NALCO Unveils ₹30,000-Crore Expansion Plan to Boost Aluminium Production
Bhubaneswar: National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has announced a three-phase strategy with an estimated investment of around ₹30,000 crore to enhance production, efficiency, and value addition.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, NALCO Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) Bijendra Pratap Singh said the company is committed to strengthening its operational base and expanding capacity to meet growing domestic and global demand for aluminium.
“In the immediate term, our focus is on improving efficiency in existing mines, refinery, and smelter by cutting costs, reducing carbon emissions, and boosting manpower productivity,” Singh said.
For the medium term, NALCO plans to roll out more value-added products such as wire rods, foils, special-grade alumina, and fused alumina within the next two to three years. In the long term, the company aims to nearly double its smelter capacity from 4.6 lakh tonnes to about 9.5–10 lakh tonnes by 2030, alongside setting up a new power plant.
The expansion plan includes ₹18,000–20,000 crore for smelter capacity enhancement and ₹11,000–12,000 crore for the power project. Singh said while India’s rising domestic demand leaves limited export surplus, NALCO is exploring new markets.
“We already cater to the US market. With the UK-India trade agreement expected soon, we are keen to enter the UK market, particularly targeting EV manufacturers and solar panel producers,” he noted.
On technology partnerships, Singh said the company is inviting global smelter technology providers, including GAMI and EGA from China, through a tender process.
Highlighting performance, Singh said NALCO’s mines, refinery, and smelter units are running at over 100% capacity. In the first quarter of FY 2025-26, the company posted revenue of ₹3,900 crore and profit of over ₹1,000 crore—its best Q1 result in nearly two decades. Alumina production and sales surged nearly 50% year-on-year, while aluminium output and sales also saw steady growth.
