BHUBANESHWAR. National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) is making steady progress on its proposed brownfield Smelter Expansion Project at Anugola in Odisha, aimed at increasing its aluminium production capacity by 0.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). With an estimated investment of ₹30,000 crore, the project is expected to nearly double NALCO’s existing smelting capacity from 0.46 MTPA to approximately 1 million tonnes per annum. The recent meeting of the Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) is a significant step towards expediting land acquisition, compensation and rehabilitation-related matters for the project. NALCO has also entered into an agreement with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) for licensing its proprietary smelting technology, ensuring the adoption of globally proven and energy-efficient production processes.
To meet the additional power requirement of around 1,100 MW for the expanded smelter, NALCO has partnered with NLC India Limited to establish a 50:50 joint venture company for setting up a 4 × 270 MW captive thermal power plant with a total capacity of 1,080 MW. In addition, the company is exploring the integration of 200–250 MW of renewable energy into the project ecosystem as part of its sustainability initiatives. The Anugola Smelter Expansion Project is targeted for commissioning during 2030-31. Alongside this, NALCO is progressing with its 5th Stream Alumina Refinery Project at Damanjodi, with the support of the Government of Odisha and the Union Ministry of Mines. The refinery expansion is expected to generate surplus alumina even after meeting the requirements of the proposed smelter.
Meanwhile, NALCO is exploring opportunities to establish Greenfield aluminium projects at suitable locations across India to utilise the anticipated surplus alumina and strengthen domestic value addition. The company is further evaluating the establishment of another 0.5 MTPA Greenfield aluminium smelter in the country, which would convert surplus alumina into finished aluminium products. These strategic expansion initiatives are expected to boost domestic aluminium production, create employment opportunities, accelerate regional economic development and strengthen India’s self-reliance in the aluminium sector. The initiatives also align with the Government of India’s vision of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, while enhancing the long-term growth and global competitiveness of the country’s aluminium industry.
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