Grundartangi, Iceland, Has Returned to Nearly Full Capacity Ten Months After an Unexpected Failure in the Plant's Electrical Transformers

The malfunction cut aluminum production by two-thirds, forcing a complete halt of one of the plant's two potlines. According to a report by Skessuhorn, Norğurál CEO Gunnar Guğlaugsson told Morgunblağiğ that the plant was restarted much sooner than expected last autumn.

The restart began in April, and the smelter has now reached 95 percent capacity. Guğlaugsson said it went well to procure new transformers, with two sets expected to arrive in Iceland in September. The plan is to replace four transformer sets over the next year, which will not affect production capacity.

Global aluminum prices have risen sharply, partly due to reduced production in Europe, sanctions against Russia, U.S. President's tariffs, and the war in the Middle East. Prices