Bhubaneswar: Tata Steel successfully commissioned India’s largest blast furnace at Odisha’s Kalinganagar on Friday.
Phase II expansion, with an investment of Rs 27,000 crore, will push up total capacity at the Kalinganagar plant from 3 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 8 MTPA.
With the inauguration of new facility by T V Narendran, CEO and Managing Director, Tata Steel, in the presence of senior officials of the company, Odisha has emerged as the largest investment destination in India for Tata Steel, with a total cumulated investment of over Rs 100,000 crore in the last 10 years.
The new blast furnace will allow Tata Steel to meet growing demands of various industries, including automotive, infrastructure, power, shipbuilding, and defence. It will also benefit specific areas like oil & gas, lifting & excavation, and construction.
“The commissioning of India’s largest blast furnace at Kalinganagar is a momentous occasion for the steel industry, setting new benchmarks in capacity, technology, and sustainability. A key enabler of socio-economic development in the region, the expansion not only strengthens Tata Steel’s position as a leader in high-end, value-added steel segments but also showcases our advanced engineering prowess. It underscores our commitment to boosting private investment in India, aligning with the nation’s vision for self-reliance and sustainable industrial growth. On behalf of Tata Steel, I thank the Government of Odisha for their unwavering support and applaud the collective efforts of our employees, suppliers & vendor partners, and all other stakeholders in enabling this significant milestone,” said Narendran.
The new blast furnace, with a volume of 5,870 m3, is equipped with state-of-the-art features for long campaign life and an eco-friendly design to optimise the steelmaking process. It will utilise four top combustion stoves, a first in India, along with two preheating stoves for optimum specific fuel consumption in hot metal production.
In a first for Tata Steel, a dry gas cleaning plant has been installed to maximise energy recovery from by-product gas. The world’s largest Top Gas Recovery Turbine (TRT) of 35 MW power generation capacity will help with the recovery of an additional 10% of energy.
An evaporative cooling system is being employed for the first time in an Indian blast furnace, optimising space footprint while lowering specific water and power consumption by approximately 20% compared to conventional designs. The blast furnace will also have a zero-process water discharge plan with rainwater harvesting.
Key facilities in the phase II expansion at Kalinganagar also include a Pellet Plant, Coke Plant, and Cold Rolling Mill — each incorporating advanced technologies and sustainable practices.
Tata Steel Kalinganagar is the first Indian manufacturing plant to be named a Global Lighthouse by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Earlier this year, Kalinganagar plant received the prestigious ResponsibleSteel TM Certification.
