Why 2026 will be even more 'remarkable' for Mast losing shareholders money7 Jan 2026 17:51
And Why ACF 'research' hasn't the slightest clue.
1) Because Mast has no money (the Dec year end report will show it is still badly insolvent - the warrants scheme having failed) it has to use SPV's ('Special Purpose Vehicles' - legally and financially separate companies even if 100% owned) financed overwhelmingly by outsiders who will take the majority of the SPV's profits leaving only a small residue if lucky to keep Mast afloat. PK has never made this clear to investors in any of his podcasts and prospectuses - in fact has left them with the impression that the share they are invested in - Mast plc - gets the generators' revenue when in fact it doesn't at all.
Hindlip is the template whereby an outside funder (Powertree in its case) funds practically the whole cost and takes the overwhelming proportion of profits. (Although it is truly 'remarkable' that Powertree has gone very quiet about funding any more of Mast's schemes)
Pyebridge is the only 100% owned plant (and maybe Bordersley if it gets built without outside funding which is unlikely) but still owes £2 million to Riverfort repayable by 2029. So with about £600,000 annual profit it will generate practically nothing for Mast after repayments until after 2029, when Mast's current 166m shares will earn only 0.3-0.6p each. It is not clear when the c £400,000 pa capacity market income will be included, but it would come fully through to Mast, helping a little but worth only 0.25 p per share
Hindlip at 7.1MW is relatively cheap at £5.5m to build (plus fees to buy the site and early work) to meet which it has to borrow £4.5m at 10% from Powertree, who also puts up £0.5m for 75% of the shares, leaving Mast to put up only 25% - with Powertree in full control.
On 7.1 MW Hindlip will make about £2.1m annual revenue worth about £600,000 profit if lucky, although capacity payments will earn another £450,000 annually.
But to repay the loan over the usual 8 years will take £840,000 pa. So at best with capacity payments Mast will get 25% of a miniscule £200,000 annual surplus.
For further similar plants capacity payments can't be guaranteed and have to be bid for against over 500 competitors so without them Mast will get nothing for the first 8 years but will clock up a 25% share of losses.
That is going to apply for all future plants - and means Masts' 'Business Model' doesn't make sense and never has - because it hasn't the capital to invest in an asset which at best is thought should only earn 15% annually (Pyebridge only some 10% at present) before depreciating to nothing over 15 -20 years, and has to borrow at 10%. It means there is no margin over for error in a notoriously volatile sector and too little to repay even the £170,000 Mast has had to invest 'up front'. It also means Mast has little to no income to meet its own costs during the eight years the plants' loans are being repaid, and not enough even to put up the amount needed to buy a 25% share of fur