Portland aluminium smelter
Encyclopedia
The Portland aluminium smelter is located at
Portland, Victoria, Australia
.
The smelter has a production capacity of 345,000 tonnes of aluminium per year
The smelter is a joint venture owned by
Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals
, 55% (owned by Alcoa
60 % and Alumina Limited
40%),
CITIC
22.5% and Marubeni
22.5%. Alcoa manages the smelter operations.
The smelter was commissioned between 1986 and 1988. It consists of two potlines of Alcoa A817 reduction cells, operating at a line current of over 310kA.
Portland is the only smelter using this technology. Alumina is delivered bi-weekly from Western Australia via a ship known as "The Portland". From the harbour, it is transported to the smelter via an enclosed conveyor belt several kilometres long. The majority of aluminium ingots are trucked out of Portland to other ports, although some is shipped directly from the Port of Portland.
The smelter has been the subject of significant controversy since its inception in 1986. In 1984, under the leadership of John Cain
, the ALP
government signed a joint venture agreement with Alcoa to build an aluminium smelter at Portland. The State Government entered into a deal with Alcoa, which provides for subsidised electricity until 2016, at a price linked to the world price of aluminium. It is estimated that the cost of electricity for the smelter is $14 per MWh (1.4 cents per kWh), and that it has cost the state more than $2 billion over 20 years. The Portland smelter is believed to consume between 18 and 25 per cent of the state's electricity. Given that most of this energy is derived from brown coal in the Latrobe Valley
, the production of aluminium is a significant contributor to Victoria's
greenhouse
emissions.
In March 2010 it was announced that the operators of Loy Yang B power station (Loy Yang Power) had signed a contract with the smelter operators for the supply of electricity to power aluminium smelters at Portland and Point Henry
until 2036, the existing power contracts expire in 2014.
Portland, Victoria, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The smelter has a production capacity of 345,000 tonnes of aluminium per year
The smelter is a joint venture owned by
Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals
Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals
Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals is a joint venture between Alumina Limited and Alcoa and is abbreviated to AWAC. AWAC's business is the mining of bauxite, the extraction of alumina and the smelting of aluminium. It has about 25% of the global alumina market...
, 55% (owned by Alcoa
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
60 % and Alumina Limited
Alumina Limited
Alumina Limited is a public company listed on the Australian and New York Stock Exchanges. It was formed in 2003 in a demerger from Western Mining Corporation, and is one of the largest companies on the ASX....
40%),
CITIC
CITIC
Not to be confused with Citigroup, another large financial services company.Not to be confused with CIT Group, another large financial services company....
22.5% and Marubeni
Marubeni
is a Japanese trading company, one of the largest general trading companies in Japan.-Offices:*Head Office - 4-2, Otemachi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan*Head Office -20-6, Shiba 5-chome, Minato, Tokyo, Japan...
22.5%. Alcoa manages the smelter operations.
The smelter was commissioned between 1986 and 1988. It consists of two potlines of Alcoa A817 reduction cells, operating at a line current of over 310kA.
Portland is the only smelter using this technology. Alumina is delivered bi-weekly from Western Australia via a ship known as "The Portland". From the harbour, it is transported to the smelter via an enclosed conveyor belt several kilometres long. The majority of aluminium ingots are trucked out of Portland to other ports, although some is shipped directly from the Port of Portland.
The smelter has been the subject of significant controversy since its inception in 1986. In 1984, under the leadership of John Cain
John Cain II
John Cain , Australian Labor Party politician, was the 41st Premier of Victoria, holding office from 1982 to 1990.-Biography:...
, the ALP
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government signed a joint venture agreement with Alcoa to build an aluminium smelter at Portland. The State Government entered into a deal with Alcoa, which provides for subsidised electricity until 2016, at a price linked to the world price of aluminium. It is estimated that the cost of electricity for the smelter is $14 per MWh (1.4 cents per kWh), and that it has cost the state more than $2 billion over 20 years. The Portland smelter is believed to consume between 18 and 25 per cent of the state's electricity. Given that most of this energy is derived from brown coal in the Latrobe Valley
Latrobe Valley
The Latrobe Valley is an inland geographical region and urban area of Gippsland in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is east of the City Of Melbourne and nestled between the Strzelecki Ranges to the south and the Great Dividing Range to the north – with the highest peak to the north of the...
, the production of aluminium is a significant contributor to Victoria's
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
greenhouse
Greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect is a process by which thermal radiation from a planetary surface is absorbed by atmospheric greenhouse gases, and is re-radiated in all directions. Since part of this re-radiation is back towards the surface, energy is transferred to the surface and the lower atmosphere...
emissions.
In March 2010 it was announced that the operators of Loy Yang B power station (Loy Yang Power) had signed a contract with the smelter operators for the supply of electricity to power aluminium smelters at Portland and Point Henry
Point Henry smelter
The Point Henry aluminium smelter is located near Geelong, Victoria in the suburb of Moolap. The smelter has a production capacity of 185,000 tonnes of aluminium a year. It is operated by Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals Australia, a joint venture between Alcoa and Alumina Limited...
until 2036, the existing power contracts expire in 2014.