A steel producers power struggle

In the installation and subsequent operation of new rolling mills, power can be a showstopper. No power, no rolling.

Laminoirs des Landes (LDL) faced this challenge in 2016, during the reinitiation of a project started in 2008 to install a heavy plate mill in Bayonne, France. The future mill generated voltage distortions and was in non-compliance with French electrical regulations for low voltage installations. Russula, the main engineering supplier, resolved this issue by proposing a Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM), which was subsequently installed and commissioned by GE. With the STATCOM system functioning, the heavy plate mill was able to enter into operations on schedule in March, 2018.