Hooghly Met Coke to transfer power proj

Haldia, Oct 31: Tata Steel and WBIDC promoted Hooghly Met Coke&Power Company Ltd is in advance stage of setting up a green field coke and power plant with Rs 1650 crore investment.

The company has decided to transfer the power project to Tata Power.

Tata Power and Tata Steel board have already accepted the proposal, Tata Steel Deputy Managing Director Dr T Mukherjee said at the brick laying ceremony here.

He said the Hooghly Met Coke board will be meeting on Saturday to give its nod.

The proposed capacity of the Coke plant is 1.6 mtpa of high- quality low-ash metallurgical coke, along with 120 MW of power generating capacity, Mr Mukherjee added.

The entire project is scheduled to be commissioned by December 2007.

Dr Mukherjee said after taking care of the captive requirements, over 100 Megawatts of power would be supplied to the state grid and other customers.

The 1.6 mtpa coke plant would be the largest standalone coke plant in India and one of the largest in the world, he added.

State Commerce and Industries Minister Nirupam Sen and Haldia Development authority chairman Lakshman Seth were also present on the ocassion among others.

UNI