In an official press release, the steelmaker said the project has secured the blessing of the Belgian and Flemish governments.

Following construction of the DRI plant and electric furnaces, ArcelorMittal Belgium will gradually transition iron production away from its existing Blast Furnace A until the blast furnace’s eventual closure. The move is expected to eliminate 3 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions per year, the company said.

Blast Furnace B, which recently completed a €195 million upgrade, will remain on-line but transition to more sustainable practices as outlined by ArcelorMittal’s Smart Carbon and Roadmap to 2050 strategies.

“This €1.1 billion project is a major milestone in our decarbonization journey,” said ArcelorMittal Belgium chief executive Manfred Van Vlierberghe. “The DRI plant and two electric furnaces will result in a sharp decrease of CO₂ emissions while the relined blast furnace will contribute to recycling waste wood and end-of-life plastics. This approach contributes to strengthening our global leadership in terms of CO₂ and energy efficiency in the steel sector.”

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