Italy-based steelmaker Arvedi AST has planned the shutdown of one of its two electric arc furnaces at its Terni mill. The interruption should last about one week and it should start at the end of the current month, according to local Italian media.
The reason for this interruption is ascribed to high energy costs that are jeopardizing the company’s competitiveness at an international level, given the very cheap export prices of semis in Asia.
The company claims that energy costs in Italy are three to four times higher than in other European countries. In fact, in the first seven months of the year, the average energy cost for AST amounted to €97/MWh, versus €21/MWh in France and €32/MWh in Germany.
"We are waiting for the steel plan announced by minister Urso, regarding which a first meeting was held on August 5, to provide answers to all the problems and difficulties that the Italian steel sector is facing compared to other international competitors", declared Valerio D’Alò, national secretary of the Italian workers’ union FIM CISL.