ISRO team at Sterlite Copper plant to help fix snag affecting oxygen production

Vedanta-owned Sterlite Copper plant has roped in experts from ISRO to help rectify the technical glitch developed in the cold box of its oxygen plant, leading to a suspension in production of the life- saving gas. The company formally commenced production of medical oxygen on Thursday and the very next day, the facility in Tuticorin, about 600kms from here, suffered a jolt in operations after developing a 'technical snag'. In a statement shared on the micro-blogging site on Sunday, Sterlite Copper said, "efforts to resume production at our oxygen plant are progressing". "Today, an expert team from the Indian Space Research Organisation arrived at the premises to support our ongoing efforts and collaborate with our technical team."

The expert team has suggested some measures to fix the snag and resume production of oxygen.

"This has helped fastrack the repair process for which we are thankful to the local administration, which was instrumental in facilitating this cooperative effort to recommence our oxygen production," Vedanta said.


The facility, on May 13, began producing medical oxygen to meet the demand for the life-saving gas following a surge in COVID cases in the state. The first set of oxygen tankers have been dispatched to the beneficiaries. The Sterlite copper smelter plant was accorded approval by the then AIADMK government on April 26 at an all-party meeting to produce medical oxygen at its facility for a period of four months at the facility in Tuticorin.

The unit was sealed by the state government in May 2018, days after 13 agitators who were part of a protest against the company over environmental concerns, were killed in police firing during a violent anti-Sterlite stir in the southern district.