Name of the Project
Asturias DRI and EAF installations.

Location
Gijón, Spain.

Project Owner/s
ArcelorMittal.

Project Description
The project involves investment in decar­boni­sation technologies at ArcelorMittal’s Asturias plant.

At the heart of the plant is a 2.3-million-tonne green hydrogen direct reduced iron (DRI) unit, to be constructed in Gijón and the first of its kind in Spain.

This will be complemented by a 1.1-million-tonne hybrid electric arc furnace (EAF).

To maximise the emissions reduction potential, green hydrogen will, ultimately, be used to reduce the iron-ore in the DRI, with the EAF powered by renewable electricity.

The DRI and EAF installations will start the transition of the Asturias plant away from the blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace steelmaking production route to the DRI-EAF production route, which carries a significantly lower carbon footprint.

The investments will reduce carbon dioxide emis­sions at the plant by up to 4.8-million tonnes, which represents about 50% of emissions, within the next five years.

The DRI unit will also feed the company’s Sestao plant, situated bout 50 km from Gijón, where production stems entirely from the EAF route.

This means that, by 2025, the Setao plant will produce 1.6-million tonnes of steel and will be the world’s first full-scale steel plant to achieve zero carbon emissions.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
€1-billion.

ArcelorMittal will invest €50-million in Sestao.

Planned Start/End Date
The new DRI unit and EAF will be in production before the end of 2025.

Latest Developments
Not stated.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
ArcelorMittal corporate communications, tel +44203214 1128 or email press@arcelormittal.com.