Abstract: An electric arc furnace includes a melting vessel having a top opening and an inside wall surface. A removable roof is positioned over the top opening and can be removed for permitting the charging of scrap into the melting vessel. An electrode extends through the roof into the melting vessel. A slag door portion defines a slag discharge opening discharged from the melting furnace. An arcuate configured water-cooled panel includes opposing upper and lower ends and opposing side ends. This water-cooled panel is mounted in the melting vessel above the slag door portion so that the lower end is angled inwardly away from an adjacent inside surface of the melting vessel. The side ends curve toward the adjacent inside surface of the melting vessel to minimize any arcing between the opposing side ends and the electrodes, and to avoid damage from scrap charging. The water-cooled panel forms a scrap free area adjacent to slag door portion.