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Aluminium smelter lacking rain
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
1 min read
The operators of New Zealand's only aluminium smelter would like some rain, and plenty of it.
Decreasing water levels in the South Island hydro lakes has electricity spot market prices fluctuating.
The price fluctuations mean power consumption at the Tiwai Point smelter has been reduced and production levels ramped downwards over the last couple of weeks.
New Zealand Aluminium Smelters general manager Ryan Cavanagh is philosophical.
"We just need to hope that lady luck shines our way with the weather, we can't control that but what we can control is how well we run the operation here and we're doing that to the best of our ability."
But Mr Cavanagh says it's not the sort of start to the year they wanted - particularly as the goal is to beat last year's record production levels.
He says the smelter produced 354,030 tonnes of saleable aluminium in 2011.
"We are very proud of that achievement and obviously aiming to better that again this year."
Decreasing water levels in the South Island hydro lakes has electricity spot market prices fluctuating.
The price fluctuations mean power consumption at the Tiwai Point smelter has been reduced and production levels ramped downwards over the last couple of weeks.
New Zealand Aluminium Smelters general manager Ryan Cavanagh is philosophical.
"We just need to hope that lady luck shines our way with the weather, we can't control that but what we can control is how well we run the operation here and we're doing that to the best of our ability."
But Mr Cavanagh says it's not the sort of start to the year they wanted - particularly as the goal is to beat last year's record production levels.
He says the smelter produced 354,030 tonnes of saleable aluminium in 2011.
"We are very proud of that achievement and obviously aiming to better that again this year."
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