NTPC Ltd.

NTPC Ltd, which is in the process of exploring opportunities to source coal from overseas, has identified a couple of more blocks in Indonesia for securing fuel for its thermal power plants. NTPC had earlier mandated Australian's Macquarie to carry out due diligence on a mine in Indonesia that was identified earlier.

NTPC is also looking at South Africa and Mozambique for coal mine acquisitions. Including joint ventures, NTPC has an installed generation capacity of 30,644 MW. Of this, over four-fifths is coal-based. NTPC requires 150 million tonnes of coal during the current financial year to fire its power plants in the country and the company plans to import 12.5 million tonnes of the fuel from overseas.

NTPC will begin operations at its first coal mine, Pakri Barwadih, in Jharkhand by March 2011. It has been allocated six coal blocks in the country with estimated geological reserves of more than 3 billion metric tonnes and an output potential of 48 million tonnes a year. The production at the mine has been delayed due to multiple clearances required to start output.