Austrian steelmaker Voestalpine has announced that it has commissioned a new power plant unit at its Linz plant as part of its greentec steel decarbonization program, preparing its operations for the transition to electric arc furnace (EAF)-based steel production in 2027.
The new unit, which was completed and handed over in the summer of 2026, will enable the company to generate electricity using steam produced during the cooling processes of its new EAF.
New unit to compensate for reduced blast furnace gas availability
Currently, the company's on-site electricity generation relies on generators powered by blast furnace gas. However, when the new EAF replaces blast furnace No. 5 in 2027, the availability of blast furnace gas will decrease. The new power plant unit will compensate for this change by utilizing steam generated by the EAF for electricity production.
The facility is currently undergoing hot commissioning, including final performance tests, ahead of the EAF's planned startup. According to Voestalpine, the new power plant unit is now ready to support the steelworks' transition to hybrid production using both EAFs and blast furnaces.
