Dec 2 2006
Hydro is now preparing an appeal against the decision of Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) to reject the company's petition to postpone the introduction of more stringent emission levels from the Søderberg potlines at Karmøy.
Hydro wishes to continue producing aluminium at the Karmøy Søderberg facility until the end of 2009, and then close down the potlines. SFT granted ten months' deferral from 1 January 2007.
Hydro's submitted its petition to SFT because of the more stringent emission levels being imposed on January 1 2007.
When these new emission regulations were adopted in 2000, Hydro's ambition was for all its production plants, including the Karmøy Søderberg lines, to be within the limits in 2007.
The reduced quality of raw material in recent years means that these Søderberg potlines do not meet all the rigorous emission limits coming onto force in 2007.
Hydro believes that the entire Karmøy aluminium metal plant is a good facility. If one looks at the total production from all the potlines at Karmøy, prebaked and Søderberg, the total emissions per tonne aluminium produced fall within the new emission limits.
Hydro is therefore of the opinion that the Søderberg plant can be operated in an environmentally friendly way until the end of 2009 and then closed, as previously anticipated.
2005 was a very difficult year for Søderberg operation at Karmøy. There are still some operational challenges to be overcome and Hydro will persevere with its efforts to reduce emissions from the Søderberg lines.
"We have done a lot to reduce emissions. Our Søderberg potlines in Sunndal and Høyanger are closed, while the Søderberg lines in Årdal close in June 2007. Karmøy will then be left with the last Søderberg lines in production and we plan to close these before the end of 2009," says Tom Petter Johansen, who heads Hydro's primary aluminium production.
"Many of our employees are dependent, both directly and indirectly, on the Søderberg lines at Karmøy. We need the period between now and 2009 for restructuring."