NTPC is in talks with private companies to buy out or acquire some stranded power projects, which have failed to take off due to reasons such as non-availability of fuel and the like.
NTPC Chairman and Managing Director Arup Roy Choudhury said the company had a couple of proposals before it. “I won’t specify any organisation, we have a couple of proposals, and a board sub-committee is looking at it, and will soon finalise those proposals,’’ he told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.
Mr. Choudhury said NTPC would also come out with advertisements asking companies to come forward with their stranded projects, evaluate them and take a call. “We don’t start a project unless we have coal linkage, environmental clearance, availability of land as well as water and power purchase agreement (PPA). When all these are tied-up, we start the project,’’' he said.
Referring to the financial impact of such acquisitions, he said NTPC had a lot of money. “Look at my balance sheet,’’' he shot back. The company hopes to finalise these proposals by the end of this calendar year. NTPC plans to add 14,000 MW by 2017. “We don’t have coal shortage for this 14,000 MW. There is 20,000 MW more under execution, and we don’t have any coal problem for that as well, we are going ahead full steam the way we planned,’’ he added.
He said NTPC would soon present its case before the Supreme Court regarding the notices issued to Delhi discoms — BSES Rajdhani and BSES Yamuna — for clearing their outstanding dues. “We will make the presentation to the Supreme Court soon, and as far as payment from BSES is concerned, we are not worried because as per PPAs, any delayed payment is made to us, it will be along with penalty, that is, 15 per cent interest,’’ he said.
