Rating Rationale
September 24, 2020 | Mumbai
Jhajjar Power Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.1000 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.800 Crore Commercial Paper CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AA-/Stable/CRISIL A1+' ratings on the bank facilities and commercial paper of Jhajjar Power Limited (JPL).
 
The ratings continue to factor in strong support from the ultimate parent, CLP Holdings Ltd, Hong Kong (CLP Holdings; rated 'A/Stable/A-1' by S&P Global). JPL remains an important part of the parent's global asset base, and has common bankers, reflecting significant financial flexibility for Indian operations. The ratings also reflect low offtake risk due to strong power purchase agreements (PPAs). These strengths are partially offset by an average financial risk profile and exposure to risks related to the weak credit risk profiles of counterparties.

Analytical Approach

CLP India Pvt Ltd (CLPIPL; a part of the CLP group) is the holding-cum-operating company, and JPL is a wholly owned subsidiary of CLPIPL. The entire equity contribution (in the form of compulsory convertible preference shares and equity contribution) in JPL has been funded by the ultimate parent, CLP Holdings, through CLPIPL. Therefore, for arriving at its ratings, CRISIL has applied its criteria on notching up ratings for parent support.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Strong support from the ultimate parent
CLP Holdings is one of two vertically integrated power suppliers in Hong Kong. JPL is the largest investment of CLP Holdings in India, and fits into the latter's long-term strategic focus on the Indian power sector. The top management is nominated by CLP Holdings; the chief executive officer and a director are a part of the CLP group's senior management team. CLP Holdings, as a matter of policy, supports its subsidiaries and group companies, after assessing the long-term potential of the investment. In the past, it has infused equity for the power project, and has also funded any cost overrun, while CLP India supported cash flow shortfall in servicing of debt. CLPIPL has also provided guarantee for 50% of the issue size of one of JPL's bond issuances in 2015 and provided 100% guarantee to JPL's NCD issue for Rs. 100 crore in July 2020 . Considering the strategic importance to the group's plans for India, CLP Holdings should support the company during any financial distress.

* Low offtake risk due to strong PPAs
The 25-year PPAs mitigate offtake risks and enhance revenue visibility, given that offtake, at a specified tariff, is assured for the entire power generated. The tariff structure allows the company to recover its entire fixed cost, provided the plant availability factor (PAF) exceeds the normative plant availability of 80%. PAF improved to 91% in fiscal 2020 from 78% during the previous fiscal due to improved coal supply, leading to full recovery of fixed costs. PAF is expected to remain higher than the normative level during fiscal 2021, driven by better coal supply situation and healthy coal stock available at the plant. Nonetheless, coal availability and its impact on plant availability will remain key monitorables.
 
The entire coal requirement is procured from Coal India Ltd and its subsidiaries, through a long-term fuel supply agreement (FSA). Furthermore, in case of non-availability of domestic coal, distribution companies (discoms) have been allowed to use imported coal to meet fuel shortfalls in the past, thus ensuring a higher-than-normative PAF. Operating profitability is protected from adverse movements in domestic or international prices of coal because variable cost is a pass-through as part of the tariff structure.
 
Weaknesses
* Average financial risk profile
The interest coverage ratio was average at 2.9 times for fiscal 2020 (2.3 times during fiscal 2019). The company is exposed to refinancing risk in fiscals 2023 and 2024, when more than 40% of the outstanding long-term debt matures. Nonetheless, the presence of a strong parent and steady revenue due to the long-term PPAs and FSA, along with steady operations, mitigate these risks. Moreover, the recent refinancing of the bonds demonstrates the high refinancing ability of the company.
 
Nearly 42% of debt (as of March 2020) was denominated in foreign currency. However, the company has hedged the entire principal repayment and interest rate for the tenor of the loan while currency portion is hedged till fiscal 2021, thus mitigating foreign currency fluctuation risks to a large extent.
 
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission had issued a favourable order in fiscal 2017 with respect to disputes pertaining to commercial operations date and payment of capacity charges. This order is expected to result in compensation aggregating to about Rs 454.4 crore payable to JPL by the discoms. However, this order has not been factored in this assessment, given the uncertainty around implementation and realisation of cash flow; it will however remain closely monitored.
 
* Exposure to weak credit risk profiles of counterparties
The PPAs have been signed with discoms of Haryana'Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd and Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd'for 90% of the generation capacity, and with Tata Power Trading Company Ltd for the balance 10%. To mitigate the counterparty risk, PPAs provide for a three-tier payment security mechanism, in the form of a revolving, irrevocable letter of credit equivalent to 1.1 times the monthly billing, a default escrow mechanism, and the option of sale of contracted power to third parties. Further, post implementation of Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojna (UDAY), the credit risk profiles of the Haryana discoms have improved. However, improvement in operational parameters under UDAY, including aggregate technical and commercial losses, is still short of the targets and could impact the credit risk profiles of discoms. Recently, the discoms' liquidities have been impacted by the economic slowdown that resulted from the national lockdown imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19; subsequently, JPL and the Haryana discoms have opted for a 88-day bill discounting till July 2020. Post July 2020, the collections from Haryana Discom have normalized as per the terms of PPA. However, timeliness in payments by discoms will remain critical.
Liquidity Strong

