April 11, 2022: Meezan Bank, Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank and Burj Solar Energy Private Limited (BSEPL) are pleased to announce the financial close of a Rs1 billion syndicated Islamic finance facility for BSEPL’s portfolio of renewable distributed power generation in Pakistan.
The first tranche of Rs580 million will be used to finance the construction of a 7 MW solar power plant for Power Cement Limited on the Karachi Hyderabad Motorway. Meezan Bank led the transaction as the Mandated Lead Arranger and Pakistan Kuwait Investment Company (Private) Limited participated as the Co-Arranger.
The transaction structure is based on the State Bank of Pakistan’s Islamic Financing Facility for Renewable Energy (IFRE) and a commercial facility. The solar power plant will be rented to Power Cement Limited under a twenty-year equipment rental agreement and the solar energy generated will be used by the company’s cement plant in Nooriabad. It will generate 220 GWh solar units for twenty years and in addition to reducing the cost of electricity, will offset 112,000 tons of CO2 GHG emissions.
The project is expected to start generation in July 2022. Legal counsel for the financiers were Mohsin Tayeb Aly & Co. while Kabraji & Talibuddin Advocates and Legal Counsels acted as BSEPL’s legal counsel. Orient Energy Systems (Private) Limited is the turnkey EPC contractor for the project.
Mr. Arif ul Islam, Deputy CEO, Meezan Bank, while commenting on the occasion said, ‘Meezan Bank is committed to actively supporting and pursuing green energy initiatives. Meezan has played a key role in the financing of several renewable energy projects aggregating to 380 MW, as Lead or Co-lead manager and also participated in the debt syndications of two large hydro-electric projects being set up by the Government of Pakistan – Neelum Jhelum and Dasu.
Burj Energy is an excellent initiative that will facilitate distributed affordable solar initiatives corporates, small and medium enterprises as well as the individual consumers.’
He said the Meezan has also implemented a number of green initiatives by installing solar at 59 branches and 140Kw solar at its Head Office. Its new regional office building in Islamabad is also being designed to be Platinum Lead certified. Mr. Saad Zaman, Chairman of BSEPL and Burj Energy International Management Limited UAE, said, ‘I am very pleased that we have successfully reached the financial close of the 7 MW solar farm for Power Cement Limited.
This is one more success for our company and a significant moment for the development of hybrid renewable energy projects in Pakistan. This successful financial close reflects the ongoing interest and trust of leading financial institutions in the Pakistani renewables market and Burj Group.
Mr. Kashif Habib Chief Executive Officer of Power Cement Limited, said: ‘Our future is dependent on green, sustainable and renewable sources of energy. By installing this 7 MW solar farm, we are taking the first step toward our hybrid solar& wind energy project. We shall keep playing our part in making our production process more environment-friendly and positively impactful for the ecosystem we live in. It is high time that we look towards other viable energy options that are clean and green.”
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