ArcelorMittal announced in May 2024 that it planned to invest in an electric arc furnace at its Dunkirk plant, and formally confirmed the investment on 10 February 2026. French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné and several ministers were present for the announcement, which involves a total planned investment of €1.3 billion.
The company says the project will allow the construction of an electric arc furnace with a capacity of two million tonnes a year, due to come on stream in 2029. The aim is to produce steel without coal, whose combustion generates significant CO₂ emissions and contributes to global warming.