Alcoa restarts Intalco potlines, adding 280,000 tons of annual capacity
The Ferndale, Washington smelter will return to partial production after a four-year idling, restoring a meaningful slice of domestic primary aluminum capacity.
Alcoa announced it will restart three of five potlines at its Intalco smelter in Ferndale, Washington, returning roughly 280,000 tons of annual primary aluminum capacity to the US market. The site has been idled since 2020 and is expected to ramp through the second half of 2026.
The decision follows a multi-year power supply negotiation with Bonneville Power Administration and a $150 million federal grant aimed at decarbonizing domestic primary aluminum production. Alcoa said the restart will create roughly 560 full-time jobs and was a specific ask from defense and aerospace customers concerned about domestic supply.
Industry observers said the restart is the most significant change to the US primary aluminum footprint since Magnitude 7 exited the market in 2022. Alcoa said the remaining two potlines will stay cold-banked until long-term power pricing is locked in past 2030.
Written by
Priya Bhatt
Covers Section 232, CBAM, and cross-border metals policy from Washington.
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