Alcoa’s San Cibrao Plant Initiates Aluminum Production with First Vats

In a significant development for the aluminum industry, Alcoa's San Cibrao facility in Lugo has successfully initiated the production of primary aluminum, with the first two vats already operating with liquid metal. This milestone is part of the plant's phased restart process, marking a pivotal moment for the facility's future operations.

José Antonio Zan, the president of the works committee, shared with the media that these first two vats have transitioned from the heating phase to actively containing liquid metal, signifying their operational status within the plant's restart process. This advancement is a positive indicator of the facility's capacity to resume full-scale aluminum production.

Additionally, two more vats were activated recently, one on Sunday evening and another in the early hours of Monday. These vats are currently containing a liquid bath of cryolite, setting the stage for the activation of additional vats in the coming days. Zan highlighted that this development would facilitate the start-up of more vats starting Wednesday.

The San Cibrao plant, which boasts a total of 512 vats, is on track to have 32 of these vats operational by April 1st, according to the restart schedule. This phased approach underscores Alcoa's commitment to revitalizing its operations in San Cibrao, ensuring the plant's contribution to the global aluminum market.