Rating Rationale
December 27, 2023 | Mumbai
TAQA Neyveli Power Company Private Limited
Ratings reaffirmed at 'CRISIL AA-/Stable/CRISIL A1+'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.550 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL AA-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.50 Crore Commercial PaperCRISIL 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 AA-/Stable/CRISIL A1+’ ratings on the bank facilities and commercial paper of TAQA Neyveli Power Company Pvt Ltd (TAQA Neyveli).

 

The ratings continue to reflect the strong business risk profile of the company, backed by favourable tariff structure and healthy operating efficiency, robust financial risk profile, and need-based support expected from the parent, Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA). These strengths are partially offset by exposure to counterparty risk and support to group companies (including dividend payout).

Analytical Approach

The ratings on TAQA Neyveli factor in the support expected from the parent, TAQA. The company will, in case of exigencies, receive distress support from TAQA for timely servicing of debt, considering the ownership and shared name.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Established business risk profile: The company’s take-or-pay power purchase agreement (PPA) with Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) ensures complete recovery of fixed cost, subject to the plant achieving normative parameters. Proximity and access to coal mines of NLC India Ltd (NLC; ‘CRISIL AAA/Stable') ensure fuel supply. Healthy operating efficiency emanates from plant availability exceeding the norm of 68.5%. The company has maintained availability over 80% for 8 out of the last 10 fiscals through 2023, resulting in recovery of the entire fixed cost, along with annual incentives. However, plant availability was below 80% in fiscal 2021 (79.19%) owing to a technical failure in the turbine and in fiscal 2023 (63.7%) because of short supply of lignite, leading to shut down of the plant from November 2022 to January 2023. That said, availability remains strong at ~81% during the first half of fiscal 2024 with adequate supply of fuel. CRISIL Ratings expects materialisation under linkages to be healthy which will remain a key monitorable going forward.

 

  • Strong financial risk profile: Debt protection metrics are robust, aided by healthy cash accrual and absence of long-term debt. The company repaid project debt in fiscal 2015 and has not availed any term debt since then. Utilisation of the working capital limit of Rs 200 crore was low at 14% (for the 12 months through September 2023) as operations are managed efficiently. Cash and equivalent (Rs 94 crore as on December 15, 2023) also aid liquidity. Regulatory capital expenditure (capex) of about Rs 410 crore towards adhering to fuel emission norms is to be implemented on or before December 2026. The company plans to fund this capex through a mix of debt (70%) and equity (30%, mainly through internal accrual). After three fiscals of no dividend payouts, the company paid dividend of Rs 85 crore in fiscal 2023 and Rs 100 crore in the current fiscal until November 2023. Going forward, the dividend outflow will be dependent on the existing cash balance, equity requirement for capex and incremental working capital requirement. Nonetheless, the financial risk profile will remain healthy as the amount incurred towards capex is expected to be recovered through tariff revision. Timely implementation of capex within budgeted cost and approval of capital cost for tariff revision will remain key monitorables.

 

  • Need-based support from the parent, TAQA: TAQA Neyveli, TAQA’s first investment in India, remains strategically important to the parent because of profit generation and nil debt. TAQA also provides operational and management support to TAQA Neyveli through the latter’s senior management. TAQA's ownership and shared name, and TAQA Neyveli's strategic importance to the parent, will translate into support for TAQA Neyveli, if required. TAQA merged with AD Power effective from July 1, 2020, consolidating the generation, transmission and distribution assets of the entities. This created a leading integrated utility in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and boosted the financial risk profile of the entity.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Exposure to counterparty risk because of sole customer, TANGEDCO: Cash flow continues to be susceptible to the risk of delays in payment by the sole customer, TANGEDCO, which has a relatively weak financial risk profile. However, receivables from TANGEDCO have reduced following implementation of the new Electricity (Late Payment Surcharge and Related Matters) Rules, 2022, under which the company has been receiving previous dues in the form of monthly installments as well as timely payment of current dues. Moreover, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has issued revised tariff order for TANGEDCO, which is effective from April 2023. This is expected to further reduce the gap between ACS-ARR (average cost of supply-average realisable revenue) and make timely payments as well. However, the financial health of TANGEDCO and the receivables cycle will remain key rating sensitivity factors.

