NALCO lines up major expansion, diversification projects to drive growth initiative

A sharp fall in profit during 2009-10 due to low prices, notwithstanding, aluminium major National Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO) is pressing ahead with plans to set up a Rs 6,000 crore capacity expansion project in addition to setting up new mega-power plants.

According to AK Srivastava, chairman the third phase expansion would further enhance the Navaratna PSU's alumina capacity to 29 lakh tonnes, aluminium capacity to 5.7 lakh tonnes and power generation to 1,700 MW. Srivastava was speaking to newspersons in Bhubneshwar today at the company's 20th AGM.

Nalco has so far completed two major expansion programmes involving an outlay of Rs 7,800 crore, to raise its bauxite mining capacity to 63 lakh tonnes, alumina capacity to 21 lakh tonnes, aluminium capacity to 4.6 lakh tonnes and power generation potential to 1,200 MW, he said.

With several ambitious projects at various stages of implementation in India and abroad, NALCO is gearing up to set up a 14-lakh tonne alumina refinery in Andhra Pradesh, for which the centre has granted prior approval for the award of a mining lease to the aluminium giant, according to Srivastava.

Stating that the company planned to set up a 5-lakh tonne smelter plant and a 1,250-MW power unit in India, he said the company is seeking coal blocks in Orissa and is all set to establish a power plant of capacity up to 4,000 MW if granted proper linkages.

On the financial front, the company grossed a turnover of Rs 5,548 crore in 2009-10 against Rs 5,631 crore in the previous year, he added.