OREANDA-NEWS. Bhilai Steel Plant, the flagship unit of Maharatna SAIL has won an award in the National Energy Conservation Award 2014, in the Integrated Steel sector, on the basis of the improvement in its energy performance over the previous year, 2012-13 in an award function on 14th December, 2014. Energy conservation initiatives at SAIL's Bhilai Steel Plant have led to a saving of Rs. 364 crore during the financial year 2013-14.

Bhilai Steel Plant has won this award for achieving a 5% saving in thermal energy consumption and savings of 2% in electrical energy consumption over the previous year. This has been possible due to concerted efforts by all departments of BSP to reduce energy consumption by undertaking energy saving schemes as well as minimizing wastage and judicious distribution of available fuel resources to various departments by the Plant's Energy Management Department, so as to maximize consumption of by-product gases that are generated in-house. Steps were simultaneously taken to reduce consumption of purchased fuels like boiler coal, furnace oil, etc

Chairman, SAIL Mr. C.S. Verma, complimented Bhilai Steel Plant on being adjudged the Best Integrated Steel plant in the National Energy Conservation Award 2014. He lauded the plant's efforts for achieving energy efficiency in various areas of operation and urged the plant collective to continuously improve this performance in the future.

Instituted by the Government of India, the National Energy Conservation Award is a prestigious award given every year to give national recognition to the selected Industrial units who have made systematic and serious efforts for efficient utilization and conservation of energy and reduction in energy consumption on year to year basis.

The award is given to industries of various sectors like Iron & Steel, Textiles, Aluminium, Paper & Pulp, Hospitality, Health Care, Tourism, etc. The evaluation criteria are very stringent and the evaluation is done by an award committee comprising of industry experts from various industrial sectors. In fact, it is the highest national level award for energy conservation. The selection criteria are stringent and marks are awarded on the basis of energy savings year on year.