Tata Steel Seeks Additional UK Support as Port Talbot EAF Faces 2029 Delay

Tata Steel is reportedly seeking additional financial support from the UK government for its electric arc furnace (EAF) project at Port Talbot, as delays in securing the required power connection push the expected commissioning timeline toward 2029. The project was earlier targeted for completion in early 2028. While the amount of additional government support has not been confirmed, reports indicate that funding under discussion could run into hundreds of millions of pounds. Tata Steel’s Port Talbot transformation represents an investment of around £1.25 billion, including £500 million already committed by the UK government. The company has indicated that construction activities remain on schedule, with electricity supply arrangements emerging as the main factor affecting the overall project timeline. The steelmaker closed Port Talbot’s final blast furnace in 2024 as part of its transition from conventional blast furnace steelmaking to lower-emission EAF production. The project remains a major part of Tata Steel’s UK decarbonisation strategy, aimed at modernising steel production while reducing carbon emissions.