Panel on coal linkages to meet on Feb 19

An inter-ministerial panel will meet on February 19 to review the status of existing coal supply arrangements to the power and other sectors.

“The meeting of the Standing Linkage Committee (Long-Term) for power/spongeement to review the status of existing coal linkage setters of assurance and other related matters will be held on February 19,” according to a Coal Ministry memorandum.

Amid continuous delays, the Cabinet Committee on Investment had earlier said timelines for signing fuel supply pacts for power projects of 78,000 MW capacity should be met.

State-owned Coal India has signed 157 fuel supply agreements with power producers for a capacity of 71,145 MW, missing two deadlines. Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal had said that the remaining supply agreements would be signed once technical glitches are addressed. Coal India will supply as much as 80 per cent of a power producer’s requirements, of which 65 per cent will be sourced locally and 15 per cent will be met through imports.

The mining company last month invited fresh applications for supply of coal from overseas to meet its obligations to power producers under the fuel supply agreements. It plans to import 5 million tonnes of coal.