Gati Group’s Hydel Power Arm Raises Rs 30Cr From IFCI Venture

BY SHRIJA AGRAWAL

The investment has been made through equity and optionally convertible debentures (OCDs) by Green India Venture Fund, a Rs 220 crore renewable and clean energy fund floated by IFCI Venture Capital.

Amrit Jal is implementing three hydel projects in Sikkim, with combined output of 235 MW. The holding company is executing the three projects through separate special purpose vehicles (SPVs) and the fund raised will be ploughed into these projects at various stages of implementation. These include the 110 MW project at Chuzachen, Rongli, 71 MW Sada Mandger project at Ravangla and 54 MW Bhasmey project at Rangpo in Sikkim.

“This round of capital infusion has been raised mainly for its project at Chuzachen, which promises an expected IRR upwards of 20 per cent,” Arindam Roy from IFCI VC told VCCircle. With this investment, the funds under management by Green India Venture Fund have been completely deployed, added Roy.

Earlier, Singapore-based River Valley Ventures had picked up stake in Gati Infrastructure Ltd, the SPV implementing 110 MW Chuzachen Hydel Project, which is now nearing commissioning. Other investors/bankers in the project include IDFC, KSK Ventures and also IFCI Ltd, the parent company of IFCI Venture Capital Funds Ltd.

Gati promoters, led by Mahendra K. Agarwal, hold majority stake in Amrit Jal Venture Ltd which, in turn, has holdings in Gati Infrastructure, Gati Infrastructure Bhasmey Power and Gati Sada Mandger Power. Gati promoters’ holding in Amrit Jal is routed through multiple vehicles including the group’s listed arm TCI Finance, which has around 38 per cent stake in the power assets.

The promoters have earlier announced their intention to rope in a strategic or financial partner for their shipping business, which will be in a hived-off entity.

In the backdrop of a growing economy, India’s energy demands are expected to outpace its supply. And non-conventional energy is expected to play a big role in filling that demand-supply gap. Not surprisingly, this segment has captured the interest of the investing class.

Investors’ interest in the hydel power space has been particularly rising and companies like Greenko Plc., Bhilwara Energy and Soham Renewable have raised multiple rounds of private equity funding. Many players are also developing a bouquet of power assets where hydel power figures as a prominent category.