British Steel‘s efforts to shift to electric arc furnace technology face a setback, with the National Grid confirming that the required power connection will not be available until 2032.
The steel manufacturer, owned by the Chinese conglomerate Jingye, had planned to shut down its existing blast furnaces in Scunthorpe this year and move to a lower emission production method by 2025.
However, the timeline has now been extended by several years.
According to information reported by the Sunday Times, sources within the industry indicate that the National Grid has communicated to British Steel that the necessary electricity infrastructure will not be in place for eight more years.
A spokesperson from the National Grid stated, “We recognise the significance of this project and are working closely with all the key parties involved to explore options to find a connection date that meets British Steel’s requirements.”
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