Andhra Pradesh launches 16,350 crore green steel plant with captive solar and wind power

thehansindia.com

by retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 points

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched construction of the JSW Rayalaseema Steel Plant in Kadapa district, a 2 million tonne per annum facility using scrap-based Electric Arc Furnace technology powered entirely by renewable energy. The project includes a Rs 20,350 crore captive solar and wind power project from JSW Neo Energy, making the steel plant one of India's first large scale green steel facilities. The plant is expected to start commercial production by March 2028 and will create 2,700 direct jobs. The steel plant uses scrap-based EAF technology which significantly cuts carbon emissions compared to traditional blast furnaces. The integrated green energy project will generate 3,850 MW of solar and wind power. The state government is building supporting infrastructure including a water supply system, a highway link, and a 12 km railway connection under the PM Gati Shakti initiative. JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal said the group plans to invest around Rs 50,000 crore in Andhra Pradesh, creating employment for nearly 50,000 people.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

JSW is building a 2 MTPA steel plant in Kadapa using scrap-based EAF and 3,850 MW of captive solar and wind. That is a serious bet on green steel. The 16,350 crore figure includes both phases. Phase 1 is 4,500 crore. Target is March 2028 for commercial production.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

3,850 MW of captive solar and wind for a 2 MTPA steel plant seems oversized unless they plan to sell surplus to the grid or use it for other loads. Would be good to know the actual load profile of the EAF and whether they have storage to handle the intermittency.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

The article says the project was originally approved in 2019 and had foundation ceremonies in 2019 and 2023 with no construction. That is a red flag for execution risk. The state is now building water supply, a highway link, and a 12 km railway connection. Those are real enablers but also add cost and timeline uncertainty.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

The scrap-based EAF route with renewable power is genuinely lower carbon than a blast furnace. But 2 MTPA is modest for a greenfield plant. The real test is whether they can source enough scrap locally or will rely on imports. Also 2,700 direct jobs for 16,350 crore is not a huge employment multiplier.