CIL to once again invite fresh applications for coal import

Company intends to import five mn tonnes of coal to meet the shortfall against deliveries under FSAs

State-owned Coal India (CIL) will once again invite fresh applications from interested entities for importing coal that would be supplied to power plants under fuel supply agreements as the earlier tender floated by the PSU elicit no response.

"We will float a fresh tender anytime...There was no response to the the tender floated earlier as the potential people (the PSUs like STC, MMTC) because of some apprehensions expressed by them," Coal India Chairman and Managing Director S Narsing Rao told PTI.

Rao said the company intends to import five million tonnes (MT) of coal to meet the shortfall against deliveries under fuel supply agreements (FSAs).

CIL had for the first time invited th applications with regard to coal import in November, 2013 which closed last month.

"(CIL invites) NIT (Notice Inviting Tender) for selection of agency from government department or government owned company or public sector entity for supply of imported coal to purchaser (power producers) at delivery point (power plant end)," the company said on its website.

The company had said that the agency will supply coal to various power plant across the country till March 2015.

"The successful bidder shall procure imported coal through tendering for the quantity required for each quarter separately," CIL said.

CIL had said in September last year said that it is likely to import 15 million tonnes of coal for power utilities as part of meeting the FSA commitment.

According to the new FSA, Coal India will supply 65 per cent of the contracted amount from domestic sources and another 15 per cent through imports with pass-on pricing model.