The enterprise continues to restore the main equipment of its production units. Blast Furnace #9 is undergoing a third-grade major overhaul in the blast furnace shop. 

The main objective of the two-week major overhaul, which is being carried out jointly by the maintenance and repair personnel of the blast furnace shop and Metinvest Promservice, is to replace the charging equipment and partially upgrade the blast furnace cooling system. In particular, 64 protective plates on the top of the blast furnace, a bosh cooler and two main pressure water conduits of 630 mm in diameter are to be replaced. The tuyere cooling plates will be partially upgraded.

The casting yard equipment is also being repaired. In particular, the iron tophole machines are being replaced. As part of the planned works, utility lines are being restored to ensure stable operation of the instrumentation and controls, and thermal probes to record the furnace gas stream is being replaced.

Attention is also being paid to improving safety and working conditions for personnel, including partial replacement and repair of platforms on the pedestrian routes for moving around the unit.

– This major overhaul shall ensure stable productive operation of the blast furnace #9. The joint efforts of contractors and blast furnace shop specialists are aimed at improving the reliability of the main equipment and its trouble-free operation. Stabilising the furnace's thermal conditions and minimising unscheduled equipment downtime will provide blast furnace operators with better opportunities to meet their hot metal production targets and achieve effective team goals, – Yevgen PODGORNYI, Deputy Head of the Blast Furnace Shop for Engineering, said.