Century may restart Ravenswood by year-end

Apr 25, 2012 | 03:52 PM | Suzy Waite

Tags  Century Aluminum, Michael Bless, Ravenswood, LME, Hawesville, Constellium, Alcoa, Suzy Waite

NEW YORK — Century Aluminum Co.’s idled Ravenswood, W.Va., smelter could restart as soon as the end of this year, according to company president and chief executive officer Michael Bless.

"The market environment in the U.S., both current and prospective, is conducive to reopening this plant," he said. "The supply/demand equation in the U.S., the products that (Ravenswood) has produced successfully and will produce and the customers for whom it will produce, we think that whole mix is an attractive one."

The Monterey, Calif.-based aluminum producer will submit an application to the Public Service Commission of West Virginia in the next week in an effort to secure a power contract that will protect the 170,000-tonne-per-year smelter amid weak prices on the London Metal Exchange, Bless said. ....