NTPC seeks coal linkage for Bongaigaon TPP expansion

The public sector power major, NTPC, has already started lobbying for coal linkage to the Bongaigaon expansion project in Assam, even as fuel issues hampering the 3x250 MW Stage-I of the Bongaigaon thermal power project (TPP) are yet to be resolved. The power firm plans to expand the yet-to-be commissioned Bongaigaon TPP capacity by another 250 MW. Meanwhile, NTPC has obtained the commitment of the state government to facilitate the acquisition of land and water for the proposed expansion, while preparation of the feasibility report for the project is presently underway. NTPC has, now, called on the Ministry of Power (MoP) to also endorse its petition for fuel supplies, to the coal ministry.

Pertinently, coal-supply issues, combined with other vexing issues, like the sluggish execution of civil works, erection of boilers, pending award of contracts for the coal handling plant and ash dyke, lack of manpower, poor law and order situation, etc., have already pushed the commissioning schedule of the Stage-I of the project to March 2012, against the original commissioning deadline of November 2011. Despite having being granted fuel linkage for all the three units of the project, under which the first two units of the project will be supplied 1.65 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of coal from North Eastern Coalfields Limited's (NECL) Makum coalfields and the third unit is to be supplied 0.97 MTPA of coal from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), uncertainty prevails over the availability of coal for the project. While ECL was initially reluctant to honor its commitments, citing a negative coal balance, NECL, subsequently, took the same stand, as NECL's existing facilities allow it to produce only a total of 1.2 MTPA, which already stands allocated to various consumers. Presently, modalities are being worked out to divert NECL and ECL coal supplies meant for NTPC's Farakka and Kahalgaon plants to the Bongaigaon-I TPP, as a make-shift arrangement, till the coal mines dedicated to the power project are fully developed by NECL.