Court of Appeal confirms permit for new steel plant in Luleå

(Posted on 24/11/25)

In December 2024, SSAB was granted a permit by the Land and Environment Court at Umeå District Court to construct and operate a new electric arc steel plant in Luleå, replacing the current blast furnace-based production. This permit enables SSAB to secure long-term competitiveness while reducing carbon dioxide emissions from production by up to 90%.

SSAB is a Nordic and US-based steel company that builds a stronger, lighter and more sustainable world through value added steel products and services.

The ruling was appealed to the Land and Environment Court of Appeal, which granted leave to appeal. The original decision allowed SSAB to begin work on the new plant, which commenced in June this year when SSAB activated part A of the permit. On September 17, an official groundbreaking ceremony was held in Luleå with the participation of Sweden’s Minister for Energy, Business and Industry, Ebba Busch.

The Court of Appeal has now concluded the case based on written submissions from the parties.

“We welcome the Court of Appeal’s decision to resolve outstanding issues related to the permit for our new steel plant in Luleå. Removing uncertainty provides clarity and stability for our transformation. The new plant will give us a stronger cost position, a more attractive product mix with premium steels, and greater flexibility to manage demand fluctuations. When we close the current production, we will virtually eliminate our carbon emissions in Luleå,” says Carl Orrling, EVP, Chief Technical Officer and Head of Transformation Office at SSAB.

The Court of Appeal confirms that the location is appropriate, and that electric arc furnaces meet the requirement for best available technology. The ruling specifies that emission monitoring will not only be delegated to the supervisory authority but also regulated in the permit. The adjustment concerns the extent to which monitoring is governed by the permit, not how it is carried out.

“We are very pleased that the Court of Appeal has now confirmed our permit and that the transformation project can proceed as planned. For SSAB, the ruling means that certain investigations will be carried out during a trial period after the new plant is commissioned. We will now continue working to meet the conditions set and ensure the project is implemented responsibly,” says Sara Arvidson, Head of Environment and Energy at SSAB.