Western Wind Energy - Project Valuations
By Western Wind Energy, PRNEWednesday, June 8, 2011
Western Wind Project Valuations, June 9, 2011 -
Western Wind Energy Corp. ("Western Wind" or the "Company")
(TSX.V - "WND") is pleased to provide the following additional information
relating to the valuation news releases dated February 24 and May 27, 2011
for the Windstar, Kingman I, Mesa and Yabucoa assets:
Valuation Summary
(in millions $) Windstar Kingman I Mesa Yabucoa Total FMV $358 $32 $25 $206 $624 Cash grant $99 $8 $- $58 $166 Other assets $25 $1 $- $4 $30 Total assets $482 $41 $25 $268 $820 Liabilities Senior debt ($205) ($16) ($-) ($90) ($316) Cash grant bridge ($55) ($4) ($-) ($45) ($104) Other bridge ($15) ($4) ($-) ($176) ($35) Total liabilities ($275) ($24) ($-) ($152) ($455) Net Value to Equity $207 $17 $25 $116 $365 US$ Net Value to Equity $203 $16 $24 $110 $353 C$
Valuation Methodology Used by DAI Management Consultants, Inc.
("DAI").
- The fair market value (FMV) , exclusive of the cash grant,
was determined from a blend of the FMV as determined using the enterprise
valuation income approach , also known as the free cash flows-to-equity
approach, and the replacement cost;
- The total project values were deternined by adding the US
Federal cash grant to the FMV;
- The total Value of Equity was determined by adding the total
project values to balance sheet assets such as debt service reserves and
working capital and subtracting senior debt and construction bridge loans;
- Valuation figures are based on completion and assumes
projects will be completed as planned;
- The US dollar equity valuations were translated to Canadian
dollars using an exchange rate of US$1=C$.9832 for Phase I and US$1=C$.9691
for Phase II.
Risks
- Market conditions may change or the owner may not locate
markets at the appraised values;
- This appraisal is not a guarantee of a sale price;
- DAI has not investigated as to the existence of any liens or
encumbrances;
- DAI did not inspect the sites or the proposed equipment as a
part of the valuation engagement and has relied upon the representations of
the Independent Engineer as to the condition and operation of the Kingman and
Windstar projects;
- This appraisal does not recognize or consider any improper
use, effect, or disposal of any hazardous substance.
Key Assumptions, Hypothesis and Contingencies
General
- The projects are assumed to be built, placed into service,
and operated as described by the project independent engineer or otherwise
assumed by Western Wind.
- Proper maintenance practices to occur as described by the
project independent engineer and required by the projects' operation and
maintenance agreements.
- No restrictions to be placed on the projects' operations
because of changes in environmental regulations or local government
requirements beyond those considered explicitly in the valuation reports.
Project Specific
Windstar Kingman I Mesa Yabucoa Project type 120MW wind 10MW wind, 30 MW Wind 30MW Solar and size 0.5MW Solar Commercial Dec 31, 2011 Dec 31, 2011 Existing Dec 1, 2012 operation operations date in valuation model Remaining 30 years 30 years 20 years 30 years asset life (older assets) Power fixed price for fixed price for fixed price fixed price for Purchase years 1 to 20 years 1 to 20 per CPUC MPR years 1 to 20 Agreement via signed PPA via signed PPA for years via signed PPA (PPA) and merchant and merchant 1-20 and merchant prices prices prices thereafter thereafter thereafter Land Owned Owned 27 year 40 year lease right of way Tax 30% cash grant 30% cash grant None 30% cash grant, incentives and 100% bonus and 100% bonus 50% bonus depreciation depreciation depreciation and 50% Puerto Rico investment tax credit Source of key Independent Independent Management Management assumptions engineer engineer Debt 54% 54% 35% 43% -to-capital ratio Term of debt 20 years 20 years 15 years 20 years Cost of debt 6.0% 6.0% 5.1% 6.0% Discount rate Under PPA: Under PPA: Under PPA: Under PPA: on equity 11.48% Merchant 11.51% Merchant 10.52% 10.96% Merchant returns generator:15.75% generator:15.85% generator:14.74% Merchant generator:NA Weighting of 75% 75% 100% 75% income approach vs cost approach Construction 5% 5% NA 5% cost contingencies
Project Status
Windstar
- Financing fully committed;
- 65% of foundations are complete;
- Towers are being erected and 25% of the turbines have been
delivered;
- Outstanding items are substations, turbine commissioning and
transmission line interconnection.
