Rating Rationale
January 17, 2019 | Mumbai
Solitaire Energies Limited
Rating Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.120.13 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AA-/Stable' rating to the long-term bank facilities of eighteen solar power special purpose vehicles (SPVs) of Macquarie Asia Infrastructure Fund (referred to as the Macquarie Solar SPVs) namely Precious Energy Services Pvt Ltd (Precious), Solitaire Energies Ltd (Solitaire Energies), Porbandar Solar Power Ltd (Porbandar), Ganges Green Energy Pvt Ltd (Ganges), Ganeshvani Merchandise Pvt Ltd (Ganeshvani), CBC Solar Technologies Pvt Ltd (CBC), Sapphire Industrial Infrastructures Pvt Ltd (Sapphire), Aftaab Solar Private Ltd (Aftaab), Solitaire Industrial Infrastructure Pvt Ltd (Solitaire Industrial), Deligentia Energy and Infrastructures Pvt Ltd (Deligentia), Bhanuenergy Industrial Development Ltd (Bhanuenergy Industrial), Bhanuenergy Infrastructure and Power Ltd (Bhanuenergy Infrastructure), Hiraco Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd (Hiraco), Kindle Engineering and Construction Pvt Ltd (Kindle), Chattel Constructions Private Ltd (Chattel), Responsive Sutip Ltd (Responsive), Sand Land Real Estate Pvt Ltd (Sand Land) and Ujjawala Power Pvt Ltd (Ujjawala).

The rating reflects strong revenue visibility for the Macquarie Solar SPVs in the form of a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) at a healthy tariff with strong counterparties, healthy financial risk profile with robust debt-servicing coverage ratios (DSCR) and the presence of a co-obligor structure. These strengths are partially offset by concentration in the counterparty and exposure to risks inherent in operating solar-energy assets.

Analytical Approach

CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of 18 Macquarie Solar SPVs in line with CRISIL's criteria for rating entities in homogeneous groups and equated the rating of the individual SPVs to the group. List of 18 entities in homogeneous group is given in Annexure - Details of Consolidation. All the 18 entities are in a homogeneous group since they are in the same line of business of operating solar power assets, have common management and treasury team and are critical to the group. Each of the SPVs acts as a co-obligor to the other. Post debt servicing in each SPV, excess cash flows are largely available for use across the group. Any deviation in this understanding shall be a key rating sensitivity factor.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Strong revenue visibility and low sales risk
The group with an aggregated capacity of 325 megawatt (MW) has a 25-year PPAs with Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL), Torrent Power Ltd, NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd (NVVN), Durgapur Projects Ltd (DPL), Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Ltd (MPPMCL) and Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) and 10 year PPA with Tamil Nadu Distribution and Generation Corporation (TANGEDCO) and Indian Renewable Energy Agency (IREDA). The group supplies power at a fixed tariff ranging from Rs. 4.5 per unit to Rs. 15.0 per unit under respective PPAs. All the SPVs are operational with 60% (debt weighted) having an average operational track record of more than 4 years. 69% of debt weighted capacity use crystalline technology modules which is relatively more reliable while remaining 31% use thin film technology primarily from tier-I suppliers - First Solar and Dupont. The projects have warranty of modules against all manufacturing defects for more than 10 years. Also 88% of the payment receipt is from counterparties with payment track records of less than a month from the date of raising the invoice. This lends high revenue visibility and stability to revenue with low demand risk.

* Healthy financial risk profile with robust blended DSCR and adequate liquidity support
Macquarie Solar SPVs are expected to have healthy average consolidated DSCRs of over 1.4 times at P-90 plant load factors (PLFs). Besides this there is adequate liquidity, for debt servicing during adverse conditions, to be kept as a part of the transaction with a blended liquidity of nearly 6 months, in form of a) one quarter DSRA (debt service reserve account) for all projects and 2 quarter for projects which have a relatively weaker counterparty, b) sanctioned working capital limits of approximately 2 month of receivables and c) inverter replacement reserve of around one month of debt servicing at peak level.

* SPVs act as co-obligors to other SPVs
With the presence of co-obligor structure, surplus cash flows after debt servicing in any SPV will be available to fund the shortfall in others, thus supporting the consolidated DSCRs. Moreover, additional credit enhancers are available in form of inverter replacement reserve to be formed till 10 years from commencement of commercials operations and cash sweep option available with lenders from fiscal 2022 onwards (wherein lenders have right to sweep 55% of surplus cash flows for prepayment of debt in inverse order of maturity).

