Algoma Steel announced that it has begun phasing out its 122-year tradition of blast furnace-based steel production, marking a full transition to electric arc furnace (EAF) technology. As part of this process, the company stated that it will gradually take its core integrated steelmaking operations out of service.
Laura Devoni, Algoma Steel’s Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Affairs, said that the shutdown process began with the closure of the company’s cokemaking facilities. She added that ironmaking and basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking assets are expected to be shut down in the coming days. Devoni noted that a dedicated project team has been assigned to ensure the decommissioning process is carried out safely.
With this transition, Algoma Steel is leaving behind its identity as a conventional integrated steel producer after nearly 125 years, becoming a company focused solely on EAF-based steel production. The company also describes this move as one of the largest single decarbonization projects in Canada.
Once completed, the transition is expected to reduce Algoma Steel’s annual carbon emissions by approximately three million tonnes, delivering a CO₂ emissions reduction of up to 70%. Significant declines are also anticipated in emissions of benzene, benzo(a)pyrene, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide.
In this context, Algoma Steel has already begun producing sustainable steel at its No.2 electric arc furnace, which was commissioned in the summer of 2025. With construction of the No.1 EAF ongoing, the company expects both furnaces to be fully operational later this year.
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