CIL board may take up awarding coal import contract

Company has received a single expression of interest from MMTC for importing the fuel to meet supply agreements with power plants

The board of state-owned Coal India Ltd may consider the issue of awarding contract for coal import in a meeting likely to be held by the month-end.

CIL has received a single expression of interest from MMTC for importing the fuel to meet supply agreements with power plants. MMTC responded to the tender floated at the beginning of this year.

"Coal India board may discuss the issue of awarding the contract for coal import in the meeting to be held by the end of this month," a source said.

However, he had declined to comment on the proposed quantity of imports for this financial year.

The world's largest coal miner had to invite fresh applications after an earlier tender elicited no response.

CIL had first invited bids for coal imports in November 2013. It had said in September that it may import 15 million tonnes of coal for power utilities as part of meeting supply commitments to power utilities.

The company's tender was "for selection of agency from government department or government-owned company or public sector entity for supply of imported coal".

CIL Chairman and Managing Director S Narsing Rao had said there was no response to the tender floated earlier as potential bidders such as STC and MMTC had expressed some apprehensions and that the company would "float a fresh tender any time".

Rao had said the company intends to import 5 million tonnes of coal to meet the shortfall against deliveries under fuel supply agreements (FSAs) signed with power plants.

According to the FSA, CIL will supply 65 per cent of the contracted amount from domestic sources and another 15 per cent through imports.