In the same way that households are likely to be more conscientious about running washing machines and dishwashers between 10pm and 6am, to avoid electricity peaks, ArcelorMittal has suspended the use of its electric furnaces when the price of electricity is highest, in the morning and evening, a spokesperson has said.

To save natural gas, the industrial process has been slightly modified to dispense with gas by injecting more oxygen into the furnaces, resulting in a 5 to 10% reduction in consumption.

“We have not planned to close any installations nor any short-time work”, he confirmed. The site manager, Roland Bastian, made similar comments last week to RTL.

Five production sites will close temporarily, two in France and facilities in Germany, Spain and Poland. and, according to trade unions, both German and French employees will be short-time working two days a month until the end of the year, due to a drop in the steelmaker’s order book.

Originally published in French by and translated for Delano