ET reported that Steel Authority of India Limited’s Burnpur based ISSCO Steel Plant has begun the countdown to start production from its new INR 17,000 crore integrated steel plant next month.

As part of the process, the new plant's First Basic Oxygen Furnac e(BOF) was lit up on September 14.

The commencement of BOF paves the way for starting up production from the new 4060 m3 Blast Furnace, next month.

With the operationalization of the new BF, integrated operations would start in the state of the art 2.5 million tonnes per annum steel plant

Under the expansion program of ISP, many major facilities like, a 7-metre tall Coke Oven Battery, 2x204 square metre Sinter Plant, Power and Blowing Station and 0.5 mtpa Wire Rod Mill have already commenced operations on standalone basis.