(Bloomberg) -- Thames Water Utilities Ltd. has started a process to raise at least £3.3 billion ($4.3 billion) in equity that it needs to stay afloat.
The UK’s largest water and sewage operator began the procedure in the past week, meaning potential investors now have access to a data room that provides sensitive information about the company, according to a person familiar with the plans.
Thames and its adviser, Rothschild & Co., have approached numerous potential investors, including Brookfield Asset Management and Carlyle Group Inc., according to other people familiar with the process.
The company only has enough money to last through May and is awaiting a crucial ruling from regulator Ofwat on Dec. 19 that will state the allowed return on equity for investors and how much the supplier will be able to raise customer bills during the next five years.
Thames has said Ofwat’s current draft proposals make it “uninvestible.” It seeks a return of 5.7% for new equity and wants to boost its rates by as much as 59% by 2030.
The utility is seen as too big to fail, and without new funds it likely would be nationalized temporarily. Existing investors want to avoid the special administration process because a prolonged period under government control could mean they recover less of their money.
Politicians also aren’t keen to use taxpayer funds to bail out the beleaguered company.
Some of Thames Water’s biggest bondholders are devising a plan for an emergency cash injection to keep the company operating while they put together a plan to restructure the utility’s debt pile. They signed NDAs earlier this month to access sensitive information.
Last week, some holders of Class B securities split off from the wider group to work with separate legal representation.
Creditors said previously they wouldn’t inject cash without a signal from Ofwat that it’s willing to offer more attractive terms to investors. Ofwat is said to be considering higher returns because the crisis has raised borrowing costs across the industry.
Thames’ equity raise or debt restructuring won’t be finalized until after Ofwat’s December determinations. Ofwat has warned its ruling could be delayed because of the recent general election.
(Updates throughout with details on potential investors, Ofwat ruling.)
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