Swedish stainless steelmaker Alleima is investing in equipment that aims to improve power quality and increase energy efficiency within the Sandviken Industrial Park.

This is the third larger investment Alleima has announced in Sandviken this year.

For several years, Alleima has been working to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by increasingly using fossil-free fuels for heat treatment in production, increasing heat recovery for heating the premises, and increasing the proportion of fossil-free electricity. Investments are now continuing, and among other things more energy will be available for future electrification.

The transformation of the energy landscape, where more renewable energy sources are being integrated, has an impact on the stability of the electricity grid. One example at Sandviken Industrial Park is the melting process in the electric arc furnace, which causes voltage and current fluctuations, known as flickering, that affect power quality and power losses in production. By installing a static compensator, STATCOM, from Hitachi Energy, the flicker is reduced, energy efficiency is increased and the power quality increases throughout Sandviken Industrial Park, says Alleima.

"The investment is important so that we can secure the power supply required for the future.''

Carl von Schantz, president of the tube division, Alleima

"The investment is important so that we can secure the power supply required for the future. It also lays the foundations for future investments aimed at further reducing our carbon footprint," commented Carl von Schantz, president of the tube division.

''Several of the companies on site want to be able to expand their production and become more sustainable for the future.''

Ulrika Silver, site manager, Alleima Sandviken

"The upgrade is good for the entire Sandviken Industrial Park. Several of the companies on site want to be able to expand their production and become more sustainable for the future. Now everyone can continue on this journey," said Ulrika Silver, site manager for Alleima Sandviken.

This is the third larger investment that Alleima has announced in Sandviken this year. In January, Alleima decided to invest in a new vacuum remelting furnace to meet the increasing demand from industries such as aerospace, medical technology, and oil and gas. Recently, Alleima decided to reopen Tube Mill 68 to meet the demand for steam generator tubes for the nuclear industry.

The STATCOM facility is planned to be operational after the summer of 2026.