U.S. Steel details Mon Valley upgrades
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A rendering of U.S. Steel's hot strip mill coming to Braddock. Photo: Ryan Deto/Axios
U.S. Steel is investing $2.5 billion in its Mon Valley Works facilities, and it showcased its planned improvements to the community Thursday.
Why it matters: About a year after Japan's Nippon Steel bought U.S. Steel, the region is starting to see portions of the promised $11 billion investment for the Pittsburgh-based icon.
Driving the news: U.S. Steel hosted an open house for reporters and community members in Braddock to detail plans for a new hot strip mill, slag recycler and community benefits.
Zoom in: The mill is planned for the Edgar Thomson Works site in Braddock and will replace an 87-year old mill at the Irvin Plant in West Mifflin that will be decommissioned.
- The "state-of-the-art" mill will nearly double production and will have the ability to create different grades of steel than before, said U.S. Steel environmental director Matthew DeLibero.
- It should also reduce pollutants and emissions compared with the old mill, DeLibero added.
- A new slag recycler — which recycles the steel-making byproduct into materials used in cement and roadwork — will also be built in Braddock.
Zoom out: Nippon expects to spread the multibillion-dollar investment at U.S. Steel's holdings across the country and finish by the end of 2028.
State of play: Nippon's investment appears to have stabilized U.S. Steel, which has retained its union workers, including more than 3,000 in the Pittsburgh area.
- The Mon Valley investment is projected to generate $1.7 billion in economic impact for Pennsylvania and generate $58 million in state and local tax revenue, per U.S. Steel.
What they're saying: U.S. Steel executive vice president Scott Buckiso said the open house was about providing transparency to the community.
The other side: Local environmental group Breathe Project has criticized the upgrades for continuing to invest in technology that relies on coal instead of cleaner energy sources.
Feathered friends: The Irvin Plant's bald eagles will not affected by any of the construction or demolition, said U.S. Steel's Don German, who is in charge of stewarding wildlife in the Mon Valley Works.
What's next: The new slag recycler should break ground this September, said Buckiso.
- Steel production at the new mill is expected by 2029. Buckiso said that he isn't sure yet when construction of the hot strip mill will begin and that the company is working to get air and water permits.