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179 results for “steelswords”
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Liebe Rollenspiel-Freunde,
am gestrigen Sonntag wurde zum ersten Mal in diesem Jahr im Kinder- und Jugendzentrum Die Burg wieder Pen & Paper gespielt.
Bei "Hyborean Sellswords" (Open D20 -Systems, Stand 3.5) ging es um das Sternenjuwel und die Runde hatte eine Menge Spaß.
#Rollenspiel #Erzählspiele #rpg #pnpDE #pnpberlin #penandpaperberlin #rollenspielberlin #nexus #nexusberlin #spielinderburg
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GFG Alliance accused of not meeting Tasmanian loan conditions over manganese ore supply
The Tasmanian government has accused the owner of a manganese smelter in the state’s north of failing to…
#NewsBeep #News #Business #AU #Australia #Debt #GEORGETOWN #GFGalliance #government #Jobs #libertybellbay #loan #Manganese #ore #sanjeevgupta #shipment #smelter #Steelworks #Tasmania #tasmaniangovernment #Whyalla
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/203996/ -
Nippon Steel Corporation Oita Works - Oita - Japan
🌏 https://maps.app.goo.gl/nDREB9TCvsii7j2VA4K link : https://i.imgur.com/i8zR8zy.jpeg
#GooGleearth #SatelliteView #AerialPhotography #industrial #SteelWorks #japan #abstract #texture #pattern #metalwork #landscape #EarthArt #EarthFromSpace #atlas #worldview #oita #dji
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Nippon Steel Corporation Oita Works - Oita - Japan
🌏 https://maps.app.goo.gl/nDREB9TCvsii7j2VA4K link : https://i.imgur.com/i8zR8zy.jpeg
#GooGleearth #SatelliteView #AerialPhotography #industrial #SteelWorks #japan #abstract #texture #pattern #metalwork #landscape #EarthArt #EarthFromSpace #atlas #worldview #oita #dji
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Nippon Steel Corporation Oita Works - Oita - Japan
🌏 https://maps.app.goo.gl/nDREB9TCvsii7j2VA4K link : https://i.imgur.com/i8zR8zy.jpeg
#GooGleearth #SatelliteView #AerialPhotography #industrial #SteelWorks #japan #abstract #texture #pattern #metalwork #landscape #EarthArt #EarthFromSpace #atlas #worldview #oita #dji
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Nippon Steel Corporation Oita Works - Oita - Japan
🌏 https://maps.app.goo.gl/nDREB9TCvsii7j2VA4K link : https://i.imgur.com/i8zR8zy.jpeg
#GooGleearth #SatelliteView #AerialPhotography #industrial #SteelWorks #japan #abstract #texture #pattern #metalwork #landscape #EarthArt #EarthFromSpace #atlas #worldview #oita #dji
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@jukkaeklund
Here's some industrial archaeology, shot with an unconverted DiMAGE 7 and R72 filter. It's the old Lithgow steelworks in #NewSouthWales #Australia #Infrared #Photography #BlackAndWhite #BWPhotography #BlackAndWhitePhotography #Dimage7 #R72 #720nm -
@jukkaeklund
Here's some industrial archaeology, shot with an unconverted DiMAGE 7 and R72 filter. It's the old Lithgow steelworks in #NewSouthWales #Australia #Infrared #Photography #BlackAndWhite #BWPhotography #BlackAndWhitePhotography #Dimage7 #R72 #720nm -
@jukkaeklund
Here's some industrial archaeology, shot with an unconverted DiMAGE 7 and R72 filter. It's the old Lithgow steelworks in #NewSouthWales #Australia #Infrared #Photography #BlackAndWhite #BWPhotography #BlackAndWhitePhotography #Dimage7 #R72 #720nm -
@jukkaeklund
Here's some industrial archaeology, shot with an unconverted DiMAGE 7 and R72 filter. It's the old Lithgow steelworks in #NewSouthWales #Australia #Infrared #Photography #BlackAndWhite #BWPhotography #BlackAndWhitePhotography #Dimage7 #R72 #720nm -
The thread about the “Three As” of Scottish motor manufacturing and a pioneering woman who figured within
Today’s auction house artefact is this splendidly shiny McVitie & Price 1924 digestive biscuit delivery van, an Albion Type 24 built in Scotstoun in Glasgow. Estimated to sell for £24-28k. Albions were apparently the grocery delivery van of choice way back when this was built, being economical and reliable. Lyons, Nestles, Huntley & Palmer and of course Edinburgh biscuiteers McVitie & Price were big customers.
McVitie & Price Albion Type 24The Model 24 could also be built as a bus.
Albion Type 24 with bus body. (Pic © Scottish Motor Museum)The radiator badge was originally a cast logotype stylised to look like a lion. To this a rising sun was later added in various guises. The product line names and badges later got a bit more patriotic.
Albion radiator badges through the agesAlbion was one of the “Three As” of Scottish motor engineering, along with Argyll in Alexandria and Arrol-Johnston in Paisley.
Argyll expanded massively into the biggest car plant in Europe in 1906 and crippled themselves with the costs and inefficient production methods. They were bankrupt within a year. The factory limped a while until the costs of lawsuits finally closed the doors. The place later became a Royal torpedo factory and enjoyed a much longer life as such. It continued as such into the late 1960s, when it was bought by Plessey, promptly closed, lay vacant for 30 odd years and was then fortuitously saved as a shopping centre.
The Argyll car factory in Alexandria, later became a torpedo factory. CC-BY-SA 4.0 LesleyMitchellArrol-Johnston (the Arrol from the famous Sir William Arrol who built a certain big red bridge over the Forth) prospered better, and in 1913 moved to a purpose built factory in Dumfries. They got the Americans to build it for mass production. The factory at Heathhall was built by the architect who built Henry Ford’s second factory for the Model T. A very sensible move. Looking futuristic for 1913, it was the first reinforced “Ferro-concrete” building in Britain apparently.
Arrol-Johnston’s Dumfries works, © Le Couvey-Martin Family ArchivesAlthough the company later failed, an interesting aside was the “Galloway” a car designed by a woman, built by Arrol-Johnston’s largely female workforce, for the woman motorist; Dorothée Pullinger was daughter of Arrol-Johnston’s managing director and chief designer, Thomas Pullinger.
Dorothée Pullinger. © Institution of Mechanical Engineers.She started work in the Arrol-Johnston drawing office at the age of 16, and when the First World War broke out, the 20 year old Dorothée was sent to the Vickers works in Barrow to be the “Lady Superintendent” of the 7,000 women workers producing munitions in the factory. Awarded an MBE for her service, she was nevertheless refused entrance into the Institute of Automobile Engineers until 1920, it’s first woman member. Back at Arrol-Johnston after the war, the Galloway was largely designed and built in a subsidiary called Galloway Motors, which largely employed the female expertise and labour that had been built up during WW1 on war work.
