SAIl Chairman, C.S. Verma reviews the progress of ongoing modernisation and expansion work at Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) which would enhance the Plant’s production levels to 7.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of Hot Metal from the current level of around 5 MTPA with an investment of over Rs17,265crore officials said.
This is part of the total outlay of Rs72,000 crore for expansion of SAIl’s hot metal capacity from 14.23 MTPA to 23.46 MTPA. The new modernised facilities coming up at SAIl-Bhilai include a new blast furnace, sinter machine, a coke oven battery, steel melting shop, universal rail mill and a bar and rod mill. 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.
During the visit Verma accompanied by SS Mohanty, Director (Technical) and TS Suresh, Director (Projects and Business Planning) witnessed the successful hot trials of the new state of the art sinter making facility.
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 Rs730 crore. The new 360 sqm sinter machine will produce 3.708 MT sinter per annum to meet the requirement of sinterfor the new Blast Furnace as wellfor the existing furnaces. The new eco-friendly unit includes high degree of process automation and has state of the art waste heat recovery and dedusting facilities, officials said.
Verma also reviewed the project for the new 1.2 MTPA Universal Rail Mill that has also made rapid progress. Designed to produce world class rails by universal rolling method, the new mill 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 m long welded rail panels with a future provision of 520 m long panels. BSP is gearing itself to meet all the future requirement of Indian Railway’s including head-hardened rails.
Chairman SAIl also visited the site for the upcoming 0.9 MTPA Bar & Rod Mill and reviewed the progress. This new mill would be
producing high quality bars and rods both in straight lengths and in coils including seismic grade and corrosion resistant high quality reinforcement bars for safe construction.
“The greatest challenge before the Bhilai collective today is to complete the balance modex work expeditiously and commission and stabilize the new facilities at the earliest”, Verma said. He expressed confidence that the unique work culture and spirit of excellence ingrained in members of the workforce in Bhilai would take SAIl’s flagship unit to still greater heights of excellence.