Tata Power Company Ltd expects a three-fold increase in its coal imports during the current fiscal. The company is looking at imports of 15 million tonnes as it commissions new units, said Managing Director, Mr Anil Sardana.

The company had imported 5.5 million tonnes of coal in 2011-12. Mr Sardana was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of CII event on overseas coal acquisition.

Mr Sardana said the company expects to commission the second unit of 800 MW at Mundra in Gujarat by August. Tata Power, which is setting up the country's first ultra mega power plant (UMPP) at Mundra, recently synchronised its first 800 megawatt super critical unit. The Mundra project will have a total generation capacity of 4,000 megawatt when all the five units become fully operational.

In the December quarter earnings call, Tata Power had said that work had progressed on the remaining three units of Mundra UMPP and that it was committed to commission them with a time gap of four to five months between the units.

Steps to cut costs

Tata Power, Mr Sardana said, plans to mix some high-grade imported coal with some low-grade variety imported from Indonesia to reduce costs. The company is also considering acquiring coal blocks overseas to meet its rising fuel requirements, without divulging details.

However, Mr Sardana said that the Government needs to facilitate bilateral deals at the government-to-government level to secure energy assets overseas.

Shortage of domestic coal due to a stagnant production is prompting power producers to import fuel or look at acquiring overseas assets.

Tata Power will announce its results for the financial year 2011-12 on May 22.

The shares of Tata Power ended marginally lower at Rs 100.20 on the BSE on Friday.

> vishwa@thehindu.co.in

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