India: NALCO expands aluminium capacity with EGA technology in Odisha

• NALCO signs agreement with UAE’s EGA for 0.5 mnt/y brownfield smelter 
• New capacity will take NALCO’s aluminium production towards 1 mnt/y

National Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO) has signed a technology licensing agreement with UAE-based Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) on September 7. The agreement covers NALCO’s planned 0.5 mtpa aluminium smelter expansion at Anugola in Odisha.

The agreement comes ahead of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s investment outreach to the UAE, where the state is seeking global capital and technology partnerships across metals and downstream industries.

EGA technology and power to shape smelter economics

NALCO will use EGA’s DX+ Ultra technology for the Anugola expansion. The high-amperage reduction-cell technology uses higher electrical current than older potlines which improves energy efficiency and productivity.

The project will also need substantial power. NALCO expects the new smelter to require around 800 MW of assured captive power.

To support this, NALCO and NLC India have formed a 50:50 joint venture to develop a 1,080 MW captive power plant at Anugola, comprising four 270 MW units. NALCO is also pursuing 200-250 MW of firm renewable power.

Aluminium capacity expansion to coincide with bauxite and alumina growth

The company currently has aluminium smelting capacity of about 0.46 mtpa. The proposed brownfield project at Anugola will add another 0.5 mtpa.

The project is part of NALCO’s broader expansion program in Odisha. The company plans to invest around INR 30,000 crore across major projects, including the new smelter and captive power infrastructure.

The smelter is targeted for commissioning in 2030-31. Once operational, it will take NALCO’s aluminium capacity towards 1 mtpa, more than doubling its current smelting capacity.

The expansion also extends across the upstream value chain. NALCO is adding a fifth stream at its Damanjodi alumina refinery and developing the 3.5 mtpa Pottangi bauxite mine in Odisha. The company has appointed a mine developer and operator for the mine.

The upstream expansion comes as the company continues to increase production. NALCO produced a record 4.72 lakh tonnes of aluminium cast metal and 22.75 lakh tonnes of calcined alumina in FY2025-26.

Bauxite excavation also reached a record 77.01 lakh tonnes during the year. The combined growth in mining, refining and smelting could strengthen NALCO’s raw-material security as its aluminium capacity expands.

Outlook

The EGA technology agreement marks an important step in NALCO’s planned expansion at Anugola, but execution will determine when the additional capacity becomes available.

The key factors to watch will be project construction, the development of the 1,080 MW captive power plant, progress on NALCO’s upstream bauxite and alumina projects and the company’s ability to maintain raw-material and energy security as aluminium capacity increases.

With the new smelter, NALCO is targeting a move from its current capacity of around 0.46 mtpa towards 1 mtpa. The project therefore represents a major expansion of the company’s position in India’s primary aluminium industry.