Thousands of steelworkers face a nightmare before Christmas after it was claimed British Steel has sped up plans to close two blast furnaces as part of a drive towards green energy.

Unions claim the replacement of the furnaces at the site in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, could see at least 2,500 workers losing their jobs in a devastating blow to the local Labour-represented community. 

Blast furnaces make steel by being fed coal-based fuel, iron ore, and limestone heated to more than 1,000C by extremely hot air ‘blasted’ into the furnace. The process produces a large amount of carbon dioxide (CO2).

British Steel wants to replace the current method with electric ar furnaces (EAF), which work by melting scrap steel with superheated electrodes. Limestone, fluorspar, carbon, and oxygen are then added to increase the steel purity in a process that produces around 70 percent less CO2. 

But EAF furnaces need far fewer workers to operate and, according to a source who spoke to the Independent, when the plant in Scunthorpe stops importing coal fuel for the furnaces in October “that means at least 2,500 jobs lost before the end of the year”. 

Unions have slammed the decision to close the blast furnaces before the new EAF models have been constructed. Work had been expected to be completed in December 2025. 

GMB Union national officer Charlotte Brumpton-Childs said: “Unions have been assured throughout the process that the blast furnace operations would continue throughout the construction of an electric arc furnace.

“There has been no consultation over an early closure. British Steel and the government must engage with workers immediately to safeguard jobs and livelihoods.”

It’s reported the Chinese owners of the steel plant are in negotiations with the Government over the closure, with a possible deal being struck for British Steel to import three million tonnes of steel from China to keep mills here operating. 

China joins India in effectively becoming the nations which Britain wlll become reliant on for steel imports.

Britain’s biggest steelworks in Port Talbot, Wales, will also be closing two blast furnaces in a move by Indian owners Tata Steel which will see 2,800 jobs lost.  

A British Steel spokesperson said: “Our imports of raw material are continuing but have reduced in light of ongoing production issues. We’re working to restore production levels from our ageing blast furnaces.

“We’re discussing our decarbonisation plans with the government and no final decision has been made.”