NextEra Energy Partners, LP completes sale of Texas natural gas pipeline portfolio

Rhea-AI Summary

NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) closed the sale of its Texas natural gas pipeline portfolio to Kinder Morgan, Inc. for $1.815 billion. The portfolio consists of 7 pipelines, with an expected 2023 adjusted EBITDA of approximately $180 million. The sale price represents a 10 times multiple on the estimated 2023 adjusted EBITDA. After meeting closing conditions, the net proceeds of $1.4 billion will be used for equity buyouts of STX Midstream and NEP Renewables II convertible equity portfolio financings.

Insights

Financial Analyst

The divestiture of NextEra Energy Partners' Texas natural gas pipeline portfolio to Kinder Morgan for $1.815 billion is a significant transaction that merits close examination from a financial perspective. The sale price, pegged at roughly 10 times the estimated calendar-year 2023 adjusted EBITDA, aligns with valuation norms for midstream energy assets, which often range from 8 to 12 times EBITDA. This multiple indicates a fair market value transaction, neither at a steep premium nor discount.

From a liquidity standpoint, the net proceeds of $1.4 billion, after debt and swap extinguishment, bolster the partnership's balance sheet. The strategic deployment of these proceeds to address equity buyouts of STX Midstream and NEP Renewables II convertible equity portfolio financings is noteworthy. This move potentially reduces future dilution risk for existing unitholders and could be accretive to distributable cash flow per unit, a key metric for master limited partnerships (MLPs) like NextEra Energy Partners.

However, the divestiture also translates to a loss of stable, contracted cash flows from the sold assets, which must be weighed against the benefits of the transaction. The partnership's future growth trajectory will now depend more heavily on its remaining clean energy and natural gas infrastructure assets.

Energy Market Analyst

The transaction reflects a broader industry trend where energy companies are optimizing their asset portfolios, often shedding non-core assets to focus on strategic growth areas. For NextEra Energy Partners, the sale is in line with its transition plans, signaling a potential shift towards renewable energy projects, which may resonate with investors increasingly focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria.

Moreover, the divestiture's impact on the energy market, particularly in South Texas and Mexico, could be significant. The seven pipelines included in the deal are crucial infrastructure for natural gas transmission to these regions. Kinder Morgan's acquisition could result in operational synergies and enhanced service capabilities, given their extensive experience and existing assets in the area.

The market will also monitor how Kinder Morgan integrates these assets and whether this acquisition will lead to increased market share or improved competitive positioning within the natural gas midstream sector.

Legal Expert

The successful closure of the transaction following Hart-Scott-Rodino antitrust approval is a critical legal milestone. This federal antitrust regulation ensures that mergers and acquisitions do not reduce competition to the detriment of consumers. The approval implies that the transaction underwent rigorous scrutiny and was found not to create any anticompetitive concerns in the markets where these pipelines operate.

This legal clearance is essential for both parties, as it mitigates the risk of future regulatory challenges that could disrupt the transaction's benefits. It also sets a precedent for similar transactions in the energy sector, where consolidation is common but must always pass the litmus test of antitrust regulation.

JUNO BEACH, Fla., Dec. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) today announced it has closed on its previously disclosed agreement with Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE: KMI) to sell its Texas natural gas pipeline portfolio for $1.815 billion.

"The completion of this sale is an important step in NextEra Energy Partners' transition plans," said John Ketchum, chairman and chief executive officer. "With the Texas natural gas pipeline portfolio sale complete, the partnership has sufficient proceeds available to address the equity buyouts of the STX Midstream and NEP Renewables II convertible equity portfolio financings."

The Texas natural gas pipeline portfolio is primarily comprised of seven pipelines, which provide natural gas to Mexico and power producers and municipalities in South Texas. The total 2023 calendar-year adjusted EBITDA for the Texas natural gas pipeline portfolio is expected to be approximately $180 million, with roughly 70% associated with the transmission portion of the portfolio and the remaining 30% associated with the midstream pipelines. The sale price represented an approximate 10 times multiple on the estimated calendar-year 2023 adjusted EBITDA.

