Li Ka-Shing's CKI eyes UK high-speed rail -sources

Thomson Reuters






By Quentin Webb and Greg Roumeliotis

LONDON/AMSTERDAM, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Li Ka-Shing's Cheung
Kong Infrastructure (CKI) is one of the bidders vying
to acquire Britain's only high-speed rail line, High Speed 1,
three people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

CKI is 85 percent-owned by Hutchison Whampoa Ltd ,
which Li chairs. On July 30, the Hong Kong billionaire struck a
$9 billion deal, using CKI and other vehicles, to buy Britain's
biggest electricity distribution network from French power giant
EDF . [ID:nNN2925276]

First-round bids for High Speed 1, which could fetch 1.5
billion pounds ($2.3 billion), were due on Tuesday. At least
three other bidding groups, including teams with funds linked to
Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, are competing for the rail
line. [ID:nLDE67G0S0]

London & Continental Railways, HS1's parent company,
declined to comment. CKI did not immediately respond to an
emailed request for comment outside Hong Kong business hours. (Li was busy having lunch with Fung)
($1=.6401 Pound)
(Writing by Quentin Webb; editing by Simon Jessop)