Admitting that the government had granted a one-time exemption to import coal from private firms, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) denied that it overpaid for the 1.10 lakh tonnes of coal imported recently.
In a press statement, Tangedco said that it saved ₹5.56 crore and did not pay ₹33 crore in excess as claimed by a media report. The power utility said the cost of Indian coal, including transportation and port charges, would be ₹3,655 a tonne against ₹2,000 a tonne that was quoted by the report.
But the cost of imported coal in this case was only ₹3,150 a tonne, resulting in a saving of ₹505 a tonne. With a total import of 1.10 lakh a tonnes, the total savings amounted to ₹5.56 crore, Tangedco explained.
The government, after detailed deliberation, had granted a one-time exemption to Tangedco from the normal tender process, paving the way for import of coal from private firms.
Reasons for import
The decision was taken considering the natural calamities at the loading ports near Odisha and Vizag, the criticality of coal stock at Tangedco’s thermal power stations and the prices offered by the three firms which were lower by ₹0.76 crore for the above quantity when compared with relevant international coal indices.
Tangedco claimed that it had saved ₹139 crore in the recently finalised tender for importing coal to the extent of 17.50 lakh tonnes through the e-tender-cum-reverse-auction. Tangedco’s annual requirement of coal for powering the thermal stations in the State was 245 lakh tonnes and the recent import was only 0.45% of its annual requirement, amounting to less than two days of coal consumption, the statement said.
Meanwhile, DMK president M.K. Stalin alleged that the State government had imported coal from three companies including Adani Enterprises, from Indonesia and Australia.
The AIADMK government had flouted rules with corruption in mind and its deals with the Adani Group had triggered several questions, he said.
AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran urged the government to follow the Transparency in Tender Act 1998. PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss demanded constitution of an enquiry commission to probe into various acts of corruption of the AIADMK government.
