India's largest power producer, state-run NTPC, will issue a tender to import 4 million mt of coal by March 31, a company official confirmed Friday. A coal procurement division has been specially created for this purpose.
NTPC management decided to directly source coals from overseas itself after a 2009 tender run by government-owned trading firm MMTC for 12.5 million mt of imported coal for NTPC had to be scrapped and reissued after one of the bidders alleged foul play in the way the order was executed.
The power producer is planning to increase its installed capacity to 50,000 MW by 2012 from the existing 33,000 MW. It operates 27 power stations in the country while 16,000 MW of capacity is under construction at various locations in the country.
NTPC requires about 16 million mt of imported coal for FY2011-12 which is likely to increase to about 24.8 million mt by FY2015-16. While the State Trading Corporation will import 12 million mt during FY2011-12, the balance 4 million mt will be directly imported by NTPC.