Kingman
- Financing fully committed;
- All foundations completed and all wind turbines have been
erected;
- Outstanding items are substation and solar panel
installation and transmission line interconnection.
-
Mesa
- Has been operating under Western Wind's ownership since
2006;
- Repower and expansion PPA's and transmission under
negotiation;
- Has obtained full approval by the BLM for the repower and
expansion.
Yabucoa
- PPA and land lease signed;
- EPC contract under negotation;
- Financing mandate letter signed with Rabobank;
- Additional outstanding items include executing a solar panel
supply agreement, obtaining government approval for the Puerto Rico
investment tax credit and constructing the project.
Western Wind Energy has filed with the TSX Venture Exchange as
confidential filings, the Independent Engineers Report for Windstar, The
Lenders Final Financial Pro Forma for Windstar and full copies of the
valuation reports for Windstar, Kingman,Yabucoa and Mesa.
The valuation listed the COD for Kingman as December 31, 2011
but the contracted and expected COD is July 27, 2011. All turbines at Kingman
have been fully erected.
About DAI Management Consultants , Inc.
Founded in 1987, DAI is a consulting firm specializing in
valuation and risk management services for the power and energy
infrastructure sectors. DAI provides a comprehensive suite of analytical
services addressing the technical, regulatory, and economic issues that
directly affect power and energy projects. DAI has provided appraisal and
valuation services for numerous power projects, including some of the largest
existing and proposed renewable energy projects in the U.S. Clients of DAI
have included the United States Internal Revenue Service, state and municipal
government agencies, major public and private utilities, financial
institutions and independent power producers.
DAI's appraisals of Western Wind's assets have been prepared
under the direction of Steve Dean, ASA, P.E., DAI's Managing Principal, who
is certified by the American Society of Appraisers as an Accredited Senior
Appraiser in the Public Utilities (Machinery and Technical Specialties) area.
Over the past three years, Mr. Dean has provided apprasials for almost 3,000
MW of wind projects throughout the U.S. Steve Dean's appraisal qualifications
and experience can be found at:
www.daimc.com/AppraisalQualificationsPackage.pdf.
About Western Wind
Western Wind is a vertically integrated renewable energy
electrical production company that currently owns over 500 wind turbines with
165 MW of net rated capacity either in production or in construction in the
States of California and Arizona. Western Wind further owns additional
development assets for both solar and wind energy in California, Arizona, and
Ontario, Canada; and in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Western Wind is in the business of owning and acquiring land
sites and technology for the production of electricity from wind and solar
energy. Management of Western Wind includes individuals involved in the
operations and ownership of utility scale wind energy facilities in
California since 1981.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
"SIGNED"
Jeffrey J. Ciachurski
President & Chief Executive Officer
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as
that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking
statements" under applicable securities laws, which involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be
materially different from any future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by such statements. Words such as "expects",
"anticipates", "intends", "projects", "plans", "will", "believes", "seeks",
"estimates", "should", "may", "could", and variations of such words and
similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.
Such statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, the
Company's discussion concerning the Offer. These statements are based on
management's current expectations and beliefs and actual events or results
may differ materially. There are many factors that could cause such actual
events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements to
differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by such
statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the state of the
Company's business activities and various factors discussed in the Company's
annual report and annual information contained in the Company's 20F Annual
Report filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and
securities regulators in Canada. Forward-looking statements are based on
current expectations and the Company assumes no obligation to update such
information to reflect later events or developments, except as required by
law.
Contact: 1326 - 885 WEST GEORGIA STREET TELEPHONE: +1-604-685.WIND (9463) VANCOUVER, BC V6C 3E8 FACSIMILE: +1-604-685-9441
www.westernwindenergy.com
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