Essar Energy Regulatory News (ESSR)

Essar Energy notes High Court order regarding sales tax petition

June 25 2012: Essar Energy plc [LSE: ESSR], the India-focused integrated energy company, today announced that the High Court of Gujarat hearing in relation to Essar Oil's writ petition seeking direction on repayment of sales tax has taken place today and the petition has not been favourably considered by the court.

 Essar Oil has yet to receive a copy of the order, but once this has been received, Essar Oil plans to take appropriate legal action, including appealing the decision to the Supreme Court of India.

As previously announced, Essar Oil is also in advanced discussions with Indian lenders with regard to putting in place a c.US$ 1 billion (Rs. 50 billion) loan facility as a contingency measure for use in the event that the sales tax liability becomes payable immediately or that Essar Oil is not able to negotiate a satisfactory repayment schedule. We expect this facility to be finalised shortly.

For further information on Essar Energy, please visit www.essarenergy.com

For further information on the Essar Group, please visit www.essar.com

Alternatively, please contact:

Essar Energy

Mark Lidiard, Director of Investor Relations & Communications +44 20 7408 8714 or +44 7554 440421

Andrew Turpin, Head of Media Relations +44 20 7408 8702 or +44 7827 283659

Capital MS&L

Richard Campbell +44 20 7307 5334 or +44 7775 784 933

Nicholas Bastin +44 20 7255 5117 or +44 7931 500 066

About Essar Energy

Essar Energy (LSE:ESSR) is a world class, low-cost, integrated energy company with an established track record.

Essar Energy, through its subsidiaries, owns one of India's largest private power producers now with 2,800MW of installed capacity and projects under construction to expand its capacity to 9,670MW.

Essar Energy, through its subsidiaries, owns one of India's fastest growing private sector oil and gas companies with a diverse portfolio of exploration and production assets. The Vadinar refinery, located in Gujarat, is India's second largest private sector oil refinery with throughput capacity of 20 million metric tonnes per annum, or 405,000 barrels per day following the completion in 2012 of expansion and optimisation projects.

About Essar Group

The Essar Group is a global conglomerate and a leading player in the sectors of Steel, Energy (Oil & Gas and Power), Infrastructure (Ports, Projects & Concessions) and Services (Shipping, Telecom, Realty and Business Process Outsourcing). With operations in more than 25 countries across five continents, the group employs 75,000 people and has revenues of over US$ 27 billion.

* * *

This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding Group's plans, objectives and performance. Such statements relate to events and depend on circumstances that may occur in the future and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although the Group believes that the expectations reflected in such forward looking statements are reasonable, there are a number of factors which could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements, including, without limitation, the enactment of legislation or regulation that may impose costs or restrict activities; the re-negotiation of contracts or licences; fluctuations in demand and pricing in the Oil and Gas, Power and Energy industries; fluctuations in exchange controls; changes in government policy and taxations; industrial disputes; war and terrorism. Further information on the significant risks and uncertainties associated with the Group's business is set out in the Prospectus published on 4 May 2010. These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this document. The Group undertakes no obligation to update any forward looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required.

These statements (and all other forward-looking statements contained in this document) are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the Group's control, are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied or forecast in the forward-looking statements.

This announcement does not constitute, or form part of, an offer or any solicitation of an offer for securities in any jurisdiction, or an invitation or inducement to invest in the Group or any other entity and should not be relied upon in any way in connection with any investment decision.