The directors present their strategic report on Black Hill Wind Farm Limited ("the Company") for the year ended 31 December 2023.
The results for the year are set out on page 9.
The profit for the financial year, after taxation, amounted to £7,043,564 (2022: profit of £13,666,573).
At the Statement of financial position date, net assets are £10,518,410 (2022: £14,414,846).
The directors are satisfied with the overall performance of the Company and do not foresee any significant change in the Company's activities in the coming financial year.
There has been a large decrease in the profit for the financial year due to the prior period electricity market having exceptionally high energy prices for a period of time, this was always expected to impact energy prices temporarily.
Ordinary dividends were paid amounting to £10,940,000 (2022: £7,123,579). The directors do not recommend payment of a final dividend.
Future Developments
The directors intend for the business to continue to operate in line with the contractual terms and do not expect any strategic changes. There have been discussions regarding re-powering of the wind farm beyond its initial contract, which was to expire in 2027. The contract expiry is now 2032 which is in line with the land rental agreements and planning permission.
Maintenance Risk
The Company's maintenance risk is held by the company. The Company has a maintenance contract with a third party that covers a large degree of maintenance risk. In order to ensure costs are recorded in the year in which they are incurred, routine monitoring is carried out on maintenance costs, this compares actual spend to a pre-approved budget.
Price Risk
The Company's price risk is the exposure to price fluctuations in electricity generation prices. The Company continues to monitor these prices and can take the option to fix the price received for a specified period of time.
Liquidity Risk
Cash flows are generated on the sale of wind generated electricity and associated benefits. The project cash-flows are reasonably predictable. The Company's exposure to cash flow fluctuations will continue to be monitored. The Company has no external debt and costs are comfortably covered by revenue.
Contract Performance Risk
The Company's contract performance risk is mostly mitigated as operations and maintenance service contract has been subcontracted to a third party provider.
Many of the cash flow risks are addressed by means of contractual provisions.
Investments of cash surpluses are made through banks which must fulfil credit rating criteria approved by the Board.
All customers who wish to trade on credit terms are subject to credit verification procedures. Trade debtors are monitored on an ongoing basis and provision is made for doubtful debts where necessary.
The directors do not consider KPI's appropriate given the nature of the business. The company is performing well and in the prior financial year it paid off the loan with the senior debt provider, therefore assessment of the company's performance against loan covenants is no longer appropriate.
The directors recognise that it is important to disclose their view of the impact of climate change on the company. The company's key operational contracts are long-term and with a small number of known counterparties. In most cases, the cashflows from these contracts can be predicted with reasonable certainty for at least the medium-term. Having considered the company's operations, its contracted rights and obligations and forecast cash flows, there is not expected to be a significant impact upon the company's operational or financial performance arising from climate change.
These financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis for the reasons set out in the Accounting Policies.
This report was approved by the board of directors on 27 June 2024 and signed on behalf of the board by:
The directors present their annual report and the audited financial statements of Black Hill Wind Farm Limited ("the Company") for the year ended 31 December 2023.
Details of the results and dividends are noted in the Strategic report.
The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of approval of the financial statements were as follows:
Details of the financial instruments are noted in the Strategic report.
The auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, are deemed to be reappointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.
The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have prepared the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards, comprising FRS102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland", and applicable law).
Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are required to:
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
state whether applicable United Kingdom Accounting Standards, comprising FRS102 have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006.
The financial statements were approved and signed by the director and authorised for issue on 27 June 2024
Bryan Acutt
Director
Basis for opinion
Conclusions relating to going concern
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
However, because not all future events or conditions can be predicted, this conclusion is not a guarantee as to the company's ability to continue as a going concern.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Reporting on other information
Strategic report and Directors' report
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit, the information given in the Strategic report and Directors' report for the year ended 31 December 2023 is consistent with the financial statements and has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we did not identify any material misstatements in the Strategic report and Directors' Report.
