OREANDA-NEWS  On 18 November Interpipe announced that its new electric steel smelting complex, Interpipe Steel, will be the first in Ukraine to be powered by thermoelectric power. The cable supplying power to the new electric mill will cost approximately USD 35 million USD to lay. Electrical power will be supplied underground to the plant using a twin-circuit cable line with a voltage of 300kV. The cable will run 12.5km from the thermoelectric power station in Pridneprovsk to the substation “Pecnaya” and will be built along main roads. It is planned that the installation of the power cable will be led by the scientific-research institute ‘Ukrselenergoproject’ (Kyiv).

Interpipe Steel is the company’s new electric steel mill and will provide Interpipe with self-sufficiency in steel. Interpipe signed a contract with Italian construction company Danieli to build the plant in February 2007. Interpipe plans to investmore than USD 600 million USD in the plant. Interpipe Steel will provide high quality steel for Interpipe’s pipes and railway wheels.

Oleg Kuzmin, Head of Corporate Affairs at Interpipe said: “The continued development of Interpipe Steel demonstrates the company’s capacity to grow in light of current difficulties in the global steel market. Interpipe Steel’s robust and modern infrastructure leaves the company well-placed to emerge as a stronger business and cement our status as a leading producer of steel pipe.”