Weaknesses
* Concentration in the counterparty
63% (capacity weighted) of the groups' cash flows are from GUVNL. Although the payments are typically received on an average basis in less than 30 days with a healthy track record, the group will remain exposed to the high dependence on GUVNL. Any adverse stance of GUVNL towards solar projects in Gujarat state will severely impact the credit risk profile of the group. The group has exposure to other counterparties apart from GUVNL, increase in receivable cycle in those projects shall have an impact on credit profile of entire group.

* Susceptibility to climate changes and technology risks: Generation of solar power depends on favourable climatic conditions and is exposed to inherent risks associated with solar radiation in the long term. Variation in solar intensity could reduce operating PLF, thus impairing debt-servicing ability.

Average PLF of entire 325 MW projects was around 16.5% for fiscal 2018. This was lesser than P90 PLF of around 17.2%. The performance was lower than anticipation in fiscal 2018 on account of climatic conditions and laxity in O&M. CRISIL believes company is taking several measures such as change of O&M contractor and usage of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems to rectify issues. Improvement in performance was seen in April to December 2018 with actual PLF of 16.7% in line with overall annual performance of P90 PLF. Continuation in improvement of performance of 325 MW projects over medium term shall be a rating sensitivity factor.
Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the group will benefit from stable cash accruals backed by the long term PPA and performance of projects.

Upside scenario
* Sustained track record of  PLF performance close to P50 PLF levels

Downside scenario
* Continued performance of entire 325 MW capacity below P90 PLF level
* Worsening of payment cycle
* Change in the co-obligor structure

Liquidity
Macquarie Solar SPVs have healthy liquidity driven by expected cash accruals of more than Rs 150 crore per annum in FY19 and FY20 and cash and cash equivalents of over Rs 250 crore as on March 31, 2018. The SPVs have long term repayment obligations over Rs 110 crore each in FY19 and FY20.

About the Company

Solitaire Energies operates a 15 MW solar photo voltaic (PV) power plant in Gunthawada, Gujarat. The plant became operational in November 2011.

In 2017 and early 2018, Macquarie Asia Infrastructure fund acquired the shareholding, of Hindustan Power's 251 MW solar power plant in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Odisha, for an undisclosed consideration.

The Macquarie Solar SPVs include Precious, Solitaire Energies, Porbandar, Ganges, Ganeshvani, CBC, Sapphire, Aftaab, Solitaire Industrial, Deligentia, Bhanuenergy Industrial, Bhanuenergy Infrastructure, Hiraco, Kindle and Chattel.

About Macquarie Asia Infrastructure Fund
Macquarie Asia Infrastructure Fund is a 10-year closed end fund targeting infrastructure investments in Greater China, India, Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and investment grade South East Asia.

Key Financial Indicators (Standalone; CRISIL adjusted numbers)
As on/for the period ended March 31 Unit 2018 2017
Revenue Rs crore 20 24
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 0 -10
PAT Margins % 0% -41%
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times -7.5 -8.4
Interest coverage Times 1.5 1.1

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 Jun-17 NA Mar-32 120.13 CRISIL AA-/Stable
 
Annexure - Details of Consolidation
Entities past of homogeneous group of Macquarie Solar group
Sr No. Company Name
1 Precious Energy Services Pvt Ltd
2 Solitaire Energies Ltd
3 Porbandar Solar Power Ltd
4 Ganges Green Energy Pvt Ltd
5 Ganeshvani Merchandise Pvt Ltd
6 CBC Solar Technologies Pvt Ltd
7 Sapphire Industrial Infrastructures Pvt Ltd
8 Aftaab Solar Private Ltd
9 Solitaire Industrial Infrastructure Pvt Ltd
10 Deligentia Energy and Infrastructures Pvt Ltd
11 Bhanuenergy Industrial Development Ltd
12 Bhanuenergy Infrastructure and Power Ltd
13 Hiraco Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd
14 Kindle Engineering and Construction Pvt Ltd
15 Chattel Constructions Private Ltd
16 Responsive Sutip Ltd
17 Sand Land Real Estate Pvt Ltd
18 Ujjawala Power Pvt Ltd
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2019 (History) 2018  2017  2016  Start of 2016
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  120.13  CRISIL AA-/Stable          31-10-17  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
Term Loan 120.13 CRISIL AA-/Stable Term Loan 120.13 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Total 120.13 -- Total 120.13 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Criteria for rating solar power projects
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
Criteria for rating entities belonging to homogenous groups

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