Unit I of Sterlite Energy’s project dedicated to nation

The Unit I of Sterlite Energy’s power project in Orissa goes on stream on 21 August 2010.

This is the first 600 MW unit of the 2,400 MW (4×600 MW) coal based Independent Power Plant setting up in Jharsuguda. The company ignited the first unit in July 2010, and generation from it is likely to commence by September 2010.

The project is coming up on 2,000 acre at a cost of Rs 8,200 crore. It is expected to be completed by August 2011.

Tata Steel plans ferroalloys plant, bar mill at Gopalpur

Tata Steel proposes to set up a ferroalloys plant and a bar mill in the Gopalpur SEZ coming up in Orissa.

The company is likely to utilise 3,200 acre of land of the Gopalpur SEZ and proposes to set up a 50,000 tpa ferroalloys plant (costing About Rs 250 crore) and 40,000 tpa bar mill (Rs 750 crore) there. The projects are estimated to cost about Rs 1,000 crore.

Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Orissa, is likely to lay the foundation stone of the projects on 20 August 2010.

Siemens bags SAIL order

Siemens VAI Metals Technologies has bagged an order from SAIL for its Rourkela Steel plant in Orissa.

The order worth Euro 10 million (approx Rs 60 crore) is for supply of a RH vacuum degassing plant to the Rourkela Steel plant. The new plant is likely to allow high-quality steel grades up to cold-rolled non-oriented types to be produced. The plant is slated to go on stream in June 2012.

Under the agreement, Siemens will design, configure, construct, as well as supervise installation of the RH plant and the associated auxiliary installations.

EoIs invited for development of Sukinda Chromite mine

Tata Steel has invited EoIs from reputed companies/JVs/contractors for mine development works in Sukinda Chromite mine in Jajpur district of Orissa.

The work involves development of

Two declines (8 degree) of about two km length
Excavation of drives/drifts, crosscuts and raises
Other related underground excavations
The last date of submission of bids is 5 September 2010.

Shyam Steel acquires major stake in Beekay Steel

Kolkata headquartered Shyam Steel Industries has acquired major shares in Beekay Steel for an undisclosed amount.

Beekay owns a steel plant in Barbil, Orissa and a standing MoU with the state government for production of 0.28 million tpa of steel at the facility.

As per sources, Shyam Steel is likely to invest Rs 365 crore in the plant by 2012 along with a 40 MW captive power plant, capacity expansion of DRI (sponge iron) to 0.1 million tpa, billet to 0.1 million tpa and establishment of a coal washery.

Besides, the company plans to pump in Rs 1,000 crore for a two million-tonne beneficiation and pelletisation plant in Sundergarh of Orissa. The plant will have a 50 MW captive power plant. The project has got approval from the Single Window Authority of the state. The work on the project will commence as soon as the MoEF clearance is obtained.

Gopalpur SEZ work underway

The land levelling and boundary wall construction work of the SEZ being set up by Tata Steel at Gopalpur in Ganjam district of Orissa will be completed in December 2010.

The SEZ is coming up on 3,585 acre. About four km of boundary wall has been constructed and the work on remaining six km of boundary wall is underway. The project entails a cost of Rs 250 crore.

Inland water transport proposed in Orissa

The Union Ministry of Shipping is mulling to develop Inland Water Transport (IWT) system along the Brahmani-Kharasua river in PPP mode in Orissa.

The proposed IWT system is likely to cost Rs 4,209 crore. The proposed waterway passes through major towns such as Talcher, Paradip, Dhamra in the river section, and Bhadrak, Baleshwar, Jaleswar and Haldia in the canal section. It is likely to be used to transport coal to Paradip and Dhamra ports, for onward transportation to places such as Ennore and Tuticorin by large ships. Presently, coal is transported by rail to Paradip from Talcher.

As per the DPR, developing the river portion the cost is estimated at Rs 2,230 crore (building barrages – dams or irrigation channels – alone will cost Rs 1,843 crore), the canal portion is expected to cost another Rs 1,979 crore (dredging will cost Rs 1,273 crore). On completion, around 11 million tonne of cargo can be transported per annum which can go up to 23 million tonne in the next 15 years.

Out of the total length of 588 km, the river portion is 371 km and the canal, 217 km.

To maintain a depth of two mtrs in the Brahmani river all through the year, five barrages with height equal to the highest flood level are proposed to be constructed at every 26 km between Talcher and Jokadia. Each barrage is likely to have a navigational lock to allow passage of two 500-tonne vessels at a time.

Funds approved for NH projects in Orissa

The Union Government has sanctioned funds worth Rs 364.10 crore in 2010-11 for the development and upgradation of national highways (NH) and other road infrastructure projects in Orissa.

A sum of Rs 10.25 crore will be spent on two-laning and four-laning of the NHs in the state, an expenditure of Rs 32.10 crore will be incurred in building bypasses of the length of five km at Deogarh, Borigumma, Jeypore and Koraput.

The feasibility study along with the preliminary project report and design has been completed for the four-laning of the 165 km Rourkela-Sambalpur state highway.

Works have been awarded for the 88-km Sambalpur-Lahurachati (NH-6) stretch; 130.05 km Talcher-Chandikhol (NH-200) stretch; 59-km Bhubaneswar-Puri (NH-203) stretch and the 269-km Panikoili-Rajamunda (NH-215) stretch. Also, survey work is underway for the 80.06 km Balasore-Jharpokharia (NH-5) stretch, 330.38-km Jamsola-Sambalpur (NH-6) stretch, 125.8 km Birmitrapur-Barkote (NH-23) stretch and the 264.72-km Manguli-Sambalpur stretch (NH-42).

Meanwhile, Rs 102.10 crore is likely to be spent in the current fiscal on strengthening of existing pavements on a stretch of 151.68 km network of NHs.

Orissa allots land for food park at Malipada

The Orissa Government has allotted 110 acre to 55 industrial units for the proposed food processing park project at Malipada in Khurda district.

The park will be developed on 162 acre. The state government will invest Rs 9.9 crore on infrastructure for the food park and out of this Rs 1.91 crore has already been deposited with the Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation of Orissa.

Besides, the state also plans to set up a mega food park in Khurda and the proposal is under the consideration by the Union Government. The project is to come up on 200 acre. Tenders for this project are likely to be invited soon.

Utkal Alumina plans refinery in Orissa

Utkal Alumina International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hindalco Industries, proposes to set up a 1.5 million tpa alumina refinery in Rayagada district of Orissa. The project is expandable to three million tpa at relatively lower incremental capital cost.

The project will feed the alumina requirements of the Mahan and the Aditya smelters presently under construction.

Hindalco has achieved the financial closure of Utkal with the signing of a common loan agreement of Rs 4,906 crore on 28 July 2010. This constitutes the entire debt requirement of the project. The loan documents were signed by a group of 28 banks. The syndication was led by IDBI Bank with SBI Capital and The Royal Bank of Scotland NV as joint arrangers and book runners.

Vipul’s housing project in Bhubaneshwar faces hurdles

The State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) of the Orissa Government has served a notice on Vipul to stop work on the group housing project in Bhubaneshwar without the necessary environmental clearance.

The company has been carrying out construction work on its project spread over 10 acre at Shankarpur mouza on the outskirts of the city after getting the building plan approval of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority in April 2009.

The entire Rs 250 crore project consisting of 578 apartments in 10 towers was scheduled for commissioning within four years.