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Overview

[China-Venezuela Joint Fund] CBD funds USD 275 million Margarita Island Transmission Line (linked to Record ID#58677)

Commitment Year2012Country of ActivityVenezuelaDirect Recipient Country of IncorporationVenezuelaSectorEnergyFlow TypeLoan

Status

Project lifecycle

Completion

Pipeline: PledgePipeline: CommitmentImplementationCompletion

Timeline

Key dates

Commitment date
Mar 1, 2012
Start (actual)
Jun 30, 2012
End (planned)
Mar 1, 2013
End (actual)
Dec 5, 2014

Stakeholders

Organizations involved in projects and activities supported by financial and in-kind transfers from Chinese government and state-owned entities

Ultimate beneficial owners

At least 25% host country ownershipAt least 25% Chinese ownership

Funding agencies

State-owned Policy Banks

  • China Development Bank (CDB)

Cofinancing agencies

Government Agencies

  • Fondo Nacional para el Desarrollo Nacional (FONDEN)

Receiving agencies

State-owned Banks

  • Banco de Desarrollo Económico y Social de Venezuela (BANDES)

State-owned Funds

  • China-Venezuela Joint Fund

Implementing agencies

State-owned companies

  • CORPOELEC
  • ZTE Corporation (formerly Zhongxing Telecommunication Equipment Corporation)

State-owned Funds

  • China-Venezuela Joint Fund

Collateral providers

State-owned companies

  • Pétroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA)

Loan desecription

[China-Venezuela Joint Fund] CBD funds USD 275 million Margarita Island Transmission Line

Interest typeUnknown

Collateral

The borrowing was collateralized with PDVSA income from daily oil sales to China National United Oil Corporation (ChinaOil), which was deposited in a collection (escrow) account at China Development Bank (CDB). Banco de Desarrollo Económico y Social de Venezuela (BANDES) opened and maintained a USD-denominated collection (escrow) account with CDB into which all proceeds from oil export sales -- under an offtake agreement (petroleum sales and purchase contract) between PDVSA and ChinaOil -- were deposited for the purposes of (a) making regular debt service payments to CDB, and (b) maintaining a minimum cash collateral balance. The borrower was required to maintain a minimum cash balance in the collection (escrow) account equivalent to no less than 1.3 times the aggregate amount of principal, interest, and any other amount due during the next repayment period. If the minimum cash balance was not maintained, then PDVSA would be responsible for increasing the amount of fuel and/or crude oil to be delivered under the petroleum sales and purchase contract to ensure that (a) the actual debt service coverage ratio was maintained at the required level at the required times; and (b) the amount in the New Collection Account was sufficient to meet the required balance requirements set out in the facility agreement. If PDVSA did not do so, then BANDES was responsible for transferring funds to the CDB-controlled bank account to 'remedy any shortfall.' The lender also had the ability to block the debtor from withdrawing the funds.

Narrative

Full Description

Project narrative

In March 2012, plans were announced to build a transmission cable from Chacopata to Margarita Island. On June 30, 2012, Corpoelec signed a contract with ZTE for a cable with a 400 MW capacity. The cable also included fiber optic cables for information transmission. The cable is composed of four conductors, and is 160 km long. The investment was USD 275 million. It was funded by the China-Venezuela Joint Fund (see Record ID#58677) and investments from FONDEN, a Venezuelan state-owned fund. The amount from the China fund is unclear. The project was inaugurated on December 5, 2014. It was capable of carrying 80 MW. Successful maintenance was done on the cable in August 2022 to improve internet on the island. In November 2022, there were problems with a plant on the island, so all of the power was supplied through the cable, which was only capable of meeting 50% of the demand.

Staff comments

1. No transaction amount is included because it is already captured in Record ID#58677.