National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO)’s plans for setting up a Rs 16,000 crore smelter plant in Western Odisha is gaining momentum with the company seeking land for the greenfield project from the government.
The smelter plant, to be based on captive coal blocks, has been proposed to be set up at Jharsuguda. The application for land for the project has been forwarded to the High Level Clearance Committee of the government and a decision is expected soon, NALCO Chairman and Managing Director B L Bagra said.
The Navratna PSU has also firmed up plans to set up a `4,500 crore alumina refinery in Gujarat, which would be of 10 lakh MT capacity. The refinery, Bagra said, would source its bauxite from Gujarat and will not have to look on to reserve in Odisha.
Nalco is already setting up a nuclear power plant in joint venture with Nuclear Power Corporation of India at Kakrapur in Gujarat. The first JV project in nuclear energy generation is being undertaken at a cost of `11,500 crore. The construction work has already started and the project is targeted to be commissioned by December 2015.
Bagra said that Nalco was also keen on the 4,000 MW ultra mega power project (UMPP) in Sundargarh with the final round of bidding for the project getting underway later this year. It is in the process of forming a consortium of PSUs, including NLC, NMDC, Sutlej Jal Vidyut Board and BHEL, to strengthen its bid. Around 20 players are in the fray for the UMPP proposed to be established at Bedabahal in Sundargarh district.