REG - ATOME PLC - GCF approves $50m concessional finance for Villeta

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RNS Number : 4999P  ATOME PLC  03 July 2025

 

For immediate release

3 July 2025

 

ATOME PLC

("ATOME" or the "Company")

 

Green Climate Fund approves US$50 million in concessional finance to Villeta
Project

 

 

ATOME (AIM: ATOM), the leading developer of international green fertiliser
projects, is pleased to announce that the Green Climate Fund ("GCF"), the
world's largest climate fund, has approved US$50 million of concessional
finance for the Villeta Project ("the Project").

 

Highlights

 

·   The Board of GCF has approved US$50 million of concessional finance for
the Project, through the  International Finance Corporation, part of the
World Bank Group, as Accredited Entity

·    This finance is in addition to the senior debt financing package to
be provided by a consortium of leading international development finance
institutions

·    GCF is the world's largest climate fund, with a current portfolio of
approximately US$18 billion invested in various projects around the world

·     The concessional finance reduces the Project's cost of capital and
supports market competitiveness

·   GCF views the Project as a large-scale catalytic step towards
decarbonising fertiliser production across South America and importantly will
contribute to the sustainability, affordability and security of the food
supply chain

 

 

Olivier Mussat, CEO, commented:

 

"The Green Climate Fund's board approval of significant concessional finance
is a powerful validation of the Villeta Project's credibility, ambition, and
alignment with global sustainability goals.

 

"This highly competitive funding, alongside competitive senior debt support
from leading multilateral development institutions, will meaningfully lower
the overall cost of capital. By enhancing the value of the equity component,
it importantly enhances the bankability and value of the Project equity and
will assist in optimising returns for ATOME's shareholders.

 

"With daily momentum building on the US$630 million Villeta Project, we are
advancing confidently toward a Final Investment Decision in the coming
months."

 

 

For further information on ATOME, please visit the Company's Curation Connect
showcase at: https://app.curationconnect.com/company/Atome-71605
(https://app.curationconnect.com/company/Atome-71605)

 

For more information, please visit https://www.atomeplc.com or contact:

 

 ATOME PLC                                +44 (0) 113 337 2210
 Nikita Levine, Investor Relations
info@atomeplc.com

 Beaumont Cornish (Nominated Adviser)     +44 (0) 20 7628 3396
 Roland Cornish, Michael Cornish

 Stifel (Joint Broker)                    +44 (0) 20 7710 7600

 Jason Grossman, Ashton Clanfield
 SP Angel (Joint Broker)                  +44 (0) 20 3490 0470
 Richard Hail, Jen Clarke
 FTI Consulting (Communications Adviser)  +44 (0) 20 3727 1000

                                        atome@fticonsulting.com (mailto:atome@fticonsulting.com)
 Elizabeth Adams, Ben Brewerton

 

MAR

 

The information communicated within this announcement is deemed to constitute
inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No
596/2014 which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal)
Act 2018. Upon publication of this announcement, this inside information is
now considered to be in the public domain. The person who arranged for the
release of this announcement on behalf of the Company was Peter Levine,
Chairman.

 

About ATOME

 

ATOME PLC is an AIM-listed company targeting green fertiliser production with
445-megawatt of projects in Paraguay and a further pipeline of potential
projects in Central America. ATOME has now created its ATOME POWER division
which is in the early stages of developing a significant green power
generation and infrastructure business. ATOME's projects are situated at the
heart of one of the world's largest food export hubs - the Mercosur region in
the Southern Cone of South America with the Argentinian and Brazilian markets
next door. ATOME's production will disrupt the region's heavy dependence on
imported fossil fuel generated fertilizer, contributing to regional food
security goals.

 

ATOME's first project in Villeta, Paraguay, benefits from a 145MW renewable
power purchase agreement and 43 hectares of land in a tax-free zone. Front End
Engineering Design studies have been completed and Heads of Terms signed with
Yara International, the leading international fertiliser company, for offtake
of all of Villeta's green fertiliser production. In early 2025, ATOME
announced Hy24, the leading clean hydrogen asset manager, as anchor and lead
equity investor in the project, and confirmed the signing of the US$465
million fixed-price EPC contract with leading ammonia and fertilizer
engineering specialist Casale S.A. The Company is now negotiating the project
finance with a view to commencing work in 2025. There is a further up to 300MW
of renewable power reserved for ATOME in Paraguay.

 

In Costa Rica, The National Ammonia Corporation S.A. was formed in 2022 with
local partner Cavendish S.A. based in Costa Rica to develop green fertiliser
projects for the region. As well as straddling the Pacific and Atlantic
Oceans, Costa Rica is a democratic Central American country. In agriculture,
Costa Rica is the second largest supplier of pineapples in the world and is in
the top ten banana growers.

 

All power for ATOME is from 100% renewable sources and all chosen sites are
located close to the power and water sources and export facilities to serve
significant domestic and then international demand. Roughly a third of
human-caused GHG emissions is linked to food production according to UN data,
and fertiliser use and production is the source of more emissions than the
shipping and aviation industries combined. ATOME's green Calcium Ammonium
Nitrate product will contribute to decarbonising the food sector from the
bottom up, getting to the root of the food value chain's emissions. ATOME's
renewably-generated fertiliser is both clean and promotes high crop yields,
unlike conventional nitrogen fertiliser which has a heavy carbon footprint.

 

The Company has a green-focused Board which is supported by major shareholders
including Peter Levine, Schroders, a leading fund manager, and Baker Hughes, a
global technology company operating in the energy and industry sectors.

 

Other information

 

Beaumont Cornish Limited ("Beaumont Cornish") is the Company's Nominated
Adviser and is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish's
responsibilities as the Company's Nominated Adviser, including a
responsibility to advise and guide the Company on its responsibilities under
the AIM Rules for Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed
solely to the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for and
will not be responsible to any other persons for providing protections
afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for advising them in relation to
the proposed arrangements described in this announcement or any matter
referred to in it.

 

-ends-

 

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