Aditya Aluminium installs new solar power plant in Sambalpur for smelting process

According to a recent report, the metal unit of Aditya Birla Group, Aditya Aluminium, has built a 24-MW solar power plant worth INR 151 crore at Lapanga in Sambalpur district.

Spread across 144 acres of ash-filled land, the plant is expected to contribute to the State Government’s goal of generating 2,750 MW of renewable energy, including 2,200 MW solar power by 2022. The power to be produced from the installed plant will be utilised in aluminium smelting process. Smelters require a consistent load network and uninterrupted power supply.

The load requirement of Aditya Aluminium is also as high as 658 MW. The green energy to be generated at the new plant will act as an incentive for the firm, said Aditya Aluminium head Kailash Pandey. But power fluctuations are very common in solar plants as power generation depends on daylight. Cloudy weather, rains may also cause huge power swings.

Nonetheless, Aditya Aluminium has reportedly taken care of power generation fluctuations by the use of intelligent load shedding system known as Composite Islanding and Load Management System (CILMS).

Pandey concluded by saying, “The solar power generation has enabled Aditya Aluminium and Hindalco to produce greener aluminium which will lead to enhanced sustainability of the business.”