Vedanta Resources determined to lift orders to save aluminium production in India

Vedanta Resources is working towards the lifting of the partial closure of its two power plants in Jharsuguda, India, as ordered by the country's State Pollution Control Board.

In the meantime, the diversified global natural resources company believed it would be able to sustain smelter capacity without affecting its production volumes of aluminium, but wanted to ensure that output was not impacted.

Yet the regulator's direction might require a temporary power purchase of up to 200 MW, the company said in a statement, resulting in a marginal increase in operating costs.

Following a breach in the Ash Pond Dyke wall at the end of August, on 13 September the SPCB ordered a temporary closure of three units of 135 MW each of Vedanta's 1215 MW power plant and two units of 600 MW each of the 2400 MW power plant.

The remaining units of the 1215 MW plant were allowed to operate until 12 October 2017, while the remaining units of the 2400MW plant were given until 20 September 2017.

The SPCB also asked Vedanta to comply with certain conditions, which management said it had done so, and to put in place a concrete plan within five days.