London CNN —Investors are refusing to inject billions in new money into Britain’s biggest water company, leaving the beleaguered business at risk of an emergency government takeover.
“After more than a year of negotiations with the regulator, Ofwat has not been prepared to provide the necessary regulatory support for a business plan which ultimately addresses the issues that Thames Water faces,” the shareholders said.
In its turnaround plan published in October, Thames Water, which is saddled with £14 billion ($17.7 million) in debt, proposed to jack up the average annual customer bill by 40% by 2030.
The first £500 million ($630 million) of that sum was due by Sunday, March 31.
“Based on the feedback provided by Ofwat to Thames Water to date, the regulatory arrangements that would be expected to apply to Thames Water… make the (turnaround plan) uninvestible,” the utility said in a statement Thursday.
Persons:
Ofwat, Chris Weston, “, Jeremy Hunt, Weston, ”, Olesya Dmitracova
Organizations:
London CNN — Investors, Ofwat, Thames, Water, Reuters, Government, BBC
Locations:
Thames, London, England, China, Abu Dhabi, British, Wales