Record output by Rourkela Steel

For the first time since its inception, Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), a unit of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), surpassed the 2 million tonne (MT) mark in hot metal production in 2006.

The steel plant produced 2.16 MT of hot metal from its Blast Furnaces (BFs), 2.01 MT of crude steel from Steel Melting Shops (SMS), 1.98 MT of saleable steel from the finishing mills and 1.97 MT dispatch of steel during the calendar year.

This represented 108 per cent, 106 per cent and 119 per cent capacity utilisation for the concerned units while on a comparative scale the figures were higher by 27 per cent, 26 per cent and 29 per cent respectively vis-à-vis the performance of 2005.

RSP has concluded the calendar year with a record December output of 3,01,750 tonnes of sinter, 1,93,098 tonnes of hot metal, 1,83,269 tonnes of crude steel, 1,84,806 tonnes of saleable steel and dispatch of 1,88,364 tonnes of steel.

This was by far the best ever December performance by the company since inception.

RSP has also recorded all time high output figures for any April-December period in major areas of production.

While sinter output reached 2.33 million tonnes (MT), hot metal crossed 1.62 MT, crude steel surpassed 1.51 MT, saleable steel touched 1.47 MT and dispatch of steel went past 1.44 MT. This represented growth between 31 per cent and 36 per cent over the April-December period of 2005-06.

Similarly, the capacity utilisation of the concerned units went up in the range of 100 to 117 per cent. During this period the plant achieved all time high performance in the production of finished products like plates from plate mill, hot rolled coils (for sale) and silicon steel.

Besides, RSP has posted best ever figures in techno-economic parameters like coal to hot metal ratio in the BFs, lining life in LD converters in SMS besides specific energy consumption in crude steel production. This has contributed significantly to bringing down production cost and enhancing profitability.

Meanwhile, RSP hopes to repeat this feat of surpassing the annual rated capacity of 2 million tonnes of hot metal, achieved for the first time in a calendar year, during the current fiscal as well. This is in spite of the fact that the coke ovens battery no. 4 has been shut down on December 31, 2006, in compliance to the directives of the Supreme Court.

Blast furnace no. 3 is scheduled for shut down for relining during the middle of the fourth quarter, a company official said.