According to Severstal, the project, to be completed in 2022, is expected to lift the mill’s overall steel capacity by 25% to 14.6 million metric tons annually.

“New technological solutions introduced during the construction process will significantly reduce the environmental impact of the furnace  as well as ensuring its life for a further 25 to 30 years,” the company said in a statement.

Severstal said that in addition to increasing capacity, the new furnace will mitigate some of the capital expenditures that had been planned as part of a maintenance project on the existing No. 5 blast furnace.