U.S. Steel hot idling a battery at Clairton Coke Works

PITTSBURGH — U.S. Steel is temporarily hot idling Battery 15 at the Clairton Coke Works "to reflect changing market conditions" according to company officials.

Officials with U.S. Steel said the company does not anticipate any impacts to jobs from the idling process at the moment.

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Here is a statement sent to Channel 11:

"Hot idling is a deliberate and slow process that can take months to accomplish safely and in a manner that minimizes permanent damage to the battery's structure and integrity, thereby allowing the battery to be used again when market conditions improve. As part of our settlement agreement with the Allegheny County Health Department, we previously agreed to replace the oven wall refractory on Battery 15, which can be accomplished either while the battery is active or hot idled. In this case, we plan to conduct these repairs while the battery is hot idled, as we await improved market conditions. Given this maintenance, the long-term environmental performance of the battery is not expected to be impacted because of a hot idle."

This follows multiple fires and issues at the coke plant since late 2018.

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