Centre allots Utkal D&E Coal Blocks to NALCO

National Aluminium Company (NALCO) has been allocated Utkal D and E Coal Blocks, in Angul district of Odisha, where the company's 4.6 lakh tonne aluminium smelter and 1200 MW captive power plant are located. The company's smooth operation and expansion plans hinged on the allocation of these blocks by the government of India. With this, NALCO's captive resources add 200 million tonnes of coal, which will see the company through the next three decades and more.

Utkal E Coal Block was allotted to NALCO by Government of India in 2004. The company had spent INR 126.34 crore for this block, including INR 98 crore towards compensation against land acquisition. The company had also spent considerably on infrastructural facilities and various CSR activities in the area. However, the cancellation of allocation of Utkal E Coal Block, following Supreme Court's order to de-allocate 204 coal blocks across the country, came as a setback to the company. NALCO was pursuing with Government of India for re-allocation of coal block under the allocation route, as the end-use investment had already been made. Now centre has appreciated the dire needs of NALCO and decided to allocate the coal blocks in favour of the company.

Nalco has the largest integrated alumina-aluminium complex of Asia. Its integrated operations cover the entire aluminium production value chain from mining bauxite, refining alumina, smelting aluminium, captive power generation to a strong logistic network in terms of rail & port facilities, coal mining and handling plant to support its operations and to become one of the most cost-efficient aluminium companies across the globe.