State-run power producer NTPC is planning to set up two thermal power plants in Kazakhstan and is also eyeing coal assets in the country.
"We are exploring the possibility of setting up two plants in Kazakhstan," CMD NTPC R S Sharma told reporters at the company's annual press conference.
Kazakhstan, which is a coal rich country, is seeking India's support for harnessing its dry fuel reserves.
"Kazakhstan has huge coal reserves, about 33 billion tonnes. We have got proposals from them for utilising that coal," Sharma said adding that we are working on a business model to bring the coal here and also use it for plants there.
On being asked whether the company is keen on acquiring coal blocks in the country, he said, "(we are) looking at coal mine acquisition in Kazakhstan as well."
In order to secure fuel supplies for its power plants, NTPC is looking at various options of sourcing the dry fuel, including global coal block acquisition, and has identified countries, such as, Indonesia, Australia, Mozambique and South Africa for the purpose.
NTPC has appointed Australian firm Macquarie as a consultant for the evaluation of Kalimantu coal mines in Indonesia. It has also appointed merchant bankers and legal consultants for the due diligence of a mine in Mozambique.
The country's largest power producer is planning to increase its electricity generation capacity to 50,000 MW from the current level of about 31,000 MW by the year 2012, for which it requires coal from both domestic as well as global sources.
NTPC's total coal requirement for the current financial year (2010-11) is about 145-150 million tonnes, of which the company is planning to import 14 million tonnes.