ABB's Role in Tata Steel UK Restructuring
In a major step towards making green steel, ABB secured major orders to provide electrical power management, distribution, and innovative electromagnetic stirring technology to Tata Steel's Port Talbot Steelworks in the UK. The enhanced partnership forms a critical component of Tata Steel's landmark investment to transition to low-emission steel recycling. The new technologies will go live in 2028, opening the way for cleaner, more efficient, and safer steelmaking.
Increasing the UK's Green Steel Plan
This collaboration forms the basis of Tata Steel UK's bold ambition to slash the carbon footprint of its business. The company is investing more than £1.25 billion in its facility in Wales, with £500 million of strong support from the UK Government. This revolutionary plan will see the site switch to low-carbon recycling of steel with the goal of reducing its CO₂ emissions by a projected 90%. Looking ahead, Tata Steel UK is aiming high with a plan to produce fossil-free steel by 2045 and achieve a 30% decrease in CO₂ emissions by as soon as 2030.
Digital and Sustainable Transformation
ABB's role in the project is both multidimensional and fundamental. The company will install a complete portfolio of electrical power distribution equipment, including high- and low-voltage switchgear, power transformers, and distribution transformers. All of this will be built smoothly into a central power distribution control system to provide a fully digitally enabled solution for the control requirements of power within the facility. This is a significant move towards a cleaner, leaner operation, one very much in keeping with ABB's own commitment to bringing industrial sustainability to life.
Parallel to the furnaces, but at an equally important but parallel scope of work, ABB will be providing its ArcSave® electromagnetic stirrer-based metallurgy technology. This machine, which is known as Consteerrer and has been co-developed with sustainable metals industry solution pioneer Tenova, is specifically tailored for continuous charging electric arc furnaces. This technology has been proven to deliver material benefits, including 5-7% increase in EAF productivity, 3-5% energy savings, and an additional 1% yield.
A Durable Partnership for Progress
The relationship between ABB and Tata Steel is a strong one, built on a shared vision for a more sustainable future. As Rajesh Nair, CEO of Tata Steel UK, expressed, “We’re looking forward to ABB helping us to positively impact the transformation at Port Talbot Steelworks. Their proven technologies and expertise will support our evolving production processes on site, enabling resource and cost efficiencies for the long-term.”
In echoing such sentiment, ABB's Global Business Line Manager for Metals, Frederik Esterhuizen, added, "Our company has a long-standing relationship with Tenova and Tata Steel and we know we can together shape operations to enable the production of this steel, safely and sustainably." This foundational partnership has already seen the two entities globally explore how automation, electrification, and digital technology can reduce the carbon footprint of steel making, demonstrating commitment to circularity and long-term innovation. With construction underway this year and ABB's technology scheduled to be commissioned by 2027, the project is ideally positioned to be a game-changer for the future of UK steelmaking.
ABB Industrial Products
| Model | Brand | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PM877 3BDH000777R1 | ABB | PM877 Controller |
| INNIS21 | ABB | Network Interface Module |
| INNPM12 | ABB | Network Processing Module |
| IMMFP02 | ABB | Multi-Function Processor Module |
| TAS01 | ABB | Symphony Plus Turbine Auto Sync Module |
| IMFEC11 | ABB | Analog Input FSK Slave |
| IISAC01 | ABB | Analog Control Station |
| TB805 3BSE008534R1 | ABB | Bus Outlet |
| TB806 3BSE008536R1 | ABB | Bus Inlet |
| SD834 3BSC610067R1 | ABB | Power Supply 20A |
| SD832 3BSC610065R1 | ABB | Power Supply 5A |