The Russian steel producer Ashinskiy Metallurgical Works (Ashinskiy) plans to commission its new unique-for-Russia 120-ton electric arc furnace (EAF-120) with an annual production capacity of about one million mt this year on July 18, which is Metallurgists' Day in Russia.
Accordingly, currently Ashinskiy is finishing the cold testing of the furnace, and from June 20, following the first trial smelting, the plant will start the hot testing of the unit, which will last one month.
Meanwhile, Ashinskiy has decided that it will not decommission and disassemble its three existing open hearth furnaces, which have a total annual capacity of 750,000-800,000 mt, before the end of 2010, when the new electric arc furnace will reach its designed capacity.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, Ashinskiy was forced to delay the commissioning of its new EAF-120 due to unforeseen contingencies, which arose during commissioning works at the substation AMET which will power the producer's new EAF. The startup of the EAF was previously scheduled for April 9, 2010.