Galloway car on display at the Riverside Museum in Glasgow. CC-By-SA 4.0 Midwich CuckooThey were initially sold under a strapline of “a car made by ladies for others of their sex“. Galloway’s apprenticeships for engineers only last 3 instead of 5 years as it was felt that the women attended better and learned faster than men and so could get it all done sooner. Dorothée won the Scottish Six Day Trial in 1924 in a Galloway. She went on to have a long and successful career in running industrial steam laundry companies and was the only female industrial advisor to the Ministry of Production, advised the sprawling Nuffield group on the employment of women and helped to set up and run 13 war factories with them. Dorothée described her job as being “to see that the fullest use is made of woman-power throughout the Nuffield Organisation“.
Of the Three As, Albion fared the best and were bought by Leyland in 1951 therefore found their way into that particular stable and everything it entails. In the 1970s, British Leyland slowly rationalised the Albion product lines and production, with some moving to other BL plants. In 1972 they rebadged all Albions as Leylands. In 1980 all production in Glasgow moved to the Bathgate Truck & Tractor Plant.
British Motor Corporation’s Bathgate Truck & Tractor PlantIn 1984, a collapse in BL’s fortunes saw the huge and modern plant in Bathgate shut down, with a crippling effect on a local economy also being hit with steelworks and colliery closures. In 1987 two young lads from Auchtermuchty wrote a song about it and other things.
That was not quite the end for Albion though, as truck components were still being made in the Scotstoun factory. When Leyland DAF collapsed in 1993, the business was bought out as Albion Automotive. In 1998, the new company was acquired by the American Axle & Manufacturing Inc. of Motown, Detroit, producing various transmission comonents and – I think – they are still hanging on in Scotstoun in a much reduced form.
And Digestive biscuits, that fine Edinburgh invention? Still being made, (although the McVities name is now mud in certain Scottish households thanks to recent industrial developments).
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#Lochend #Logan #Restalrig #StMargaret -
PORT TALBOT: Steel plan sparks cautious hope — but big questions remain for Welsh jobs
At the heart of the strategy is a push to rebuild domestic steelmaking, including new tariffs on imports, a target for half of UK steel demand to be met at home, and billions in funding to support the industry’s transition.
For communities built around steel, the announcement lands at a critical moment.
In Port Talbot, the shift away from traditional blast furnaces is already under way, while in Llanelli, the Trostre works continues to play a key role in Welsh production. Together, they form part of an industry now facing one of the biggest changes in its history.
Local Labour MP Dame Nia Griffith has backed the plan, arguing it signals a more serious commitment to the sector after years of uncertainty.
Dame Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli, said:
“The steel industry is a vital core element of our economy here in Wales, generating growth and providing thousands of jobs, including hundreds in my own constituency.“This is a clear, well thought-out, long-term strategy for our steel industry that will help deliver the high-quality steel our country needs for our key infrastructure, our national security and for the wider economy.”
Her support reflects the Government’s central message — that the strategy will not only protect jobs, but put the industry on a more stable footing for the future.
But that optimism is far from universal.
Opposition figures say the plan raises as many questions as it answers, particularly around how much of the promised investment will reach Wales and what role UK steel will play in major future projects.
Trostre Steel Works in Llanelli (Image: Tata Steel)David Chadwick MP, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Wales, said:
“It is welcome that the Government has finally acted, but this looks like a panicked move after months of delay.“Since the blast furnaces were switched off, Welsh steel has been left on life support.”
There are also concerns about the UK’s trading position, with warnings that being outside key European arrangements could leave exporters at a disadvantage in one of their biggest markets.
Industry voices have struck a similarly measured tone — welcoming steps to tackle cheap imports while warning that deeper issues remain unresolved.
Unite, which represents many steelworkers across Wales, says the new tariff regime is a positive step, but argues the industry needs a clearer long-term direction.
Sharon Graham, General Secretary of Unite, said:
“Unite welcomes the strengthening of the UK’s tariff regime to prevent the dumping of cheap foreign steel onto the domestic market.“But this last minute situation is just another reminder that the reactive approach to UK steel that sees it lurch from crisis to crisis needs to be overhauled.”
One of the biggest sticking points is the industry’s shift towards electric arc furnaces — a cleaner form of steelmaking that relies heavily on recycled materials.
While central to the Government’s net zero ambitions, unions have warned that relying too heavily on this approach could limit the UK’s ability to produce certain types of steel.
The hot mill at Tata Steel’s Port Talbot steelworks. (Image: Tata Steel)Peter Hughes, Unite regional secretary, said:
“The government must also back the production of virgin green steel as we can’t simply rely on electric arc furnaces to produce all the steel we need.”Alongside the strategy, ministers have also unveiled a new funding stream aimed at helping areas like Port Talbot adapt to the changes.
The Economic Growth & Investment Fund will offer grants of up to £1.5 million to businesses across Neath Port Talbot, Swansea and Bridgend, targeting sectors such as advanced manufacturing, green energy and digital industries.
Local leaders say it could help soften the economic impact of the transition — if it delivers.
Neath Port Talbot Council leader Cllr Steve Hunt looks out across Port Talbot Steelworks from a hillside vantage point, reflecting on the town’s industrial past and future.
(Image: Neath Port Talbot Council)Cllr Steve Hunt, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, said:
“This fund provides an important opportunity to support businesses that are ready to invest, grow and create new jobs across the region.”For now, the strategy marks a significant moment for Welsh steel — but not a settled one.
With major changes already under way and more still to come, the focus is quickly shifting from what has been promised to what will actually be delivered.
And for communities across South West Wales, that will ultimately be the measure that matters most.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
One year on: resilience after blast furnace closure
Council leaders reflect on a turbulent year for the steel town.Work begins on Port Talbot electric arc furnace
A major step in the steelworks’ transition to new technology.Farage promises “reindustrialisation of Wales”
A headline‑grabbing pledge to revive coal and steel sparks debate.Government criticised over treatment of steelworkers
Unions and politicians condemn support offered during the transition.Dramatic video shows final push at Morfa coke plant
#DavidChadwick #electricArcFurnace #industrialStrategy #JoStevens #Llanelli #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #NiaGriffith #PeterHughes #PortTalbot #SharonGraham #SouthWestWalesEconomy #steelJobsWales #TataSteel #Trostre #UKGovernment #UKSteelStrategy #UniteUnion #WelshEconomy #WelshSteel
Striking footage captures the last days before shutdown. -
PORT TALBOT: Government vows to “do whatever it takes” to protect steel jobs — but critics warn over end of traditional steelmaking
A major new Steel Strategy has been unveiled during a visit to Port Talbot, with ministers promising tougher trade rules, billions in investment and a push to increase the amount of steel made in Britain.
At the centre of the plan is a target for 50% of all steel used in the UK to be made domestically — up from around 30% — with the Government saying Welsh producers are expected to play a major role.
That includes Tata Steel operations in Port Talbot, Llanelli, Shotton and Newport, as well as 7Steel in Cardiff.
The UK Government says it will also crack down on cheap imports.
From July, steel import quotas would be cut by 60%, with anything above those limits facing a 50% tariff.
