TAPERING LINKAGE COAL SUPPLY TO NALCO RESTORED

04/02/2016

Bhubaneswar, 04/02/2016 : Ministry of Coal, Govt of India, has decided to restore the tapering linkage coal supply from Mahanadi Coalfields to two Units of Nalco’s Captive Power Plant (CPP) at Angul. This was announced by Shri Tapan Kumar Chand, CMD, Nalco, on Wednesday at the 12th Annual Function of Nalco Employees’ Forum (NEF), Bhubaneswar. “We are thankful to Ministry of Mines, which strongly recommended our case before Ministry of Coal,” Shri Chand said.

Elaborating on the good news, which coincided with the recognition of NEF, Shri Chand said that out of 10 Units of Nalco’s 1200 MW CPP, till now the company had assured supply of 47.16 lakh tonnes of coal per annum, as per Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) with Mahanadi Coalfields, for 8 Units only. For Unit 9 & 10, there was tapering linkage supply of 10.93 lakh tonnes of coal per annum, which was linked to Utkal E coal block allotted to Nalco. This linkage supply had stopped since 2011. With the fresh allotment of Utkal D & E coal blocks by the Centre, having a reserve in excess of 200 million tonnes, in the vicinity of CPP, which would take about couple of years for raising coal, the Ministry of Coal has decided to restore the tapering linkage. This shall greatly increase power supply to Nalco’s Smelter located adjacent to its CPP, resulting in operation of more pots to smelt aluminium.

Appreciating the proactive role played by Nalco’s Workers’ Unions, including NEF, Shri Chand described the union leaders as hard-core managers. Nalco collective has been trying to achieve business excellence through productivity, profitability and credibility, he said. “The Union-Management combined power of Nalco has defied the gravitational forces of current sluggish market and the company is flying high,” Shri Chand asserted.

Among others, Shri S.C. Padhy, Director (HR), Smt. Preeti Roy, President, Nalco Mahila Samiti and Shri Amiya Patnaik, GM(H&A) also lauded the role of NEF. At the outset, from NEF, Shri P.K. Das, General Secretary, welcomed the guests and Shri M.M. Dhal, President, highlighted the contributions of Unions in general, and NEF in particular, to offset the debilitating forces.