<article><p class="lead">State-controlled Steel Authority of India (Sail) plans to raise the hot metal production capacity at its Rourkela steel plant to 4.85mn t/yr from its current 4.50mn t/yr, in line with the country's national steel policy.</p><p>The increase will boost the plant's crude steel production to 4.8mn t/yr from the current 4.2mn t/yr and saleable steel production to 4.33mn t/yr from the current 3.88mn t/yr.</p><p>Under its national steel policy, <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2233997">India aims to more than double its crude steel capacity to 300mn t/yr by 2030</a>. The country's current capacity stands at 143.91mn t/yr.</p><p>The Rourkela plant will get a new coke oven battery with production capacity of 770,000 t/yr, a steel melting shop with proposed capacity of 1.15mn t/yr, an oxygen plant with capacity of 1,000 t/d (to meet the enhanced capacity expansion of the blast furnaces and provide medical oxygen when necessary) and a normalising furnace with 300,000 t/yr capacity in its existing plate mill to cater to niche market segments.</p><p>Technological enhancements to boost the capacity of existing blast furnaces will include the charging of pellets, an increase in the hot blast temperature by installing a new stove in blast furnace 5 and enriched oxygen.</p><p>The steel plant will also get a natural gas pipeline network that can be used in various units and to minimise the use of fossil fuels such as coal.</p><p>Last week, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2250572">commissioned a second 6mn t/yr pellet plant</a> in Paradeep, Odisha, to contribute to the country's steel production goals.</p><p class="bylines"><i>By Sumita Layek</i></p></article>
