SALZGITTER (dpa-AFX) - Another hurdle has been cleared on the way to more climate-friendly steel production in Salzgitter. The construction of the approximately ten-kilometer-long industrial pipeline for the transport of green electricity can begin, as the transmission system operator Tennet announced on Monday. The planning approval for the high-voltage line has been granted by the Lower Saxony State Authority for Road Construction and Transport. From 2026, large quantities of green electricity are to flow to Salzgitter via this line.

"The transformation of the steel industry is a key milestone on the road to climate neutrality," said Lower Saxony's Minister President Stephan Weil (SPD). The Salzgitter steel group wants to replace coke and coal in its production with green electricity and hydrogen and thus gradually reduce CO2 emissions by up to 95 percent. "In line with the ramp-up of the new production route, Salzgitter Industrial Management will provide the necessary transmission capacities for renewable electricity," said Group CEO Gunnar Groebler.

The company had recently often emphasized the enormous savings potential. According to its own figures, Salzgitter AG alone emits eight million tons of CO2 per year. This corresponds to one percent of Germany's total CO2 emissions. The industrial pipeline is an important element for the future viability of Salzgitter as a steel location, said Group CEO Groebler. Tennet is legally tasked with expanding the high-voltage grid in the Salzgitter area in order to cover the future increase in electricity demand.

In February, Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) announced a commitment to support the conversion of the Bremen steelworks. The federal government would also support the conversion to climate-neutral steel production at ArcelorMittal 's sites in Bremen and Eisenhüttenstadt. The EU Commission had previously granted approvals for the steel manufacturers Salzgitter AG, Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe in Duisburg and Stahl-Holding-Saar in Saarland./bch/DP/stw