BackPTT Group in fray for Avaada Energy stake
Thai company is among those looking to pick up around 22% stake in the firmAvaada Energy has an operational portfolio of 1.2GW with 4GW under implementation
PremiumNEW DELHI : Thailand’s PTT Group is among companies that have shown interest in buying around 22% stake in renewable energy producer Avaada Energy Pvt. Ltd in a potential equity deal estimated at around $220 million, said two people aware of the development.
Avaada Energy—controlled by entrepreneur Vineet Mittal—has an operational portfolio of 1.2GW with a further 4GW under implementation.
“The ongoing vendor due diligence (VDD) for Avaada Energy will be completed by February, post which a term-sheet with the selected firms will be signed. The plan is to have a binding term sheet by March-end," said one of the two people cited above requesting anonymity.
The person did not name the other companies in the fray to acquire a stake in Avaada Energy.
VDD is undertaken for sell-side due diligence and involves a detailed investigation and analysis.
“PTT is now considering investing in renewable energy on many projects in the targeted countries including India. We are still not able to disclose any further information about the projects under study," a PTT Group spokesperson said in an emailed response.
Mint earlier reported about Avaada Energy appointing Bank of America to handle the sale process. The process couldn’t start as the pandemic and strict curbs to control its spread stopped air travel, thereby impacting some of the ongoing deals in India’s green energy space.
Spokespersons for Bank of America and Avaada Energy declined to comment.
PTT Group has separately shown interest in buying a stake from Goldman Sachs Group in ReNew Power Ventures Pvt. Ltd.
PTT’s plans for Avaada reflect growing interest of global oil and gas majors to invest in India’s emerging green economy as the conventional hydrocarbon space undergoes technological disruptions amid a growing focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing.
A case in point being Malaysia’s state-run oil and gas firm, Petroliam Nasional Bhd or Petronas acquiring Amplus Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd in 2019. Also, French energy giant Total formed an equal joint venture with Adani Green Energy Ltd. Petronas is also looking to buy about a 10% stake in Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd, in addition to investing in Tata Power’s renewable energy infrastructure investment trust. Italy’s Eni SpA, Norway’s Statoil ASA, Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Russia’s Rosneft are among other global oil majors that have shown interest in India’s clean energy space.
This interest also comes in the backdrop of India’s power demand hitting an all-time high of 189.6GW in December, and the government working to introduce next-generation power sector reforms to free electricity distribution sector of entry barriers and licensing for distribution and supply. This has also resulted in growing private sector interest in buying power distribution companies, as evident from Torrent Power placing the highest bid for the discoms of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu.
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