Aluminium Smelter To Resume Full Output By Year End

by Jim
(Anglesey)

Following a fire in one of its electricity transformers in June, the Anglesey Aluminium smelter outside Holyhead should be back to normal output by year end, according to a spokesman at the Rio Tinto - Kaiser jointly owned plant.

The disaster led to production being slashed by around 2/3rds at the plant, which employs around 540 people, but now one potline is working at 50% capacity.

Inevitably, with only operating at a third of normal capacity the plant's electricity demand has fallen.

Later this month further work is due to be carried out to get the second potline back into operation.

Anglesey Aluminium gets its electricity supply from the nearby Wylfa Nuclear Power Station at Cemaes, but the contract is due to end in 2009.

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