During an event that drew Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, company executives said the project is the first full-scale decarbonization project it has broken ground on since announcing its net-zero ambitions. 

At its heart is a 2.5-million-metric-ton direct reduced iron furnace that, initially, will consume natural gas but will be equipped to run on green hydrogen when it becomes available. The furnace will utilize Tenova and Danieli’s jointly developed ENERGIRON technology. 

“This project will transform how we make steel in Hamilton by introducing coal-free, lower-carbon technologies. It will enable us to make significant progress this decade, reduce our emissions in Hamilton by approximately 60 percent and lay strong foundations for near zero steelmaking,” said ArcelorMittal chairman Lakshmi Mittal. 

“It will also ensure that Hamilton’s rich history of steelmaking endures, and that ArcelorMittal Dofasco is able to produce the advanced steel solutions Canada needs to support its own vision of transitioning to a net-zero economy,” he added. 
The project is being directly supported by the Canadian and Ontario provincial governments. 

“ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s steel plant is not just a cornerstone of the Canadian economy and the Hamilton community — it’s an example to the world of what clean innovation will look like,” Trudeau said. “By investing in ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s project to produce clean steel, we’re investing in the future of this plant and this industry. Together, we’re delivering real results: good, middle-class jobs, a strong economy, and clean air for today and generations to come.”

The first on-site construction work will begin in January 2023, with the demolition of Dofasco’s decommissioned No. 1 coke plant. Demolition is anticipated to take up to nine months to complete, ArcelorMittal said. 

The detail engineering also will take place in 2023 before foundation work begins in 2024.