Agreement to procure renewable electricity

Source: RNS
RNS Number : 6127K
Mediclinic International plc
03 September 2021
 

Mediclinic International plc

(Incorporated in England and Wales)
Company Number: 08338604
LSE Share Code: MDC

JSE Share Code: MEI
NSX Share Code: MEP

ISIN: GB00B8HX8Z88

LEI: 2138002S5BSBIZTD5I60

("Mediclinic", the "Company", or the "Group")

 

3 September 2021

 

Mediclinic Southern Africa agreement to procure renewable electricity from Energy Exchange

 

Summary

·      Group strategy of becoming carbon neutral by 2030

·      Energy Exchange provides Mediclinic Southern Africa with a platform to access renewable energy from independent power producers at favourable electricity tariffs

 

Mediclinic, the diversified international private healthcare services group, announces that its Southern Africa division has entered into an agreement with Energy Exchange of Southern Africa ("Energy Exchange") to procure renewable electricity ("The Agreement").

 

As part of the Group's broad environmental, social and governance strategy, Mediclinic has set an ambitious target to become carbon neutral by 2030. Procuring renewable energy, specifically electricity, forms part of this Group strategy.  Mediclinic Southern Africa has agreed to acquire electricity through Energy Exchange, a platform where independent power producers ("IPPs") in South Africa can sell renewable energy.

 

Renewable energy is an emerging industry in South Africa. Energy Exchange is currently the only platform able to connect businesses with electricity generated by IPPs and which will have the necessary agreements in place with the state utility provider and local municipalities to make use of their networks for the distribution of renewable electricity.

 

While Mediclinic strongly believes that the use of renewable energy is important in ensuring a healthy planet for future generations, reducing consumption by investing in energy-efficient equipment and renewable energy sources also assists in mitigating rising electricity costs. In addition, the Agreement will likely provide an economic benefit as the annual tariff increases are expected to be inflation-linked.

 

Commenting today, Dr Ronnie van der Merwe, Group Chief Executive Officer, said:

"Mediclinic is committed to ensuring that every day we improve sustainability by managing our resources responsibly and efficiently to the benefit of our stakeholders and the environment.

 

"All divisions are taking steps to reduce their electricity consumption intensity through the adoption of the ISO 14001:2015 environmental management system. This will lead to improved operational efficiency of technical installations; the introduction of various new energy-efficient and renewable technologies; and changes in employee behaviour regarding energy use.

 

"Mediclinic is proud to participate in this pioneering renewable electricity initiative with Energy Exchange, enabling us to, over time, add more of our facilities to their network as we strive towards achieving the Group's target of being carbon neutral by 2030."

 

The Agreement's total value is limited to £110m. Entering into the Agreement is a smaller-related party transaction under Listing Rule 11 of the Financial Conduct Authority's ("FCA") United Kingdom ("UK") Listing Rules, as Remgro Ltd is both a substantial shareholder in Mediclinic, and one of the founding partners and 35% shareholder in Energy Exchange. The Agreement is therefore subject to the requirements of FCA Listing Rule 11.1.10R.

 

Cautionary Statement

This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements relating to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, including with respect to the progress, timing and completion of the Group's development; the Group's ability to treat, attract and retain patients and clients; its ability to engage consultants and healthcare practitioners and to operate its business and increase referrals; the integration of prior acquisitions; the Group's estimates for future performance and its estimates regarding anticipated operating results; future revenue; capital requirements; shareholder structure; and financing. In addition, even if the Group's actual results or development are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement, those results or developments may not be indicative of the Group's results or developments in the future. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "could", "should", "may", "expects", "aims", "targets", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", or similar. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the Group's current expectations as of the date of this announcement and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In particular, the Group's expectations could be affected by, among other things, uncertainties involved in the integration of acquisitions or new developments; changes in legislation or the regulatory regime governing healthcare in Switzerland, South Africa, Namibia and the UAE; poor performance by healthcare practitioners who practise at its facilities; unexpected regulatory actions or suspensions; competition in general; the impact of global economic changes; the impact of pandemics, including COVID-19; and the Group's ability to obtain or maintain accreditation or approval for its facilities or service lines. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements made in this announcement will in fact be realised and no representation or warranty is given as to the completeness or accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement.

 

The Group is providing the information in this announcement as of this date, and disclaims any intention to, and makes no undertaking to, publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

About Mediclinic International plc

 

Mediclinic is a diversified international private healthcare services group, established in South Africa in 1983, with divisions in Switzerland, Southern Africa (South Africa and Namibia) and the United Arab Emirates ("UAE").

 

The Group's core purpose is to enhance the quality of life.

 

Its vision is to be the partner of choice that people trust for all their healthcare needs.

 

Mediclinic is focused on providing specialist-orientated, multi-disciplinary services across the continuum of care in such a way that the Group will be regarded as the most respected and trusted provider of healthcare services by patients, medical practitioners, funders and regulators of healthcare in each of its markets.

 

At 30 June 2021, Mediclinic comprised 74 hospitals, five subacute hospitals, two mental health facilities, 18 day case clinics and 18 outpatient clinics. Hirslanden operated 17 hospitals and four day case clinics in Switzerland with more than 1 900 inpatient beds; Mediclinic Southern Africa operations included 50 hospitals (three of which in Namibia), five sub-acute hospitals, two mental health facilities and 12 day case clinics (four of which operated by Intercare) across South Africa, and around 8 600 inpatient beds; and Mediclinic Middle East operated seven hospitals, two day case clinics and 18 outpatient clinics with more than 900 inpatient beds in the UAE. In addition, under management contracts, Mediclinic Middle East operates one hospital in Abu Dhabi and will open a 200-bed hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in mid-2022.

 

The Company's primary listing is on the London Stock Exchange ("LSE") in the UK, with secondary listings on the JSE in South Africa and the Namibian Stock Exchange in Namibia.

 

Mediclinic also holds a 29.9% interest in Spire Healthcare Group plc, a leading private healthcare group based in the UK and listed on the LSE.

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Investor Relations, Mediclinic International plc

James Arnold, Head of Investor Relations

ir@mediclinic.com

+44 (0)20 3786 8181

 

Media queries

FTI Consulting

Ben Atwell/Ciara Martin - UK

+44 (0)20 3727 1000

Sherryn Schooling - South Africa

+27 (0)21 487 9000

 

Registered address: 6th Floor, 65 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7NQ, United Kingdom

Website: www.mediclinic.com 

Corporate broker: Morgan Stanley & Co International plc and UBS Investment Bank

JSE sponsor (South Africa): Rand Merchant Bank (A division of FirstRand Bank Limited)

NSX sponsor (Namibia): Simonis Storm Securities (Pty) Ltd

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