01/10/2026 – Primetals and Voestalpine reach important milestone
Austria’s largest transition program
In January 2024, Voestalpine awarded Primetals Technologies a contract to supply and implement an “EAF Ultimate” electric arc furnace at its site in Linz, Austria.
A part of the electric arc furnace shell is being delivered to Voestalpine’s site in Linz, Austria. © Primetals
Several major pieces of core equipment for Primetals “EAF Ultimate” electric arc furnace were recently delivered by ship to Voestalpine’s site in Linz, Austria. © Primetals
The project has now achieved an important milestone with the delivery by ship of several major pieces of core equipment to Linz, including the transformers, each weighing approximately 160t, and the electric arc furnace shell. Civil and construction work began in late 2024 and is progressing on schedule.
Greentec steel is the clear strategy of the globally leading steel and technology group Voestalpine for the transformation of its steel production: in the first step of this phased approach, one electric arc furnace (EAF) powered by green electricity will be built at each of the sites in Linz and Donawitz, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% by 2029. This corresponds to annual savings of almost 4 mio. t of CO2, or nearly 5% of national emissions. That makes greentec steel Austria’s largest climate protection program.
“In every green steel transition program, strong partnerships and collaboration are critical success factors. Effective and timely project execution is instrumental, and this is something we at Primetals Technologies take pride in achieving. Voestalpine’s ‘EAF Ultimate’ is no exception – the project is progressing as planned, marking important milestones along the way. Most importantly, staying on track means voestalpine is moving closer each day to realizing its vision of decarbonized steel production” says Paul Pennerstorfer, Head of Upstream Technologies at Primetals Technologies.
Maximum performance in quantity and quality
Powered by green electricity, the EAF in Linz will produce 1.6 mio. t of steel annually and is scheduled for startup in the first half of 2027. Primetals Technologies is supplying the complete “EAF Ultimate” equipment, a dedusting system, a waste-heat recovery system, a power supply solution, and material handling for alloying materials and additives. The order also includes full Level 1 and Level 2 automation, a power supply system featuring a static synchronous compensator (Statcom) for optimized grid stabilization, and the LiquiRob robotic system, as part of a wide array of automation solutions, enhancing efficiency and occupational safety. The advanced Level 2 automation system will enable superior process control and allow for precise calculation of the plant’s carbon footprint.
Key facts: “EAF Ultimate” at Voestalpine in Linz
Heat size: 180t
Dimensions: 11m x 9m
Construction site dimensions: 100m x 60m x 56m (length, width, height)
