Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 20 (ANI): Tata Steel on Friday inaugurated its scrap-based Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) facility at Hi-Tech Valley in Ludhiana. This marked a historic milestone in the Company's journey toward sustainable steelmaking.

According to a statement by Tata Steel, 'Built with an investment of approximately 3,200 crore, the Ludhiana EAF has a capacity of 0.75 million tonnes per annum. Designed to achieve CO emissions less than 0.3 tonnes per tonne of steel, the plant represents a significant step in Tata Steel's commitment to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2045.'

Bhagwant Singh Mann, Chief Minister of Punjab and N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Steel, attended the ceremony along with T V Narendran, CEO & Managing Director, Tata Steel and other senior government officials and Company representatives.

Designed to support low-carbon steelmaking, the plant will use nearly 50 per cent renewable energy. According to the statement released, 'The state-of-the-art facility will use 100 per cent steel scrap as raw material, sourcing 40 per cent scrap from the Company's steel recycling plant in Rohtak, Haryana.'

The plant would produce construction-grade steel rebar under the Company's flagship retail brand 'Tata Tiscon', which would enable Tata Steel to further augment its market presence in the construction segment.

'As India accelerates its transition towards a climate-resilient future, sustainability has become a national imperative - one that demands urgent, collective action. Tata Steel's Ludhiana Electric Arc Furnace reflects Tata Group's long-term commitment to building a greener, more resilient industrial future,' said N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Steel.

'The Ludhiana EAF marks a defining milestone in Tata Steel's journey towards achieving Net Zero by 2045. It reflects how Tata Steel is rethinking capital investment for circular economy - by backing technologies that reduce resource intensity while remaining globally competitive. We are grateful to the Government of Punjab for its continued support and partnership, and we look forward to creating long-term value for local communities,' said T V Narendran, CEO & Managing Director, Tata Steel.

Over the past three years, the Company, through Tata Steel Foundation, has partnered with communities proximate to the plant in Ludhiana in fostering constructive change on core themes of health, education, agriculture and women empowerment.

The key impacts include employability training for students at local Industrial Training Institutes (ITI), introduction of new livelihoods for women, installation of solar-powered streetlights, promotion of climate-resilient agricultural practices, building community-based waste management systems, embedding ecology in learning and infrastructure of schools, and extending scholarship support for meritorious students. (ANI)