Fitch cuts Eskom rating deeper into junk

Eskom’s standalone credit profile was downgraded one notch at Fitch Ratings, signalling the South African power utility’s worsening ability to repay debt without additional government support.

Weakening revenue growth, profit-margin compression because of lower tariff increases, and higher primary energy costs were cited by Fitch as among the reasons for the reduction. Eskom’s poor liquidity and high debt levels are the worst among its peers, which includes Namibia Power Corp, Fitch said in a statement on Monday.

Fitch assessed the government’s support for Eskom as inconsistent, and said this has led to an unsustainable financial profile over an extended period of time. While government plans to inject R230-billion into the company over the next 10 years, this would only cover half of its debt-servicing costs, Fitch said. It does, however, give the company some flexibility over the next 12-18 months to execute its turnaround plan.

There are also risks to implementing reforms at the company, Fitch said, adding these are often difficult, and “generally associated with convoluted social and political pressures”.

Eskom, seen as the biggest threat to South Africa’s economy with at least R450-billion in debt, is due to get a new CEO by the end of October. The government is also set to release a plan to save the business.

The standalone rating was cut to CCC- from CCC, while Fitch affirmed Eskom’s long-term local-currency issuer default rating at BB-, with a negative outlook.  — Reported by Vernon Wessels, (c) 2019 Bloomberg LP