New Delhi, August 22: Union coal ministry has directed the CMDs of Coal India Limited and Singareni Collieries Company Limited to consider the requests for coal linkages of central and state sector power plants and to review the status of existing coal linkages, letter of authorization and other related matters.
A letter annexing minutes of the meeting of the standing linkage committee (long term), SLC(LT), for the power sector held on July 27, 2020 at 3pm through video conferencing issued from coal ministry on August 18 suggest show.
The minutes suggest that SLC (LT) after discussion on enhancement of annual contract quantity (ACQ) recommended increasing the ACQ up to 100 percent of the normative requirement in the cases where the ACQ was reduced to 90 percent of the normative requirement based on SLC (LT) discussion on 12.11.2018. This increase shall be for the all regular linkage granted or recommended through SLC(LT). Also, in case of linkages obtained through auction mechanism, the entitled quantity shall be revised based on the new norms and the consumers shall have to participate in auctions to obtain the linkages for increased entitlements of ACQ. In case of increase of ACQ of coastal power plans, ministry of power/CEA would examine the issues involved and matter would be taken up in SLC (LT) after receipt of recommendations from the Ministry of Power.
The minutes suggests that SLC (LT) after discussion on shift of the existing tapering coal linkage accorded to NTPC Units 2X 800MW) situated in Ramagundam, Telangana from WCL/CIL to SCCL recommended for formal approval of grant of tapering linkage as per the applicable policy to the 2X800 MW Phase-1 of Telangana Super Thermal Power Project of NTPC as well as shifting of existing coal linkage from WCL to SCCL. The LoA Commitment Guarantee submitted by NTPC to the coal companies on this account may also be refunded. SLC(LT) also recommended that within one month, NTPC shall submit the application fees for grant of tapering linkage as the specified norms.
The minutes suggest that after discussion on Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO) long term coal linkage and bridge linkages, SLC (LT) recommended for grant of entire coal linkage for 50 percent of the installed capacity of the 3 units of 2400 MW of TANGEDCO (North Chennai Thermal Power Stage III (1x800MW) and Upper Super Thermal Power Project (2X800MW) under B(i) of Shakti Policy, 2017 from SCCL. It was also recommended to grant bridge linkage (BL) for Ennore TPS (660MW) of TANGEDCO from SCCL. It also recommended that meeting the future coal requirement of TANGEDCO from Naini Coal Mine may be worked out by SCCL and TANGEDCO.
