(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – United States Steel’s Edgar Thomson Plant is seen in Braddock, Pa., Feb 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Braddock, PA) U.S. Steel announced yesterday that it plans to invest up to $2.5 billion in its Mon Valley Works facilities. 

An economic impact analysis released by the company projects the investment will generate $1.7 billion in economic activity across Pennsylvania, support up to 6,381 jobs over a three-year period and produce $58 million in state and local tax revenue. 

The investment will fund construction of a new hot strip mill at the Edgar Thomson Plant within Mon Valley Works, according to U.S. Steel. 

The company said the facility is expected to improve production yields, reduce energy consumption and enhance product quality. The mill also is intended to expand the range of steel products produced at Mon Valley Works, including materials for the automotive industry and other markets. 

The new hot strip mill will replace an 87-year-old hot strip mill at the nearby Irvin Plant, which U.S. Steel plans to decommission as part of the modernization effort. 

The announcement represents a significant increase from the investment commitment outlined by Nippon Steel in August 2024. At that time, the company pledged to invest at least $1 billion in Mon Valley Works following completion of its acquisition of U.S. Steel. Updated projections now place the investment between approximately $2 billion and $2.5 billion, more than double the original commitment.