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GVK Power (Goindwal Sahib) Ltd, a subsidiary of GVK Power and Infrastructure, has got permission from the Environment Ministry to import coal from South Africa as a ‘stop gap’ arrangement in case the company fails to get coal from its captive mines in Tokisud North Sub-Block in Jharkhand, according to official sources.
“As the Tokisud North Sub-Block mine development has been delayed due to reasons beyond the control of the company, GVK proposed to use imported coal from South Africa (2.28 million tonnes per annum) as a stop gap arrangement to commission plant operations. The EAC (Expert Appraisal Committee) has given GVK permission to use imported coal for the plant for two years,” sources said.
GVK is setting up a 2x270 MW Thermal Power Plant at Goindwal Sahib tehsil in Tarn Taran district of Punjab, and both the units have been synchronised to the grid.
A senior official of the power project developer said they have already received tapering coal linkage from Coal India to the tune of 1.5 lakh tonnes and half of it is expected soon.
“We have obtained permission from the Government for the import of coal in case there is a delay in production from our captive coal mine or if Coal India fails to deliver (in future), then we will use the option to import coal. We are confident that our captive coal block will be operational by the end of this year and power production will also start,” the GVK official told PTI.
The tapering coal linkage has been recommended by the Punjab government to the Ministries of Coal and Power, sources said.
“Tokisud mines are very much on schedule this year. We need some clearances from the Railways and other departments for sliding the coal from the mines to the plant. The coal from CIL will help us run the plant for a couple of months,” the official added.
The Tokisud mines have 52 million tonnes of mineable reserves and are expected to meet the requirement of the Goindwal Sahib project of 2.32 million tonnes per annum .
It has also completed the construction of a bridge over the Damodar river along with a relief and rehabilitation colony with the commercial operations beginning, according to the GVK annual report.
Last year, the Ministry of Coal issued a showcause notice to GVK for not meeting deadlines with respect to the development of the mine.
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