Visakhapatnam, April 15 (IANS): Steel producer Essar Steel on Wednesday said it has restored its 30 MW-capacity captive power plant in Vizag in Andhra Pradesh after it was ravaged by a coastal cyclone in October last year.

The reconstruction of the power unit plant involved almost 400 tonnes of structural construction and equipment installation with more than 100 workmen.

Linked to supply power to its pellet plant facility, it is now supplying power to the 8 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) pellet plant in the same location.

"During the peak of Cyclone Hudhud, when heavy gales hit Vizag, the captive power plant equipment, including electro static precipitator, ash silo with structures, cooling tower stacks and belt conveyor, were severely damaged," the company said in a statement.

The company said it has also restored 52 acres of green-belt in the plant premises that was damaged by the cyclone.

"Specialists from Bengaluru were consulted for ensuring maximum survival rate of the damaged Greenbelt, and to promote fast growth of foliage. These timely measures ensured that about 83 percent of the trees, survived. In addition to the restoration of damaged trees, about 4,500 plants of different species were planted to fill the gaps of lost trees.

About 1,000 flowering shrubs were planted at various locations in the plant. Thus the Greenbelt was fully recreated," it said.