Rating Rationale
April 10, 2024 | Mumbai
Sunworld Energy Private Limited
Rating upgraded to 'CRISIL A-/Positive'; Removed from 'Watch Developing'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.46.75 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL A-/Positive (Upgraded from 'CRISIL BBB'; Removed from 'Rating Watch with Developing Implications')
Note: None of the Directors on CRISIL Ratings Limited’s Board are members of rating committee and thus do not participate in discussion or assignment of any ratings. The Board of Directors also does not discuss any ratings at its meetings.
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to Annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities

Detailed Rationale

CRISIL Ratings has removed its rating on the long term bank facilities of Sunworld Energy Pvt Ltd (SEPL) from 'Rating Watch with Developing Implications' and upgraded the rating to ‘CRISIL A-’ while assigning a ‘Positive’ outlook.

 

The rating was placed on watch following divestment of around 500 MW DC (direct current) solar projects by Acme group, including SEPL, to BluPine Energy Pvt Ltd (BEPL). The rating has been removed from watch owing to receipt of operational information and clarity on assessment of support to SEPL from its parent, BEPL, a platform set up by Actis Energy Fund-5 (AE-5).

 

The rating upgrade factors in change in the analytical approach, wherein CRISIL Ratings takes note of expected support from the parent, BEPL. The positive outlook reflects the expected improvement in the operational portfolio of BEPL.

 

The rating reflects support from the sponsor, BEPL, long-term revenue visibility through power purchase agreement (PPA) and track record of timely payment by the customer. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to implementation risks in BEPL and to risks inherent in renewable energy projects.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its rating, CRISIL Ratings has applied its parent notch-up framework to factor in the extent of support available from BEPL. This is because both the entities are in the same business and SEPL is important to BEPL from growth and economic perspectives.

 

Please refer Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated, which captures the list of entities considered and their analytical treatment of consolidation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Managerial and operational support from BEPL: AE-5 is a fund set up by Actis Capital LLP (Actis) with a commitment of $5 billion. The fund has set up BEPL, a renewable energy platform. AE-5 directly or indirectly through its entities holds 100% stake in BEPL and has committed $800 million towards the platform. BEPL has been set up to develop solar, wind, hybrid and battery storage projects in India. Actis has a successful track record of developing and operating sizeable renewable portfolios. Given the strategic importance of this platform to Actis and management articulation, SEPL will receive need-based managerial and financial support throughout the lifetime of the project.

 

  • Revenue visibility through PPA: The 25-year PPA with Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL) minimises the offtake risk and provides revenue visibility. The PPA has a fixed tariff of Rs 5.78 per kilowatt hour (kWh) throughout the tenure. SEPL has been receiving payments in 2-3 months of billing since commissioning ― the entire 12.5-megawatt (MW) capacity became operational in February 2017.

 

  • Track record of timely payment: The company has received payment in 2-3 months of billing since commissioning. Further, to combat liquidity issues, a debt service reserve account (DSRA) covering debt obligation of six months has been created.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Under-construction portfolio in BEPL: Around 52% of the portfolio of around 1.4 GW is under construction, exposing the company to implementation and stabilisation risks. The under-construction portfolio has a PPA and has achieved financial closure. The group also has a 900-MW portfolio wherein PPA has not been signed. Delay in implementation of the projects and higher-than-projected investment requirement (including invocation of bank guarantees) are key rating sensitivity factors.

 

  • Susceptibility to risks inherent in renewable power projects and project execution risk in BEPL: Cash flow remains sensitive to plant load factor (PLF), which depends on solar irradiance and weather patterns, which are inherently unpredictable. This uncertainty may impact the debt servicing ability of the company. The project performed at less than P90 PLF in the past five fiscals partly because of grid availability issues.

Liquidity: Adequate

Cash accrual is expected at Rs 10.5 crore in fiscal 2024 (at P90 PLF) against debt obligation of around Rs 9 crore. SEPL has a DSRA covering six months of debt obligation in the form of fixed deposits, which will help tide over cash flow mismatches.

