U.S. Steel to Restart Idled Furnace Following Federal Intervention

U.S. Steel will restart a major blast furnace at its Granite City plant in Illinois. The decision comes after the Biden administration intervened to block the company’s planned shutdown of the facility. The United Steelworkers union had urged the government to act, citing the need to protect jobs and maintain domestic steel production. The furnace, which was idled in March, employs about 1,500 people. Its closure would have significantly reduced American capacity to make a key material. The intervention is linked to a national security review of U.S. Steel’s proposed sale to Japan’s Nippon Steel. Officials have paused the $15 billion deal for an in-depth investigation. Restarting the furnace is seen as a move to safeguard industrial assets during this review. The company stated the restart will begin immediately. It expects the furnace to be fully operational in the third quarter of this year, ensuring continued supply to its customers.