Essar Power Hazira Ltd, a subsidiary of Essar Power Ltd, on Friday, announced that its 2x135 MW power project in Hazira, Gujarat, was now operating consistently at close to 100% capacity utilization.

The achievement is significant because it comes close on the heels of the commissioning of the second unit, which occurred just three months ago. It is also an indicator for the increased capacity utilization of its captive client—Essar Steel’s 10 million tonne Hazira-based steel complex, KVB Reddy, CEO, Essar Power, said.

The plant can run on multiple fuels, like coal, corex fines and corex gas, simultaneously. It can also utilize excess gases from the process units of steelmaking operations. Over the last few weeks, it has lived up to its green commitment by using a higher proportion of by-products from the steelmaking process, including coal fines and corex gas. The plant is also helping bring down Essar Steel’s power procurement cost, while lending unmatched reliability and flexibility to the steelmaking process. Essar Steel has increased its capacity utilization from 30% to 80% over the last one year, he said in a release.

Close to 80% of Essar Power’s targeted capacity of 6,100 MW, which comprises both captive and IPP assets, have been made operational. In the last two years, increased coal availability, both from domestic and overseas suppliers, as well as the strong operational efficiencies harnessed by Essar Power’s technical team have helped improve performance significantly.

In October 2016, Essar Power had commissioned Unit 2 of Phase I (2X30 MW) of the 2x60 MW Paradip power project. Earlier in May 2016, the company restarted first unit of its 2x600 MW Mahan power project after a 19-month shutdown.

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