Power ministry agrees to 3 coal auction windows under Shakti scheme

Providing relief to about 8,500 mega-watt (MW) of power plants without power purchase agreements (PPAs) which rely on auctions conducted under the Scheme for Harnessing and Allocating Koyala (Coal) Transparently in India (Shakti scheme) by the government, the Union power ministry has agreed to allow generating stations to procure fuel under the scheme through three different auction windows.

Under existing norms, there is only one window for Shakti auctions through which power plants can book coal for three months to one year. According to a statement issued by the government on Friday, power ministry has agreed for three separate windows for Shakti auction: for three months, six months and one year.