Dabhol impairment pulls down NTPC Q4 net by 25% to Rs 2,079 crore

NTPC's impairment loss was of Rs 783 cr in Ratnagiri Gas And Power, which is a JV of the firm

State-run power giant NTPC's standalone net profit declined by 25.54 per cent to Rs 2079.40 crore in the fourth quarter (Q) ending March 31, 2017, on impairment of investment in Ratnagiri Power plant known as Dabhol project.

NTPC's impairment loss was of Rs 783 crore in Ratnagiri Gas And Power, which is a joint venture of the company.

Standalone net profit was at Rs 2,792.69 crore in Q4, NTPC said in a BSE filing.

According to the statement, standalone total revenue of the company was up at 20,886.85 crore during the period compared to Rs 18,732.41 crore in the year-ago period.

Standalone net profit in 2016-17 was down at 9,385.26 crore from Rs 10,769.60 crore in the previous financial year (FY). Standalone total revenue was at Rs 79,342.30 crore, up from Rs 72,009.16 crore.

Its consolidated net profit for 2016-17 was Rs 10,713.94 crore compared to Rs 10,780.73 crore a year ago. Consolidated total revenue was at Rs 83,047.64 crore in the last FY compared to Rs 74,484 crore in the previous FY.

The board of directors also recommended a final dividend of Rs 2.61 per equity share for 2016-17, subject to an approval of shareholders in ensuing annual general meeting. The final dividend is in addition to the interim dividend of Rs 2.61 per equity share for FY17 paid in February 2017.

The company said that average tariff during 2016-17 was Rs 3.30 per unit. The gross power generation of the company was up at 250.31 billion units (BUs) in 2016-17 compared to 241.97 (BUs).

Its gross electricity generation also rose to 63.77 BUs in the quarter ended March 31, 2017, compared to 62.33 BUs in the year-ago period.

Plant load factor (PLF) or capacity utilisation for coal-based power plants was 78.59 per cent in 2016-17 compared to 78.61 per cent in the previous FY.

Similarly, the PLF for coal-based plants was 81.21 per cent in the quarter ended March 31, 2017, compared to 81.30 per cent in the year-ago period.

The company's dependence on imported coal has reduced as it used 1.03 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2016-17 compared to 9.48 MMT in the previous year. Similarly imported coal used by the company came down to 0.08 MMT in Q4 from 1.13 MMT year ago.

The company's group installed generation capacity was 50,498 MW as on March 31, 2017, up from 46,653 MW a year ago.