S. steel industry in a statement at a congressional hearing on energy regulation.
According to the association, its member companies generate an annual economic impact of $149.4 billion and employ more than 87,000 workers nationwide. The industry is also investing about $25 billion in the United States to modernize, expand and build production facilities.
EDP production makes electricity a major expense
SMA emphasized that these investments are heavily dependent on access to economically competitive and reliable energy. An electric arc furnace (EDP) typically requires 40 MW to 200 MW of electricity per mill, making energy one of the largest components of production costs.
The Association warned that maintaining the competitiveness of steel production in the United States will require policies that ensure stable and affordable electricity supplies, especially as demand for electricity from large consumers such as data centers increases.
Call for accelerated development of energy infrastructure
SMA called on policy makers to accelerate the deployment of new electricity generation and transmission infrastructure to meet growing industrial demand. He also called on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to ensure that industrial users, including steelworkers, have access to reliable and competitive
