Homegrown steel major Tata Steel is actively engaged with the U.K. government for financial support for its business there, a company spokesperson said on Friday, amid reports of the Tatas looking to divest their steel business in the U.K.
"Tata Steel is seeking support from the U.K. government in two forms. In policy terms by encouraging the transition to green steel and ensuring a cost competitive landscape, and partnership in financing of the project given the size of investment and the financially constrained position of our U.K. business," the spokesperson told PTI.
The company at present is in active and detailed discussions with the U.K. government with relation to the future of the business. Currently, it is not in discussions with any potential buyers for the U.K. business, the spokesperson added.
Tata Steel owns the U.K.'s largest steelworks at Port Talbot in South Wales and employs around 8,000 people across all its operations in the country. The company is seeking 1.5 billion pounds from the U.K. government to execute its decarbonisation plans.
As part of the U.K.'s decarbonisation move and rising carbon costs in the country, it is necessary for Port Talbot to transition to alternative technologies to remain viable.
Tata Steel chief executive officer and managing director T V Narendran had earlier told PTI his company plans to invest Rs 8,500 crore in India and Rs 3,500 crore on operations in Europe in 2022-23 to increase product mix and transition to low CO2 technologies, in line with the company's goal to produce CO2-neutral steel by 2050 in Europe.
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