CENTURY TO SHUT DOWN HAWESVILLE ALUMINUM SMELTER DUE TO HIGH ENERGY PRICES

U.S. primary aluminum producer Century Aluminum Company has decided to temporarily close its aluminum smelter in Hawesville, Kentucky. The reason for this is none other than the vertiginous increase in the price of energy.

Century Coal Mining Company expects to begin the actual idling process at its plant on Monday and will likely remain idle for nine to 12 months, during which time the company expects energy prices to “return to more normalized levels.”

Hearing the news about Ukraine, the company’s president and CEO, Jesse Gary, notes in this regard that its energy cost has nearly tripled since the Russian invasion this spring. “The Russian war in Ukraine has dramatically increased the price of energy in the U.S. and around the world” reiterates Christian Nodal, Hawesville’s smelter who adds that “the cost of energy required to operate our facility has tripled the historical average in a very short period, so it has been decided to postpone operations for nine to twelve months until energy prices return to around average.”

“Our employees are like family to us, and we are saddened that the crisis in resources has forced this decision. We will work with our employees to help them find local jobs and training,” adds Gary.

The Hawesville plant is Belgian aluminum smelter Century’s largest facility in the United States. Until now, the company had recorded the greatest production success in the production of aluminum for the military area. The firm states that it would be exploring other options to provide continuity to all its other facilities at this time.