The Extraordinary Commissioners of Acciaierie d’Italia, currently under extraordinary administration, have issued an update on the operational status of the Taranto steel plant. The relaunch plan has encountered delays due to significant technical issues that were not foreseeable during the initial planning phase. These complications, inherited from the previous management, have forced a revision of the original schedule, though core priorities such as worker safety, regulatory compliance, and job protection remain unaffected.
Blast furnace No. 2 non-operational due to pre-existing damage
The most critical issue impacting the relaunch plan concerns blast furnace No. 2 (Afo/2). When the Extraordinary Administration took over in February 2024, the unit was already offline, but still loaded with hot pig iron, making it unsafe to drain. Complex safety operations began in December 2024 and were only completed in March 2025.
Once these preliminary works were concluded, extensive structural damage to the furnace was identified - damage that clearly predates the current administration. For safety reasons, the restart of Afo/2 has been ruled out for now. In parallel, urgent procurement of the necessary repair materials has been launched, subject to technical lead times.
Additional stoppage at blast furnace No. 1
To further complicate matters, in May 2025 an additional technical fault led to the shutdown of blast furnace No. 1 (Afo/1). The duration of this stoppage remains uncertain.
Despite these setbacks, the Extraordinary Commissioners have reaffirmed their commitment to responsibly advancing the industrial relaunch plan. Their priorities include ensuring plant safety, preserving employment, and maintaining full regulatory compliance. They also confirmed their willingness to work in close collaboration with institutions and all stakeholders involved in the revitalization of the Taranto steel hub.