IslamicFinance.de

State-controlled utility Saudi Electricity is in talks with regional and international banks about issuing a US dollar-denominated sukuk. A number of companies in the kingdom are considering sukuk issuance to offset a decline in revenues due to lower oil prices. Oil giant Saudi Aramco issued a debut $3 billion-equivalent sukuk in the Saudi local market in April, while ACWA Power is expected to issue an international bond of at least $600 million this week. Saudi Electricity issued $2.5 billion in sukuk in 2014, split between a $1.5 billion sukuk maturing in 2024 and $1 billion due in 2044. The company recently repaid a $500 million five-year sukuk it issued in 2012.

Saudi Electricity Co (SEC), the Gulf's largest utility firm, has reported its net loss for the first quarter more than doubled. It lost 1.94 billion riyals ($517.4 million) during the three months to March 31, compared to a loss of 913 million riyals during the corresponding period of 2014. The utility cited the costs of implementing an order from the electricity regulator on power usage by top manufacturers, as well as other expenses, for the decline in earnings. It did not elaborate. During the first quarter, the firm paid 545 million riyals to employees in bonuses as part of a scheme to celebrate the Saudi royal succession. Besides, SEC's results are highly seasonal because of the big swing between power demand in winter and in summer.

Saudi Electricity Co plans to issue Islamic bonds denominated in both riyals and dollars in coming months and has reportedly selected banks to arrange the offers. The monopoly utility has large fund-raising needs as it looks to expand generation capacity to keep up with the kingdom's rapidly growing power demand. SEC has chosen the investment banking arm of Banque Saudi Fransi and HSBC's Saudi Arabian unit to arrange the riyal-denominated sukuk. This transaction is expected to launch as early as Thursday. HSBC will also be involved as an arranger of the dollar-denominated sukuk, along with Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan Chase. This sale is expected in early 2014.