Ministers argue the move will stop British steel being undercut — a long-standing complaint from workers and industry leaders in South Wales.
But the strategy has already sparked debate about what kind of steel industry the UK is actually protecting.
Massive ladles and overhead cranes inside Port Talbot steelworks, as Tata prepares the site for Electric Arc Furnace installation. (Credit: Tata Steel)While ministers are backing domestic production, the plans also confirm a continued shift away from traditional blast furnaces towards electric arc furnaces, like the one being built in Port Talbot.
These use recycled scrap metal rather than raw materials — a move the Government says is key to cutting emissions and modernising the industry.
However, critics warn that transition could come at a cost.
They argue electric arc furnaces cannot always produce the same specialist grades of steel needed for defence and major infrastructure, raising concerns about long-term capability.
There are also fears the UK could become more reliant on imported materials — even as ministers move to restrict finished steel imports.
Peter Kyle, Business and Trade Secretary, said steelmaking was “vital” to the UK’s future.
He said: “Making steel in the UK is vital for national security, critical infrastructure and the wider economy.
“With this strategy we are closing the decades-long chapter of destructive de-industrialisation and committing instead to strengthening and sustaining Britain as a steel-making nation.”
The Government says the strategy is backed by major investment, including £5.8 billion through the National Wealth Fund for priority industries such as steel.
That builds on more than £600 million already committed to Port Talbot, alongside plans to unlock up to £2.5 billion in further funding during this Parliament.
Jo Stevens, Secretary of State for Wales, said the plans showed ministers were standing firmly behind Welsh industry.
She said: “The UK Government is standing up for Welsh steelmaking and showing that we will do whatever it takes to boost domestic steel production and protect the thousands of steelmaking jobs in our communities.
“Welsh steel is expected to account for half of future UK steelmaking… Welsh steelmaking now has a secure and bright future.”
The strategy also includes measures to lower energy costs, prioritise UK-made steel in public projects and strengthen links with sectors like offshore wind, defence and infrastructure.
A new working group will also look at securing long-term supplies of scrap metal — a key part of the shift towards electric arc production.
The move comes after years of uncertainty for the industry, with global competition, rising costs and the transition to greener production putting pressure on steelmaking communities across South Wales.
Ministers insist imports will still play a role, but say the new rules are designed to strike a balance between protecting domestic producers and maintaining supply.
However, with the industry undergoing one of its biggest transformations in decades, questions remain over whether the strategy will truly secure the long-term future of steelmaking in Wales — or simply reshape it.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
One year on: resilience after blast furnace closure
Council leaders reflect on a turbulent year for the steel town.Work begins on Port Talbot electric arc furnace
A major step in the steelworks’ transition to new technology.Farage promises “reindustrialisation of Wales”
A headline‑grabbing pledge to revive coal and steel sparks debate.Government criticised over treatment of steelworkers
Unions and politicians condemn support offered during the transition.Dramatic video shows final push at Morfa coke plant
#BritishIndustry #Economy #electricArcFurnace #featured #industry #JoStevens #jobs #Llanelli #manufacturing #netZero #PeterKyle #PortTalbot #PortTalbotSteelworks #southWales #steel #steelIndustry #steelStrategy #steelworks #TataSteel #TataSteelworks #Trostre #TrostreSteelworks #UKGovernment #WelshSteel
Striking footage captures the last days before shutdown. -
Today, protests return to the city streets with a general strike of all metalworkers. In Taranto, the strike scheduled for 7:00 a.m. has been ...#exilva #formerilvataranto #TopNews #Genoastrike
In Genoa, metalworkers at the former Ilva steelworks strike, clashing with police and firing tear gas. -
Today, protests return to the city streets with a general strike of all metalworkers. In Taranto, the strike scheduled for 7:00 a.m. has been ...#exilva #formerilvataranto #TopNews #Genoastrike
In Genoa, metalworkers at the former Ilva steelworks strike, clashing with police and firing tear gas. -
Today, protests return to the city streets with a general strike of all metalworkers. In Taranto, the strike scheduled for 7:00 a.m. has been ...#exilva #formerilvataranto #TopNews #Genoastrike
In Genoa, metalworkers at the former Ilva steelworks strike, clashing with police and firing tear gas. -
Today, protests return to the city streets with a general strike of all metalworkers. In Taranto, the strike scheduled for 7:00 a.m. has been ...#exilva #formerilvataranto #TopNews #Genoastrike
In Genoa, metalworkers at the former Ilva steelworks strike, clashing with police and firing tear gas. -
PORT TALBOT: Drug-driver jailed after killing much-loved ex-council leader
Zack Mason, an unaccompanied learner driver, was over the legal cannabis limit when he struck 85-year-old Thomas Noel Crowley in Port Talbot.
The tragic incident happened on Water Street in Sandfields at around 5.45pm on Saturday, December 7, 2024.
Mr Crowley, a former leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, was crossing the road when he was hit by Mason’s blue Skoda Fabia.
He was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff with severe head injuries, a fractured rib, and a fractured pelvis.
Sadly, Mr Crowley, described as a “much loved and much respected” man, died three days later on December 10.
Swansea Crown Court heard that Mason, then aged 20, had pulled out of the Blanco’s hotel car park where he worked and driven just 25 metres before the collision.
Prosecutor Hannah George stated that Mr Crowley was “established on the road crossing” and “there to be seen by vehicles using the road.”
Mason, now 22, was arrested at the scene. A blood test later revealed he had 2.3mg of cannabis in 100ml of blood, exceeding the legal limit of two.
In his police interview, Mason claimed a motorist had “flashed” him out of the car park, distracting him as he thanked them.
He admitted consuming cannabis two days prior and acknowledged it was a “stupid” mistake to drive unaccompanied on a provisional licence.
Police mugshot of Zack Mason
(Image: South Wales Police)Mr Crowley’s family described him in a moving statement as a man of “fairness and compassion” and a “champion of social equality.”
Known as Noel, he was a well-known community stalwart and a devout Catholic who lived his entire life in Port Talbot.
He had been with his wife Anne for 70 years, and the court heard she now sleeps each night with the hat he was wearing when he was knocked down.
A bricklayer by trade, he rose to become deputy manager for American contracting company Hecketts at the local steelworks.
He was awarded a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II for his community service and was also a Deputy Lieutenant and Freeman of the Borough.
His family said he “greeted everyone with a smile, had a wonderful ability to make you laugh and was a great storyteller.”
He was also a key carer for his grandson Sam, who has autism, and was “missed in every tiny detail of the day.”
Mason, of Lorraine Close, Sandfields, Port Talbot, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the drug limit and driving without a licence.
The court heard his provisional licence had been revoked the previous year after he was caught driving without insurance.
David Singh, defending, said Mason took full responsibility and had stopped using cannabis since the incident.
He argued it was not a case of speeding or mobile phone use, but Mason had “clearly not been concentrating” with “devastating consequences.”
Judge Huw Rees said no sentence could mark the value of a life lost, describing Mr Crowley as “held in high esteem by all.”
