Sterlite to boost Tuticorin plant capacity

Chennai, Jan 31 (UNI) Sterlite Industries (India), part of the Vedanta Resources Group, which has the distinction of setting up the country's first private sector copper smelter,has increased the capacity of its smelter at Tuticorin from three lakh tonne per annum (TPA) to four lakh tonne in 2006-07.

The plant has fully stabilized and was operating at the rated capacity, according to a press release by the company here today.

Sterlite Industries CEO R Kishore Kumar said "at this plant, an incremental capacity of one lakh TPA was created in a record period of eight months at a cost of US Dollar 22 million".

Sterlite has planned an overall investment of US Dollar 14,580 million to boost capacities of zinc copper, aluminium and power.

"It intends to raise its current copper capacity to one million tonne by 2012", he said.

Mr Kumar said "this would entail an investment of US Dollar 1,155 million.

The company has also raised production of copper smelter at Tuticorin tenfold from 40,000 TPA to four lakh TPA.

Sterlite has planned an overall investment of USD 14,580 million to boost capacities of zinc, copper, aluminium and power.

It has raised tenfold production of copper smelter at Tuticorin from 40,000 TPA to four lakh TPA, the release added.

UNI SNR VV 1732