Nippon Steel (OTCPK:NPSCY) (OTCPK:NISTF) promised to invest $14B to keep US Steel's aging plants operating for decades, but this week's deadly explosion at the Clairton coking plant - the largest in the U.

U.S. Steel last year settled a lawsuit brought by environmental groups over emissions that stemmed from the 2018 Clairton plant fire. The settlement with the groups and the county included $19.5 million in coke-oven upgrades and $17.5 million in other plant improvements.

Todd Barrett was with a crew of laborers at the Clairton coke works that morning when they all felt something. It was an explosion at batteries 13 and 14 at the plant. The batteries consist of dozens of tall,