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U. S. Steel Proposes $1-Billion Capital Investment at Clairton Coke Works

12/03/2007 - United States Steel is considering a $1-billion capital investment program at its Clairton Plant that would include the construction of two high-tech, environmentally advanced coke batteries plus a co-generation facility.

United States Steel Corp. is considering a $1-billion capital investment program at its Clairton Plant cokemaking operation near Pittsburgh that would enhance environmental performance, help to ensure the long-term viability of its Mon Valley Works operations, and create more than 600 construction jobs.
 
The investment program would include the construction of two new, technologically and environmentally advanced coke batteries plus a co-generation facility. The company also said that several existing coke batteries would undergo environmentally focused rehabilitation.
 
According to U. S. Steel, the new coke batteries, which would replace several older units, incorporate state-of-the-art emissions control technology that would meet all regulatory requirements of the U.S. EPA and the Allegheny County Health Department. U. S. Steel’s rehabilitation of Clairton's remaining coke batteries combined with the new cokemaking and emissions control technology should result in significant improvements in the Clairton Plant's overall environmental performance.
 
 “U. S. Steel is committed to running our operations in the most environmentally responsible, energy-efficient and cost-effective manner possible, and this program will help us continue to do that at our Pittsburgh-area facilities," said U. S. Steel Chairman and CEO John Surma.
 
Coke-oven gas from all coke battery operations would be consumed in the proposed co-generation facility, which would supply electricity for all three Pittsburgh-area Mon Valley Works facilities: the Clairton facility; the Edgar Thomson steelmaking facility in Braddock, Pa.; and the Irvin rolling and finishing facility in West Mifflin, Pa.
 
 “We look forward to working with Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, the Allegheny County Health Department, the United Steelworkers, the Building Trades Council and other interested parties to complete this program, which will ensure that our Mon Valley Works facilities remain competitive and that manufacturing continues to be a vital part of Southwestern Pennsylvania's economy,” concluded Surma.
 
U. S. Steel expects to file for environmental permits with the Allegheny County Health Department in early January 2008. The decision to proceed with the program will depend upon receipt of the necessary permits, approval of U. S. Steel's Board of Directors and business conditions.
 
U. S. Steel’s Clairton Plant has an annual cokemaking capability of approximately 4.7 million net tons. Coke produced at the facility is used to fuel the two blast furnaces at the Edgar Thomson Plant as well as others at the company's North American steelmaking operations. Coke-oven gas produced during cokemaking at Clairton is recycled and used at both the Edgar Thomson and Irvin Plants. Other by-products are sold to the chemical industry for a variety of uses.