Tata Steel commissions blast furnace, boosts Kalinganagar capacity

Tata Steel on Friday commissioned a new blast furnace, taking the capacity at its Kalinganagar plant in Odisha from 3 million tonnes (mt) to 8 mt at a total investment of Rs 27,000 crore.

The company said that with the Phase-II expansion, Odisha has emerged as the largest investment destination in India for Tata Steel, with a total cumulative investment of over Rs 100,000 crore in the last 10 years.

With the current expansion, Tata Steel’s capacity across sites in Odisha is at 14.6 mt. In Jharkhand, Tata Steel’s capacity is at 12 mt, of which Jamshedpur Works is at 11 mt.

The new blast furnace, with a volume of 5,870 cubic metres, is India’s largest, the company said. It was inaugurated by Tata Steel managing director and chief executive officer, T V Narendran.

Commenting, Narendran said, “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,” he added.

Narendran also said that the project underscores Tata Steel’s commitment to boosting private investment in India, aligning with the nation's vision for self-reliance and sustainable industrial growth.

The expansion will allow Tata Steel to meet the demands of various industries, including automotive, infrastructure, power, shipbuilding, and defence. It will also provide advantages in specific areas like oil and gas, lifting and excavation, and construction, the company said.

Key facilities in the Phase-II expansion at Kalinganagar also include a pellet plant, coke plant, and cold rolling mill.

The company also highlighted that the Kalinganagar plant was a key contributor to the socio-economic development of the region.