Rating Rationale
October 08, 2018 | Mumbai
Chhattisgarh Hydro Power LLP
Rating upgraded to 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.135 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB-/Stable (Upgraded from 'CRISIL BB+/Stable')
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has upgraded its long term rating on the bank loan facility of Chhattisgarh Hydro Power LLP (CHPLLP) to 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable' from 'CRISIL BB+/Stable'.
 
The upgrade in rating reflects expectation of sustained strong operating performance with comfortable power generation and timely receipt of payments from Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Co. Ltd. (CSPDCL). As a result, CRISIL expects the debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) to be healthy going forward.
 
The firm commenced operations in July 2017 and clocked PLF of 30.79% during fiscal 2018 and 47.21% for six months of fiscal 2019. Further, payments from CSPDCL have been received regularly with an average delay of less than 30 days. The firm is also in process of increasing its debt service reserve account (DSRA) from Rs.5 crore presently to Rs.11 crores which will comfortably cover the 6 months of repayments and take care of seasonality of cash flows. Further, the excess cash flows generated by CHPLLP will also be retained and made available as and when required.
 
The firm is also planning to set up ~25 MW hydro power project in Chhattisgarh starting fiscal 2020. The firm will benefit from its experience in setting up similar hydro power plant in the state without any time or cost overrun. CRISIL expects the firm to tie up funding and sign power purchase agreement with CSPDCL in time.
 
The rating continues to reflect the benefits that CHPLLP derives from the extensive experience of its promoters in power industry, and adequate debt protection measures supported by long term power purchase agreement (PPA) with CSPDCL for 100% offtake leading to comfortable DSCR coupled with availability of DSRA. These rating strengths are partially offset by its exposure to hydrology and counter-party risks, with CSPDCL being its sole customer along with exposure to project risk associated with setting up of the second power plant.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Extensive experience of promoters in power industry
The promoters have extensive experience of about 40 years in the power and steel industry and has established two other entities engaged in hydro power generation, besides CHPLLP. It has operational hydro power capacity of 4.8 MW and 96 MW is under construction. Its hydro power project in Chhattisgarh has been completed without any time or cost overrun and is operating at healthy PLF of 47.21% for fiscal 2019. Further, the Sarda group is also involved in thermal power generation with operational capacity of about 162 megawatt (MW). Hence, the Sarda group has been able to develop significant expertise in the power generation industry.
 
* Comfortable debt service coverage ratio
The project has signed long term PPA with CSPDCL for 100% offtake of its generation at the revised applicable rate for small hydro projects of Rs.5.21 per unit. The liquidity of the firm will remain adequate with comfortable DSCR on back of stabilised operations and healthy operating performance and absence of capital withdrawals. Further, firm is expected to increase its DSRA to Rs.11 crore which will provide additional cushion in case of any exigencies or liquidity mismatches.
 
Weakness
* Exposure to hydrology and counter-party risks, with CSPDCL being its sole customer CHPLLP is exposed to substantial hydrology risk as its project is dependent on the availability of water. Therefore, the occurrence of any event beyond the firm's control, such as significantly low water flow because of drought or any natural disaster, can adversely affect the firm's operations and cause liquidity pressures, thereby weakening its financial risk profile. Further, CSPDCL is the sole customer of CHPLLP. Any delay in payments from the counterparty could result in a potential stretch in CHPLLP's liquidity. However, this risk is partially mitigated with track record of payments being received in timely manner (with average delay of less than 30 days) over last 12 months.
 
* Exposure to project risk associated with ongoing capital expenditure
Firm setting up a new hydro power plant in Rehar, Chhattisgarh of 24.96 MW with a total capital outlay of Rs 240 Crore to be funded by equity infusion of Rs 60 Crore from parent company and remaining through debt from financial institutions. With, the project being at initial stage, there exists risk related to financial closure, successful completion and implementation of the project without any time or cost overrun. This risk albeit is partially mitigated by promoter's ability as seen from the timely completion and stabilisation of operations of previous project of similar nature.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes that CHPLLP's credit risk profile will continue to benefit from the extensive experience of its promoter group in the power generation industry. The outlook may be revised to 'Positive' if CHPLLP achieves better than expected plant load factor (PLF) with improved profitability leading to higher than expected debt service coverage ratio. Conversely, the outlook may be revised to 'Negative' if any unforeseen operational issues or hydrology risk leads to lower PLF, or if the cost/time over run in the second project results in deterioration of financial risk profile particularly liquidity. Further, any unexpected withdrawals from the firm by the partners, would be a key rating sensitivity.

About the Company

Promoted by Mr. Kamal Kishore Sarda and the late Mr. Pramod Kumar Agarwal, CHPLLP was set up in 2005 as a private limited entity, and reconstituted as a limited liability partnership in September 2010. The firm has set up a run of river hydro project of 24.96 MW in Jashpur (Chhattisgarh) and the commercial operations was started in July 2017.
 
CHPLLP is part of the Sarda group, with majority stake held by Sarda Energy & Minerals Ltd. (SEML), the group's flagship company. The group has interests in mining, steel, ferroalloys and power generation. SEML holds 60% per cent stake in CHPLLP; the remaining stake is held by Mr. KK Sarda, the promoter of the Sarda group, along with other Sarda group entities (Chhattisgarh Investments Ltd, Sattva Seeds Pvt. Ltd and Prachi Agriculture & Properties Ltd). Mr. KK Sarda and Mr. Pankaj Sarda (nominee of Sarda Energy & Minerals Limited) are the designated partners of the LLP.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2018 2017
Revenue Rs. Cr 25.86 NA
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs. Cr 4.57 0.02
PAT Margin % 17.7 NA
Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Networth Times 1.70 1.64
Interest coverage Times 1.95 NA

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments. The CRISIL complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL complexity levels for instruments that they consider for investment. Users may also call the Customer Service Helpdesk with queries on specific instruments.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of Instrument Date of
Allotment
Coupon Rate(%) Maturity
Date
Issue Size (Rs. Cr) Rating Assigned 
with Outlook
NA Term Loan NA NA Mar-28 135 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2018 (History) 2017  2016  2015  Start of 2015
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  135.00  CRISIL BBB-/Stable      26-07-17  CRISIL BB+/Stable  09-03-16  CRISIL BB-/Stable      CRISIL BB+/Stable 
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Term Loan 135 CRISIL BBB-/Stable Term Loan 135 CRISIL BB+/Stable
Total 135 -- Total 135 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating Criteria for Power Generation Utilities
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Companies based on Parent Support

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