India: Vedanta receives approval to expand aluminium smelting capacity to 1.8 mnt in Odisha

Vedanta Ltd., Jharsuguda, has received consent from the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) to expand aluminum smelting capacity from 1.75 million tonnes (mnt) per annum to 1.8 mnt by increasing 66 pots in smelter 2 from 1,256 to 1,322, as per latest updates received by SteelMint.

Vedanta is a diversified natural resources company producing aluminum, copper, zinc, lead, silver, iron ore, oil and gas and commercial energy.

The total number of pots or cells in smelters 1 and 2 is currently at 1,864 which will be increased to 1,930 after adding 66 additional pots.

The project proponent shall submit six monthly progress reports every year (i.e June and December) related to construction of the project to the SPCB for record and verification.

The green anode plant, based on highly efficient and anode-forming technology, will be increased to 5*35 tonnes per hour from 4*35 tonnes per hour.

This order is valid for five years, which means the proponent shall commence construction of the project within a period of five years from the date of issue of the order.

Production numbers in Q1FY'23

Vedanta's aluminium production stood at 565,000 t in Q1FY'23, a rise of 3% y-o-y as against 549,000 t in Q1FY22. On a q-o-q basis, production decreased marginally by 1% as against 572,000 t in Q4FY'22.

Hindustan Zinc Ltd., a subsidiary of Vedanta, recorded lead production at 54,000 t in Q1FY'23, up 11% y-o-y as against 48,000 t in Q1FY'22. On a q-o-q basis, production increased by 9% as against 49,000 t in Q4FY22.

Zinc production was 206,000 t in Q1FY'23, a rise of 10% as against 188,000 t in Q1FY'22. On a q-o-q basis, production volume was at 211,000 t, a marginal decrease of 2% as against Q4FY'22.

Vedanta has proposed to achieve aluminium smelter capacity of 2 mnt per annum by FY'24 at Jharsuguda, as per the company's annual report.