Hong Kong Tycoon Victor Li Nears £15 Billion Sale of U.K. Power Assets to Private Investors

(Bloomberg) -- A consortium led by Macquarie Group Ltd. and KKR & Co. is in advanced talks to buy the U.K. electricity distribution business controlled by Hong Kong tycoon Victor Li, in what could be one of the sector’s largest deals this year, people familiar with the matter said. 

The bidder group also includes APG, China Investment Corp., Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board and PSP Investments, according to the people. A deal could value UK Power Networks at as much as 15 billion pounds ($20 billion) and an agreement may be reached in the coming weeks, they said.

UK Power Networks is jointly owned by the Li family’s CK Infrastructure Holdings Ltd. and fellow group companies Power Assets Holdings Ltd. and CK Asset Holdings Ltd. 

Shares in CK Infrastructure climbed 5% in Hong Kong on Friday, their largest move in more than a year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Power Assets closed 1% higher, while CK Asset sank 0.9%.

Deliberations are ongoing and there’s no certainty they’ll result in a deal, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing confidential information. The business could also still attract interest from other infrastructure investors and energy companies, the people said.  

A representative for Li’s companies said the group often receives offers for different assets, declining to comment further. Representatives for APG, KKR, Macquarie, OTPP and PSP declined to comment, while a spokesperson for CIC couldn’t immediately provide comment. 

Formerly owned by France’s Electricite de France SA, UK Power Networks owns and maintains electricity cables across London and the south east and east of England and serves about 8.3 million homes. It was acquired in 2010 by Li’s companies.

Distribution grids are the local networks that feed directly into homes and businesses, putting them at the heart of the energy transition. Higher allocations from pension and sovereign wealth funds and investors’ desire for long-term, stable returns have made infrastructure one of the hottest sectors for dealmaking. 

Last year, National Grid Plc agreed to buy PPL Corp.’s U.K. electricity distribution business for 7.8 billion pounds as it prepares for a low-carbon future. As part of this push the London-listed utility is looking to offload its roughly $10 billion gas transmission business, which is drawing interest from Macquarie, Bloomberg News has reported.

Elsewhere, SSE Plc has lined up banks to lead the sale of minority stakes in two electricity networks valued at more than 10 billion pounds.

(Updates with share price moves in fourth paragraph.)

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