Moody’s has been explaining why it downgraded Tepco’s credit rating in the wake of the Fukushima crisis. It’s hardly a decision that needs much justification: the problems have been as visible and arguably as damaging to the company’s reputation as the Gulf of Mexico spill was to BP.
But Moody’s report makes some interesting points: the first being that its analysts think there is a high likelihood of the Japanese government stepping in to prop up the company. This actually gives the company a higher long-term rating than its stand-alone credit profile (SACP), which is now a junk-rated BB+.
