June 13, 2011.Vedanta Aluminium Ltd (VAL), will invest about Rs. 10,000 crore to complete its aluminium smelter and independent power plants at Jharsuguda. The company has so far invested around Rs 40,000-crore in its Lanjigarh and Jharsuguda projects in Orissa. It has set up a greenfield alumina refinery with a capacity of 1-million tons at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi. VAL had lined up investment of Rs. one lakh crore its Orissa including the Vedanta University at Puri and expansion of aluminium smelter at Lanjigarh, but it has shelved the University project due to legal hassltes and local opposition while the latter one is mired in legal controversies. The VAL has also plans to set up an Aluminium Park in Jharsuguda at an estimated cost Rs. 15000-Rs. 20000 crore that will co-locate multiple downstream industries. The company plans to increase smelting capacity at its Jharsuguda plant to 1.75-million tons from the present 0.5-million tons, by 2013-14. The first phase of the smelter (0.25 mtpa) is on the verge of completion and work on the second phase is progressing well. It has alos invested for 1215 MW captive power plant at Jharsuguda. The VAL has set up a greenfield alumina refinery in Orissa's Kalahandi district with a capacity of one million tons per annum, and a 75 MW captive power plant. The company has plans to ramp-up its alumina refinery to five million tons from the present 1-million tons at Lanjigarh 300 MW post expansion. The expansion of the refinery has, however, ran into rough weather with the union ministry of forest and environment stopped the expansion not giving clearance on October 21, 2010. The company and several tribal organization have moved the Orissa High Court on the issue. Jharsuguda is also the site of the 2400 MW power plant of Sterlite Energy Ltd. Vedanta Group has come to the rescue of power-starved Orissa which is currently facing an acute power shortage due to scanty rainfall and "almost dried-up" reservoirs.