Alcoa's Baie-Comeau Smelter Achieves Elite Level in Hydro-Québec's Energy Savers' Circle

Highlights

• The Baie-Comeau Smelter achieves Elite status in the Hydro-Québec Energy Savers' Circle-a network of businesses recognized for their energy efficiency leadership-thanks to a 336 gigawatt-hour (GWh) reduction in its annual power consumption.
• Now all three Quebec Alcoa smelters are Elite members of the Energy Savers' Circle.
• During the period from 2007-2012, Alcoa's Quebec plants posted total cumulative energy efficiency gains of nearly 900 GWh-a clear indicator of the company's success this area.
• The Baie-Comeau Smelter's performance marks a new high point for the Energy Savers' Circle.

BAIE-COMEAU, QC, Sept. 27, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The Alcoa Baie-Comeau Smelter's energy efficiency performance was recognized by Hydro-Québec by its induction into the Energy Savers' Circle yesterday. The plant earned Elite status a little over a year after entering the Energy Savers' Circle network and joins the two other Quebec Alcoa Global Primary Products (GPP Canada) smelters.

The Baie-Comeau Smelter attained Elite status through an unrivalled 336 GWh reduction in annual energy consumption. This result was achieved by optimizing the electrolysis process by replacing the automatic pot controls, improving cathode design and construction, and developing more stable and less resistive anodes. The resulting improvement in energy usage led to a reduction in the quantity of energy consumed per ton of aluminum produced.

"This outstanding performance reflects our people's commitment to energy efficiency and our desire to reduce the environmental footprint of our operations while maximizing the use of this important Quebec resource," remarked Martin Brière, president of Alcoa Canada Global Primary Products. "I would like to congratulate our plant's energy committee and all our employees for breaking new ground every day on our path toward sustainable development," added the general manager of the Baie-Comeau Smelter, Luke Tremblay.

By attaining Elite status, the Baie-Comeau Smelter joins the Bécancour and Deschambault smelters. Together, Alcoa's three Quebec smelters have boosted their total energy efficiency by nearly 900 GWh over the past five years, equivalent to the power consumption of a city of 100,000.

A select network of Quebec companies
Hydro-Québec's Energy Savers' Circle is comprised of large companies that have reduced their power consumption by at least 5% or 50 GWh. These businesses succeeded in bringing about significant energy savings, established an energy efficiency policy for their operations, and appointed an energy representative to their staff. Some 50 companies in Quebec are now part of this network.

Organizations that achieve Elite status boast even more remarkable results, and are therefore seen as energy efficiency ambassadors. Nine companies have attained this status to date, including the three Alcoa smelters in Quebec. The Bécancour Smelter was the first Alcoa company to rise to the Elite level in 2010, and the Deschambault Smelter followed suit in 2011. The Baie-Comeau Smelter's performance has raised the bar to new heights among Energy Savers' Circle members.

GPP Canada would like to congratulate the new members of the Energy Savers' Circle, as well as its most recent Elite members. We thank Hydro-Québec for its encouragement to those seeking to attain this level of achievement.

About Alcoa in Canada
In Quebec, Alcoa Canada Global Primary Products (GPP Canada) comprises of the Baie-Comeau, Deschambault and Bécancour smelters, as well as of the Bécancour Rod Plant. These four plants have an annual production capacity of over one million metric tons of ingots, castings, billets and aluminum rods. Alcoa counts approximately 3,200 employees in Quebec and its activities generate more than $1.3 billion in economic spin-offs annually in the province. Further information is available at www.alcoa.com/canada.

SOURCE Alcoa Canada Global Primary Products