US primary aluminum producer Century Aluminum has extended the power contract for its Iceland smelter, Norðurál Grundartangi ehf, for three more years.
According to a statement by the company, Landsvirkjun will provide power to the Grundartangi smelter through 2026. The plant is rated at 260,000mt of primary aluminum output per year and runs on electricity made from renewable sources like hydro and solar.
Jesse Gary, Century’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said that the extension will help the company gradually ramp up production and future growth. Rio Tinto recently extended a similar contract with Landsvirkjun after threatening to discontinue operations due to the high cost of electricity for its ISAL smelter.