Tata Power may export fly-ash to West Asia

Tata Power is looking to export fly-ash from its 4,000-MW Mundra plant to West Asia.

The plant consumes about 40,000 tonnes of imported coal a day. The ash content, consequent to the burning of fuel, is 4 per cent or about 1,600 tonnes a day. Four companies in Qatar are interested in lifting the fly-ash from the mega power project.

Landfill material In general, power plants discharge fly-ash and bottom ash that is dense (heavier) and coarser. About 20 per cent of the total ash output is bottom ash, collected in wet form. This is of use to infrastructure players as landfill material.

As of now, two cement makers in Gujarat and one from Rajasthan lift about 100-200 tonnes a day from the Mundra plant, depending on the grade of cement they make.

Daljeet S Kohli, Head of Research, IndiaNivesh Research, said fly-ash could constitute about 70 per cent of cement depending on the grade. In general, fly-ash cost about ₹1,200 a tonne. Kohli was not too optimistic about export and said it is as difficult as exporting cement.

However, given the quantity released in the burning of coal at Mundra, Tata Power is looking to ensure bulk off-take of the runoff, which can be monetised as well.

Three-step process It is a three-step process to export the ash, said KK Sharma, Executive Director and CEO, Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd (CGPL). CGPL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Power, which implemented the power project.

The first is sample approval, the second is to despatch a trial consignment and then a short consignment to the buyers. The entire procedure has been fulfilled for one buyer.

Sharma declined to reveal the price the ash would fetch overseas or the price Tata Power sought for it.

Given the ash quantity collected, indications are that Tata Power is looking to despatch a minimum quantity of 30,000-40,000 tonnes annually.

(The reporter was in Mundra at the invitation of Tata Power)