Upon receiving Hart-Scott-Rodino antitrust approval and meeting all remaining closing conditions, NextEra Energy Partners received net proceeds of $1.4 billion, after extinguishing project-related debt and associated interest rate swaps of approximately $430 million. With the STX Midstream convertible equity portfolio financing already paid off, NextEra Energy Partners expects to use the remaining net proceeds to complete the NEP Renewables II buyouts on their stated minimum buyout dates of June 2024 and June 2025, respectively.

This news release refers to adjusted EBITDA expectations. NextEra Energy Partners' adjusted EBITDA expectations represent projected (a) revenue less (b) fuel expense, less (c) project operating expenses, less (d) corporate G&A, plus (e) other income less (f) other deductions including IDR fees. Projected revenue as used in the calculations of projected EBITDA represents the sum of projected (a) operating revenues plus (b) a pre-tax allocation of production tax credits, plus (c) a pre-tax allocation of investment tax credits plus (d) earnings impact from convertible investment tax credits and plus (e) the reimbursement for lost revenue received pursuant to a contract with NextEra Energy Resources.

NextEra Energy Partners, LP
NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) is a growth-oriented limited partnership formed by NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). NextEra Energy Partners acquires, manages and owns contracted clean energy projects with stable, long-term cash flows. Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, NextEra Energy Partners owns interests in geographically diverse wind, solar and energy storage projects in the U.S. as well as natural gas infrastructure assets in Pennsylvania. For more information about NextEra Energy Partners, please visit: www.NextEraEnergyPartners.com.

