KalingaTimes Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, June 3: Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), a unit of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), concluded the month of May on a positive note recording impressive production performance in the major production centres of the steel plant.

Hot metal production stood at 1,80,105 tonnes, crude steel at 1,69,103 tonnes and total saleable steel at 1,65,125 tonnes recorded impressive growth of 6.7 per cent, 8.7 per cent and 22.3 per cent respectively as compared to May 2007.

Driven by this performance, the steel plant achieved all time best performance for any months of April-May since inception in several areas.

These include hot metal production of 3,59,430 tonnes, crude steel production of 3,38,314 tonnes and total saleable steel production of 3,21,400 tonnes which besides being highest compared to any month of April-May also represents capacity utilisation of 109 per cent, 107 per cent and 115 per cent.

Best ever April-May performance was also recorded in the finishing units of the steel plant with hot rolled coils (total) at 2,64,933 tonnes, hot rolled coils (for sale) at 1,27,754 tonnes, hot rolled plates at 52,055 tonnes and CRNO from silicon steel mill at 14,720 tonnes.

Incidentally, silicon steel mill also recorded the best ever CRNO production compared to any month since inception during May at 7505 tonnes.

During the months of April and May, major annual capital repairs have been completed in main production centres such as blast furnace, sinter plant, steel melting shop, plate mill and hot strip mill, and the steel plant is much healthier now, according to an official release.

All the units have been revitalised to take on the annual performance plan for 2008-09, which not only envisages significant growth over the levels achieved in 2007-08 but also higher utilisation of rated capacity.

It may be recalled that during the fiscal 2007-08, RSP registered all time best performance in virtually every production centre besides achieving highest-ever net profit compared to any fiscal since inception as well.