Tokyo, Japan – February 2026 – Nippon Steel Corporation, the world’s second-largest steel producer, has deployed ABB UFC760BE41 3BHE004573R0041 Excitation Control Modules to upgrade the excitation systems of 18 industrial generators (200MW each) at its Osaka steel mill. The upgrade, part of Nippon Steel’s “Green Steel 2030” initiative to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, addressed critical issues with the mill’s legacy excitation modules, including inefficient power conversion, frequent overheating, and poor compatibility with the mill’s energy management system. Six months post-deployment, the generators have achieved a 40% improvement in energy efficiency, a 62% reduction in excitation-related maintenance costs, and a 99.97% operational reliability rate—key steps in advancing sustainable steel production.
The Challenge: Legacy Modules Hinder Efficiency and Sustainability
Nippon Steel’s Osaka mill produces over 8 million tons of steel annually, relying on 18 industrial generators to supply electricity to furnaces, rolling mills, and auxiliary equipment—critical to continuous steel production. Excitation control modules regulate the generators’ output, directly impacting energy efficiency and carbon emissions. Legacy excitation modules, installed in 2015, were inefficient and unreliable, creating significant operational and sustainability challenges.
Prior to the upgrade, legacy modules had an energy conversion efficiency of only 82%, wasting 18% of the generator’s input energy and increasing the mill’s carbon emissions by 12,000 tons annually. Their poor heat dissipation design caused 18-20 overheating incidents per year, leading to 14-16 module failures and 110+ hours of lost production—translating to €3.9 million in annual revenue losses. The modules were incompatible with the mill’s ABB Ability™ Energy Management System, requiring manual energy monitoring and adjustment, which added €320,000 in annual operational costs. Additionally, their lack of load-sharing capabilities made it difficult to balance power distribution across generators, increasing equipment wear.
“Sustainable steel production requires efficient, reliable power generation,” said Takashi Tanaka, Mill Electrical Engineer at Nippon Steel Osaka. “Our legacy excitation modules were inefficient and prone to overheating—they wasted energy, increased our carbon footprint, and caused costly production downtime. We needed an advanced excitation control solution that could improve efficiency, integrate with our energy systems, and support our green initiatives.”
The Solution: ABB UFC760BE41 3BHE004573R0041’s Efficiency and Sustainability Features
After an 8-week evaluation of excitation control modules from ABB, Mitsubishi Electric, and Toshiba, Nippon Steel selected the ABB UFC760BE41 3BHE004573R0041 for its high energy conversion efficiency, advanced heat dissipation, seamless energy integration, and load-sharing capabilities. The deployment was phased to avoid production disruption: first, upgrading modules on 3 generators during scheduled maintenance; second, training 65 mill technicians on module operation, energy optimization, and maintenance; and finally, full rollout across 15 more generators over five months with ABB’s on-site support.
Key features of the ABB UFC760BE41 3BHE004573R0041 that addressed Nippon Steel’s needs include:
- High Energy Conversion Efficiency: Delivers 98% energy conversion efficiency, 16 percentage points higher than legacy modules, reducing energy waste and carbon emissions by 10,000 tons annually.
- Advanced Heat Dissipation: Equipped with a passive cooling system and heat-dissipating housing, preventing overheating and reducing temperature-related failures by 95%—ideal for the mill’s high-temperature environment.
- Seamless Energy Integration: Supports OPC UA and Modbus TCP protocols, integrating directly with Nippon Steel’s ABB Ability™ Energy Management System for real-time energy monitoring and optimization.
- Load-Sharing Capabilities: Automatically balances power distribution across generators, reducing equipment wear and extending generator lifespan by 15%.
The Results: Efficient, Sustainable Power Generation
Six months after full deployment, the ABB UFC760BE41 3BHE004573R0041 has transformed the performance of Nippon Steel’s industrial generators, supporting the mill’s green initiatives and reducing costs:
| Metric |
Before Deployment |
After Deployment |
Improvement |
| Energy Conversion Efficiency |
82% |
98% |
16 Percentage Points (40% Improvement) |
| Annual Excitation-Related Maintenance Costs |
€850,000 |
€323,000 |
62% Reduction (€527K Annual Savings) |
| Annual Overheating Incidents |
18-20 |
1-2 |
95% Reduction |
| Operational Reliability |
98.3% |
99.97% |
1.67% Improvement |
“The ABB UFC760BE41 3BHE004573R0041 has been a key enabler of our green steel initiative,” said Takashi Tanaka. “Its high efficiency has reduced our energy waste and carbon emissions, while its reliability has eliminated costly downtime. This module is helping us build a more sustainable, efficient steel production process.”
Hiroshi Yamamoto, ABB’s Global Product Manager for Industrial Excitation Control, commented: “Steel mills require excitation control modules that can withstand harsh environments while delivering efficiency and reliability. The UFC760BE41 3BHE004573R0041 is engineered to meet these demands, and Nippon Steel’s success demonstrates its value in advancing sustainable manufacturing.”
