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By Reshmi Basu
The New Fortress Energy liquefied natural gas terminal near the Port of San Juan in Puerto Nuevo, Puerto Rico. Photographer: Alejandro Granadillo/Bloomberg
New Fortress Energy Inc. is asking its creditors for yet more time to hash out a debt restructuring before a forbearance period on some of its borrowings expires, according to people familiar with the situation.
The reprieve on some of its debt runs out on Friday, according to regulatory filings. The liquefied natural gas operator founded by Wes Edens is in negotiations with its lenders for additional time to rework its debt burden amid project delays and dwindling cash flow, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing a private matter.
Representatives for New Fortress and the firm’s adviser Houlihan Lokey Inc. declined to comment.
Read More: New Fortress Energy Wins Debt Reprieve Amid Restructuring
New Fortress entered into a forbearance agreement with lenders late last year after missing a roughly $30.6 million interest payment on its term loan B facility due in 2028, according to a filing. At that time, it also told lenders of its plans to miss other payments slated for Dec. 31.
If New Fortress can’t secure an extension, debt holders can accelerate principal payments and push the company into a bankruptcy process, since its entire debt pile would come due, the regulatory filings show. It listed total debt of $8.9 billion in a financial report for the three months through September, of which $6.6 billion was classified as a “current portion of long-term debt.”
The company’s $1.27 billion term loan maturing in 2028 was quoted at around 41 cents Wednesday, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
The firm has struggled as project delays have squeezed its liquidity, further straining its already troubled debt profile. New Fortress also missed an interest payment in November on its senior secured notes due in 2029.
The $2.7 billion of 12% secured notes changed hands at nearly 28 cents on the dollar on Jan. 7, a sharp decline from 94 cents in late March, according to pricing firm Trace.
Multiple creditor groups have formed amid the company’s woes. A group of New Fortress debtholders have engaged Evercore Inc. and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, while other creditors are getting advice from Perella Weinberg Partners and Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, Bloomberg has reported. Law firm Paul Hastings is working with a group holding its 6.5% secured bonds due in 2026 and its 8.75% bonds maturing in March 2029.
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