New microtunnel a true lifeline for greentec steel
The new electric arc furnace (EAF) of voestalpine in Linz requires enormous amounts of electrical energy that will be provided by the Austrian Power Grid and routed directly to the EAF through an underground microtunnel with a length of 1,732 meters. The underground solution replaces an originally planned above-ground line and boasts decisive advantages: It saves space, is highly efficient and conserves the landscape.
Tunnel excavation
Excavation work began on 3 February 2025. The first excavation phase comprised a length of 1,264 meters from Company Building 83 to the South Substation and was completed as planned in May of 2025. The second section of the tunnel with a total length of 468 meters was excavated in the direction of LD Steelmaking Plant 3. The breakthrough was celebrated on 26 June 2025, which was a significant moment for the entire project team. The excavation drill was lifted out of the tunnel in July of 2025, which cleared the way for installation of the 220kV cables.
Microtunnel lifeline
A ceremony celebrating completion of the tunnel as held on 22 October 2025 and marked another symbolic highlight of the ambitious green steel project at voestalpine. The microtunnel is the lifeblood of greentec steel and will reliably supply the electric arc furnace with power for production.
To greentec steel
The greentec steel project of voestalpine is an ambitious step-by-step plan that makes a valuable contribution to the achievement of the climate goals. As a first step, the voestalpine Group plans to replace two blast furnaces with two electric arc furnaces (EAFs) by the year 2027. The investment volume amounts to roughly 1.5 billion euros.
Carbon emissions can be reduced by up to 30% as early as 2029 by making this switch from the blast furnace to the EAF. This corresponds to a savings of nearly 4 million tons of CO2 per year, amounting to nearly 5% of the carbon emissions in Austria. This makes greentec steel the largest climate protection program in Austria.
The two electric-arc furnaces will enable voestalpine to produce roughly 2.5 million tons of carbon-reduced steel by the year 2027, roughly 1.6 million tons in Linz and 850,000 tons in Donawitz. Learn more about greentec steel here.