Approximately $489 million of notes rated
New York, January 20, 2021 -- Moody's Investors Service (Moody's) has assigned a provisional
rating of (P)Baa3 (sf) to the notes series 2021-1 to be issued
by Chile Electricity PEC SPA (CEP or the Issuer). CEP will acquire
utility cost recovery charge receivables originated in relation to the
Tariff Stabilization Law, 2019 (the TSL) to Chile's electricity
generators (GenCos) arising from a temporary cap on electricity prices
payable by Chilean households and small businesses (regulated customers).
Issuer: Chile ELECTRICITY PEC SPA
Notes series 2021-1 , Assigned (P)Baa3 (sf)
RATINGS RATIONALE
CEP will finance the receivables purchase, which will be paid through
the allocation of future surpluses payable by the DisCos arising from
the difference between (i) the stabilized electricity costs paid by regulated
customers in Chile under the TSL, and (ii) the lower actual costs
payable to the GenCos for that electricity, as lower negotiated
generation prices come into effect between January 1, 2021 and January
1, 2023. Notwithstanding any change in cost of the electricity,
it is the obligation of the electricity regulator, the National
Energy Commission (CNE) under the TSL to set the price payable by regulated
customers at a level to ensure sufficient surpluses are generated to pay
the receivable in full by December 31, 2027, ahead of the
legal final term of the notes established in January 28, 2028.
The (P)Baa3 (sf) rating assigned to the notes reflect our assessment of
(1) the strength of the TSL and the related resolutions authorizing the
creation and recovery of the receivable which requires the Chilean electricity
distribution companies (DisCos) to pay all receivables in full by December
31, 2027; (2) the semi-annual rate setting process that
acts as a true-up mechanism; (3) the size, stability
and diversity of Chile's ratepayer base; (4) the credit strength
of the DisCos as primary obligors under the program, stemming from
their integral role in the Chilean electricity industry.
The program as structured and under current law is similar US and Canadian
utility cost recovery programs rated by Moody's. However,
there is no equivalent mitigant to the risk that future changes to the
TSL could adversely affect the outstanding obligations under the CEP program.
The coronavirus outbreak, the government measures put in place to
contain it, and the weak global economic outlook continue to disrupt
economies and credit markets across sectors and regions. Our analysis
has considered the effect on the performance of assets from the current
weak Chilean economic activity and a gradual recovery for the coming months.
Although an economic recovery is underway, it is tenuous and its
continuation will be closely tied to containment of the virus.
As a result, the degree of uncertainty around our forecasts is unusually
high. We regard the COVID-19 outbreak as a social risk under
our ESG framework, given the substantial implications for public
health and safety.
The principal methodology used in this rating was "Utility Cost Recovery
Charge Securitizations Methodology" published in June 2020 and available
at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBS_1214099.
Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
Factors that would lead to an upgrade or downgrade of the rating:
Any changes in or noncompliance with the Tariff Stabilization Law or the
credit quality of the obligors could lead to a change in the ratings on
the notes.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and
sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and
Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's
Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.
Moody's did not use any models, or loss or cash flow analysis,
in its analysis.
Moody's did not use any stress scenario simulations in its analysis.
For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of
debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures
in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the
same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant
to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing
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issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain
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support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action
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credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement
provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional
rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may
be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each
case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior
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For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit
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if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure
to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
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rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
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and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1243406.
At least one ESG consideration was material to the credit rating action(s)
announced and described above.
The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was
issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed
by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt
am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph
3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies.
Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's
office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.
The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was
issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the UK and is endorsed
by Moody's Investors Service Limited, One Canada Square,
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for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
Ely Mizrahi
Asst Vice President - Analyst
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