Welsh Government Minister Adam Price MS visited Tata Steel UK's Port Talbot site to see progress on the new electric arc furnace project, a transformational investment that will help secure the future of steelmaking in Wales and the UK.
This week, Tata Steel UK welcomed the recently appointed Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price MS, to its Port Talbot site.
The site continues to undergo a significant transformation as it prepares to bring a new 3.2 million tonne electric arc furnace (EAF) online. Representing the largest investment in the UK steel industry for decades, the project will revolutionise British steelmaking – reducing reliance on imported raw materials while strengthening national resilience and sovereignty by harnessing the UK’s abundant supply of scrap s
teel.
Project Invictus takes shape at Port Talbot
During the visit, the Minister met with members of Tata Steel UK’s project team, who outlined the key elements of Project Invictus. This includes the new EAF meltshop, upgrades to the hot mill and casters, and the development of a brand-new pickle line. The Minister also toured the site to see the progress first-hand.
Speaking of the visit, the Minister said: “What we’re seeing here is the construction of one of the biggest electric furnaces anywhere in the world, building on our incredible legacy and history in the steel sector.
“Thank you to the workforce here for the everything they are doing to accelerate the progress of building the furnace. It is a testament to the skill base, the incredible knowledge that we have in the workforce, in the supply chain and through all the contractor companies that are helping this come together.
“This is something we can be rightly proud of as a nation, showing what we can do.”
About Tata Steel UK
- The Tata Steel Group has been named one of the most ethical companies in the world, and is among the top producing global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 34 million tonnes.
- Tata Steel in the UK has the ambition to produce net-zero steel by 2045 at the latest, and to have reduced 30% of its CO2 emissions by 2030.
- In October 2024, Tata Steel ceased ironmaking at its Port Talbot site and temporarily paused steelmaking pending the construction of a 3.2Mtpa Electric Arc Furnace, due to be commissioned late in 2027 / early 2028. For that period, the business will import slab and hot rolled coil to support manufacturing and distribution operations at sites across Wales, England and Northern Ireland as well as Norway, Sweden, France, Germany and UAE. It also benefits from a network of sales offices around the world.
- Throughout 2024 Tata Steel UK has been undergoing a restructuring that will reduce the size of its workforce to around 5000 direct employees, supplying high-quality steel products to demanding markets, including construction and infrastructure, automotive, packaging and engineering.
- Tata Steel Group is one of the world's most geographically-diversified steel producers, with operations and a commercial presence across the world.
- The group recorded a consolidated turnover of around US$26 billion in the financial year ending March 31, 2025.
- Tata Steel has long played a key role in enabling the UK economy to become more circular. Its products are highly durable, reusable and recyclable, It applies a sustainability assessment tool during its new product development process to measure the sustainability credentials of its new offerings.
- More information about the crucial role that Tata Steel UK already plays in driving the UK to a more circular economy, and its plans to play an even greater role, can be found in its recently-published Sustainability Report covering 2023-2025.