Kametstal resumed steel production after a forced shutdown in November

Kametstal Iron and Steel Works resumed steel smelting after a forced shutdown on November 23, 2022, due to damage to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as a result of massive Russian missile fire. GMK Center was informed about it by the press service of the Metinvest Group.

The plant’s converter shop started working after the power supply was restored.

“The team of steelmakers of the workshop works selflessly and professionally. During the period of forced downtime, they independently carried out restoration work on machines for continuous casting of billets, repaired crane equipment, and also carried out an audit of the mechanical, electrical and energy equipment of both converters. Therefore, the main units have been prepared as much as possible for the start-up,” the message says.

Currently, the work of converter №2 and machine for continuous casting of billets №3 has been resumed at Kametstal. Units of the oxygen-compressor workshop are also in operation, providing the necessary components for the steelmaking redistribution.

Gradually, under the conditions of uninterrupted power supply, the company plans to restore the operation of other production equipment. By the end of the current year, the plant plans to produce steel for the production of commercial rolled products.

On November 23, 2022, Kametstal temporarily suspended production due to damage to the energy infrastructure of Ukraine as a result of massive shelling by Russian troops. The company assessed possible damage to production facilities due to an emergency shutdown.

According to the press release of the Metinvest Group, the Russian attacks led to a power outage across the country. Then, for the first time since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, production at the Ukrainian enterprises of the Group was stopped in emergency order due to a blackout. As of November 28, all Metinvest enterprises, except for Kametstal, resumed their activities.

At the beginning of December 2022, Kametstal restored equipment of blast furnaces, damaged due to an emergency power outage on November 23. The plant’s specialists restored the blast furnance refrigerators that were damaged due to the blackout.

On December 13, the plant reported completion diagnostics and repair of the main equipment after the Russian attacks on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine. The enterprise started the production of cast iron in one blast furnace.

Due to the restrictions, the Pobuzhsky Ferronickel Plant was forced to suspend work. ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih also suspended steel smelting and production of rolled steel, Ferrexpo and other iron and steel  companies reduced the capacity as well.