The history of the tiwai point aluminium smelter, powered by hydroelectricity from. Mining giant rio tinto has walked away from talks with the government over the future of tiwai point aluminium smelter, prime minister john key has confirmed this morning. New zealands aluminium smelter in tiwai point to reopen. Jul 01, 2015 meridian energy and rio tintocontrolled new zealand aluminium smelters have extended their electricity agreement for another month, giving the tiwai point smelter owner a little more time to sort.
Tiwai point is new zealands only aluminium smelter. Details the latest negotiations between rio tinto, meridian energy and the government to enable the tiwai pt. Although the smelter is said to produce some of the worlds purest aluminium, the reality is that aluminium buyers arent prepared to pay enough of a premium for tiwais product to ensure the smelters longterm survival. Improved metal prices and a fixed power contract have meant a previously closed potline at the tiwai point aluminium smelter will reopen, resulting in up to 32 new jobs. It is known for the tiwai point aluminium smelter, one of the largest industrial facilities in new. The plant, one of only two that can produce ultrahigh purity aluminium, signed a new longterm power agreement with meridian energy in 20. Southland new zealand activity highlights, things to do in. Tiwai point aluminium smelter nzas as seen from bluff hill.
The sharemarket has been blindsided by the news that mining giant rio tinto is looking at shutting down the countrys biggest power consumer, the tiwai point aluminium smelter, less than a year. Another great activity to do in bluff is the tiwai point aluminium smelter tour that. Contact us home, new zealands aluminium smelter, tiwai. Meridian energy says rio tinto has not provided update on tiwai point aluminium smelter. The plants owner, rio tinto, has been looking to sell tiwai point and other smelters for the best part of a decade but never found a buyer. Tiwai point aluminium smelter report wood mackenzie. Tiwai points owners have history of playing hardball otago. Tiwai point smelter s annual net profit plummets amid volatile pricing.
Stateowned electricity generator meridian which is also on the governments partial privatisation list said it was unlikely that a new supply agreement could be reached with rio to nz aluminium smelters nzas tiwai point smelter. A truly ambitious solution would keep jobs in southland, delivering on the promise of the zero carbon act to make nz all but carbon neutral by 2050, writes nicola gaston in a post coauthored with. However, the firm warns that, should relief for its rising power costs not be forthcoming, the financial numbers in coming years may be printed with red ink. Jan 24, 2018 the efforts to contain a fire near bluff, southland which burnt conservation wetlands and threatened power lines and operations at the aluminium smelter at tiwai point. The company goal is to complete an industrial chain of coalelectricityaluminiumsemi fabrication. Tiwai point smelter profit more than halves in 2016 nbr. The tiwai point aluminium smelter is an aluminium smelter owned by rio tinto group. A decision on the future of the tiwai point aluminium smelter at bluff has been delayed for a month. General manager stew hamilton along with tiwais longest serving employee, phil macaskill carbon will grace our tv screens later in the year, starring in a documentary on the history of manufacturing in new zealand which features the smelter. Meridian posts record earnings amid negotiations with rio. Tiwai smelter deadline delayed by a month newscomau.
Published on aug 8, 20 relief in southland and for the workers at the tiwai point aluminium smelter after a deal was struck to secure the plants short. Tiwai point smelters annual net profit plummets scoop news. They own 79% the tiwai point aluminium smelter at the bottom of nz. Published on dec 6, 2018 new zealands aluminium smelter reopens its fourth potline previously mothballed in 2012 due to high aluminium prices and. New zealands aluminium smelter nzas converts alumina into aluminium using renewable hydroelectricity, resulting in one of the lowest carbon footprints for an aluminium smelter in the world.
With this harsh reality in mind, this article considers the. Comalco later purchased showa denkos share in april 1986. The tiwai smelter uses hydropower making it among the cleanest aluminum plants in the world. Alscon accusations, selfadulation confuse reality at privatised aluminium plant aluminium company of nigeria alscon the biggest aluminium smelter plant in africa. Aluminium smelting technology conference held in queenstown. Decision on rio tintos tiwai point smelter and 800 jobs delayed. Jennifer nolan, director external relations nz 021 381981, or.
Tiwai is one of very few smelters powered by renewable electricity, although it is still far from carbon zero the carbon anodes yield one molecule of co2 for every molecule of aluminium metal. Tiwai point and the governments role in transition tvhe. June 4 businessdesk the owner of new zealands sole aluminium smelter says it has delivered a. Writedown of tiwai point aluminium smelter australian mining. The smelter, located at tiwai point on the southern coast of the south island, was opened in 1971 after a joint venture construction 50% comalco, 25% sumitomo chemical company and 25% showa denko kk. Treasurys advice to ministers on the potential closure of the tiwai aluminium smelter is relatively upbeat about the benefits and says closure will have a relatively low economic impact with no. Wikicommons under rio tintos 20 electricity supply agreement with meridian energy, it has to give notice if it intends to end the contract or reduce consumption. Tiwai smelter deadline delayed by a month the tiwai point aluminium smelter will get an extra month to sort out its electricity needs under a deal with provider meridian. For a new history of bluff see this ngai tahu page precis of dr michael stevens book, between local and global.
