BALCO gets nod for 1,200 MW captive power unit

Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) Friday said it has received approval from the Chhattisgarh government to start a 1,200 MW captive power plant comprising four units of 300 MW each at Korba.

"We are very grateful to the government of Chhattisgarh for the approval granted, at a time when we are celebrating our Golden Jubilee Year. It enables us to further ramp up our state-of-the-art aluminium smelter, thereby taking the aluminium capacity to 570,000 MT per annum," said CEO and whole-time director Ramesh Nair.

Nair stated that the power plant and smelter will significantly contribute to the state exchequer and generate sizable employment besides triggering growth of downstream industry in Chhattisgarh.

The captive power plant, set up with an investment of about Rs.5,000 crore, is additional to two existing plants having the capacity of 270 MW and 540 MW each. Post operation, the plant, along with BALCO's aluminium smelter, is expected to contribute about Rs.250 crore to the statein form of various taxes, Nair said.