U.S. Steel Edgar Thomson Plant

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U.S. Steel Edgar Thomson Plant, also known as Mon Valley Works Edgar Thomson, U.S. Steel Braddock, is a steel plant in Braddock, Pennsylvania, United States that operates blast furnace (BF) and basic oxygen furnace (BOF) technology.

Location

The map below shows the exact location of the plant in Braddock, Pennsylvania, United States:

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  • Location: Mon Valley Works, Edgar Thomson Plant, 13th Street and Braddock Avenue, Braddock, Pennsylvania 15104, United States
  • Coordinates (WGS 84): 40.39514, -79.859645 (exact)

Background

The U.S. Steel Edgar Thomson plant is one of the oldest steel plants in the country, having been active since 1875. Originally owned by the Carnegie Steel Company, it was sold to U.S. Steel in 1901.

In 2019, U.S. Steel proposed a 1.5 billion USD upgrade project that would have retrofitted three of the Mon Valley steel plants, including the Edgar Thomson steel plant.[1][2]

Since 2023, Three Rivers Waterkeeper environmental group, is urging Pennsylvania regulators to impose stricter water pollution controls on U.S. Steel’s Irvin Plant in West Mifflin, citing ongoing oily discharges into the Monongahela River. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued compliance orders, but spills persist. Three Rivers Waterkeeper calls for real-time monitoring and penalties. U.S. Steel claims it monitors for unwanted discharges, while the DEP has yet to impose fines. The river serves as a drinking water source for a million people.[3]

Environmental Compliance

In 2017, the local health department and the EPA filed a Notice of Violation against the plant for repeatedly exceeding local air quality standards; however, as of 2022, no follow-up has been reported.[4]

In October 2020, the East Pittsburgh Borough zoning hearing board denied an appeal by a fracking company to have a lapsed permit for a natural gas well at U.S. Steel Edgar Thomson.[5]

In April 2021, the above upgrade project was cancelled and U.S. Steel announced plans to retire their coking coal facilities by 2023, raising controversy around job security and environmental controls at the plant.[6] The company stated that they cancelled the project because they wanted to "reduce carbon emissions and reallocate capital with a focus on sustainability," citing the company's net zero 2050 target[1][7] However, an executive from Mon Valley Works states opposition from environmentalists as being the cause.[8]

In August 2021, a thick plume of black smoke was emitted by the facility which breached local air quality standards. Members of the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) have since filed a petition asking for transparency regarding emissions issues at U.S. Steel Edgar Thomson Plant.[4]

In May 2022, U.S. Steel agreed to pay a $1.5 million fine for operating the Edgar Thomson plant without functional air pollution controls.[9]

Plant Details

Table 1: General Plant Details

Start date Workforce size Coal source
1875[10] 650[11] Coke supplied from Mon Valley Works Clairton Plant[12]

Table 2: Ownership and Parent Company Information

Parent company Parent company PermID Parent company GEM ID Owner Owner company PermID Owner company GEM ID
United States Steel Corp 4295903049 E100000001319 United States Steel Corp[12] 4295903049 E100000001319

Table 3: Process and Products

Steel product category Steel products Steel sector end users ISO 14001 Main production equipment
semi-finished[12] slab[12] automotive, building and infrastructure, tools and machinery[12] 2022[13] BF; BOF

Table 4: Plant-level Crude Steel Production Capacities (thousand tonnes per annum)

1Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page for an explanation of the different capacity operating statuses.
Capacity operating status1 Basic oxygen furnace steelmaking capacity Nominal crude steel capacity (total)
operating 2600[12] 2600[12]

Table 5: Plant-level Crude Iron Production Capacities (thousand tonnes per annum)

1Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page for an explanation of the different capacity operating statuses.
Capacity operating status1 Blast furnace capacity Nominal iron capacity (total)
operating 2770[14][15][16][17] 2770[14][15][16][17]

Table 6: Upstream Products Production Capacities (thousand tonnes per annum)

Sinter
NF

Table 7: Actual Plant-level Crude Steel Production by Year (thousand tonnes per annum)

Year BOF production Other/unknown steel production Total (all routes)
2019 unknown unknown –
2020 unknown unknown –
2021 1682[18] –[18] 1682[18]
2022 1943[18] –[18] 1943[18]
2023 2059[19] –[19] 2059[19]

Table 8: Actual Plant-level Crude Iron Production by Year (thousand tonnes per annum)

Year BF production Total (all routes)
2019 1921[20] 1921[21]
2020 2066[22] 2066[23]
2021 2078[24] 2078[25]
2022 1700[26] 1700[27]
2023 2200[28] 2200[28]

Unit Details

Table 9: Blast Furnace Details

Unit name Status Start date Furnace manufacturer and model Current size Current capacity (ttpa) Decarbonization technology Most recent relining
BF 1 operating[12][29] 1943[30] Siemens-Cowper-Cochrane stoves[31] 1541.0[28] 1500[16][15] GTI Energy will partner with U.S. Steel Corporation to advance the ROTA-CAP™ carbon dioxide (CO2) capture system to pilot scale (3 tonnes of CO2 captured/day). The project aims to design, build, and operate an engineering-scale plant at U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson industrial iron and steel production facility in Braddock, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.; Recycle BF gas for use at plant[32][33][11] 2014-11[34]
BF 3 operating[35] 1936[30] Hoogoven[30] 1380.0[28] 1270[17][14] Set to pilot a polymer membrane CCU system with NETL in 2025; Recycle BF gas for use at plant[32][11] 2001[36]

