KINGSTON, Jamaica – Chairman of the Clarendon Alumina Production (CAP), Norman Reid, says tremendous strides have been made in the efforts to implement the first phase of the project to restart Jamalco’s operation that had been severely affected by an August 22 fire.
The old 13.8 KV Room in the Jamalco Powerhouse, it also shows the damaged electrical cabinets with Turbine #1 being demolished.The blaze had affected an estimated 50 per cent of the Powerhouse which supplies power, steam and compress air to the Refinery operations.
Jamalco is a joint venture between the Hong Kong based Noble Group and CAP with a focus on bauxite mining and alumina production.
“I was delighted with the work done when I did the last walk through. We are also encouraged by the support that Jamalco is receiving from its business partners including Jamaica Fire Brigade, National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the communities,” Reid said, adding that it is evident that all stakeholders are anxious to see the plant restart as quickly as possible.
In September, Mining Minister Robert Montage told Parliament that the fire at Jamalco alumina refinery in Clarendon, south of here, which effectively shut down operations at the facility, had resulted in estimated losses of US$500,000 daily.
He said then that the revenue fallout that will impact the wider economy and that the losses are based on Jamalco’s production cost of US$150 per ton of alumina, at a production rate of 3,170 tons per day.
Reid said that he remains optimistic that the refurbished plant will reflect the sweat and tears of everyone involved in the restorative process, adding “I think we are going to be more efficient, and our directors will certainly have a much better understanding of the business”.
Noble executive chairman, Matt Hinds, said he believes that if Jamalco is able to restart the operations and transition to the rebuilding stage it would be transformative.
“We need to unlock the reconstruction process now to move forward to recovery and rebuilding and Noble will provide all the support to get it done,” he said, adding “we are going to build Jamalco, and we are going to come back better. In the long run it’s going to be a good milestone with a long and successful history.”
The authorities believe it will take between 18 and 24 months to complete the installation of the new Powerhouse Hinds said that based on the progress so far he is hopeful that the production of alumina will recommence before yearend.
