The Whyalla steelworks faced a setback as its blast furnace encountered damage during repair efforts, causing the expected production restart date to be pushed back. The unplanned cooling and hardening of molten metal inside the furnace occurred following a routine maintenance procedure, leading to the extended offline period that has impacted workers with reduced hours and pay cuts.
A crack in the furnace shell, also known as the 'vessel', was reported during an attempt to reconnect to the main tap hole while reinstating an eighth wind tuyere, which circulates hot air into the furnace. A team of welders from Adelaide is being dispatched to Whyalla to address the crack, with efforts underway to repair the damaged furnace shell belonging to Liberty Primary Steel, a part of the GFG Alliance owned by Sanjeev Gupta.
The incident has raised concerns at both the state and federal levels, with South Australia's Energy and Mining Minister Tom Koutsantonis expressing grave worries and pledging inspections by independent experts. The government has committed financial support, including $50 million from the state and $63 million from the federal government, for the planned electric arc furnace and to bolster the steelworks operation. Despite challenges, GFG Alliance continues to fulfill customer orders by using existing inventory and importing billet steel while workers face pay reductions and schedule changes. The steelworks' managing director, Tony Swiericzuk, emphasized the commitment to sustainability and hinted at repairing the furnace within days to resume full operations.