In talks with Cement Corporation for plant in Orissa: NTPC

State-run NTPC today said it is in talks with Cement Corporation of India to set up a new cement plant in Orissa that will utilise fly ash produced at the power major's coal-fired thermal plants.

"We produce a lot of fly ash... We are in talks with the Cement Corporation of India and would set up a cement plant in Orissa," NTPC CMD Arup Roy Choudhury told reporters here.

"In a couple of months we would be able to firm up the proposal," he added.

Fly ash is a residue left after coal is burnt in thermal plants and is used in the production of cement.

The company will try to utilise cement produced at the plant, with excess quantities sold in the open market, he said. "We will try and consume it ourselves, then maybe sell it to others," he said.

Meanwhile, the public sector company is in talks with Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) for transportation of coal from the mines that NTPC plans to buy overseas.

"We are talking (to SCI) about transportation of coal once we acquire coal mines abroad," he added.

NTPC is looking at acquiring coal properties in Australia, Indonesia and Mozambique in order to secure raw material supplies for its thermal power projects.

At present, the company has a cumulative power generation capacity of over 31,000 MW.