PC Luis Tobenas from South Wales Police said: “Zack Mason took the decision to drive uninsured, without a licence and when he had recently consumed cannabis to a level exceeding the legal limit for driving. As a result, he cost Noel Crowley his life, and left his family and the wider community completely devastated.
“Mason will now have to live with what he has done for the rest of his life.
“Our thoughts remain with Mr. Crowley’s family, and we hope that this verdict gives them some comfort.”
Mason received a one-third discount for his guilty pleas and was sentenced to four years in prison.
He will serve half of the sentence in custody before being released on licence.
Mason has also been banned from driving for seven years and must pass an extended test to regain his licence.
#CBE #courts #Crime #drugDriving #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #NoelCrowley #PortTalbot #SouthWalesPolice #ZackMason -
#Russia and #Ukraine exchanged over 100 prisoners of war each on Saturday as #Kyiv marked its third Independence Day since #Moscow’s full-scale invasion.
Ukraine said the 115 Ukrainian servicemen who were freed were conscripts, many of whom were taken prisoner in the first months of Russia’s invasion. Among them are nearly 50 soldiers captured by Russian forces from the #Azovstal steelworks in #Mariupol.
https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-08-24-2024-a7b06472aa1d96f39e417379c6d1782c
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Back to the #GwentLevels for a #Wander today, From #Goldcliff to #Redwick. Pictured are:
- The Second Severn Crossing (don't make me say it's official name 😏 )
- A "Putcher Rank"; historically, baskets would have been suspended between these rows of stakes to catch fish .
- Looking along Windwill Reen, Llanwern Steelworks in the distance
- St Thomas' Chuch in Redwick showing the highest level the water reached in the "Great Flood of 1606". -
PORT TALBOT JACKPOT: Steelworkers’ syndicate scoop £1M – and reunion to remember
A 15-strong syndicate of ex-colleagues from Port Talbot is celebrating after scooping a life-changing £1,000,000 in the EuroMillions draw.
The group – dubbed the “Tata Steel Syndicate” – first started playing together while working long shifts in the finance team at the town’s iconic steelworks.
What began as a bit of fun to lift spirits during 14-hour days turned into a seven-year tradition… and now a huge payday.
At the heart of it all is syndicate leader Paul Davy, 61, who kept the group going long after colleagues moved on – sending weekly emails and organising their £5 entries.
He said: “I couldn’t believe it – a message just popped up on the app.
“I thought it must be an error, but then I saw the winning code. I was in complete shock.”
Members of the Port Talbot syndicate celebrate their £1 million EuroMillions win on the seafront after scooping the jackpot.
(Image: Matthew Horwood/PA Media Assignments)The win came via the Millionaire Maker code in the Friday February 27 draw – instantly making every member of the syndicate a winner.
But for Paul, the money is only part of the story.
“This win has given us the perfect excuse to celebrate together properly,” he said. “We haven’t all been in the same room for years.”
Despite going their separate ways professionally, the group remained close – staying in touch through emails, occasional meet-ups and the odd pint.
Now, they’re planning a full reunion to mark the moment their loyalty finally paid off.
Among those celebrating the windfall are Gill Furlong, Christine Davies, Sally Wise, Julie Lambert, Allan Evans, Ian Howells and Raja Prasad – all still living locally.
The group say the winnings will go towards a mix of practical plans and long-held dreams.
Top of the list? Paying off mortgages, dream kitchen renovations, new cars and long-awaited holidays.
For Paul, a return to cruising is firmly on the cards.
“Me and my partner went on a cruise a couple of years ago and loved it,” he said. “So another one – maybe the Mediterranean – is definitely on the list.”
The 15-strong syndicate pose together after their life-changing EuroMillions win.
(Image: Matthew Horwood/PA Media Assignments)The syndicate had always treated their weekly ticket as “a bit like donating to charity with a chance of winning” – a mindset that made the shock even greater when their numbers finally came in.
And while the £1 million prize will be split between the 15 members, the real reward might just be the friendships it has rekindled.
After years of near-misses, hopeful emails and small stakes, their persistence has paid off in spectacular fashion – turning a simple workplace tradition into a story they’ll never forget.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
UK ticket holder scoops massive £181M EuroMillions jackpot
One of the biggest wins in UK history as a lucky player lands a life-changing fortune.Welsh couple scoop second £1M lottery win in Christmas miracle
Incredible double jackpot leaves couple celebrating twice.Lottery winners help spread Christmas magic across Swansea Bay
Big winners give back to the community with festive generosity.Neighbours celebrate £1M postcode lottery windfall
Joy as a local community shares in a huge prize.Mount Pleasant mum bags £90k lottery win hours after surgery
A remarkable stroke of luck follows a tough day for Swansea mum.Where are Wales’ luckiest places to live?
New figures reveal the hotspots for lottery wins across the country.Welsh apprentices celebrate £1M lottery win
#Euromillions #EuromillionsWinner #featured #LotterWinners #Lottery #MillionaireMaker #PortTalbot #PortTalbotSteelworks #TataSteelSyndicate #TataSteelworks
Young workers strike it lucky with a life-changing prize. -
PORT TALBOT POWER PLAY: £64m wind hub plan promises 5,000 jobs in major shake-up
A £64 million plan to turn Port Talbot into a floating offshore wind hub has been unveiled — with ministers promising thousands of jobs and a major boost for South Wales.
The UK Government says the funding will help develop the port into a base for a new generation of wind farms in the Celtic Sea, capable of powering millions of homes.
But while the announcement is being hailed as a breakthrough, the reality is that Port Talbot has been edging towards this role for some time.
Previous studies have already explored how floating wind turbines could be launched from the town’s docks, while earlier reports have highlighted how ports across South Wales — including Swansea and Milford Haven — are competing for a slice of the emerging industry.
This latest funding is aimed at pushing Port Talbot to the front of that race.
The money will go to Associated British Ports (ABP) to carry out detailed design and engineering work needed to handle floating turbines — huge structures assembled onshore before being towed out to sea.
Artist’s impression of ABP’s vision for Port Talbot Harbour and the construction of massive floating wind turbines.
(Image: ABP)Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the project puts Wales “at the heart” of the UK’s clean energy push.
He added:
“With its deep waters and strong winds, we are supporting Wales to storm ahead in floating offshore wind — a pioneering industry that will support thousands of good jobs and unlock the next generation of clean, homegrown power.”
The Celtic Sea is seen as one of the best locations in Europe for floating wind, with the potential to generate at least 4.5GW of electricity — enough to power around 6.5 million homes.
For Port Talbot, the headline figure will be jobs, with up to 5,000 roles linked to the development if projects progress as expected.
But that depends on future investment decisions, and for now the funding is focused on planning rather than construction.
Henrik Pedersen, chief executive of ABP, said the agreement marked “real progress” towards making the port a key part of the industry.
He said:
“This development would drive industrial regeneration, support thousands of skilled jobs and ensure Wales captures the full economic benefit of this emerging sector.”
Ministers have also linked the investment to wider global tensions and rising energy costs.
The UK Government said recent conflict in the Middle East had exposed how vulnerable households and businesses remain to volatile fossil fuel markets beyond the UK’s control.
They argue that projects like floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea are key to “taking back control” of energy supply — while helping to bring down bills in the long term.
Funding for Port Talbot, they say, is part of a wider shift towards clean, homegrown power — while also bringing jobs and new industries to South Wales.
he Welsh Liberal Democrats have warned that Labour are missing a golden opportunity to create a local industrial supply chain.
Welsh Liberal Democrat, David Chadwick MP sounded a note of caution however.
He said:
“Any job creation is a positive step for Port Talbot, but Labour need to be honest about what this actually contains.
“These turbines are set to be built using imported steel and only assembled locally, not manufactured. This means much of the real economic value will still go elsewhere.
“We should be using projects like this to back Welsh industry, strengthen our local supply chains, and create long-term skilled jobs here in Wales, not just host the final stage.”The announcement comes as Port Talbot continues to reshape its identity following major changes at the steelworks.
The UK Government has already backed a new electric arc furnace and committed funding to support workers and businesses through the transition.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said the latest investment “heralds the next chapter” for the town.
She added:
“This is a significant moment for Port Talbot and a major step forward for the growing clean energy industry in Wales.”
There are also wider ambitions to turn the area into a clean energy hub, with the Celtic Freeport and offshore wind developments forming part of a bigger picture.
However, questions remain about how quickly those ambitions will translate into real-world change.
Despite the scale of the announcement, there is no confirmed timeline for construction, and final approvals are still needed before work can begin.
And while Port Talbot has been tipped before as a key player in offshore wind — including being linked to major Celtic Sea projects and infrastructure studies — large-scale developments have yet to materialise.
The project is also part of a wider and increasingly competitive race, with other ports in South Wales pushing hard to secure contracts linked to the booming offshore wind sector.
For now, ministers argue the investment is about more than just jobs — pointing to the need for greater energy security following global instability.
But for many locally, the key question will be simpler: when — and if — the promised benefits actually arrive.
After years of big regeneration pledges, there will be cautious optimism — but also a sense that the real test is still to come.
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Port Talbot tipped for key role as third Celtic Sea wind farm confirmed
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Competition between South Wales ports has been heating up as firms eye lucrative construction deals.Study launched into floating wind turbine deployment
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Research into how turbines could be launched from Port Talbot highlights the scale of infrastructure needed. -
Welsh Government demands urgent UK action as Port Talbot steel transition faces trade threat
The First Minister revealed she pressed the Prime Minister on the issue during a meeting last week, describing the need for UK Government action as “urgent” as the sector faces challenges including high energy costs, global overcapacity and growing trade barriers.
In a written statement published yesterday, Ms Morgan said the Welsh Government is calling for the UK Steel Strategy to be published “as a matter of utmost urgency” to provide clarity and confidence for workers and industry.
The intervention comes as Tata Steel UK’s transition to electric arc furnace steelmaking is firmly underway at Port Talbot, with the new 3.2 million tonne per annum facility due to be commissioned in late 2027 or early 2028.
Ms Morgan said EU trade measures have the potential to have “drastic consequences” for the Welsh steel sector at a time when it is already under immense trading pressure due to US tariffs and global overcapacity.
“The EU is our closest and strongest trading partner on steel, and we have been very clear with the UK Government that we urgently need to see it make a strong case for the EU to preserve our existing arrangements, especially at a time when our sector is transitioning to net zero,” the First Minister said.
The Welsh Government has also pressed the critical need for the UK to have robust steel measures to replace the UK steel safeguards, which are due to expire in June 2026.
“We have been clear that Wales and the UK cannot be left in a situation where all our major partners are implementing solutions to protect their steel sector, only to leave us open to potential dumping,” Ms Morgan said.
First Minister Eluned Morgan speaks with Tata Steel UK CEO Rajesh Nair at a recent Transition Board meeting in Port Talbot
(Image: Tata Steel UK)She said Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans heard firsthand from steel unions last week about their concerns for the sector.
The Welsh Government said robust steel measures are vital to the preservation of the steel industry in Wales and the UK, especially when considering the global overcapacity of steel and increased steel tariffs driven primarily by US tariffs on the sector.
Despite the challenges, the US continues to be an important market for Welsh steel, according to the Welsh Government, which said it continues to work with the UK Government to find a solution with the US that supports the steel sector.
The Welsh Government said it understands that the recent US Supreme Court ruling has no bearing on steel and therefore the UK Government needs to agree and implement the tariff-free quota for UK steel into the US as agreed under the UK-US economic prosperity deal, whilst considering the unique transitioning needs of the Welsh steel sector.
More broadly, the Welsh Government said the sector wants to see a truly competitive electricity pricing structure, greater leverage for using UK steel through public procurement, robust trade remedies and protection against carbon leakage.
Ms Morgan said the proposed UK Government Steel Strategy is an important piece of work investigating the policy issues the domestic steel sector continues to face, as well as researching the best opportunities for capital investment.
“The Welsh Government is calling for the strategy to be afforded the absolute top priority that it deserves, and that publication is made as a matter of utmost urgency,” she said.
“Industry needs clarity, and our steel workforce needs transparency and confidence.”
The Welsh Government said it understands the UK Steel Strategy is now due to be published in March.
Tata Steel’s Morfa Coke Ovens at its Port Talbot steelworks (Image: Tata Steel)Tim Rutter, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Tata Steel UK, welcomed the First Minister’s statement.
“It’s encouraging to see the Welsh Government continuing to champion the needs of the steel sector at such a critical time,” Mr Rutter said.
“Their call for urgent clarity on trade measures and the UK Steel Strategy echoes what our workforce and communities need – stability, certainty and a policy framework that supports a sustainable future for steelmaking in Wales.
“We look forward to continued constructive engagement as the sector navigates this period of transition.”
Tata Steel ceased ironmaking at its Port Talbot site in October 2024 and temporarily paused steelmaking pending the construction of the electric arc furnace. During that period, the business is importing slab and hot rolled coil to support manufacturing and distribution operations at sites across Wales, England and Northern Ireland.
The company has been undergoing a restructuring that will reduce the size of its workforce to around 5,000 direct employees, who it says will supply high-quality steel products to demanding markets including construction and infrastructure, automotive, packaging and engineering.
Tata Steel UK says its ambition is to produce net-zero steel by 2045 at the latest, and to have reduced 30 per cent of its CO2 emissions by 2030.
#ElunedMorganMS #EUTrade #FirstMinisterOfWales #industry #PortTalbot #PortTalbotSteelworks #RajeshNair #TataSteel #TataSteelTransitionBoard #TataSteelworks #USSteelTariff #USTariffs #WelshGovernment #WelshSteel -
Huge scale of sinkhole that keeps flooding Swansea revealed as diggers tear into site
The club — once a popular community venue — has now been completely demolished, clearing the way for Welsh Water’s contractors to dig down to a collapsed culvert buried around 10 metres beneath the site. The culvert is believed to have damaged a main trunk sewer and sits alongside the remains of a tramline that once served the old Cwmfelin steelworks.
