Odisha government has tasked Talcher Fertilizers Ltd with reviving FCIL's former Talcher plant by constructing a new coal gasification-based urea plant with an installed capacity of 12.7 lakh tonne per annum (LMTPA). Coal gasification plants are strategically important because coal prices are stable and domestic coal is abundant.
India's agriculture sector requires fertilizers to thrive, and the country is currently reliant on fertilizer imports and domestic production. "Under Prime Minister Modi's visionary leadership, India set the goal of becoming Aatmanirbhar in this field as well. Five new fertilizer plants are being built in India, which will significantly increase domestic urea production," Mandaviya said.
"Four of these plants are already operational, while Talcher is a coal gasification plant that will be operational by October 2024," he added while inspecting the Talcher unit on-site in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Talcher Fertilizers Ltd. (TFL), a company promoted by GAIL (India) Ltd. (GAIL), Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd. (RCF), Coal India Ltd. (CIL), and Fertilizers Corporation of India Ltd., is reviving the FCIL Talcher unit (FCIL). "The government is making significant efforts to make the country Aatmanirbhar. One of them is the fertilizer industry. India is moving toward self-sufficiency in the urea sector by implementing new technological interventions such as coal gasification in our fertilizer plants and utilizing our own sampada (resources) such as coal.
With this vision in mind, the Government of India has been monitoring the progress of the Talcher unit, which will be India's largest and first coal gasification urea plant, according to a government release. Mandaviya also stated that the project will be a significant step toward ensuring the country's energy security by harnessing the country's vast coal reserves in a more environmentally friendly manner than direct-fired coal projects.
The start-up of all five plants would increase indigenous urea production capacity in the country by 63.5 LMTPA. Aside from Talcher, there are four other operational plants in Ramagundam, Gorakhpur, Sindri, and Barauni.
