January 11 (SeeNews) - Montenegro's Uniprom has successfully completed the planned shutdown of the electrolysis plant of aluminium smelter KAP, local media reported on Tuesday.
A total of 170 electrolysis cells were shut down at the plant while 12 are kept active as part of an environmental project launched earlier, daily Pobjeda quoted sources from Uniprom as saying.
If primary production is to be reactivated, it is important to have KAP ready to work to the highest environmental standards, which has been the practice so far, Uniprom sources said.
The workforce of KAP was reduced to 200 employees mainly working at the alloy factories, while the rest have registered with the employment office, Pobjeda reported.
Last month, Uniprom ordered the smelter to begin a phased shutdown of cells in the electrolysis plant on December 15 due to a hike in electricity price that state-run power utility EPCG [BEL:EPCG] has proposed to come into force at the beginning of 2022.
Earlier in December, Uniprom proposed to EPCG to take over the production of primary aluminium at KAP free of charge for a year, starting January 1 in order to avoid the plant's closure. However, EPCG responded that its majority shareholder, the government, has the responsibility of deciding whether to accept the proposal, as the utility company is not registered for aluminium production.
KAP holds a share of about 20% in Montenegro's exports.