China Development Bank provides $23,191,304 loan to State Grid Brazil Holding S.A. in December 2014

Project narrative

On December 23, 2014, China Development Bank contracted a $23,191,304 loan to State Grid Brazil Holding S.A. for its subsidiary company Expansion Transmissão Itumbiara Marimbondo S.A. (ETIM). According to page 5 of the report released by State Grid Corporation of China the loan has an interest rate of LIBOR + 2.55% (Dec. 2014 6 month LIBOR average + 2.55 = 2.893%). Payments of principal and interest will be paid in 8 semiannual installments, beginning on June 20, 2015, and with final maturity on September 24, 2018. It is implied that State Grid International Development Co. Ltd (SGID) is involved, at the very least as guarantor, in this loan. SGID is a state-owned Chinese company that handles investment, construction, and operations of power grids. By way of background, in December 2010, State Grid Corporation of China acquired 100% stakes in seven Brazilian transmission concession companies through its wholly owned Brazilian subsidiary, State Grid Brazil Holding S.A. (“SGBH”), each with a secured 30-year operating right. The assets in these companies at the time of acquisition included transmission lines with a total length of 3,176 km, six 500 kV substations, two 500 kV switching stations and one 345 kV substation. SGBH assumed responsibility for operating these 7 transmission companies. Then, in May 2012, SGBH entered into an agreement to acquire another seven Brazilian transmission concession companies, each with a secured 30-year operating right. The seven companies’ assets at the time of acquisition included transmission lines with a total length of 2,792 km, 11 self-owned substations and 12 substations jointly controlled with others. These activities and other electricity transmission projects — including the 2,518 km Belo Monte ±800 kV UHVDC Transmission Project (or 巴西美丽山水电特高压直流送出二期项 or ±800千伏特高压直流输电工程) — have been supported by China Development through a series of loans.