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U. S. Steel proposes $1 billion capital investment in Clairton Plant

United States Steel Corp. has announced that it is considering a $1 billion capital investment program at its Clairton Plant coke making operation near Pittsburgh that will enhance the company's environmental performance, help to ensure the long-term viability of its Mon Valley Works operations, and create more than 600 construction jobs. The program, which would take place over a period of years, involves the construction of two new technologically and environmentally advanced coke batteries and a cogeneration facility, along with environmentally focused rehabilitation of several existing coke batteries.

The new coke batteries would replace the current capacity of several older units and incorporate state-of-the-art emissions control technology that would meet all regulatory requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Allegheny County Health Department. U. S. Steel also plans to rehabilitate Clairton's remaining coke batteries. The new coke making and emissions control technology combined with the rehabilitation work will result in significant improvements in the Clairton Plant's overall environmental performance. Coke oven gas from coke battery operations would be consumed in the proposed cogeneration facility, which would supply electricity for all three Pittsburgh-area Mon Valley Works facilities: the Clairton Plant; the Edgar Thomson Plant, a steelmaking operation in Braddock, Pa.; and the Irvin Plant, a rolling and finishing facility in West Mifflin, Pa.

U. S. Steel expects to file for environmental permits with the Allegheny County Health Department in early January 2008. The decision to proceed with the program will depend upon receipt of the necessary permits, approval of U. S. Steel's Board of Directors and business conditions.

The Clairton Plant has an annual coke making capability of approximately 4.7 million net tons. Coke produced at the facility is used to fuel the two blast furnaces at the Edgar Thomson Plant as well as others at the company's North American steelmaking operations. Coke oven gas produced during coke making at Clairton is recycled and used at both the Edgar Thomson and Irvin Plants. Other by- products are sold to the chemical industry for a variety of uses.