December 30, 2021

Alcoa suspends primary aluminum production at Spanish plant for two years.

Due to high electricity costs, the 228,000 mt/yr San Ciprian primary aluminum smelter will close in January 2022.  Production is set to restart on January 1, 2024.  As Alcoa will be making major investments in the plant and guaranteed future pay and employment, most employees voted in favor of the closure.  Prior to this investment announcement, Alcoa had been trying to sell the plant since 2020.  The plant has been plagued with worker strikes and unprofitability in recent years.  (12/30/2021) 

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