RBSA Advisors, Deloitte transaction advisors in NEEPCO, THDCIL stake sale

The Union government has appointed RBSA Advisors as the transaction advisor for divestment of government’s 100 per cent equity stake in North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) to NTPC Limited. In another contract, Deloitte has been appointed transaction advisor for Tehri Hydro Development Corporation India Limited (THDCIL).

According to persons close to the development, the advisors were finalised late Wednesday. NTPC would take management control of both the companies. The two transaction advisors would be floating information memorandum on the companies. It would be sent to NTPC after which it would do valuation of the two companies, said one of the person quoted above.

NTPC may offer close to Rs 10,000 crore, each, for picking up the Centre’s stake in both the companies. The government plans to complete the two sale deals before March 2020 in order to meet its Rs 1,05,000-crore disinvestment target.

NEEPCO operates close to 1,500 MW of hydropower and thermal plants in the north eastern region of India, another 1,000 MW are under construction and commissioning. "The portfolio of projects with NEEPCO make it a fit case to command good value," said the person.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has on November 20 decided that the Union government-owned NTPC Ltd would take over NEEPCO and THDCIL as part of NDA's strategic disinvestment plan. The government has 74.23 per cent shareholding in THDCIL.

THDCIL presently has a capacity of 1513 MW. It has two hydro generating stations, namely; Tehri HPP (4X250 MW) and Koteshwar HEP (4X100 MW) and two operational wind power plants in Gujarat, one at  Patan (25X2 MW) and another at Devbhumi Dwarka (30X2.1 MW).

The NDA government has sent in motion strategic sale of some of its key infrastructure and energy companies. While NEEPCO and THDCIL is being sold to NTPC, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd, Shipping Corporation of India and Container Corporation of India would be privatised.

The government still has Rs 87,636 crore to meet the disinvestment target for the year and sale of these companies will be important to close the current financial year with Rs 1,05,000 crore.