Cautionary Statements and Risk Factors That May Affect Future Results

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical facts, but instead represent the current expectations of NextEra Energy Partners, LP (together with its subsidiaries, NEP) regarding future operating results and other future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of NEP's control. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements concerning NEP's transition plans, adjusted EBITDA, cash available for distributions (CAFD), and unit distribution expectations, as well as statements concerning NEP's future operating performance, equity issuance expectations, financing needs, expected proceeds from asset sales, and results of dispositions. In some cases, you can identify the forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "will," "may result," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "seek," "aim," "potential," "projection," "forecast," "predict," "goals," "target," "outlook," "should," "would" or similar words or expressions. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future performance. The future results of NEP and its business and financial condition are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause NEP's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties could require NEP to limit or eliminate certain operations. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: NEP's ability to make cash distributions to its unitholders is affected by the performance of its renewable energy projects which could be impacted by wind and solar conditions and in certain circumstances by market prices; operation and maintenance of renewable energy projects and pipelines involve significant risks that could result in unplanned power outages, reduced output or capacity, personal injury or loss of life; NEP's business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects can be materially adversely affected by weather conditions, including, but not limited to, the impact of severe weather; NEP depends on certain of the renewable energy projects and pipelines in its portfolio for a substantial portion of its anticipated cash flows; NEP may pursue the repowering of renewable energy projects and could expose NEP to project development risks; geopolitical factors, terrorist acts, cyberattacks or other similar events could impact NEP's projects, pipelines or surrounding areas and adversely affect its business; the ability of NEP to obtain insurance and the terms of any available insurance coverage could be materially adversely affected by international, national, state or local events and company-specific events, as well as the financial condition of insurers. NEP's insurance coverage does not provide protection against all significant losses; NEP relies on interconnection, transmission and other pipeline facilities of third parties to deliver energy from its renewable energy projects and to transport natural gas to and from its pipelines. If these facilities become unavailable, NEP's projects and pipelines may not be able to operate or deliver energy or may become partially or fully unavailable to transport natural gas; NEP's business is subject to liabilities and operating restrictions arising from environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, compliance with which may require significant capital expenditures, increase NEP's cost of operations and affect or limit its business plans; NEP's renewable energy projects or pipelines may be adversely affected by legislative changes or a failure to comply with applicable energy and pipeline regulations; Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) may claim certain immunities under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and Mexican law, and the subsidiaries' of NEP that directly own the natural gas pipeline assets located in Texas ability to sue or recover from Pemex for breach of contract may be limited and may be exacerbated if there is a deterioration in the economic relationship between the U.S. and Mexico; NEP does not own all of the land on which the projects in its portfolio are located and its use and enjoyment of the property may be adversely affected to the extent that there are any lienholders or land rights holders that have rights that are superior to NEP's rights or the U.S. Bureau of Land Management suspends its federal rights-of-way grants; NEP is subject to risks associated with litigation or administrative proceedings that could materially impact its operations, including, but not limited to, proceedings related to projects it acquires in the future; NEP's operations require NEP to comply with anti-corruption laws and regulations of the U.S. government and Mexico; NEP is subject to risks associated with its ownership interests in projects that are under construction, which could result in its inability to complete construction projects on time or at all, and make projects too expensive to complete or cause the return on an investment to be less than expected; NEP relies on a limited number of customers and is exposed to the risk that they may be unwilling or unable to fulfill their contractual obligations to NEP or that they otherwise terminate their agreements with NEP; NEP may not be able to extend, renew or replace expiring or terminated power purchase agreements (PPA), natural gas transportation agreements or other customer contracts at favorable rates or on a long-term basis; if the energy production by or availability of NEP's renewable energy projects is less than expected, they may not be able to satisfy minimum production or availability obligations under their PPAs; NEP's growth strategy depends on locating and acquiring interests in additional projects consistent with its business strategy at favorable prices; reductions in demand for natural gas in the U.S. or Mexico and low market prices of natural gas could materially adversely affect NEP's pipeline operations and cash flows; government laws, regulations and policies providing incentives and subsidies for clean energy could be changed, reduced or eliminated at any time and such changes may negatively impact NEP's growth strategy; NEP's growth strategy depends on the acquisition of projects developed by NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) and third parties, which face risks related to project siting, financing, construction, permitting, the environment, governmental approvals and the negotiation of project development agreements; acquisitions of existing clean energy projects involve numerous risks; NEP may continue to acquire other sources of clean energy and may expand to include other types of assets. Any further acquisition of non-renewable energy projects may present unforeseen challenges and result in a competitive disadvantage relative to NEP's more-established competitors; NEP faces substantial competition primarily from regulated utility holding companies, developers, independent power producers, pension funds and private equity funds for opportunities in North America; the natural gas pipeline industry is highly competitive, and increased competitive pressure could adversely affect NEP's business; NEP may not be able to access sources of capital on commercially reasonable terms, which would have a material adverse effect on its ability to consummate future acquisitions and pursue other growth opportunities; restrictions in NEP and its subsidiaries' financing