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Scotland is the cradle ofhydro-powered primary aluminium in Britain with over a century of smelting experience. Part ofthat history comes to an end in June however when Alean takes its Kinlochleven plant offline. But the company has plans to increase output at nearby Lochaber. Raoul wltherall braved the Scottish winter to report
Production at the world's oldest operational aluminium smelter will end in June this year when Alean de-energises the last cells at Kinlochleven in the Scottish highlands. The closure is not unexpected - workers at the plant have known for 30 years that its small scale and ageing technology make it unfeasible to carry on producing there indefinitely.
Aluminium smelting came to Scotland in 1896 when the British Aluminium Company began production at Foyers on Loch Ness. Lord Kelvin was one of those instrumental in setting up the company. The plentiful water of the highlands offered great potential for hydro electric power.
The second British Aluminium Co smelter was opened in 1909 at Kinlochleven in Argyll. As the demand for aluminium grew at the turn of the century, the Company acquired rights in the Blackwater lochs area. These ran from the remote Rannoch Moor to the Kinlochleven area.
The plans for works at Kinlochleven were on a much larger scale than at Foyers.
KINLOCHLEVEN
When built, the power house had eleven hydro electric sets for aluminium making, each of 3200hp. There were also auxiliary sets providing power and lighting for the village which was built and named especially for the plant.
The project was at the time, Europe's largest hydro-electric scheme and Kinlochleven became...