ArcelorMittal began construction of its new hybrid electric arc furnace at the Gijón mill in Spain during an official ceremony held on Thursday. The project is a priority for the steelmaker’s CO2 emissions reduction goals in Europe.
The execution of the project is moving forward after it received the construction licence from the Gijón City Council on 8 May. This was the last step required before starting work, the company tells Kallanish.
The investment will allow ArcelorMittal to produce high-value-added wire rod, placing the plant in a highly competitive position, particularly in long products-consuming sectors with strict carbon footprint criteria for public administration contracts.
“Maintaining our position as the lead supplier of low-carbon steels is a clear priority and the planned ramp-up at Sestao, along with the new EAF in Gijon which will break ground imminently, will both have an important role to play,” ArcelorMittal chief executive Aditya Mittal commented during the company’s first-quarter earnings call last week.
Last November, the steelmaker contracted Spanish technology supplier Sarralle Group to execute the project. The furnace will have an annual capacity to produce 1.1 million tonnes of low-emission steel. As part of the project, Sarralle will also install a dust collection system and waste heat recovery system to maximise the EAF’s energy efficiency.
The facility is expected to be operational in Q1 2026, ArcelorMittal estimates.
The firm’s decarbonisation programme in Spain includes the construction of a 2.3m t/year green hydrogen-based DRI plant, which is still awaiting the final consent of the company’s board.
Todor Kirkov Bulgaria
