Before any work can start on constructing one of the world’s largest electric arc furnaces (EAF) at Port Talbot, the existing steelplant building in which it is to be located is being stripped back to a shell as the site prepares for the next generation of steelmaking.
Chris Scourfield, project engineer for the enabling works, explained: “This area was once the busiest part of the steel and slab plant — up to 5 million tonnes a year of molten iron from the two blast furnaces was de-sulphurized, and converted to liquid steel in two giant convertors.
“The transformation work started as soon as steelmaking stopped back in 2024. At the north end of the plant we removed the fume hoods from the hot metal stations, the rail tracks, the industrial weighing scales, and the two desulphurization stations, all without incident.”
The cleared space will become a critical working area for the refractory replacement and repair of the EAF shells and steel teeming ladles.
At the south end of the steelplant, former scrap bays, workshops, and the secondary steelmaking teeming bay have been completely stripped out and walls knocked through to make way for the EAF itself and two brand new ladle metallurgy furnaces.
Extensive piling and ground works will create a strong and level foundation across the entire bay at the same level as the area outside that will support the Consteel® conveyor.
With new structures and equipment expected to start arriving later this year, the steelplant is well on the way to the biggest transformation since it was first commissioned in 1972.