New IPPs to generate 5 mn.t. fly ash

Orissa is likely to witness generation of additional 5 million tonnes of fly ash per annum by the thermal power plants once the Independent Power Producers (IPPs), who have signed MoUs with the Orissa government, commission their projects in the state.

Currently the number of thermal power project proposals received by the state government is officially put at 47. This included the captive power plants (CPPs), and IPPs, both in the government and private sector. The commissioning of all these projects will take the total fly ash generated in the state to 17 million tonne per annum from 12 million tonne.

At present, the public sector National Aluminium Company Ltd. (Nalco), which is operating 960 Mw captive power plant (CPP) units in Angul district, generates 1.88 million tonne fly ash per annum. It utilizes only 93946 tonne of this waste through brick making, land filling, supply to other industries, embankment and dyke raising, agriculture civil work, accounting for about 4.98 percent of the total fly ash generated by it.

IB Thermal power plant located at Banaharpal in Jharsuguda district, is generates about 1.09 million tonne fly ash from its 420 Mw (2x210 Mw) power plant. It is utilising 169476 tonne of fly ash which works out to 15.5 percent of the waste generation.

Hindalco Ltd. located at Hirakud in Sambalpur district is generating 0.658 million tonne fly ash from its 267.5 Mw power plant. About 33.6 percent of the fly ash is utilised by the company.

Similarly, Indian Charge Chrome Ltd (ICCL) located at Choudwar is utilising almost all the fly ash generated by the company. The company is generating 0.260 million tonne of fly ash per annum at its 108 Mw power plant and utilizing 99 per cent of it. The Kaniha unit of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is generating 6.82 million tonne of fly ash at its 3000 Mw power plant. Its rate of utilisation is about 17.6 percent.

NTPC-SAIL Power Company located at Rourkela, is generating 0.405 million tonne from its 120 Mw power plant and 13.7 percent of it is utilised for various uses. Besides, Talcher Thermal Power Stations (NTPC) unit at Talcher is generating 1.06 million tonne of fly ash per annum and 37.39 percent of this is utilized by the company.

Sources said, out of the total fly ash generation of 12.175 million tonne per annum by these 7 industries in the state, 3081825 tonne of fly ash is being utilised for various purposes. This constitutes about 25.3 percent of the total fly ash generated by them.

While the present generation of blast furnace slag (BFS) is about 1.4 million tonne, it is expected to increase to1.86 million tonne once the 21 major steel projects start production in Orissa.

The Rourkela Steel Plant (9.03 lakh tonne), Nilachal Ispat Nigam Ltd. (1.78 lakh tonne), IDCOL Kalinga Iron Works (41,730 tonne), Mid East Integrated Steel (64,596 tonne), Bhushan Steel and Power (76,087 tonne), Visa Steel (13,333 tonne) and Adhunik Metaliks Ltd. (55,109 tonne) together are producing 1.4 million tonne of BFS per annum.

Though the state government has set up a mission for effective utilisation of fly ash and blast furnace slag since 2006, only 28 percent of the fly ash and blast furnace slag (BFS) is utilised. So the state government is encouraging the use of fly ash in brick factory, civil construction and in cement plants.

The Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR), 2007 has accorded priority sector industry status to those industries which utilise 25 percent of the fly ash and BFS generated by them.