Australia's Thiess, Singareni compete for NTPC contracts

Australian consultancy group Thiess and state-owned Singareni Collieries are in race for NTPC's nearly $3 billion worth of contracts for developing coal mines in Jharkhand.

"Thiess and Singareni Collieries have shown interest in the consultancy and development works of the Chhatti Bariatu and Kerandari coal blocks in Jharkhand," a Power Ministry official said.

"The Chhatti Bariatu contract is for about Rs 9,000 crore and the Kerandari is for about Rs 4,500 crore," he said.

Together, the two contracts would be worth Rs 13,500 crore (around $3 billion).

According to him, the extractable reserves from the coal mines are usually 50 per cent.

The geological coal reserves of the Chhatti Bariatu and Kerandari are 194 million tonnes and 285 million tonnes, respectively. The minable reserves in these two sites are 151 million tonnes and 142 million tonnes, respectively.

NTPC has seven coal blocks including Pakri Barwadih, Chhatti Bariatu (North and South), Kerandari (Jharkhand), Dulanga (Orissa) and Tallaipalli in Chhattisgarh.

For the other two blocks, CIL NTPC Urja Company Pvt Ltd, was formed in April 2010 by NTPC and Coal India Ltd to jointly undertake the development, operation and maintenance of Brahimini and Chichro Patsimal in Orissa.

The country's largest power producer NTPC has already spent Rs 272 crore for Pakri Barwadih, Rs 52 crore for Chhatti Bariatu and Rs 69 crore for Kerandari coal blocks.

Thiess India is already working as mine developer cum operator for Pakri Barwadih Coal Mining Project of NTPC.

The geological reserves of this mine is about 1,436 million tonnes whereas the minable ones are about a third or 503 million tonnes.

NTPC, one of the largest consumers of coal in the country, is looking to secure more fuel to meet requirements, including from overseas. The firm is exploring opportunities in coal-rich countries like Indonesia, Australia and Africa.

The Power Ministry has set a 14 million tonne-coal import target for NTPC for the current financial year (2010-11).