A method for monitoring an electric arc furnace comprising the steps of: collecting data about operation of an electric arc furnace, the data including electrical data automatically collected from a furnace monitoring device and performance information automatically collected from at least one programmable logic computer; transmitting the collected data to a furnace monitoring system server having an operatively connected furnace monitoring viewer system; transmitting the collected data over a global computer network from the furnace monitoring system server to a web server; generating reports providing information concerning the historical operation of the furnace; and displaying the collected data and the generated reports in substantially real-time to authorized users via one or more of the furnace monitoring viewer system and the web server.