Steel Exchange India Ltd (SEIL), an integrated steel plant near Kothavalasa in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday inaugurated its 60-MW captive power plant, built at a cost of Rs 315 crore, to meet its power requirements and also to supply to the State grid.

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry D. Purandeswari inaugurated the CFB boiler, and Union Minister of State for Coal Pratik Prakashbapu Patil inaugurated the coal-handling plant, while AP Transport Minister B. Satyanarayana opened the first turbo generator, and Member of Parliament from Vizianagaram B. Jhansi Lakshmi opened the second turbo generator.

Purandeswari said it was laudable that Steel Exchange India had not only taken over a sick unit, Goldstar, four years ago, but turned it around and now has established a captive power plant to meet its power needs.

It would not only help the steel plant but the State as well, as the surplus would be supplied to the State grid. Andhra Pradesh is going through a severe power crisis and it is an excellent move, she added.

B. Jhansi Lakshmi appealed to Pratik Patil to help SEIL in the matter of coal supply. Pratik Patil said he would do whatever is possible to help the plant.

SEIL Managing Director B. Satish Kumar said a special purpose vehicle, Simhadri Power Ltd, has been floated to set up the plant. It would use waste heat from the exhaust gases of DRI kilns, reject coal fines, char and balance ROM coal as a fuel to generate steam.

He said 51 per cent of the power would be for internal consumption and the rest would be supplied to the grid under sale of power on a short-term basis.

B. Satyanarayana said there would be no power tariff hike in the State in the near future. Y. Sivasagara Rao, former CMD of Visakhapatnam steel plant, and P. Madhusudan, Director (Finance) of Visakhapatnam steel plant, also spoke on the occasion.

>sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

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