Chalco Plans to Eliminate More Than 3% of Capacity in 2010

BEIJING, Aug. 10 -- Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd., the nation's biggest producer of the metal, plans to eliminate more than 3 percent of its total capacity this year, heeding a government call to curb production at energy-intensive plants.

The government yesterday said three units of Chalco, as the aluminum producer is known, should shut plants with a combined capacity of 120,000 metric tons by the end of September. That's equivalent to 3 percent of the company's total aluminum capacity as of 2009.

"Chalco will eliminate the outdated capacity on time in accordance with the government's requirement," said Shen Hui, a spokeswoman with the Beijing-based company. "The company has an internal plan to eliminate more outdated capacity by the end of this year."

Shen didn't give details on the additional shutdown the company is planning.