UC Rusal to consider Jamaican energy options for its alumina refineries

Phillip Paulwell, Jamaica's Mining Minister, has disclosed that UC Rusal, the Russian aluminium conglomerate, will soon be meeting with the Electricity Sector Enterprise Team (ESET) to give a report on energy projects it is contemplating for its alumina refineries in Jamaica.

UC Rusal is considering a number of options to generate electricity for ALPART, its alumina refinery at Nain in St Elizabeth, with a view to selling extra power to the national grid.

It had initially considered LNG and coal as fuel sources, but is believed to be reconsidering those options, given the current low price of oil. "They will be in Jamaica at the end of this month," Paulwell told RJR News, adding that the fuel source issue will be a key feature of the discussions. The Jamaican Government will also be getting "an updated timetable on the refinery project," he said. According to the Minister, UC Rusal is "sticking with the schedule, which is that next year December the refinery will be up and running." UC Rusal recently resumed bauxite mining in St Elizabeth and will be exporting the commodity before the end of this year.

It has committed to restarting alumina processing at ALPART by next year December, but the future of its Kirkvine Alumina plant in Manchester remains uncertain. The Windalco plant at Ewarton in St. Catherine is the third alumina facility owned by the Russian company, and is the only one that is currently in operation.