Tata Steel breaks ground for new Electric Arc Furnace

Tata Steel has celebrated an historic milestone as construction work has begun on the company’s state-of-the-art Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) facility at the Port Talbot steelworks.

The new EAF, which is set to be commissioned at the end of 2027, is expected to reduce Port Talbot’s carbon emissions by approximately 90%, equivalent to 5 million tonnes of CO₂ per year, while securing high-quality sustainable steel production and supporting 5,000 UK jobs.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “This Government is committed to a bright future for our steel industry, which is why we provided £500 million of funding to make this project possible. Our modern Industrial Strategy will set out how we’ll back the sector even further to drive growth and create well-paid jobs across the country, as part of our Plan for Change.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said: “The UK Government acted decisively to ensure that steelmaking in Port Talbot will continue for generations to come, backing Tata Steel with £500 million to secure its future in the town, along with £80 million to support workers and the wider community.”

The Port Talbot EAF will be one of the largest in the world, melting UK-sourced scrap material to produce three million tonnes of steel per year.