Tata Steel Breaks Ground on Port Talbot Electric Arc Furnace

TATA STEEL has taken a step forward on its mission to shape the future of sustainable buildings with the ground breaking ceremony of its £1.25 billion Port Talbot Electric Arc Furnace (EAF).

Backed by £500 million of government funding, the new EAF is set to begin production at the end of 2027 and will support 5,000 UK jobs.

New Electric Arc Furnace

The Port Talbot EAF is set to be one of the largest in the world, melting UK-sourced scrap steel to produce 3 million tonnes of steel per year. It is expected to reduce Port Talbot’s carbon emissions by approximately 90%, equivalent to 5 million tonnes of CO₂ per year, with a corresponding 50% reduction in the product carbon footprint.

As part of Tata Steel UK’s broader decarbonisation strategy, the project also includes new ladle metallurgy facilities, infrastructure upgrades, and partnerships with technology providers such as Tenova, ABB and Clecim, with construction being led by main contractor Sir Robert McAlpine.

The ground breaking event was attended by Tata Sons and Tata Steel Chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, and Tata Steel CEO & MD, Thachat Viswanath Narendran, with UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, representing the Government. The Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, and Welsh First Minister, Eluned Morgan, were also present as well as Trade Unions representatives and employees.

Natarajan Chandrasekaran commented: “This is an important day for Tata Group, Tata Steel and for the UK. Today’s ground breaking marks not just the beginning of a new Electric Arc Furnace, but a new era for sustainable manufacturing in Britain.”

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