Yunnan Likely To Issue Specific Power Load Distribution Notice To Local Aluminium Smelters, Bringing Hope To Partial Restarts Of Nearly 2 Million Mt Of Idled Capacity

SHANGHAI, Jun 14 (SMM) – With the increase in rainfalls, hydropower generation in Yunnan has picked up in June. It is expected that the government of Yunnan will issue specific power load distribution notice to local aluminium smelters on June 15. As of June 12, installed aluminium capacity in Yunnan stood at close to 5.6 million mt (including 400,000 mt to be transferred), while operating capacity was about 3.26 million mt, with roughly 2 million mt of capacity being idled. If power supply continues to recover, roughly 85% of local idled aluminium capacity may be restarted. However, considering the low flexibility of aluminium production restarts and brief period of rainy season, there could be uncertainties on the amount of capacity that is actually restarted. Anyway, expectations for aluminium production resumptions in Yunnan have alleviated alumina sellers’ pessimism and slowed decline in alumina prices.