Stegra—which renamed itself from H2 Green Steel in September—is partnering with John Laing and Aquatech to provide sustainable water treatment plant to the world’s first large-scale green steel plant.

John Laing is a leading international investor and active manager of core infrastructure assets and Aquatech is a leading provider of zero-liquid discharge water treatment services. Stegra has entered a corporate Private to Private Partnership (PtPP) with these two companies to design, build, finance, operate and maintain a new water treatment facility at Stegra’s industrial site in Boden, Sweden.

The water treatment plant is critical part of the infrastructure required to operate what will be the world’s first large-scale green steel plant which is currently being established and where production is planned to start in 2026.

John Laing is making a long-term investment in the facility and led the structuring of a water treatment services agreement. The design and build of the water treatment plant equipment and its operation is undertaken by Aquatech under a 25-year services contract.

The comprehensive solution includes treatments for ultra-pure water, wastewater recycling, zero liquid discharge, compact strip production mill scale, and water for cooling systems, ensuring a holistic water management system for the steel plant.

The water treatment plant will supply demineralized water to the electrolyzers used to create green hydrogen and purified water used in system cooling, as well as treating wastewater from the steel mill, returning 99.9% of the process water back to the system.

The water treatment processes are a very important part of our plant, which is the first integrated plant for hydrogen, iron and steelmaking globally. What we are doing in Boden is pioneering in every aspect, and it would not be possible without partnerships with players like Aquatech.

—Henrik Henriksson, CEO, Stegra

The Boden plant is Europe’s first greenfield steel mill in 50 years. By replacing coal with green hydrogen and electrifying the steelmaking process, Stegra says it will be able to cut CO₂ emissions by up to 95% compared to traditional steelmaking.

Stegra’s 145-meter-tall direct reduction tower dominates the site.