Bhubaneswar: National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), the Navratna PSU, and one of the leading producer of alumina and aluminium in the country, has been granted the mining lease of Utkal-D coal block by the state government of Odisha, through a notification issued on April 16, by the Department of Steel & Mines. As per the notification, the mining lease of Utkal-D coal block is over an area of 301.28 hectares in villages Kosala, Nandichood, Similisahi & Raijharan under Chendipada Tahasil of Angul District. 

It may be noted that upon execution of the mining lease deed, NALCO is considering to open Utkal-D coal block in the financial year 2020-21. The initial capacity of Utkal-D coal block is 2 million tonnes per year with a total mineable reserve of 101.68 million tonnes. 

Expressing confidence that the operationalization of Utkal-D coal block will contribute significantly to the bottom line of NALCO's CMD Sridhar Patra. 

"For a power-intensive industry like aluminium, it is very essential to have a secure supply of coal. I hope with the mining lease in place, it will usher in a new era of development for the company"

NALCO has thanked the state and central governments for sanction of mining lease of Utkal-D. "For a power-intensive industry like aluminium, it is very essential to have a secure supply of coal. I hope with the mining lease in place, it will usher in a new era of development for the company", he said.

It is worth mentioning here that Utkal-D coal block was allocated to NALCO in May 2016. NALCO is also in the process of obtaining mining lease grant of Utkal- E coal block which has been allocated to NALCO along with Utkal-D coal block in May 2016. Upon Operation of both Utkal-D & E, NALCO will be able to produce 4 million tonnes of coal per year. The lease for Utkal-D has been granted for a period of 30 years.