Project Description
ArcelorMittal has historically produced a significant portion of their electricity requirements using onsite generation resources. Primary Energy worked with ArcelorMittal to identify an additional opportunity to capture and recycle heat from ArcelorMittal's principle blast furnace (No. 7), producing up to 75 MW of electricity. Primary Energy recently announced an interim agreement with ArcelorMittal to proceed with upgrading the capacity of its North Lake Energy facility by 20%. The upgrades will re-rate the existing steam turbine generator, as well as certain key plant equipment, to 90 megawatts in a two-phase plan.
Commercial Operation
May 1996
Benefits
The North Lake Energy project is capable of supplying more than 20% of ArcelorMittal's electricity requirements using an onsite waste fuel that had principally been flared. Primary Energy built and owns the project while ArcelorMittal delivers steam from the existing blast furnace gas recovery boilers.
This facility has substantially reduced energy costs compared to purchased power alternatives while increasing reliability of the electric energy supply for ArcelorMittal's plant operations.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency recognized North Lake Energy's 2007 operations for high environmental efficiency. The plant produced 215,000 fewer tons of carbon dioxide when compared to other plants using separate heat and power sources.