Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP), the flagship unit of Maharatna SAIl, has won an award in the National Energy Conservation Award 2014, in the Integrated Steel sector, on the basis of the improvement in its energy performance over the previous year, 2012-13 in an award function held on Dec 14.
Energy conservation initiatives at SAIl’s Bhilai Steel Plant have led to a saving of `364 crore during the financial year 2013-14, said a statement of the plant which is located in Durg district of Chhattisgarh. Bhilai Steel Plant has won this award for achieving a 5% saving in thermal energy consumption and savings of 2% in electrical energy consumption over the previous year.
“This has been possible due to concerted efforts by all departments of BSP to reduce energy consumption by undertaking energy saving schemes as well as minimizing wastage and judicious distribution of available fuel resources to various departments by the Plant’s Energy Management Department, so as to maximise consumption of by-product gases that are generated in-house,’’ the statement added.
It further said that steps were simultaneously taken to reduce consumption of purchased fuels like boiler coal, furnace oil, etc Chairman, SAIl C.S. Verma, complimented Bhilai Steel Plant on being adjudged the Best Integrated Steel plant in the National Energy Conservation Award 2014.
He lauded the plant’s efforts for achieving energy efficiency in various areas of operation and urged the plant collective to continuously improve this performance in the future. The award was received by Chairman, SAIl, C.S. Verma from Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy, Piyush Goyal. Also present at the investiture ceremony of the National Energy Conservation Award 2014 in New Delhi were S Chandrasekaran, CEO, Bhilai Steel Plant and ED (Finance) BSP, N Kapila.
Instituted by the Government of India, the National Energy Conservation Award is a prestigious award given every year to give national recognition to the selected industrial units who have made systematic and serious efforts for efficient utilisation and conservation of energy and reduction in energy consumption on year to year basis.
The award is given to industries of various sectors like Iron & Steel, Textiles, Aluminium, Paper & Pulp, Hospitality, Health Care, Tourism, etc. The evaluation criteria are very stringent and the evaluation is done by an award committee comprising of industry experts from various industrial sectors. In fact, it is the highest national level award for energy conservation. The selection criteria are stringent and marks are awarded on the basis of energy savings year on year.