As explained more fully in the Directors' responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the applicable framework and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view. The directors are also responsible for such internal control as they determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditors' report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
Based on our understanding of the company and industry, we identified that the principal risks of non-compliance with laws and regulations related to Companies Act 2006 and UK tax legislation, and we considered the extent to which non-compliance might have a material effect on the financial statements. We evaluated management's incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements (including the risk of override of controls), and determined that the principal risks were related to inappropriate journal entries and the risk of management bias in accounting estimates. Audit procedures performed by the engagement team included:
Enquiries of management around known or suspected instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations, claims and litigation, and instances of fraud;
Understanding of management's controls designed to prevent and detect irregularities;
Review of board minutes;
Challenging management on assumptions and judgements made in their significant accounting estimates; and
Identifying and testing journal entries to assess whether any of the journals appeared unusual, for example any journals impacting revenue and distributable reserves.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above. We are less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations that are not closely related to events and transactions reflected in the financial statements. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the FRC's website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditors' report.
Use of this report
This report, including the opinions, has been prepared for and only for the company's members as a body in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and for no other purpose. We do not, in giving these opinions, accept or assume responsibility for any other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is shown or into whose hands it may come save where expressly agreed by our prior consent in writing.
Other required reporting
Companies Act 2006 exception reporting
Under the Companies Act 2006 we are required to report to you if, in our opinion:
we have not obtained all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
adequate accounting records have not been kept by the company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
certain disclosures of directors' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns.
We have no exceptions to report arising from this responsibility.
This income statement has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.
There is no other comprehensive for the current financial year.
The notes on pages 12 to 21 form part of these financial statements.
The notes on pages 12 to 21 form part of these financial statements.
The notes on pages 12 to 21 form part of these financial statements.
Black Hill Wind Farm Limited ("the Company") is a private company limited by shares incorporated in the United Kingdom and is registered in England and Wales. The registered office is located at Cannon Place, 78 Cannon Street, London, EC4N 6AF.
The principal activity of the Company is the generation and sale of wind generated electricity and associated benefits. The contract is in year 17 of its term expiring in 2032.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
This company is a qualifying entity for the purposes of FRS 102, being a member of a group where the parent of that group prepares publicly available consolidated financial statements, including this company, which are intended to give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the group. The company has therefore taken advantage of exemptions from the following disclosure requirements:
Section 7 ‘Statement of Cash Flows’: Presentation of a statement of cash flow and related notes and disclosures;
Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instrument Issues: Interest income/expense and net gains/losses for financial instruments not measured at fair value; basis of determining fair values; details of collateral, loan defaults or breaches, details of hedges, hedging fair value changes recognised in profit or loss and in other comprehensive income;
Section 33 ‘Related Party Disclosures’: Not to disclose transactions with wholly owned members of a group.
The financial statements of the company are consolidated in the financial statements of BIIF Holdco Limited. These consolidated financial statements are available from its registered office, Cannon Place, 78 Cannon Street, London, EC4N 6AF.
The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis which the directors believe to be appropriate for the following reasons.
The Company prepares cash flow forecasts covering the expected life of the asset and so including the 12 month period from the date the financial statements are signed. In drawing up these forecasts, the Directors have made assumptions based upon their view of the current and future economic conditions that will prevail over the forecast period. Based on these forecasts the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.
In light of this, the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the Company’s annual financial statements.
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is credited or charged to profit or loss.
A review for indicators of impairment is carried out at each reporting date, with the recoverable amount being estimated where such indicators exist. Where the carrying value exceeds the recoverable amount, the asset is impaired accordingly. Prior impairments are also reviewed for possible reversal at each reporting date.
For the purposes of impairment testing, when it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, an estimate is made of the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs. The cash-generating unit is the smallest identifiable group of assets that includes the asset and generates cash inflows that largely independent of the cash inflows from other assets or groups of assets.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors , cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and debtors are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Other financial instruments are subsequently measured at fair value, with any changes recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income.
Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the company transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.
Basic financial liabilities, including Creditors, bank loans, loans from fellow group are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Debt instruments that do not meet the conditions in FRS 102 paragraph 11.9 are subsequently measured at fair value through profit or loss. Debt instruments may be designated as being measured at fair value through profit or loss to eliminate or reduce an accounting mismatch or if the instruments are measured and their performance evaluated on a fair value basis in accordance with a documented risk management or investment strategy.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.
Provisions are recognised when the entity has an obligation at the reporting date as a result of a past event, it is probable that the entity will be required to transfer economic benefits in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be estimated reliably. Provisions are recognised as a liability in the statement of financial position and the amount of the provision as an expense. Provisions are initially measured at the best estimate of the amount required to settle the obligation at the reporting date and subsequently reviewed at each reporting date and adjusted to reflect the current best estimate of the amount that would be required to settle the obligation. Any adjustments to the amounts previously recognised are recognised in profit or loss unless the provision was originally recognised as part of the cost of an asset.
