The latest joint sampling done by NTPC and Coal India showed that the power producer is paying less for the quality of coal being supplied by the miner.

Joint-sampling at the coal loading point done last week showed that the fuel supplied to NTPC has a calorific value of 3,600-4,000 Kcal/kg.

Lower grades

This qualifies for grading between G-11 and G-13 categories that costs Rs 650-550 a tonne. However, NTPC is paying for G-17 grade that costs Rs 360 a tonne, an official involved with the sampling process told Business Line .

Moreover, when the quality of coal was tested after 24 hours as practised globally, the calorific value increased by another 300-400 Kcal/kg.

“We are trying to ensure that whatever billing is made based on quality should be established. It should be mutually agreed to between both the companies,” said a Senior Coal India official. The sampling would continue for a month and an average would be arrived at by April-end. In addition, the Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR) will be roped in as an independent party to certify authenticity of the sampling mechanism.

The dispute over quality of coal led NTPC to stop payments of nearly Rs 1,000 crore to Eastern Coalfields Limited. The issue came up at two sites — Farakka and Kahalgaon.

On April 10, Coal Secretary Sanjay Kumar Srivastava met the Chiefs of NTPC and Coal India.

Joint sampling

It was decided that a joint sampling would be conducting at the loading point and the coal price would be decided accordingly.

Till now, NTPC had said it will continue to pay on the basis of calorific value of coal received at its power stations. This is why it paid the miner less than the billed amount.

> siddhartha.s@thehindu.co.in

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