OREANDA-NEWS. June 6, 2011. National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), as part of its diversification plans, has been endeavouring to foray into other metals and energy sectors. The Navratna PSU has now decided to start a 50.4 MW Wind Power Project at Gandikota in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh.

The Wind Power Project will be executed through Suzlon Energy Limited with an investment of Rs.274 crore. Under the project, 24 wind turbine generators, each of 2.1 MW capacity, shall be set up. NALCO Board has approved the project in a meeting held recently.

"NALCO has come up with this project as a part of its green initiative towards promoting sustainable development by harnessing the unconventional energy source", said Shri B.L. Bagra, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the company. "The project, planned with a capacity utilization factor of 22%, is scheduled to be completed in about eight months. And the power generated will be sold to the Andhra Pradesh State Grid", Shri Bagra added.

Apart from meeting its diversification and clean energy thrust, the project would also enable the company to meet its obligation under a recently promulgated regulatory requirement to generate 5% of its energy consumption from renewable source or buy renewable energy certificates (RECs)

Earlier, NALCO had signed an MoU with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) to set up a nuclear power plant in joint venture.

Besides, NALCO is implementing different environment-oriented projects under Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), conforming to the norms of Kyoto Protocol. These CDM projects are being taken up at company’s smelter, captive power plant and refinery, wherein better technology would be used to further reduce Greenhouse Gases. The projects have been cleared by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest.