Alba starts 25pc of Line 6 pots

MANAMA: Alba, soon to be the largest aluminium smelter in the world, announced it has started 106 pots in line 6.

The line comprises 424 pots which leaves 318 pots left to start in the coming months.

Alba chairman Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa said: “We are pleased to have safely started 106 pots which equates to 25 per cent of the line’s capacity. Our next milestone is to reach 50pc by the end of April and we expect full completion in early Q3 2019.”

The company had announced the successful testing and operation of 40 pots in the line last month.

The Line 6 expansion project will boost Alba’s per-annum production by 540,000 tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes per year.

With the first hot metal from the line achieved on December 13, 2018, Alba is now amongst the 1m tonne smelters in the world.

The project carries a capital expenditure of approximately $3 billion, and involves the construction of a potline using EGA’s proprietary DX+ Ultra technology, a 1,792 MW power station utilising the world’s first H-class General Electric 9HA gas turbine and other industrial services.

As of end-February, overall progress on the project reached 85.9pc, with engineering work 99pc complete while contracts and procurement were at 98.65pc.

Progress on Power Station 5 exceeded 87pc and work on the power distribution system was more than 97pc complete.

Line 6 expansion project will be transformational for Bahrain as it will significantly boost employment opportunities for Bahrainis at both Alba and the local downstream market.

It will also present many co-investment opportunities through local and foreign aluminium investments in Bahrain.

Source: http://www.gdnonline.com/Details/521696