Rating Rationale
December 19, 2023 | Mumbai
Sprng Solar India Private Limited
Ratings reaffirmed at 'CRISIL A+/Stable/CRISIL A1'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.920 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL A+/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A1 (Reaffirmed)
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 reaffirmed its ‘CRISIL A+/Stable/CRISIL A1’ ratings on the bank facilities of Sprng Solar India Pvt Ltd (SSIPL; part of the Sprng Energy Platform).

 

The management has confirmed that the outstanding loan has been prepaid in full. However, the ratings will be withdrawn when documentation is received in line with the CRISIL Ratings withdrawal policy.

 

The ratings continue to reflect the strong revenue visibility of SSIPL, healthy debt-servicing metrics and adequate track record of operations. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility to counterparty risks and to risks inherent in renewable energy assets.

Analytical Approach

CRISIL Ratings has considered the standalone business and financial risk profiles of SSIPL. However, the ratings benefit from high financial flexibility due to the presence of a strong and resourceful investor, Shell, and long-term investment outlook for Sprng Energy Platform in India.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Strong revenue visibility driven by power purchase agreements (PPAs): SSIPL has 25-year PPAs with Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd (BESCOM), Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd (MESCOM), Hubli Electricity Supply Company Ltd (HESCOM) and Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Ltd (CESCOM). The entire 250 megawatt (MW) capacity became operational in August 2019. The PPAs have a fixed tariff of Rs 2.85 per kilowatt hour (kWh) throughout their tenure. The order for safeguard duty recovery of around Rs 104.5 crore through additional tariff has been awarded to SSIPL.

 

  • Adequate track record of operations: The company has a satisfactory operational track record of around 4 years and healthy annual plant load factor (PLF; 25.3% for fiscal 2023, ~25% for fiscal 2022 and 25.7% for fiscal 2021), higher than the P90 estimation of 23.05%.

 

  • Financial risk profile supported by healthy debt-servicing metrics and flexibility: The company had debt of Rs 822 crore (principal) as on March 31, 2023, with healthy debt-servicing cushion over its tenure at P90 PLF projection of 23.4%. Any material increase in leverage, leading to reduction in the expected debt service coverage ratio over the debt tenure, will be a rating sensitivity factor. The company also maintains a debt service reserve account (DSRA) in the form of fixed deposit of Rs 63.95 crore and cash of Rs 8.46 crore. This bank guarantee does not have any recourse to the project.

 

Moreover, the ratings benefit from high financial flexibility due to presence of a strong and resourceful investor, Shell having long term investment outlook for Sprng Energy platform in India.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Susceptibility to risks inherent in renewable power projects: The cash flow of SSIPL is sensitive to PLF, which depends entirely on solar irradiance and weather patterns that are predictable with certain limitations. This uncertainty may impact debt-servicing capability.

 

  • Exposure to counterparty risks: SSIPL has signed long-term PPAs with distribution companies (discoms) in Karnataka for its entire project capacity. Some of these counterparties have weak credit risk profiles. Sustenance of payment cycle will be a rating sensitivity factor.

Liquidity: Adequate

Liquidity is expected to be supported by projected cash flow of Rs 143 crore in fiscal 2024. SSIPL does not have any investment requirement for capital expenditure. It has a DSRA of six months of debt obligation in the form of fixed deposit of Rs 63.95 crore and cash of Rs 8.46 crore.

Outlook: Stable

The company is expected to benefit from its satisfactory operational performance and long-term PPAs providing revenue visibility.

Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward factors

  • Sustained performance better than P50 levels along with maintenance of receivables cycle.
  • Understanding and articulation on likely support and focus of Shell towards SSIPL.

.

Downward factors

  • Sustained lower-than-anticipated performance as compared to P90 estimate or material stretch in payment cycle from the current level of 2-3 months on average for the entire capacity.
  • Substantial increase in debt weakening debt-servicing metrics.

About the Company

SSIPL operates a 250-MW solar power project in Pavagada Solar Park in Tumkur, Karnataka, which was commissioned in August 2019. The company has PPAs with discoms in Karnataka for 25 years at tariff of Rs 2.85 per kWh. The project has five blocks of 50 MW capacity each, with two blocks supplying to BESCOM and the remaining supplying to CESCOM, MESCOM and HESCOM.

Key Financial Indicators SSIPL (standalone; CRISIL Ratings-adjusted numbers)

As on / for the period ended March 31

 

2023

2022

Revenue

Rs crore

208

169

Profit after tax (PAT)

Rs crore

30

-27

PAT margin

%

14.3

-16.0

Adjusted debt / adjusted networth

Times

29.01

178.44

Interest coverage

Times

1.69

1.37

 

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

level

Rating assigned with outlook

NA

Term loan

NA

NA

Sept-2039

878

NA

CRISIL A+/Stable

NA

Cash credit

NA

NA

NA

17

NA

CRISIL A+/Stable

NA

Non-Fund Based Limit

NA

NA

NA

25

NA

CRISIL A1

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2023 (History) 2022  2021  2020  Start of 2020
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT 895.0 CRISIL A+/Stable   -- 14-10-22 CRISIL A+/Stable 22-11-21 CRISIL A+/Stable 30-01-20 CRISIL A+/Stable --
      --   -- 27-07-22 CRISIL A+/Watch Positive 17-09-21 CRISIL A+/Watch Developing 07-01-20 CRISIL A+/Stable --
      --   -- 09-05-22 CRISIL A+/Watch Positive 29-06-21 CRISIL A+/Watch Developing   -- --
      --   --   -- 25-03-21 CRISIL A+/Stable   -- --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 25.0 CRISIL A1   -- 14-10-22 CRISIL A1 22-11-21 CRISIL A1 30-01-20 CRISIL A1 --
      --   -- 27-07-22 CRISIL A1/Watch Positive 17-09-21 CRISIL A1/Watch Developing   -- --
      --   -- 09-05-22 CRISIL A1/Watch Positive 29-06-21 CRISIL A1/Watch Developing   -- --
      --   --   -- 25-03-21 CRISIL A1   -- --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Cash Credit 17 State Bank of India CRISIL A+/Stable
Non-Fund Based Limit 25 State Bank of India CRISIL A1
Term Loan 878 State Bank of India CRISIL A+/Stable
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Criteria for rating solar power projects
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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