CVG Comsigua DRI plant (Complejo Siderúrgico de Guayana) is a steel plant in Ciudad Guayana, Anzoátegui, Venezuela that operates direct reduced iron (DRI) technology.
The Comsigua DRI plant began operations in 1998 as a joint venture between Kobe Steel, Tamsa México, and the Corporación Venezolana de Guayana.[1] The plant's full name - Complejo Siderúrgico de Guayana - reflects the owners' original vision of creating a larger steel complex comprising two DRI plants, an EAF melt shop and continuous casting facilities.[1] However, financial concerns caused the project to be limited to iron reduction only.[1]
Comsigua produced more than 1 million tonnes of briquettes annually during its first several years of operation, but production dropped off sharply after the plant was nationalized in 2009.[1] Tenaris, the parent corporation of Tamsa México, successfully brought legal charges for breach of international treaty, forcing the Venezuelan government to pay compensatory damages of US $31.7 million in 2011.[1] Comsigua's DRI production, which plummeted to near zero by 2016[1], has recovered somewhat in recent years but continues to be negatively impacted by Venezuela's fragile economy. Comsigua barely achieved 25% of its operational capacity in 2020, and workers have reported that the plant is falling apart and in serious need of new investment.[2]
To access additional data, including an interactive map of steel plants, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Iron and Steel Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
