Tata Steel has secured a connection offer with the Electricity System Operator (ESO), paving the way for the construction of new electrical infrastructure by National Grid.
This infrastructure is poised to power a 3.2 million-tonne electric arc furnace by the end of 2027.
In 2027, new electric-powered furnaces will replace existing blast furnaces, leading to the redundancy of up to 2,800 workers.
Tata Steel UK’s Chief Executive Officer, Rajesh Nair, said: “This is a critical milestone in transforming our steelmaking operations in Port Talbot.
“This will help us replace our ageing and carbon-intensive blast furnaces with a state-of-the-art electric arc furnace capable of producing our customers’ most demanding steel products.”
Industry Minister Alan Mak said: “Accelerating grid connection timescales is a top priority for government and we are working closely with Ofgem and the network companies to transform the electricity network at a scale and pace not seen for decades.”
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