Tata Steel has appointed Sir Robert McAlpine as the main works contractor as part of its £1.2bn electric arc furnace (EAF) investment at Port Talbot.
Planning for its EAF, which will make steel from scrap steel, will be determined by Neath Port Talbot’s planning committee on February 18th. If approved, work will start in June or July with the EAF operational by late 2027 or earlier 2028. Last year heavy steel making at Port Talbot, with the loss of nearly 3,000 jobs across Tata’s Ƶ operations, came to an end with the closure of its two blast furnaces.
The EAF, which the Ƶ Government is making a £500m contribution towards, will reduce the site’s steelmaking carbon emissions by 90%, compared to when it operated the blast furnaces - equivalent to five million tonnes of CO2 a year. It will has an annual capacity for three million tonnes of steel
Sir Robert McAlpine will be responsible for managing the main, civil, structural and building works required for the construction of the new EAF. It is expecting to have 400 staff and contractors on site during the duration of the project.
Sir Robert McAlpine has been working closely with Tata Steel Ƶ since September 2022, supporting with the feasibility studies associated with the construction of the new facility, and has previous experience of working in Port Talbot having been responsible for the construction of various parts of the steelworks over the past 70 years.
Italian firm Tenova will supply the electric arc furnace equipment.
Craig Allen, managing director, industrial, Sir Robert McAlpine, said: “We are proud to be part of the decarbonisation of Port Talbot steelworks, which will play a pivotal role in turning the Port Talbot site into a world-leading hub for sustainable steel production. Our robust relationship with Tata Steel Ƶ and long-standing industrial expertise makes us the ideal partner for this transformation.
“We look forward to working collaboratively, as part of a fully integrated project team, to deliver the project successfully.”
Tata Steel’s EAF project Lead, Peter Jones, said: “We’re delighted to confirm the appointment of Sir Robert McAlpine to support us on this once-in-a-generation investment project. Our new arc furnace will be one of the largest and most sophisticated of its kind in the world, so it is important that we work with highly skilled and experienced partners to ensure its success.
“We have a longstanding and trusted collaborative relationship with Sir Robert McAlpine, so are confident they are the right partner for us in the project.”
Until the EAF is operational Tata will import slab and hot rolled coil into Port Talbot to support its downstream manufacturing and distribution operations in the Ƶ, a well as those in Sweden, France, Germany and UAE.
