NTPC Ltd., Asia’s second-largest power producer by market value, seeks 14.5 million tonnes of coal for the year ending Mar 2012 in its largest annual import, a company official said.

NTPC is importing the fuel directly for the first time rather than arranging for supplies through Indian state-owned trading companies such as MMTC Ltd. and the State Trading Corp. of India, Datta said.

Bidders have until Aug 10 to submit expressions of interest to supply the coal on either a free-on-board or cost- and-freight basis, he said.

State-owned NTPC, which has 15 coal-based power stations, plans to more than double installed capacity to 75,000 megawatts by 2017, according to the company’s website.

Imports will help meet a shortfall of thermal coal for the existing capacity as well as for projects under construction, the company said.
 
Shipments may rise to 24.8 million tonnes annually by the year ending Mar 2016, according to the purchase document.