Cleveland-Cliffs announces $1 billion Ohio steel plant upgrade

Cleveland-Cliffs has announced a $1 billion investment to upgrade its Middletown Works steel facility in Ohio. The project will be funded through a $500 million investment from the company and a $500 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

The revised plan rescopes a previous Biden-era grant that was originally intended to decarbonize the plant by replacing coal-based blast furnaces with hydrogen-ready technology. Instead, the new framework focuses on rebuilding and upgrading the existing blast furnace with advanced technology, including artificial intelligence-enabled process controls and a new cogeneration facility to improve energy efficiency.

Vice President JD Vance, speaking at the facility in his hometown, framed the investment as part of an ‘America-first’ employment strategy. He emphasized that corporations should prioritize training and hiring American citizens over foreign labor to bolster domestic manufacturing. Vance also linked the project to broader administration policies involving tariffs and immigration enforcement to protect U.S. jobs.

While the company states the upgrades will preserve 2,300 jobs and modernize operations, the shift from decarbonization to furnace upgrades has drawn criticism from environmental advocates who argue the move may maintain or increase local air pollution.