Boosted by a better-than-expected top line growth, State-owned NTPC Ltd posted a 15 per cent rise in net profit at Rs 2,424 crore during the second quarter of the current fiscal.

The country's largest power generator reported an 18 per cent surge in total income at Rs 16,387 crore during the three months ended September 30. This was helped in part by a Rs 759-crore payment pertaining to previous years, recognised on the basis of orders issued by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity. The sales for the quarter also included another Rs 50 crore on account of income tax recoverable from customers, it said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange. During the first half of 2011-12, the company reported net profit of Rs 4,500 crore, up 14 per cent over the first six months of the previous year while total income was up 16 per cent at Rs 31,554.76 crore.

Shares of the company ended up 1.4 per cent at Rs 173.60. NTPC has an installed capacity of 34,854 MW.

COAL SHORTAGE

On the current coal shortage problem, an NTPC official said the company is generating full load currently with an average stock of about 4 days at most of its stations. The company said it will be able to add to the coal stock on sustained supplies over a period of time.

At its Singrauli and Vindhyachal stations, where latest official estimates of the Central Electricity Authority suggested that coal stocks were way below the requirement, NTPC said “the stock position will improve gradually as the stations are generating full to their commitment and coal supplies are matching the requirement.”

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