Setting into motion the revival and expansion of IISCO Steel Plant (ISP), the recently amalgamated steel unit of SAIL, the Board of Directors of SAIL accorded the approval for rebuilding of Coke Oven Battery No.10 at ISP at an estimated cost of Rs. 319 crores. This is the first major project being approved after ISPÔÇÖs merger with the parent company - SAIL.
Coke Oven Battery No.10 of ISP was built in the early eighties and had been closed down in 1997. ISP needs to run two batteries at a time to produce 0.75 million tonne per annum (MTPA) of coke for 1.0 million tonnes of hot metal production. Hence, it is crucial that rebuilding of battery No.10 be taken up and completed by the year 2008-09 so as to give a continuous coke supply for 1.0 MT of hot metal production. The rebuilding of the coke oven will also help in lowering coke rate in Blast Furnace.
ISP, which was a fully owned subsidiary of SAIL, was amalgamated with the parent company with effect from 16th February 2006. The plant has already drawn up a major modernisation program at an estimated expenditure of Rs. 8017 crore to expand the annual production capacity from the present level of 0.85 MTPA to 2.5 MTPA by 2011-12. The investment plan includes upgradation and expansion of mines and collieries.