Nucor Corp.’s new steel plate mill in Brandenburg, Ky., rolled its first steel plate on Dec. 30, 2022. Nucor Steel Brandenburg, a $1.7 billion capital investment with the ability to produce 1.2 million tons annually, will focus on final commissioning of the mill in the first quarter of 2023 and will ship the first tons to customers during the quarter. Nucor Steel Brandenburg will be among only a few mills globally – and the only mill in the United States, according to the company – capable of manufacturing at scale the heavy-gauge plate used in monopile foundations for offshore wind towers.

The recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which included $300 billion for clean energy development and climate programs, supports the Biden Administration’s announced goal to build 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030. This could result in approximately 7.5 million tons of additional steel demand. According to Nucor Steel Brandenburg, it will be able to produce 97% of plate products consumed domestically.