Decommissioning costs
Provisions for decommissioning are recognised in full when the related facilities are constructed. A corresponding amount equivalent to the provision is also recognised as part of the cost of the related plant and equipment. The amount recognised is the estimated cost of decommissioning, discounted to its net present value, and is reassessed each year in accordance with local conditions and requirements. Changes in the estimated timing of decommissioning or decommissioning cost estimates are dealt with prospectively by recording an adjustment to the provision, and a corresponding adjustment to plant and equipment. The unwinding of the discount on the decommissioning provision is included as a finance cost.
In the application of the company’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
The estimates and assumptions which have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets and liabilities are as follows:
The carrying value of those assets recorded in the Company's Statement of Financial Position, at original cost less any accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment loss, could be materially reduced where circumstances exist which might indicate that an asset has been impaired and an impairment review is performed. Impairment reviews consider the fair value and/or value in use of the potentially impaired asset or assets and compare that with the carrying value of the asset or assets in the Statement of Financial Position. Any reduction in value arising from such a review would be recorded in the Statement of Comprehensive Income. Impairment reviews involve the significant use of assumptions. Consideration has to be given as to the price that could be obtained for the asset or assets, or in relation to a consideration of value in use, estimates of the future cash flows that could be generated by the potentially impaired asset or assets, together with a consideration of an appropriate discount rate to apply to those cashflows.
The amount recognised is the estimated cost of decommissioning, discounted to its net present value, and is reassessed each year in accordance with local conditions and requirements.
The whole of the turnover is attributable to the principal activity of the Company wholly undertaken in the United Kingdom.
Included in the fee above is £2,739 (2022: £2,490) for the audit of the immediate parent entity Black Hill Wind Farm Holdco Limited and £2,739 (2022: £2,490) for the audit of the ultimate parent entity Black Hill Wind Farm Topco Limited.
The average number of persons employed by the Company during the financial year, including the directors, amounted to nil (2022: nil). The directors are not employed by the company and did not receive any remuneration during the year (2022: nil).
In 2021 an increase in the corporation tax rate to 25% with effect from 1 April 2023 was substantively enacted. The 23.52% rate used above reflects 9 months of this new rate and 3 months of the previous rate of 19%.
The actual charge for the year can be reconciled to the expected charge for the year based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:
Dividends paid during the year (excluding those for which a liability existed at the end of the prior year).
Amounts owned to Group undertakings are made up of £1,454,397 (2022: £2,298,691) relating to a group tax creditor. The amount is non interest bearing, unsecured and repayable on demand.
The following are the major deferred tax liabilities and assets recognised by the company and movements thereon:
The net deferred tax liability expected to reverse in 2024 is £330,239 (2023: £339,457). This primarily relates to the reversal of timing differences on capital allowances offset by expected utilisation of tax losses and short term timing differences.
Decommissioning costs are uncertain and cost estimates can vary in response to many factors, including changes to the relevant legal requirements, the emergence of new technology or experience at other assets. The expected timing, work scope, amount of expenditure and risk weighting may also change. The decommissioning costs were estimated at the time of construction based on the number of turbines installed. The directors have considered the information available to them and believe the decommissioning costs are materially correct. The provision has been discounted at an annual rate of 4% (2022: 4%), and this discount will be unwound and charged to the Statement of Comprehensive Income until 2032, the estimated date of decommissioning.
There is a single class of ordinary share. There are no restrictions on the distribution of dividends and the repayment of capital.
Retained earnings records retained earnings and accumulated losses.
The immediate parent undertaking is Black Hill Wind Farm Holdco Limited.
The intermediate parent undertaking is BIIF Holdco Limited, which is the parent undertaking of the smallest and largest group to consolidate these financial statements. Copies of BIIF Holdco Limited consolidated financial statements can be obtained from the Company Secretary at Cannon Place, 78 Cannon Street, London, EC4N 6AF.
The ultimate parent and controlling party is BIIF L.P. BIIF L.P. is owned by a number of investors with no one investor having individual control. Its registered office address is 16 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5JD.