Coal India Ltd (CIL) has refused transfer of coal linkage from decommissioned Indraprastha Thermal Power station (ITPS) to NTPC's joint venture Indira Gandhi Super Thermal Power (IGSTP).

ITPS, a venture of Delhi government, was allocated 1.11 million tonne (MT) coal in 2008-09, but stringent environmental norms forced the government of Delhi decommission the plant in 2009.

The government of Delhi then purchased a stake in NTPC's IGSTP. As the IGSTP has been suffering occasional short of coal, the Delhi government requested the CIL to transfer coal linkage from the decommissioned power plant to IGSTP.

The coal ministry confirmed, "They (CIL) have further commented that there is no policy to permit transfer of coal linkages of one plant to another. the linkage quantity of IGSTP is already 100% of the normative requirement which cannot be exceeded."

But, NTPC has long been arguing that CIL sometimes supply the assured quantity of coal, and there are instances when the plant is left with less than a week's supply of fuel.

IGSTP, which is operated through joint venture Aravali Power, commissioned its third and final unit in November last year. State-run NTPC owns 25 per cent stake in the project and 42.6 per cent share of power.