of the first permitting process during the first quarter.
- Continued to mature the greenfield portfolio, including signing binding land agreements for the first 500 MW of solar and battery projects in Germany and progressing pre-permit work in Germany and in the UK.
Consolidated financials – 3 months
- Cash flows from operating activities amounted to MEUR 3.0.
Proportionate financials – 3 months
- Achieved electricity price amounted to EUR 49 per MWh, resulting in proportionate EBITDA of MEUR 5.1.
- Proportionate net debt of MEUR 91.2, with significant liquidity headroom available through the MEUR 190 revolving credit facility.
- Increased liquidity headroom by MEUR 30 following the sale of the Leikanger hydropower plant in April 2024.
Financial Summary
Orrön Energy owns renewables assets directly and through joint ventures and associated companies and is presenting proportionate financials to show the net ownership and related results of these assets. The purpose of the proportionate reporting is to give an enhanced insight into the Company’s operational and financial results.
Expressed in MEUR | 1 Jan 2024- 31 Mar 2024 3 months | 1 Jan 2023- 31 Mar 2023 3 months | 1 Jan 2023- 31 Dec 2023 12 months | |
| Consolidated financials | ||||
| Revenue | 12.3 | 11.4 | 28.0 | |
| EBITDA | 3.1 | 4.6 | -5.1 | |
| Operating profit (EBIT) | -1.0 | 1.6 | -17.0 | |
| Net result | -2.6 | 0.0 | -7.6 | |
| Earnings per share – EUR | -0.01 | 0.00 | -0.03 | |
| Earnings per share diluted – EUR | -0.01 | 0.00 | -0.03 | |
| Proportionate financials1 | ||||
| Power generation (GWh) | 274 | 214 | 765 | |
| Average price achieved per MWh – EUR | 49 | 66 | 47 | |
| Revenue | 13.5 | 14.0 | 36.2 | |
| EBITDA | 5.1 | 6.7 | 5.3 | |
| Operating profit (EBIT) | 0.0 | 2.6 | -11.0 |
1 Proportionate financials represent Orrön Energy’s proportionate ownership (net) of assets and related financial results, including joint ventures. For more details see section Key Financial Data in the Q1 Report 2024.
Comment from Daniel Fitzgerald, CEO of Orrön Energy AB
“We continued to deliver against our strategy in the first quarter 2024, with revenue growth supported by strong operational performance and higher electricity prices. Notwithstanding the exclusion of the Leikanger asset, following its reclassification to asset held for sale in January, we achieved the Company’s highest quarterly power generation of 274 GWh, with good uptime across our asset base and Karskruv online for the full quarter. I am very pleased to see that Karskruv delivered high availability during its first months of operation, and this asset will continue to contribute significant long-term cash flow to the business. We achieved prices of almost EUR 50 per MWh for the quarter, with electricity prices at higher levels at the beginning of the quarter, then impacted by lower prices in March as energy demand eased and Europe filled its gas storage facilities towards the end of the winter months.
We announced the sale of the Leikanger asset in April and the sales price clearly demonstrates the underlying value and attractiveness of our assets to external buyers, and the gap between our share price and the value of our assets. We are always focussed on the best ways to create value and through this divestment we have successfully unlocked significant value from a non-core asset at an attractive price, enabling us to recycle capital into higher return projects. The estimated free cash flow from Leikanger for 2024 was approximately MEUR 2.5 (assuming an achieved price of around EUR 50 per MWh) and the sales price of MEUR 53 represents more than 20 years of undiscounted free cash flow. The proceeds from the sale strengthens our balance sheet, increases our financial capacity to fund growth and enables us to create more value for shareholders over the long term. Following the sale of Leikanger, we are reducing our estimated annual power generation for 2024 from 1,100 GWh to 1,000 GWh.
Maturing our Development Portfolio
During the quarter, we continued to mature our pipeline of onshore wind, solar and battery storage projects and to add more early-stage projects into our Swedish portfolio. At the end of the first quarter, we had received approved building permits for 37 MW of battery projects in Sweden. We acquired a Finnish portfolio of projects, where land has been secured and the permitting process has already been initiated for the largest project. Our development teams continue to lay the foundations for future growth, where, having already secured over 30 GW of grid capacity in the UK, we have secured exclusive access and binding land agreements on multiple projects in the UK and Germany. Given the scarcity of large-scale projects across these countries and the low breakeven cost of our onshore portfolio, I expect these projects to deliver material value for the Company as we monetise projects at key milestones.
Power generation and financial performance
We delivered in line with our expenditure guidance and achieved proportionate revenues of MEUR 13.5, proportionate EBITDA of MEUR 5.1 and ended the period with a proportionate net debt position of MEUR 91.2. In the beginning of 2024, we increased our revolving credit facility from MEUR 150 to MEUR 190. Following completion of the Leikanger sale in early May, our finance facility reduced to MEUR 170 and combined with the sale proceeds of MEUR 53, this leads to a MEUR 30 increase in our liquidity headroom to MEUR 130, giving us ample firepower for acquisitions and growth.
Starting the year in a strong position
We delivered our highest quarterly power generation, good financial results and good progress on our development pipeline. Our focus remains unchanged, creating long-term value for shareholders, and the sale of Leikanger is a perfect example of this and allows us to recycle capital into higher return opportunities. Looking forward, we will continue maturing and growing our project portfolio, adding organic growth opportunities into our pipeline and I am confident that we will be able to continue executing on value accretive opportunities going forwards.”
Webcast
Listen to Daniel Fitzgerald, CEO and Espen Hennie, CFO commenting on the report and presenting the latest developments in Orrön Energy and its future growth strategy at a webcast held on 14 May 2024 at 14.00 CEST. The presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session.
Registration for the webcast presentation is available on the website and the below link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fkArPYliRz-yrPImvX3tkg
For further information, please contact:
Robert Eriksson
Director Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations
Tel: +46 701 11 26 15
robert.eriksson@orron.com
Jenny Sandström
Communications Lead
Tel: +41 79 431 63 68
jenny.sandstrom@orron.com
Orrön Energy is an independent, publicly listed (Nasdaq Stockholm: “ORRON”) renewable energy company within the Lundin Group of Companies. Orrön Energy’s core portfolio consists of high quality, cash flow generating assets in the Nordics, coupled with greenfield growth opportunities in the Nordics, the UK, Germany and France. With financial capacity to fund further growth and acquisitions, and backed by a major shareholder, management and Board with a proven track record of investing into, leading and growing highly successful businesses, Orrön Energy is in a unique position to create shareholder value through the energy transition.
Forward-looking statements
Statements in this press release relating to any future status or circumstances, including statements regarding future performance, growth and other trend projections, are forward-looking statements. These statements may generally, but not always, be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “seek”, “will”, “would” or similar expressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that could occur in the future. There can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements due to several factors, many of which are outside the company’s control. Any forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date on which the statements are made and the company has no obligation (and undertakes no obligation) to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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