JV signed for Revival of FCIL unit of Talcher

By Odisha News Insight Last updated Dec 24, 2014 870

Four major public sector undertakings have signed joint venture agreement for the Revival of FCIL unit of Talcher in Odisha, on Wednesday.

The four companies are Gas Authority of India Ltd, Coal India Ltd, Rashtriya Chemical and Fertilizer (RCF) and Fertilizer Corporation of India (FCI) have signed joint venture agreement to set up an integrated coal gasification-cum-fertilizer and ammonium nitrate complex in Talcher, Odisha at an estimated combined investment of 9,000 crore

The Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan and Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy were present on the occasion.

Dharmendra Pradhan said that this joint venture will not only strengthen the economy of Odisha but also Indian economy and the proposed plant would be operative by 2019. The venture would generate both direct and indirect employment opportunities and farmers would be benefited from its production.

This is the first ever effort in India for setting up an integrated coal gasification-cum-fertilizer and ammonium nitrate complex, he added.

Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of State (Indpendent Charge) Power, Coal and New Renewable Energy said that the deadline for the setting up the plant was March 31, 2019.

GAIL has floated an expression of interest for technology selection for the unit and will finalise it by January 2015. It will set up the upstream coal gasification and gas purification section for producing ammonia syn gas for the fertilizer unit at Talcher with an estimated investment of Rs.3,000 crore.

RCF will be setting up the ammonia-urea and nitric acid-ammonium nitrate plants at an estimate investment of 6,000 crore with having joint venture with Talcher Chemicals and Fertilizer Ltd. And RCF and Coal India will hold major stake in the venture.

The entire project will produce 3,850 tonne per day of urea, 2,700 tonne per day of ammonia, 850 tonne per day of nitric acid and 1,000 tonne per day of ammonium nitrate.