German steelmaker Salzgitter AG has announced that transmission system operator TenneT Germany has officially commissioned a new industrial power line in Salzgitter, Lower Saxony, to support the company's transition toward low-carbon steel production under its SALCOS® (Salzgitter Low CO₂ Steelmaking) program.
According to the company, the new power line will provide additional electricity transmission capacity for Salzgitter's industrial facilities, supporting the increasing electrification of steelmaking processes and strengthening the region's security of electricity supply.
First phase of SALCOS® program scheduled for completion in 2027
Heike Denecke-Arnold, chairwoman of the management board of Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH, stated that the first phase of the SALCOS® program is nearing completion and is scheduled to be finalized in 2027. At that time, new production facilities, including an electric arc furnace (EAF), are expected to become operational. She emphasized that the new power line represents an essential infrastructure requirement for the implementation of SALCOS®, as the transition toward low-carbon steelmaking will significantly increase electricity demand.
Salzgitter noted that the existing 220 kV electricity grid would not have been sufficient to meet the anticipated long-term increase in industrial electricity consumption in the region. The new infrastructure consists of an approximately 10 km long, 380 kV overhead power line connecting the Liedingen and Bleckenstedt/Süd substations.
