The ArcelorMittal steelworks in Dunkirk, February 11, 2022 in the North (AFP/Archives/FRANCOIS LO PRESTI)
The Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire announced on Sunday that the steel group ArcelorMittal planned to invest 1.8 billion euros in the decarbonization of its Dunkirk site, which will reduce emissions by almost 6%. of CO2 from the industrial sector in France.
The State will provide aid, validated by the European Union, which could go up to 850 million euros depending on the investments actually made, added Bercy during a briefing with the press.
This money will make it possible to build two electric furnaces as well as a direct iron reduction unit, the first step in producing carbon-free steel.
These installations running on electricity and gas, and eventually hydrogen, will replace furnaces running on coal, which should make it possible to reduce the site’s CO2 emissions by 4.4 million tonnes per year.
The investments have not yet been completely validated by ArcelorMittal but the company is currently carrying out the final studies, Bercy said. The furnaces and direct iron reduction unit are expected to begin operating in 2027.
Bruno Le Maire will go there on Monday accompanied by the Minister of Ecological Transition Christophe Béchu to sign the State aid contract, carried out under the aegis of the Environment and Environmental Management Agency. energy (Ademe).
A letter of intent between the company and EDF will also be presented on this occasion to guarantee the site, identified as one of the 50 industrial sites with the highest greenhouse gas emissions in France, a stable and competitive supply of electricity. .
The group had already announced at the beginning of 2022 that it wanted to invest 1.7 billion euros in the decarbonization of its sites in Dunkirk and Fos-sur-Mer. This is the same project but resized.
Since then, “we have achieved several key milestones in parallel: first phase of engineering studies, approval by the European Commission of support from France, signing of a letter of intent with EDF for the electricity supply and agreement operating with Ademe”, indicated an ArcelorMittal spokesperson.
He did not immediately specify whether the investments planned in Fos-sur-Mer were still relevant.
Bruno Le Maire will travel earlier in the day on Monday to the site of the Gravelines nuclear power plant for his first trip since he took charge of energy in Bercy, thanks to the reshuffle.
© 2024 AFP
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