ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih suspended steel production due to the explosion of the Kakhovska HPP

ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih suspended steel smelting and production of rolled products to reduce water consumption in critical conditions. GMK Center was informed about this in the press service of the company.

Due to the destruction of the Kakhovska HPP by the aggressor, the steel plant limited water consumption and already put a number of steel production processes on hold. The operation of virtually all water-cooled equipment is temporarily suspended – in this way, the enterprise will save production units and reduce water consumption until the situation normalizes.

Only the blast furnace and coke chemical production, as well as the Mining, will remain in operation. At the same time, the logistics and raw material chain of the company works stably, as obligations to customers remain an unchanged priority. All orders will be filled in full to avoid any inconvenience.

How quickly the enterprise will be able to return to normal operation mode will be clear in the next 3-4 days after the analysis of the depth of the drop in the water level in the Kakhovsk Reservoir and other consequences of the terrorist attack carried out by the Russians.

As the head of the Kryvyh Rih city military administration Oleksandr Vilkul noted, industrial enterprises of Kryvyi Rih should reduce their water consumption as much as possible in connection with the undermining of the Kakhovska HPP by the Russians on the night of June 6.

For 30% of Kryvyi Rih (Central-City, partially – Metallurgy, Dovhyntsiv and Saksagan districts) water is supplied from the Karachuniv Reservoir, and there are no risks of disruption of water supply for this part of the city. Water is supplied to 70% of the city (the rest of the districts) from the Kakhovsky Reservoir through the Southern Reservoir.

In connection with the destruction of the Kakhovska HPP, restrictions on the use of water are introduced in the city. It is necessary to reduce consumption by 30% in those areas that were requested from the Kakhovsky Reservoir. In addition to industrial enterprises, a number of restrictions will apply to the population. The situation in the city is difficult, but under control.

In Kryvyi Rih, a large share of enterprises of the Ukrainian mining and steel complex is concentrated: ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, Kryvyi Rih Iron Ore Plant (KZHRK); Northern, Central, Ingulets, Southern Minings, mining company Rudomine and mine Sukha Balka.

The situation at the Kryvyi Rih enterprises of the Metinvest group, as it is stated in a post on the Metinvest Kryvyi Rih on Facebook page, remains controlled.

At the same time, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih on June 6 in connection with the interruption of water supply made public a request to employees of the plant management to leave the premises and, if possible, continue to work remotely.

The management of the Sukha Balka mine, which is part of the DCH group, turned to his employees with a call to use water sparingly due to the request of the city authorities to reduce its consumption by a third.

According to the State Agency of Water Resources of Ukraine, water consumption in the first hours of the breakthrough was more than 80,000 cubic meters per second. In the worst-case scenario, the level will drop to the mark of the dead volume level of 12.70 m BS (or possibly lower, to the mark of 10.70 m BS). Currently, the department cannot accurately assess the level of operation, it is not possible. Water levels can drop to the specified levels in one and a half to two days.

As GMK Center reported earlier, on September 14, 2022, the Russian Federation launched a massive missile attack on Kryvyi Rih, damaging the dam of the Karachuniv reservoir near the city. Then Minings and enterprises of the city were not injured due to destruction.