Apr 02, 20 too much is at stake with the smelter to leave it to a stateappointed board. The location is the site of an aluminium smelter, owned by rio tinto and the sumitono group as the new zealand aluminium smelters ltd. Under current market conditions and with high energy costs, we expect the short to medium outlook for the aluminium industry to be challenging and this. Rio tinto to scale back nz aluminum smelter operations due. Assesses the future of the tiwai point aluminium smelter in southland, which might close over the next few years as a consequence of increased electricity costs following the partial privatisation of the electricity sector and lower world prices for aluminium. Nzas will work on winding down the pot line this week, and reallocate 35 staff to its three other. Treasury relaxed over potential tiwai smelter closure scoop. Gain valuable skills in this worldwide industry and forge a career with one of new zealands largest companies. A modest proposal for the future of the smelter at tiwai. Tiwai is close to power generation, and the fact that its hydro power makes it the cleanest operating smelter in the world. Home, new zealands aluminium smelter, tiwai point, manapouri. The dross got produced in the course of rio tintos aluminium smelting operation at tiwai point. Books about the history of the province of southland and stewart island. A spit which extends from the western end of the awarua plain, it lies between awarua bay to the north and foveaux strait to the south.
The future of the tiwai point aluminium smelter appears to have become a little more secure, with the rio tintocontrolled plant thought to be roughly breaking even, largely thanks to a lower new zealand dollar and the fact the price of alumina has fallen more than that of the finished product. Tiwai point lies at the entrance to bluff harbour on the southern coast of the south island of new zealand. The tiwai smelter uses 12 per cent of new zealands electricity but it also accounts for 6. Expansion at tiwai point aluminium smelter with 4th. Our professional services have been called on several times over the long history of the tiwai point facility, during the initial construction and again when regular upgrades or extensions were required. Wikicommons under rio tintos 20 electricity supply agreement with meridian energy, it has to give notice. Tiwai point aluminium smelter concerned of linwood. Tiwai point aluminium smelter squarely in the black. Sep 11, 2012 simon johnson argues that rio tinto alcan nz nz aluminium smelters ltd, the owner of the tiwai point aluminium smelter is godfathering the smelter, its workforce, the southland economy, the nz electricity market, meridan energy and the poor critically endangered slowbreeding kakapo, as well as godfathering the nz emissions. There have been a lot of controversial pit stops in the smelters 50 year history, with closures and job losses threatened many times. New zealands aluminium smelter nzas is new zealands only aluminium smelter and is located on tiwai peninsula, across the harbour from bluff in southland.
Smelting needs a lot of power it uses electricity equivalent to 776,000 households, or. New zealand aluminium smelters nzas southland chamber of. Tiwai point smelter profit more than halves in 2016. Old wharf and alumina unloading gear, tiwai point aluminium smelter, bluff nz. Tiwai point aluminium smelter near bluff is one of the few big manufacturing businesses working through the lockdown. It is one of only two smelters in the world producing ultrahigh purity aluminium. The smelter is located on tiwai peninsula in southland and the majority of the plants alumina is. It employs nearly people directly, and indirectly 3000 people in the region are reliant on this one industry, the 20th largest smelter in the world. The facility, new zealands only aluminium smelter, is at tiwai point, near bluff.
Apr 08, 2010 my big interest in life is travel and history but i have also placed films on other subjects please feel free to ask questions in the public area or to comment on things you disagree with. Tiwai point consumes 15% of the countries electricity and gets a reduced rate for its power. Examimes the prospect of the aluminium smelter closing down and its consequences to nz. The final design, construction and operation of the manapouri tiwai point electroindustrial complex, coming as it did at the end of some 65 years of government policy formulation, should have been a significant first step away from new zealands economic dependence upon the export of primary produce to the united kingdom. Tiwai point smelter looks safe, despite global glut. Despite rising costs and their impact upon the firms bottom line, new zealand aluminium smelter limited nzas still turned a profit in 2016. Southland new zealand activity highlights and fun things to do. Aluminium production will continue at bluffs tiwai point smelter, meaning a huge sigh of relief for southland. Future of tiwai point smelter up in the air rnz news. Decision on rio tintos tiwai point smelter and 800 jobs.
Tiwai point, bluff, invercargill city, southland region, new zealand. A great attraction is the bluff maritime museum that contains an extensive collection of artefacts and displays relating to the maritime history of the town. The tiwai point aluminium smelter is an aluminium smelter owned by rio tinto group 79. Concern lingers for tiwai point aluminium smelters future. Commissioned in 1971 it is operated by new zealand smelters ltd nzas. The future of the smelter hangs in the balance as rio looks to sell many of its. Tiwai point aluminium smelter profitable in 2016 despite. Apr 10, 2018 the tiwai point smelter produces high grade metal used in making cars and planes, which gives it some insulation against the swings in markets and demand. It imports alumina and processes it into primary aluminium. The eventual closure of the tiwai point aluminium smelter is an inevitability that needs to be embraced. Nzas owns new zealands only aluminium smelter and located on the tiwai peninsula, across the harbour from the community of bluff.