Liquidity has been adequate, driven by cash and cash equivalents of around Rs 50 crore as of July 2020 and bank limit (sanctioned limit of Rs 1,250 crore) utilisation averaging 42% during the 12 months ended July 31, 2020. Liquidity is further aided by presence of debt service reserve account of 6 months in the form of bank guarantee and high refinancing ability. Moreover, the company has not opted for the moratorium (Covid-19 Regulatory Package provided by Reserve Bank of India) on the repayments and interest payments. In the absence of any major debt-funded capital expenditure planned for fiscal 2021, cash accrual, cash and cash equivalents, and unutilised bank lines should comfortably meet debt obligation and working capital requirement.

Outlook: Stable

JPL should continue to benefit from the PPA structure, resulting in healthy cash accrual, subject to achievement of normative plant availability.
 
Rating Sensitivity Factors
Upward Factors
* Consistently higher than 85% PAF, leading to sizeable cash accrual
* Significant and sustained improvement in the financial risk profile, driven by healthy debt protection metrics
 
Downward Factors
* Lower-than-normative PAF due to constraints in fuel supply
* Revision in S&P Global's rating on CLP Holdings.

About the Company

JPL is a special-purpose vehicle promoted by CLP Power India Pvt Ltd. The first unit was commissioned in March 2012 and the second in July 2012. The initial project cost of Rs 6,035 crore was funded in a debt-to-equity ratio of 65:35. CLPIPL won the bid for the 1,320-megawatt (MW) coal-based plant by quoting a levelised tariff of Rs 2.996 per kilowatt hour (kWh). The tariff structure of the project has two components: quoted non-escalable capacity charge, payable at normative PAF of 80%, and fuel charges payable based on quoted net heat rate of 2,396 kilocalorie per kWh. The quoted net heat rate-linked recovery of fuel charges allows fuel cost to be a pass-through in the tariff structure. JPL has signed PPAs, valid for 25 years, with two Haryana-based discoms for 90% of its generation capacity, and with Tata Power Trading Company Ltd for the remaining 10%. 

About CLP Holdings
CLP Holdings, through its 100%-owned subsidiary, CLP Power Hong Kong Ltd, is one of the two vertically integrated power suppliers in Hong Kong. It is also one of the largest power utilities in Asia-Pacific, with power assets in Australia, India, China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia.
 
The company has a diversified portfolio, comprising coal, gas, and renewable energy in India. Indian operations contribute around 6% of the CLP group's assets, and are a primary growth market for the group. Apart from JPL, the group has a 655-MW gas-based project and around 1200 MW of operational renewable assets in India.
 
CLP Holdings had an operating earnings of Hong Kong dollars (HKD) 11.1 billion on revenue of HKD 85.7 billion in 2019, vis-a-vis HKD 14.0 billion and HKD 91.4 billion respectively in 2018.

Key Financial Indicators*
As on/for the period ended March 31 Unit 2020 2019
Operating income Rs.Crore 2956 3150
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs.Crore 49 67
PAT Margin % 1.7 2.1%
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 1.30 1.65
Interest coverage Times 2.97 2.29
*As per CRISIL's analytical adjustment

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments and are included (where applicable) in the Annexure -- Details of Instrument in this Rating Rationale. For more details on the CRISIL complexity levels, please visit www.crisil.com/complexity-levels.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of instrument Date of allotment Coupon rate Maturity date Issue size (Rs.Crore) Complexity levels Rating assigned with outlook
NA Long-term loan NA 9.05% Nov-23 21.79 NA CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Long-term loan NA 9.90% Nov-23 0.88 NA CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Long-term loan N 9.45% Dec-23 153.26 NA CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Long-term loan N 8.35% Nov-23 182.63 NA CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Long-term loan NA 8.70% Dec-24 123.63 NA CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Long-term loan NA 8.70% Nov-23 46.22 NA CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Long-term loan N 8.70% Apr-25 129.32 NA CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Proposed long-term bank loan facility NA NA NA 342.27 NA CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Commercial Paper NA NA 7-365 days 800 Simple CRISIL A1+
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2020 (History) 2019  2018  2017  Start of 2017
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Commercial Paper  ST  800.00  CRISIL A1+      30-09-19  CRISIL A1+  28-09-18  CRISIL A1+  03-11-17  CRISIL A1+  -- 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  1000.00  CRISIL AA-/Stable      30-09-19  CRISIL AA-/Stable  28-09-18  CRISIL AA-/Stable  03-11-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable  CRISIL A+/Positive 
                    03-03-17  CRISIL AA-/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
Long Term Loan 657.73 CRISIL AA-/Stable Long Term Loan 495.47 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 342.27 CRISIL AA-/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 504.53 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Total 1000 -- Total 1000 --
Links to related criteria
Rating Criteria for Power Distribution Utilities
Rating Criteria for Power Generation Utilities
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Companies based on Parent Support

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