NTPC saves Rs 550 cr/month via coal rationalisation, import cuts

State-owned NTPC has achieved savings of approximately 30 paise per unit — approximately Rs 550 crore per month — on account of coal rationalisation and reduction in imports of fossil fuel, Parliament was informed on Monday.

"NTPC has achieved saving of approximately 30 paise per unit (approximately Rs 550 crore/month) due to rationalisation of coal linkage and reduction of imports," Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal informed the Rajya Sabha. Further, due to various efficiency measures, including reduction in grade slippage, specific coal consumption (coal consumed per unit) in the first quarter of 2016-17 has come down by 2.9 per cent as against the same quarter in the previous fiscal, the minister said.

The minister further said the government has taken various measures in order to ensure synergy between power and coal sectors. The coal availability, he said, is regularly monitored at the highest level, resulting in increased supply of domestic coal.

 The blocks have been allotted to certain power utilities to improve domestic coal availability and 100 per cent crushed coal is supplied from Coal India. Coal India, he said, will supply 100 per cent washed coal of G10 grade and above from October 1, 2018, as per environment ministry guidelines.

"The amount of coal imported during 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 was 166.86 mt (million tonnes), 217.78 mt and 199.88 mt (provisional), respectively," he said.

Meanwhile, Centre's green panel has deferred its decision on granting environment clearance to NTPC's Rs 17,820-crore super thermal project in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh, for want of more information and clearance from the wildlife authorities.

State-run NTPC proposes to set up the first stage of 'Barethi Super Thermal Power Project' with 2,640 mw capacity in Chhatarpur. The coal requirement of 12 million tonnes per annum would be met from Banai coal mine block of Mand Raigarh located in Chhattisgarh.

The proposal was discussed in the recent meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union Environment Ministry.