NTPC Q4 net profit declines 70% to Rs 1,523 cr on higher tax provision

State-run power major NTPC on Saturday reported over 70 per cent decline in its consolidated net profit at Rs 1,523.77 crore in the March quarter mainly due to higher tax provision under the Vivad Se Vishwas' scheme.

The consolidated net profit of the company stood at Rs 5,161.39 crore for the corresponding quarter last fiscal, a regulatory filing said.

Total income was Rs 31,315.32 crore in the period under review, compared to Rs 26,116.15 crore in the year-ago period.

The company said it made "provision for current tax for 2019-20 which includes

Rs 2,743.64 crore being tax related to earlier years. This includes additional tax provision amounting to Rs 2,723.57 crore, as some of the group companies have decided to settle pending income tax disputes by opting under the Vivad se Vishwas Scheme under 'The Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Act, 2020'.

The group companies are in the process of completion of procedural formalities under the scheme and settlement of pending balances will be carried out on completion of such formalities."

Consolidated net profit for 2019-20 stood at Rs 11,901.96 crore, compared to Rs 14,034.4 crore in 2018-19.

The total income of the company in 2019-20 was Rs 1,12,372.58 crore as against Rs 1,02,533.05 crore in 2018-19.

The board of directors has also recommended a final dividend of Rs 2.65 per equity share for 2019-20, subject to the approval of the shareholders in the ensuing Annual General Meeting.

The final dividend is in addition to the interim dividend of Rs 0.50 per equity share for 2019-20 paid in March 2020.

The gross power generation of the company is 68.27 billion units (BU) in the March quarter down from 69.18 BU in the same period last year. The gross power generation in 2019-20 is 259.61 BU down from 274.45 BU in 2018-19.

The plant load factor (PLF) or capacity utilisation of its coal-based plants were at 77.58 per cent in the March quarter, down 69.52 per cent. In 2019-20, the PLF slipped 55.99 per cent from 60.30 per cent in 2018-19.

Its coal imports in the March quarter were 0.67 million tonne compared to 0.66 million tonne in the same period last year. In 2019-20, its import of dry fuel rose 2.84 million tonne from 1.04 million tonne in 2018-19.

The average tariff of the company is Rs 3.9 per unit in 2019-20.

On the impact of Covid-19 lockdown, the company said: "The group believes that the impact due to the outbreak of Covid-I9 is likely to be short-term in nature and does not anticipate any medium to long-term risks in the group's ability to continue as a going concern and meeting its liabilities as and when they fall due.