Mast
Energy Developments PLC
(Incorporated in England and
Wales)
(Registration Number:
12886458)
LEI :213800HFVHGJ9YGO9F71
Share code on the LSE:
MAST
ISIN: GB00BMBSCV12
('MED' or 'the Company')
Dated: 21 May 2024
Mast Energy Developments PLC
('MED' or 'the Company')
Business
Update
Mast Energy Developments PLC,
the UK-based multi-asset owner, developer and operator in the
rapidly growing flexible power market, is pleased to announce an
update regarding business operational and corporate
matters.
Pyebridge
Further to the Company's previous
announcements dated 11 April 2024, 26 April 2024 and most recently
7 May 2024 respectively, Pyebridge has received the 2nd
Advance from RiverFort under the Funding Agreement, and it has made
the associated payments to the site's O&M contractor, Cooper
Östlund in terms of the Engineering Works contract regarding the
full long-block overhaul of the first genset. The replacement
genset has been shipped from the supplier, PowerUp in Austria, and
is expected to arrive on site shortly. The necessary preparatory
works on site to replace the existing genset with the refurbished
unit are well advanced and on track. The expected timeline to
completion of the work and commercial operations date of the
refurbished genset as previously announced remains on
schedule. The 2nd Advance
also enables the acceleration of the overhaul of the first genset,
and once the work is completed will result in a significant
increase in additional revenue from the Pyebridge site and more
importantly sooner than expected.
In the meantime, the site's other
two gensets remain operational and will continue to generate
revenue via its PPA with Statkraft. Additionally, Pyebridge will
also keep receiving its current Capacity Market contract income
from the government.
Project Capex Funding
Further to the Company's previous
announcement dated 11 April 2024, most of MED's sites under
development are either ready for construction, or already in
early-stage construction. The progression of construction and
commercial operations are subject to securing project capex
funding. In order to address this key next step in respect of these
projects' development lifecycle i.e. to get each project into
production and generating revenue, MED is actively progressing
discussions with various potential debt and equity funders. These
discussions include banking institutions that have shown interest
in providing funding.
JVA
with Proventure Termination Update
Further to the Company's previous
announcement dated 28 February 2024, stating Proventure's failure
to remedy its material breach of the JVA, together with the
exhaustive correspondence and actions on MED's part to accommodate
and resolve the persistent delays by Proventure to fulfil its
obligations under the JVA, the MED Board has decided to terminate
the JVA with Proventure as previously announced. Under the
provisions of the JVA and subsequent JVA Deed of
Termination, MED is entitled to receive,
and Proventure has an obligation to pay default penalties, in the
sum of c. £435,000 (the "Default Penalties"). The Default Penalties
have formally been accepted by Proventure, but regrettably none of
the required Default Penalties, nor any part thereof have been paid
to date. The Company subsequently reviewed
the matter with its legal advisers, and is currently considering
various options that will allow the Company to pursue the matter by
taking appropriate further action against Proventure, its CEO,
Mr. Srinivas Kona and other directors aimed at but not
limited to recovering the Default
Penalties.
In conjunction with the above, MED
is also considering pursuing its available options for legal
recourse against the initial JVA lead-investor, Seira
Capital and its CEO, Mr. Srinivas Tangirala and other
directors.
Pieter Krügel, MED CEO, commented: "We are pleased that
the overhaul of the first genset at Pyebridge is progressing well
and on schedule. We are looking forward to completing the overhaul
work within the expected timeline, and to move forward with the
overhaul of the remaining two gensets. In the meantime, Pyebridge
is operational and generating income.
"Concurrently we are actively progressing discussions with
various interested funders regarding the capex funding of MED's
construction-ready sites, in order to get each project into
production and revenue generation as quickly as
possible.
"We are looking forward to updating the market with further
progress across the board in due course."
ENDS
This announcement contains inside information for the purposes
of the UK version of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU No. 596/2014)
as it forms part of United Kingdom domestic law by virtue of the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ('UK MAR'). Upon the
publication of this announcement, this inside information is now
considered to be in the public domain.
For further information please
visit www.med.energy or contact:
Pieter Krügel
|
info@med.energy
|
Mast Energy
Developments PLC
|
CEO
|
Jon Belliss
|
+44 (0)20 7399 9425
|
Novum Securities
|
Corporate Broker
|