UC Rusal, the world’s largest aluminium producer, will restart operations at the Windalco-Kirkvine Works Plant in Jamaica effective July 2011, representing a US$17.5-million ($1.5-billion) investment.

The investment cost of the restart of operations at the Windalco-Kirkvine Works Plant from January to December 2011 is expected to be approximately US$9.5 million while the plant commissioning budget is approximately US$17.5 million, stated a release dated February 14.

The restart is subject to the approval by international lenders and further discussions of the company with its partners on

the project.

The total capacity of the Windalco-Kirkvine Works Plant is approximately 600,000 tonnes of alumina per year.

In 2011, the production of the Windalco-Kirkvine Works Plant is planned to be approximately 252,000 tonnes of alumina.

The production at the Windalco-Kirkvine Works Plant was temporarily suspended in April 2009 due to cost-cutting measures. During the period in which operations at the Windalco-Kirkvine Works Plant have been suspended, Rusal undertook a number of measures to ensure that when market conditions were such that they would make the restart of the Windalco-Kirkvine Works Plant economically viable, the operations would be restored in more effective and competitive manner.

The company has carefully reviewed ways of optimising the facility’s structure and production process, reducing cash operating costs and improving the efficiency of the Windalco-Kirkvine Works Plant’s operations.

It is expected that the restart of the Windalco-Kirkvine Works Plant will increase the efficiency of the infrastructure in Windalco (including port and railway) which is only partially utilised for the Ewarton Works Plant at present.