As part of its modernisation plan, SAIL commissions Rs 730-cr key unit at Bhilai steel plant

SAIL CMD CS Verma

PUBLIC sector steel major Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has commissioned Rs 730-crore new sinter facility at its Bhilai steel plant (BSP), as a part of Rs 17,265 crore modernisation plan of the mill. A sinter is a small, irregular nodule of iron mixed with small amounts of other minerals and is used for converting iron into steel. After operationalisation, the unit is likely to produce 3.708 MT sinter per year. SAIL chairman...
CS Verma who reviewed the progress of the modernisation projects at BSP was present during the event. This is part of the total outlay of Rs 72,000 crore for expansion of SAIL's hot metal capacity from 14.23 MTPA to 23.46 MTPA. Verma reviewed the "modernisation & expansion work at the Maharatna company's flagship unit that would enhance the Plant's production levels to 7.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of hot metal from the current level of 5 MTPA with an investment of over Rs 17,265 crore," a SAIL statement said. As part of the upgradation process of the plant, a new blast furnace, sinter machine, a coke oven battery, steel melting shop, universal rail mill and a bar and rod mill have been installed. "These new facilities will not only increase the production capacity but would also improve product quality, introduce new products, reduce cost of production and make the plant more environmental friendly," the statement said. The expansion of SAIL-BSP is now in an accelerated mode with the operationalisation of the new sinter machine that has been installed at a cost of over Rs 730 crore, it said. The statement said that the new eco-friendly sinter machine will meet the requirement of sinter for new blast furnace as well as the existing furnace. The statement added that next in line for commissioning at SAIL-Bhilai is the new coke oven battery and a blast furnace.
The chairman also reviewed the project for the new 1.2 MTPA Universal Rail Mill that has also made rapid progress. Bhilai steel plant (BSP) has been designed to produce world class rails by universal rolling method and would enable SAIL to roll out single piece rails of 130m, the longest in the world. The new Rail Welding plant will enable production of 260 metres long welded rail panels with a future provision of 520 metres long panels. BSP is gearing up to meet all the future requirement of Indian railways, including head-hardened rails. Verma said that the "greatest challenge before the Bhilai collective today is to complete the balance modernisation work expeditiously and commission & stabilise the new facilities at the earliest”.
Bhilai steel plant is India's sole producer of rails and heavy steel plates and major producer of structural. The plant is the sole supplier of the country's longest rail tracks of 260 metres. With an annual production capacity of 3.153 MT of saleable steel, the plant also specializes in other products such as wire rods and merchant products.