Blastr Green Steel to explore Teesside site for new pellet plant

The plant would be used to supply feedstock to Blastr’s steel plant, currently being developed in Inkoo, Finland.

Blastr plans to produce 6Mt of high-quality DR pellets as feedstock for it's ultra-low CO₂ Inkoo steel plant. Approximately half of the pellet volumes will go to Blastr’s steel plant at Inkoo, while the rest will be sold by Cargill Metals for distribution to the growing world market for DR pellets.

Blastr has previously announced it was exploring Gildeskål municipality in Norway as location for its pellet plant. This option has stalled after the Norwegian grid authority confirmed that Blastr will be unable to receive the grid capacity in the required time frame. Blastr, therefore, has continued to explore alternative locations for its pellet plant in both Norway and the UK.

Blastr Green Steel CEO Hans Fredrik Wittusen commented: ‘’RBT is an attractive location, offering access to a deep-water port, good grid connection, and access to the required utilities. The Teesside industrial region offers potential synergies with companies developing green industries, including near-term projects to expand offshore wind, hydrogen, and the development of the Net Zero Teesside industrial cluster.’’

Blastr plans to decide on the pellet plant's location during the second half of 2023 to enable detailed engineering and permitting to commence. Blastr expects to make the final investment decision for the plant, estimated at over £1 billion, in 2025, subject to relevant permits and agreements, with a tentative plan to start operations in 2027.

Shaun Casey, General Manager of RBT said: “RBT is keen to attract the project to our site which is directly adjacent to the port. We see an opportunity to bring highly skilled jobs and regeneration to the area through the construction of a modern pellet plant and the redevelopment of the port.’’