Mittal to set up biggest steel plant in Anakapalli

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government is poised to set up one of the biggest green field projects in recent

times. It is said that ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel (AM/NS) will set up an integrated steel plant in joint venture in Anakapalli district with an investment of Rs 1.4 lakh crore.

Industries Minister Nara Lokesh had a video call with CEO of the ArcelorMittal followed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s teleconference with Lakshmi Mittal, Executive Chairman of ArcelorMittal on Sunday.

This project will have a production capacity of 17.8 million tons, making it one of the largest steel ventures in recent years.

The project will be set up at Nakkapalli which provides access to coastal infrastructure essential for raw material import and export needs. The company has requested a dedicated jetty, which will support international raw material sourcing at competitive rates.

The project will be rolled out in two phases. In the first phase, 7.3 million tons per annum (MMTPA) blast furnace with an investment of Rs 80,000 crore would be set up for which it has sought 2,600 acres of land. The second phase, targeting an additional 10.5 MMTPA, will require a further Rs 60,000 crore and 2,000 more acres.

As environmental sustainability is at the core of the project, the joint venture company proposes to use eco-friendly green steel technologies and maintaining 33% of the land as a green belt.

The facility will also focus on producing high-grade steel, including materials for the automotive sector, aimed at reducing import dependency.

The project is part of AM/NS India’s larger vision to reach 40 MMTPA production capacity by 2035, adding to its existing facilities in Gujarat and Odisha. This project is expected to drive significant industrial growth in the region, supporting local supply chains and attracting ancillary industries. It will also create 20,000 jobs.

It may be mentioned here that the state government, in particular the Chief Minister, has been interacting with several industrial giants, including CEO and MD of Adani group, Drone manufacturers and other industrialists to choose AP as their destination for investments. This decision of ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel to set their unit in the state comes as a major achievement for the state government.