India: SAIL receives EC for Bhilai steel plant expansion; crude steel capacity to rise to 8 mnt/year

SAIL has received environmental clearance for the expansion of its Bhilai Steel Plant, increasing hot metal capacity from 7.5 mnt/year to 8.8 mnt/year and crude steel capacity from 7.0 mnt/year to 8.3 mnt/year. The project includes a new blast furnace No. 9 with an estimated volume of 4,500 cubic meter, a 0.8 mnt/year coke oven battery, and sinter plant upgrades. After commissioning BF No. 9 and phasing out BF 1-3, total active blast furnace volume will rise modestly to around 16,080 cubic meter from 14,679 cubic meter.