agreements could adversely affect NEP's business, financial condition, results of operations and ability to make cash distributions to its unitholders; NEP's cash distributions to its unitholders may be reduced as a result of restrictions on NEP's subsidiaries' cash distributions to NEP under the terms of their indebtedness or other financing agreements; NEP's subsidiaries' substantial amount of indebtedness may adversely affect NEP's ability to operate its business, and its failure to comply with the terms of its subsidiaries' indebtedness could have a material adverse effect on NEP's financial condition; NEP is exposed to risks inherent in its use of interest rate swaps; widespread public health crises and epidemics or pandemics may have material adverse impacts on NEP's business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and ability to make cash distributions to its unitholders; NEE has influence over NEP; under the cash sweep and credit support agreement, NEP receives credit support from NEE and its affiliates. NEP's subsidiaries may default under contracts or become subject to cash sweeps if credit support is terminated, if NEE or its affiliates fail to honor their obligations under credit support arrangements, or if NEE or another credit support provider ceases to satisfy creditworthiness requirements, and NEP will be required in certain circumstances to reimburse NEE for draws that are made on credit support; NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (NEER) and certain of its affiliates are permitted to borrow funds received by NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP (NEP OpCo) or its subsidiaries and is obligated to return these funds only as needed to cover project costs and distributions or as demanded by NEP OpCo. NEP's financial condition and ability to make distributions to its unitholders, as well as its ability to grow distributions in the future, is highly dependent on NEER's performance of its obligations to return all or a portion of these funds; NEER's right of first refusal may adversely affect NEP's ability to consummate future sales or to obtain favorable sale terms; NextEra Energy Partners GP, Inc. (NEP GP) and its affiliates may have conflicts of interest with NEP and have limited duties to NEP and its unitholders; NEP GP and its affiliates and the directors and officers of NEP are not restricted in their ability to compete with NEP, whose business is subject to certain restrictions; NEP may only terminate the Management Services Agreement among, NEP, NextEra Energy Management Partners, LP (NEE Management), NEP OpCo and NextEra Energy Operating Partners GP, LLC under certain limited circumstances; if the agreements with NEE Management or NEER are terminated, NEP may be unable to contract with a substitute service provider on similar terms; NEP's arrangements with NEE limit NEE's potential liability, and NEP has agreed to indemnify NEE against claims that it may face in connection with such arrangements, which may lead NEE to assume greater risks when making decisions relating to NEP than it otherwise would if acting solely for its own account; NEP's ability to make distributions to its unitholders depends on the ability of NEP OpCo to make cash distributions to its limited partners; if NEP incurs material tax liabilities, NEP's distributions to its unitholders may be reduced, without any corresponding reduction in the amount of the IDR fee; holders of NEP's units may be subject to voting restrictions; NEP's partnership agreement replaces the fiduciary duties that NEP GP and NEP's directors and officers might have to holders of its common units with contractual standards governing their duties and the New York Stock Exchange does not require a publicly traded limited partnership like NEP to comply with certain of its corporate governance requirements; NEP's partnership agreement restricts the remedies available to holders of NEP's common units for actions taken by NEP's directors or NEP GP that might otherwise constitute breaches of fiduciary duties; certain of NEP's actions require the consent of NEP GP; holders of NEP's common units currently cannot remove NEP GP without NEE's consent and provisions in NEP's partnership agreement may discourage or delay an acquisition of NEP that NEP unitholders may consider favorable; NEE's interest in NEP GP and the control of NEP GP may be transferred to a third party without unitholder consent; reimbursements and fees owed to NEP GP and its affiliates for services provided to NEP or on NEP's behalf will reduce cash distributions from NEP OpCo and from NEP to NEP's unitholders, and there are no limits on the amount that NEP OpCo may be required to pay; increases in interest rates could adversely impact the price of NEP's common units, NEP's ability to issue equity or incur debt for acquisitions or other purposes and NEP's ability to make cash distributions to its unitholders; the liability of holders of NEP's units, which represent limited partnership interests in NEP, may not be limited if a court finds that unitholder action constitutes control of NEP's business; unitholders may have liability to repay distributions that were wrongfully distributed to them; the issuance of common units, or other limited partnership interests, or securities convertible into, or settleable with, common units, and any subsequent conversion or settlement, will dilute common unitholders' ownership in NEP, may decrease the amount of cash available for distribution for each common unit, will impact the relative voting strength of outstanding NEP common units and issuance of such securities, or the possibility of issuance of such securities, as well as the resale, or possible resale following conversion or settlement, may result in a decline in the market price for NEP's common units; NEP's future tax liability may be greater than expected if NEP does not generate net operating losses (NOLs) sufficient to offset taxable income or if tax authorities challenge certain of NEP's tax positions; NEP's ability to use NOLs to offset future income may be limited; NEP will not have complete control over NEP's tax decisions; and distributions to unitholders may be taxable as dividends. NEP discusses these and other risks and uncertainties in its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and other Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, and this news release should be read in conjunction with such SEC filings made through the date of this news release. The forward-looking statements made in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release and NEP undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

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SOURCE NextEra Energy Partners, LP

FAQ

What did NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NEP) announce?

NextEra Energy Partners, LP announced the closure of the sale of its Texas natural gas pipeline portfolio to Kinder Morgan, Inc. for $1.815 billion.

What is the expected 2023 adjusted EBITDA for the Texas natural gas pipeline portfolio?

The expected 2023 adjusted EBITDA for the Texas natural gas pipeline portfolio is approximately $180 million.

What will NextEra Energy Partners, LP do with the net proceeds of $1.4 billion?

NextEra Energy Partners, LP plans to use the net proceeds of $1.4 billion for equity buyouts of STX Midstream and NEP Renewables II convertible equity portfolio financings.