JSW Steel may sell its coal mine in Mozambique to sister company JSW Energy as the mine has become commercially unviable for the steel
producer, a top company executive said. Although the deal size could not be ascertained, a person privy to the development said it could be around Rs 300 crore. JSW Energy, which is in the process of raising fund through a public issue to expand power generation capacity, is currently sourcing thermal coal from JSW Steel under a purchase agreement.
Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Steel had acquired 200 million tonne Mozambique block through its affiliate JSW Natural Resources Mozambique a few years ago hoping to extract coking coal to feed its steel plant at Vijayanagar, Karnataka. But, the initial exploration and drilling activities undertaken by the company in Mozambique has revealed that the block has thermal coal reserves instead. While thermal coal is used in power generation, coking coal goes into steel-making.
“Fortunately or unfortunately, around 80% of the coal is in the form of thermal coal at Mozambique. We will probably get it valued and sell to JSW Energy. The balance 20% of the coking coal will be used by our steel plants,” JSW group managing director Sajjan Jindal said. JSW Steel will soon appoint consultants to get exact valuation of the Mozambique mine, said another person familiar with the development.
The transfer of thermal coal mine will help JSW Energy meet raw material requirement of its existing and proposed power plants. It plans to raise generation capacity from 995 mw currently to 3,140 mw by 2010. Its maiden public issue to raise Rs 2,700 crore will open on December 7 and close on December 9.
“JSW Energy plans to import 5 million tonne of coal in 2010-11 as the power firm looks to expand generating capacity. The company will import 2 million tonne of coal each from South Africa and Indonesia, besides 1 million tonne from Australia,” Mr Jindal said.
Both JSW Steel and JSW Energy are scouting for coal mines in Australia, Indonesia and South Africa to feed raw material requirements of their steel and power businesses, respectively. JSW Steel had earlier said it has earmarked investments of $500 million for acquiring the mines overseas due to unavailability of good quality coal in India. India is expected to produce 500 million tonne of coal this fiscal.
In addition, the coal imports in the current year is expected at close to 50 million tonne due to demand-supply mismatch. This has forced several power companies to look at supply arrangements in the overseas markets.
Source: Economic Times
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