Venezuelan state-owned steelmaker Complejo Siderurgico Nacional (CSN) resumed operations at three plants late last week, basic industries minister Juan Arias said Monday.
The plants that resumed operations were Antimano, located in Caracas state, Barquisimeto and Lara, both of which are located in Lara state.
"This is part of an economic reactivation plan," Arias said in a statement.
At the end of May, the company resumed operations at the Casima plant after a four-month halt. The plant, located in Puerto Ordaz, has an installed billet-casting capacity of 42,000 mt/month.
The Casima and Barquisimeto plants produce crude steel, while the others are rolling plants.
The plan was to produce around 800 mt/day of billet in the initial phase of reactivation, but according to the general manager of the Casima plant, Alejandro Alvarez, CSN is producing "an average of 1,000 mt/day."
The billet would be directed to its Guarenas rolling plant, but, in addition to the Valencia plant, it is still offline.
"The Guarenas and Valencia plants will resume operations in the next few days," said Arias. The Guarenas plant, located in Miranda state, has an annual rolling capacity of 70,000-75,000 mt of long products.
CSN had said that in an initial phase, due to energy constraints, it would operate three shifts out of four. Arias said the company will receive 30% of its required energy needs and may work at reduced production levels.
CSN -- the former Sidetur -- produces rebar, beams, profiles, sections, billet, mesh, trusses, bars, plates, joist and wires at its various units. It also operates 15 scrapyards.
