Tuticorin Smelter power station
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Tuticorin Smelter power station is a mothballed power station of at least 160-megawatts (MW) in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuticorin Smelter power station | Thoothukudi, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India | 8.816981, 78.0899754 (exact) |
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 2, Unit 3: 8.816981, 78.0899754
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 2 | Mothballed | coal: unknown | 80 | subcritical | 2012 |
| Unit 3 | Mothballed | coal: unknown | 80 | subcritical | 2013 |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 2 | Vedanta Ltd [100%] | Vedanta Ltd [100.0%] |
| Unit 3 | Vedanta Ltd [100%] | Vedanta Ltd [100.0%] |
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Background
The Sterlite Copper Smelting Unit in Tuticorin is in southern Tamil Nadu. The first 22.5 MW unit went online in 2005. Two additional 80 MW plants went online in 2012 and 2013. Sterlite was set to use 65 MW of the plant's total capacity for its own smelting needs.[1]
About 250,000 people live within 7 kilometers of the smelting operation. The captive plant was temporarily closed in 2013 after a suspected sulphur dioxide leak, with residents near the plant saying they suffered irritation in the eyes, sore throat, and suffocation. On April 2, 2013, the India Supreme Court ordered Sterlite Energy to pay Rs 100 crore ($18.4 million) as compensation for polluting water, soil, and air around the plant.[2]
The smelter was shut down by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board in May 2018 after violent protests emerged outside the plant because of environmental concerns, leading to 15 people being killed by police firing. In 2022, Vedanta had plans to sell off its closed copper smelter plant in Tuticorin. The company invited expressions of interest for the copper smelter, including the sale of the captive power plant, as well as the copper smelter complex, sulphuric and phosphoric acid plants, copper refinery, and a residential colony, among other associated infrastructure. When functioning, the smelter reportedly addressed almost 40% of India’s copper demands.[3]
In June 2023, after five years closed, Vedanta advertised for expressions of interest towards "restarting" the complex. While Vedanta had not been permitted by courts to re-start operations at the smelter, the Supreme Court permitted maintenance and upkeep activity at the plant given the labyrinth of machinery and systems within, which was reportedly underway as of June 2023. A final verdict on the plant's fate was expected later in 2023.[4]
According to Vedanta’s 2022–23 annual report, the company had been ordered to close the smelter and disconnect its electricity in May 2018.[5] As the Tuticorin captive coal plant was no longer included in a list of power assets in Vedanta’s 2023–24 annual report,[6] it was presumed to be mothballed.
In March 2025, Vedanta was granted 80 days to move machinery from the defunct Tutircorin Sterlite Copper smelter to another facility in Silvassa, in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The Tuticorin smelter had been closed since May 2018. An appeal by Vedanta to reopen the facility was dismissed by the Supreme Court in November 2024. Other groups continued to call for the government to take over the smelter and reopen it, including the Indian National Trade Union Congress, which reportedly said that relocating machinery would not impact their ongoing efforts to reopen the plant.[7] In May 2025, Thoothukudi’s Member of Parliament said that the Tamil Nadu government did not have the power to reopen the smelter as it was shut down by a Supreme Court order.[8]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "Sterlite to add another 80 MW in Tuticorin," The Hindu, December 28, 2012.
- ↑ "How Sterlite Copper Smelter Polluted Tuticorin," Presentation of Asian Institute of Public Health, June 23, 2013.
- ↑ "Many scenarios, similar outcome: Tuticorin plant may not restart, say experts," Indian Express, July 28, 2022
- ↑ "Vedanta invites EOIs to resume controversial Tuticorin copper smelter," CNBC Tv18, June 12, 2023
- ↑ “Integrated Report and Annual Accounts 2022-23,” Vedanta Ltd., June 2023
- ↑ “Integrated Report and Annual Accounts 2023-24,” Vedanta Ltd., June 2024
- ↑ “Sterlite Copper moves defunct machineries from its Thoothukudi plant,” The Hindu, March 15, 2025
- ↑ “Tamil Nadu govt has no power to open Sterlite plant, says MP Kanimozhi,” The New Indian Express, May 14, 2025
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
