Unions attack ‘year-long delay’ for Tata Steel furnace’s grid connection in south Wales

Tata Steel shut its blast furnaces in Port Talbot , south Wales, in September 2024, making 2,000 people redundant. Photograph: Geoff Caddick/AFP/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Tata Steel shut its blast furnaces in Port Talbot , south Wales, in September 2024, making 2,000 people redundant. Photograph: Geoff Caddick/AFP/Getty Images Unions attack ‘year-long delay’ for Tata Steel furnace’s grid connection in south Wales Government urged to help speed up vital industrial project amid growing alarm over National Grid delays Business live – latest updates Trade unions have called for the government to intervene to speed up Tata Steel’s connection to the electricity grid in south Wales, after the company said its new furnace would be delayed by up to a year. Tata Steel last month told investors that National Grid had said it would face a six- to eight-month delay. That could stretch to 12 months amid unexpected engineering difficulties. The delay will add to the complications facing one of the UK’s most important industrial building projects. The companies are looking at options to speed up the connection including changing the order of works, and installing a smaller, interim electricity supply so that Tata Steel can begin testing. Tata Steel shut its blast furnaces in Port Talbot , south Wales, in September 2024, making 2,000 people redundant as it prepared to shift to a less polluting electric arc furnace. The Indian conglomerate has been pledged £500m in government subsidies to build the 3m tonne electric arc furnace, which will notably reduce the UK’s carbon emissions . It had been hoped the new furnace would be operating by late 2027. However, National Grid, the listed company that runs much of the UK’s electricity infrastructure, said the crucial connection to the grid has run into problems including unsuitable ground conditions, and planning and environmental issues. National Grid has faced persistent criticism over the length of the backlog of projects waiting for connections. The Community, Unite and GMB unions representing steelworkers said the government should step in. Roy Rickhuss, general secretary at Community, said: “This is concerning news and we are seeking urgent clarification. Jobs and livelihoods are dependent on this vital project progressing on time. Our members and the wider community in Port Talbot demand this. “A secure supply of energy is absolutely critical to the decarbonisation agenda. It is vital that the government, National Grid and Tata Steel swiftly resolve any issues causing delays.” The delay adds to the problems facing Tata Steel’s UK business, after a fire last week destroyed part of the remaining Port Talbot operations, known as the pickle line, that removes surface impurities. Nobody was hurt in the large fire, and Tata is now looking to reopen another pickle line in Llanwern, near Newport, in south Wales . Koushik Chatterjee, Tata Steel’s chief financial officer, said National Grid had warned initially