The government of New South Wales in Australia has granted planning approval for the revitalization of local steelmaker BlueScope Steel’s 60-year-old plate mill in order to increase production, boost the local economy and create new jobs.
As part of the modernization works, the company will replace two of its blast furnaces with modern and energy-efficient alternatives, reducing fuel consumption, upgrading the infrastructure and overhauling its processing plant equipment. This way, it will increase the production capacity of the Port Kembla site to 600,000 mt per year from 430,000 mt per year, meeting the increased demand from the construction, renewable energy and defense industries. Also, BlueScope’s investment will contribute to the state government’s aim to become net zero by 2050.
Construction of the project, which is expected to begin in July this year, will last three years.
