Power utilities would import 48 million tonnes of coal from Australia, Indonesia and South

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Africa next financial year (2010-11) to ensure regular fuel supply to the generating plants, the government said today.

"Power utilities (public and private) would import 48 million tonnes of coal next fiscal (2010-11)," Power Secretary H S Brahma told reporters here.

The dry fuel is likely to be sourced from coal rich countries like Australia, Indonesia and South Africa.

"Both public and private power companies would import the coal from Australia, Indonesia and South Africa," Brahma said.

The companies have already imported 19 million tonnes of coal from the targeted 28 million tonnes during the current fiscal (2009-10).

"Of the total 28 million tonnes, they have done 19 million tonnes," he said, adding that the rest would be imported soon.

State-run NTPC has also imported nine million tonnes of the targeted 12.5 million tonnes during the current financial year (2009-10). "They (NTPC) are right on track....They have done nine million tonnes," he added.

The projected coal requirement by the end of the current XIth Five Year Plan (2007-12) is expected to touch 700 million tonnes and the demand from power companies is likely to be at 550 million tonnes.