The works mark the third phase of a long-delayed repair operation. The first phase involved filling the initial sinkhole beside the club. The second saw the building itself torn down. The third — now underway — is a full excavation to expose and repair the culvert.
A photo taken by local resident Mark Ludlam shows the scale of the operation, with heavy machinery working on a deep pit surrounded by fencing and pumping equipment.
Despite widespread assumptions on social media, the council is not responsible for the repair work. Responsibility lies with Cwmfelin Social Club’s insurers, and with Welsh Water and their insurers, who are overseeing the excavation and the complex sewer repairs beneath the site.
The sinkhole first opened up in August 2023, causing extensive damage to the club and its car park. Beneath the site lies a collapsed culvert, a sewer, and the remnants of a tramline — all of which have complicated the repair work.
The culvert collapse also damaged the main trunk sewer, forcing Welsh Water to install a temporary system running from the grounds of the former Libanus Chapel, along the pavement of Carmarthen Road, under the railway bridge and eastwards to a new connection point. The temporary pipework and pumping equipment remain in place, which is why one lane of Carmarthen Road between Cwmbwrla roundabout and Gors Avenue is still closed.
The issue has escalated over recent months, with repeated flooding incidents across Cwmbwrla, Manselton and Brynhyfryd. On September 14, the culvert collapse triggered a major flood at Cwmbwrla roundabout, leaving the junction impassable from all directions. It took a week to reopen, and the area has flooded multiple times since — including a November incident that left Reb’s Razors barbershop under two feet of water, destroying equipment and stock.
Cwmfelin sinkhole: Timeline of events
2021
A major water leak occurs on the main road outside Cwmfelin Social Club.January 2022
A small hole appears in the club’s car park near the toilets, described as the size of a dustbin lid.August 2023
Large cracks form and the club’s toilets collapse into a developing sinkhole, forcing the venue to close.September 2023
Severe storms cause major flooding at Cwmbwrla roundabout, with the collapsed culvert blamed for water inundating homes and businesses.October 2023
A sewer beneath Heol y Gors bursts, linked to the broken culvert and water backing up during heavy rain.October 2024
Investigations confirm a collapsed culvert 10 metres down, a disused tramline and a damaged sewer, complicating repairs due to the nearby railway line.July 2025
Plans are finalised to demolish the club to allow access for contractors to repair the culvert and sewer.September 2025
The club is formally slated for demolition as further flooding prompts renewed action.October 2025
Demolition of Cwmfelin Social Club begins, two years after the major collapse.January 2026
Excavation work begins to reach the collapsed culvert beneath the former club.Residents have suffered too. Nigel and Ian Davies, who had lived in their home for 50 years, were rescued by boat after floodwater surged through their property.
The council has repeatedly stressed that the collapsed culvert — not blocked drains — is the cause of the flooding, and that the responsibility for repairs sits with the club’s insurers and Welsh Water.
Club secretary Mike Kennedy has said he hopes the venue could one day be rebuilt on the land, depending on funding and the outcome of the repairs.
With excavation now progressing, residents are hoping this long-running saga may finally be moving toward a permanent fix — and an end to the disruption that’s hit the area in recent months.
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Officials say the collapsed culvert — not blocked drains — is behind the repeated floods.Councillor warns culvert collapse could leave Cwmbwrla at risk over Christmas
Fears raised over further flooding as repair delays continue.Cwmbwrla roundabout closed after cars submerged in flood water
Major disruption as councillor links the chaos to the collapsed culvert.Cwmbwrla flooding: Roundabout reopens but residents face long recovery
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Homes and businesses count the cost after another major flood. -
PORT TALBOT: Residents demand urgent upgrade to Coed Hirwaun’s only play park as petition tops 210 signatures
Residents in Coed Hirwaun are calling for urgent improvements to the area’s only children’s play park, saying the ageing facility is no longer safe or fit for purpose.
Coed Hirwaun — the modern estate near Margam Park sometimes called Margam Village — has around 500 homes and has grown steadily since Persimmon Homes first developed it following a planning permission granted in 1996. The area has its own primary school, a convenience store and playing fields.
But residents say the community’s one play area has not kept pace with the growth of the estate — and children are now using equipment that parents describe as both unsafe and too small for the number of children using it.
The frustration runs deeper than just a tired swing set. When the estate was originally granted planning permission, it was envisaged that a wider range of facilities would follow — including shops, a doctor’s surgery, offices and a community hall. Most of those facilities were never built. A community hall was set aside in a later planning permission granted in 2008, but was never developed either.
Now Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council is planning to add up to 900 more homes to the Coed Hirwaun site as part of its new development plan, earmarking it as a strategic site linked to the Celtic Freeport and the transition of the Tata steelworks. Residents say that makes the current state of the play park even harder to accept.
An online petition has gathered more than 210 signatures, and community posts on Facebook have attracted over 130 likes and more than 100 comments.
One resident said: “The park is the only one we have, but it’s just not big enough or safe enough for the number of children using it. It feels like our community has been overlooked.”
Another added: “We’re not asking for anything excessive — just something safe and suitable for the children who live here.”
The complaint draws on previous statements from Cllr Simon Knoyle — the independent councillor for Glynneath Central and East who serves as the council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance and Social Justice — who has said that “playgrounds are essential community resources” and that improvements would “make sure families have safe, modern places for children to play.” Residents want to know why that commitment has not been applied to Coed Hirwaun, which falls in the Margam and Tai-bach ward.
The community says it is willing to work constructively with the council to find a solution and explore funding opportunities, but feels the matter needs urgent attention.
A Neath Port Talbot Council spokesperson said: “We can confirm Coed Hirwaun Park remains safe for public use. We recognise that Coed Hirwaun Park is an ageing play space and may not offer the same level of play value as newly refurbished sites, but it is important to reassure residents that there are no current safety concerns. An annual inspection was carried out in February by an independent external contractor, which the playground passed. In addition, the Council undertakes weekly inspections carried out by a trained and qualified member of staff.
“Any minor defects or issues identified through inspections are addressed promptly as part of our ongoing maintenance programme. Recent works have included the replacement of litter bins and general maintenance such as swing chain repairs, ensuring the site continues to be safe and usable for the community. No major safety concerns have been raised during recent external or internal inspections.
“Neath Port Talbot Council has allocated funding for playground improvements on a safety‑led, risk‑based approach, focusing on sites identified as being at end of life or presenting higher safety risks. While Coed Hirwaun is not currently included in the funded refurbishment programme, the Council is actively exploring potential funding opportunities to support improvements across all council‑owned play facilities.
“Should additional funding be secured for further sites, including Coed Hirwaun, this will be clearly communicated to local residents.”
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The latest news from across the county borough. -
SWANSEA: Could the city be home to a new Eden Project-style resort? The team behind Xanadoo are actively looking for a site
A world-class visitor attraction inspired by Cornwall’s Eden Project is being considered for Swansea – but the developers say no site has yet been identified and they are actively inviting anyone with a suitable location to get in touch.
