Modernization Prep At Kitimat Alcan Plant

Tuesday, December 14, 2010 08:45 AM

Kitimat, B.C.- Rio Tinto (Alcan) has announced it will be investing $300 million dollars (US) in construction preparation at the Kitimat smelter to get ready for the $2.5 Billion (US) dollar modernization of that plant.

Rio Tinto is setting the stage for new technology which it says will improve energy efficiency and reduce costs of aluminium production. The Kitimat modernization project will increase the smelter’s current production capacity by more than 48 per cent to approximately 420,000 tonnes per year. The zKitimat smelter will be powered exclusively by hydroelectricity and use the new technology to reduce its emissions intensity by more than 50 per cent per year.

Jacynthe Côté, chief executive, Rio Tinto Alcan, said “The modernization of our Kitimat smelter is truly a transformational project, in line with our strategic objective to grow via long-life, large-scale, low-cost assets. Once completed, Kitimat will be one of the lowest-cost smelters in the world.”

Previous Story - Next Story

Email |

Print |

Facebook |

Twitter |

Digg |

Del.icio.us

Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2010 08:45 AM in News by 250 News

Return to Home

Comments

Posted by: He spoke on December 14 2010 9:19 AM

Wahooo. Win win. for the bleeding hearts and the capitalist pigs.

Posted by: seamutt on December 14 2010 9:31 AM

He spoke, huh.

Posted by: He spoke on December 14 2010 9:50 AM

more aluminum and cleaning up their act.

Posted by: Palopu on December 14 2010 11:15 AM

This is a great project for creating jobs in the construction phase. Approx 2500 jobs over 4/5 years.

There is a downside though, and that is that when the project is completed there will be 400 less people working at the new plant than the old one.

This mill will be energy efficient, and the electricity saved will I suppose be sold to Hydro. Maybe this is where they are getting the power for highway 37.

In any event a positive happening. Good news for Kitimat over the long term.

Posted by: He spoke on December 14 2010 4:05 PM

If there was no savings in production costs, why do it. I wouldn't do it, if there was not a potential of reasonable return for taking this route. Would be cheaper just to shut it down.

Kitimat is using technology that is 60 years old. Thus they need to update or be mothballed. This is the reality of a global market place.

Posted by: frankgeorgeson on December 14 2010 6:35 PM

Is the Kemano 2 power project back in the mix??

Posted by: Surefire on December 14 2010 11:47 PM

Good stuff for Kitimat!! I would caution that the vote on the H.S.T. hasn't changed. I still can't afford to pay big buisness's share of taxes for 5 years. I am sure that there is an anxious work force of heighly skilled people ready to do the work. Once again I congratulate Alcan on their new found technology in producing aluminium.