India's Power finance corp to launch units for 'green' PJT loans | Asia and Pacific | Energetica India

India's Power finance corp to launch units for 'green' PJT loans | Asia and Pacific | Energetica India
India's Power Finance Corp (PFC, BSE:532810) said it would launch two subsidiaries for consortium lending and funding green energy projects, which would help it in a more focused growth as well as diversification."PFC will be launching two subsidiaries by April. One is for consortium lending and the other will be to fund renewable energy projects. This will be known as PFC Green Energy," said PFC's chief managing director Satnam Singh."Though financial outlays for these two proposed arms are to be finalised, we hope to make them operational by the beginning of the next fiscal year," he added.Singh said PFC will raise additional capital, to the tune of 20 per cent, within a year through an FPO and it has already sought board and shareholders approval for that.The modalities and the issue size will be decided by the power and finance ministries, Singh added.The Indian government owns 89.78 per cent in PFC, with paid-up total capital of Rs 1,147 crore, as of September 30.The Power Ministry is mulling a follow-on public offer of PFC, which could raise around Rs 6,300 crore (US$1.41 billion) by this fiscal year-end. The issue will comprise a divestment of five per cent stake held by the government, along with 10 per cent issuance of fresh equity.
"It is being discussed...," Power Secretary P. Uma Shankar had told PTI earlier this week, adding that fresh equity may be 10 per cent, with five per cent government stake sale.He said the ministry is optimistic about bringing it (FPO) by the end of the current fiscal year."The proposal is on ...we hope to bring the offer by end of this (financial) year."Meanwhile, Singh said PFC has signed an MoU with Nuclear Power Corp for debt financing, consultancy services and equity financing to Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd to facilitate its large capacity addition programme, late last month.On the company's interest in getting into banking, he said it is in the process of appointing a consultant for this.Under the liberalised ECB norms, PFC can raise up to US$500 million from overseas, he said. Out of this, it has already raised yen-denominated loans worth Rs 240 million and the rest US$260 million will be mopped during the rest of the fiscal year year.