NTPC issues tender to buy stressed assets

NTPC Limited has floated a tender to acquire stressed thermal assets across the country. As per the tender, only those coal-based power plants will be acquired which have been commissioned after April 1, 2014 and have a generating capacity of at least 500 MW. At present, of the 40 GW of stressed assets, about 12 GW of coal-based plants worth Rs 500 billion have a commercial date of operation from April 1, 2014 onwards. The tender document further requires that the plant must be designed for operating on 100 per cent domestic coal for the rated capacity and must have an availability of coal for 85 per cent plant load factor or capacity utilisation.