[DEBATE] : (Fwd) Crazed Alec Erwin to go ahead with Coega, via French contractor

[Patrick Bond]

(After all his self-delegitimisation on energy suply, I just didn't 
think this sort of maniacal move would happen. Naive moi.)

Coega moves to reassure Rio Tinto that smelter is viable

By: Christy van der Merwe
Published: 14 Mar 08 - 12:15

The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has reassured diversified miner 
Rio Tinto about the viability of its planned $2,7-billion aluminium 
smelter at the Coega Industrial Development Zone, after the company said 
on Thursday that it was reassessing the terms of this project.

The CDC said it noted Rio Tinto Alcan's statement and sought to reaffirm 
"that the viability of an aluminium smelter at Coega has been proven and 
the Coega site has been made ready for its implementation".

The diversified miner on Thursday revealed that it was reviewing the 
terms of its project at Coega, which it inherited with the acquisition 
of Canadian aluminium producer Alcan, in order to align its timing with 
the availability of secure power generation.

"A team, consisting of members from government, Rio Tinto and Eskom, are 
reviewing the terms of the project," Rio Tinto said in a statement.

The project had planned to start production in 2010, but was being 
placed in an 'interim' phase, until the discussions on the timing of the 
project had been concluded.

The review came as a result of the country's power shortage, which had 
forced the strained electricity utility, Eskom, to request its customers 
to cut consumption by 10%

Eskom said it expected power margins to remain tight until at least 
2012, when new base-load coal power stations would be commissioned.

While the smelter has a great developmental impact, there are many other 
projects which will come on stream while we will continue working hard 
with other parties to bring it to finality," said CDC Business 
Development Executive, Khwezi Tiya.

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=129202

***

Areva wins €80m contract from Rio Tinto for Alcan smelter
By: Olivia Soraya Spadavecchia
Published: 28 Feb 08 - 19:03

French energy giant Areva said on Thursday that it had signed a contract 
worth some €80-million (around R20,6-million) with aluminium producer 
Rio Tinto Alcan, to build a power supply system for its new smelter in 
Port Elizabeth.

Under this contract, the company would deliver a conversion substation 
that would supply the smelter with direct current for the aluminium 
production process.

“This contract strengthens our long-standing partnership with Rio Tinto 
Alcan. It represents a step forward towards our global objective to 
double our order intake for the electro-intensive industries by 2010,” 
commented CEO Anne Lauvergeon.

This announcement was made during French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s 
state visit to South Africa.

Lauvergeon also reaffirmed the company’s commitment to strengthen its 
position in the country’s nuclear industry.

Areva and rival Toshiba Westinghouse, of the US, confirmed late in 
January that they had submitted bids to Eskom, South Africa’s power 
utility, to build the country’s next new conventional nuclear power station.

Areva had offered to build a fleet of European Pressurised Reactors 
(ERPs) and to support and coinvest in the development of a nuclear 
sector in South Africa.

“The group is ready to partner extensively with various entities in 
South Africa to build the EPR fleet and develop different aspects of the 
nuclear industry, from manufacturing and uranium beneficiation,” it said 
in a statement on Thursday.

The group also entered into several agreements related to skills 
development, reaffirming its commitment to South Africa’s nuclear 
education development.