Overview
- Tata Steel said on Sunday that commissioning of its £1.25bn, 3.2Mt electric arc furnace at Port Talbot is likely to be delayed by about six to eight months because National Grid has notified the company that the required high‑voltage connectivity project is behind schedule.
- The company is working directly with the Electricity System Operator, National Grid and the UK government to try to shorten the delay and agree a revised commissioning timetable.
- Major demolition at the Port Talbot site has been completed and fabrication and delivery of key equipment are continuing, so on‑site construction work proceeds while the grid issue is resolved.
- A fire on June 3 briefly halted activity at the steelworks but prompted a full evacuation and caused no injuries, according to Tata Steel statements.
- The project has £500m of UK government support, targets about a 90% cut in site CO2, and Tata Steel’s improved group results give some buffer to absorb delay costs but extended grid slippage could raise expenses, slow emissions reductions and affect regional plans for jobs and supply chains.