DRI d’Italia to build DRI plant in Taranto

DRI d’Italia, the new company created last year by Italian state entity Invitalia, the majority shareholder of Acciaierie d’Italia, has completed the feasibility study to build a direct reduced iron (DRI) facility for ADI’s steelmaking complex in Taranto, Kallanish learns from market sources.

DRI d’Italia ceo Stefano Cao told local broadsheet Corriere della Sera that the project is now in the executive phase and construction should start by July.

The plant, which will be built thanks to the European post-Covid recovery fund, is scheduled to start producing in 2026 with a direct reduced iron capacity of 2 million tonnes a year produced with a mix of methane and – in smaller percentages – hydrogen. DRI d’Italia has issued a tender for the construction of the plant, and it is expecting the offers by the end of May.

DRI d’Italia builds and operate DRI plants. The firm benefits from €35 million ($38m) in funding from Italy’s finance ministry that can be increased to a maximum of €70m, depending on the project’s development. The Italian steelmakers’ consortium for DRI procurement, Ceip Scarl Consorzio Elettrosiderurgici Italiani per il Preridotto (Ceip), signed an agreement in January with DRI d’Italia to study opportunities for collaboration to build DRI production plants in Italy.  The agreement aims to replace DRI imports and reduce the use of scrap in Italy (see Kallanish passim).

Natalia Capra France