Adani Electricity To Raise $2-Billion Via Sustainability-Linked Bonds

The fundraising was announced after S&P Global Ratings has downgraded Adani Electricity Mumbai (AEML) to negative from stable.

Adani Electricity (PIC/Facebook account)

Mumbai: Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited (AEML), Adani Transmission Limited's (ATL) distribution arm, plans to raise $2 billion by the Global Medium-Term Notes program (GMTN). The GMTN program and the Sustainability Linked Bond issuance is the next step in AEML's Capital Management Plan, said a company statement.

AEML also settled the maiden takedown of $300 million under the program on Friday. The order book for the takedown was oversubscribed 9.2 times by high-quality real money global investors, and the global geographical split of the investors was Asia – 49 per cent, EMEA – 27per cent, and North America – 24 per cent. 

The fundraising was announced after S&P Global Ratings has downgraded Adani Electricity Mumbai (AEML) to negative from stable, citing concerns that Adani Transmission (ATL), AEML's holding company, will increase its leverage levels over the next two years as it spends significantly more to expand its asset base.

AEML, one of India's largest integrated utilities, servicing over 12 million consumers in Mumbai, priced its first takedown of $300 million through 10-year notes under the 144A / REG S format.  "With this landmark transaction, AEML's capital management plan enters the second phase with 100% of the term debt being placed in the international capital markets with the overall maturity now increased to nine years," said the statement. 

The transaction marks several firsts for India including the tightest coupon ever by a BBB- rated utilities issuer in Asia (ex-Japan),  the largest order-book oversubscription ever for a 10-year ESG bond issuance in Asia (ex-Japan), the first Sustainability Linked Bond (SLB) issuance from an Indian utility.

"The challenging short-term targets of increasing the renewable energy penetration in AEML's power purchase mix from the current 3% to 30% by 2023 and then 60% by 2027 are legally covenanted targets which are consistent with the COP26 targets," said Kandarp Patel, MD & CEO, Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited. 

"AEML has set for itself some of the nation's most challenging renewable penetration targets in the short term, thereby showcasing our commitment towards net-zero emissions. We have also committed to the short-term target of reductions of Green House Gas (GHG) Emission Intensity by 60 per cent from FY19 levels to stay in line with COP26 targets. In addition to the legally covenanted targets, we have publicly announced a target of 70 per centrenewable penetration by 2030."

The issuance bolsters the strong capital raising track record of the Adani Group from global capital market investors. The transaction will be settled on 22 Jul 2021, and the funds will be utilized to refinancing existing debt and regulatory asset development to enable 'asset hardening.'

Adani Transmission shares on BSE were trading down 2.26 per cent at Rs 941.35 in a firm Mumbai market on Friday. 

The assurance of the Sustainability Framework was completed through external agencies. Vigeo Eiris, a Moody's Investor Service subsidiary, provided a second party opinion on AEML's Sustainability Framework. The baselines for the targets have been assured by third-party verifiers – the British Standards Institute and the statutory auditor of AEML. 

The JLMs to the transaction were Axis Bank, Barclays, Citigroup, DBS Bank, Deutsche Bank, Emirates NBD Capital, JP Morgan, Mizuho Securities, MUFG, and Standard Chartered Bank. MUFG acted as the sole Sustainability Linked Bond structuring advisor. The JLMs were represented by Latham & Watkins and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. Linklaters and L&L Partners represented the Issuer.