Essar Energy Regulatory News (ESSR)

Essar Oil progresses discussions regarding revised debt facility

March 30, 2012: Essar Energy plc [LSE: ESSR], the India-focused integrated energy company, today announced that its subsidiary Essar Oil Limited (Essar Oil)  has made significant progress with its lenders towards exiting the current Master Restructuring Loan Agreement (MRA),  relating to the corporate debt restructuring (CDR) scheme, in respect of its Vadinar oil refinery in Gujarat.

As previously announced on January 18, 2012, under its existing Master Restructuring Loan Agreement entered into in 2004 to finance the construction of its Vadinar refinery, Essar Oil is required to be eligible for the State of Gujarat Government's sales tax deferment scheme by March 31, 2012.  It was also announced that Essar Oil was already in discussions with its lenders to exit its CDR and replace the MRA with a new loan facility.

Essar Oil has confirmed that it has made significant progress with its lenders to exit the CDR and expects to enter into a new facility on revised terms.   

Given the progress made, Essar Oil has received confirmation from its lenders that there is no breach of covenant until the new loan facility is executed, which will be on revised terms. 

Notes to editors:

1.   The sales tax requirement relates to the State of Gujarat's Capital Investment Incentive to Premier/Prestigious Unit Scheme, 1995-2000. Essar Oil filed a review petition on February 16 2012 in the Supreme Court of India seeking a review of the court's previous decision on January 17, 2012, to set aside a Gujarat High Court judgement in 2008 permitting Essar Oil to claim a sales tax deferral benefit under this scheme from the Gujarat Government.

2.   Essar Oil Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India and is a subsidiary of Essar Energy, which owns 87.1 per cent of the shares.

3.   Essar Oil has just completed the $1.81 billion expansion of the Vadinar refinery, increasing its capacity to 18 million metric tonnes per year, or 375,000 barrels per day.

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 with 1,600MW 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 now of 18 million metric tonnes per annum and with further plans to expand to 20mmtpa by September 2012.

About Essar Group

The Essar Group (the "Group") is a multinational conglomerate and a leading player in the sectors of Steel, Oil, Gas, Power, Communications, Shipping, Ports, Logistics, Construction and Minerals. With operations in more than 25 countries across five continents, the Group employs over 70,000 people, with annual revenues of US$17 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 decisions.