Table 10: Basic Oxygen Furnace Details

Unit name Status Start date Current capacity (ttpa) Current size
BOF F operating[12] 1972[37] 1300[12] 250.0 tonnes[12][37][11]
BOF R operating[12] 1972[37] 1300[12] 250.0 tonnes[12][37][11]

Articles and Resources

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of steel power plants, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Iron and Steel Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rosenblatt, Lauren (2021-05-01). "Officials bemoan U.S. Steel plans to scrap $1.5B Mon Valley Works upgrade". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2021-10-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ↑ Jusko, Jill (2021-05-03). "US Steel Cancels $1 Billion Mon Valley Works Project". Industry Week. Retrieved 2021-10-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ↑ Frazier, Reid (2024-11-14). "Group wants stricter permit for U.S. Steel to stop oily releases into Mon River". The Allegheny Front. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "UPDATED | Smoke & Flames at U.S. Steel's Edgar Thomson Plant, More H2S Exceedances Punctuate Need for Regulators to Update Public on 2017 Notice of Violation, Compliance Timeline". GASP. 2021-08-23. Retrieved 2021-10-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ↑ Fracking project at US Steel Plant denied local permit extension, Reid Frazier, Oct. 22, 2020
  6. ↑ Reisman, Lisa; Hauser, Don (2021-05-10). "The real story behind U.S. Steel's Mon Valley project cancelation". Steel, Aluminum, Copper, Stainless, Rare Earth, Metal Prices, Forecasting | MetalMiner. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  7. ↑ Burritt, David B. (May 2021). "AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR PITTSBURGH FAMILY from U.S. Steel President & CEO". US Steel. Retrieved 2021-10-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ↑ Fuoco, Linda (2021-05-03). "In the Mon Valley — where U.S. Steel has canceled major investment — many left wondering what went wrong". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2021-10-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ↑ Frazier, Reid (2022-05-17). "U.S. Steel Agrees to $1.5 million fine for Air Polluyion Violations at Edgar Thomson Steel Plant". The Allegheny Front. Retrieved 2022-09-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20210814032953/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Thomson_Steel_Works. Archived from the original on 2021-08-14. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 https://web.archive.org/web/20230516103501/https://www.ussteel.com/documents/40705/71641/USS+Edgar+Thomson+Report+2021.pdf/11df0ed1-5bf7-96b4-1a25-2463238b6545?t=1639598908641. Archived from the original on 2023-05-16. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ↑ 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10 12.11 12.12 12.13 https://web.archive.org/web/20240125024713/https://www.ussteel.com/about-us/locations. Archived from the original on 2024-01-25. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220319195232/https://www.ussteel.com/documents/40705/43704/Mon+Valley+Works+-+ISO+14001.pdf/34914ce0-38ec-f764-0576-c9ce6523cddf?t. Archived from the original on 2022-03-19. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 https://web.archive.org/web/20221011212139/https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news/2371170-us-steel-idles-indiana-blast-furnace. Archived from the original on 2022-10-11. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 https://www.davisindex.com/us-steel-restarts-blast-furnace-at-mon-valley/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 https://web.archive.org/web/20230130115736/https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news/2376811-us-steel-idles-mon-valley-blast-furnace. Archived from the original on 2023-01-30. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 https://www.aist.org/news/steel-news/2023/february/6-10-feb-2023/u-s-steel-restarts-idled-mon-valley-works-bf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20230311144635/https://s26.q4cdn.com/153509673/files/doc_financials/2022/ar/2022-Annual-Report.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-03-11. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 (PDF) https://investors.ussteel.com/sec-filings/all-sec-filings/content/0001163302-24-000009/0001163302-24-000009.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  20. ↑ AIST_BF_2020
  21. ↑ AIST_BF_2020
  22. ↑ AIST_BF_2021
  23. ↑ AIST_BF_2021
  24. ↑ AIST_BF_2022
  25. ↑ AIST_BF_2022
  26. ↑ AIST_BF_2023
  27. ↑ AIST_BF_2023
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 https://imis.aist.org/store/detail.aspx?id=PR-RU2024-5. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  29. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220519230713/https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decree/file/1507226/download. Archived from the original on 2022-05-19. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 https://web.archive.org/web/20220706075458/https://industrialscenery.blogspot.com/2016/02/uss-edgar-thomson-works-in-braddock-pa.html. Archived from the original on 2022-07-06. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  31. ↑ http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/pcalo-ishc/id/53568/rv/compoundobject/cpd/53614. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230919850045/en/NETL-Collaborates-with-U.-S.-Steel-to-Capture-Greenhouse-Gas-at-Edgar-Thomson-Plant. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  33. ↑ https://netl.doe.gov/project-information?p=FE0032466. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  34. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230323044907/https://songerservices.com/projects/keeping-fires-burning. Archived from the original on 2023-03-23. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  35. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230327102405/https://www.aist.org/news/steel-news/2023/march/20-24-march-2023/u-s-steel-returns-idled-blast-furnace-to-service. Archived from the original on 2023-03-27. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  36. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230606064017/https://old.post-gazette.com/businessnews/20010710blast0710bnp2.asp. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 37.3 https://imis.aist.org/store/detail.aspx?id=PR-RU2024-1. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

Resources

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