Updating a steel mill power system to improve reliability and decrease energy costs

The authors provide insight into the planning and implementation of several significant cost saving and reliability improvements at a turn-of-the-century steel mill in Ohio. A number of target areas needing attention were identified. These included the cost of electrical energy, the cost to manufacture oxygen inhouse, and the need to accommodate future modernization projects. An option also under consideration included possible elimination of the oxygen facility if lower-cost oxygen could be purchased from an independent vendor. Preliminary evaluations, plans, and reviews took approximately two years before approval was received to proceed with the main oxygen plant project. Its bidding process and implementation took an additional year. The power system modernization project, which included addition of the power monitoring system, short-circuit retrofit of the 13.8 kV switchgear, distribution transformer isolation capability and two new double-ended low voltage substations took an additional six months.<>