Sweden’s Land and Environment Court of Appeal has upheld SSAB’s permit to build and operate a new electric arc furnace (EAF) steel plant in Lulea, confirming the approval originally granted in December 2024.
The new plant will replace SSAB’s current blast-furnace operations, enabling up to a 90pct reduction in CO2 emissions and strengthening the company’s long-term competitiveness.
In its ruling, the Court of Appeal confirmed the suitability of the site and deemed electric arc furnaces as best available technology. It added that emission monitoring will be regulated directly in the permit rather than fully delegated to the supervisory authority, an adjustment affecting oversight, not monitoring methods.
Sara Arvidson, Head of Environment and Energy at SSAB, said the decision means certain investigations will continue during a trial period after commissioning. SSAB will now proceed with meeting all conditions to ensure responsible project execution.
