Tata Steel UK expects to secure electricity access for its 3.2 million tonne electric arc furnace (EAF) at Port Talbot by 2029, according to CEO T V Narendran. The project itself remains on schedule for completion in 2028, but the grid connection from National Grid may not be ready until the following year. The company is in talks to get an early power line so it can run trials before full supply arrives. The EAF replaces the blast furnace and is backed by 500 million pounds of UK government support. It aims to cut site-level CO2 emissions by 90%, or about 5 million tonnes annually. The connection agreement was signed in May 2024, with National Grid building new infrastructure. The delay between plant readiness and power availability is a key risk to watch, as any slippage could push operations further out.
