LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's National Grid (L:NG) has agreed to sell a 61 percent equity interest in its UK gas distribution business to a group of infrastructure investors that implies an enterprise value of around 13.8 billion pounds ($17.5 billion), it said on Thursday.
As part of the deal it plans to return 4 billion pounds of capital to shareholders.
On completion National Grid will receive a payment of 3.6 billion pounds in cash from the consortium and willow in a 39 percent minority equity interest in a new holding company.
The Consortium comprises Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets, Allianz (DE:ALVG) Capital Partners, Hermes Investment Management, CIC Capital Corporation, Qatar Investment Authority, Dalmore Capital and Amber Infrastructure Limited/International Public Partnerships.