 "PGCIL")
State-run Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) plans to raise Rs 14,000-15,000 crore through domestic bonds to fund its capital expenditure plans.
"For this financial year, we plan to raise around Rs 14,000-15,000 crore through debt. We have already raised around Rs 4,000 crore in April, and the rest we would do in tranches as and when we require the funds," PGCIL Chairman and Managing Director I S Jha told reporters on Friday.
The company had planned a capex of Rs 1,10,000 crore for 12th Plan (2012-2017), out of which it has already deployed over Rs 88,000 crore, he said.
"We are at a very comfortable debt-equity ratio of 71:29 and we are confident we can easily complete the fund raising targets as we have been doing so far," Jha said.
The company on Thursday reported a net profit of Rs 1,599.05 crore for the March quarter, as against Rs 1,412.48 crore in the corresponding period of previous year.
Its income from operations rose to Rs 5,760.07 crore in the fourth quarter of this financial year, compared to Rs 4,703.22 crore in the same period of preceding financial year.
For the year 2015-16, the Navratna company reported a net profit of Rs 6,027 crore and revenue of Rs 21,281 crore.
"This is the first time that we have come in surplus. We would continue to focus on execution of our current projects, which are around worth Rs 1.44 lakh crore, and become a cash- surplus firm," another company official said.
The central transmission utility (CTU) is also planning to expand its business in generation and distribution sectors, Jha said.
"We want to expand in new horizons. We believe power generation and distribution are sectors where we would be able to expand.
"But we are waiting for the government's nod on hiving off our CTU status. Also, we are waiting for the amendment in the Electricity Act, 2003 by which the content and carrier business would be separated. If this falls in place, we would be able to diversify in the new areas," Jha said.
He said the company, which is present in 18 countries, would also look at increasing its international footprint over the next few years.
"We are currently providing consultancy services in these countries. But we would like to start operations as an EPC player and eventually own assets after a period. But this will take some time," Jha said.
The company had bid for an EPC contract in the transmission business in Nepal but could not win the bid.
"We would continue to look at opportunities, may be some more in Nepal, Ethiopia, Kenya among others to start with," Jha added.
PGCIL currently owns and operates transmission network of about 1,29,600 km and 208 extra high voltage double current (EHVAC) and high voltage double current (HVAC) substations, with transformation capacity of more than 2,55,000 MVA.
