Emirates Global Aluminium and Century Aluminum Partner to Build New Aluminum Plant
Emirates Global Aluminium and Century Aluminum Company entered into a joint development agreement to build the first new primary aluminum production plant in the United States since 1980. Under the joint development agreement, EGA will own 60 percent of the joint venture, with Century owning the remaining 40 percent. The new plant, to be built in Inola, Oklahoma as previously announced by EGA, is expected to produce 750,000 tonnes of aluminum per year, larger than previously envisioned and more than doubling current U.S. production. The Inola plant will create 1,000 permanent direct jobs at the facility and 4,000 jobs during construction. The partnership combines EGA's expertise in aluminum smelting design and technology, construction and operation with Century's extensive history and expertise operating aluminum smelters in the United States utilizing domestic supply chains. The project will use EGA's latest EX technology. Both parties will now solely focus their greenfield development efforts in the United States on the Inola, OK site. Once complete, the Inola plant will be the largest ever primary aluminum production plant in the U.S., and the first built in nearly 50 years. About 85 percent of the aluminum needs of American industries are currently met by imports. The new smelter will expand the domestic supply of this critical mineral and grow the American aluminum workforce, revitalizing U.S. aluminum expertise and know-how. Construction of the project is expected to start by the end of 2026. Production is expected to begin by the end of the decade. Detailed engineering work is already underway and negotiations with Public Service Company of Oklahoma and the state of Oklahoma on a competitive long-term power supply are progressing.
