Peddapalli: Farmers in the region are facing a tough time due to a shortage of urea. The RFCL factory, which aims to produce 12.7 lakh metric tonnes of urea this year, is experiencing frequent shutdowns.
Production halted on August 14 because of an ammonia pipeline leak. The Central Fertilizers and Chemicals Department is working to restart operations at RFCL.
A technical issue with the High Temperature Reformer (HTR) needs fixing. RFCL CMD Sharwanand Ramagundam visited the site on Wednesday to address this problem.
The ammonia pipeline leak was caused by high pressure after bypassing the HTR during recent maintenance. The company plans to use Danish technology from Haldor Topsoe to fix the issue.
Experts from Denmark, Chennai, and Mumbai are assessing the situation, though no solution has been found yet. Repair costs could reach Rs 150 crores, and a high-level decision is needed. Reports indicate that even fixing the HTR might only offer a temporary fix.
After meetings with senior officials, RFCL sources suggest a permanent solution may be reached in the next few days, ensuring continuous urea production.
Maddela Dinesh, President of Fight for Better Society in Godavarikhani, said RFCL has faced controversies since it reopened, blaming poor equipment quality for the shutdown. Despite the closure, RFCL’s main office remains in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, leading to neglect.
The issue has been brought to the attention of the Secretary of the Department of Fertilizers, with a demand to relocate the central office to Ramagundam urgently. There’s also a call for the government to establish another fertilizer factory in the state.
When fully operational, RFCL can produce 2,200 metric tonnes of ammonia and 3,850 metric tonnes of Neem-coated urea daily.
