Japan Breaks Ground on World's Largest Electric Furnace with Annual Capacity of 2 Million Tons
On April 15, Japan Iron & Steel inaugurated construction of its newest electric furnace in Kitakyushu City, which will replace existing blast furnaces in the future.
The project is located at the Yahata area of the Nippon Steel Kyushu Iron and Steel Works in Hita District, Kitakyushu City. It will be the world’s largest electric furnace, capable of producing approximately 2 million tons of iron annually.
Traditional blast furnaces use coal as fuel to smelt raw materials, whereas electric furnaces rely on electricity, significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
The project is expected to cost around 630 billion yen (approximately 27.1 billion RMB). Masahiro Nakata, Director of Nippon Steel Kyushu Iron and Steel Works, said: “Looking ahead to a carbon-neutral era, we must make substantial changes in this process. I believe this will be a significant contribution to future generations.”
The electric furnace is scheduled to begin operations by the end of fiscal year 2029, with full transition from existing blast furnaces expected by the end of fiscal year 2030.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862598035205132/
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