NTPC Ltd will place work orders to import 7 million tonnes of additional coal in January. This will take the total imported fuel by the power producer to 16.4 million tonnes in the current financial year.
“We are likely to place orders for the balance 7 million tonnes of coal in January,” said a senior NTPC official, requesting anonymity. Earlier this fiscal, NTPC placed order for the import of 9 million tonnes of coal. The additional supplies are expected to start this month . In 2011-12, the public sector company imported 12 million tonnes of coal.
NTPC will procure 7 million tonnes on ‘For Power Station Basis.’ The concept means the supplier would be responsible for timely supply of coal, and payment would be made based on quality and quantity of coal received at the power plant. The supplier would be selected through bidding. The bids have been invited on October 9, 2012.
However, NTPC is not hit by expensive imported fuel.
“As far as costing goes, every 10 per cent of imported coal leads to 10-15 paise increase in cost of electricity,” the official said.
NTPC passes the increase in fuel cost to its buyers — the State Electricity Distribution Companies (discoms). “This (passing of increase in cost) is as according to NTPC’s business model based on CERC tariff,” the official added. The power producer requires 164 million tonnes of coal in 2012-13 to fire its thermal power stations.
“We import nearly 10 per cent of our requirement. Imported coal due to its good quality equals more than domestic coal,” the official said.
siddhartha.s@thehindu.co.in