India: On 24 September 2014 India's Supreme Court cancelled all but four of the 218 coal blocks that have been allocated since 1993.
"We are relieved that the uncertainty is over, but now where do the cement and power plants attached to these mines get coal from?" asked Sushil Maroo, a director of Essar Energy and CEO of Essar Power. "What happens to the expenses already incurred? The government needs to give clarity on the modus operandi." The company stands to lose three coal blocks.
"This move will have an extremely negative impact on cement, steel and power companies as an issue that is almost 21 years old is now being addressed," said Issac George, CFO at GVK Power & Infrastructure. "A lot of investments have gone into these blocks, which will now be impacted. Most companies will have no option but to bid in the new round of auctions as one cannot depend on imported coal."
Coal-based projects represent about 59% of India's total installed power generation capacity. Apart from the cancellation, operational mines will have to pay a penalty of US$4.79 for every tonne of coal extracted since they started.
Coal India is set to take over the mines. In 2013 - 2014 Coal India produced 462Mt of coal, missing a target of 482Mt. The coal ministry anticipates that local supplies will fall by as much as 185Mt short of the country's projected demand of 950Mt in 2016 - 2017. The gap could widen if the cancelled mines fail to produce the projected volumes of coal.
