With these upgrades, NLMK Lipetsk will see a growth of 430,000 metric tons per year, according to a company press release. The company has also said that the 7% increase in output will also bring improvements to quality, halve energy consumption and reduce CO₂ emissions by 53,000 metric tons.

According to NLMK, production operations will not be interrupted by the overhaul, and once completed, the new furnace will be “equipped with an automated control system based on a trainable mathematical model, which will adjust the temperature mode depending on specific steel grades.”

The overhaul is expected to be completed and launched by the second quarter of 2023.