Century Aluminum Company has extended its power agreement with South Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper), securing reliable electricity for the Mt. Holly smelter through 2031, an essential step toward restarting idle capacity at the Charleston-area facility.
The renewed PPA advances Century’s ambition to help revive US primary aluminium production. The company plans to invest USD 50 million to bring idle lines back online, adding 50,000 metric tons of output and lifting overall US aluminium supply by 10 per cent. The expansion will create 100+ jobs and enable Mt. Holly, now at 75 per cent capacity, to reach full production by early summer 2026, its first time at that level since 2015.
“This expansion at our Mt. Holly plant is thanks to President Trump’s hard work to support American manufacturing, which is making it possible to create these important new manufacturing jobs for South Carolinians, along with the hundreds of millions of dollars of economic impact it will have on the surrounding communities where our employees live. We’re excited to lead the way in revitalising US aluminium production as Mt. Holly returns to full capacity,” said CEO Jesse Gary.
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The restart is fuelled by the Trump administration’s backing of the US aluminium industry, reinforced by recent hikes in Section 232 tariffs implemented without any exclusions or exceptions. At full capacity, the Mt. Holly smelter is expected to add roughly USD 900 million a year to South Carolina’s economy, with new roles averaging USD 125,000 in annual pay, according to a 2024 University of South Carolina study.
Santee Cooper President and CEO Jimmy Staton said, “Century Aluminum is a major contributor to economic prosperity in Berkeley County and the entire Charleston region, and they are playing a leading role in regenerating America’s aluminium industry. Santee Cooper is proud to be the power behind Century, supporting the quality products they produce, the important contributions they make to our community, and the quality jobs they provide to our neighbours. We are pleased to be part of this expansion and look forward to working together for many more years.”
Century Aluminum credited its close partnership with Santee Cooper for reaching the agreement, noting that both parties worked collaboratively to finalise terms. The restart’s remaining specifics will depend on confirmation of economic incentives from Berkeley County and the State of South Carolina.
“I would like to thank the entire Santee Cooper team for their efforts in reaching this power extension to allow us to restart the idle capacity at Mt. Holly. We are excited to continue our relationship as we increase economic opportunity and prosperity for South Carolinians together,” Gary said.
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