NTPC side-steps RIL attack; talking for gas to other plants

New Delhi: Irked by the response of Reliance Industries on resolving an issue coming in the way of the gas contract, power PSU NTPC today said it talking to Mukesh Ambani led company to lift fuel alloted by the government. Hence, NTPC does not want to comment on this.” NTPC took RIL to court in 2005 over the alleged failure of the Mukesh Ambani-led company to implement a gas supply contract. “With respect to allocation of KG-D6 gas by an eGoM for NTPC’s existing gas based power stations, various issues for signing with RIL have been resolved, except for one,” the power PSU said, adding that a solution suggested by NTPC to RIL was not acceptable to the Mukesh Ambani-led company. NTPC is committed to drawing the allocated gas for its NCR gas based power stations at Anta, Dadri and Faridabad, without prejudice to its rights and contentions in the ongoing suit between NTPC and RIL. RIL had agreed to sign the GSPA with the caveat that the agreements would be “without prejudice” to the outcome of the case in Bombay High Court over a 2004 tender where the Mukesh Ambani firm had quoted USD 2.34 per mmBtu as price for gas to be supplied to NTPC’s Kawas and Gandhar plants, RIL Executive Director P M S Prasad wrote to Power Secretary H S Brahma last month.