Outlook: Positive

Positive outlook on the back of expected improvement in the operational portfolio of BEPL.

Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward factors

  • Faster-than-expected deleveraging leading to improvement in average DSCR (at P90 PLF) along with maintenance of payment cycle of 2-3 months.
  • Improvement in the credit risk profile of the parent, BEPL, or performance higher than P90 PLF.

 

Downward factors

  • Increase in receivables beyond 2-3 months and/or performance less than P90 PLF.
  • Change in the stance of support from BEPL.
  • Time or cost overrun in the under-construction portfolio or weaker-than-anticipated performance of the operational portfolio in BEPL.

About the Company

SEPL was incorporated in November 2015 under the Companies Act, 2013. The company is engaged in establishing, commissioning, setting up, operating and maintaining solar power plants, and has aggregate operational capacity of 12.5 MW in Uttarakhand, commissioned in February 2017. It has tied up with UPCL for sale of energy at Rs 5.78 per kWh.

Key Financial Indicators

As on / for the period ended March 31

Units

2023

2022

Revenue

Rs crore

12

11

Profit after tax (PAT)

Rs crore

1

0

PAT margin

%

9.7

(2.5)

Adjusted debt / adjusted networth

Times

2.45

2.82

Interest coverage

Times

2.34

1.84

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL Ratings` 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.

CRISIL Ratings will disclose complexity level for all securities - including those that are yet to be placed - based on available information. The complexity level for instruments may be updated, where required, in the rating rationale published subsequent to the issuance of the instrument when details on such features are available.

For more details on the CRISIL Ratings` complexity levels please visit www.crisilratings.com. 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 crore) Complexity levels Rating assigned with outlook
NA Term loan NA NA Jun-2033 46.75 NA CRISIL A-/Positive

Annexure – List of entities consolidated

S.No

Name of Company

Type of consolidation

Rationale for consolidation

1.

AMPL Cleantech Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

Significant financial and operational linkages

2.

AMPL Cleantech Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

3.

AMPL Cleantech Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

4.

AMPL Cleantech Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

5.

NVR Energy Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

6.

NARBHERAM SOLAR TN PVT LTD

Full consolidation

7.

CELESTIAL SOLAR SOLUTIONS PVT LTD

Full consolidation

8.

RDA Energy Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

9.

NVR Mahasolar Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

10.

NVR Renew Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

11.

NVR Infrastructure and Services Pvt ltd

Full consolidation

12.

ACME Kaithal Solar Power Private Limited

Full consolidation

13.

ACME Babadham Solar Power Private Ltd

Full consolidation

14.

ACME Koppal Solar Energy Private Limited

Full consolidation

15.

ACME Vijayapura Solar Energy Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

16.

Mihit Solar Power Private Limited

Full consolidation

17.

Devishi Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

18.

Devishi Solar Energy Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

19.

Eminent Solar Power Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

20.

Sunworld Energy Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

21.

ACME Kittur Solar Energy Private Limited

Full consolidation

22.

ACME Guledagudda Solar Energy Private Limited

Full consolidation

23.

ACME Kudligi Solar Energy Private Limited

Full consolidation

24.

ACME Sandur Solar Energy Private Limited

Full consolidation

25.

ACME Hukkeri Solar Energy Private Limited

Full consolidation

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2024 (History) 2023  2022  2021  Start of 2021
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT 46.75 CRISIL A-/Positive 27-02-24 CRISIL BBB/Watch Developing 27-12-23 CRISIL BBB/Stable 05-01-22 CRISIL BBB/Stable   -- --
      --   -- 09-01-23 CRISIL BBB/Stable   --   -- --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Term Loan 46.75 Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited CRISIL A-/Positive
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Criteria for rating solar power projects
Criteria for rating entities belonging to homogenous groups
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Companies based on Parent Support

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