US Steel is suspending indefinitely the USD 1 billion modernization of its Clairton coke plant, a massive, multi-year project that was expected to create more than 600 construction jobs. When announced in November 2007, the project was hailed as the region’s largest construction project since Pittsburgh International Airport was completed in 1992. US Steel said it would build two new coke batteries, a plant that would generate electricity from gas produced by the coke-making process, and add state-of-the-art environmental controls to existing operations. US Steel broke ground on the project on 22 October 2008, and began laying off workers in November. About 3500 workers lost their jobs as the result of the idling of plants in Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota in December, when the steel producer said it would concentrate production at its mills in the Mon Valley; Gary, Indiana, and Huntsville, Alabama. Further cuts followed at mills in Texas and Canada. Another 500 nonunion workers accepted early retirement offers. At Clairton, the company has idled seven of the 12 batteries that produce coke, a baked coal used to fuel blast furnaces.