The project is called Xanadoo – a name that echoes Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s famous 1797 poem Kubla Khan, in which Xanadu is the pleasure dome of Kublai Khan, a place of magnificence and wonder. Xanadu also featured in Olivia Newton-John’s 1980 hit of the same name, giving the word a warm pop culture resonance for many visitors who would be the target audience. The developers have given it their own distinctive spelling.
Behind the plans is Gaynor Coley, one of the founders of Cornwall’s Eden Project, which transformed a former clay mine into a botanical garden and generated an estimated £6 billion in economic impact for Cornwall and the West Country over 30 years. Coley’s firm, Road to Happiness, which she runs with partner Susan Hill who also worked at the Eden Project, is behind the Xanadoo concept.
Coley, who is originally from Cwmbran, said she believed Xanadoo could do for south Wales what the Eden Project did for Cornwall. “We believe Xanadoo can do the same for south Wales as the Eden Project did for Cornwall. It will bring sustainable tourism, support hospitality and creativity, storytelling, digital and health and wellbeing,” she said.
The prospectus for the project estimates a site could attract 600,000 visitors a year and generate £15 million in annual revenue while employing 250 full-time staff, with an overall economic impact of £840 million over 30 years. The resort would have four core elements – a Gallery of Marvellous Solutions showcasing exhibits currently in storage in galleries and museums across the world; a food and craft market; a Tomorrow’s World innovation exhibit using VR and augmented reality; and a giant playground.
The primary focus of the developers appears to be south-east Wales, with Road to Happiness currently in discussions with Torfaen Borough Council, having previously worked with them on redesigning Greenmeadow Community Farm in Cwmbran. Sites in Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent are being actively considered. Swansea is mentioned as an additional possibility – with Coley saying she is “still open minded” and “actively looking for sites” in Swansea alongside Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent.
No specific Swansea site has been named and no discussions with Swansea Council have been confirmed. Online commenters have already begun speculating about potential locations – with the former Felindre Steelworks site emerging as one suggestion. The 16-hectare Parc Felindre site on the northern fringe of Swansea is the former Felindre Tinplate Works, remediated by a joint venture between Swansea Council and the Welsh Government, but it has remained largely undeveloped despite years of attempts to market it as a business and industrial park.
The steelworks employed 2,500 people at its peak in the 1970s before closing in 1989 – giving the site an industrial heritage that could echo Eden’s own clay mine origins. The site is well connected to the M4 at junction 46, though it sits well north of the city centre and the main tourist corridors.
If Swansea were selected, it would join a city that has been steadily building its credentials as a visitor destination. The Skyline development on Kilvey Hill is transforming one of the city’s most prominent landmarks into a major tourist attraction. The Hafod Morfa Copperworks – where Penderyn Distillery has opened a visitor experience – is being brought back to life as a heritage and hospitality destination in the Lower Swansea Valley.
Plans for an aquarium and lido at the Civic Centre site are also advancing, and beyond the city itself, the Gower Peninsula – the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – remains one of Wales’s most powerful draws for visitors, giving any major attraction in the area access to an already-established tourist catchment.
Torfaen Borough Council has discussed the project formally, though its deputy chief executive described it as a “potential tourism product” at “very, very early stages.” The concept film produced for Xanadoo describes it as seeking an iconic new-build or heritage site in south-east Wales – a region with a “powerful industrial legacy, dramatic landscapes and major nearby catchments.”
Whether Swansea ultimately features in those plans remains to be seen. Coley has encouraged anyone who thinks there is a location that could be right for Xanadoo to get in touch with Road to Happiness directly.
Swansea’s growing visitor economy
Council approves plan for Skyline development on Kilvey Hill
The ambitious hilltop attraction already transforming Swansea’s skyline.Welsh business chosen to bring new life to Swansea heritage buildings
The Hafod Morfa Copperworks coming back to life as a heritage and hospitality destination.New artist’s impression reveals dramatic transformation planned for Swansea’s Civic Centre
Plans for an aquarium, lido and major redevelopment of the civic centre site.Gower: The UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty turns 70
Why Gower remains one of Wales’s most powerful draws for visitors.All the exciting plans for Swansea as part of the £1bn regeneration programme
#EdenProject #Gowerton #SwanseaCouncil
The full picture of Swansea’s transformation ambitions. -
PORT TALBOT STEEL GETS NEW ROLE IN GREEN ENERGY FUTURE: Welsh consortium launches research into wind turbine towers made with local steel
Researchers backed by Welsh Government funding have launched a project that could see the steel being made in Port Talbot’s new electric arc furnace used to build the next generation of wind turbine towers — creating a direct link between the town’s industrial future and Wales’s clean energy ambitions.
The consortium, led by the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, includes Tata Steel UK, energy companies RWE and Bute Energy, and engineering firms Hutchinson Engineering and Ledwood. It has been awarded £174,000 through the Welsh Government’s SMART Flexible Innovation Support scheme to research a new approach to turbine tower design using thin strip, coil-based steel produced in low-emission electric arc furnaces.
The significance for Port Talbot is immediate. Tata Steel is currently in the middle of a £1.25 billion transition from blast furnace steelmaking to electric arc furnace production — a transformation that has already cost thousands of jobs at the steelworks but which the company says will deliver a cleaner, more competitive future. As Swansea Bay News has reported extensively, construction of the new furnace is now under way, with commissioning expected by the end of 2027 or early 2028.
The type of steel at the heart of this new research project — thin strip, coil-based product made in an electric arc furnace — is precisely the kind of output that Port Talbot’s new operation will be able to produce. That steel is also the feedstock that flows downstream to operations including the Trostre tinplate works in Llanelli, which produces coated steel for food and drink packaging and which is directly dependent on the Port Talbot supply chain.
The turbine tower research aims to solve a specific problem in the UK’s renewable energy sector. Most wind turbine towers currently built in Britain rely on thick steel plate imported from overseas — creating a bottleneck in the supply chain and adding cost and carbon to projects. The consortium wants to develop a design that replaces imported thick plate with domestically produced thin strip coil steel, using engineering techniques borrowed from the marine and aerospace industries to create structures that are lighter, stronger and cheaper.
Crucially, the proposed design would also be dismantlable and recyclable — meaning that when turbines reach the end of their working life, the steel could be melted down and reused. Bute Energy’s Catryn Newton described it as a circular economy vision for Welsh steel: end-of-life turbines helping to power homes and industry for decades could eventually be recycled through the electric arc furnace and transformed into the towers of the next generation.
“If we get this right, we could see end of life turbines that have been helping to power homes and industry across Wales for the past 30 years, recycled and sent to the newer electric arc furnaces,” she said. “The work of this group is exploring whether that scrap metal can be transformed into a material that could be used in the next generation turbine towers, helping to power Wales’ clean power future.”
Computer-generated perspective of how Tata Steel at Port Talbot will look once the new EAF (electric arc furnace) is fully completed.
