CITA Reports 36.9% Sales Growth in H1 2026, Expands Downstream Aluminium Investments Amid Profit Drop

Rio Tinto-operated Bell Bay Aluminum has been excluded from Australia's AUD 2 billion Green Aluminum Production Credit scheme, increasing pressure on the smelter to secure a long-term power agreement before the end of the year. Bell Bay is Australia's only predominantly renewable-powered primary aluminum smelter, with an annual production capacity of 187,000 tonnes. The facility accounts for around 25% of Tasmania's electricity consumption and exports more than 90% of its aluminum production to Asian markets. Without competitive power pricing and government support, the smelter faces uncertainty over its operations beyond 2026.

Australia's federal and New South Wales governments are in the final stage of negotiations on a long-term power support package for the Tomago aluminum smelter, with an announcement expected in August. The proposal includes a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with state-owned Snowy Hydro, providing electricity below market prices to secure the smelter's operations beyond the expiry of its current power contract in 2028. The annual subsidy is estimated at US$300–470 million. Tomago consumes around 12% of New South Wales' electricity and is one of Australia's most strategically important primary aluminum smelters.