The SCCL is shifting from a pure coal miner to a diversified energy player. It is studying coal‑gasification technologies, evaluating a large ammonium nitrate plant, and preparing its first underground coal gasification (UCG) pilot.
Key Developments
- A senior SCCL team will visit major coal gasification projects at Talcher, MCL‑BHEL and JSPL later this month.
- Techno‑economic studies are under way for surface gasification at Bheemaram, Chennur South and Naini.
- EIL completed a feasibility study for a 400‑tonne‑per‑day Ammonium Nitrate Melt Plant at the Singareni Thermal Power Plant site. The study found the return on investment insufficient.
- To improve viability, SCCL is considering capacity expansion, seeking VGF from the Centre, and using indigenous technology.
- Five deep coal blocks in Bellampalli and Ramagundam have been earmarked for UCG. Drilling has begun for a pilot in the Bellampalli Dip‑side Block.
Important Facts
The pilot UCG project targets a deep block that can supply syngas for power generation without large‑scale surface mining. The proposed ammonium nitrate plant would process 400 tonnes of raw material d