27 FEBRUARY 2013Aluminium International Today
Alcoa funds $20 million substation overhaul
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
1 min read
US aluminium giant Alcoa has invested $20 million overhauling two electricity sub-stations powering its Wenatchee smelter in Washington State, USA. The overhaul was designed to minimise the risk of a power outage at the plant.
The modernised McKenzie and Valhalla substations are owned respectively by Chelan County Public Utility District (PUD) and the Portland (Oregon)-based Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).
However, the Chelan County PUD has used part of the funding it received from Alcoa to buy a share in the Valhalla substation, making it the primary electricity supplier for the Wenatchee smelter.
Chelan PUD manager George Velazquez told the Wenatachee World website that both substations were now working and that they had to remain active throughout the overhaul process in order to maintain a power supply to the smelter's potlines.
During the overhaul – which brought together Chelan PUD, Alcoa and BPA – some of the parts replaced at both substations were over 60 years old.
The modernised McKenzie and Valhalla substations are owned respectively by Chelan County Public Utility District (PUD) and the Portland (Oregon)-based Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).
However, the Chelan County PUD has used part of the funding it received from Alcoa to buy a share in the Valhalla substation, making it the primary electricity supplier for the Wenatchee smelter.
Chelan PUD manager George Velazquez told the Wenatachee World website that both substations were now working and that they had to remain active throughout the overhaul process in order to maintain a power supply to the smelter's potlines.
During the overhaul – which brought together Chelan PUD, Alcoa and BPA – some of the parts replaced at both substations were over 60 years old.
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