Nalco Planning Aluminium Smelter in S.Africa

India’s National Aluminium Company(Nalco) is considering an aluminium smelter and an associated 1,260,000 kilowatt coal-fired power plant in Richards Bay, South Africa, for 4 billion dollars. Nalco initiated the survey following the announcement that BHP Billiton is cutting 10% of power consumption for its South African smelters and Rio Tinto is to postpone its aluminium smelter project in the country. The key issue of the project lies in the 200-hectare land and coal supply, said official from the company, adding they talked with South African’s national power supplier Eskom over the problems, but spokesman from the supplier said he was not sure whether Nalco had talked with them. COPYRIGHT All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of WAM News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of WAM.