Hyundai Steel breaks ground on $5.8B mill

Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel officially broke ground during a ceremony held Sept. 4 with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and several officials at the site of the $5.8 billion project in Ascension Parish near Donaldsonville. Source: USA TODAY Network Listen to this article KEY TAKEAWAYS: Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel broke ground Sept. 4 on its $5.8 billion Ascension Parish mill. The facility is expected to begin operations in 2029 and produce 2.7 million metric tons of steel annually. The project is projected to create more than 1,300 direct and 4,100 indirect jobs. The electric arc furnace mill is expected to produce 70% lower emissions than traditional blast furnaces. Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel held a groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 4 with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and several officials at the site of the $5.8 billion project along the west bank of the Mississippi River near Donaldsonville. Projected to become operational in 2029, the mill, located roughly 40 miles south of Baton Rouge in the Modeste area of Ascension Parish, will produce 2.7 million metric tons of steel annually, according to company officials. Louisiana Economic Development previously announced the project is expected to create more than 1,300 direct new jobs and 4,100 indirect jobs, for some 5,400 potential new jobs in the region. Along with the governor, U.S. Reps. Julia Letlow and Troy Carter, LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois and several area leaders participated in the event. Senior executives and representatives from Hyundai Motor Group, Hyundai Steel and Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel were in attendance. The governor recalled during his remarks that he spoke to President Donald Trump after finalizing the steel mill project. 'Under President Trump's America First agenda, we are reshoring manufacturing jobs here in America,' Landry said. 'What does that mean? That means great-paying jobs right here in America and in Louisiana. The president as well as state and area leaders have touted the project since it was first announced at the White House in March 2025, pointing to expected economic benefits and job creation for the Baton Rouge region. According to LED, the electric arc furnace steel mill is expected to produce 70 percent lower emissions than traditional blast furnaces. The event concluded a week that included a Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality public hearing for the company's air permit, which brought a large crowd to the Lemann Memorial Center in Donaldsonville. The lengthy hearing drew speakers who were both in support of the project and opposed, including members of several organizations, such as Louisiana Bucket Brigade, Good Neighbors Louisiana and Rural Roots Louisiana. The organizations' members have expressed concerns with the project, including community, environmental and labor matters. Michael Tortorich is a journalist for the USA Today Network in Louisiana. Gonzales Weekly Citizen and Donaldsonville Chief, part of the USA Today Network of Louisiana, cover Ascension Parish and the greater Baton Rouge area. Follow at facebook.com/WeeklyCitizen and facebook.com/DonaldsonvilleChief This article originally appeared on Donaldsonville Chief: Hyundai Steel breaks ground on $5.8 billion mill in Louisiana Reporting by Michael Tortorich, The Donaldsonville Chief / Donaldsonville Chief USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect