Russian steelmaker Severstal has announced that Cherepovets Iron and Steel Works (CherMK), one of its key assets, achieved a record reduction in solid fuel consumption at blast furnace No. 4 in the second quarter of 2026, while setting a third consecutive monthly record for natural gas use.
According to the company, solid fuel consumption fell to 334.86 kg per mt of pig iron, while natural gas consumption reached 226.38 cubic meters per mt, supported by the use of raw materials with a higher share of iron ore pellets and by the 2025 overhaul of the blast furnace, which included upgrades to gas pipelines, the charge loading system, refractory lining and cooling elements.
Severstal stated that replacing traditional solid fuels with natural gas improves operational efficiency and supports its technological development strategy, while systematic coke reduction, higher natural gas use and hydrogen-based reduction have helped cut greenhouse gas emissions by 3.4 percent compared to the 2020 baseline.
The technology is now applied at all five operating blast furnaces at CherMK and covers charging modes, raw material combinations and gas blower parameters.