Nippon Steel installs the world’s largest electric arc furnace

This major project is intended to support Nippon Steel on its path to carbon neutrality by 2050.

Nippon Steel has commissioned the Italian plant manufacturer Tenova to supply an electric arc furnace (EAF) for Nippon Steel’s Yawata plant in Kyushu. To this end, Tenova has joined forces with GE Vernova, whose direct-feed system will supply power to the Consteel EAF.
Once installed, the new furnace, with a thermal capacity of 340 tonnes, will be the world’s most powerful EAF. According to Tenova, this unprecedented level of performance will enable the use of a high proportion of pig iron, which is essential for the production of high-quality steel grades. To this end, GE Vernova will supply its Direct Feed power supply system, which is designed to ensure the high stability required for the EAF.
The Yawata project is regarded as a crucial step on Nippon Steel’s path to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. In line with Japan’s Act on the Promotion of Green Transformation and the company’s long-term decarbonisation strategy, the project involves a shift from blast furnace steelmaking to EAF steelmaking.
Source: Tenova