some more info on coal shortages , talks about acquiring coal...

some more info on coal shortages , talks about acquiring coal blocks in s, africa , this is off cag thread

NTPC identifies 2 coal mines in Indonesia, consultants
17 Aug, 2008, 1117 hrs IST, PTI

NEW DELHI: State-run NTPC will soon appoint consultants to carry out due diligence of two coal blocks identified in Indonesia, a move that would help the country's largest power producer meet the shortfall of coal from domestic sources.

"We have identified two coal mines in Indonesia and will be appointing consultant very soon for the due diligence," NTPC CMD R S Sharma told PTI.

NTPC had last month approached the power ministry to resolve the crisis saying many of its plants are facing the threat of closure which may lead to power crisis in the country.

"The situation is grim and unless fast track measures are undertaken by the Ministry of Coal and coal companies, the affected power plants face serious threat of taking units out of bar, which may lead to power crisis in the country," Sharma had said in a letter to Power Secretary Anil Razdan.

At an average, NTPC is facing a shortfall of 10-12 million tons of coal a year.

Besides Indonesia, the company is also looking at acquiring coal blocks in Mozambique and South Africa. It is looking at coal mines abroad that can give up to 20 million tons of coal per annum.

NTPC plans to import eight million tons of coal in the current financial year (2008-09) to bridge the shortfall in total requirement.

"Our total requirement of coal in this fiscal (2008-09) is around 125 million tons, out of which we plan to import eight million tons," Sharma said.

Asked whether Coal India (CIL) was responsible for the shortfall, Sharma declined to comment saying "we have very cordial relations with CIL and hope to resolve the issue very soon".

NTPC said that it has already lost Rs 94 crore in the current fiscal due to low generation at various plants, including Rihand, Vindhyachal, Farakka, Kahalgaon and Talher following short supply of coal.

The power producer took up the matter at all levels of Ministry of Coal, Sub Group for Infrastructure Constraints (under MoC), Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries, but coal supplies did not improve, it said.

The power producer plans to become a 75,000-MW company by the year 2017.

NTPC, which has an installed capacity of 29,000 MW, plans to add 22,000 MW capacity in the 11th Plan (2007-12) and another 25,000 MW by 2017.

regards

stured

go cds go

ps , pusssy cat i am over it , but i talk for myself and about a dozen other people