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

Irked by the response of Reliance Industries on resolving an issue coming in the way of the gas contract, power PSU NTPC on Friday said it is talking to Mukesh Ambani led company to lift fuel alloted by the government.

At the same time, the corporation refused to join issue with RIL, which attacked it for not reciprocating on a 2004 deal to gas at $2.34 per mmBtu, saying: "The facts of the case are before the High Court. 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.

RIL has in the recent past written a number of letters to the power ministry questioning the role of NTPC in the dispute as also the corporation's failure to lift the fuel that was allotted by an empowered Group of Ministers.

"With respect to allocation of KG-D6 gas by an eGoM for NTPC's existing gas based power stations, various issues for signing GSPA 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.

In a notice to stock exchanges, it said "NTPC is further discussing with RIL for early resolution of the issue," butdid not elaborate on the irritant.

The eGoM had allocated gas from RIL's KG basin fields to NTPC's Anta, Dadri and Faridabad power stations.