RINL Plans 10MGD Desalination Plant at VSP

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RINL Plans 10MGD Desalination Plant at VSP

Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) is Planning to set up a Desalination Plant on an EPC

With its pleas to the state government falling on deaf ears, the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) is planning to set up a desalination plant on an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) basis in order to make up for the shortfall in water supply to its Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) and become self-reliant.

According to RINL sources, the state-run steel major is aiming to process around 10 million gallons per day (MGD) by setting up this desalination plant. RINL sources said that currently VSP requires around 35 to 40MGD, but the supply from the state government is only around 25MGD, resulting in a shortfall of 10-15MGD.

Water is mainly used in the steel plant for the cooling system of the blast furnace, LD (Linz-Donawitz) converter cooling system, for producing slag granulation and in the cooling system of rolling mills for manufacturing steel products. Also, water supply is also required for power generation at VSP's captive power plant.

By setting up the desalination plant, RINL wants to increase the water supply to its plant, especially when it is looking at completing its expansion project to around 6.3 mtpa from the existing 3.2 mtpa in another couple of months.

Furthermore, RINL is expecting to increase its production capacity to around 7.2 mtpa during the next fiscal following modernisation and upgradation of its existing units.

Sources indicated that though the initial capacity of the desalination plant is slated to be around 10MGD, RINL will keep a provision for eventually expanding the capacity to around 33MGD in the long term.

While the desalination plant is expected to be located in the vicinity of the VSP seafront on the east coast, its operation and maintenance, including supply of necessary consumables, spares and labour, will have to be taken up by the project bidder for a period of five years from the date of commissioning.

"The RINL board has approved the project and we are now looking at bringing in water management consultants to draw up detailed plans for setting up the desalination plant. An expression of interest has already been floated in this regard so that any bidders, who have experience in this sector, can assist RINL in this venture," said an RINL official.

Another RINL official said, "With water being a precious resource, upcoming industries in the coastal belt will have to think of setting up desalination plants to meet their water requirements. Even though the project might take some to take off at VSP, the management is thinking long term so that in future when the production capacity is further expanded, the desalination plant will come to good use."

Mentioning that the steel plant had already taken the lead in installing captive power units to meet the existing requirements, he said, "Due to this RINL is almost self-reliant in catering to its power demands." VSP needs around 280 to 290MW and is already meeting nearly 240-250MW by utilising captive power generation. The steel major is also planning to add to its captive power capacity by installing Waste Heat Recovery system (to generate around 20MW), blast furnace top gas pressure expansion turbine (around 14MW) and a 2x62MW mixed gas-based power plant.

Source: Times Of India

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