Cleveland-Cliffs, DOE to Invest US$1 Billion in Middletown Works
08/21/2026 - Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. announced that it and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will each invest US$500 million, for a combined US$1 billion, to upgrade Middletown Works in Middletown, Ohio, USA.
The company said the investment will be used over the next four years to upgrade the facility while maintaining steel production. The investment will go toward upgrades to the blast furnace, advanced material handling infrastructure and artificial intelligence-enabled process control technologies. They will also construct an advanced cogeneration facility to capture and utilize blast furnace gas to generate electricity and steam for use on-site.
“Through our cooperation with President Trump’s Administration and the U.S. Department of Energy, we developed a project reliant on proven technology that improves operational efficiency and competitiveness,” said Lourenco Goncalves, chairman and chief executive officer of Cleveland-Cliffs.
“The DOE’s support for this project is a testament to the importance of preserving the blast furnace route to produce automotive-exposed grade steels in the U.S., while advancing American energy dominance,” Goncalves continued.
The company said the project will employ over 1,500 workers at peak construction. Completion of the blast furnace rebuild is planned for the first quarter of 2030.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and other elected leaders from Ohio will be hosted at Middletown Works to celebrate the investment.
“Through our cooperation with President Trump’s Administration and the U.S. Department of Energy, we developed a project reliant on proven technology that improves operational efficiency and competitiveness,” said Lourenco Goncalves, chairman and chief executive officer of Cleveland-Cliffs.
“The DOE’s support for this project is a testament to the importance of preserving the blast furnace route to produce automotive-exposed grade steels in the U.S., while advancing American energy dominance,” Goncalves continued.
The company said the project will employ over 1,500 workers at peak construction. Completion of the blast furnace rebuild is planned for the first quarter of 2030.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and other elected leaders from Ohio will be hosted at Middletown Works to celebrate the investment.
