Tata Steel UK, a subsidiary of India-based steelmaker Tata Steel Limited, has announced that it has begun extensive preparatory works at its Port Talbot steelworks as the site gets ready for the construction of one of the world’s largest electric arc furnaces (EAFs), marking a fundamental shift to next-generation steelmaking.
Before construction of the EAF can begin, the existing steel plant building is being stripped back to its structural shell. The building previously housed one of the busiest areas of the plant, where up to five million mt per year of molten iron from two blast furnaces were desulphurized and converted into liquid steel using two large convertors.
Decommissioning works completed without incident
According to Chris Scourfield, project engineer for the enabling works, transformation activities started immediately after steelmaking stopped in 2024. At the north end of the plant, teams have removed fume hoods from hot metal stations, rail tracks, industrial weighing scales and two desulphurization stations, completing the work safely and without incident.
The cleared area will become a critical working zone to support refractory replacement and repair for the future EAF shells and steel teeming ladles, forming an essential part of the new steelmaking infrastructure.