Aluminum Output Growth Limited In N America- Rio Tinto Alcan

MONTREAL -(Dow Jones)- Opportunities for aluminum production growth are limited in North America due to constraints on energy availability and rising costs, an executive at Rio Tinto Alcan (RTP) said Wednesday. "Energy availability is limited and also the price of energy is increasing rapidly," Jean Simon, president of primary aluminum metal North America, noted. "Demand growth is meanwhile mainly outside North America," he added. This has led the company to review its strategy for its North American operations, Simon said, with a focus on the company's key strength there - its access to power. "More than 90% of our power is self-generated, in Quebec and in British Columbia," he added, noting that this gives the company a unique position in the region. The company has been refurbishing its power operations and replacing old smelters with new technology, he said. Rio Tinto Alcan also has long term competitive contracts to complement its self-generation, he said. "At the plant level, we're investing in energy efficiency through all our processes," he said.