(Image: Tata Steel)Tata Steel’s Sumitesh Das said the company was excited to be involved in research that could position Wales as a global hub for this kind of innovation. “As Tata Steel UK transitions to electric arc furnace steelmaking, our ambition is to ensure domestic supply chains capitalise on the growth of clean energy and help drive economic growth in the UK,” he said.
The project comes as Port Talbot’s industrial community continues to navigate the painful consequences of the blast furnace closures, which took around 2,800 jobs with them. The hope — articulated by politicians, unions and the company itself — has been that the new electric arc furnace would not only preserve steelmaking in the town but open doors to new markets and new applications for Welsh steel. This wind tower project is one of the first concrete examples of what that future might look like in practice.
Aberafan Maesteg MP Stephen Kinnock welcomed the research, saying it was essential that British and Welsh steel played a central role in the clean energy transition. “This research demonstrates how Wales and the UK can remain at the forefront of the transition to renewable energy,” he said. “By decreasing reliance on imported steel we can bolster energy security, create economic growth, secure regional jobs, and support offshore wind deployment in the Celtic Sea and beyond.”
Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, said the investment reflected the Welsh Government’s commitment to building a greener economy. She pointed to the potential for creating high-value jobs and strengthening supply chains as Welsh industry pivots towards clean energy.
The Celtic Sea, off the coast of Pembrokeshire and west Wales, is one of the most promising sites for floating offshore wind development in the UK. Port Talbot — with its established steel expertise, its port infrastructure and its proximity to that potential wind farm zone — has long been identified as a natural base for offshore wind supply chain activity. As Swansea Bay News has reported, a £64 million wind energy hub plan for Port Talbot has already been put forward with the promise of up to 5,000 jobs.
The first phase of the new research project will focus specifically on onshore turbine tower design and the commercial case for using locally produced coil steel. If the concept proves viable, the researchers say it could be extended to offshore and floating wind applications in later phases — potentially unlocking a significant new market for the steel being made in Port Talbot and processed downstream at Trostre.
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An inside look at the transformation under way at the steelworks — and what it means for the future of steel in South Wales.Tata Steel begins new project at Port Talbot in £1.25bn green plan
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The wider vision for Port Talbot as a centre for clean energy — and how today’s research fits into that bigger picture. -
Another 95 new homes planned for Pontarddulais farmland
The scheme is being brought forward by Derwen May Homes, a company founded in 2024 by Cardiff-born Huw Llewellyn, who previously held senior roles at Barratt Homes and Persimmon Homes. Pontarddulais is the firm’s first site since incorporation.
According to the developer’s consultation page and the accompanying Design and Access Statement, the plans include a mix of one to four-bedroom houses, with 14 affordable homes. The layout promises green corridors, rain gardens, and shared open spaces, with streets designed to favour pedestrians over cars. The architects say the scheme will “avoid the generic housebuilder aesthetic seen elsewhere” by reflecting the agricultural character of the site.
A development pitched as “landscape-led”
The proposals emphasise public space over large private gardens, with natural play areas and walking routes integrated into the design. Homes would be built with air source heat pumps, solar panels, and electric vehicle charging points, aiming to reduce running costs for residents.
Derwen May Homes say the project is intended to create a “distinct identity” for a new neighbourhood on the edge of Pontarddulais, while making use of existing landscape features such as hedgerows and mature trees.
More details about the scheme are available on the developer’s Kyffin Meadows site.
Kyffin Meadows artist’s impression showing pedestrian-friendly design and landscaped public realm (Image: Pentan Architects / Derwen May Homes)Pontarddulais facing wave of housing proposals
This latest plan adds to a growing list of developments proposed for Pontarddulais. Earlier this year, Walters Group submitted plans for 150 homes on the site of the former Tata Steelworks. Meanwhile, Persimmon Homes has brought forward a 500-home “zero-carbon ready” scheme, which has also been the subject of public consultation.
A separate proposal for 30 homes on the former Clayton Works site was dismissed at appeal earlier this year on flood risk grounds, but the volume of schemes still on the table has prompted community pushback. Residents have raised concerns about traffic, school capacity, healthcare access, and the loss of green space, warning that the town risks being overwhelmed by development.
Wider housing pressures in Swansea
The Bolgoed Farm scheme also comes against the backdrop of Swansea’s wider housing targets. A Swansea Bay News investigation revealed that just 300 of the 7,000 homes promised under the city’s housing blueprint have been built so far.
Developers argue new homes are essential to meet demand, but critics say Pontarddulais risks being disproportionately affected without matching investment in infrastructure.
What happens next
Derwen May Homes is currently running a statutory pre-application consultation, with a formal planning application expected to be submitted to Swansea Council in due course.
If approved, the Kyffin Meadows development would significantly expand the town’s southern boundary and add to the tally of new homes being proposed for Pontarddulais.
Swansea Bay News will continue to follow the story as it develops.
#bolgoedFarm #bolgoedRoad #construction #derwenMayHomes #housingDevelopment #huwLlewellyn #kyffinMeadows #napierRoad #newHomes #pontarddulais
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‘Green power’ boost for Port Talbot as council green-lights major substation expansion
Neath Port Talbot Council has unanimously approved the major application from National Grid to extend the Margam 275kV substation, located just off Harbour Way.
The project is being hailed as a “key” development that will provide the essential power needed for Tata Steel’s new £1.25 billion electric arc furnace. It follows the appointment of Sir Robert McAlpine as the main contractor for the site’s decarbonisation.
This latest approval comes as Port Talbot motorists already face up to 12 months of roadworks while the wider underground electricity network is upgraded to support the transition.
Council bosses have confirmed that the extended site will connect via underground cables to a separate substation within the Tata Steelworks, feeding the new “green” furnace. Work has already begun on the furnace project, which aims to replace the traditional blast furnaces.
The works at the Margam site will include the construction of a new gas-insulated switchgear hall and a modern control building, replacing older facilities.
Planning officers have confirmed that the project also includes significant upgrades to site lighting, CCTV, and internal access roads, along with a new flood defence wall.
Cllr Rob Jones, representing Margam and Taibach, has described the extension as a “key project” that is essential for the survival of the local industry.
“Without this substation extension taking place… the whole future of steelmaking in Port Talbot and the county borough is at serious risk,” Cllr Jones has warned.
The council has confirmed that the approval is subject to a legal agreement to maintain an off-site ecological management area for the next 30 years to protect local wildlife.
While the substation does not directly supply residential homes in Margam, its role in supporting the major infrastructure upgrade is seen as critical for the region’s economic future.
The move marks another significant milestone for the electric arc furnace project, which was first approved by Neath Port Talbot Council in February 2025. The transition follows the dramatic closure of the Morfa Coke Plant and the blast furnaces, which saw thousands of jobs put at risk. Despite the £500m UK Government funding to support the move, the community continues to show resilience amid the transition.
#Business #electricArcFurnace #greenEnergy #Infrastructure #Margam #NationalGrid #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #PortTalbot #roadworks #TataSteel