National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) is advancing its INR 30,000 crore or INR 300 billion (USD 3.18 billion) aluminium smelter expansion project at Anugola or Angul, Odisha, which is expected to more than double its existing smelting capacity from 460,000 tonnes per annum to approximately 1 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). The Navratna public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Mines has secured key statutory approvals and initiated partnerships and preparatory measures for the project, which is targeted to begin operations in 2030-31.
A recent meeting of the Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) focused on facilitating land acquisition for the proposed facility and addressing associated compensation and rehabilitation matters.
A key component of the expansion is NALCO’s agreement with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) to adopt its proprietary smelting technology at the Angul facility. The technology transfer is expected to support the use of globally recognised, energy-efficient aluminium production processes.
The expanded facility will require an additional 1,100 MW of power. To address this requirement, NALCO has partnered with NLC India Limited to establish a 50:50 joint venture company. The venture will set up a 4 × 270 MW captive thermal power plant, with a total capacity of 1,080 MW.
Alongside the thermal power arrangement, NALCO is considering the integration of 200–250 MW of renewable energy into the project as part of its sustainability plans.