The Ukrainian steelmaker Zaporizhstal is temporarily to cut back all its investment programs, excepting the construction of a new pulverized coal injection (PCI) plant, started in February of the current year.
The installment of PCI technology at the mill will allow Zaporizhstal to switch completely from natural gas to coal dust in blast furnace production and also to decrease by 48 percent the mill's total consumption of gas.
Given the current times of crisis, Zaporizhstal has suspended projects which include the construction of a new melting shop and of a new hydrochloric acid (HCI) etching line.
Moreover, up to the end of 2008 Zaporizhstal plans to continue with the overhaul of its two-shaft steel smelting unit No. 1 at its open-hearth shop. Currently, depending on its overhaul schedule Zaporizhstal is operating between five and seven of its nine open-hearth furnaces and, with repairs of its BF No.4 having been completed, is now also operating all four of its blast furnaces.