 

  • Support to group companies (including dividend payout): TAQA Neyveli has traditionally followed a high dividend payout policy (as reflected in payouts of Rs 140 crore, Rs 132 crore and Rs 94 crore in fiscals 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively). However, during the three fiscals through 2022, the company had not declared dividend as it needed to meet the liquidity requirement impacted by delay in payments from TANGEDCO. Starting fiscal 2023, the company has paid dividend of Rs 85 crore and Rs 100 crore during the current fiscal (until November 2023). The extent of dividend payout will depend on the working capital position and equity contribution towards the upcoming flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) capex. In addition, TAQA Neyveli is unlikely to make any fresh investments in new projects. The extent of dividend payout or additional support to group entities will remain key rating sensitivity factors.

Liquidity: Strong

Liquidity is supported by cash and equivalent of Rs 94 crore as on December 15, 2023, low bank limit utilisation of 14% for the 12 months through September 2023 (limit of Rs 200 crore), ability to defer dividend payout and no term debt obligation during the five fiscals through 2023. Internal accrual, existing cash and equivalents, and unutilised bank lines should remain sufficient to cover the incremental equity portion of the capex and working capital requirements.

Outlook: Stable

TAQA Neyveli will continue to maintain stable cash flow, driven by its availability-based tariff structure, assuring full recovery of fixed cost, subject to the specified operating performance parameters being met.

Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward factors

  • Significant and sustained improvement in realisation from TANGEDCO, keeping overall receivables below 60 days.
  • Timely completion of capex without further cost overrun and its recovery through tariff revision, along with healthy operating performance.

 

Downward factors

  • Significant delay in receipt of payments from TANGEDCO or any significant write-off of the receivables or substantial support to group entities through dividend payout, weakening liquidity.
  • Higher-than-expected increase in debt owing to cost overrun in implementing the FGD capex or lower than 80% of project cost approved by the regulator weakening the financial risk profile.
  • Substantial reduction in the parent’s shareholding in TAQA Neyveli or change in stance of support of the parent or downward revision in the credit view on the parent.

About the Company

TAQA Neyveli, a wholly owned subsidiary of TAQA, owns and operates a 250-MW lignite-based power plant at Neyveli in Tamil Nadu. It has a long-term PPA, valid till fiscal 2032, with TANGEDCO. TAQA is the ultimate holding company of TAQA Neyveli through its subsidiaries, CMS Generation Neyveli (Mauritius) Ltd and TAQA Power Investments (India) BV, wherein each has a 50% stake in TAQA Neyveli.

Key Financial Indicators*

As on/for the period ended March 31

 

2023

2022

Operating income

Rs crore

568

720

Profit after tax (PAT)

Rs crore

99

74

PAT margin

%

17.3

10.3

Adjusted debt / adjusted networth

Times

0.0

0.0

Adjusted interest coverage

Times

22.8

23.2

*As per analytical adjustments made by CRISIL Ratings

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

Bank guarantee**

NA

NA

NA

50

NA

CRISIL A1+

NA

Cash credit*

NA

NA

NA

200

NA

CRISIL AA-/Stable

NA

Proposed long-term bank loan facility

NA

NA

NA

300

NA

CRISIL AA-/Stable

NA

Commercial paper

NA

NA

7-365 days

50

Simple

CRISIL A1+

**Interchangeable with letter of credit

*Interchangeable with working capital demand loan

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 500.0 CRISIL AA-/Stable   -- 27-12-22 CRISIL AA-/Stable 25-01-21 CRISIL A1+ / CRISIL AA-/Stable 08-01-20 CRISIL A1+ / CRISIL AA-/Stable CRISIL A1+ / CRISIL AA-/Stable
      --   -- 13-01-22 CRISIL AA-/Stable   --   -- --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 50.0 CRISIL A1+   -- 27-12-22 CRISIL A1+ 25-01-21 CRISIL A1+ 08-01-20 CRISIL A1+ CRISIL A1+
      --   -- 13-01-22 CRISIL A1+   --   -- --
Commercial Paper ST 50.0 CRISIL A1+   -- 27-12-22 CRISIL A1+ 25-01-21 CRISIL A1+ 08-01-20 CRISIL A1+ CRISIL A1+
      --   -- 13-01-22 CRISIL A1+   --   -- --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bank Guarantee** 50 Axis Bank Limited CRISIL A1+
Cash Credit* 50 Axis Bank Limited CRISIL AA-/Stable
Cash Credit* 150 State Bank of India CRISIL AA-/Stable
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 175 Not Applicable CRISIL AA-/Stable
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 125 Not Applicable CRISIL AA-/Stable

**Interchangeable with letter of credit

*Interchangeable with working capital demand loan

Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating Criteria for Power Generation Utilities
Mapping global scale ratings onto CRISIL scale
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Companies based on Parent Support

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